There were a lot of positives on display as the Mets took two out of three from the Padres. And, in winning the series in San Diego, New York finished their final West Coast road trip with a 3-3 record.

The Mets have also won seven of their last 10 games. Furthermore, they are 19-15 since May 1. That’s obviously a big improvement and a sign that this team is now trending in the right direction.

Of course, it wasn’t all perfect over the weekend. There were mistakes, another quiet day by the offense, and a not-so-great injury update on Jorge Polanco. All in all, the Mets did what they had to do to take care of business.

On that note, let’s unpack all the good and the bad from the Padres series in another edition of 3 Up, 3 Down …

Jun 7, 2026; San Diego, California, USA; New York Mets right fielder Carson Benge (3) celebrates after hitting a one run home run during the sixth inning against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: David Frerker-Imagn Images

3 UP

FUTURE HOPE

We got a glimpse of both the short and long-term future for the Mets this weekend. Carson Benge and A.J. Ewing played huge roles in the series win. As such, they offered tantalizing hope that maybe this season could be salvaged after all. And, if not, then the long-term future at least looks incredibly bright with those two leading the charge. Benge was the headline act, going 5-for-5 on Sunday, becoming the first rookie since Pete Alonso in 2019 to record five hits in a single game. Benge finished Sunday with a triple, a home run, two RBIs, three runs scored, and ten total bases. It was a statement performance by the rookie, who continues to emerge as a real All-Star contender.

As for Ewing, the outfielder had a hit in all three games. He also walked twice in the second game of the series, including a masterclass of an at-bat against Padres phenom Mason Miller in the ninth inning. Ewing also made another stellar defensive play in the series. Overall, both the immediate outlook and the bigger picture look bright for the Mets thanks to their two dynamic rookies.

GUTTING IT OUT

Nolan McLean has had a rough time of it as of late, but he showed signs of getting the train back on the tracks in San Diego. The righty walked three, but allowed just one run over six innings during Saturday’s loss. It was the first time McLean had pitched into the sixth inning since May 14. Granted, it wasn’t the prettiest of outings – McLean threw 101 pitches – but he strapped on his big boy pants to work through the traffic and limit the damage. That’s a good sign. The hope will be now that McLean can return to his dominant self on the mound.

FINDING A GROOVE

Both Marcus Semien and Bo Bichette continue to trend upwards. Semien stayed hot in San Diego, recording four hits in the final two games of the series. That included homers on back-to-back days. Semien also drove in both of the Mets’ runs on Saturday night. However, at this point, it is fair to wonder if the veteran is just going to be a streaky player. As for Bichette, his offensive ceiling is a lot higher, and he showed what he’s capable of against the Padres. He recorded an RBI triple on Friday night, before finishing with two hits on Sunday. After recording five hits total in the series, Bichette is hitting .375/.385/.542/.926 over his last six games. Now he needs to put it all together on a consistent basis.

Robert Edwards-Imagn Images

3 DOWN

BASERUNNING GAFFE 

It didn’t get talked about because the Mets won, but Juan Soto had a moment to forget on Friday night. During the third inning, with two outs and a runner on third, Soto hit a grounder and seemed to give up on the play immediately. He casually strolled out of the box before breaking into a run when it was already too late. The lack of hustle cost the Mets a run, while it didn’t ultimately matter, it was still an incredibly bad look on Soto’s part. And it isn’t the first time it has happened, either.

GROWING PROBLEM

How do you solve a problem like Mark Vientos? Yikes. There doesn’t appear to be an easy answer. The infielder will show brief glimpses of his potential, only to then go ice-cold for long periods. He is a net negative way too often. Just look at the series in San Diego. Vientos went 0-for-4 on Saturday, including striking out on three pitches to end the game. His at-bat against Mason Miller was just lifeless. He has now struck out in six of his last 10 plate appearances. Maybe it is time to concede that the 2024 season was the exception rather than the rule.

CLUNKER 

Austin Warren has been a revelation for the Mets so far in 2026. Sadly, that wasn’t the case on Saturday night. Warren gave up the go-ahead two-run shot that sealed the loss. If that wasn’t enough, he misplayed a routine chopper just before allowing the fatal shot. In what was a one-run ballgame, Warren’s bad night proved costly. It cost the Mets a chance to sweep, which could come back to haunt them, given the hole they’ve dug for themselves.

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Carson Benge went 5-for-5 with a home run and a triple in a 7-3 victory over the Padres and the Mets (29-36) finished their last West Coast trip of the (regular) season at 3-3. Marcus Semien and MJ Melendez homered and Sean Manaea (1-1) allowed two runs over four innings to earn the win and lower his ERA to 5.02.

