The Mets announced Monday that they have placed Williams on the 15-day IL with a right shoulder strain. It is retroactive to Aug. 8.

In a corresponding move, the Mets recalled right-handed pitcher Jonathan Pintaro from Triple-A Syracuse.

Brad Mills-Imagn Images

Williams most recently pitched on Aug. 7. He struggled, allowing two runs on three hits in an inning of work. An outfield assist helped get him through the frame.

His fastball velocity was right around the 93.9 mph he’s been averaging this season, however.

The 31-year-old Williams in the midst of an up-and-down first season with the Mets. Though he was good in May and June, he had a rough April and a so-so July. He’s allowed three runs through two innings so far in August.

Overall, Williams has posted a 4.66 ERA in 42 games this year after a 4.79 in 67 appearances last season for the Yankees. Williams has posted 0.7 fWAR, 11.87 SO/9 and 4.89 BB/9, all of which would be career worsts for a full season. Williams has 16 saves in 19 opportunities.

Pintaro, 28, has thrown 14 1/3 innings for New York with a 4.40 ERA. He’s also pitched 40 1/3 innings with a 4.02 ERA for Syracuse.

The Mets’ bullpen has collectively posted a 3.74 ERA, the sixth-best mark in MLB.

Williams’ contract runs through 2028 with $51 million total guaranteed.

The post Devin Williams Placed on IL With Shoulder Strain appeared first on Metsmerized.

Photo Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Another Quality Outing for Sean Manaea 

Quietly, Manaea has been one of the pleasant stories of the 2026 Mets season. A pitcher who many counted out back in spring training when his velocity was down. The Mets put him in the bullpen to begin the season, but the Mets were forced to put him back in the rotation due to the rotation struggling. Heading into game one of this doubleheader, Manaea has pitched to a 3.83 ERA since going back into the rotation, and Wednesday was another good outing against a good offensive team.

Against the Braves, Manaea struck out four batters in six innings pitched. His only mark was a two-run game-tying home run off the bat of Matt Olson that tied the game in the top of the sixth inning. Aside from the home run, he allowed four other hits to the Braves lineup. He even escaped a first-and-second, nobody-out jam in the top of the third inning. The outing was also the eighth time this season Manaea gave the Mets five or more innings. The fourth time he’s gone six or more innings—another quality outing for Manaea.

Brazoban, Weaver, and Williams Close it out

The Mets went to the bullpen for the last nine outs of the game. Huascar Brazoban took the seventh inning and orchestrated a scoreless inning. Luke Weaver pitched the eighth and struck out Ronald Acuna and got Matt Olson to ground into an inning-ending double play. Then, in the ninth, Devin Williams struck out Austin Riley swinging on a fastball and stranding the tying run at second base. It is Williams’ 15th save of the season. As for Brazoban and Weaver, they continue to up their stock for the trade deadline.

Alvarez And Benge Highlight the Mets’ Scoring

It wasn’t the best game for the Mets scoring-wise. They left some early chances on the basepaths and overall went 2-for-12 with runners in scoring position. With the game scoreless heading into the bottom of the fifth, the Mets broke the ice. Following a Tyrone Taylor walk and a Brett Baty single, Francisco Alvarez lined a double to the left-field wall to score Taylor for the Mets’ first run. Baty advanced to third. A.J. Ewing would drive in Baty on a sacrifice fly to make it 2-0 Mets. 

After Olson tied it with his home run, the Mets broke the tie in the bottom of the seventh inning. Ewing and Francisco Lindor walked, and Carson Benge lined a one-out double to right field that scored Ewing and put the Mets up 3-2. The Mets left more runners on base than they would’ve liked, but they got the hits when they needed to in Game one.

Player of the Game: Carson Benge

Manaea pitched well, but Benge’s two-hit day, with the second being the game-winner, gives him the nod for the win. The RBI was Benge’s 41st of the season, and his 14th double. 

On Deck

In game two of the doubleheader, Christian Scott will pitch for the Mets against Chris Sale. The game will start at 7:10 pm EDT and will be telecast locally on SNY and broadcast on WHSQ 880 AM. 

The post Manaea, Benge Lead Mets to Game 1 Win appeared first on Metsmerized.

After dropping the first two games at Citi Field, the Mets used some clutch hitting and big hits to take the series finale and avoid the season sweep.

As a result, the Mets snapped a three-game losing streak. However, they are still 18 games below .500 with a 44-62 record.

