A lot has happened since the New York Mets last played at Citi Field. An 11-game stretch away from home — with the last three games decided in the final two innings — has brought the Mets from the regular-season home stretch through the NL Wild Card Series and into the NLDS.
With the team's showdown against the Phillies tied 1-1 and shifted to Queens on Tuesday for Citi Field's first divisional series game since 2015, a familiar purple face is back in town to try to coax a little more magic out of a team that has thrived on superstitious runs and unconventional good-luck charms.
There is the «OMG» sign kept in the dugout and used as a post-homer photo prop, a tribute to the chart-topping Latin pop song released by journeyman infielder-turned-lineup staple Jose Iglesias (or Candelita, to use his stage name) in June.
More recently, the playoff pumpkin emerged — a source of inspiration for star first baseman Pete Alonso, whose three-run blast brought the Mets back from the brink of elimination against the Milwaukee Brewers.