Bo Bichette added two hits. He is 9-for-17 in his last four games with two doubles and a triple, raising his slash line to .234/.285/.330.

The Mets are off Monday. They host the Cardinals (35-28) on Tuesday at 7:10 p.m. ET. Freddy Peralta (4-4, 3.63 ERA) will face RHP Dustin May (3-6, 4.59 ERA).

Carson Benge by Berto Carlo

Latest Mets News

Benge, per Johnluke Chaparro’s recap, is the third Met to notch a five-hit game that included a home run and a triple. He joins Francisco Lindor and Alex Ochoa.

“Today was nice,” Benge said. “It’s nice to get two hits, let alone five, so being able to do that was pretty special.”

Francisco Alvarez (knee) went 1-for-3 with a single and a walk and picked off a runner at first for Triple-A Syracuse. He could return during the six-game homestand.

Latest MLB News

Kyle Freeland surpassed Aaron Cook to become the Rockies’ all-time leader in innings pitched. Freeland, who gave up three runs on seven hits over five innings in Colorado’s 12-4 loss to the Brewers, has thrown 1,313 1/3 innings for Colorado, which drafted him eighth overall in 2014. He is 66-96 with a 4.67 ERA over his 10 years in the big leagues. Entering Sunday, his ERA was 4.97 at Coors Field and 4.38 on the road.

Tarik Skubal threw five scoreless innings in a minor-league rehab start in his first action since elbow surgery last month.

Bobby Witt Jr. left the Royals’ win over the Twins in the seventh inning with right knee soreness.

Matthew Boyd is expected to return to the Cubs’ rotation this weekend. The 35-year-old will be coming back after surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his left knee, which he suffered while playing with his children.

The Diamondbacks signed free agent outfielder Max Kepler, who was caught for PEDs in January, and will still have to miss 80 games and cannot play in the postseason, per Bob Nightengale of USA Today. The 33-year-old hit 18 homers for the Phillies last year.

Latest on MMO

Jorge Eckardt finds slugging prospect Ryan Clifford intriguing. Why? Read here.

John Stocum wrote about Nolan McLean‘s latest start.

Elian Peña stole his 18th base, Mitch Voit hit his seventh homer and Jonathan Santucci had his longest outing of the year on Saturday. James Villani covered it all in a minor-league recap.

On This Date in Mets History

2013: Adeiny Hechavarria‘s go-ahead single in the top of the 20th helped the Marlins win the longest game in Citi Field history by a score of 2-1. Starter Matt Harvey tossed seven innings of one-run ball and Shaun Marcum, the eighth and final pitcher used by New York, threw eight innings of one-run ball and took the loss. Omar Quintanilla and Daniel Murphy each went 1-for-9 with a walk. Time of game: 6 hours, 25 minutes.

1968: The Mets refuse to play their scheduled game in San Francisco out of respect for Robert F. Kennedy, who was assassinated on June 5 in Los Angeles and whose funeral mass is scheduled for today at St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York. Ed Kranepool leads the team to vote to take the action despite baseball Commissioner William Eckert threatening that it would result in a forfeit. Eckert only approved canceling games in New York and Washington, D.C. Manager Gil Hodges and the organization support the players.

1965: The Mets select pitcher Les Rohr second overall out of Billings West (Montana) High School in the first major-league draft of college, high school and sandlot players. Rohr’s MLB career consisted of six appearances for the Mets from 1967-1969. In the 12th round, the Mets took Nolan Ryan out of Alvin (Texas) High School, whose MLB career consisted of 807 appearances from 1966-1993.

On This Date in 1986 Mets

Rookie outfielder Kevin Mitchell hits his seventh homer in a 4-3 victory over the Pirates in front of 14,391 at Three Rivers Stadium. The Pirates started a rookie outfielder too. Barry Bonds hits leadoff, plays center, and goes 1-for-2 with a double and 1-for-2 in stolen base attempts. Mitchell would finish third in Rookie of the Year balloting and Bonds sixth. The pair would go on to combine for eight National League MVPs (Bonds 7, Mitchell 1) and 996 home runs (Bonds 762, Mitchell 234).

Sid Fernandez gives up three runs, strikes out five and walks six over 6 1/3 innings to improve his record to 6-2. Jesse Orosco records one out to earn his 10th save. The Mets are 37-15 and hold a nine-game division lead over the second-place Expos.

