3 Up, 3 Down: Mets Stay Hot Out West

The New York Mets stayed hot out on the West Coast.

The Mets took two of three from the A’s on their first trip to Sacramento. As a result, New York has won four consecutive series and is 10-5 on the year.

It has been a really good start to the year for the Mets. And the best news? This team isn’t even functioning at the peak of their powers yet. Furthermore, with the likes of Francisco Alvarez and Sean Manaea still to return, the Mets should only get better from here.

And, on that note, let’s dive into another edition of 3 Up, 3 Down before the Mets take on the Twins later…

3 UP 

ACE-LIKE POTENTIAL

Do you want to know the best takeaway to emerge from the three-game series in Sacramento? Kodai Senga pitched like a true ace. The righty twirled seven scoreless innings on Sunday, allowing just four hits with two walks and four strikeouts. He retired 11 of the final 12 hitters he faced. Furthermore, Senga allowed a total of six baserunners while throwing 79 pitches. It was the best outing authored by a Mets starter this year. Senga ripped through the A’s lineup with ruthless ease, throwing plenty of heat with his fastball. The dominating outing continued what has been a hugely encouraging start to the year for Senga. He hasn’t allowed a run in two consecutive starts, and he’s given up two runs in the three starts he’s made so far in 2025. He also gave the Mets some much-needed length, becoming the first Mets starter to pitch into the seventh inning this season.

After a lost 2024 season, Senga has looked like a true ace to begin 2025. And, if he can keep this up, that certainly raises the ceiling for the rotation. It also raises the ceiling on what the Mets could potentially achieve this year.

PROVIDING A SPARK 

Luis Torrens returned to the lineup in Sacramento and instantly made a huge difference. The backup catcher has done a stellar job in Francisco Alvarez’s absence. And, arguably, Torrens’ finest body of work so far this year came against the A’s. The veteran hit an RBI double in his return to the lineup on Friday. His best work, however, came on Sunday. With the offense struggling again, Torrens provided a spark with an RBI single in the sixth inning that broke a scoreless tie. He finished 3-for-4 with two RBIs and is now hitting .333/.375/.567 with a .942 OPS. Losing Alvarez was a blow, but Torrens has helped to make up for that loss with some sizable contributions. There is no doubt that Torrens has morphed into a key piece for the Mets, both behind and at the plate.

PITCHING EXCELLENCE 

I feel like I am repeating myself when I go on about how stellar the pitching has been so far this year. But you can’t hide away from the truth. And the truth is the Mets have been carried by their starting rotation and bullpen so far in 2025. Other than a rough outing from Griffin Canning, Mets starters delivered once again in Sacramento. David Peterson was solid in his start, while Senga was majestic on the mound. And the relief pitching was money once more, aside from one notable exception (see below). A.J. Minter didn’t allow a run in the two innings he pitched over the weekend. And Max Kranick fired one inning of scoreless relief on Sunday. As a result, Kranick has yet to allow a run this year.

In the wake of the A’s series, the Mets have thrown three shutouts over the first 15 games of the year. In that span, the pitching staff has allowed three runs or less in nine of those games. The team has given up just 41 runs this season – the lowest amount in baseball. They also lead MLB in ERA with a team mark of 2.30. Give the pitching staff all the flowers. They deserve them.

3 DOWN

ANOTHER MAN DOWN

The series win against the A’s wasn’t all great for the Mets. Jose Siri was forced to leave Saturday’s game with a left shin contusion. The outfielder was still on crutches and in a lot of pain on Sunday morning. As a result, a stint on the IL could be a possibility for Siri. If that’s the case, the Mets will be without an elite glove and a lot of speed for at least the next little while. And, while Siri is only hitting .050/.208/.100, his speed did prove to be a lethal weapon in Friday’s win. The outfielder made a great decision to head for home in the sixth inning, adding to the lead and starting a critical rally in the process.

MINI SLUMP

I subscribe to the notion that you never need to worry about generational hitters like Juan Soto. Any skids they do hit usually don’t last very long. However, with that said, Soto’s struggles at the plate in Sacramento were easy to notice. The superstar went a combined 1-for-9 with no extra-base hits against the A’s. He was also making weak contact throughout the series, running into a lot of grounders. He’s also struggling to generate any real power with just one home run.

However, it is important to note two things. Firstly, it is clear that teams are paying extra attention to Soto and are determined to not let him beat them. There has been a clear strategy in place whenever Soto has stepped to the plate.Secondly, the four-time All-Star is still getting on base a hell of a lot. He drew a total of five walks against the A’s, and he owns a .409 on-base percentage through the first 15 games. But, when you are being paid over $700 million, more will always be expected of you. Plus, given the fact that the A’s play at a minor league ballpark, many expected Soto to break out over the weekend. Today is a new day, though, and it should only be a matter of time until Soto and his elite talent truly take over a series.

CONCERN MOUNTING?

We’re still in April, so pressing the panic button on anything right now is probably a bit premature. However, with that said, Mets fans probably have some reason to be concerned about Edwin Díaz. The closer was a wild adventure run during Friday’s 7-6 win, allowing two earned runs on one hit with two walks and one strikeout. He’s now given up five earned runs in his last two outings. His command was simply not there on Friday night. Now, on the flip-side, the velocity was with Díaz touching 99 mph on his fastball. Plus, he didn’t give up a run in his first four appearances of the year.

The rapid decline in production over the last two outings has been troubling, though, for sure, and time will tell if this is just a mini-slump for Díaz.