With two games on the docket, the Mets tapped into their power to push past the Marlins in Game 1 of their doubleheader. Pete Alonso, Francisco Lindor, and Mark Vientos all clubbed two-run homers to open a commanding 6-0 lead over the Marlins.

Lindor and Alonso particularly led the offense in Game 1. Lindor went 2-for-4, smacking a two-run homer in the bottom of the third and a two-run single in the bottom of the seventh. Alonso went 4-for-4 with two singles, a double, and his 46th homer of the year to drive in two runs.

Vientos’ ninth homer of the season came in the bottom of the sixth off JT Chargois. It was the sixth homer of the month for Vientos, who had been slashing .257/.297/.500 in September before Game 1. It was only the third homer allowed for Chargois in 40 2/3 innings pitched this season.

Lefty Braxton Garrett allowed the first two homers to Alonso and Lindor. In a game the Marlins desperately needed to win, Garrett struggled mightily. He allowed three hits, two walks, and four runs in four innings pitched. He only struck out two.

First-inning bomb from Alonso!
pic.twitter.com/3jciT160do

— Metsmerized Online (@Metsmerized) September 27, 2023

Garrett had been the Marlins’ most reliable starter coming into Wednesday’s start. The Marlins were 21-9 in games started by Garrett this season and he had a 3.53 ERA in 30 starts. Garrett’s last outing was against the Mets where he struck out seven in six scoreless innings.

Meanwhile, the Mets lefty Joey Lucchesi had another commanding start in September. He cruised through six innings against the Marlins, allowing seven hits, two walks, and two runs. Lucchesi has forced his way into the 2024 rotation conversation and his 1.98 ERA in three September starts has certainly made him a legitimate candidate.

The Marlins’ offense struggled in a dire part of the season for them. They left 11 men on base and the only two runs they scored came in the top of the seventh. Jazz Chisholm Jr. and Nick Fortes hit back-to-back doubles to knock Lucchesi out of the game, and then Jorge Soler flied out against Trevor Gott to drive in Fortes.

After allowing two runs to Marlins in the seventh, the Mets ran away with the game. They added three runs in the bottom of the seventh after Lindor and Jeff McNeil both singled with the bases loaded. The Mets then opened their lead to 11-2 after Brandon Nimmo hit his 30th double to drive in Tim Locastro and Brett Baty.

Miami had another chance to draw closer to the Mets in the top of the eighth. Facing Drew Smith, the Marlins had runners on the corners with one out. Fortes, who doubled earlier, was unable to drive in the runner from third and flied out to Jeff McNeil.

Garrett Hampson walked following the fly out from Fortes, setting up Jorge Soler with the bases loaded. The slugger, however, struck out to end the inning and ruined the Marlins’ hopes of coming back.

Grant Hartwig closed the game for the Mets. He retired the Marlins side in order, securing a Game 1 win for the Mets while lowering his ERA to 4.98. Hartwig has been far from perfect for the Mets but has eaten important innings for the team at times.

The loss was not ideal for postseason-chasing Marlins. After their 11-2 loss, the Marlins fell to one full game behind the Cubs for the third wildcard. This series was a prime opportunity for the Marlins to beat up the fourth-place Mets while the Cubs played the Braves in Atlanta.

The Mets, however, have been a thorn in the Marlins’ side the whole season. The Mets improved to 8-3 against the Marlins with their win, compared to a 14-22 record against the rest of the NL East.

Alonso’s first-inning homer was the 192nd of his career. It tied Howard Johnson for fourth on the Mets’ career home run list. Alonso is four away from another 50-homer season with five games remaining.

Player of the Game

Pete Alonso’s powerful day at the plate earned him Metsmerized Player of the Game honors. Alonso went 4-for-4 at the plate which included his 46th home run of the season to bring his RBI total to 117. Alonso also reached base five times in Game 1 after he was hit for the NL-leading 19th time.

On Deck

Kodai Senga takes the mound for the Mets in Game 2 of Wednesday’s doubleheader. Senga has had a phenomenal rookie season, pitching to a 2.96 ERA and 4.4 bWAR in 28 starts. He has one more start to solidify his case for NL Rookie of the Year.

Johnny Cueto gets the start for the Marlins. Cueto has struggled since coming back from injury and was recently removed from the starting rotation as the Marlins chase the final NL wildcard. He pitched against the Mets on September 20 and allowed two earned runs in two relief innings.

First pitch for Game 2 of the doubleheader is scheduled for 7:35 p.m. The game will be televised on SNY and can be listened to on WCBS 880.

The post Alonso, Lindor Lead Charge In Mets 11-2 Win Over Marlins appeared first on Metsmerized.

Canha joined the show and first spoke about the trade that sent him to the Milwaukee Brewers: “It was wild, and it’s a tough experience… It took a minute, it did take probably a week or maybe two weeks for the dust to settle and for you to start feeling comfortable and kind of normal again.”

Photo by Roberto Carlo

Canha was very outspoken while he was still a Met that he loved living in New York City, and while the trade was tough on him in the sense that he had to uproot himself and his family to a new city, he has certainly settled in. In 46 games since the trade, Canha has compiled an .839 OPS and has exceeded even the Brewers’ expectations of what he would provide for the team.

Naturally, the conversation shifted shortly after to the Mets. After saying he felt “lighter” in Milwaukee, Canha was asked by Sherman if his time with the Mets this year was “heavy,” to which Canha responded: “I think it’s heavy in New York, regardless of the circumstances it’s heavy in New York. I think it was heavy in New York last year. It’s always going to be that way.”

Canha explained that he knew what to expect in New York coming in as a free agent before the 2022 season, but it felt more real this year with the massive drop in performance on the field from the whole team. That allowed Heyman to segue into what has been a hot topic recently: Tommy Pham’s statement that the Mets’ position players were the “least-hardest working” group he’s played with.

When asked for his reaction to that proposition, Canha pushed back on it a bit: “I’ll say this. It doesn’t surprise me, really, that Tommy said that. Not because I feel the same way, but because of the way that Tommy works specifically.”

Canha explained that he believes each player has a specific routine that works for them and that Pham’s routine was more intense than most players did.

