BARELY BREATHING

METS HAVE POSTSEASON PULSE THANKS TO PADRES’ DRAMATIC WIN

WASHINGTON — The threat of rain in the forecast was enough to prompt the Nationals to postpone Friday night’s game. And so, the final weekend of the regular season will include a doubleheader for the Mets, with two seven-inning games, beginning at 3:05 p.m. on Saturday at Nationals Park.

The Mets remained mathematically alive for a postseason berth with the Padres’ victory over the Giants in the nightcap of a doubleheader Friday. But another narrow path to the playoffs closed with the Marlins’ victory over the Yankees. The Marlins clinched second place in the NL East, which carries a postseason berth.

The Phillies lost to the Rays, helping to keep the Mets alive for another day. A loss Saturday would eliminate the Mets, as would a victory by the Phillies or Giants.

➤ Michael Conforto wasn’t ready to look ahead to Sandy Alderson’s impending return to the organization. But Conforto is comfortable looking back.

Alderson, who served as Mets general manager for 8 ½ seasons, will become team president if Steve Cohen is approved as the new owner. Cohen needs 23 of 30 votes from MLB owners for the $2.4 billion sale of the club to become official.

“Sandy is the one who drafted me and I kind of grew up while he was there,” said Conforto, the Mets’ top pick in the 2014 draft. “He gave me some guidance along the way, through times of coming up and having success, having a down year the next year. I had a lot of conversations with him about the things he saw that I needed to do to stick around up here at this level.

“I am thankful he brought me up when he did [in 2015], that he drafted me, that he had faith in me. We’ll see what happens as we move toward next year.”