After exploding offensively in the opener, the Mets dropped back-to-back clunkers in Washington. However, the team was able to claw out a win in the finale to avoid dropping the series.

As has often been the case recently, there was a mixture of positives and negatives from the four games against the Nats. Let’s recap all of them in the latest edition of 3 Up, 3 Down…

Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-Imagn Images

3 UP

THE BO SHOW

Is this the version of Bo Bichette we’ve all been waiting for? The former Toronto Blue Jay has endured a slow start to life as a Met. However, we saw signs of the slump breaking during the series in Washington. Bichette went a combined 7-for-18 with three homers, five runs scored, and nine RBIs in the four games. Furthermore, Bichette came up with the clutch two-run single to help earn a series split in the finale. All in all, hopefully this is just the start for Bichette.

BENGE THE GREAT 

No matter what happens this year, the future looks bright for the Mets. And Carson Benge is right at the heart of that. The rookie has been unstoppable since finding his feet, and he remained red-hot against the Nationals. Benge had at least one hit in all four games, including three hits in each of the first two games of the series. He was instrumental in the series opener, finishing with three RBIs out of the leadoff spot. Having now hit safely in 10 of his last 11 games, Benge is quickly becoming a reliable presence in that lineup.

GETTING IT DONE

In the two games the Mets won in this series, the pitching really came through. David Peterson was solid in his return to the rotation, giving up just one run across five innings in the finale. In the same game, the bullpen was money, not allowing a single run to score. In particular, Devin Williams stayed hot by working out of a jam to secure the win. On Monday, Huascar Brazobán did a lot of heavy lifting to set his team up for success in the 12th inning. And, despite allowing three runs in the first inning on Wednesday, Zach Thornton showed a lot in his MLB debut by grinding out the rest of his outing.

Rafael Suanes-Imagn Images

3 DOWN

HIT AROUND

Nolan McLean did not have a great night on Tuesday. Sure, he wasn’t helped by his defense. But, still, McLean laid an egg on the mound. He gave up nine runs – six earned – on eight hits, including a pair of homers. Even on a night the offense put up six runs, that just wasn’t enough to erase the damage done by McLean. Look, even the best pitchers commit clunkers here and there, but the Mets will be hoping that McLean can put this one behind him as soon as possible.

PUNISHING THEMSELVES

If we know one thing about the 2026 Mets, it’s that they don’t make life easy for themselves. Just go check out Tuesday’s game. The defense committed two errors, including Tyrone Taylor losing track of the ball out in center field. The end result? James Wood recorded a rare inside-the-park grand slam, and a 5-0 Mets lead quickly morphed into a one-run ballgame. The entire tenor of the game changed at that point, and the Mets were unable to stop the slide.

HOT AND COLD

It probably isn’t a stretch to suggest that you don’t know what version of the Mets you will see on any given night. One night they look unstoppable, the next they look below average. We saw both of those versions in Washington. The Mets exploded offensively in the opener, but then struggled to come up with the big hit over the next two games. And the lineup had the pitching to thank in the finale given that they were only able to squeeze across two runs. The pitching was also hit and miss in this series, as was the defense. If the Mets are to get the season back on track, they are going to need to develop consistency in every single key area.

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Thornton, a southpaw, has done an unbelievable job of filling up the zone. As he currently owns a 69.1 Strike% (97th percentile) and a 52.1 Zone% (92nd percentile), and with the ability to fill the zone as he has, his walk rate is extremely low at 6.5%. Usually, a pitcher that puts the ball over the plate like Thornton doesn’t have great strikeout and whiff numbers, but that is simply not the case here, as he sports a 28.3 K% and a 27.9 Whiff%, which is solid. His contact numbers are mixed; his wOBA and xwOBA numbers are solid, but his barrel rate is below average, and his HardHit rate and average EV rate rank near the bottom. After a good look at his numbers, let’s take a look at his arsenal.

Photo Credit: Jim Rassol-Imagn Images

Thornton will mix in six pitches, but his slider, four-seam, and sweeper take up 88% of his pitch mix. He can also throw a changeup, slurve, and sinker. He won’t wow you on the radar gun as his average fastball velocity is 91.3 (up to 94.5 mph in Triple-A), but he locates his pitches really well, as stated before. His sweeper and slider both get solid horizontal break as for the sweeper it moves 13 inches and the slider is much tighter but stills moves about 5 inches, those two pitches according to Stuff+ are his best. His overall stuff sits at 98, which is just below average.

To wrap this up, Thornton will have to continue to locate his pitches as he did in Syracuse to be successful, and from what we’ve seen of him over his MiLB career, he’s been able to do so at every level he’s played.

