The New York Mets are going to be an exhilarating rollercoaster ride throughout the 2024 season. We got evidence of why throughout the series loss to the St. Louis Cardinals.
The Mets dropped the first two games to St. Louis, an extension of an unwanted streak that saw the team lose five of its last six after previously winning four straight series.
With a second consecutive series loss already confirmed, the bats struggled to get hot again on Sunday until the returning Mark Vientos thrilled Citi Field with a stunning walk-off home run to salvage the series finale.
And, in doing so, we were once again reminded that this year will be full of crushing lows and exhilarating highs in equal measure.
By the way, the Mets are 18-7 in extra-inning games since 2022 – the best mark in the majors in that span. Their 25 walk-off wins since 2021 are tied with the Rockies for the seventh-most in the big leagues.
On that note, let’s dive into a packed edition of 3 Up, 3 Down…
3 Up
Apr 27, 2024; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets first baseman Pete Alonso (20) hits a two run home run, his career 200th home run, during the fifth inning against the St. Louis Cardinals at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: John Jones-USA TODAY Sports
REDEMPTION TIME
It is time to give Mark Vientos all the flowers. The young DH hasn’t exactly had it easy in his quest to become an everyday major league player for the Mets. Following the addition of proven slugger J.D. Martinez, Vientos was banished back to the minors with a bad taste in his mouth. However, he raked at Triple-A Syracuse and with Starling Marte placed on the bereavement list, Vientos earned a trip back to the big leagues.
This all set the stage for Sunday. Thanks to some sublime hitting from Harrison Bader with two outs in the 11th inning, Vientos got his chance to remind everyone of what he’s capable of. And, boy, did he take his chance. Facing a 1-2 count, Vientos absolutely destroyed a fastball in the top of the zone, sending it over the centerfield fence for a two-run bomb that won the game for the Mets in walk-off fashion. It was a beautiful moment for Vientos, who wasn’t afraid to show how much that breakout moment meant to him. Talk about sweet redemption.
MAKING HISTORY
Pete Alonso continues to etch his name in the history books for the Mets. The All-Star slugger blasted his 200th career home run on Saturday. In doing so, he became the fourth-fastest player to reach that milestone in MLB history. Alonso needed just 710 career games to hit 200 homers. He trails only Ralph Kiner (706), Aaron Judge (671) and Ryan Howard (658). Alonso, who walked three times in Sunday’s game, continues to underline his importance to this organization. Should he re-sign with the team next offseason, it is becoming increasingly likely that Alonso will be the best power hitter in franchise history.
GOING LONG
Sunday was just an encouraging day all around for the Mets. Sure, the offense struggled again until Mark Vientos’ heroics in extra-innings. But the team did get great starting pitching and, more importantly, length from José Quintana. The lefty tossed an absolute gem, allowing just one run on three hits with one walk while striking out three. More significantly, though, Quintana became the first Mets starter this season to pitch into the eighth inning. As a result, the bullpen got a much-needed breather, and Quintana flashed the upside he has when he’s really locked in on the mound.
3 DOWN
Adrian Houser. Mandatory Credit: Jonathan Hui-USA TODAY Sports
STRANDED
If there was a recurring theme in the series against the Cardinals, it would be the offense failing to come up in big spots. The lineup went 2-for-11 with RISP on Friday, 1-for-7 on Saturday and 1-for-16 in Sunday’s finale. A ton of runners were left stranded on base all weekend long, making it too easy for St. Louis. Until Harrison Bader kept the game alive in the 11th inning on Sunday, the Mets had failed to record a single hit in 15 at-bats with runners in scoring position. That simply won’t get the job done. The offense needs to carry the blame for the recent slump in form. Otherwise, it is a trend that will only continue if the bats don’t start coming up clutch with runners on.
HURTING
This Mets bullpen is stellar. There is no denying that. However, cracks are starting to appear. Due to the incredible workload the pen has been asked to shoulder, bodies are falling. Brooks Raley was the first to go on the IL with elbow inflammation. Drew Smith has now joined Raley on the 15-day IL with shoulder soreness. Those are two big blows for an already overworked bullpen, and it remains to be seen how many knocks it can take before regression starts to hit.
NOT WORKING OUT
Adrian Houser continues to implode for the Mets. In his latest start, the righty was shelled again, allowing six runs on nine hits. Houser didn’t get out of the fourth inning and now owns an ugly 8.37 ERA. That isn’t exactly what you want. More worrying is the fact that Houser has issued more walks (16) than strikeouts (14) in his five starts this year. At this point, what do the Mets have to lose by bumping Houser out of the rotation and calling up highly-vaunted prospect Christian Scott? It just doesn’t make sense to allow Houser to keep getting battered on the mound.