With that, let’s recap everything from the Dodgers series in the latest edition of 3 Up, 3 Down…

May 18, 2026; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; New York Mets left fielder Tyrone Taylor (28) is congratulated by teammates after scoring a run during the second inning against the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-Imagn Images

3 UP

RED-HOT TAYLOR

Not only is Tyrone Taylor on a heater right now, but he’s probably also turning himself into a pretty valuable trade chip. The veteran outfielder was a spark plug throughout the Dodgers series. He gave the Mets a chance in Saturday’s game with a clutch two-run pinch-hit double. While those runs ultimately proved to be in vain in a close loss, Taylor did play a huge role in Sunday’s win. He hit a three-run bomb in the sixth inning to turn a 2-1 deficit into a 4-3 lead, a lead the Mets never relinquished. Furthermore, since returning from the IL in late June, Taylor has five homers in 18 games with a 1.403 OPS. He could be a tantalizing target for a contender in need of offensive depth and strong outfield defense.

DOING HIS BIT

Sean Manaea held up his end of the bargain on Friday night by delivering a more than solid outing on the mound. He allowed just one run on six hits with two walks and three strikeouts over six innings. In other words, Manaea largely shut down the vaunted Dodgers lineup. While the Mets still lost the game, Manaea’s quality start gave them every chance, and that’s all you can ask out of your starter.

CLOSING IT OUT

Other than Friday night, the bullpen delivered for the Mets over the weekend. While Brooks Raley and A.J. Minter gave the series opener away, others stepped up over the rest of the weekend. It started on Saturday when Daniel Duarte and Huascar Brazobán combined for three scoreless innings to keep the Mets in with a chance. Then, on Sunday, Cionel Pérez provided two scoreless innings of relief in a big spot. That was backed up by Raley, Luke Weaver, and Devin Williams coming together to shut down the Dodgers the rest of the way. No matter what, this bullpen finds a way to come through.

Juan Soto by Berto Carlo

3 DOWN

TIME TO SHUT DOWN?

Maybe it is time for the Mets to put Juan Soto on the shelf for the rest of the year. The superstar outfielder was placed on the IL on Saturday with a left calf strain. It is more severe than the right calf strain he suffered earlier in the season. Given that Soto is expected to miss up to four weeks of action, the Mets should do the sensible thing and shut him down until 2027. With nothing left to play for, it makes no sense to mess around with a guy who has now had two separate calf injuries this year, especially when talking about a player of Soto’s importance.

TIME TO SAY GOODBYE?

If Sunday’s game proves to be Freddy Peralta‘s last in a Mets uniform, then it will be a fitting farewell. In a mirror image of his entire season, Peralta struggled in the series finale. He gave up three runs – two earned – on six hits with two walks and three strikeouts. He also needed a whopping 93 pitches just to get through four innings. With a 4.99 ERA on the year, Peralta’s time with the Mets has been a monumental failure. It might be best for all parties to have a fresh start.

ERROR CITY

It wouldn’t be the 2026 Mets without an error-laden game. With the first two games of the series both being decided by two runs or less, small margins were going to be key. Well, as has been the case this year, the Mets couldn’t get out of their own way in that regard. Take Saturday’s game, for instance. With the game scoreless in the third inning, Brett Batyand Nolan McLean both made critical mistakes, effectively handing the game and series to the Dodgers. Sloppy play continues to doom the Mets.

The post 3 Up, 3 Down: Mets Use Big Bats To Avoid LA Sweep appeared first on Metsmerized.

Devin Williams: C-

Williams was the unit’s biggest addition in the offseason, but he’s been the most inconsistent arm in the bullpen. He had a disastrous month of April, a month in which his ERA ballooned as high as 10.29. From April 26 to May 21, Williams didn’t allow a single earned run, but then surrendered a walk-off grand slam to the Marlins’ Heriberto Hernández. Williams allowed just one earned run in June, but has stumbled in July, blowing two of his last three save opportunities. Williams’ 3.35 FIP, 3.53 xFIP, 3.17 xERA and .386 BABiP suggest that he’s run into a decent amount of bad luck, but he hasn’t helped himself with his career-worst 12.8% walk rate. His signature airbender might best encapsulate his season – opponents have a .197 xBA, .308 xSLG and .251 xwOBA against it, all at least 75 points lower than its surface stats. Williams has only given up three homers this year, but all have occurred with men on base, including two grand slams. (3-2, 4.83 ERA, 1.705 WHIP, 44 K, 31 2/3 IP, 13 SV, 3 BSV, -0.7 bWAR, 0.5 fWAR).

