Home-field next step for Amazin’s

ATLANTA — The next big challenge for the JuggerMets is to gain homefield advantage in the NLDS matchup with the Dodgers.

The Mets are creeping up on Don Mattingly’s club, setting up what could be a classic October power pitching duel.

Manager Terry Collins knows how vital it is for the Mets to grab home field.

“There’s no question that is on our scope,’’ Collins told the Post on Saturday night before the Mets played the Braves at Turner Field.

“Like Friday night, after the [Yoenis] Cespedes home run, we saw that the Nationals had just lost and I saw the Dodgers were losing 100, I said ‘Let’s get [Jeurys] Familia in this game, we’re going to win this game and not only pick up a game on the Nationals, but a game on the Dodgers, too.’ ’’ Jugular time. The Nationals are toast — just another group of people in Washington who can’t get the job done — so now the CespeMets need to keep winning to make sure the first two games against the Dodgers will be played at Citi Field and Game 5, if necessary.

The Mets went into Saturday night’s game with an 8061 record. The Dodgers have lost two straight and have dropped to 8060. The Mets have won five straight and own the seasonseries tiebreaker against the Dodgers.

The Mets have had their way with NL East, compiling a 4220 record and are 2112 against the West. It is the NL Central — the Cubs and Pirates — who have created all kinds of problems for the Mets. The Mets are 920 against the NL Central. They are 013 against the Pirates and Cubs.

Hey, who doesn’t love L.A. but facing Clayton Kershaw — even with his postseason problems — and Zack Greinke in the late afternoon shadows of Dodger Stadium is no fun.

Facing them at Citi Field on October nights with a crazy Mets crowd could create a much better fall harvest.

That is why it is so important for the Mets to keep rolling with 21 games remaining.

The Mets can counter with Matt Harvey — if he does indeed pitch in the postseason — and Jacob deGrom, their top two starters to match up against Kershaw and Greinke. Power vs. power. The Mets are riding the wave created by the Amazin’ Cespedes, who blasted his 15th Mets home run in the 51 win over the Braves on Friday night. Cespedes also has 39 RBIs in 38 games for the Mets.

He has barged his way into the NL MVP conversation.

He has carried the offense and is on a mission since he will be a free agent after the World Series.

After that win, a game in which Cespedes drove in the Mets first run with a double then crushed a tworun home run in the ninth to raise his Mets average to .313, but is still taking a teamfirst approach.

“It’s not about me,” he said. “It’s about the team. I’m one part of the team that is winning. Everything is clicking. Everybody is chipping in and for a purpose: To play in the playoffs and hopefully we can bring the Big Trophy to the city.’’ Bring home the big trophy. There is still so much work to be done and it begins with finishing the season on a roll so the Mets can have that homefield advantage against the Dodgers. The Mets won the season series from the Dodgers, 43.

All those games were played preCespedes, who has brought an “old school’’ approach.

Talking about his batting style, Cespedes said, “my approach in my first two atbats is to see what the pitcher has and the way he approaches me. That is the old school, the old way that I learned in Cuba.’’

Cespedes said in Cuba his young fans are following his performance through computers.

Now, Cespedes and the Mets are shooting for homefield advantage in the NLDS.