Welcome to an interesting week atop the NL East.
It began with the Mets, off of losing two of three in the Subway Series, falling in the opener Monday night at Fenway Park to drop out of first place for the first time since April 9.
The Phillies moved into first a day after enduring a gut punch — the announcement that they were losing their most impactful reliever, Jose Alvarado, to an 80-game suspension for violating MLB’s performance-enhancing drug policy.
But the Phillies are currently cushioned by a soft spot in their schedule, coming off a weekend sweep of the last-place Pirates, taking the opener Monday against the MLB-worst Rockies and then following with three in Sacramento against the A’s, who were 8-14 in their temporary home digs.