Luke Weaver: A

On April 30, Weaver entered in the eighth inning against the Nationals protecting a 4-3 lead, and gave up a go-ahead two-run homer to CJ Abrams. The righty was charged with the loss and saw his ERA increase to an unsightly 6.00. Since then, Weaver hasn’t allowed an earned run in 27 innings. He’s been particularly dominant since the start of June, allowing just five base runners (two hits and three walks) and striking out 19 batters over 14 1/3 innings. Weaver has registered a plus-8 run value on his fastball and a plus-5 mark on his change-up, with both pitches producing far better results than they did in 2025. Now, the Mets face an incredibly tough decision: do they trade Weaver this summer? The 32-year-old is under contract for 2027, set to make $12.5 million. However, in today’s game, relievers tend to net hefty returns on the trade market, and Weaver’s value is at its peak right now. (2-1, 1.85 ERA, 0.821 WHIP, 43 K, 39 IP, 1 SV, 1.7 bWAR, 1.2 fWAR).

Brooks Raley: A-

In his age-38 season, Raley has remained a steady presence in the back end of the Mets’ bullpen. The soft-tossing lefty has excelled at limiting hard contact, holding opponents to a weak 32.3% hard-hit rate and allowing just two home runs in 35 1/3 innings. While he’s had reverse splits in past years, Raley has held southpaws to a .550 OPS in 2026. While Raley’s walk rate has gone up this year, his strand rate has increased from 68.2% to 79.6%. He has also allowed just four of his 14 inherited runners to score. With the trade deadline looming, it’s almost certain Raley will be on a different team in the coming weeks, but he’s giving the Mets everything they could’ve asked for over his time in Flushing. (4-4, 2.04 ERA, 1.132 WHIP, 36 K, 35 1/3 IP, 1.2 bWAR, 0.7 fWAR).

Huascar Brazobán: B+

Brazobán’s grade likely would’ve been higher if it weren’t for a meltdown against the Braves on July 5, in which he recorded just one out and gave up four runs and five hits, including a grand slam off the bat of Drake Baldwin. That afternoon, his ERA skyrocketed from 1.94 to 3.00, but he has bounced back with a pair of scoreless outings. Brazobán has been among the best in the majors at limiting hard contact, owning a 100th-percentile average exit velocity (83.6 mph), 99th-percentile hard-hit rate (23.7%) and 98th-percentile barrel rate (2.6%). Walks have been an issue for Brazobán this year, as has been the case for most of his career, but he also has allowed just three home runs and produced a career-best 53.4% ground-ball rate, while also leading the team’s primary relievers with 45 2/3 innings pitched. (4-2, 2.76 ERA, 1.095 WHIP, 44 K, 45 2/3 IP, 1.2 bWAR, 0.7 fWAR).

Austin Warren: B-

Much like Brazobán, Warren’s numbers took a big hit due to his appearances against the Braves and Royals. He entered the Mets’ contest on July 4 with a 2.45 ERA in 33 innings. However, he allowed four runs on four hits, including a two-run homer by Mike Yastrzemski, over two innings. Two days later, Warren entered with a 9-4 lead in the fifth inning and failed to retire a batter, allowing four hits, a walk and a hit batsman, while being charged with five earned runs. All told, his ERA nearly doubled to a 4.63 mark after that outing. The next day, he was placed on the injured list with a forearm strain. Until his recent blowups, Warren had been a feel-good story for the Mets, as he’d finally found a steady role with an organization in his age-30 season. The righty has been very good at stranding inherited runners, allowing just one of 13 to score – but he’s also issued 18 walks in 35 innings. Warren has struggled in particular against lefties, surrendering four home runs and getting torched for an .892 OPS by southpaws. Once he’s healthy again, Warren should still have a spot as a middle reliever in the Mets’ bullpen. (1-3, 4.63 ERA, 1.486 WHIP, 37 K, 35 IP, 0.1 bWAR, -0.1 fWAR).

Tobias Myers: F

For the first five weeks of the season, Myers was one of the most reliable arms on the team. Since then, his season has been nothing short of a disaster. From May 6 to the end of the first half, Myers has allowed 27 earned runs, 36 hits and seven homers over 24 innings. Myers hasn’t had a scoreless outing since May 25 and has allowed at least one earned run in each of his last eight appearances. He has spent most of the last six weeks being shuttled back and forth between Triple-A and the majors. Myers has never been a ground-ball pitcher, but his grounder rate has plummeted to a career-worst 31.6% this year, while his fly ball rate is the highest it’s ever been at 28.6%. His strikeout rate also sits at a career-low 16.7%. Without a clear role on the roster, Myers’ days with the Mets may be numbered. (0-2, 6.26 ERA, 1.391 WHIP, 33 K, 46 IP, 1 SV, -0.8 bWAR, -0.1 fWAR).

