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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In this episode of MMO Weekly, hosts Sal Manzo, Mathias Altman-Kurosaki, and Johnluke Chaparro discuss the Mets’ series sweep versus the Marlins, the re-emergence of A.J. Ewing, Bo Bichette‘s contract and opt-out, and more!

Check out the latest episode above, subscribe to our YouTube channel, and find us on any listening platform like Apple Podcasts and Spotify!

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Teruaki Sato

Teruaki Sato, 1B/3B

Teruaki Sato is the most well-known hitter out of the NPB expected to be available this offseason. He currently is listed as a third baseman, but in the majors the expectation is that he would play first base. The 89 wRC+ the Mets have received from their first base position this season is the second-worst in MLB in 2026. In the second half, though, they have received better production out of the position with a 110 wRC+, but that is still the 18th-best over that span. Would Sato make sense for the Mets next year?

The answer likely depends on the contract he receives. It is easy to look at his 35 home runs in 2026 and 40 home runs in 2025 and want to slot him into the heart of the Mets’ lineup, but Sato does not hit the ball as hard as Munetaka Murakami. He does not have the contact or strikeout issues Murakami has, but they are still a problem with a 24th percentile zone-contact rate of 81.5% and a 24th percentile strikeout rate of 25.8%. He does hit the ball harder than Okamto did in the NPB, but he does not have near the hit tool Okamoto did.

I do not know that I can easily make the argument that Sato would be a large enough upgrade over Jared Young to give a multi-year contract to him. With Young slashing .266/.331/.429/.760, I do not know if I can even make the argument Sato would be a lock to match that. If the Mets were to give Sato the kind of deal he likely wants, it means they probably have some changes planned to help him take the next step forward. The Mets did scout him in-person, though they did the same for Murakami and Okamoto.

Kaima Taira, SP/RP

Jeff Passan likens Kaima Taira to former Met reliever Rico Garcia. He throws eight different pitches, including three fastball shapes, four breaking balls, and a changeup. He has reached 100 miles per hour and has bounced around between being a starter and a reliever. It is unclear whether he will get reliever or starter offers from major league clubs.

With his good velocity and deep pitch mix, Taira does fit the mold of other successful reliever-to-starter conversions. The Mets have had success there and he could be the next pitcher they try that with. He could also make sense in the bullpen. Velocity was a need of theirs for much of the 2026 season.

Hiromi Itoh, SP

We have the benefit that Hiromi Itoh pitched in the World Baseball Classic and thus have a small sample of what his stuff looks like with the major league baseball.

It was a mixed bag. Results-wise, his 11.25 ERA is not what you want to see, but also it was only four innings. He did not walk anyone and ran a 33.3% whiff rate. What stands out is how he was able to generate both good glove side and arm side movement. Utilizing multiple pitch shapes to help his sinker and slider play up is a big part of his game since none of his pitches are truly “plus” pitches. He did not run a high strikeout rate in the NPB, but he limited walks and attacked the zone. He also did not keep the ball on the ground, and his home run rate was a smidge higher than the average NPB pitcher.

If the Mets were to sign him, he should be viewed as a back of the rotation innings eater. He has peaked at 196 2/3 innings in the NPB and has averaged over 6 innings per start in his career. Entering his age-29 season, it really depends what he wants to sign for.

Who Should the Mets Target?

Taira on a one-to-three year deal seems to make the most sense to me. It could even be structured similarly to the Clay Holmes deal. The Mets could try him as a starter with the plan to convert him to a reliever at an agreed-upon time if he is unable to pitch as a major league starter. He pitched 132 innings in 2026 so he is already largely stretched out.

For Sato, I do not know if I can confidently say he would be enough of an upgrade over what the Mets already have, or how he would compare to other free agents like Jake Bauers and Ty France who may not require as much of a commitment.

Similarly, if the Mets want to go after an innings eater that may not have the highest ceiling, they probably want someone who has done it in the majors over Itoh.

As we get closer to the offseason, we will learn more about how MLB teams are scouting these players, how they think these players can make adjustments in the majors, and what types of deals those players are looking for. Where we stand right now, the player that makes the most sense to me is Taira.

