Mark Canha. Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
Francisco Álvarez’s game-tying home run in Wednesday’s 2-1 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks will take most of the headlines, but what should not be forgotten is what happened next. After Brett Baty singled to right field, Mark Canha stepped up to the plate with a chance to put the Mets ahead. Diamondbacks reliever Andrew Chafin threw a first-pitch 93 MPH sinker at the bottom of the strike zone, and the outfielder was ready for it. Canha hit the ball over the head of Alek Thomas to the right-center gap, scoring Baty all the way from first.
Canha’s go-ahead triple in the ninth inning put the team ahead, and that would hold up. David Robertson came out of the bullpen to set the Diamondbacks down in order, securing a second straight series victory for the Mets. “I think it’s nice to see it’s starting to go our way. I think it’s the result of a lot of hard work and learning from our mistakes. We’re not caving in tough stretches,” Canha said.
Most of the opportunities in left field have gone to Tommy Pham, who has moved up to the two-hole in recent days. He [Pham] has a 1.057 OPS over his last 30 games, which has allowed him to become an everyday player. As a result, Canha’s opportunities have been limited, but that has not stopped him from producing. Over his last seven games, he is 5-for-16 with one home run, two runs batted in, and a 1.075 OPS.
If the Mets are able to ultimately turn this season around, many will look back to what Álvarez and Canha did on Jul. 6 against the Diamondbacks as the turning point. Their comeback with two outs in the top of the ninth reminded fans of the 2022 Mets, a team that never seemed to be out of a game. If this group can find something similar, it may not be long before this team is .500. The Mets go for the sweep of the Diamondbacks on Thursday night, sending Carlos Carrasco to the mound for the 12th start of the season.