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Fast forward to 2026 and Scott has 3.45 ERA and 1.40 WHIP across his four starts. He has yet to get a win in his career in the majors and hasn’t pitched longer than five innings so far this year. His first appearance was rough, but since then, he has looked like someone who could have the potential to stick in the majors long term.

Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

Scott’s Pitch Mix

Christian Scott is throwing his fastball a lot harder now, averaging 95.8 miles per hour but the shape is not as strong. He is only generating 14.7 inches of induced vertical break compared to 15.3 inches in 2024. His vertical approach angle is not as strong either at -3.9 and he is not throwing it in the zone as much. He is getting chase on the pitch coming in at 26.8%, but not much whiff at only 20%. He mixes in a sinker here and there and while it is not a strong pitch, as a different look he is able to generate weak contact.

Scotts sweeper is his strongest pitch. With 17.8 inches of horizontal break, it is truly a plus pitch. He generates plus spin and gets an incredible 40% chase rate.

His new splitter is much stronger than the one he was working on in 2024 with better movement and much better spin. I should note that while Statcast calls it a splitter, Scott refers to it as a changeup. He also has introduced a cutter to replace the slider he had which comes in at 88.9 miles per hour with good spin and movement.

Righties vs. Lefties

In 2024, Scott struggled heavily against left-handed hitters, and while that is not a non-issue in 2026, he has improved against them.

Against right-handed hitters, his stuff plays as truly dominant. His sweeper, cutter and sinker all generate plus whiff and he is able to limit hard contact. That sweeper is deadly against them generating a 42.1% whiff rate.

Against left-handed hitters, his four-seam fastball plays up and he sequences it with his cutter to generate chase. He utilized that cutter to generate weak contact against James Wood while also drawing a swing out of the zone from Daylen Lile for the strikeout.

His splitter/changeup will be the likely difference maker here going forward, though he still does not seem comfortable throwing it. He only threw it once in his last start, and left it over the heart of the plate. He is throwing his cutter a lot, and while it has worked for the most part so far, when he can’t place it, it gets crushed by lefties.

We saw that when José Tena crushed a cutter in the middle of the zone for a double. Later in the inning, Drew Millas also roped a single off a cutter that caught too much plate.

While he looks to dominate right-handed hitters with his best pitches and generate whiffs, against left handed hitters he looked to generate chase and get weak contact when he does throw in the zone.

He’s Still Developing

Scott is developing as a pitcher. He still has not truly mastered facing left-handed hitters, but he has made significant strides. He may not project as highly as he did when he was viewed as a pitcher who could sit in the middle or even top of a rotation, but that mid rotation starter ceiling is still there. He has earned a spot in this rotation and as a player drafted as a reliever out of the University of Florida (go Gators!) he is a true development success story.

The post Christian Scott, Despite Length Issues, is Growing appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Brad Mills-Imagn Images

Before the game turned into a Little League scoreboard, it may have been the Mets’ most complete offensive performance of 2026. Let’s see who drove in the runs:

• 2nd inning – Luis Torrens RBI double
• 4th inning – Brett Baty solo home run
• 5th inning – Juan Soto two-RBI single
• 7th inning – Bo Bichette solo home run
• 11th inning – Marcus Semien sacrifice fly
• 12th inning – Carson Benge RBI infield single
• 12th inning – Vidal Brujan RBI bunt single
• 12th inning – Baty two-RBI single
• 12th inning – Semien RBI single
• 12th inning – AJ Ewing RBI single
• 12th inning – Benge two-RBI double
• 12th inning – Bichette two-RBI double

The Mets’ first eight runs came from seven run-scoring plays by seven different players. No singular hitter carried the offense, and it was reminiscent of Opening Day, when the Mets knocked out Paul Skenes in the first inning after scoring six runs.

All in all, there was only two spots in the order that didn’t drive in a run, and that was Tyrone Taylor’s and Mark Vientos‘ (who was the only one to not get a hit).

The run production was just as balanced.

The Mets’ first seven runs were scored by seven different players. In a season that has had many fans at a loss for words, or at least kind ones, this game truly exemplifies what this team can do when they’re having consistent competitive at-bats. With only two runs coming via the homer, the Mets relied on sustained pressure and different kinds of contributions throughout the lineup. 

Juan Soto and Carson Benge by Berto Carlo

The Mets finished with 16 runs on 18 hits and four walks. Eight different Mets recorded RBIs, while five scored multiple runs.

After the game, Mets manager Carlos Mendoza highlighted the Mets’ determination throughout a hard fought game. “

We won a very good game today. It was a back-and-forth, and we never got down,” he said. “We kept punching.”

