With each wild card series being best-of-three, several teams could punch their ticket to the divisional round. The teams waiting to see their opponent are below:

• Milwaukee Brewers (NL No. 1)
• Los Angeles Dodgers (NL No. 2)
• Tampa Bay Rays (AL No. 1)
• Cleveland Guardians (AL No. 2)

Below are Wednesday’s games and pitching matchups. All games are on NBC, Peacock, or NBCSN.

Philadelphia Phillies vs. Atlanta Braves, 2:00 pm ET (Atlanta leads 1-0)

A pitcher’s duel in the form of Chris Sale and Jesus Luzardo took place in Game 1. Things opened up in opened up in the seventh inning when J.T. Realmuto tripled home a couple runs giving Philadelphia a 3-2 lead. Atlanta answered back in the eighth as Austin Riley hit a three-run homer off Jhoan Duran. That was the decisive blow as Atlanta held on for the 5-3 victory.

The Game 2 pitching matchup is certainly in Philadelphia’s favor. Cristopher Sánchez (18-7, 2.91 ERA) is set to duel against Tyler Mahle (7-10, 3.99 ERA). Philadelphia will hope to force a Game 3 behind their ace.

Chicago White Sox vs. Houston Astros, 5:00 pm ET (Chicago leads 1-0)

For the first time since 2021, the Chicago White Sox won a playoff game. Chicago jumped out to a 5-0 lead and did not look back. The Astros were able to muster three late runs, but in the first-ever dueling bullpen game in playoff history the White Sox won 6-3.

Game 2 will feature a more traditional pitching matchup between Sean Burke (11-7, 3.34 ERA) and Hunter Brown (6-4, 3.19 ERA). The White Sox are hoping to advance to the American League Division Series for the second time in the last 18 years.

Boston Red Sox vs. New York Yankees, 8:00 pm ET (New York leads 1-0)

Cam Schlittler showed once again in Game 1 he is one of the game’s newest stars. The soon-to-be American League Cy Young-winner threw 117 pitches over 6 1/3 innings of superb work in a 9-0 trouncing of the Red Sox in Game 1.

Unlike Game 1, the Red Sox should have the starting pitching advantage, albeit a slim one, in Game 2. Sonny Gray (18-5, 2.72 ERA) is set to take on Max Fried (5-5, 2.80 ERA). Boston will look to force a decisive Game 3 against their biggest rivals.

Chicago Cubs vs. San Diego Padres, 10:00 pm ET (San Diego leads 1-0)

Pete Crow-Armstrong will undoubtedly take home the National League MVP, however, Game 1 was a forgettable one for the young star. Crow-Armstrong struck out three times en route to a 0-for-3 performance. San Diego went on to dismantle the Cubs, 8-0, on the back of homers by Fernando Tatis Jr., Manny Machado, and Xander Bogaerts.

The Game 2 pitching matchup should once again favor the Padres. Nick Pivetta (3-2, 2.86 ERA), who has battled injury this year, is set to oppose veteran Kevin Gausman (9-12, 4.51 ERA). The Padres are hoping for a date against the Milwaukee Brewers in the National League Division Series.

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Christian Scott started for the Mets and delivered a solid performance on the mound. Aside from home runs by Austin Wells and Ben Rice of the Yankees, Scott was effective through six innings, striking out seven while allowing only three hits and two walks. Although he pitched well, he ended up with the loss.

Nate Lavender and Austin Warren also contributed strongly from the bullpen, each pitching scoreless innings and keeping the game close throughout the afternoon.

On the other side, Cam Schlittler was exceptional for the Yankees, holding the Mets scoreless through six innings while striking out eight and allowing just one hit. Brent Headrick and Paul Blackburn worked scoreless frames as well, and David Bednar secured the save against a Mets offense that struggled all afternoon.

The Mets managed only three hits throughout the game and went 0-for-2 with runners in scoring position, leaving five on base. Bo Bichette, Francisco Alvarez, and Brett Baty were the only Mets players to register hits, while the rest of the lineup went a combined 0-for-20.