“Guys are gonna go about their business in their own way, and Tommy goes about his business in his own way. And the fact of the matter is… his workload that he puts on himself on a daily basis is significantly more than anybody else on the team. So I don’t necessarily agree with the fact that other players don’t work hard, I think it’s just, to expect everyone to work the way that Tommy Pham works every day is a little bit much. And that works for him, and what I do works for me.”

Canha concluded his answer by stating he “can understand where he’s coming from based on what he does and maybe he expects other people to do the same as him,” which perhaps speaks more to Pham’s competitiveness, desire to win, and personality than to the work ethics of certain Mets players.

Whatever the reason for the Mets’ demise this year, Canha doesn’t seem to think it’s for a lack of effort. When asked, “Why didn’t it click this season?” by Sherman, Canha acknowledged he doesn’t have a definitive answer but pointed to injuries and suspensions to the pitching staff, saying, “It made it tough to win” early in the season when some of the best pitchers on the team were unavailable.

The conversation took on a lighter tone when Sherman asked Canha about Buck Showalter, to which Canha heaped praise on his former skipper: “Right when you say his name, I just smile, because I love Buck. Playing for him was amazing and so much fun, and just a great experience,” before raving about Showalter’s attention to detail and his handling of the players on his team. “I think Buck could manage any team. I don’t think he’s a part of a problem there or anything like that.”

Canha was then asked about Pete Alonso and whether he could shed any light on the reports that Alonso is a problem in the Mets’ clubhouse, which Canha vehemently denied.

“He feels like such a New York guy, he really embraces that role…he’s so all-in on the Mets. I loved playing with Pete. Saying that he’s a problem in the clubhouse couldn’t be further from the truth. I could say, ‘Oh, well everyone has their own opinion,’ but I honestly can’t imagine how anyone would come to the conclusion that Pete is a problem in the clubhouse. It’s the opposite of that.”

Both Heyman and Sherman, who have carved out great careers in New York media and have spent plenty of time around the New York Mets, attested to Canha’s review of Alonso as a person and teammate.

While Canha’s time with the Mets didn’t come to the happiest of endings, it’s clear that he holds his time and his relationships with the team in high regard. The Mets will unfortunately be sitting at home this October, but Canha will have the chance to be a key part of a playoff team for the second year in a row.

The post Mark Canha Praises Pete Alonso appeared first on Metsmerized.

Brett Baty. Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports

The Mets got the scoring started early, putting a run up against former Met Taijuan Walker in the first inning. With Brandon Nimmo standing on second, Pete Alonso hit a blooper into shallow right field that just stayed fair before bouncing into the seats. With the ground rule double, the Mets took an early 1-0 lead.

The Mets didn’t score again until the fifth inning, still in a 1-0 game. With Walker’s pitch count rising, he started showing signs of fatigue as he allowed three straight hits off the bats of Rafael Ortega, Omar Narváez, and Brandon Nimmo. Nimmo’s hit came with runners on the corners, and he hit a laser into right field to double the Mets’ lead to make it 2-0.

With the Phillies still not on the board in the fifth inning, it’s no surprise that Mets’ starter Tylor Megill was pitching well against what is a really good lineup. Outside of a Trea Turner walk in the first inning and a Kyle Schwarber double in the third inning, Megill had everything working for him early. Even in the fourth and fifth innings, when he found himself in trouble by allowing a leadoff baserunner, he was able to work around them to avoid putting the Phillies on the board.

Megill then found himself in trouble again in the sixth inning and that’s where things went south. With one out already recorded, Megill spiked a breaking ball in the dirt that came up and hit Bryce Harper who appeared to be in a bit of pain afterwards. Alec Bohm then reached on an infield single, putting two runners on with one out.

Megill then struck out Bryson Stott, needing just one more out to get out of trouble and likely secure a six-inning, no-run outing. However, J.T. Realmuto played spoiler and put a jolt into the Philadelphia crowd by unloading a fastball into the seats in left field, giving the Phillies a 3-2 lead for their first lead of the night.

BRETT BATY OFF CRAIG KIMBREL IN THE 9TH TO TIE THE GAME!

(via @AppleTV) pic.twitter.com/nzqmAUeFG1

— SNY (@SNYtv) September 23, 2023

Despite allowing the home run to Realmuto and that being the moment that will define his start, Megill still had a really solid outing. Over six innings, he allowed three runs on five hits and a walk while striking out six, and with the performance, he now has a 2.89 ERA over his last five starts.

Phil Bickford relieved Megill out of the bullpen and the Phillies immediately tacked on to extend their lead. After Johan Rojas reached on a single, he advanced to third after a bad throw on his stolen base attempt at second base. Schwarber then poked a ball into left field, scoring Rojas, giving the Phillies a 4-2 lead.

The Mets wouldn’t go down quietly, though. With two outs in the eighth inning, Francisco Lindor launched a solo homer into left field for his 27th of the year to bring the Mets back to within one run. Jeff McNeil singled after him to bring Pete Alonso to the plate as the go-ahead run. Alonso popped up on the infield, failing to bring the runner home to end the inning.

With one final chance to tie the game or take the lead in the ninth, the Mets found themselves two outs away from another disappointing loss after Ronny Mauricio recorded the first out. Brett Baty then stepped up to the plate and provided a heroic late-game moment the Mets haven’t experienced much of this season, sending a fastball from Craig Kimbrel 432 feet to dead center to tie up the game at 4-4.

The Mets were able to hold the Phillies at bay in the bottom of the inning, setting the table for extras. In the top of the 10th inning, the Mets loaded the bases against Seranthony Domínguez with a chance to really put pressure on the Phillies in the bottom of the inning. Domínguez, however, struck out Alonso in a crucial moment in the game, sending it to the bottom of the 10th in a tie game.

Just as Megill’s start ended in disappointing fashion, so did the game for the Mets. Despite the late-inning heroics provided by Lindor and Baty, Adam Ottavino couldn’t keep the Phillies from scoring as Alec Bohm dumped a ball into right field on just the second pitch of the inning. Trea Turner scored easily, giving the Phillies a 5-4 victory for the second consecutive night. With the loss, the Mets are now 71-83 on the year and are officially eliminated from playoff contention.