For an offense that spent most of April near the bottom of the league, the Mets are finally beginning to resemble the lineup many expected entering 2026.

Since May 1 (they’re 11-5 since then), the Mets rank 14th in wRC+, fifth in runs, 13th in OBP and 14th in slugging. It’s right in the middle of MLB, but it’s spades better than their bottom-of-the-league offense the first five weeks of the year.

Carson Benge (.892 OPS, 158 wRC+), Brett Baty (.850 OPS, 147 wRC+) and A.J. Ewing (.989 OPS, 185 wRC+) are leading the charge here. The turnaround has happened. Francisco Lindor, Luis Robert Jr. and Jorge Polanco likely won’t return to the lineup anytime soon. This group now is who will push the Mets back into playoff conversation. They’re off to a good start. Next stop: .500.

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Keep in mind, the wild-card race is forgiving. The Mets lost seven games in a row three times last year and were alive to fight for a playoff spot on the season’s final day.

So despite all the horrors that the Mets have endured thus far, the injuries, the hitting slumps, the 12-game losing streak, they still stubbornly sit seven games back of the final playoff spot with 116 games to go. It can be done.

The Mets are 20-26. The last time they made the playoffs, back in 2024, they were 21-25 through 46 games and then lost five in a row. Our point? It ain’t over till it’s over!

Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

3 Up

Ewing Injects Life

The Mets are 5-1 in the A.J. Ewing era, and it’s not a coincidence. He is 5-for-17 with a home run, a triple, seven walks and two stolen bases since coming up. He walked and scored from first on a Luis Torrens double in the sixth inning Sunday, and in the 10th, he executed the lost art of a sacrifice bunt that moved the free runner to third and set up the game-winning fielder’s choice.

(On an unrelated note, I think having an Ewing perform well sends good vibes to the Knicks for their playoff run).

Peterson Bulking Up

David Peterson threw four innings of two-run ball and struck out eight on Saturday to earn the win. His ERA in 20 innings as a bulk reliever: 2.25. His ERA in 23 1/3 innings as a starter: 8.10. (Hat tip to Newsday’s Laura Albanese).

Luke Weaver and Devin Williams also did fine work out of the bullpen in the Subway Series. Weaver was brought into a bases-loaded, none-out jam on Saturday with the Mets leading 5-3 in the seventh. He struck out Amed Rosario and Trent Grisham and got Anthony Volpe to ground out.

Williams earned the save Saturday with a perfect inning and the win Sunday with a scoreless 10th, stranding the free runner. He got a big assist from Mark Vientos, who made a nice throw to start a 3-6-3 double play.

Benge’s Bat

Carson Benge had three hits on Saturday, including a double, and scored twice. On Sunday, he singled to lead off the ninth and scored on Taylor’s homer. And while it wasn’t pretty, he got the job done with the game-ending bouncer in the 10th. Sometimes just putting the ball in play is enough, especially when it causes a couple of Yankees to collide and the winning run crosses the plate.

Benge is 18-for-54 in May, slashing .333/.390/.463/.853 for the month with a home run, eight RBIs, 11 runs scored and two stolen bases. We might be seeing Benge and Ewing starting in right field and center field for a long time.

Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

3 Down

Holmes Hurt

Add Clay Holmes to the long injured list, which includes Francisco Lindor, Jorge Polanco, Francisco Alvarez, Luis Robert Jr. and others. Holmes took a 111 mph comebacker off the leg on Friday and fractured his fibula. He will be out for months.

“I think we haven’t gotten off to the start that I think we wanted or everybody wanted,” he told reporters before Sunday’s game. “But just to see how the guys are all battling through it and seeing how things are starting to come together, you just want to be in the fight with everyone.

“I think just being on the sideline, it will be tough to watch just because I think everyone in here wants to contribute, wants to be a part of it, myself included. So it’s always tough. But the game moves on, and it will be a really good opportunity for someone, and I’ll be here to help whoever it is.”

Carlos Mendoza said the fibula will need six to eight weeks to heal, and then Holmes will need to ramp up for about six weeks, but that he will “definitely” pitch later this season.

Bo’s Bat Still a No Go

It is time to consider sliding Bo Bichette down the batting order. (Benge-Ewing at the top?) Bichette went 1-for-12 with two runs scored and a strikeout vs. the Yankees. He is 10-for-60 in May and hasn’t had an extra-base hit since April 28. The eight-year veteran had one poor season in 2024 when he slashed .225/.277/.322/.598, so let’s hope he can turn it around and not repeat that performance. He is hitting .210/.262/.269/.531. He did finish the weekend on a good note, singling in the ninth on Sunday, which allowed Taylor the chance to come through.