Born on This Date: Blade Tidwell (2001), R.J. Alvarez (1991), Terrance Gore (1991), T.J. McFarland (1989), Dave Mlicki (1968), John Gibbons (1962), Joe Grzenda (1937).

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Carson Benge and Bo Bichette hit back-to-back singles in the eighth to give Juan Soto a chance to be a hero, and he hit the ball hard, but it was caught by second baseman Sung-Mun Song, who threw to second to double off Benge to end the inning. Mason Miller struck out Mark Vientos with a runner on first to end the game.

David Frerker-Imagn Images

McLean allowed one run on three hits, walked three, and struck out five over six innings to lower his ERA to 3.98. He threw 62 of a career-high 101 pitches for strikes. The only run scored off of him came on a bad break.

Fernando Tatis Jr. grounded a ball up the middle that hit second base and caromed into the outfield for an RBI single that tied it at 1-1 in the third. If the ball didn’t hit the bag, Marcus Semien was set to field it, and the play likely would have ended with an out at first and a runner on third with two outs. The next batter flew out to left.

But McLean also got help from his defense. In the fifth, Bichette made a diving backhanded stop in the hole at short. It was an infield hit for Tatis, but Bichette’s play kept a runner on second from advancing. Bichette winced and grabbed at his left shoulder, but stayed in the game after a visit from the trainer and Carlos Mendoza.

Later in the inning, the Padres tried to execute a double steal of second and home, but Luis Torrens faked the throw to second and caught Song in a run-down between third and home. He was tagged out by McLean.

Semien hit a tiebreaking solo homer in the seventh, his seventh of the year, to give the Mets (28-36) a 2-1 lead. Brett Baty connected for a two-out RBI single in the second.

Stat of the Game

Entering the game, the Mets had the toughest remaining strength of schedule in the National League, per SNY. The Mets’ opponents’ winning percentage is .537.

Player of the Game

McLean has given up two runs total in his last two starts over 11 innings. He has struck out 82 over 72 1/3 innings for the season.

On Deck

The Mets will try to break even in the finale of their six-game road trip. Sean Manaea (0-1, 5.08 ERA) will start opposite Randy Vásquez (5-3, 3.31 ERA). The game starts at 4:10 p.m. ET and it will air on SNY.

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The Mets dominantly swept the Marlins at Citi Field. As a result, they have now won four straight while finishing the homestand 4-2.

There is still a long way to go for this team to prove they have what it takes to mount a true turnaround. Still, it felt good to see this ballclub take care of business in a big way for once.

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

Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images

3 UP

SIGNS OF LIFE

For the first time in a while, the offense delivered consistent results. The Mets outscored the Marlins 25-9 over the three games. Yes, Miami is hardly a world beater, but this same team did sweep New York in late May. And, given just how bad this offense has been, it doesn’t matter the opponent as long as runs are scored. MJ Melendez, Carson Benge, Hayden Senger, and Marcus Semien all came up with big and clutch hits over the weekend. In short, everyone contributed. Of course, one man in particular stole the show.

STAR ATTRACTION 

The aforementioned man we’re talking about is Juan Soto, obviously. The superstar hitter stayed on a heater against Miami, making sizable contributions in all three games. The highlight was a grand slam in the finale, which effectively put the game out of reach. Soto finished the series with five RBIs, two walks, and three runs scored. Furthermore, he’s hitting .356/.431/.822/.1.254 with seven home runs, 15 RBIs, six walks, and 12 runs scored over his last 12 games. That’s called leading by example.

RISING STAR

Christian Scott is having a moment right now. The righty is fast turning into a reliable arm for the Mets, and he delivered arguably his best outing of the year on Saturday. Scott allowed just one run on five hits with eight strikeouts over five innings. As a result, he picked up the first win of his major league career. Furthermore, Scott owns a 2.97 ERA on the year and continues to show plenty of promise.

Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

3 DOWN

NOT SO FAST

As encouraging as this weekend was for the Mets, let’s pump the brakes a little bit. They haven’t done anything yet, and have a long way to go to earn back our trust. It is still too soon to give them the benefit of the doubt. We need to see a lot more over a longer stretch of time before we really buy back in. It is also worth remembering that the sweep came against a bad Marlins team. Furthermore, the Mets have shown signs of promise before, only to then immediately collapse like a cheap pack of cards. It is a start, but let’s see how June unfolds before we start buying back all our stock in this team.

SHORT STAYS

The rub on Freddy Peralta has always been that he’s incapable of going deep in games. That’s hardly changed in New York. He’s pitched six innings or longer just four times as a Met. In his latest outing on Friday, he lasted just 4.2 innings, allowing four runs. Plus, with a 3.55 ERA on the year, Peralta has been solid, but there needs to be a lot more to come.