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Jack Wenninger. Photo by Herm Card

Triple-A

Syracuse Mets (74-66) 6 vs. St. Paul Saints (78-62) 2

BOX SCORE

• LF Ryan Clifford – 2-for-4, 2 2B, 1 R, 1 RBI (55), 1 K (.623 OPS)
• 2B Émilien Pitre – 2-for-4, 1 R, 1 BB (.781 OPS)
• CF D’Andre Smith – 2-for-5, 1 R, 1 K (.984 OPS)

Syracuse was 3-for-14 with runners in scoring position, but some well-timed hits let them pull out the victory. Billy Amick went 0-for-5 with two strikeouts and Kevin Parada went 1-for-3 with his second home run for Syracuse.

• RHP Jack Wenninger (4.21 ERA) 5 IP, 6 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 7 K (48 of 82 pitches for strikes
• RHP Dylan Ross (6.86 ERA) 1 IP, 1 BB, 1 K

New addition Cameron Weston struck out two batters in his appearance. The bullpen combined for four scoreless innings, with six relievers allowing a combined two hits and two walks.

Double-A

Binghamton Rumble Ponies (61-74) 6 vs. Portland Sea Dogs (69-65) 14

BOX SCORE

• DH Jacob Reimer – 1-for-5, 1 R, HR (8), 3 RBI (40), 3 K (.737 OPS)
• 3B Jefferson Rojas – 1-for-5, 2B, 1 R, 3 K (.929 OPS)
• SS Mitch Voit – 2-for-5, 1 R, 1 RBI (18), SB (9), 1 K (.961 OPS)
• LF Corey Collins – 0-for-3, 1 R (.927 OPS)

The Rumble Ponies turned eight hits and two walks into six runs, but that wouldn’t be close to enough to salvage the day. John Bay struggled, going 0-for-4 with two strikeouts. Since his promotion to Double-A, he has seen his batting average go up but his power numbers have taken a dip, with over half of his hits in Brooklyn going for extra-bases, and only nine of his 32 hits in Double-A going for extra bases.

• RHP Luke Gabrysh (6.88 ERA) 3 1/3 IP, 3 H, 4 ER, 3 BB, 5 K (41 of 69 pitches for strikes)
• RHP Calvin Ziegler (0.00 ERA) 1 IP, 2 BB, 2 K

Gabrysh struggled with his command, giving up baserunners and paying the price, including a run scoring on a double-steal. His final line looks much worse because upon entering the game, Douglas Orellana gave up a grand slam with three of the four runs being charged to Gabrysh. Ziegler was solid in his first career Double-A appearance, striking out two while walking two. Ziegler is still struggling with his control, having walked 24 over 13 innings across four levels.

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The pain of what happened on September 11th, 2001, has not subsided. We can put the tragedy of what took place on that day out of our minds, but we can never put it out of our hearts.

Every single day, Americans are still dying because of 9/11. Their lives continue to raise the death toll of that tragic day. What started out as 3,000 lives lost, has now eclipsed 6,000.

Let’s take some time to remember those victims and to honor them. Let’s take a few minutes to remember and honor those who put their lives on the line every single waking hour, so that we here at home can go on living our lives and rebuilding the dreams that perished on that fateful day.

Tens of thousands of service men and women don’t have the luxury of going online each morning to see what place their team is in the standings, or to read blogs about their favorite teams. They risk their lives so that millions of us can enjoy these simple pleasures.

The best way to honor the fallen is to go on living the life and cherishing the freedom for which they died defending.

The best way to honor the heroes who still fight to preserve our way of life, is to live our lives in a manner that is worth defending. To reflect the values and the virtues of being an American, every single day.

Freedom and liberty can mean a million different things to a million different people, but there is one common truth that our differences cannot dissuade. Freedom is as fragile or as strong as the will of those who are willing to defend it.

Support our troops, remember September 11th, and be proud to be American.

Editor’s Note: Joe D. posted this back in 2007, and I felt like it was his words we needed today. Miss you, man. MLB Network aired “When America Took the Field” on Thursday night. You can re-watch is Friday at 10 pm, Saturday at 8 am and Sunday at 8 pm. You can also watch at anytime on MLB tv. 