Stat of the Game

With his home run in the eighth inning, Francisco Lindor broke his own record that he set last year for the most home runs in a season by a Mets shortstop. He is now just three home runs shy of a 30-home run, 30-stolen base, 30-double season and could become the first Mets player to achieve those numbers since David Wright did so in 2007.

On Deck

The Mets’ series with the Phillies will continue on Saturday afternoon with first pitch scheduled for 4:05 p.m. ET. José Quintana (3-5, 3.02 ERA) will get the start for the Mets as his fantastic debut season with the team winds to a close. For Philadelphia, former Met Zack Wheeler (12-6, 3.63 ERA) will take the mound. The Mets roughed up Wheeler in his only start against the team this year, attacking him for five runs over 5 1/3 innings. The game will be broadcast on SNY and can be listened to on WCBS 880.

The post Phillies Spoil Mets’ Late-Game Heroics With 5-4 Walk-Off Win appeared first on Metsmerized.

Peterson looked comfortable throughout his outing, tying a career-high with 10 strikeouts and walking just two batters over 5 2/3 innings. It wasn’t until the fifth inning that he found himself in trouble, and it was the defense that let him down.

In his first game in the big leagues at third base, Ronny Mauricio couldn’t handle a tough hop which allowed Noelvi Marte to advance from first to third. A wild pitch in the following at-bat allowed Marte to break for the plate, and a clean throw by Omar Narváez likely would have thrown him out, but Narváez threw it into the infield to give the Reds a 1-0 advantage.

The Reds tacked on the following inning as Peterson grew fatigued. Spencer Steer hit a two-run homer to extend the Reds’ lead to 3-0. After getting two outs, Peterson allowed two more baserunners to reach which would ultimately end his outing. Over the 5 2/3 innings he pitched, Peterson gave up three runs (two earned) on six hits and two walks while tallying double-digit strikeouts in another promising performance for the former first-round pick.

Home run No. 45 for Pete Alonso is a three-run, game-tying shot against the Reds. pic.twitter.com/XiwRjayFTg

— Anthony DiComo (@AnthonyDiComo) September 16, 2023

Unfortunately for the Mets, though, Greene was at the top of his game, carrying a no-hitter into the fifth inning. After allowing a leadoff double to Jeff McNeil which broke up the no-hitter, Greene still managed to escape the inning scoreless before getting into trouble yet again in the sixth inning. With two outs and two runners on, Reds’ manager David Bell decided to show faith in his young starter by leaving him in there to face Pete Alonso who served as the tying run.

Bell’s decision quickly backfired as Alonso unloaded a three-run shot into the seats in left field to tie the game and put a damper on what was an otherwise brilliant outing from Greene. Alonso’s homer, his 45th of the year, put the game back at square one.

With the game squared at 3-3, the Reds wasted no time regaining the lead. His former teammate at the University of Florida, Jonathan India, punched right back in the top of the seventh inning with a two-run homer off Grant Hartwig to put the Reds ahead once again, this time 5-3.

The Mets had multiple opportunities late to at least tie the game, putting the tying runs on base in both the seventh and eighth innings. In the seventh, Ian Gibaut got Mark Vientos to ground into a crucial double play to hinder the Mets’ scoring threat before Alexis Díaz, the younger brother of Edwin Díaz, silenced the Mets’ threat the following inning.

The Reds kept Díaz on the mound for the bottom of the ninth, relying on him to record a five-out save. Without much trouble, Díaz set the Mets’ batters down in order to give the Reds a 5-3 win. The loss for the Mets dropped their season record down to 68-79 as the team inches closer to clinching a losing season.

Player of the Game

Despite not earning a win, David Peterson’s start makes him absolutely deserving of the Metsmerized player of the game. He kept the Mets in the game, going toe-to-toe with Hunter Greene, who looked phenomenal before allowing the three-run home run to Pete Alonso in the sixth inning. Peterson’s 10 strikeouts along with just two walks is a very positive sign for a pitcher who has struggled with command his entire career.

On Deck

The series with the Reds will continue on Saturday evening with first pitch scheduled for 7:10 p.m. ET. Tylor Megill (8-7, 5.03 ERA) takes the mound for the Mets, looking to continue a good stretch of starts. On the other side, rookie southpaw Andrew Abbott (8-5, 3.64 ERA) gets the start for the Reds. The game will be broadcast on SNY and can be listened to on WCBS 880.

The post Alonso’s Three-Run Blast Not Enough As Mets Fall To Reds 5-3 appeared first on Metsmerized.

Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

Good morning, Mets fans.

The Mets lost their seventh game in a row on Friday in embarrassing fashion as they fell to the Pirates 14-7. A poor outing from Tylor Megill and defensive blunders put the game out of reach early despite the Mets’ best effort at a comeback in the ninth inning. The seven-game losing streak is the Mets’ longest since they lost seven straight from June 23 to June 29 in 2019 and it puts them four games under .500 for the first time since 2021. To add insult to injury, the Braves and Phillies are riding six-game win streaks while the Marlins’ own six-game win streak just came to an end last night.

Latest Mets News

Tomás Nido cleared waivers after being designated for assignment earlier in the week, and will accept an outright to Syracuse if he is not traded.

In more concerning news, Pete Alonso was diagnosed with a bone bruise and sprain of his left wrist. While he fortunately avoided a fracture, the typical time for recovery from this injury is three-to-four weeks. As he was placed on the 10-day IL, Luis Guillorme was recalled from Triple-A Syracuse to replace him.

Zach Muckenhirn was also recalled from Triple-A on Friday, with Stephen Nogosek being designated for assignment.

Joel Sherman of the New York Post talked to Billy Eppler amidst this dreadful stretch for the Mets, and Eppler expressed support in the coaching staff and the team to right the ship.

The Mets are hiring a Biomechanical Analyst. The page to apply for the position is linked here.

Latest MLB News

The Astros placed Yordan Álvarez on the 10-day injured list with right oblique discomfort.

