3 Up, 3 Down: Mets Show Heart In Dodgers Series Win

What a weekend in Queens.

After suffering a heartbreaking loss in extra-innings on Friday, the New York Mets rebounded emphatically. They showed terrific character to take two out of three against the juggernaut Dodgers.

It was a big-time series win given LA’s pedigree. It was also somewhat of a statement given the Mets’ struggles going into the weekend.

Now facing a lighter part of the schedule, the Mets have a golden opportunity to go on a run and build some real momentum. They will certainly play with a lot of confidence after getting the better of baseball’s gold standard.

On that note, let’s recap all the good and bad from a mouthwatering series in the latest edition of 3 Up, 3 Down…

3 UP

BOUNCING BACK

The Mets had lost six of their last eight games entering Saturday. They were also coming off a heartbreaking and draining 13-inning loss to the Dodgers on Friday night. The stage was set for a slumping ballclub to get blown away by an explosive LA lineup. Instead, these Mets strapped on their big boy pants and found a way to gut out two impressive wins to take the series. There was a tremendous amount of heart on show at Citi Field throughout Saturday and Sunday. Furthermore, New York won in a multitude of different ways, be it clutch pitching, stellar defense, aggressive baserunning, and some brute power. Considering this team’s recent struggles, taking a series from LA is even more impressive.

STARTING EXCELLENCE

Make no mistake about it; the key to this series win for the Mets was elite starting pitching. David Peterson was money on Saturday, allowing just two runs on five hits and two walks with seven strikeouts. More importantly, he went deep, giving his team 7.2 innings of stellar work. As a result, Peterson gave an exhausted and drained bullpen a much-needed breather. That would have positive consequences in the series finale. Furthermore, Peterson struck out Shohei Ohtani thrice, again showcasing his high upside.

Then, on Sunday, Kodai Senga showed a lot of heart after allowing a first inning home run to Ohtani. For a moment, it looked like things could have gotten out of hand. Instead, Senga bunkered down and produced 5.1 innings of gritty work, striking out five and not allowing another run. The ace didn’t have his best stuff – not even close – but he did what was required to get the job done. Senga’s role in what was a huge win to take the series cannot be understated.

AVENGERS, ASSEMBLE!

The biggest talking point going into the weekend was the fact that the Mets had gotten zero production from the top of the lineup. That continued to be the case in the opener on Friday. Well, things changed quickly the rest of the weekend. Juan Soto went 2-for-5 at the plate on Saturday, coming up with a clutch double in the fourth to drive in two runs. Those runs proved crucial in the overall tenor of the game. He also showed a lot of hustle on Sunday to beat out a hard ground ball, getting on base and setting up Pete Alonso for a big-time two-run shot in the first inning.

Speaking of, Alonso’s blast broke a 16-game drought without a home run – the longest such drought of his career. There were many heroes in this series win, but you need stars in order to beat stars. And both Soto and Alonso produced when the moment arose.

3 DOWN

HEARTBREAK CITY

Okay, so the tough extra-innings loss to the Dodgers in the series opener didn’t matter in the grand scheme of things. But, regardless, Friday’s rain-soaked heartbreaker was still a tough blow to absorb. The rain didn’t help, of course, but it was a night to forget. Griffin Canning wasn’t great in a rain-shortened outing, the bullpen was taxed and the offense again failed to show up, other than a ninth-inning rally. Again, the Mets rebounded to win the series. However, the runners in scoring position woes reared their ugly heads again in Friday’s loss. The offense overall hasn’t been great as of late. We will see if the rest of the weekend was a turning point for the lineup.

PLAYING HURT

Mark Vientos was a late scratch from Friday’s lineup with abdominal soreness. He was available on the bench on Saturday and was back in the lineup on Sunday. However, his return wasn’t a happy one, as Vientos booted a ground ball in the first inning. It didn’t hurt the team, but he now has seven errors on the season. It is becoming clear that Vientos isn’t the answer defensively at the hot corner. A more long-term change may need to be made soon, especially with Brett Baty playing so well.

Meanwhile, Brandon Nimmo was removed from Friday’s game with a stiff neck and he wasn’t seen for the remainder of the series. Given that Nimmo has had issues with his neck before, this is a development the Mets will need to keep an eye on and hope for the best. Given how disappointing the offense has been overall, losing Nimmo for any extended time would not be a good thing.

GROWING CONCERN

Francisco Alvarez is struggling offensively. He played just one game against LA, drawing a walk but going 0-for-5 with two strikeouts in the opener. For the first time since returning from the IL, Alvarez sat for consecutive games. He’s mired in a 2-for-25 slump and has just one home run on the year. Now, it could be that Alvarez is still getting used to the adjustments he made during the offseason. Getting hurt obviously didn’t help, and would have stalled any momentum. But, it is also clear that Alvarez has regressed offensively, and the Mets will be hoping that is only temporary. Either way, Luis Torrens is just the better option at catcher right now. Alvarez has some work to do to re-establish himself as the future at the position for this team.