Benge’s Glove

Benge botched a routine fly ball in right for a two-base error on Saturday that allowed a run to score. He has three errors on the season. While he wasn’t charged with an error, but he misplayed a catchable ball into a double against the Tigers last Wednesday, and two runs came home later in the inning. He has also pulled off some pulchritudinous plays (hat tip to SNY’s Gary Cohen) in the outfield, but he has fallen to 0 outs above average on Baseball-Savant and ranks in the 28th percentile for arm value. He is in the 97th percentile for arm strength.

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Probably the emotion all Mets’ players, coaches, and fans felt when the news of Clay Holmes‘ injury broke after Friday’s loss to the Yankees.

It was a brutal blow to Holmes and the Mets’ roster as a whole. The righty had blossomed in his second full season as a starter and holds a 2.39 ERA in 52 2/3 innings after his start Friday, plus he joins a long IL list for the Mets, which includes Francisco Lindor, Jorge Polanco, Luis Robert Jr., Francisco Alvarez, Ronny Mauricio, A.J. Minter, Tylor Megill, and Reed Garrett.

The 33-year-old will be down for a “long-time” and the Mets will have to replace his spot in the rotation. Fortunately for the Mets, they have numerous options to take the ball in their organization. And the name that deserves the call is another prospect stashed in Triple-A — Jack Wenninger.

Jack Wenninger Photo by Ed Delany of Metsmerized

Wenninger is another gem from the Mets’ impressive 2023 draft class. He took a massive step forward in the minors in 2025, and has rewarded the Mets’ decision to have him start 2026 in Triple-A.

The 24-year-old has thrown 33 1/3 innings in Syracuse this season, pitching to a 1.08 ERA with 38 strikeouts, 18 walks, and only one homer allowed. It’s been another step forward for Wenninger, who pitched to a 2.92 ERA in Binghamton last season with 147 punch outs and 42 walks in 135 2/3 innings.

The 6’4″ right-hander relies on an impressive fastball-splitter combo to retire batters. Wenninger’s fastball has a 55 grade, and since last season, has reached the upper 90s with consistency. He’s able to fool batters with his 65-grade splitter, which sits in the mid-80s and falls out the zone with sharp horizontal movement.

It’s a ghastly combo. And it’s resulted in Wenninger posting a 10.3 K/9 through seven starts.

Wenninger also mixes in a slider to keep batters off the north-south movements of his best two pitches. It’s a pitch that has gradually gotten better during his time in the minors, jumping from a 45-grade pitch in 2024 to a 50 grade in 2026 with “snappy” movement according to Baseball Savant.

The third pitch is the most important factor in the choice of Wenninger over pitchers like Jonah Tong and Zach Thornton. Tong is still down in Syracuse attempting to fine-tune his cutter that he added to his repertoire in the offseason, and has pitched to a 5.68 ERA while trying to work the pitch into starts. Plus while Thornton has pitched to a 2.25 ERA in 12 innings, the lefty was just recently promoted to Triple-A in May and might need more time to get acclimated to the higher level.

Wenninger appears to be the most ready arm stashed in the minors to get the call. And factoring in major league options such as Sean Manaea and Tobias Myers, it would behoove the Mets to give another rookie a chance to impact the ball club.

Manaea is still averaging low-90s velocity on his fastball and has an average exit velocity of 90.7 against his pitches. Myers has been a factor for the Mets out of the bullpen, and subtracting him from the bullpen would leave Carlos Mendoza with fewer options to get through games that include David Peterson.

The Illinois University product is the most sensible choice for the Mets. He’s made positive strides at every level he’s gone to, has strikeout stuff that is translatable to the majors, and has also met the moment everywhere he’s pitched. Wenninger was originally a Murray State product before transferring and finding success in the Big-10, then was second in the Mets minor league system in strikeouts in only his second minor league season.

Wenninger also proved to minimize the moment last season with Binghamton. He punched out 11 batters over 5 1/3 innings in the Double-A Eastern League championship. The performance sparked the Rumble Ponies to a championship, featuring dominance over a lineup of Kevin McGonigle, Max Clark, Josue Briceño, and Thayron Liranzo.

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The young players are coming alive and are helping to pick up this struggling and injury-plagued team. Even if they cannot save this season, it looks like the future is bright.

Since the expanded playoffs were officially introduced in 2022, the worst record to make the playoffs has been 83-79. To even get to that mark, the Mets will need to go 65-54, which is an 88-win pace. To get to the average record of 85-77 that the third Wild Card has owned in the expanded playoff era, New York needs to go 67-52, a 91-win pace.