ROUGH PATCH

It wasn’t the best of weekends for Tobias Myers. Usually so reliable, the righty gave up the two-run homer that blew a big lead and made it a tied game on Friday. Myers was then optioned so that a fresh pitcher could be called up. After giving up runs in five of his last seven outings, Myers will hope to get the train back on the tracks once he does return to the majors.

The post 3 Up, 3 Down: Mets Clinch Marlins Sweep appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Juan Soto hit a grand slam, Carson Benge and Marcus Semien also homered and the Mets (26-33) won their fourth in a row as they completed a sweep of the Marlins to jump ahead of them in the standings and move out of the division cellar. The Mets returned the favor after being swept in Miami the previous weekend.

“I think we learned from the series in Miami, kind of what worked against us and so it’s time to make some adjustments,” Semien said. ” I think that’s what this league is always about is making adjustments.”

Johnluke Chaparro has more on the 10-1 victory here.

The Mets finish May 16-12 after going 10-21 in March/April. They start June 5 1/5 games back of the last playoff spot.

Austin Warren (1-1, 1.40 ERA) will start a bullpen game in Seattle on Monday as the Mets begin a six-game road trip that will end in San Diego. RHP Emerson Hancock (4-2, 2.78 ERA) goes for the Mariners. The game will start at 9:40 p.m. ET and air on SNY.

Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images

Latest Mets News

The wonderful Gary Cohen joined Marlins pregame host Stephen Strom to talk about broadcasting and baseball. It will be worth it to click here when you have eight minutes to spare.

Francisco Alvarez (knee) will start a rehab assignment at Triple-A Syracuse on Tuesday.

Latest MLB News

Bryce Harper talked to ESPN’s Aiden Gonzalez about the potential for a lockout after the season. He is against a salary cap, which the owners proposed last week.

“Our game is in a great direction, a great place because of the Los Angeles Dodgers,” he said. “Obviously they make a lot of money, they’re able to get free agents, but the Dodgers don’t just do that. They draft well. They do a very good job in the minors, developing guys. Other teams can’t do that. You can spend all the money in the world, but you can have a terrible farm system and not have teams come up.”

Blue Jays outfielder Jesús Sánchez was injured Sunday by a ball thrown from the stands in Baltimore. A young fan, estimated at 12 years old, apparently thought Sánchez was looking to play catch during a stoppage in play. Sánchez never saw the ball coming, was struck in the right wrist, suffered a bruise and was forced to leave the game. X-rays were negative and he doesn’t expect to miss time. An Orioles spokesperson said the fan was removed.

Phillies catcher J.T. Realmuto left the game Sunday after getting hit by a pitch on the left wrist. X-rays were negative.

Elly De La Cruz left Sunday’s game against the Braves with right hamstring tightness. He will undergo an MRI.

Latest on MMO

Christian Scott earned his first career win! John Stocum wrote about it.

Jorge Polanco played the field, Jack Wenninger was hit hard and Mitch Voit homered. James Villani covered it all and a lot more in a recap of Saturday’s minor-league action.

On This Date in Mets History

2017: Terry Collins is ejected after a weird play. Eric Sogard of the Brewers hits a foul pop up and the bat boy interferes with third baseman Wilmer Flores‘ ability to make the catch. At first, an umpire calls Sogard out, but after a group discussion the umps decide “bat boy interference” isn’t a thing and let Sogard hit again. Collins argues, is ejected and when play resumes Sogard hits into an inning-ending double play. The Brewers go on to win 2-1. Collins was ejected 20 times in his seven years with the Mets.

2012: Johan Santana‘s 134th pitch strikes out David Freese to secure the franchise’s first no-hitter in an 8-0 victory over the Cardinals. It came in Met Game No. 8,121. In 50 years of Met baseball, there were 131 other no-hitters thrown leaguewide. Mike Baxter robbed Yadier Molina in the seventh with a great running catch that ended with him crashing into the left-field wall. Lucas Duda hit a three-run homer, Daniel Murphy tripled and Kirk Nieuwenhuis and Omar Quintanilla had two hits apiece.

On This Date in 1986 Mets

In a battle of future broadcasters, Mike Krukow of the Giants bests Ron Darling. Krukow gives up three runs over 7 1/3 innings while Darling surrenders five in five. The Mets lose 7-3 to drop to 31-13 in front of 49,041 at Shea Stadium. The Mets commit five errors, two by catcher Ed Hearn and one each by Darling, Wally Backman and Danny Heep. Ray Knight hits his seventh homer and Keith Hernandez goes 2-for-3 to raise his batting average to .345.