Player of the Game: Christian Scott

Despite allowing two solo home runs, Christian Scott performed well on the mound for the Mets, nearly matching his opponent’s performance. He pitched for six innings, striking out seven batters and surrendering only three hits. Scott’s solid outing bolsters his case to be a reliable middle-rotation option for the team in the present and for the future.

On Deck

The Mets take the short bus ride from the Bronx back to Citi Field as they welcome old friend Pete Alonso back to Queens as his Baltimore Orioles start a three-game set Monday evening.

Jonah Tong (2-1, 4.80 ERA) looks to continue his progress on the mound as he will start for the Mets, while being opposed by Brandon Young (9-4, 3.71 ERA) for the Orioles. First pitch is at 7:10 pm ET and will be broadcast on SNY and Mets Radio 880.

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Game two of the Subway Series was all Mets. Zac Thornton was wonderful, holding the Yankees to only two runs over seven innings. The Mets’ lineup mashed six home runs, including two from Francisco Lindor.

Sunday afternoon it will be a strong matchup between the newly-hot Mets bats and the likely American Cy Young winner Cam Schlittler, who has a 2.01 ERA and 220 strikeouts this season.

Mets Lineup

1. Francisco Lindor – SS
2. Juan Soto – DH
3. Bo Hichette – 3B
4. Carson Benge – RF
5. Jared Young – 1B
6. A.J. Ewing – CF
7. Francisco Alvarez – C
8. Brett Baty – 2B
9. Nick Morabito – LF

Starting Pitcher: Christian Scott

Christian Scott had made 21 starts this season totaling 99 1/3 innings with a 3.81 ERA, 3.60 FIP, 1.289 WHIP, and a 108 ERA+. His last six games have been the greatest, but they also haven’t been terrible. Over 30 innings he has a 5.70 ERA and a 3.87 FIP while striking out 35 batters.

A few players on the Yankees has faced Christian Scott before:

• Jose Caballero 0-3, K
• Luis García Jr. 1-5, HR, BB
• Ryan McMahon 1-2, 2B, BB
• Heliot Ramos 0-1, BB, K

Yankees Lineup

1. Ben Rice – DH
2. Cody Bellinger – LF
3. Aaron Judge – RF
4. Luis Garcia – 1B
5. Spencer Jones – CF
6. Anthony Volpe – 2B
7. Ryan McMahon – 3B
8. Austin Wells – C
9. Jose Caballero – SS

Starting Pitcher: Cam Schlittler

Cam Schlittler has made 30 starts this season totaling 178 2/3 innings with a league-leading 2.01 ERA, 209 ERA+, and 6.6 bWAR. He also has a 2.61 FIP and 0.918 WHIP. Over his last six games he has allowed only five runs over 39 innings while striking out 49 batters (1.15 ERA, 2.44 FIP).

Schlittler faced the Mets back in May, holding the Mets to one run over 6 2/3 innings from two hits, including a home run. The Mets have the following career stats against Schlittler:

• Brett Baty 1-2, BB, K
• Carson Benge 0-3, K
• Bo Bichette 1-7, 2B, K
• A.J. Ewing 0-2, K
• Marcus Semien 0-1, BB, K
• Juan Soto 1-3, HR, 2 K
• Luis Torrens 0-2
• Mark Vientos 0-3

Game Notes

 The Mets are 22-13 since the trade deadline. Their .629 winning percentage is tied for the third-best mark in the majors during that span and tied for the second-best mark in the National League.

Lindor’s sixth grand slam ties the franchise’s lead for most as a Met with Mike Piazza.

Three Things To Watch For

1. Francisco Lindor. September has been incredible for Francisco Lindor. Lindor went 3-for-5 on Saturday with a home run to lead-off the game and a grand slam later in the game. This month he is hitting .255/.314/.638 with six of his 12 hits leaving the park. He now is sitting at 299 career home runs.
2. Home runs in general. The Mets hit six homers in Saturday’s game, putting them at 188 for the season. That performance has pushed them to seventh in the league, just one ahead of Atlanta. It’s amazing how the Mets, who got off to such a slow start hitting for power, losing Pete Alonso in the offseason, have reached this point despite how many power hitters on the team either missed time or underperformed.
3. A well-rested bullpen. Friday night Jack Weisenburger pitched all three innings of relief for the Mets. Saturday, Tobias Myers pitched both relief innings. Everyone else in the Mets’ bullpen hasn’t pitched since last Tuesday or Wednesday. Since joining the bullpen Kodai Senga has pitched 13 1/3 innings over 14 games with a 2.03 ERA, 3.40 FIP while striking out 15 batters. He has dropped his season FIP from 6.51 down to 5.79.