Before the season began, most projections had the Mets in the 88-to-90 win range, so while likely still improbable, a playoff run is not impossible.

This team will get reinforcements as the season goes on. Jared Young is about to start a rehab assignment. Francisco Lindor, Jorge Polanco, Luis Robert Jr., Francisco Alvarez, A.J. Minter, Mike Tauchman, Ronny Mauricio and Kodai Senga should all come off the injured list at some point. The Mets have already called up A.J. Ewing and more prospects including Ryan Clifford, Nick Morabito, Jonah Tong, and Jack Wenninger could spend time in the majors this year. The Mets’ stars are also unlikely to struggle all season.

For now, we can enjoy that in May, they have gone 8-4 thus far, which is an 108-win pace.

John Jones-Imagn Images

3 Up

A.J. Ewing Has Arrived

Ewing has instantly lengthened the Mets’ lineup with competitive at-bats. He has helped transform this outfield into a black hole between his elite defense in center field and Carson Benge‘s plus defense in right field. His first hit was a triple in his debut, and his second hit was a 110.5 mph home run that he pulled over the right field wall in the series finale. The swing adjustments the team had him make in Double-A seem to have taken hold. We will see how the coming weeks go, but it is hard to see him losing the center field role even when Luis Robert Jr. returns if he keeps preforming at a high level.

Youth Leads the Team

Benge got the walk-off hit in the second game and smacked seven hits in the series. Ewing got three hits, three walks, a triple and a home run.

After a rough first inning, Nolan McLean dominated for six more innings, striking out a total of seven batters across seven innings. Brett Baty got a hit in each game, including a game-tying, two-run homer in the finale. Mark Vientos recorded four hits including a home run, scored three runs and drove in three.

The Pitching Continues to Thrive

Mets pitchers gave up runs early in each game but performed well overall, not giving up more than four runs in each game. Across 28 innings, they gave up eight total runs for a 2.57 ERA. There are arguments that Christian Scott‘s two runs should have been unearned, which would bring it down to a 1.93 ERA. Since reviewing film with pitching coach Justin Willard, Devin Williams has looked like the elite closer he has been for most of his career. Raley shined on back-to-back days. Huascar Brazoban (2.14) trails only Raley (1.06) and Austin Warren (0.82) for reliever ERA on the Mets. Warren looks like he may be forcing his way into a full-time role in the majors, and even Craig Kimbrel had a one-two-three inning.

Photo Credit: John Jones-Imagn Images

3 Down

Bo Bichette Continues to Struggle

Bo Bichette did have an impactful hit in this series, driving in the tying run on a single in the seventh inning of the second game. He went just 2-12 with two walks overall against Detroit, however. The upside is that he has been making good contact recently, so there is reason to think a turnaround could be coming. His swing decisions have looked better lately, he is chasing less, striking out less, walking more, and has been pulling the ball more all while maintaining elite contact rates. Those are all good signs, but the results are still not there.

Francisco Alvarez to the Injured List Again

Alvarez is injured once again. He has only played more than 117 games once, which was in 2023 when he played 127 games between the majors and minors, and he still missed games late in the season that year with a thumb injury. He missed time with thumb injuries in both 2024 and 2025 as well, had his hamate bone removed before the 2025 season, and in 2022 he ended the season with ankle surgery. He is expected to miss around eight weeks with a meniscus tear in his right knee.

Bench Pieces Struggle

MJ Melendez went hitless in the series while striking out twice. Tyrone Taylor went hitless with two strikeouts, though he did drive in one run. Austin Slater went hitless, though he also drove in one run. Vidal Bruján did not come into a game this series.

The Mets need more out of these players. While there are big hit tool concerns with Nick Morabito, it is easy to wonder if he could replace someone like Taylor, who is slashing .184/.205/.289. Even though he does not have Taylor’s defense in center field, with Ewing and Benge on the team that is less of a necessity.

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Despite finishing a long road trip 5-4, the Mets return home with a 15-25 record on the year. After showing some progress against Anaheim and Colorado, New York dropped two out of three to the Diamondbacks.

At this point, it is fair to wonder if we’re just destined for a long, tough season full of more losing than winning. We’re 35 games in, and this team doesn’t look capable of turning things around.

Time to strap on our big boy pants and recap yet another tough weekend in the latest edition of 3 Up, 3 Down …

Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

3 UP

BOUNCING BACK

After lasting just four innings in his previous start, Nolan McLean looked more like himself against the Diamondbacks on Friday. The righty tossed six innings, allowing just one earned run on three hits and one walk while striking out six. Admittedly, McLean didn’t have his best stuff, and he did face some traffic. However, he gutted it out and did his job to ensure that three runs were enough to win the series opener.

