ATLANTA - The Atlanta Braves can now focus on the playoffs.
The New York Mets and manager Luis Rojas face an uncertain future.
Austin Riley drove in two runs with two hits, and the Braves looked ready for the postseason in a 5-0 win over the Mets on Sunday, the final day of the regular season.
Atlanta wrapped up its fourth straight National League East Division championship Thursday night by completing a three-game series sweep of the second-place Philadelphia Phillies. Despite resting most of their regular starters Friday and Saturday, they took two of three from the third-place Mets.
The Braves won 12 of their 14 past games to finish the regular season 88-73, and now they turn their attention to the Milwaukee Brewers (95-67) and an NL Division Series that starts Friday. The Brewers, who won the NL Central, have home-field advantage for the best-of-five series.
Atlanta manager Brian Snitker used his normal lineup Sunday, and right-hander Charlie Morton allowed one hit in 2 2/3 scoreless innings. Morton (14-6, 3.34 ERA) is scheduled to start Friday's game in Milwaukee, and he said the short start was designed to keep him in his routine.
"Just so there wasn't that much of a layoff," he explained.
Left-hander Max Fried, Atlanta's scheduled Game 2 starter on Saturday, may throw a simulated game Monday. Otherwise, Snitker said he wasn't concerned about his pitchers' extra rest before the postseason.
"I don't worry about that," the manager said before the game. "They don't forget how to pitch."
The Braves will work out in Atlanta on Wednesday and in Milwaukee on Thursday.
As for the Mets, they were held to three hits Sunday and suffered one final letdown in a disappointing season: With a chance to win the season series against the Braves for the first time since 2017, they lost to finish 10-9 versus Atlanta.
After leading the NL East for most of the first half of the season and as late as Aug. 5, the Mets (77-85) finished 11 1/2 games behind Atlanta, which didn't get above .500 until early August and didn't take sole possession of first place until the middle of that month.
"We were playing pretty well at one point of the season, and it fell apart and you feel responsible as a manager," Rojas said. "Managers get paid to win games, and we lost more than we won this year."
Rojas said he felt responsible "for a lot of what happened this year." He said he didn't know when he would discuss his future with team president Sandy Alderson, who already has said he intends to hire a president of baseball operations.
"Whenever that happens, it will happen," Rojas said. "We should find out soon. We'll see, but I have no idea."
New York starter Noah Syndergaard (0-1) allowed two runs, including a leadoff homer to Jorge Soler, in his one scheduled inning. It was his second start after returning from Tommy John surgery - he pitched one scoreless inning against the Miami Marlins on Tuesday - and the 29-year-old right-hander said he proved he is healthy.
"Now it's just get back to the old Noah," said Syndergaard, an MLB All-Star in 2016. "I think anyone who knows me knows no one is going to outwork me."
Soler lined the homer to left on Syndergaard's second pitch. With one out, Ozzie Albies doubled and scored on Riley's single. Riley was thrown out attempting to advance to second on a review after being called safe at second on the field.
Trevor Williams allowed three runs in five innings for the Mets. Riley hit an RBI double off Williams in Atlanta's three-run third.
Spencer Strider (1-0) threw 1 1/3 scoreless innings in his second appearance after rising through four levels of the Braves' minor leagues this season.
Riley finished second in the NL in RBIs with 107 - six behind teammate Adam Duvall. Including Albies' 106, the Braves have three of the top four RBI producers in the NL.
"That is just unbelievable," Snitker said.
With his 40th double of the season, Albies became the 10th player in MLB history with at least 40 doubles, 20 homers and five triples in a season; he has 30 homers and seven triples. Albies is the third Braves hitter with at least 40 doubles, 20 homers and 100 RBIs, joining Hank Aaron (1959) and Chipper Jones (1999).