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Most notably, Thornton was able to get Anthony Volpe to ground into an inning ending double play in the seventh after a conversation with Mets interim manager Andy Green. When asked about his conversation on the mound, Green told reporters that Thornton, “said he was going to get a double play ball.” And he did exactly that.

Despite the season being a lost cause, Green has done a fantastic job of leading the Mets and allowing for the young players to develop in situations that might not be available for a competing team.

Saturday was a great display of perseverance for Thornton. In his previous start against the San Francisco Giants, Thornton gave up six earned runs on four home runs. Against the Yankees, he was able to do exactly what he needs to do to be successful: throw strikes (75.3% strike rate) and limit damage (both runs coming at different times, one off of a solo home run).

Just because Thornton doesn’t have stuff like Nolan McLean doesn’t mean he can’t be a successful major league pitcher. While he is inevitably going to have games where he gets hit very hard, he has shown that he can string together multiple quality starts and get deep into games.

Zac Thornton. Photo credits: Roberto Carlo

As Mets fans know all too well, pitchers are going to get hurt. It’s a part of the game, and the MLB season is a marathon. Pieces, like Thornton, who can eat innings and rack up quality starts are always going to have value, no matter what team they play on.

One of the differences between his last start against the Giants and Saturday night was his pitch breakdown. Thornton has shown this year that he is going to throw his cutter and fastball much more than any other pitch. This is especially true versus right-handed hitters. There needs to be the development of a third pitch to throw more versus righties, but that is for the offseason.

Against the Yankees, Thornton threw his sweeper at a much lower rate than he did against the Giants. Part of this has to do with the extreme platoon lineup that the Yankees sent out. Only three of the starting nine players were lefties, meaning that he was more likely to stick to his fastball and cutter. The other part of this has to do with the trend that we are seeing with his arsenal.

As the season has gone on, Thornton has thrown cutters and fastballs at a much higher rate than his other pitches. What’s interesting is that those two pitches have not been super effective, despite throwing them a ton. Opposing hitters are hitting .268 off of the cutters and fastballs this year, and .294 off of the cutter alone. Compare this to the .167 batting average off of his sweeper, and it poses a legitimate question as to why he doesn’t trust it more.

Starts like these are incredibly encouraging for the Mets long-term outlook. With so many question marks heading into 2027, it would be fantastic if they could pencil Thornton into a role at the bottom of the rotation. Someone who can eat innings, rack up quality starts, and survive the dog days of the season.

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Players laid a wreath at a 9/11 memorial in Monument Park before the game, a giant American flag was unfurled in the outfield for the national anthem, first responders were honored and the Mets and Yankees played a baseball game at Yankee Stadium Friday night on the 25th anniversary of the tragedy.

“There’s some things that are much bigger than just the game we have the privilege of playing and being a part of,” Andy Green said before the game. “I certainly hope our guys grab hold of the pomp and circumstance and realize what it’s all about today.”

As for the game, Nolan McLean, who had allowed four earned runs in his last five starts entering Friday, gave up that many in the first two innings and the Yankees beat the Mets 6-4 to even the season series at two games apiece.

Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

McLean (11-9) gave up a career-high 10 hits, walked one and struck out five over five innings. Cody Bellinger‘s three-run homer in the second inning was the first homer hit off McLean’s curveball in his 37th career start. Ben Rice took McLean deep to the opposite field in the fifth on a 95 mph sinker.

A.J. Ewing singled home a run in the seventh off ex-Met Paul Blackburn that pulled the Mets to within 5-2 and Francisco Alvarez followed with a walk that loaded the bases and prompted Aaron Boone to bring in lefty Brent Headrick to face Francisco Lindor with two outs.

