3 Up, 3 Down: Mets Down Braves

With the Trade Deadline fast approaching, the New York Mets were able to take a series from the Atlanta Braves.

The expected selloff should start happening any day now, which means we may have seen this current incarnation of the 2026 Mets for the last time.

If that’s the case, then they went out on a high. Stellar pitching and some clutch hitting saw the Mets take two out of three from the first-place Braves.

With trade talk set to dominate the next few days, let’s recap everything from the Atlanta series in the latest edition of 3 Up, 3 Down…

3 UP

DO IT-ALL CARSON

Carson Benge had his fingerprints all over this series win. He stole the show in the doubleheader on Wednesday after being rested on Monday. The rookie hit the winning run with a go-ahead double in the bottom of the seventh in the first game. Then, in the second game, Benge made a stupendous diving catch to keep a runner off base in the eighth inning. In back-to-back games, Benge showed off his ability to come through in the clutch as well as his elite defensive skillset.

TURNING HEADS

Christian Scott grabbed everybody’s attention for multiple reasons in the nightcap portion of Wednesday’s doubleheader. Not only did he toss a gem, but he did so while completing six full innings for the first time this season. That latter point is crucial when considering the bigger picture. Arguably the biggest hurdle facing Scott was his ability to go deep in games. Now he’s done it once; hopefully he can make that the standard going forward. In terms of the actual performance, Scott flashed his high upside once again. He allowed just one earned run on five hits with one walk and seven strikeouts. In doing so, Scott is cementing his place in this rotation long term.

PROVING A POINT

I’ll preface what I’m about to say by acknowledging that I’m aware Francisco Lindor went a combined 0-for-6 in the final two games of this series. However, his offensive outburst in the first game provided a welcome reminder of just how elite Lindor is when he’s at the peak of his powers. The shortstop had his best night of the year, becoming just the second Met to crush a pair of home runs and hit a triple. He also finished with six RBIs. Look, it hasn’t been a great year for Lindor, but injuries have had a lot to do with that. Monday night was proof that he still has a lot to offer this franchise.

3 DOWN

OFFENSE OFFENSIVE 

If you want a neat encapsulation of what has gone wrong for the Mets this season, look no further than the Braves series. After exploding for 14 runs in the opener, the offense managed just three runs across the final two games. That included being shut out in the series finale. The Mets recorded just two hits all night in the final game against the Braves. And that has been the crux of their woes all year. The lineup, despite having talent, just hasn’t been nearly consistent enough, and it has more often than not doomed the entire team.

UNWELCOME REMINDER

The odds were always going to be stacked against Jorge Polanco given that he was replacing a franchise icon in Pete Alonso. Well, Polanco’s first year in Queens has been a bust thanks to an inability to stay healthy coupled with a lack of production when he has been on the field. He struggled in his one game in this series, going 0-for-3 with three strikeouts. He also opted for a sacrifice bunt, which suggests the confidence has gone. Polanco is now hitting a lowly .144/.202/.216/.418 on the year, which is no doubt making Mets fans miss Alonso even more.

TIME TO SAY FAREWELL

With the Trade Deadline on Monday, it is entirely possible that we’ve seen certain Mets for the very last time. Luke Weaver will almost certainly be dealt. He will be missed after what has been a superb season so far. Tyrone Taylor, who has been on a heater lately, will also likely be on the way out. There could be some surprises too. All in all, while the selloff needs to happen, there will be certain players who will be missed. That most certainly includes Clay Holmes if he ends up being dealt too.