A.J. Minter: B+

Minter was excellent in his brief stint with the Mets in 2025, but he missed over a year of major league action after undergoing surgery to repair a torn lat. Since getting activated on May 25, Minter has given the Mets a nice boost, allowing just three earned runs over 19 innings. While his strikeouts are down, Minter has allowed just one walk and held opponents to a .566 OPS. As expected, Minter’s fastball velocity has decreased, and his four-seamer has been hit hard; however, his cutter has been magnificent, holding opponents to just a .167 batting average and .192 xBA. Just like Raley, Minter is on an expiring contract and will likely be traded in the near future. (1-1, 1.42 ERA, 0.842 WHIP, 17 K, 19 IP, 0.5 bWAR, 0.3 fWAR).

Cionel Pérez: C

Once a high-leverage reliever in Baltimore, Pérez made 16 appearances for the Nationals this season before the Mets signed him to a minor league contract in May. He showed flashes of his old self in his first 11 appearances with the Mets, posting a 3.45 ERA and striking out 16 batters against just one walk in 15 2/3 innings. However, the lefty got rocked for four runs and four hits in 1 1/3 innings against the Blue Jays on July 1. In his most recent outing against the Red Sox, Pérez gave up a two-run homer to Wilyer Abreu – the fifth homer he’s allowed in just 20 innings with the Mets. Pérez is mostly pitching in low-leverage innings currently, but he will likely be asked to play a bigger role in the bullpen once Minter and Raley get traded. (1-0, 5.40 ERA, 1.450 WHIP, 23 K, 20 IP, -0.1 bWAR, -0.3 fWAR).

The post Mets First Half Report Card: Bullpen appeared first on Metsmerized.

After dropping the first two games of the series, the Mets rallied to win the final two to split the series with the Braves. Yes, it wasn’t exactly pretty. And, yes, it could have easily been a series sweep.

However, you have to celebrate the small victories too. In winning the final two games of the series, the Mets showed a lot of heart, a lot of grit, and a lot of character. You have to applaud that in the moment.

On that note, let’s recap everything from the Braves series in the latest edition of 3 Up, 3 Down…

Brad Penner-Imagn Images

3 UP

HEART & SOUL

We touched on it above, but the Mets did show some fight in Atlanta. Whether it leads to anything, remains to be seen. But the final two games of the series deserve to be celebrated for now. Yes, the Mets hardly made it easy for themselves. And the bullpen did its utmost to give the final two games away. But the fact that the team was able to gut both games out and salvage the series says a lot. At least we know now that there is some fight in that clubhouse. Again, it will mean nothing if another losing streak follows. But, for now, we should be encouraged that this team simply didn’t fold on the road against a very good team.

CLUTCH HITTING

Superstar players get that billing because of their ability to step up in the biggest moments. That was certainly the case for Juan Soto on Monday night. In the series finale, trailing 3-2 in the ninth and with two outs, Soto showed why he is one of the best hitters on the planet. With ice in his veins, the outfielder crushed a dramatic three-run homer deep into the night to change the entire complexion of the game, and the series. Soto was red-hot throughout the entire series too, hitting two homers and finishing with three runs scored and seven RBIs.

In terms of clutch hitting, Soto wasn’t the only one to come through. After the bullpen blew the lead in the bottom of the ninth, Luis Torrens stepped up in the 10th and delivered a two-out, two-run double to give the Mets the lead for good. The catcher continues to show his value for this ballclub.

EXCELLENCE IN RELIEF

Luke Weaver continues to set the gold standard for relief pitching for the Mets. In a series where the bullpen wilted badly, Weaver remained a paragon of excellence. Sure, he allowed the ghost runner to score in extra innings on Monday. However, he did battle back to get the final outs and secure the save. Plus, Weaver still hasn’t allowed an earned run since April 30. That’s 24 appearances and 26 consecutive innings without giving up a single earned run. During that time, he’s struck out 34 while allowing just 11 hits and seven walks. That is pure dominance right there. And, if this run continues, Weaver could emerge as the team’s biggest trade chip.

Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

3 DOWN

LOTS OF UGLY

In many ways, the Mets were lucky to escape Atlanta without getting swept. They were outplayed in most areas for the majority of the series. Defensive issues were again front and center. The offense was ineffective for the first two games of the series. The pitching was hit-and-miss and required herculean efforts on the mounds. And the bullpen showed the first real signs of buckling under a heavy workload. It wasn’t pretty, and the Mets’ slew of faults were on full display. Granted, they did rebound to split the series. Still, the overall play of this team remains incredibly sloppy. So much so, it is hard to envision the fightback in Atlanta meaning all that much in the grand scheme of things.