Lindor lined a 3-2 pitch up the middle (87.6 mph exit velocity) and Headrick caught it, likely saving two runs.

In the eighth, Headrick walked Carson Benge to load the bases and Boone summoned closer David Bednar with one out to face Marcus Semien, who drove in a run with a sacrifice fly. Jared Young flew out to center to end the inning.

Ewing homered off Bednar to lead off the ninth and a o

ne-out single by Lindor brought up Juan Soto as the tying run. Bednar got Soto to bounce into a game-ending 3-6-3 double play for his 33rd save.

Rookie Jack Weisenburger allowed one run on three hits over three innings. He struck out Bellinger and Aaron Judge back-to-back to end the seventh.

Christopher Morel drove in the first Met run with a groundout in the second inning.

Carlos Rodon (6-3) gave up two runs (one earned) on three hits over 6 1/3 innings, struck out eight and walked one.

Stat of the Game

Benge showed the arm again. He threw out Luis Garcia Jr. at second base on a ball that hit the right-field wall on one hop. Benge’s 10th outfield assist tied Cleon Jones (1966) for fourth in franchise history for rookies. The top three: Juan Lagares (15 in 2013), Rod Gaspar (12 in 1969) and Tsuyoshi Shinjo (12 in 2001).

Garcia lined a ball off the right-field wall in the eighth, stopped at first and smiled.

Player of the Game

Ewing extended his hitting streak to seven games. He’s 13-for-27 with two homers, two doubles and nine RBIs during the stretch.

On Deck

Zac Thornton (3-5, 3.53 ERA) will face Gerrit Cole (8-8, 3.41 ERA) at 1:35 p.m. ET on SNY, YES and MLB Network. The Mets beat Cole twice in 2024 and hit him hard. He gave up six earned runs in each outing and served up seven home runs in total, two to Mark Vientos in a 9-7 win and one to Lindor in a 12-3 victory.

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The Mets head into this weekend’s Subway Series on a four-game winning streak coming off of a sweep of the Marlins. Wednesday’s game was one of the crazier contests in Mets history. They roared to an early 8-0 lead, but the Marlins came back. The Mets then extended the lead to 15-9, and the Marlins came back falling just short with a final score of 15-14. The Mets are now sitting in fourth place, two games above the Nationals, and are only 3 1/2 games behind the Marlins for third in the division.

The Yankees have won three games in a row and seven of their last ten. They just got Aaron Judge back and are three games out of the division lead.

The series begins with a matchup between the two clubs on an emotional day on the 25th anniversary of 9/11.

Rafael Suanes-Imagn Images

Mets Lineup

1. Francisco Lindor – SS
2. Juan Soto – LF
3. Bo Bichette – 3B
4. Mark Vientos – DH
5. Carson Benge – RF
6. Marcus Semien – 2B
7. Christopher Morel – 1B
8. A.J. Ewing – CF
9. Francisco Alvarez – C

Starting Pitcher: Nolan McLean

McLean has pitched 161 2/3 innings over 28 starts with a 3.06 ERA, 3.57 FIP, 1.144 WHIP and a 134 ERA+. In his last five starts, he has thrown 31 innings with a 1.16 ERA and 3.87 FIP. He’s been on a roll recently, with the only blemish being free passes. He has walked 15 batters in his last four starts, but he’s been able to work around that, allowing only four runs.

The only members of the Yankees to have faced McLean in a major league game are Luis García Jr. (0-for-4, K) and Heliot Ramos (0-for-2, K).

Opposing Lineup

1. Ben Rice – DH
2. Cody Bellinger – LF
3. Aaron Judge – RF
4. Luis García Jr. – 1B
5. Spencer Jones – CF
6. George Lombard Jr. – SS
7. Ryan McMahon – 3B
8. Austin Wells – C
9. Anthony Volpe – 2B

Rodón had made 13 starts this season totaling 64 innings with a 3.09 ERA, 3.82 FIP, 1.172 WHIP and a 136 ERA+. Since returning to action at the start of August, he has pitched 17 2/3 innings over four starts where he has allowed six runs (five earned) while striking out 18 batters (2.55 ERA, 4.80 FIP). He still hasn’t pitched beyond five innings since coming back. The Mets tagged him for three runs (two earned) over 3 2/3 innings back in May.