Chris Sale has a stress reaction in his scapula, an injury that will require rest and rehab. He will be re-evaluated in three-to-four weeks.

Per MLB insider Héctor Gómez, Elly De La Cruz will pay 10% of his career salary earnings to Big League Advantage, a company that minor leaguers tend to take loans from due to low bonuses and minor league salaries.

The Nationals released relief pitcher Erasmo Ramírez who had been designated for assignment earlier in the week. The 33-year-old former Met has pitched to a 6.33 ERA in 27 innings out of the Washington bullpen despite a strong 2022 in which he posted a 2.92 ERA in 86 1/3 innings pitched.

The Blue Jays reinstated pitcher Mitch White from the 60-day injured list and designated Anthony Bass for assignment in a corresponding move.

Former Met Óliver Pérez threw the last pitch of his career on Thursday night in the Mexican League. The 41-year-old enjoyed a long MLB career and pitched in the big leagues as recently as last year.

Rustin Dodd of The Athletic wrote about Zack Greinke and why he continues to be effective even at 39 years of age.

The Cape Cod Baseball League announced a streaming partnership with D1Baseball for the 2023 season, allowing games in the CCBL to be streamed completely free of charge for fans.

Latest on MMO

In the latest Mets Minors Recap, Colby Morris highlighted Joey Lucchesi‘s strong performance for Triple-A Syracuse.

Michael Famulari wrote about Francisco Álvarez‘s two-homer game against the Braves on Thursday.

Christian De Block analyzed Justin Verlander‘s disappointing performance in Atlanta on Thursday.

Chris Bello wrote about the reports that the Mets have been scouting Alexis Díaz.

MMO is searching for a new editor. Read this tweet for details if interested.

On This Date in Mets History

Birthdays: Ken Singleton (76)

The post Morning Briefing: Mets Lose Seven Straight For First Time Since 2019 appeared first on Metsmerized.

Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

Coming off the team’s first series win in a month, the Mets hosted the Guardians on Friday for the first game of a three-game series. In the first game between the two teams since the blockbuster trade that brought Francisco Lindor and Carlos Carrasco to New York and sent Andrés Giménez and Amed Rosario to Cleveland, Carrasco got the start for the Mets against his former team while Cal Quantrill got the start for Cleveland.

In a wild game in which the Mets played virtually all of it from behind, they came back multiple times, including down two in extra innings, to defeat the Guardians 10-9 in a thriller.

Carrasco took the mound to start the game for the first time since April 15, his last appearance before he was sidelined due to injury. After getting a weak contact out off the bat of Steven Kwan, Rosario hit a ground ball up the middle for a base hit. José Ramírez then walked and in the next at-bat, Josh Naylor took Carrasco deep to put the Mets in an early three-run hole. Josh Bell then flew out and Giménez struck out to put the inning to bed, but not before major damage was done.

The Guardians added another run in the top of the second inning. Myles Straw led off the inning with a double and advanced to third base on a fielder’s choice. Then Cam Gallagher, who entered the game with a .070 batting average and a .223 OPS, dumped a ball into left field for an RBI single to make it 4-0. A ground ball double play off the bat of Kwan ended the inning to limit the damage.

The Mets recorded their first hit of the night in the bottom of the second, after Brett Baty pulled one down the right field line for a one-out double. The Mets wouldn’t cut into the Guardians’ lead, though, as a Starling Marte strikeout and a Mark Vientos fielder’s choice ended the inning.

The Mets got another one-out baserunner in the bottom of the third after Francisco Álvarez was hit by a pitch in a full count. They were unable to do anything with the baserunner again, though, as the next two batters went down in order due to a flyout and a groundout.

Quantrill appeared to be through a quick 1-2-3 inning in the fourth but a two-out error by the first baseman Bell and another hit-by-pitch, this time at Marte’s expense, put two runners on. That brought up Vientos who hit a sharp ground ball to third base, but Ramírez scooped it and stepped on the bag to end the threat.

Although it appeared Carrasco had settled in after a rough start to the game, throwing 1-2-3 innings in the third and fourth, he would surrender another run in the fifth inning. Will Brennan led off the fifth inning with a walk and quickly stole a base. Advancing to third base on a fielder’s choice, he was driven in with a two-out single by Rosario to give the Guardians a 5-0 lead.

With one out and nobody on in the bottom of the fifth, Francisco Álvarez ran the count full once again and this time sent a ball well over the left field wall for a solo shot, his fifth home run of the year. That put the Mets on the board to make it a 5-1 ballgame. Francisco Lindor then recorded his 15th double of the year to put a runner in scoring position with two outs. Jeff McNeil brought him home with an RBI single, extending his hitting streak to six games, to cut the Guardians’ lead to three.

Francisco Álvarez's 5th homer of the season gets the Mets on the board pic.twitter.com/oLtRAMb4UA

— SNY (@SNYtv) May 20, 2023

The inning ended after Pete Alonso hit a weak liner to the shortstop Rosario. Rosario dropped the ball after attempting to catch it, but was able to corral the ball and throw out Alonso at first.

Carrasco exited the game after giving up five runs in five innings, driving his season ERA up to 8.68. Along with the five runs, Carrasco allowed five hits and two walks and struck out three. Dominic Leone relieved Carrasco to start the sixth and gave up a leadoff single to Naylor. A single up the middle by Bell created a threat with runners on first and second base and nobody out. Naylor advanced to third on a flyout but the Mets were then able to double up the speedy Straw to escape the inning.

After a troublesome fifth inning, Quantrill remained on for the sixth and was immediately greeted with an opposite-field homer off the bat of Baty to make it a 5-3 game. Then with two outs and nobody on, Mark Canha recorded an infield hit to chase Quantrill out of the game. Lefty reliever Sam Hentges came out of the bullpen to face the young Álvarez who came to the plate as the tying run. Álvarez hit the first pitch he saw to deep right field but it wasn’t deep enough as it was caught to end the inning.