Born on This Date: Rick Baldwin (1953), Dean Chance (1941).

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Last week the Miami Marlins swept the New York Mets. Now the Mets have the chance to return the favor Sunday afternoon.

All eyes are on Nolan McLean. The Mets’ young pitcher has started to stack the tough starts. Over the last few outings he has flashed his usual electric stuff, however, he’s also had bumps that spiraled into massive innings for opposing batters. McLean has tremendous stuff and the Mets need the version of him that can give the bullpen a day off.

Mets Lineup

1. Carson Benge – RF
2. Bo Bichette – SS
3. Juan Soto – LF
4. Jared Young – DH
5. Mark Vientos – 1B
6. A.J. Ewing – CF
7. Brett Baty – 3B
8. Marcus Semien – 2B
9. Luis Torrens – C

Starting Pitcher: Nolan McLean

Nolan McLean has made 11 starts this season totaling 61 1/3 innings with a 4.40 ERA, 3.58 FIP, 1.092 WHIP, and a 90 ERA+. In his last two starts he has allowed 16 runs (13 earned) over nine innings.

His last start was emblematic of his recent struggles. He struck out the side in the first inning before things went off the rails in the next. Before those two starts McLean had a 2.92 ERA over nine starts. This will be McLean’s first start against the Marlins and no one on the Marlins roster have faced him in an official major league game.

Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images

Marlins Lineup

Starting Pitcher: Janson Junk

Janson Junk has tossed 60 innings over 11 starts with a 4.80 ERA, 4.06 FIP, 1.300 WHIP, and an 83 ERA+ this season. Junk had two rough starts in mid-May allowing a total of 15 runs from 18 hits over 10 2/3 innings. He rebounded in his last start allowing only one run, scattering eight hits over five innings on Monday.

The Mets have the following career numbers against Junk:

• Bo Bichette 3-4
• Vidal Bruján 0-0, BB
• MJ Melendez 0-3, 2 K
• Juan Soto 1-2
• Jared Young 0-1, K

Game Notes

Jorge Polanco continued his rehab Saturday playing three innings for Binghamton (Double-A) at first base. According to Mike Puma of the NY Post, the Mets are hopeful he will return for the Seattle series.

Three Things To Watch For

1. Under the hood. McLean still has a 3.16 xERA (75th percentile) and .216 xBA (77th percentile). His strikeout rate  is still top tier (29.6%; 92nd percentile). McLean has been hit hard more recently which has seen him drop to around the middle of the league in barrel percentage and hard hit rate, but he’s still in 81st percentile for average exit velocity.
2. David Peterson. The Mets announced before Friday’s game that David Peterson was moving back to the bullpen with Sunday being his first available day. Peterson had two successful starts in mid-May allowing three runs off 10 hits over nine innings. His last start was pretty poor, allowing six runs off 11 hits and three walks over five innings against the Reds. In 33 1/3 innings as a starter he has a 7.56 ERA. In 20 innings as a reliever he has a 2.25 ERA.
3. OPS watch. Saturday, Bo Bichette was getting close again to a .600 OPS with a .592 OPS. He went 0-for-3 with a walk, dropping his OPS down to .588. Semien has also been hitting around the .600 OPS line as well. Saturday he went 2-for-4 with a double, raising his OPS to .582. With a good week both hitters could finally cross that .600 line.

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Finishing off the road trip in Miami, the Mets were swept by the Marlins. As a result, they went 2-5 on the road against two rebuilding teams.

Furthermore, the offense continues to struggle at a more than concerning clip. The same old mental mistakes keep being repeated. And this team runs the risk of running out of time unless a turnaround is mounted soon. On the evidence we’ve seen so far, though, a turnaround seems more unlikely with each loss.

On that note, let’s recap a miserable series in Miami in the latest edition of 3 Up, 3 Down …

Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

3 UP

SPARK PLUG

At least Mets fans have A.J. Ewing. In an otherwise hard-to-watch series, the rookie at least tried to provide somewhat of a spark. He had two hits in the finale, while also executing a highlight-reel throw to home plate to keep the runner from scoring. Granted, it didn’t matter in the end, but it was still a hell of a throw. It was also further proof that Ewing can contribute in a slew of different ways at the big league level.