The Mets have the following career numbers against him:

• Francisco Alvarez 1-3, BB
• Brett Baty 1-2, 2B
• Carson Benge 1-2
• Bo Bichette 4-15, 2 2B, 2 BB, 3 K
• A.J. Ewing 0-2
• Francisco Lindor 10-39, 3 2B, 2 HR, 6 BB, 5 K
• Christopher Morel 1-13, 6 K
• Cristian Pache 0-2
• Marcus Semien 5-28, 2B, HR, BB, 8 K
• Juan Soto 1-5, 5 BB, K
• Luis Torrens 1-6, HR, 3 K
• Mark Vientos 2-10, 2 K

Game Notes

• Interim manager Andy Green stated that Baty should be available off the bench tonight. He underwent an MRI on Thursday after being pulled early in Wednesday’s game due to left knee pain, and Green added that he thinks Baty will, “be just fine.”
• The Mets recalled right-handed reliever Jack Weisenburger from Triple-A Syracuse and designated Chris Devenski for assignment as the corresponding move.

Three Things To Watch For

1. Francisco Lindor. Lindor has been on a heater in his last three games, going a combined 4-for-15 with two home runs and five runs scored. He now has four home runs in the month of September and 18 total for the season. Lindor has fantastic numbers against Rodón and has slashed .295/.360/.525 with seven home runs at Yankee Stadium.
2. A.J. Ewing. Ewing has gone 10-for-18 in his last five games with two doubles, a home run and a stolen base (.556/.571/.833). It’s nice to see Ewing get back into a hot streak to end the season, emerging from a colder August. He’s now hitting .252/.322/.370 and has a solid chance raise his season OPS back over .700 for the first time since mid-August.
3. Christopher Morel. Baty hurt his knee running to first base in the second inning on Wednesday, giving Morel significant playing time. Morel went 3-for-4 with a double, home run and three runs scored. That doubles the amount of hits he has had as a Met. Before Wednesday, Morel went 3-for-16 over nine games while slashing .188/.278/.188.

Let’s go Mets!

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Let’s take a look at some notes ahead of the three pitching matchups this weekend.

Brad Penner-Imagn Images

PITCHING MATCHUPS

• Friday: Nolan McLean (11-8, 3.06 ERA) vs. Carlos Rodón (5-3, 3.09 ERA): McLean has made a late push in the National League Rookie of the Year race. A lot of that is down to what he has done post All-Star break, pitching to a 2.15 ERA over 54 1/3 innings. He is 6-3 over that stretch and has eight quality starts over his last nine appearances. He’s performing like an ace. McLean will pitch against the Yankees for the first time in his career. After making at least 32 starts in 2024 and 2025, Rodón has been hampered by injuries this year. He didn’t make his season debut until May and found himself back on the injured list in July due to a left elbow injury. Rodón is 1-1 with a 2.55 ERA since being reactivated, throwing 88 and 89 pitches in his last two outings.
• Saturday: Zac Thornton (3-5, 3.53 ERA) vs. Gerrit Cole (8-8, 3.41 ERA): Like so many other young pitchers, Thornton has hit a bit of a wall after beginning his big league career in fine form. Since August 12, he has no wins and has pitched to a 5.00 ERA. The long ball has been a big concern of late, allowing eight home runs over his last five starts. Thornton allowed a career-high six earned runs in five innings against the San Francisco Giants last Saturday. Cole missed all of last season after undergoing Tommy John surgery. Entering his age-35 season, it was difficult to predict how the ace would bounce back. Since the start of August, he has pitched to a 3.14 ERA over seven starts. Cole is 2-4 with a 6.99 ERA in 46 1/3 innings against the Mets.
• Sunday: Christian Scott (4-4, 3.81 ERA) vs. Cam Schlittler (13-6, 2.01 ERA): Similarly to Thornton, Scott’s performances have been up and down throughout the summer. Since the start of July, he has pitched to a 4.31 ERA over 54 1/3 innings. The next step for Scott is pitching deep into games more consistently. He has just two quality starts through 21 appearances this year. In 2026, Scott is 2-2 with a 3.61 ERA over 10 home starts. Schlittler’s coming out party was Game 3 of the Yankees’ Wild Card series against the Boston Red Sox last year. He has backed that up in the biggest way imaginable, leading the race for the American League Cy Young Award by a wide margin. Schlittler has allowed one run or less in six consecutive starts