Brett Baty drives one the other way! 💪 pic.twitter.com/0VKurgwo6P

— SNY (@SNYtv) May 20, 2023

Leone remained in the game in the seventh but for the second straight inning, he gave up a leadoff single, this time off the bat of Brennan. Another hit by the catcher Gallagher put runners on the corners with nobody out. Leone then walked Kwan to load the bases, driving Leone out of the game and bringing in Stephen Nogosek to try to clean up the mess.

In a 3-1 count, Nogosek threw a fastball down the heart of the plate to Rosario who hit a sharp line drive right into the glove of Nimmo in center field. Brennan tagged for home but wasn’t close to scoring, getting tagged out in a rundown for a massive double play.

A walk to Ramírez loaded the bases for the second time in the inning, bringing Naylor to the plate. The Mets couldn’t pull off another miracle, as Naylor drove a single the opposite way to bring in two runs, giving him five RBIs on the night and giving the Guardians a 7-3 lead. Another walk by Nogosek loaded the bases yet again, and this time he was relieved for Tommy Hunter who got Giménez to ground out to end the inning.

With the top of the order up and a chance to rally, Nimmo led off the bottom of the seventh with a walk. A single up the middle by Lindor put runners on first and second with nobody out and the heart of the order coming up. Struggling to throw strikes, Hentges then walked McNeil to load the bases for Alonso who came to the plate as the tying run.

With James Karinchak coming into the game to relieve Hentges, Alonso drove a ball over the wall in right-center field for an opposite field grand slam to make it a 7-7 tie. Alonso’s grand slam extended his home run streak to four games and brought him to 71 career home runs at Citi Field, tying Lucas Duda for the most in the stadium’s history. After Alonso’s mammoth home run, Karinchak struck out three around a two-out walk by Vientos to keep the game tied.

THAT. JUST. HAPPENED. pic.twitter.com/517eystfng

— New York Mets (@Mets) May 20, 2023

Adam Ottavino took the mound in the eighth inning hoping to keep the game tied. Facing the bottom of the Guardians’ lineup, Ottavino induced a flyout and two groundouts in a 1-2-3 inning. Enyel De Los Santos came in to pitch for the Guardians in the bottom of the inning and recorded a 1-2-3 inning of his own.

For the first time this year, David Robertson pitched in three straight games as he came on to pitch in the ninth inning. Robertson needed just nine pitches to induce three ground balls from the top of the Guardians’ order, recording two of the outs on excellent defensive plays from McNeil and Alonso.

Like Robertson, Trevor Stephan also needed just nine pitches to set the Mets down in order in the bottom of the ninth, striking out Alonso and Baty in the process to send the game to extra innings.

Drew Smith took the mound in the tenth inning, hoping to strand Ramírez who was serving as the Guardians’ free runner. Smith got Naylor to pop up to record the first out of the inning. However, Gabriel Arias, who entered the game to pinch run and for defense, hit an opposite field home run in his first at-bat of the game to give the Guardians a 9-7 lead. Smith recorded the next two outs to get out of the inning, but not before giving the Mets another hill to climb.

Emmanuel Clase, one of the elite closers in baseball, came into the game in the bottom of the tenth to try to close it out for Cleveland. Marte recorded a loud out as he hit one just shy of the warning track, able to advance the free runner Baty to third. Vientos then hit a ball up the middle for an RBI single, bringing the Mets back within one.

Daniel Vogelbach, who had been struggling recently, came on to pinch hit for Canha. During his at-bat, Eduardo Escobar came into the game to pinch run for Vientos and swiped second base, his first stolen base of the year. However, Vogelbach struck out which brought Álvarez to the plate as the winning run with the tying run on second.

Down to his last strike, Álvarez grounded a ball through the left side of the infield to bring Escobar home and tie the game once again. Álvarez advanced to second on an errant throw home, putting the winning run in scoring position. Also falling behind in the count 0-2, Nimmo chopped a ball to the left side of the infield and reached for an infield hit with Álvarez advancing to third. And then in what was nothing short of a storybook ending, Lindor lined a ball into the outfield on the first pitch he saw to give the Mets a thrilling 10-9 victory.

BALLGAME WON!!! pic.twitter.com/fI3mSAsbFa

— New York Mets (@Mets) May 20, 2023

Player(s) of the Game

Not only did Pete Alonso extend his major league home run lead with his 17th of the year, but he extended his home run streak to four games in a row with arguably his biggest home run of the year. Continuing to deliver in clutch situations, he hit a grand slam while down four to tie the game in the seventh inning after the team had been playing from behind all game.

In his first game against his former team, Francisco Lindor was the hero going 3-for-6 with a double and the game-winning RBI in the bottom of the tenth to walk it off. In a game that seemed nearly impossible to win at times, both Lindor and Alonso provided moments that allowed the Mets to enjoy a memorable win.

On Deck

The Mets will play the second game of the three-game set against the Guardians on Saturday afternoon at 4:10 p.m. ET. Max Scherzer (3-2, 4.88 ERA), coming off a start in which he gave up one run in five innings, will be on the mound for the Mets looking to provide length and consistency. For the Guardians, impressive rookie Tanner Bibee (1-1, 3.22) gets the start after a fantastic performance in his last start in which he gave up one run in 7 2/3 innings. The game will be broadcast on PIX11.

The post Lindor Finishes Mets’ 10-9 Comeback Win Over Former Team appeared first on Metsmerized.

Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

Pete Alonso means business in 2023.

Great players have the innate ability to be able to drag their team through adversity. Alonso is doing that for the New York Mets right now. He may also be the most consistent and the most potent hitter in all of baseball.

Alonso entered Friday night’s game against the Giants tied for the major lead with nine homers with Patrick Wisdom of the Cubs. Alonso’s red hot bat ensured he became the first player to reach the 10 home runs plateau in 2023. He’s also tied for the most runs batted in on the year with 23 after a four RBI night on Friday. It helped lead the Mets to their seventh win in eight games, despite the bevy of injuries to a ravaged starting rotation.

“I want to be able to do what I can to help the team win every night,” Alonso said after the game. “I was very fortunate to come through, especially with the bases loaded and two outs, and I feel that really turned the game and put the game on ice. I was really proud of that at-bat. I’m just really happy that I could help the team win.”

