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).

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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.

The post 3 Up, 3 Down: Mets Take Down First Place Braves appeared first on Metsmerized.

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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Scott Notches First Career Win

Right now, the Mets’ starting rotation is in flux. Clay Holmes is injured, Freddy Peralta and Nolan McLean are struggling, and David Peterson‘s struggles have resulted in him going back to the bullpen. With that, the Mets need Scott and Jonah Tong to step up. Coming off one of his better outings of the season last weekend against the Marlins, Scott was impressive again. He pitched five good innings with eight strikeouts and allowed five hits and one earned run. Scott utilized his sweeper really well, throwing it 37.5% of the time. He also threw his fastball 40.6% of the time. Scott has 13 strikeouts in his last two outings.

Senger Hits First Career Home Run

Scott wasn’t the only one on the Mets who got a first for their career in the game. Catcher Hayden Senger, who had only one hit since coming back to the major leagues after the injury to Francisco Alvarez, took a slider away for his first home run of the season over the left field wall. Senger, who turned 29 years old in April, hit six home runs in the minor leagues this season. The team was waiting for Senger to demonstrate the power they knew he had. It was also just a feel-good moment as manager Carlos Mendoza, a longtime minor leaguer who never got a chance at the high level as a player, had a big smile on his face when Senger got back into the dugout after the home run.

Benge, Ewing Impress Mazzilli

Before they were inducted into the Mets Hall of Fame, Mazzilli and Valentine spoke to the media, and one of the highlights was Mazzilli speaking about the two rookie Mets outfielders. “I love watching Ewing and Benge play”, Mazzilli said, “They have all the tools, they’re exciting. I think there are some good things ahead for those young kids. They’re impressive.” Right on cue, Benge and Ewing showed exactly why Mazzilli is a fan. Ewing made a great running catch in the fifth inning to preserve a win chance for Scott. Benge not only made a nice catch of his own on defense but also had a three-hit day at the plate and scored a run.

Mets Game Notes

Marcus Semien notched two hits, including an RBI single. Juan Soto continued his hot streak with an RBI single. Jared Young slammed his first home run of the season. Mark Vientos ripped a double off the wall in left field that gave the Mets a 2-0 lead early in the game. Cionel Perez, Huascar Brazoban, Austin Warren, and Devin Williams all pitched scoreless innings out of the bullpen.

Player of the Game: Christian Scott

With eight strikeouts in five innings, Scott earned the first win of his major league career. His comeback from Tommy John surgery continues.

On Deck:

Nolan McLean will take the mound again on Sunday afternoon, looking for a crucial bounce-back performance after a couple of clunkers in a row. The Marlins will start Janson Junk. First pitch is set for 1:40 pm EST and will be televised locally on SNY and broadcast on WHSQ 880am.

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Devin Williams hadn’t allowed a run since April 23 (10 outings) when he entered a scoreless game Sunday against the Marlins in the ninth inning. That changed quickly: Double, sacrifice bunt, walk, intentional walk, a Heriberto Hernández walk-off grand slam.

MMO’s Brandyn Pokrass’ excellent recap is here. Brandyn was at the scene of the Mets’ crimes against hitting all weekend.

The last-place Mets (22-31) were shutout for the sixth time this year and scored two runs in three games in Miami over the weekend. New York is last in the majors in OPS (.642) and have scored the second-fewest runs in the National League, ahead of only the Giants.

“We ran into some good pitching and we ourselves were not at our best,” Marcus Semien said.

One bright note: Christian Scott had his best and longest outing of the season, tossing 5 2/3 scoreless innings and striking out five. Scott’s ERA is 3.20 over 25 1/3 innings. He is decisionless this season and winless in 15 career starts.

After finishing a 2-5 road trip, the Mets start a six-game homestand Monday with Nolan McLean (2-3, 3.57 ERA) on the mound against the Reds. McLean gave up a career-high six earned runs his last time out. LHP Nick Lodolo (0-1, 7.20 ERA) goes for Cincinnati. Game time is 4:10 p.m. After three games with the Reds, the Mets will host the Marlins over the weekend.

Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

Latest Mets News

Carlos Mendoza was asked how the Mets recover.

“Well, we got no choice, right?” he said. “I mean, we’re scuffling. We got a lot of guys that are going through it right now. We’re not grinding at-bats. When you look at it, two hard-hit balls, Baty and A.J., other than that … we got to figure it out. You got to be able to score runs.”

Mendoza said before the game that Jorge Polanco was going to take at-bats in Port St. Lucie Sunday and “hopefully” could go on a rehab assignment “pretty soon.” He said he had no news on Luis Robert Jr. (back).

Juan Soto was out Sunday with an illness that Mendoza said he was battling for three days. He said the slugger showed up with a fever and was dealing with body aches.

Latest MLB News

Chris Taylor officially retired, “clearing up any confusion,” by making the announcement official on his Instagram. The 12-year veteran’s retirement was first reported on Friday, but on Saturday MLB.com reported that he changed his mind and was going on the minor-league injured list because he suffered a fractured forearm on an HBP in Triple-A.

Reid Detmers struck out 14 Rangers and retired 24 of 25 batters in the Angels’ 2-1 win. He became the second player in Angels history to strike out 14 while allowing one or fewer hits in an outing. The other player was Nolan Ryan, who did it three times, twice in no-hitters.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. was removed from the Blue Jays’ game Sunday with a right elbow bruise after he was hit by a pitch. X-rays were negative and manager John Schneider said he could play Monday. Toronto starter Dylan Cease also left the game after pitching 4 2/3 innings with mild left hamstring pain. He will have an MRI test done and a decision on whether he makes his next start will be made in the next two days, Schneider said.