MELTING DOWN

It wasn’t an easy series for the bullpen. Although that would be putting it lightly. There were a couple of homers given up by that unit on Friday, and again on Saturday. However, the headlines belong to the final two games of the series. A rusty Huascar Brazobán entered Sunday’s game in the ninth armed with a 10-3 lead. Easy work, right? Nope. Brazobán imploded, allowing five earned runs and even committing an error. Devin Williams came in and, while he did eventually stop the meltdown, he also gave up a run. Then, on Monday night, it was Williams’ turn to really struggle. Trusted to protect a 3-2 lead, Williams instead gave up a double and then a two-run homer to Matt Olson to make it a tied game. Thankfully, the offense bailed him out in extra innings.

ANOTHER COMICAL BLUNDER

Not only do the Mets make defensive mistakes, but they also have an ability to comically screw up even the most routine of plays. Take Saturday’s lopsided loss, for example. In the bottom of the third with Atlanta already leading and the bases loaded, the Mets just needed one more out to escape the jam unscathed. Instead, a routine pop-up caused chaos between Francisco Lindor and Tyrone Taylor. Lindor just dropped to the ground, missing the ball completely, while Taylor, who carried on charging in despite Lindor’s calls, also missed the ball. As a result, three more runs scored and the game was all but over early. Furthermore, Lindor and Taylor were lucky they didn’t collide and get seriously hurt. If one play could sum up the Mets’ season, it would be that one.

The post 3 Up, 3 Down: Mets Salvage Braves Split With Late Heroics appeared first on Metsmerized.

The Mets are gearing up to very likely be sellers at the deadline, and Will Sammon of The Athletic has some details on how things could shape up.

Specifically, Sammon noted that the Mets could get a strong haul for one of their primary two catchers, though it seems unlikely they would do it. The Mets also have a particular affinity for Torrens because of his defense, evidenced by the recent extension they gave him.

Read Sammon’s article for more notes, including those regarding Luke Weaver and Bo Bichette.

John Jones-Imagn Images

Latest Mets News

The Mets avoided the most embarrassing loss of the season Sunday when Devin Williams struck out Dominic Smith with runners at second and third to secure a 10-9 win after the Braves rallied for six runs in the ninth.

A.J. Ewing and Tyrone Taylor homered, Bo Bichette had three hits and Nolan McLean gave up three runs (two earned) on five hits over six innings and struck out five. Juan Soto and Brett Baty had two hits apiece. MMO’s James Villani has more here.

New York (37-53) will try to split the four-game set at 7:15 p.m. ET Monday when Freddy Peralta (5-7, 4.81 ERA) takes on Reynaldo López (4-1, 3.31 ERA). The Mets return home Tuesday to finish the first half with a six-game homestand against the Royals and Red Sox.

Carlos Beltrán is the favorite to manage the Mets in 2027, per USA Today’s Bob Nightengale. James Villani has more on Nightengale’s report here. The Mets, according to Nightengale, “would love” to hire Alex Cora, but he is expected to manage the Phillies next season. Mets interim manager Andy Green will return to the front office.

Before Sunday’s game, the Mets called up RHP Guillermo Zuñiga and sent down RHP Joey Gerber. James Villani has more details on Zuñiga’s career here.

Jorge Polanco (Achilles) homered for Triple-A Syracuse on Sunday, his second long ball in three games. Green said the plan is for him to play for Syracuse Tuesday and then take it from there. Polanco last played for the big-league Mets on April 14.

Latest MLB News

Heartbreaking news. Dodgers catcher Eliezer Alfonzo Jr. learned of a family tragedy just hours before his MLB debut on Sunday. His stepmother, Patricia, and 16-year-old sister, Eliana, were found dead due to the earthquakes that struck Venezuela on June 24. He is the son of retired MLB catcher Eliézer Alfonzo, who played from 2006-2011.

The elder Alfonzo reportedly obtained heavy machinery to help look for his wife and daughter, who were staying at a hotel when it collapsed while he was away managing a team. The equipment helped find Eliana’s dog, which was alive, and Patricia’s cell phone.

CB Bucknor is one of seven MLB umpires who told MLB they will accept a buyout and retire after the season, per Nightengale. The others are Laz Diaz, Brian O’Nora, Lance Barksdale, Marvin Hudson, Tony Randazzo and Andy Fletcher. The retirements may pave the way for Jen Pawol to become the league’s first full-time female umpire.

Braves lefty Martín Pérez is likely headed to the injured list after being hit on the left forearm by a Soto line drive in Sunday’s game, manager Walt Weiss said. X-rays were negative, but Weiss said he will miss at least his next start.

Byron Buxton left the Twins’ win over the Yankees Sunday after the first inning because he aggravated a hip injury.

Latest on MMO

The Mets fell to 17 games below .500 Saturday for the first time since the Mickey Callaway era.