While Alonso became the first player in Mets history to hit at least 40 homers in two different seasons – 53 in his rookie year in 2019 and 40 in 2022 – it is the way in which the masher is approaching his at-bats in 2023 that seems to be making all the difference. He has found a way to harness the power that has always been there and take it to the next level. Alonso’s Home Run Percentage has dramatically risen to 10.8% through 21 games, and he ranks in the 91st percentile for Max Exit Velocity, the 92nd percentile in Barrel %, the 96th percentile in xBA, and the 99th percentile in xSLG and xwOBA.

It is also worth noting that Alonso now has the same amount of home runs as the Cleveland Guardians do as a team combined, and more than the Washington Nationals have hit this year as a collective unit (9). That’s pretty damn impressive. Alonso has more home runs now than he did at this stage of his rookie year where he hit 53 homers. He’s currently on pace for 77 dingers and you get the sense that he’s standing on the precipice of a truly special year. If that indeed happens and the slugger creates more history in a Mets uniform, then it will all boil down to an offseason spent working on his craft and making the kind of slight tweaks that are paying dividends right now.

Pete Alonso’s start to the season really is something.

He’s now got four runs batted in on the night. Up to 23 on the season. Tied for the major-league lead.

7-0 #Mets, top 9. pic.twitter.com/Rmp2TuvV9W

— Metsmerized Online (@Metsmerized) April 22, 2023

“I’ve put in a lot of work,” Alonso said. “I do a deep dive into my game every offseason and I work hard mentally, physically and try and do the best I can to prepare. All I want to do every single night is go out there and play my best. I’m extremely happy with how I’ve been able to capitalize and I’m very happy with myself. I want to continue to stay within myself and play my game.”

Alonso now has the most home runs any Met has ever hit before the end of April. He’s slugging at an insane rate and is destroying baseballs without a single sliver of mercy. The fact he has launched four long balls on this road trip is a major reason why the Mets have been able to withstand a boatload of adversity and improve to 7-1 on the West Coast trip with a +24 run differential.

He isn’t only impacting games with the long ball, however. Although that has been a major part of his success so far this season. No, Alonso is also putting the ball in play as seen by his two-run single against the Giants, and he currently owns an on-base percentage of .376. The righty also owns a career-high 11.8% Base on Balls Percentage, while he ranks in the 86th percentile among first basemen in Outs Above Average, highlighting his continued improvement in the field.

Overall, Alonso is spearheading the efforts of a team that is currently tied for second-most wins in the majors, and tied for the most in the National League, and he’s doing it in a slew of different ways. If he can keep this current pace up, then not only is it possible that Alonso will end up as the new home run king in Major League Baseball, but he will also play a major role in helping the Mets to potentially banish some postseason demons come October.

“We fell short in the postseason last year and I just wanted to do what I could to get better,” Alonso told the New York Post. “If I could get better and contribute a little bit more or kind of evolve as a player, I feel like that could help the team. For me, I took it upon myself to work hard in the offseason, whether that being mentally or physically and trying to hone in on the stuff I could get better at offensively or defensively.”

The post Red Hot Pete Alonso Mashes His Way To Early HR Lead appeared first on Metsmerized.

Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports

The Mets played their second game of a four-game series against the San Francisco Giants late Friday night. Joey Lucchesi, who hadn’t pitched in a major league game since the 2021 season, got the start for the Mets in place of the injured Carlos Carrasco. Meanwhile, starting for the Giants was Anthony DeSclafani, who had been pitching excellently through his first three starts of the season.

The Mets recorded their second shutout of the season as they defeated the Giants 7-0. The Mets got the best of DeSclafani, who gave up four earned runs in five innings, while Lucchesi gave the Mets an unexpected yet fantastic performance.

Brandon Nimmo, who has been scorching hot on this road trip, opened the game with a leadoff single which brought his season batting average up to a sensational .377. The next three batters went down in order, however, and Nimmo was left stranded at first.

Lucchesi got into some trouble in the bottom of the first inning, as the familiar faces of Wilmer Flores and Darin Ruf reached base with a double and walk, respectively. Lucchesi, though, worked through it and induced a ground ball double play from another familiar face in J.D. Davis to get out of the inning.

The Mets got the scoring started in the top of the second inning with some small ball. After Daniel Vogelbach led off the inning with a single, Mark Canha reached base on a fielder’s choice. Brett Baty then singled through the right side of the infield. Both of them advanced on another fielder’s choice and Luis Guillorme capitalized with an opposite field single to drive in Canha, giving the Mets an early 1-0 lead.

After working through runners on base in each of the first three innings, Lucchesi recorded his first 1-2-3 inning of the night in the bottom of the fourth, striking out two in the process including striking out David Villar with his signature churve.

In the top of the fifth, Guillorme recorded his second hit of the night batting out of the nine hole. Nimmo then dropped down a bunt looking to steal a hit but was thrown out, although Guillorme safely advanced to second base. After Francisco Lindor struck out looking, McNeil checked a swing but made contact with the ball which rolled right in front of the plate. In what looked like an easy out to end the inning, Joey Bart threw the ball to first but hit McNeil with the throw, enabling Guillorme to come around to score.

On the very next pitch, DeSclafani hung a slider to Pete Alonso who made him pay, sending it over the center field fence to make it a 4-0 ballgame. The home run was Alonso’s 10th of the year, giving him back sole possession of the major league lead and giving him the most home runs ever by a Met before the end of April. The home run also gave him sole possession of most RBIs in the National League with 21.

Pete Alonso is in sole place of the league-lead in home runs again.

This is his 10th bomb of the season, he’s up to 21 RBIs. That RBI total is the tops in the NL.

4-0 #Mets, top 5. pic.twitter.com/DX68ntVtJH

— Metsmerized Online (@Metsmerized) April 22, 2023

Although the offense stalled a bit after Alonso’s homer, Lucchesi continued his dominant performance to preserve the Mets’ lead. He struck out three batters in a fantastic fifth inning, including getting Mike Yastrzemski and Brett Wisely with his churve. In the sixth, Lucchesi erased a leadoff baserunner as the Giants grounded into their third double play of the night.