WHAT’S THE STORY?

The Mets have been and will continue to be playing for pride over the final few weeks of the season. On the other hand, the stakes are quite high for the Yankees. With 16 games to go, they currently trail the Tampa Bay Rays by three games for the top spot in the American League East. Bad news? The Yankees are currently 3-6 against the Rays this season. Good news? They have four more games against Tampa Bay later this month, all of which are at home. The race for the division is still very much alive. With Aaron Judge back after missing over three months, optimism New York can snatch the top spot is certainly there.

PREDICTION

Since 2018, the Mets have either won or split the season series against the Yankees, which is a remarkable stat. That streak could remain intact as long as the Mets win one game this weekend, as they took two of three when the two teams faced off back in May. This is an important series for the Yankees, but don’t get it twisted. The Mets have been a difficult team to beat for an extended period now. I expect a game or two to be close, but the Yankees will take two of three.

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The Mets’ pitching was a mixed bag, as both Freddy Peralta and Sean Manaea displayed moments of brilliance alongside some struggles. Peralta had a decent outing, going five innings and giving up two hits, but he allowed three runs, striking out four while walking six. He struggled with his command for most of the afternoon. The two earned runs were charged to Peralta after he left two runners on base, who then scored when Manaea took over.

Manaea started rocky but found some rhythm toward the end. He pitched four innings of relief on 57 pitches, allowing four hits, three runs (two earned), while walking two and striking out three. He relieved Peralta in the sixth inning and was instrumental in the Yankees’ four-run sixth, walking two and giving up a bases-loaded hit to Anthony Volpe, followed by a sacrifice fly from Amed Rosario. Manaea also hit Paul Goldschmidt on the foot to load the bases before Volpe’s hit.

In the top of the 10th, the Yankees threatened with the free runner, Ryan McMahon, stealing third and Anthony Volpe getting a walk. Devin Williams came through clutch, striking out Max Schuemann and forcing Austin Wells to ground out into an inning-ending double play after a solid snag by Mark Vientos at first base. Williams, who got the win, continued to show his strong comeback with a series of solid appearances on the mound.

The Mets’ defense had its lapses, while the Yankees were impressive. Trent Grisham, Spencer Jones, and Schuemann all made solid catches in the outfield for the Yankees. In contrast, Tyrone Taylor overthrew a cutoff man in the sixth inning and failed to support Bo Bichette as he backpedaled for a ball in shallow left, allowing a run to score.

Tyrone Taylor. (Photo credits: USA Today)

The Mets’ offense came through when it mattered, especially from Luis Torrens and Tyrone Taylor. After the Yankees took the lead, Luis Torrens drove in two runs with a double in the bottom of the sixth, keeping the game close. Following another Yankees run, the Mets rallied in the bottom of the ninth, putting two runners on base. Tyrone Taylor then knocked a hanging breaking pitch near the foul pole in left field, tying the game at six.

In the bottom of the 10th, the Mets advanced the free runner to third base following A.J. Ewing‘s first professional sacrifice bunt. Luis Torrens was hit by a pitch from Yankees reliever Tim Hill during this inning. The Yankees attempted a five-man infield, with Max Schuemann serving as the fifth infielder. He ended up colliding with his own teammate, allowing Carson Benge to slap a ball up the middle. The contact impeded Jazz Chisholm Jr.‘s ability to field the ball cleanly, allowing Marcus Semien to score easily.