BACK WITH A BANG

Jonah Tong made his season debut on Friday and did not disappoint. The righty came out of the bullpen and delivered three scoreless innings without giving up a single hit. More importantly, Tong looked ready and more seasoned for the moment. While it was just a small sample size, Tong reminded everyone of his high ceiling. Maybe he could help solve what is a starting rotation currently in flux.

GOT HIS MOJO BACK?

Another positive to emerge from Friday night was Sean Manaea. The veteran produced arguably his best outing of the season so far, giving up just one run on four hits with no walks and three strikeouts across 3.2 innings. Furthermore, Manaea showed an uptick in his velocity. Overall, he is trending in the right direction with a 3.12 ERA over his last three outings. Maybe a bigger role in the bullpen could be in the offing.

Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

3 DOWN

BITTEN

There is nothing else left to say about this team’s futility. The Mets are back at the bottom of the NL East, and it feels like they won’t be leaving there for quite some time. Per Carlos Mendoza, the flu is going around the locker room at the worst possible time. Just as the team got hot, their progress was evaporated, and now it feels like all hope is truly lost.

OFFENSIVE ABYSS

There’s incompetent, and then there’s the Mets offense. The lineup scored just two runs on 11 hits combined across the three games. They were also shut out for the sixth time this season. Plus, with 53 games played in 2026, the Mets have scored two runs or fewer in 23 of them. That says it all. Furthermore, on Sunday, the lineup went 0-for-8 with RISP, leaving 10 runners stranded. Even without Juan Soto in the lineup, the offense shouldn’t be that bad. The lineup is just non-competitive, it offers zero threat, and the approach never changes.

CRUX OF THE PROBLEM

While he’s been clutch with runners in scoring position this season, Marcus Semien, the veteran, has otherwise been a total non-factor offensively this year, and his struggles continued in Miami. He went a combined 0-for-10 in the three games. He’s now hitting just .214/.263/.297 with a .560 OPS on the year.

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The irresponsibility came at the worst time.

With two outs and the bases loaded in the second inning, James Wood drove an 85 mph Nolan McLean sweeper 379 feet to the left-field wall. Nick Morabito, making his MLB debut 2.5 miles away from his high school, raced to the fence and nearly pulled off a one-handed, leaping catch. The ball hit his glove, but he couldn’t hold on and it caromed away while Taylor stood still and Wood circled the bases.

“He lost track of the baseball,” Carlos Mendoza told reporters after the 9-6 loss to the Nationals. “He went after and then he didn’t know where the ball was. That’s a tough break there.” By the time Morabito got to the ball and threw it in, there was no chance to get Wood at the plate. The inside-the-park grand slam pulled the Nats to within 5-4.

With first and third in the third, Torrens allowed a passed ball that gave the Nats a 6-5 lead and put in a runner in scoring position. That runner came home later in the inning on a sacrifice fly.

Then came the fourth, which Mendoza charitably described as “not good” after the game.

Photo Credit: Rafael Suanes-Imagn Images

José Tena bounced a potential inning-ending double play ball to second, but Semien booted it, then threw wide of Bo Bichette in an attempt for the force at second. Semien’s first error of the season put runners on second and third. With the infield in, CJ Abrams grounded to short, Bichette threw home and the ball hit Torrens in the glove, but he didn’t squeeze it and two runs scored to make it 9-5 Nats.

“The past four days or so, making errors on routine plays,” Mendoza said. “We’re a good team defensively, and we’ve shown that … but we’re going through a stretch right now where we got to clean that up.”

The Mets (21-27) rank 23rd in outs above average, (negative-8) which measures range, 22nd in fielding run value (negative-6), which includes throwing, blocking, framing, arm and range, and 23rd in an overall defense (negative-4.9), per FanGraphs. New York has committed 26 errors, which is tied for the ninth most in the league with the Rockies.

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The pitching, aside from a weak link in the rotation, has generally been pretty good. The offense has been a glaring problem. At this point, it’s time to cut bait and move on to the next generation of Mets.

Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images

The Outfield

It all starts with A.J. Ewing. With Luis Robert Jr. injured and without a timetable to return, Ewing should be the everyday starting center fielder. He did nothing but hit in 2025 and has taken another significant step forward in 2026. Yes, he was only recently promoted to Triple-A, but he’s continued to hit. His underlying data in Syracuse is fantastic, albeit in a small sample size, and the Mets frankly don’t have a better option.