Red Sox ace Garrett Crochet, who went on the injured list with shoulder inflammation on April 29, will throw batting practice off the Fenway Park mound on Tuesday.

Dodgers utility man Kiké Hernández is expected to make his season debut Monday. He had left elbow surgery last fall.

Rockies LHP Jose Quintana was pulled from his start in the second inning Sunday with left elbow pain.

Latest on MMO

The offense was MIA over the first two games in Miami. I had more details here.

Jack Ramsey wrote up the minor-league action from Saturday. AJ Salgado hit his seventh homer for St. Lucie.

On This Date in Mets History

2021: With the whole Opening Day starting outfield on the injured list (Michael Conforto, Kevin Pillar and Brandon Nimmo), as well as backups Albert Almora and Johneshwy Fargas, the Mets trade a minor-league pitcher to the Brewers for outfielder Billy McKinney. He hits five homers in 39 games for New York before being dealt to the Dodgers for a minor-league pitcher in July.

2015: Bartolo Colón earns the win with six innings of three-run ball and goes 1-for-2 in a 6-3 victory over the Phillies. Lucas Duda, Michael Cuddyer and Wilmer Flores homer.

1979: John Stearns singles home Lee Mazzilli with two outs in the ninth to tie the game at 3. In the 11th, Pirates outfielder (and future 1986 Mets hitting and first-base coach) Bill Robinson loses Joel Youngblood‘s fly to left in the fog at Shea Stadium, the umpires stop play and the game is declared a tie after a 73-minute delay.

Born on This Date: Neil Ramírez (1989), Eric Young Jr. (1985), Scott Hairston (1980), Jim Marshall (1931).

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The New York Mets look to salvage the series and avoid the sweep this afternoon against the Marlins. Friday night the Mets lost 2-1. Saturday, the Mets lost 4-1. Going back to Thursday the Mets have scored only four runs. Hopefully, the Mets’ offense can wake up this afternoon in Miami.

Mets Lineup

1. Carson Benge – RF
2. Bo Bichette – SS
3. A.J. Ewing – CF
4. Mark Vientos – 1B
5. Brett Baty – 3B
6. Marcus Semien – 2B
7. MJ Melendez – DH
8. Tyrone Taylor – LF
9. Hayden Senger – C

Starting Pitcher: Christian Scott

Christian Scott has pitched 19 2/3 innings over five starts this season with a 4.12 ERA, 3.65 FIP, 1.475 WHIP, and a 97 ERA+. He also has 25 strikeouts this season (11.4 K/9).

Walks have been Scott’s growth area this season. Last time out he notched three of them, combined with four hits meant an early exit.

The only members of the Marlins to face Scott in a major league game are Xavier Edwards (2-for-2) and Otto Lopez (0-for-3, K).

Marlins Lineup

1. Liam Hicks – C
2. Xavier Edwards – 2B
3. Owen Caissie – RF
4. Kyle Stowers – LF
5. Otto Lopez – SS
6. Jakob Marsee – CF
7. Connor Norby – 1B
8. Christopher Morel – DH
9. Javier Sanoja – 3B

The Mets’ bats will close out the series against Tyler Phillips, making his first start of the season. Over eight games, 30 innings, in relief, Phillips has a 1.20 ERA, 3.42 FIP, 1.267 WHIP, and a 342 ERA+. He has walked 16 batters; an alarming amount.

The Mets have the following career numbers against Phillips:

• Brett Baty 0-2, K
• Bo Bichette 1-1
• Hayden Senger 1-3
• Juan Soto 0-1, BB
• Tyrone Taylor 1-1
• Luis Torrens 0-2
• Mark Vientos 0-3

Game Notes

After originally being in the lineup, Juan Soto was scratched due to an illness late Sunday morning according to manager Carlos Mendoza.

Per manager Carlos Mendoza, infielder Jorge Polanco is taking live at-bats in Port St. Lucie Sunday and if he progresses well, could go on a rehab assignment “pretty soon.”

Three Things To Watch For

1. Get hits. The Mets have recorded three hits in each game of this series so far. Friday night, Juan Soto had two of them and Saturday, Mark Vientos had two of them. That’s just not enough to get runs across. We have seen this time collectively slump before, now it’s time for them to collectively break out of it.
2. Rough weekend for the kids. The rookies shouldn’t have to carry the Mets and at times this season they needed to. Friday night Benge went 0-3 with a walk. His outs were loud, with great plays being made in center field. However, yesterday,  Benge went 0-for-4 with three strikeouts. Ewing had his first real rough game Saturday also going 0-for-4 with three strikeouts. Nick Morabito is still looking for his first major league hit going 0-for-7 with six strikeouts over three games this season.
3. Devin Williams. The Mets last used Williams in a save situation last Thursday where he allowed a hit and no runs against the Nationals. In 19 games this season, 16 2/3 innings, Williams has a 4.32 ERA, 2.31 FIP, 1.440 WHIP, and a 93 ERA+. In his last 10 games, 9 2/3 innings, he has a 0.00 ERA, 1.23 FIP and has struck out 12 batters. He’s in the 97th percentile for chase rate, 99th for whiff rate, 97th for strikeout rate, 90th for xERA, and 92nd for xBA.

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