Marcus Semien had a strong performance, collecting two hits alongside Mark Vientos. Bo Bichette snapped an 0-for-15 streak, with every player in the lineup recording a hit except MJ Melendez and Hayden Senger. This victory, where the team overcame a deficit of more than four runs after eight innings, ended a drought in which they lost their last 91 games when trailing after eight innings.

Player of the Game: Tyrone Taylor

Tyrone Taylor wasn’t his normal elite defensive self, but he had the biggest hit of the game Sunday. After stunning the ball in his first two at-bats, which came after he replaced MJ Melendez, Taylor launched the game-tying three-run homer.

On Deck

The Mets are right back at it as they head to Washington, D.C. to take on the Nationals Monday. Christian Scott (0-0, 3.45 ERA) will toe the slab for the Mets while Jake Irvin (1-4, 5.91 ERA) rivals him for the Nationals. First pitch will take place at 6:45 pm ET and will be broadcast on SNY and Mets Radio 880.

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The New York Mets can win another series Sunday afternoon! Friday was a disparaging night. The Mets’ offense looked flat. Clay Holmes suffered a fracture in his league on a comebacker sidelining him for a while.

Saturday night was the reverse. The Mets scored six runs, including two on a wild pitch. David Peterson had eight strikeouts in only four innings. They survived an error in the outfield and got out of a bases loaded, no-out jam in the seventh inning. Luke Weaver pitched two massive innings in relief and Devin Williams shut the door on his old team. A good night all around.

Now, the Mets look to keep the winning going Sunday afternoon!

Mets Lineup

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

Starting Pitcher: Freddy Peralta

Freddy Peralta has pitched 49 1/3 innings over nine starts with a 3.10 ERA, 3.66 FIP, 1.216 WHIP, and a 128 ERA+. In his last three starts he has allowed five runs, only three earned, over 17 innings while striking out 14 (1.59 ERA).

He hasn’t faced the Yankees since his first start in 2025 where he allowed two runs over five innings. The Yankees have the following career numbers against him:

• Cody Bellinger 6-14, 2B, HR, BB, 5 K
• Jazz Chisholm Jr. 2-10, 2B, HR, 2 BB, 4 K
• Paul Goldschmidt 9-35, 5 2B, 2 HR, 3 BB, 10 K
• Trent Grisham 1-5, 2B, 3 K
• Aaron Judge 0-3, 2 K
• Ryan McMahon 1-12, 3 BB, 3 K
• Ben Rice 1-2, K
• Amed Roasrio 1-4, BB, K
• Anthony Volpe 1-2, HR, K
• Austin Wells 1-2, HR, BB, K

Yankees Lineup

1. Trent Grisham – CF
2. Ben Rice – 1B
3. Aaron Judge – DH
4. Cody Bellinger – LF
5. Jazz Chisholm – 2B
6. Ryan McMahon – 3B
7. Spencer Jones – RF
8. Anthont Volpe – SS
9. J.C. Escarra – C

Starting Pitcher: Elmer Rodriguez

Elmer Rodríguez will make his third major league start today. Over his first two starts he has allowed five runs from 10 hits over 8 2/3 innings (5.19 ERA, 84 ERA+). Both starts have been similar.

In his major league debut at the end of April he allowed two runs on four hits and four walks over four innings. On May 5 he allowed three runs on six hits and four walks over 4 2/3 innings.

He has been tearing up Triple-A this season with a 1.38 ERA over five starts (26 innings). Over his first two starts he has used his mid-90 mph sinker and four-seamer about two-thirds of the time. He mixes in a slider, changeup, and curveball to round out his arsenal.

Game Notes

According to Mets manager Carlos Mendoza, Jorge Polanco’s Achilles issue won’t fully heal this season. They are instead trying to get into a place where he can play through the discomfort.