CONSISTENT EXCELLENCE

We’re over 30 games into the 2026 season, and Clay Holmes continues to be the Mets’ best and most reliable starter. And while he didn’t get the result he wanted in his latest start on Saturday, he was still impressive. He was able to limit the damage by allowing just two runs on five hits across 5.2 innings with six strikeouts. Sadly, the offense managed just one run. As a result, another solid Holmes start was wasted. Regardless, Holmes now owns a stellar 1.86 ERA on the year. Talk about a bright spot.

GOOD RELIEF

You can’t blame the bullpen for the Mets losing two out of three in Arizona. Across the three games, the relief pitching was money. Luke Weaver, Brooks Raley, Devin Williams, and Tobias Myers combined for four scoreless innings of relief in the opener. Austin Warren and Craig Kimbrel also tossed scoreless innings on Saturday. And on Sunday, the bullpen was let down by bad defense. However, both Myers and Sean Manaea went scoreless over an inning each. All in all, the pen more than did its job.

Apr 26, 2026; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets third baseman Bo Bichette (19) talks with catching coach J.P. Arencibia (68) following a 3-0 loss to the Colorado Rockies at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

3 DOWN

ONE STEP FORWARD, TWO STEPS BACKWARDS

There is enough of a sample size now to suggest that the Mets are just a bad baseball team. They are the worst team in baseball and can’t get out of their own way. The Diamondbacks series was emblematic of that. After winning back-to-back series on the road, New York dropped two sloppy games to finish the trip on a low note. There is just no consistency with this team. Furthermore, the same old mistakes just keep on being repeated. At this point, it is hard to envision anything but another embarrassing, failed season.

CALAMITY CITY

The Mets keep on finding new ways to lose baseball games. Just look at Sunday. The team committed three errors, two of which came from Andy Ibáñez. The result? Three unearned runs were scored in the sixth inning, effectively sealing the loss. You can’t commit errors on routine throws and expect to win baseball games. Sunday also highlighted once again just how flawed this roster is. Too many pieces don’t fit, especially defensively, and it is hard to see how that will improve in-season.

STARS GONE MISSING

The offense was woeful yet again during this series. As a result, the Mets have the fourth-lowest OBP (.287) through 40 games in franchise history. They are also averaging the second-fewest runs (3.48) in baseball, and rank last in several other categories. Across the three games, the offense scored just five runs and recorded a measly 12 hits. Of course, it didn’t help that Juan Soto went a combined 0-for-10 against Arizona. Bo Bichette also went 0-for-10. If the best hitters on the team can’t record even one hit, then that isn’t going to help an already horrific offense. Given their statures, Soto and Bichette need to wake up and start carrying this lineup on their backs.

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The pitching, aside from a weak link in the rotation, has generally been pretty good. The offense has been a glaring problem. At this point, it’s time to cut bait and move on to the next generation of Mets.

Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images

The Outfield

It all starts with A.J. Ewing. With Luis Robert Jr. injured and without a timetable to return, Ewing should be the everyday starting center fielder. He did nothing but hit in 2025 and has taken another significant step forward in 2026. Yes, he was only recently promoted to Triple-A, but he’s continued to hit. His underlying data in Syracuse is fantastic, albeit in a small sample size, and the Mets frankly don’t have a better option.

The Mets should have Juan Soto in left, Ewing in center and Carson Benge in right every single day. Soto can continue to get some days at DH, but those three should be playing every day regardless of the handedness of the starting pitcher. Ewing, a lefty, is actually hitting better against lefties than he is righties so far this year. Benge, who has been sent to the bench most days versus lefties, needs to be allowed to see them. He got one on Sunday, and he picked up one of the four hits the Mets had versus Eduardo Rodríguez and hit two more balls over 90 mph that found gloves. He’s hitting .231 versus lefties on the season — higher than his overall mark — and is hitting .261/.370/.522/.892 in May. He’s figuring it out. Keep him in the lineup.

Tyrone Taylor and MJ Melendez can remain on the bench. Taylor is a good fourth outfielder; he brings value to a team in a bench role. Melendez is one of the few Mets hitters who has shown any signs of life; he can pick up some starts at DH and in left field whenever Soto shifts to the designated hitter spot.

There is no reason for Andy Ibáñez or Austin Slater to be on this roster. Yes, the selection of outfielders proposed here would be very left-handed, but the need to platoon is overplayed. Ewing and Benge are too important to shield from left-handed pitching. They need to learn to face them, and have already shown they’re capable of doing so. Soto is platoon resistant, and Taylor and Melendez form a platoon in that reserve outfield role.