Jack Wenninger, the organization’s No. 2 pitching prospect behind Jonah Tong, threw seven scoreless innings of one-hit ball Saturday for Triple-A Syracuse to lower his ERA to 3.48. That plus a lot more in James Villani’s recap of Saturday’s minor-league action is here.

On This Date in Mets History

2010: Johan Santana hits his only career home run and throws one of his 10 career shutouts in a 3-0 win over the Reds.

2004: Richard Hidalgo goes 2-for-5 with a triple, but his franchise-record streak of consecutive games with a home run ends at five. The Mets beat the Phillies 4-1.

1983: Jesse Orosco strikes out the only batter he faces in the All-Star Game, setting down Ben Oglivie of the Brewers in mop-up duty during a 13-3 American League victory.

1970: Tommie Agee hits for the cycle in a 10-3 win over the Cardinals.

1962: In another 10-3 win over the Cardinals, Rod Kanehl connects off Bobby Shantz for the first grand slam in Mets history in front of 14.515 at the Polo Grounds. It was one of Kanehl’s six career homers. Gil Hodges hit his 370th and final home run in the same game, which edged him past Ralph Kiner on the all-time list.

On This Date in 1986 Mets

Kevin Mitchell and Howard Johnson homer in a 5-3 victory over the Astros. Sid Fernandez improves to 11-2 with 6 2/3 innings of one-run ball that lowers his ERA to 2.89. Mitchell got the start at shortstop. He made 20 starts there for the 1986 Mets and none during the rest of his 13-year career. The Mets are an MLB-best 55-22 and up 11 1/2 games on the second-place Expos.

Born on This Date: Lance Johnson (1963), Willie Randolph (1954).

The post Morning Briefing: Mets Have Some Decisions to Make at Deadline appeared first on Metsmerized.

Brad Penner-Imagn Images

Lindor and Soto Guide the Offense

The Mets have waited pretty much all season to get their two best players in the same lineup at least on a consistent basis. Saturday’s win might’ve been a display of what could’ve been this year. With the Mets down 2-0 heading into the sixth inning, and the offense getting halted by Philadelphia’s bullpen, the unit finally broke through. The Mets had trouble touching Alan Rangel and his changeup, but the rally for New York started when Soto and Bo Bichette dropped singles into right field. Lindor stepped up and drove a ball right past the diving Bryce Harper to tie the game, and Lindor went in sliding with a triple. A sight the Mets have missed this year. The triple was Lindor’s third of the season.

Jared Young worked a walk against Rangel, and so did Mark Vientos against new Phillies pitcher Jonathan Bowlan. Ewing, with the infield playing in on him, swung a grounder at 104.7 mph right by them that scored two runs to give the Mets a 4-2 lead. In the bottom of the seventh, Benge led it off with a single, and Soto lined a base hit into the gap that got to the wall that would score Benge, and Soto legged out a triple of his own. Bichette added extra insurance with a sacrifice fly to score Soto.

The Mets Bullpen Pitches a Shutout

While starter Christian Scott wasn’t bad, his only true mistake was a two-run home run he allowed to Harper in the third inning. He was taken out after 4 2/3 innings and 82 pitches. He did strike out six in his return from the injured list, but it was the Mets’ bullpen that held the Phillies offense at bay. A.J. Minter gave the Mets 1 2/3 innings of work with one strikeout. Huascar Brazoban threw a scoreless seventh. Luke Weaver continued his scoreless streak in the eighth, which was followed by Devin Williams closing things out in the ninth. 

Player of the Game: Francisco Lindor

The Mets have missed Lindor a lot over the last two months, and Saturday’s win showed what they’d been missing exactly on the offense. Lindor’s RBI triple to tie the game turned the game around. A big hit was needed to snap their losing skid. Lindor also made a couple of nice plays on defense, including throwing Harper out at second base when he was trying to stretch a bloop single into a double in the top of the sixth inning.

On Deck:

The Mets will ride a bullpen game on Sunday afternoon against Phillies starter Jesus Luzardo. The game will start at 1:40 pm EDT and will air locally on SNY and broadcast on WHSQ 880am.

The post Clutch Hits And Bullpen Help Mets Snap Seven Game Losing Streak appeared first on Metsmerized.

Facing the best team in baseball, the Mets took two out of three from the first-place Braves. It was a weekend full of mostly positives. It was just a shame the homestand started so poorly, given what this team went on to accomplish against Atlanta.

However, we saw plenty of signs of hope over the weekend as we enter the summer. Now all the Mets need to do is put everything together consistently.

