Buckle up and enjoy as the Braves and Mets battle like it’s 1999.

After losing sole possession of first place for the first time this year following Tuesday's game, the Mets swept a doubleheader in Pittsburgh on Wednesday. The Braves enter Thursday’s off-day sitting just a half-game back in a National League East race that some considered over when New York began June with a 10.5-game lead.

When the Braves moved into a first-place tie on Tuesday, MLB.com’s Sarah Langs reported the Mets became the eighth team since divisions began (1969) to have a 10-plus-game division lead, then have another team either tie or overtake them for first place at some point.

How have the Braves done this? Well, as the Mets have produced a 98-win pace by going 53-34 going back to June 1, the Braves have produced a 117-win pace by going 63-24.

Though the Braves have had a couple of tight division battles since 2000, this year’s race feels like it’s the most intense Atlanta has experienced since 1999. The Mets stayed close throughout that season and even claimed a couple of brief division leads in August. Chipper Jones then clinched the NL MVP Award when he helped the Braves clinch the NL East by going 5-1 against the Mets over the season’s final two weeks.

This year’s schedule unfortunately includes just three more matchups between these two teams. But there’s certainly reason to believe the division might be decided when the Mets come to Atlanta for a three-game series Sept. 30-Oct. 2.

The Mets wish they could have held their once-comfortable lead, and the Braves wish they had been more successful during the season’s first couple months. But both teams now have the opportunity to enjoy the thrill of a tight pennant race.

“You love that time of year when you wake up, get a cup of coffee and you can’t wait to get to the ballpark, because you want to play the next game,” manager Brian Snitker said. “These games all mean something and that’s what you play for.”

The Mets’ remaining schedule includes: The Marlins (five games), Cubs (three games), Pirates (four games), Brewers (three games), A’s (three games), Braves (three games) and Nationals (three games).

The Braves’ remaining schedule includes: The Mariners (three games), Giants (three games), Phillies (seven games), Nationals (six games), Mets (three games) and Marlins (three games).

Of course, whenever Bobby Cox was asked something about how one team’s road might be harder than another team’s, he would always say, “You play the schedule.” It was like he knew a great team like the Mets could be capable of totaling four runs while losing three straight to the Nationals and Pirates from Saturday-Tuesday.

TRIVIA

Michael Harris II has tallied two four-hit games since debuting this year and Vaughn Grissom notched his first four-hit game on Tuesday night in Oakland. Who holds the Braves' record for most four-hit games at 21 years old or younger?

A.) Andruw Jones

B.) Jason Heyward

C.) Hank Aaron

D.) Ronald Acuña Jr.

OLSON TRADE

Quite honestly, the Matt Olson trade seemed like a win for the Braves from the moment it was made. The value of the trade will continue to increase as Olson does his thing and William Contreras proceeds to show he can be Atlanta’s catcher of the future.

Really, the only significant piece the Braves lost in the Olson trade was top catching prospect Shea Langeliers, who has hit .216 with three homers and a .656 OPS through the first 19 games of his career. Langeliers should have a long, successful career as a big league catcher. But it’s safe to say the Braves gained greater value, especially once they signed Olson to an eight-year deal.

The A’s return also included Cristian Pache, Ryan Cusick and Joey Estes. Pache has a .447 OPS over 222 plate appearances for Oakland, and Cusick has dealt with injuries at the Double-A level this year. As for Estes, he hasn’t shown anything close to the strikeout stuff he surprisingly produced at the Single-A level last year.

GOOD STARTS

The Braves have been pleased with what they’ve seen since taking a pair of high school pitchers, Owen Murphy (No. 5 prospect in the organization) and JR Ritchie (No. 6 prospect), with their first two picks in this year’s MLB Draft. Murphy recorded seven strikeouts while not allowing any runs through his first two starts (five innings) for the Braves’ Florida Complex League team. Ritchie struck out four through his first two starts (4 1/3 shutout innings) for the same team.

MORE INSTANT SUCCESS

Spencer Strider and Michael Harris II will likely finish first and second in the balloting for the National League Rookie of the Year Award. The question is whether Braves second baseman and No. 1 prospect Vaughn Grissom might also garner some votes, despite not debuting until Aug. 10.

Grissom has hit .347 (33-for-95) with five homers and a .956 OPS through the first 103 plate appearances of his career. He stands with Jeff Francoeur (37 in 2005), Sam Jethroe (36 in 1950), Bill Bruton (33 in 1953) as the only Braves to tally at least 33 hits through the first 26 games of their careers since 1950.

“It’s been incredible, especially winning,” Grissom said. “It’s just, like, super fun.”

TRIVIA ANSWER

C.) Hank Aaron

Aaron totaled six four-hit games at 21 or younger during the 1954 and 1955 seasons. Andruw Jones is the only other Braves player to record three such games at this age. Acuña, Heyward, Bob Horner and Eddie Mathews each had three four-hit games before their respective 22-year-old seasons.

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