Ibáñez arguably cost the Mets the game on Sunday with his multiple errors and is 2-for-17 on the year (0-for-6 with the Mets). Yes, it’s just 17 plate appearances, but the Mets should know what they have with him. He’s a veteran, and he hasn’t posted an OPS over .653 since 2023.

Slater has been a little better with the Mets, going 5-for-16 (a .313 batting average) since joining the club after hitting .174 in 12 games with the Marlins to open the year, but what little upside. He hasn’t shown any power, he’s not a good defender, and he’s 33 years old coming off back-to-back seasons with OPS marks of .587 and .642. Forcing him into the lineup just because he’s a righty, at the expense of playing time for Benge, ultimately does nothing to make the Mets better.

Ryan Clifford
Photo by Ed Delany of Metsmerized

The Infield

Now onto the infield. Bo Bichette and Marcus Semien will play every day. Bichette has to be better; there’s nothing else to say there. Semien, while he definitely needs to be better as well, probably catches too much flak. He has also struggled at the plate, but he hasn’t been too far under expectations. He was brought in, first and foremost, because he only had three years remaining on his contract compared to Brandon Nimmo‘s five. Secondly, he was brought here to play a good defensive second base and hit at the bottom of what should have been a very potent lineup. If the players around him were holding up their end of the bargain, Semien’s struggles wouldn’t be as magnified because it’s more or less what was expected of him. Alas, that is not the case.

Those two should be the double-play combination every day until Francisco Lindor returns. Yes, Bichette was brought in to play third base, but when the starting shortstop, who seldom misses games, gets injured, along with his backup, things change. That’s not anyone’s fault. He’s not nearly as good a defensive shortstop as he has proven to be a third baseman, but he can manage until Lindor is back. Vidal Bruján can stick around as defensive insurance and a pinch runner.

The corners are where things get tricky. If Jacob Reimer had started his season similarly to Ewing, there would be an argument to give him a shot at third. That didn’t happen, and while he has hit much better as of late, he’s still in Double-A and not an option at this time. It likely falls to Brett Baty for what should be his final opportunity. It’s not going to excite anyone with how Baty has started his 2026, but the Mets don’t have a better option at this point. Play Baty every day, even against lefties, and know once and for all if he’s part of the plans for the future. If he’s still struggling by the time Lindor returns, you’ll have your answer and can move on with a clear conscience.

As for first base, the Mets should see what they have with Ryan Clifford. The slugging first baseman has not been great in Triple-A and is striking out way too much, but he still has an OPS of .800. He’s hitting for power, and the strikeouts have come down in recent games, so give him a shot. Mark Vientos, despite the sporadic power showings, hasn’t fit the billing as the first baseman of the future. Unlike Ewing and Benge, Clifford is a player who should be platooned. As a result, Vientos won’t be completely phased out. He should, for the most part, only play against lefties. Vientos is actually a plus-hitter versus southpaws, and with the lefty Melendez penciled in as the DH and lefty Clifford penciled in as the first baseman, there are clear runways to get him into games.

Jack Wenninger. Photo by Ed Delany of Metsmerized

The Starting Rotation

The rotation needs to see a change too. The strategy of using an opener in front of David Peterson is unsustainable, even if the short-term results are positive. There is a solid four of Nolan McLean, Freddy Peralta, Clay Holmes and Christian Scott, but that fifth spot should go to Jack Wenninger. He’s carved at Triple-A, and while he doesn’t have the ceiling of a frontline starter, he might be the highest-probability MLB arm the Mets have in the minors. Wenninger should get an opportunity to establish himself as a mid-rotation starter at the MLB level.

The Mets are likely stuck with Sean Manaea, which is fine; he can remain in the bullpen for mop-up duty. What happens next with Kodai Senga is an absolute mystery, but for now, he’s not in the plans. As for Peterson, he’s not under contract next season, and after his performance thus far, doesn’t feel like he’ll be returning to the Mets. It’s time to either move him to the bullpen full-time or dump him. He could probably contribute as a multi-inning lefty out of the pen, but it also may be too many long men with him, Manaea and Tobias Myers.

If that’s the case, they could try to trade him. He won’t garner much of a return, but teams can always use starters. Maybe the Detroit Tigers, who have had so many pitching injuries this season, would give the Mets a low-level prospect for him. If they get no bites, then DFA him. He’s not in the plans, and he’s not contributing now. Wenninger deserves his chance, and the Mets still have plenty of depth behind him to cover for any future injuries.