Before we get too ahead of ourselves, though, let’s recap the Braves series win in the latest edition of 3 Up, 3 Down…

3 UP

BO KNOWS

Can this version of Bo Bichette help save the Mets? That will certainly be the hope. Bichette enjoyed a monster series against the Braves, which started with a statement game on Friday night. Bichette hit a pair of homers in the series opener, including a grand slam that broke the game open in the second inning. The infielder finished the game with six RBIs, showcasing what he’s really capable of. He would go on to record two-hit days on Saturday and Sunday, too. Maybe a fully-locked-in Bichette can help the Mets finally catch fire.

DYNAMIC UP TOP

Speaking of catching fire, we saw some really promising signs from the top of the lineup over the weekend. For instance, 1-5 in the order went a combined 10-for-22 with seven runs scored and five RBIs on Sunday alone. That included a big day at the plate from A.J. Ewing, who hit an RBI double and a home run, finishing 3-for-5 with two RBIs and two runs scored. Carson Benge also provided a spark on Sunday, while Juan Soto stayed hot, finishing the series with six hits and three RBIs. Once Francisco Lindor is back, then that top of the lineup has the potential to be both formidable and explosive.

TOP OF THE CLASS

The Mets boast an elite bullpen right now. That was evident throughout the series against the Braves. Devin Williams secured a four-out save on Friday. Cionel Pérez allowed just one run across two outings over the weekend. Daniel Duarte made two appearances and didn’t allow a run, as did Huascar Brazobán. All in all, the bullpen has been humming and has helped to keep this team afloat. Plus, the unit currently ranks fourth in all of baseball with a 3.30 relief ERA.

Jun 13, 2026; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets first baseman Mark Vientos (27) reacts after striking out against the Atlanta Braves during the ninth inning at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images

3 DOWN

HOT AND COLD

This isn’t directly related to what happened over the weekend, but rather what we’ve been seeing all season. The Mets dismantled a really good Braves team, especially on Sunday. Despite that, they are still under .500 because of inconsistent play. They started the homestand by losing a series to the Reds. As a result, they are constantly treading water due to an inability to put it all together. If they struggle in Cincinnati and then in Philly, then the series win over the Braves will ultimately mean nothing. If this team wants to get back in the playoff race, then it has to stop being so hot and cold.

ROUGH PATCH

Austin Warren hasn’t been good lately. Thankfully, that hasn’t impacted the bullpen’s overall performance. Still, the Mets will need Warren to work out of this funk, and quickly. He made one outing over the weekend, giving up what proved to be an insurance home run. As a result, he’s now allowed five runs and two homers over his last three appearances. That isn’t trending in the right direction.

FLAMING OUT

Both Mark Vientos and Brett Baty remain big question marks for the Mets. Sure, Vientos drove in the team’s only run on Saturday with a single. But he’s still hitting just .189/.204/.321 with 23 strikeouts and zero walks over his last 30 games. As for Baty, he went 2-for-2 with two walks and one RBI on Sunday, but that did come after a 0-for-4 night on Friday. The fact remains that both players are just too inconsistent and aren’t producing positive results nearly enough. That just can’t continue.

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On Friday night, against the National League East Division-leading Atlanta Braves, Bichette had one of his finest performances as a Met. He launched two home runs, including a grand slam, that led the Mets to a 7-5 win. Nolan McLean struggled again, but the bullpen hung on in the end. The Mets are now 31-38 on the season.

Bo Bichette by Berto Carlo

Bichette With a Six-RBI Night

On fireworks night at Citi Field, Bichette started the festivities with a solo home run in the bottom of the first inning off Braves starter Spencer Strider to get the Mets on the board first. Juan Soto followed that with a home run, making it back-to-back jacks to start things off for the Mets. One inning later, the Mets loaded the bases with two outs with hits from MJ Melendez and Luis Torrens before Carson Benge reached base on a hit-by-pitch. Bichette stepped in and cleared the right field wall for an opposite-field grand slam that put the Mets up 6-2. Bichette added a sacrifice fly later in the game to make it 7-2 New York. He now has three home runs in his last two games.

Nolan McLean With Another Tough Outing

The one big negative coming out of the win was the performance of McLean, whose struggles as of late continued. The Mets were hoping his start in San Diego would get him back on the right track, but a four-inning, four-walk performance, including a second inning where he threw over 40 pitches, was not the start he or the team was looking for.

In that second inning, McLean allowed the Braves to score twice to tie the game after the Mets’ offense gave him a quick 2-0 lead. Three walks and two hits were allowed by McLean in the frame, but that included a fielding error by Jared Young at first base on a pick-off attempt that allowed Ozzie Albies, who drew the first walk of the inning, to reach second base. Dominic Smith would drive him in with a single. 