The Mets should have Juan Soto in left, Ewing in center and Carson Benge in right every single day. Soto can continue to get some days at DH, but those three should be playing every day regardless of the handedness of the starting pitcher. Ewing, a lefty, is actually hitting better against lefties than he is righties so far this year. Benge, who has been sent to the bench most days versus lefties, needs to be allowed to see them. He got one on Sunday, and he picked up one of the four hits the Mets had versus Eduardo Rodríguez and hit two more balls over 90 mph that found gloves. He’s hitting .231 versus lefties on the season — higher than his overall mark — and is hitting .261/.370/.522/.892 in May. He’s figuring it out. Keep him in the lineup.

Tyrone Taylor and MJ Melendez can remain on the bench. Taylor is a good fourth outfielder; he brings value to a team in a bench role. Melendez is one of the few Mets hitters who has shown any signs of life; he can pick up some starts at DH and in left field whenever Soto shifts to the designated hitter spot.

There is no reason for Andy Ibáñez or Austin Slater to be on this roster. Yes, the selection of outfielders proposed here would be very left-handed, but the need to platoon is overplayed. Ewing and Benge are too important to shield from left-handed pitching. They need to learn to face them, and have already shown they’re capable of doing so. Soto is platoon resistant, and Taylor and Melendez form a platoon in that reserve outfield role.

Ibáñez arguably cost the Mets the game on Sunday with his multiple errors and is 2-for-17 on the year (0-for-6 with the Mets). Yes, it’s just 17 plate appearances, but the Mets should know what they have with him. He’s a veteran, and he hasn’t posted an OPS over .653 since 2023.

Slater has been a little better with the Mets, going 5-for-16 (a .313 batting average) since joining the club after hitting .174 in 12 games with the Marlins to open the year, but what little upside. He hasn’t shown any power, he’s not a good defender, and he’s 33 years old coming off back-to-back seasons with OPS marks of .587 and .642. Forcing him into the lineup just because he’s a righty, at the expense of playing time for Benge, ultimately does nothing to make the Mets better.

Ryan Clifford
Photo by Ed Delany of Metsmerized

The Infield

Now onto the infield. Bo Bichette and Marcus Semien will play every day. Bichette has to be better; there’s nothing else to say there. Semien, while he definitely needs to be better as well, probably catches too much flak. He has also struggled at the plate, but he hasn’t been too far under expectations. He was brought in, first and foremost, because he only had three years remaining on his contract compared to Brandon Nimmo‘s five. Secondly, he was brought here to play a good defensive second base and hit at the bottom of what should have been a very potent lineup. If the players around him were holding up their end of the bargain, Semien’s struggles wouldn’t be as magnified because it’s more or less what was expected of him. Alas, that is not the case.

Those two should be the double-play combination every day until Francisco Lindor returns. Yes, Bichette was brought in to play third base, but when the starting shortstop, who seldom misses games, gets injured, along with his backup, things change. That’s not anyone’s fault. He’s not nearly as good a defensive shortstop as he has proven to be a third baseman, but he can manage until Lindor is back. Vidal Bruján can stick around as defensive insurance and a pinch runner.

The corners are where things get tricky. If Jacob Reimer had started his season similarly to Ewing, there would be an argument to give him a shot at third. That didn’t happen, and while he has hit much better as of late, he’s still in Double-A and not an option at this time. It likely falls to Brett Baty for what should be his final opportunity. It’s not going to excite anyone with how Baty has started his 2026, but the Mets don’t have a better option at this point. Play Baty every day, even against lefties, and know once and for all if he’s part of the plans for the future. If he’s still struggling by the time Lindor returns, you’ll have your answer and can move on with a clear conscience.

As for first base, the Mets should see what they have with Ryan Clifford. The slugging first baseman has not been great in Triple-A and is striking out way too much, but he still has an OPS of .800. He’s hitting for power, and the strikeouts have come down in recent games, so give him a shot. Mark Vientos, despite the sporadic power showings, hasn’t fit the billing as the first baseman of the future. Unlike Ewing and Benge, Clifford is a player who should be platooned. As a result, Vientos won’t be completely phased out. He should, for the most part, only play against lefties. Vientos is actually a plus-hitter versus southpaws, and with the lefty Melendez penciled in as the DH and lefty Clifford penciled in as the first baseman, there are clear runways to get him into games.

Jack Wenninger. Photo by Ed Delany of Metsmerized

The Starting Rotation

The rotation needs to see a change too. The strategy of using an opener in front of David Peterson is unsustainable, even if the short-term results are positive. There is a solid four of Nolan McLean, Freddy Peralta, Clay Holmes and Christian Scott, but that fifth spot should go to Jack Wenninger. He’s carved at Triple-A, and while he doesn’t have the ceiling of a frontline starter, he might be the highest-probability MLB arm the Mets have in the minors. Wenninger should get an opportunity to establish himself as a mid-rotation starter at the MLB level.