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With free agency less than two months away, one of the biggest questions surrounding the Mets will be whether Bo Bichette chooses to opt out of his contract following the season. Jeff Passan of ESPN called Bichette’s decision one of the trickiest in the upcoming free-agent class.

The Mets still owe Bichette $84 million over the next two seasons, but he could opt out, accept a $5 million buyout and return to free agency entering his age-29 season. Passan noted that Bichette’s early slump has hurt his overall numbers, but predicted that he will opt out, while acknowledging that the decision is genuinely close to a coin flip.

Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images

Latest Mets News

The Mets have released left-hander Joe Jacques, according to MLB Trade Rumors. Jacques spent the season with Triple-A Syracuse on a minor league contract but never reached the Mets’ active roster. Injuries limited the southpaw to 24 appearances, during which he posted a 5.92 ERA over 24 1/3 innings. One of the highlights of his season came when he tossed a perfect inning during Syracuse’s combined no-hitter on Aug. 30.

Latest MLB News

Shohei Ohtani will be placed on the injured list with issues involving his left knee and right biceps, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts announced.

Atlanta Braves outfielder Lane Thomas will head to the injured list, according to Mark Bowman of MLB.com. The news was announced by manager Walt Weiss.

Jeff Passan of ESPN also broke down the rest of the upcoming 2026-27 free-agent class, describing it as an underwhelming group with starter Tarik Skubal and three Japanese stars among the biggest names. The looming Dec. 1 lockout deadline could also have a major impact on how quickly players begin signing this offseason.

Latest on MMO

Jonathan Santucci‘s strong performance leads the latest edition of Mets Minors Recap.

Andrew Steele-Davis highlights the Mets power surge and more on the latest edition of 3 Up, 3 Down.

Robert Colonna highlights A.J. Ewing and how he’s breaking out of his August slump.

Jorge Eckhardt dives into the contact numbers of newly acquired prospect Billy Amick.

Will Bo Bichette opt out of his current deal? The latest episode of MMO Weekly dives into that subject and more!

On This Date in Mets History

1986: The Mets did not play a game on this date in 1986.

1966: On this day in 1966, 19-year-old Nolan Ryan made his Mets debut against the Braves at Shea Stadium. He struck out his first batter and went on to strike out a total of 5,714 throughout his 27-season career. Felipe Alou flied out for the second out, followed by Eddie Matthews, who was strikeout number two. Ryan faced Hank Aaron, fielded a ground ball, allowed a homer to Joe Torre, but closed the inning by striking out Dennis Menke for his third strikeout.

1997: John Olerud hit for the cycle at Shea Stadium against the Montreal Expos. Olerud doubled in the first inning, singled in the third, and homered in the seventh. Then, in the eighth inning with the bases loaded, he made his way to the plate after 1,410 at-bats without a triple. He hit a triple. The Mets won the game 9-5, echoing a song once sung by a well-known country artist.

Born on This Date: Frank Francisco (1979), Dave Roberts (1944), Larry Bearnarth (1940).

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Jack Wenninger. Photo by Herm Card

7:37 PM · CHS Field · Syracuse (73-66) vs St. Paul (78-61)

The Syracuse Mets open the night 2.5 games back of a playoff spot with 10 games left in the season. On Thursday night, they turned to right-hander Jack Wenninger to start. Though a couple of the outings were brief, Wenninger hasn’t allowed more than two earned runs in his last four appearances. During that span, Wenninger has an encouraging 25 strikeouts in 17 innings, but has also walked 11.

Ryan Clifford is back off the development list and homered on Wednesday night. Another notable part of Clifford’s return: he has only three strikeouts in five games after striking out 164 times in the first 104 games of the season.

6:09 PM · Hadlock Field · Binghamton (61-73) vs Portland (68-65)

The Rumble Ponies’ playoff chances are very slim as they enter the final stretch of the season. With four games left, they are 3.5 games back. One Binghamton loss or one Reading win, ends their playoff hopes.

