The New York Mets entered Tuesday afternoon, hitting only .206 with a .648 on-base plus slugging percentage. They averaged 3.5 runs per game during the initial 10-game span. In the last three contests, all wins, New York scored 3, 2, and 2 runs. Tight, nerve-wracking affairs have become the norm.
Tuesday afternoon brought high, blustery winds and cold temperatures. The game was moved up to 4:40 due to the extreme conditions. Frigid weather and high-scoring numbers don’t go together. Could it liven up the Mets’ bats, though?
Juan Soto and Francisco Lindor showed encouraging signs in the Mets’ 2-0 win on Monday evening. Soto’s double in the 3rd sparked the Mets to an early lead, driving home Lindor, who reached base three times.
Pete Alonso, as he has done all season, performed well with two hits to ensure the Miami Marlins couldn’t pitch around Soto. When Lindor, Soto, and Alonso are all in sync, the Mets’ offense will be unstoppable. Fans got a taste of that on Monday; could they get more?
The answer, with the intense winds blowing, was a resounding “YES!” Lindor, with the Mets down 2-0, started the bats off right with a leadoff home run. He is usually a slow starter; the first week played that out. The signs this week, though, have been highly encouraging.
It’s no coincidence that when Lindor gets on base, and shows some pop, the Mets’ hitters all follow. One run turned into two when Alonso doubled in the 3rd inning, driving in Soto. Soto’s presence has helped make Alonso relax, knowing he doesn’t have to be the guy to carry the lineup. He only needs to be a cog in the attack.
The big three of Lindor, Soto, and Alonso paved the way early and then handed the baton to the rest of the lineup. In the fifth inning, Hayden Senger led off with a single. Following an error, a flyout, and an Alonso walk, Brandon Nimmo doubled to bring home two runs. Starling Marte closed the attack with a single to drive in two more.
Good hitting is contagious. If Lindor, Soto, and Alonso are all performing, all the other hitters only need to keep the line going. The pressure is taken off. Fans saw that on Tuesday afternoon.
The Marlins chipped away in the top of the sixth inning. Aided by the winds blowing out, Derek Hill hit a HR off reliever Husucar Brazoban to make the score 6-5 Mets. The bullpen has been fantastic this season, especially with inherited runners. How would New York respond to a chip in the bullpen armor?
In the bottom of the sixth, Brett Baty led off with an infield single. Senger reached on a single bunt. Lindor flew out to center. The Marlins intentionally walked Soto. Alonso came up in a big moment, as he seemingly has done all season, and smacked a double, driving home pinch runner Luisangel Acuna, Senger, and Soto.
The Mets have responded well in high-pressure moments. This was illustrated again yesterday. Right when the Marlins looked ready to turn the game in their favor, Alonso keyed New York’s response. The Mets controlled the rest of the contest.
Good teams don’t panic when things get hard. They stay composed and focus on the moment rather than worry about what could go wrong. New York has remained calm under pressure, propelling the six-game winning streak.
Clay Holmes is a work in progress. General Manager David Stearns won a heated offseason battle for his services, with several teams believing he could become a high-level starter. Holmes, a career reliever, signed up to make the switch over to the rotation. His pitching arsenal gives the Mets hope that he can lead a starting corps.
Holmes labored in his first two starts, throwing a lot of pitches early and dealing with a handful of men on base. He was able to keep the run scoring down, but couldn’t provide the length needed. Manager Carlos Mendoza hoped for more on Tuesday.
Holmes responded with his best performance. Each start, he is getting better, and he made a big leap forward yesterday. In 5 1/3 innings, he struck out 10 batters, making most look silly. He had better command of his pitches and worked into the sixth before giving way to the bullpen.
New York is 8-3 and in sole possession of first place since 2022. The Mets have done this with anemic hitting, numerous starting pitching issues, and, at times, Little League-like fielding.
The room for improvement is high, yet New York keeps winning. They are also doing this with several key components injured. They are missing catcher Francisco Alvarez, second baseman Jeff McNeil, starting pitchers Sean Manaea and Frankie Montas, and reliever Dedniel Nunez.
Lindor, Soto, and Alonso all look ready to start clicking together. This will have a profound effect on the rest of the lineup. Yesterday was just a taste.
Holmes is picking up how to be a starter. He exhibited his elite stuff yesterday. Kodai Senga looked terrific on Monday. Tylor Megill appears to be taking a huge step forward. Stearns and owner Steve Cohen will add pieces to the rotation if needed.
Fans should be excited by the strong start, especially by the intangibles the Mets are showing. They can be even more ecstatic by what could be once injured players return and others start to play to their norms.
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