McLean was struggling and loaded the bases with nobody out. This was where the best part of McLean’s night came, though; he struck out Austin Wynns, got Mauricio Dubón to pop out and Michael Harris II to ground out to keep the game even at 2-2. 

Devin Williams Record First Four-Out Save Since 2023

With McLean’s outing being short, Carlos Mendoza had to ask his bullpen to pick up the slack. Cionel Pérez gave the Mets 1 1/3 innings, while Huascar Brazobán threw 1 2/3 innings of his own with four strikeouts. Brooks Raley struggled in the eighth by allowing three hits and two earned runs to make it 7-4. Mendoza subsequently called on his closer, Devin Williams, to get him four outs, something the former All-Star hadn’t done since 2023 when he was in Milwaukee. He allowed an RBI single to Eli White in the eighth but got Rowdy Tellez to fly out to end the threat.

In the ninth, Williams had to work for his save as Dubon sent him on a 14-pitch at-bat that ended in a single. Williams, though, would strike out Harris and Matt Olson to end the game. It was Williams’ tenth save of the season. 

Player of the Game: Bo Bichette

Bichette had his best game as a Met with two home runs and six RBIs, leading the Mets to the win.

On Deck

The Braves will pitch Martin Perez on Saturday, while the Mets have yet to announce a starter, though the expectation is that it will be Sean Manaea. First pitch is at 4:10 pm EDT, and the game will be telecast locally on SNY and broadcast on WHSQ 880AM.

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After finishing the road trip strong, the Mets dropped the first two games to St. Louis at Citi Field. Granted, the bats did wake up to avoid a series sweep.

However, all in all, the three-game series against the Cardinals was another reminder that the Mets have a lot of work to do just to get to .500.

On that gloomy note, let’s recap everything from the last three games in the latest edition of 3 Up, 3 Down…

Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images

3 UP

LEADING BY EXAMPLE

When his team needed him, Juan Soto really stepped up on Thursday. Facing a series sweep, Soto had a big day at the plate to ensure that particular scenario was avoided. The superstar hitter went 2-for-4 with a home run and a double in the finale. Soto’s solo shot came in the seventh inning and proved to be the deciding run. Granted, Soto went 1-for-6 in the previous two games, but his ability to come through in big moments meant that the Mets at least salvaged something from the series.

CLOSING IT OUT

One positive to emerge from this series was the performance of the bullpen. Granted, the bullpen game on Wednesday didn’t go to plan. But, outside of that, there were some money outings. Cionel Pérez tossed scoreless outings in back-to-back days. Then, on Thursday, A.J. Minter, Brooks Raley, Luke Weaver, and Devin Williams combined to throw 4 1/3 innings of scoreless relief in Thursday’s win. Minter, Weaver, Raley and Williams have all been stellar as of late and are doing what has been asked of them.

IMPORTANT ROLE PLAYER

Jared Young has emerged as quite the contributor for this team. The veteran has stepped up and made the first base job his own. Furthermore, Young has gotten off to a hot start in June. He homered in the series finale against the Cardinals – his third homer this month. He also made it a tied game in the fifth with an RBI single. All in all, since returning from the IL, Young has provided a much-needed and unexpected offensive spark.

Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images

3 DOWN

TIME TO PANIC?

This is not the Freddy Peralta the Mets thought they were getting. The veteran has been solid so far in Queens, but nothing more than that. However, he has struggled as of late, culminating in another rough outing on Tuesday. Peralta allowed six runs on six hits over six innings of work. He has now allowed at least four runs in three of his last four starts. Yikes, that isn’t good. What the Mets decide to do with Peralta remains to be seen. But, if he continues pitching like this, then his trade value will be at an all-time low by the time the trade deadline arrives.

DOWNWARDS TRAJECTORY

The David Peterson problem continues to worsen for the Mets. Serving as the bulk reliever for Wednesday’s game, Peterson got beat up. He allowed six earned runs on seven hits, including a pair of home runs, over 3 2/3 innings. As a result, Peterson has now allowed 12 runs in his last 12 2/3 innings. He owns a 5.75 ERA and appears to be trending in the wrong direction yet again. Peterson has now allowed at least six runs in four of his last 14 appearances, something he had never done more than three times previously in his career. And, with his command continuing to be an issue, it remains to be seen where the Mets go with Peterson from here.

SAME OLD STORY

At this point, we are where we are with the Mets offense. It was non-competitive for the first two games of the series, recording just two runs and eight hits. You can’t win games with an offense that ice cold. Sure, the bats did wake up somewhat in the series finale, but the damage was already done by that point. Over the first two games, we saw more of the same: no pulse, no adjustments, and a real lack of clutch hitting. Unless this offense can find some consistency, and that is hard to believe right now, then this team will continue to go nowhere.

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