The Mets are likely stuck with Sean Manaea, which is fine; he can remain in the bullpen for mop-up duty. What happens next with Kodai Senga is an absolute mystery, but for now, he’s not in the plans. As for Peterson, he’s not under contract next season, and after his performance thus far, doesn’t feel like he’ll be returning to the Mets. It’s time to either move him to the bullpen full-time or dump him. He could probably contribute as a multi-inning lefty out of the pen, but it also may be too many long men with him, Manaea and Tobias Myers.

If that’s the case, they could try to trade him. He won’t garner much of a return, but teams can always use starters. Maybe the Detroit Tigers, who have had so many pitching injuries this season, would give the Mets a low-level prospect for him. If they get no bites, then DFA him. He’s not in the plans, and he’s not contributing now. Wenninger deserves his chance, and the Mets still have plenty of depth behind him to cover for any future injuries.

Don’t waste any more time. The Mets should go with a rotation of McLean, Peralta, Holmes, Scott and Wenninger, and some variation of the following lineups:

Against RHP

1. CF Ewing
2. LF Soto
3. SS Bichette
4. DH Melendez
5. RF Benge
6. C Alvarez
7. 3B Baty
8. 2B Semien
9. 1B Clifford

Against LHP

1. CF Ewing
2. DH Soto
3. SS Bichette
4. 1B Vientos
5. RF Benge
6. C Alvarez
7. 2B Semien
8. 3B Baty
9. LF Taylor

When Lindor, Jorge Polanco and Robert Jr. eventually return, Melendez, Baty, Vientos and Taylor can all be phased out of the starting lineup. Clifford, too, if he’s not hitting, but the ideal scenario is Clifford hits and stays in the lineup as he and Polanco share first base and DH.

The Mets are bad. The offense isn’t hitting. They need to shake it up. If by the time trade deadline season comes around and this team still shows no signs of life, go all in down this path. Trade Peralta and Holmes, who both will be free agents at the end of the season (there is almost no scenario where Holmes doesn’t opt out of the one-year, $12 million remaining on his deal). Obviously, it would be incredibly unfortunate to trade Peralta after just acquiring him, but it’s better to accept reality than to live in denial. Give the rotation spots to Jonah Tong and another one of the young arms, like Zach Thornton or Jonathan Santucci, and lean into the young rotation. Let Benge, Ewing, Clifford, and ideally, Reimer and Nick Morabito have everyday playing time.

If nothing else, give fans a reason to watch. A team with young, exciting players in the lineup and on the mound gives fans hope for the future. It gives Mets fans a reason to turn on the game. Bullpen games with Slater and Ibáñez hitting in the heart of the order do not. It’s time for the next generation to get the keys.

The post Is It Time For The Mets to Turn to The Next Generation? appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

In the ninth, with the Mets up 8-4, he drove a 3-1 pitch 395 feet to left (exit velocity 100.8 mph) for a two-run homer. It all added up to the first four-hit game for a Met this year. He scored three runs, too.

“He was aggressive early in the zone,” Carlos Mendoza told reporters after the 10-5 victory in Denver, where the grounds crew cleared snow before the game and the 11,155 in attendance dealt with a temperature that fell into the mid-30s. “He was short to the ball. He was able to use the whole field. He drove the ball, especially that homer to the pull side that last at-bat. That’s a really good sign.

“I’ve seen this guy play for a long time. When he’s going well, he’s doing that. He’s an aggressive hitter. He’s going to attack pitches. It was good to see him have results. It’s been a tough stretch for him. But the guy is as consistent as anyone in there. He works extremely hard and I’m glad that he finally had a really good game for us.”

Semien’s batting average jumped 23 points with the big night, and he’s slashing .231/.279/.323 for the season.

“Just trying to stay locked in,” he said. “Keep it simple, really. If they throw the ball down the middle, keep it simple and just keep working on what I’m working on in the cage and get my swing going.”

The 35-year-old, two-time Gold Glove winner also made a nice play to field a tough hop behind second base on a ball that caromed off the pitcher’s mound in the fourth inning with runners on first and second and one out. He flipped to Bo Bichette for the force out. The next batter, Jake McCarthy, lined out to left, and Freddy Peralta escaped the inning unharmed.

The Mets (14-22) have won three in a row and four of five after losing 17 of 20.

“They’re playing the game the way they’re capable,” Mendoza said. “There’s a lot of smiles on their faces.. It’s just good to see them having fun.”

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