We heard it time and time again all winter and in Spring Training: this roster has the depth to sustain the Mets through tough parts of a game.

The team illustrated that in a profound way on Saturday afternoon at Citi Field. The offense picked up the bullpen after Jeurys Familia had surrendered homers to both Anthony Rendon and Wilmer Difo in the top half of the eighth which gave the Nationals a then 5-3 lead.

But the bottom of the eighth belongs to this Met team that has plated more runs in that frame than any squad in the National League. And they did it by displaying the two things this lineup does best: smacking the long ball and taking at bats to the opposite field to generate run scoring hits.

First the power-hitting Pete Alonso drove a towering home run to center field and then Robinson Cano followed with a homer to tie the game at five apiece. But the Mets were far from done in that inning as a Michael Conforto laser double down the right field line set the stage for Keon Broxton who drove in the go-ahead run with a well placed single.

Cano gets a huge assist on that hit as he instructed Broxton to go to the opposite field screaming those directions from the dugout right after he unsuccessfully tried to pull the first pitch in the at-bat.

But this inning also illustrated the fact that this Met roster has plenty of depth.

So much depth that their offense can bail out a weak performance from their bullpen knowing that most nights this bullpen will bail out the team. It also speaks to the closeness of this team, as so many players help each other out through tough moments. General manager Brodie Van Wagenen and manager Mickey Callaway have both done a tremendous job of embracing that culture and the veterans like Cano have extended that messaging through their words of encouragement during the game.

All of these things were on full display at Citi Field and helped lift the Mets record to 6-2. The other thing that was very evident in my eyes today was Steven Matz who is beginning to use both sides of the plate which will only help him get out of tough jams like he did today on a number of occasions.

All in all, a great day for the Mets. A come from behind victory over an N.L. East opponent during a game where everything did not go perfectly. A great sign for Mickey Callaway’s Met team.