Don’t waste any more time. The Mets should go with a rotation of McLean, Peralta, Holmes, Scott and Wenninger, and some variation of the following lineups:

Against RHP

1. CF Ewing
2. LF Soto
3. SS Bichette
4. DH Melendez
5. RF Benge
6. C Alvarez
7. 3B Baty
8. 2B Semien
9. 1B Clifford

Against LHP

1. CF Ewing
2. DH Soto
3. SS Bichette
4. 1B Vientos
5. RF Benge
6. C Alvarez
7. 2B Semien
8. 3B Baty
9. LF Taylor

When Lindor, Jorge Polanco and Robert Jr. eventually return, Melendez, Baty, Vientos and Taylor can all be phased out of the starting lineup. Clifford, too, if he’s not hitting, but the ideal scenario is Clifford hits and stays in the lineup as he and Polanco share first base and DH.

The Mets are bad. The offense isn’t hitting. They need to shake it up. If by the time trade deadline season comes around and this team still shows no signs of life, go all in down this path. Trade Peralta and Holmes, who both will be free agents at the end of the season (there is almost no scenario where Holmes doesn’t opt out of the one-year, $12 million remaining on his deal). Obviously, it would be incredibly unfortunate to trade Peralta after just acquiring him, but it’s better to accept reality than to live in denial. Give the rotation spots to Jonah Tong and another one of the young arms, like Zach Thornton or Jonathan Santucci, and lean into the young rotation. Let Benge, Ewing, Clifford, and ideally, Reimer and Nick Morabito have everyday playing time.

If nothing else, give fans a reason to watch. A team with young, exciting players in the lineup and on the mound gives fans hope for the future. It gives Mets fans a reason to turn on the game. Bullpen games with Slater and Ibáñez hitting in the heart of the order do not. It’s time for the next generation to get the keys.

The post Is It Time For The Mets to Turn to The Next Generation? appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

In that Saturday affair, the Mets were credited 14 hard-hit balls, 11 of which came against Diamondbacks’ starting pitcher Merrill Kelly. Kelly entered the night with a 9.95 ERA and had not been able to cross the five inning threshold in each of his four starts on the year. Somehow, the veteran gave up 11 balls hit at 95 mph or greater, which has been at the root of his woes (22nd percentile hard-hit rate, 1st percentile barrel rate) and 9.95 ERA this season, but, was able to survive it and get through seven innings of three-hit, one-run ball.

Everyone in the New York lineup, outside of Francisco Alvarez, was credited with a hard-hit ball and six of the nine had two. The Mets put 21 balls in play on Saturday; eight of them both went 349 feet or further and 100 mph or faster. Despite this, New York only had three hits and a single run. That is the definition of not exactly getting the results you are deserved.

Exit velocities and expected statistics are just that, and ultimately do not matter in the present if they are not turning into hits. However, one thing that has been proven time in and time out is expected statistics are a great predictor of future outcomes or successes. Especially when done over and over again. Unfortunately, that did not translate for the Mets on Saturday, and, has not been overall this season.

Entering Saturday, the Mets’ offense ranked near the bottom of the league in several tangible offensive categories:

• Batting average: 28th
• Slugging percentage: 30th
• Weighted on-base percentage: 29th

However, when you look at the expected statistics, the Mets’ offense, still not ranking elite by any means, are rated much better:

• Expected batting average: 16th
• Expected slugging percentage: 14th
• Expected weighted on-base percentage: 25th

Following along with the theme of the team’s offense underperforming, several individual Met hitters are vastly underperforming their expected statistics. Among 251 qualified hitters, here are the numbers of Mets inside the top-55 in terms of most “unlucky” in a specific statistic:

• Difference between batting average and expected batting average: 4
• Difference between slugging and expected slugging percentage: 5
• Difference between weighted on-base percentage and expected weighted on-base percentage: 4

As you can see, several Mets are at the top of the leaderboards when it comes to underperforming their expected outcomes. On the surface, four-to-five players does not seem like a lot, but that is half of your everyday lineup not getting the results they “deserve.” If the Mets offense was just closer to league average, as the expected statistics say they should be, paired with the deserved strong pitching results they’ve been getting, the team would be nowhere near nine games under .500.

The good news is as the laws of averages say, if, both, as a team and individually, the Mets keep underperforming their relatively decent-to-strong expected statistics, you are bound to see some positive regression. At nine games under .500 New York needs that positive regression fast. And, unfortunately for them, especially if they start seeing their expected numbers fade, it is nowhere near a given they will see that hoped better performances at the plate.

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