Three Things To Watch For

1. Juan Soto is heating up. Over his last three games, Soto has gone 5-for-10 at the plate with two home runs, three walks, and four runs scored. He stole two bases in one inning last night. Soto is doing all the things things you expect Soto to do.
2. Carson Benge’s homestand. Yes, Benge made a bad error in the outfield Saturday. However, he also had a tremendous day at the plate going 3-for-4 with two runs scored. Over his last seven games, he is hitting .367/.367/.400 and in his last 15 games he’s slashing .340/.386/.472.
3. Bo Bichette is ice cold. The Mets have to get Bo Bichette going. The good news is worked a walk last night and scored two runs. The bad news is he’s hitless in his last three games, going 0-for-11 at the plate with two walks. In his last seven games, he has gone 2-for-25 with five walks, slashing .080/.233/.080. At the some point he has to return to his career numbers.

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The New York Mets took down the New York Yankees on Saturday night thanks in large part to relief outings from Luke Weaver and Devin Williams.

What are some things that these players have in common? They both are relief pitchers on the New York Mets. They both were born on the 21st of a month. They both made their major league debut in the month of August. And, yes, they both were signed immediately after seasons with the New York Yankees.

When president of baseball operations David Stearns signed both Weaver and Williams, I am imagining he hoped that several of the Mets games this season would look similar to this: Weaver to Williams in the late innings of a close game against a great team to secure a win. On Saturday, the pair of ex-Yankees combined to go three innings, giving up only one hit while striking out three against their former team, thanks to Weaver pulling a rabbit out of his hat to escape a bases loaded jam with no outs.

Brad Penner-Imagn Images

“Unicorn stuff” is what Juan Soto called Weaver’s Houdini act in the seventh inning. “He comes in, shows no fear, attacks the hitters, gets the job done. It’s really cool to see,” Soto told reporters after the game. Weaver threw 19 pitches, 17 for strikes, and was able to go two huge innings to help secure a win to give the Mets a chance at a series win.

In 2026, almost everything that can go wrong for the Mets has gone wrong. Whether that be injuries to key players, massive regression from usually consistent players, or seemingly strong moves on paper by the front office failing. However, and this may not be a popular opinion, Luke Weaver and Devin Williams have been good moves for the Mets this year.

I’m sure everyone remembers the Athletics game when Weaver gave up four runs in route to a loss, or when Williams didn’t record an out against Minnesota to lose the game. However, a small sample of games early on should not define a player’s season.

After Saturday, Weaver has not allowed a run in 15 of 18 appearances. Similarly, Williams has not allowed a run in 13 out of 17 appearances. In his last eight appearances, Williams has gone 7 2/3 scoreless innings, striking out nine while only allowing one hit and one walk.

As the Mets are attempting to right the ship, Weaver and Williams hitting their stride have been paramount. In the month of May, the pair has combined for 13 scoreless innings. So, what has changed?

Part of the answer that people may not want to hear: Williams’ luck is starting to turn. Under the hood, Williams is drastically underperforming what he “should” be. Coming into his appearance Saturday night, his ERA was a 5.27, compared to an xERA of 3.00. His BABIP was an absurd .438, seventh highest of any pitcher with at least 10 innings pitched. This was always going to level out, it was just a matter of time for a pitcher with a track record like Williams.

Photo Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

Another part of this is the fact that Williams needed to find his changeup again. The “airbender” changeup has simply not been good this year. His changeup has a negative run value for the first time in his career. Coming into Saturday, opposing batters were hitting .303 and slugging .424 off the changeup. Why is this happening?

The changeup shape is just simply not the same as it has been. This year, his changeup is, on average, getting over two inches more of arm side run than it ever has, while dropping almost three inches less than his career average. This is creating a “flatter” changeup, which was not successful early in the year.

In the case of Weaver, his pitch mix has been much different in May than it was in April. While he is throwing his changeup at a similar rate, he is throwing his cutter 10.3% more and his fastball 10.9% less frequently.

What makes his success so interesting is that his cutter has been his worst pitch this year. While it generates his highest whiff rate, hitters have done tons of damage this year off his cutter. When Weaver was at his best, he was using his fastball as a weapon. Throwing more cutters has allowed his fastball to be more successful than it was in April, which has done wonders for both him and the Mets.

Games like these feel great. It’s always great to win. It’s even better to beat the Yankees.

However, if the Mets are going to turn this season around, they need their bullpen to pitch lights out. And Williams and Weaver need to continue to be the catalyst.

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