When he came back out in the seventh, Lucchesi became the first Mets starter this year to throw a pitch in the seventh inning, a prospect no one could have predicted before the season. He delivered his best inning of the night by striking out the side, and that is how he would end his night with his pitch count at 97. In total, Lucchesi threw seven scoreless innings, giving up four hits and two walks and striking out nine batters in a phenomenal performance.

Just sensational stuff from Joey Lucchesi tonight.

He was dotting the strike zone all night. Nine strikeouts in seven innings, including striking out the side in the seventh.

4-0 #Mets, top 8. pic.twitter.com/7lQi3e1JE3

— Metsmerized Online (@Metsmerized) April 22, 2023

Brooks Raley relieved Lucchesi in the bottom of the eighth inning and posted a 1-2-3 frame of his own, striking out two batters in the process. In his 11th relief appearance of the year, this was Raley’s tenth scoreless outing. To this point, he has been a solid lefty presence out of the bullpen that the Mets dearly missed last year.

The Mets offense got it going again in the top of the ninth as they loaded the bases with singles from Nimmo and Lindor and a hit-by-pitch at the expense of Jeff McNeil. Alonso took advantage as he singled through the infield to drive in two runs, giving him four RBIs for the second straight night and bringing his season total to 23 which ties him with Yordan Àlvarez for the major league lead.

Vogelbach then recorded his second hit of the night, a single to right field that drove McNeil in to make it a 7-0 game. A Canha single to the opposite field gave the young Baty an opportunity with the bases loaded, though he popped out to end the inning.

Tommy Hunter took the mound for the bottom of the ninth, making his first appearance since going on the injured list a few weeks ago. He put the game to rest easily and secured the Mets’ shutout. With the win, the Mets brought their win streak to three and their record on the season to 14-7.

Player of the Game

Joey Lucchesi gave the Mets everything they could ask for and more in this game. With their rotation depleted, Lucchesi was called upon to make his first start since 2021 and not only did he pitch brilliantly, he provided length that other Mets starters have struggled to do early on in the season. Given these circumstances, Lucchesi’s showing was one of the best by any Mets player this year.

On Deck

The Mets play the Giants with a chance to win the series Saturday afternoon at 4:05 p.m. ET, with the game being broadcast on FOX. David Peterson (1-2, 6.10 ERA) will be on the mound going against Logan Webb (0-4, 4.94 ERA), who recently signed a five-year, $90 million contract extension with the Giants.

The post Joey Lucchesi Shines as Mets Silence Giants 7-0 appeared first on Metsmerized.

Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

Pete Alonso has appeared to have shaken off the early season rust and is starting to settle into a groove for the New York Mets.

It took a few games for both Alonso and the Mets offense as a whole to find their rhythm. The offense was shut down by the Milwaukee Brewers, while Alonso was hitting just .136 through the first six games of the 2023 season. He also had just one home run and two RBIs during that stretch too.

However, after shaving his mustache and switching back to his tried-and-tested axe-handle bat for the final game of the series against the Brewers, Alonso began to reap instant results. He clubbed two home runs against an elite pitcher in Corbin Burnes, driving in four RBIs and displaying the type of pure power that has made Alonso one of the most dangerous hitters in the game.

Pete Alonso gets in on the party! It’s 9-3 Mets! pic.twitter.com/OvWwyhnjlO

— Metsmerized Online (@Metsmerized) April 7, 2023

He followed that up with another big day at the plate on Friday against the Marlins, blasting his third home run in his last two games as the Mets won their home opener 9-3. Alonso launched an absolute bomb to center field after Francisco Lindor had also homered in the previous at-bat.

Alonso is now slashing .226/.314/.645/.960 with a 147 OPS+ to go along with four homers and eight RBIs. After a slowish start, the slugger is now starting to really find his game and entered Friday with a 14.4 percent strikeout rate in his previous 50 games, according to the Mets. That was the lowest rate over any 50-game stretch in Alonso’s career and, on pace for the lowest strikeout rate of his career, it was clear on Friday that he was seeing the ball more clearly than ever.

“Just seeing the ball and capitalizing when it’s in my area,” Alonso said after the game. “One through nine we didn’t give in the entire day and that led to a positive result one through nine. We were excellent.”

Pete Alonso becomes just the 6th player in Mets history to reach the 150 plateau.

1. Darryl Strawberry, 252
2. David Wright, 242
3. Mike Piazza, 220
4. Howard Johnson, 192
5. Dave Kingman, 154
6. Pete Alonso, 150

— Mike Mayer (@mikemayer22) April 7, 2023

Friday also proved to be a special day for Alonso outside of the usual Home Opener festivities. In hitting his fourth homer of the year, he also clubbed the 150th home run of his career. It was a meaningful milestone that made Alonso just the sixth player in Mets history to reach the 150 plateau. He moved past Carlos Beltran on the all-time leaderboard and is now just four homers away from tying Dave Kingman for fifth all-time in franchise history.

Given what Alonso has already accomplished in his Major League career, it is not a stretch to suggest that he could eventually take down Darryl Strawberry‘s franchise record of 252 homers with the Mets. After all, Alonso has time on his side and, as long as he signs a long-term contract with the team, there should be no barriers in his way when it comes to attempting to become the new Home Run King in Queens.

Consider this; no player has hit more dingers in Major League Baseball as Alonso has since he entered the bigs in 2019. His 150 career homers in that span are more than Aaron Judge (139) and Kyle Schwarber (129). That stat alone tells you just how dominant Alonso has been from day one.

There was more history created on Friday, too. Not only did Alonso reach the 150 home run mark, but he did it in record time too. Well, almost. He became the second-fastest player in major league history to achieve the milestone, doing it in just 538 career games. Only Phillies icon Ryan Howard did it faster (495 games).

Given that Alonso is improving all the time, he’s making more contact and is finding a way to strike out less too, more franchise records will likely fall and the masher could end up as an all-time Met when it comes to power and production. For now, however, the fact Alonso is starting to really destroy baseballs on a regular basis will only help the Mets as they look to gather some momentum early on in the 2023 season.

The post Pete Alonso Getting Hot, Makes History Against Marlins appeared first on Metsmerized.

Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports

The Mets took the field at loanDepot Park on Saturday afternoon looking to rebound from their disappointing loss on Friday evening. Tylor Megill started the game for the Mets in place of Justin Verlander, who was put on the Injured List, while the promising Edward Cabrera took the mound for the Marlins.

While the bats went cold on Friday, they were able to come through in the clutch as big hits in timely moments propelled the Mets to a 6-2 win and a 2-1 series lead heading into Sunday’s game.

The Mets were unable to capitalize off of two walks in the top of the first inning from Brandon Nimmo and Pete Alonso. Cabrera was able to induce a groundout from Daniel Vogelbach to end the inning without giving up a run.

Megill, like Cabrera, was able to work around two baserunners in the bottom of the first and finish the inning scoreless, striking out two batters in the process.

Mark Canha led off the second inning with an opposite field double followed by a Luis Guillorme walk. After the runners advanced to second and third with one out, Omar Narváez scored Canha on a sacrifice fly to give the Mets the early lead.

Omar Narváez brings home the first run for the Mets! pic.twitter.com/eWwFrR9Ygz

— SNY (@SNYtv) April 1, 2023

Despite striking out Jean Segura to start the bottom of the second, Megill started to experience control issues and a dip in velocity. After walking Jesús Sánchez, Nick Fortes took a fastball deep to give the Marlins a 2-1 lead. Megill then gave up a Luis Arraez single but limited further damage by getting out of the inning after that.

Megill settled in for an easier third inning, setting the heart of the Marlins’ order down 1-2-3 including two strikeouts which gave him six through three innings despite the lower velocity and a high pitch count.

Canha drew a walk to start the top of the fourth inning and was able to advance to second base and again to third base on two fielder’s choice ground ball outs. Narváez then drove in his second run of the game with an opposite field single, tying the game back up at two apiece. Nimmo subsequently drew a walk, Cabrera’s sixth of the game, but Cabrera struck out Francisco Lindor to escape the inning.

Omar Narváez has his second RBI of the day! pic.twitter.com/kkgB9LRWlI

— SNY (@SNYtv) April 1, 2023

Andrew Nardi replaced Cabrera to start the fifth inning after Cabrera threw 85 pitches through four innings. Jeff McNeil led off the inning with a blooper just beyond the infield in left field that he was able to stretch into a double. Alonso then roped a pitch down the left field line for an RBI double to give the Mets a 3-2 lead. In a rare at-bat against a lefty, Vogelbach was able to advance Alonso to third who then scored on an RBI single from Canha, making it a 4-2 game.

Arraez led off the bottom of the fifth with his third single of the game. A long Jorge Soler flyout and a Garrett Cooper strikeout gave Megill two outs in the inning, but Jazz Chisholm Jr. doubled to put two runs in scoring position. Bryan De La Cruz hit a sharp ground ball to the left that looked like it could have scored Arraez, but Lindor made a beautiful stop and the long throw to first to end the inning.

That would be the end of Megill’s outing as he finished with 93 pitches, giving up two earned runs on six hits and two walks while striking out seven through five hard-fought innings.

In the top of the sixth inning, the Mets couldn’t get much going outside of a Nimmo single, but what is of note is that he attempted to steal a base and did so successfully. Nimmo recorded just three stolen bases all of last seasons, and the new rules could encourage him to run more often than he did in 2022.

Dennis Santana relieved Megill to start the bottom of the sixth inning and impressed in his Mets debut, striking out two batters in a clean 1-2-3 inning.

Tylor Megill’s day is done. Dennis Santana comes on in relief. pic.twitter.com/ihR1dDYwk6

— Metsmerized Online (@Metsmerized) April 1, 2023

In the top of the seventh, Canha blasted a solo home run to left field to increase the Mets’ lead to 5-2, his third hit of the game and his fourth time on base in four plate appearances. This came after he went 0-for-6 through the first two games of the series.

Cahna makes it 5-2 in the 7th!! pic.twitter.com/jaS9rdmbDT

— Metsmerized Online (@Metsmerized) April 1, 2023

Drew Smith came on to pitch the bottom of the seventh, getting two quick outs. After giving up a walk and a base hit, though, he was relieved by Brooks Raley in order to get a left-on-left matchup against Chisholm. Raley got Chisholm to ground out, putting an end to the offensive threat.

A Narváez base hit, his second of the game, and a Lindor double set up runners on second and third for McNeil with two outs in the top of the eighth inning, but he rolled one over to end the inning, failing to extend the Mets’ lead even further.

The Marlins got multiple baserunners on again in the bottom of the eighth against Adam Ottavino, off of singles from Segura and Fortes. Once again, though, the Mets were able to hold the baserunners and finish the inning as Ottavino fooled Joey Wendle, striking him out on three pitches.

Alonso and Tommy Pham, pinch hitting for Vogelbach, led off the top of the ninth with back-to-back singles, Pham’s being the first hit of his Mets career. Starling Marte pinch hit for Guillorme two batters later and hit an RBI ground rule double, scoring Alonso and giving the Mets a 6-2 lead.

Arraez once again singled to start the bottom of the ninth, his fourth hit of the game, and his seventh overall through three games. A strikeout and a ground ball double play would end the inning quickly though, as David Robertson finished the game off in a non-save situation. Tylor Megill gets the win for the Mets as Andrew Nardi records the loss for the Marlins, and the Mets improve to 2-1.

Player of the Game

Mark Canha was the player of the game in the Mets’ best offensive game of the young season. He went hitless through the first two games of the season, but was fantastic in Saturday’s contest, going 3-for-4 with a walk, an RBI single, a double, and a home run for a total of two RBIs and three runs. Canha notably started last season slow in terms of hitting for power, so it’s good to see him get two extra base hits including a home run in this one early in the season.

On Deck

The Mets finish up their four game series against the Marlins on Sunday in Miami at 1:40 p.m. ET. Kodai Senga will be making his Major League debut for the Mets while the southpaw Trevor Rogers gets the ball for the Marlins.

The post Canha Leads Mets Offense in 6-2 Victory Over Marlins appeared first on Metsmerized.