With their season on the ropes, Binghamton has right-hander Luke Gabrysh getting the start. Gabrysh, came over in the Brooks Raley trade, is coming off the best start with the Mets. He tossed five scoreless innings with five strikeouts last week for Binghamton.

Right-hander Calvin Ziegler was added to the roster before the game. He has struggled this season (8.03 ERA in 12.1 IP), but the important thing is he’s been healthy for the first time since very early in the 2025 season.

Corey Collins continued his great run in Double-A with his 10th home run in only 41 games with Binghamton after hitting eight in 68 games with Brooklyn. The 24-year-old is sporting a .943 OPS in Double-A. Mets’ top prospect Jefferson Rojas had two hits including a double on Wednesday for Binghamton. The 21-year-old is now hitting .283/.341/.602 in 28 games since the trade from the Rays for Freddy Peralta.

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On the way to sweeping the Marlins on the road, the Mets scored a combined 31 runs. However, on the flip side, they also gave up a combined 23 runs in a series heavy on offense.

The offense saved the day on Wednesday when bad pitching led to a huge blown lead, and nearly another late in the game. As a result of the sweep, the Mets are no longer in last place in the NL East. Furthermore, they’ve now won eight of their last 11 games.

On that note, let’s dive into another edition of 3 Up, 3 Down…

Juan Soto by Berto Carlo

3 UP

FLASHES OF PROMISE

We got another long-awaited glimpse at Jonah Tong. The young pitcher was called back up and got the start on Monday. He showed some good and bad. The good was seven strikeouts over four innings. The bad was four earned runs allowed on four hits. What is important to note, however, is that Tong recovered after giving up a three-run homer, allowing just two baserunners over his final three innings. In short, there’s plenty to work with Tong, but he showed enough to be encouraged about.

BACK ON THE HORSE

We talked about A.J. Ewing waking up from his slumber last time out, but it is worth talking about again. Because since then, the rookie has continued to show plenty at the plate. He went a combined 7-for-13 with two runs scored and five RBIs in the Miami series. That’s what you call snapping a skid. It is also encouraging that Ewing was able to work through his struggles, make the necessary adjustments, and come through it. That’s a huge positive.

OFFENSIVE EXPLOSION

Boy, the bats were red-hot in this series. The Mets scored a combined 31 runs across the three games. They also got contributions from up and down the lineup. Juan Soto had three RBIs and three walks in the series. Francisco Lindor hit two home runs with four RBIs. Carson Benge and Bo Bichette continue to contribute at a high clip. Then, in the series finale, Ewing, Brett Baty, Christopher Morel, and Luis Torrens combined for 10 hits, seven runs scored, and 10 RBIs. Baty continues to show why the Mets are reluctant to give up on him, while Jared Young also stayed hot in Miami. All in all, while there is work to be done, the building blocks of a potent offense appear to be in place.

Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

3 DOWN

HEART ATTACK BASEBALL

The Mets put us all through it on Wednesday. On what was Opening Night in the NFL, the Mets and the Marlins combined to put up a football score. While the offense stepped up, the pitching did not. Chris Devenski was charged with five runs to help blow an 8-0 lead. Three more relievers then combined to allow another six earned runs as the Mets nearly blew another huge lead in the ninth. Thankfully, the team held on, but there is certainly plenty of work that needs to be done in the offseason when it comes to the bullpen.

FADING FAST

Sean Manaea continues to generate confusion. The lefty owned a perfect game through five innings on Tuesday, before imploding in the sixth. The end result was four earned runs allowed on five hits. Manaea has seemingly hit a wall with 23 earned runs and seven home runs allowed over his last five starts alone. More importantly, Manaea really struggles the deeper he gets into games, and that would suggest that maybe his days as an effective starter are indeed over.

BLACK HOLE

Let’s remind you that the Mets scored 31 runs in this series. With that in mind, Francisco Alvarez contributed just one of those runs. The catcher struck out a combined three times over just two games, and his struggles have gone on for a prolonged stretch now. He is hitting just .148/.200/.279/.479 with 30 strikeouts over his last 18 games. Those are some ugly stats, and there has to be some real concern over Alvarez going forward.

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