Is hope in the air for the New York Mets now?

There were a lot of positives on display as the Mets took two out of three from the Padres. And, in winning the series in San Diego, New York finished their final West Coast road trip with a 3-3 record.

The Mets have also won seven of their last 10 games. Furthermore, they are 19-15 since May 1. That’s obviously a big improvement and a sign that this team is now trending in the right direction.

Of course, it wasn’t all perfect over the weekend. There were mistakes, another quiet day by the offense, and a not-so-great injury update on Jorge Polanco. All in all, the Mets did what they had to do to take care of business.

On that note, let’s unpack all the good and the bad from the Padres series in another edition of 3 Up, 3 Down …

Jun 7, 2026; San Diego, California, USA; New York Mets right fielder Carson Benge (3) celebrates after hitting a one run home run during the sixth inning against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: David Frerker-Imagn Images

3 UP

FUTURE HOPE

We got a glimpse of both the short and long-term future for the Mets this weekend. Carson Benge and A.J. Ewing played huge roles in the series win. As such, they offered tantalizing hope that maybe this season could be salvaged after all. And, if not, then the long-term future at least looks incredibly bright with those two leading the charge. Benge was the headline act, going 5-for-5 on Sunday, becoming the first rookie since Pete Alonso in 2019 to record five hits in a single game. Benge finished Sunday with a triple, a home run, two RBIs, three runs scored, and ten total bases. It was a statement performance by the rookie, who continues to emerge as a real All-Star contender.

As for Ewing, the outfielder had a hit in all three games. He also walked twice in the second game of the series, including a masterclass of an at-bat against Padres phenom Mason Miller in the ninth inning. Ewing also made another stellar defensive play in the series. Overall, both the immediate outlook and the bigger picture look bright for the Mets thanks to their two dynamic rookies.

GUTTING IT OUT

Nolan McLean has had a rough time of it as of late, but he showed signs of getting the train back on the tracks in San Diego. The righty walked three, but allowed just one run over six innings during Saturday’s loss. It was the first time McLean had pitched into the sixth inning since May 14. Granted, it wasn’t the prettiest of outings – McLean threw 101 pitches – but he strapped on his big boy pants to work through the traffic and limit the damage. That’s a good sign. The hope will be now that McLean can return to his dominant self on the mound.

FINDING A GROOVE

Both Marcus Semien and Bo Bichette continue to trend upwards. Semien stayed hot in San Diego, recording four hits in the final two games of the series. That included homers on back-to-back days. Semien also drove in both of the Mets’ runs on Saturday night. However, at this point, it is fair to wonder if the veteran is just going to be a streaky player. As for Bichette, his offensive ceiling is a lot higher, and he showed what he’s capable of against the Padres. He recorded an RBI triple on Friday night, before finishing with two hits on Sunday. After recording five hits total in the series, Bichette is hitting .375/.385/.542/.926 over his last six games. Now he needs to put it all together on a consistent basis.

Robert Edwards-Imagn Images

3 DOWN

BASERUNNING GAFFE 

It didn’t get talked about because the Mets won, but Juan Soto had a moment to forget on Friday night. During the third inning, with two outs and a runner on third, Soto hit a grounder and seemed to give up on the play immediately. He casually strolled out of the box before breaking into a run when it was already too late. The lack of hustle cost the Mets a run, while it didn’t ultimately matter, it was still an incredibly bad look on Soto’s part. And it isn’t the first time it has happened, either.

GROWING PROBLEM

How do you solve a problem like Mark Vientos? Yikes. There doesn’t appear to be an easy answer. The infielder will show brief glimpses of his potential, only to then go ice-cold for long periods. He is a net negative way too often. Just look at the series in San Diego. Vientos went 0-for-4 on Saturday, including striking out on three pitches to end the game. His at-bat against Mason Miller was just lifeless. He has now struck out in six of his last 10 plate appearances. Maybe it is time to concede that the 2024 season was the exception rather than the rule.

CLUNKER 

Austin Warren has been a revelation for the Mets so far in 2026. Sadly, that wasn’t the case on Saturday night. Warren gave up the go-ahead two-run shot that sealed the loss. If that wasn’t enough, he misplayed a routine chopper just before allowing the fatal shot. In what was a one-run ballgame, Warren’s bad night proved costly. It cost the Mets a chance to sweep, which could come back to haunt them, given the hole they’ve dug for themselves.