The New York Mets entered Tuesday’s game against the Chicago White Sox on a three-game winning streak. Fantastic pitching keyed the victories, led by a lights-out bullpen. The Mets needed to win low-scoring games, as their hitting continued to struggle. They scored five runs or fewer in 13 consecutive contests. On Tuesday evening, there were finally signs of life as New York erupted in the first inning to key a 6-4 victory.
The Mets fell behind quickly as Tylor Megill allowed a two-run home run to Miquel Vargas. Few would have anticipated a quick response considering the lengthy New York scoring funk. The key catalyst for the dramatic bounce back would come as an even bigger surprise.
Brandon Nimmo started the first inning offense with an infield single, but it was bunched around outs by Francisco Lindor and Juan Soto. The next six batters reached base, highlighted by HRs from Pete Alonso and Jared Young. By the time the hitting stopped, the Mets had six hits and four runs, nearly as much as they have gotten in most games over the last two weeks.
Alonso has gotten back into a groove again after a 15-game homerless streak; the power blast marked his second in three games. It is no coincidence that New York’s worst scoring stretch occurred when he fell into a slump. Getting him back on track is crucial to future success.
Alonso played well, knocking in two runs with his HR, but the player of the game was unquestionably Young. The Mets called him up only a few days prior and showed confidence by putting him in the middle of the lineup. Young followed his first-inning HR with a double in the third, helping New York score again.
Last season, the Mets turned their year around behind nondescript players like Jose Iglesias and inspiration from his OMG song, which became the team’s anthem. Could Young serve as the 2025 spark from nowhere to drive New York to higher success? He played in the Korean Baseball Organization last season and most of his career in the minors previously.
Young looked good at Triple-A Syracuse, hitting .272 and slugging .533 with six HRs and 23 RBI before getting called up. His immediate success gives Manager Carlos Mendoza much to think about, as all options must be considered to shake up the struggling hitting. Young ended his evening going two for three, scoring a run and knocking in two, creating momentum that must be capitalized upon.
Megill responded well to the Vargas HR by holding the White Sox to two runs. He worked through base runners in multiple innings by elevating his performance with clutch pitching. Each time Chicago got a hit, he followed with outs, minimizing the damage. He gave the Mets’ bats time to turn a 2-0 deficit into a 5-2 lead.
Megill has been an up-and-down pitcher throughout his career, but he has been more consistent this season. Last year, any trouble would have led to blow-up innings. He stayed composed against the White Sox and finished with 5 2/3 innings pitched, four hits, two runs, and striking out six.
Mendoza has been careful not to overwork closer Edwin Diaz, who has appeared in numerous games lately. Reid Garrett has excelled, with a 0.76 earned run average and 26 strikeouts in 23 2/3 innings pitched. Mendoza has trusted him to fill in for Diaz; he performed admirably Sunday against the Los Angeles Dodgers, shutting the door to the 3-1 victory.
On Tuesday, Garrett once again had the opportunity to close out the game. Francisco Lindor helped provide a greater working margin by singling home Luisangel Acuna in the eighth. Garrett did the rest by striking out three batters and making quick work of Chicago in the ninth. Huascar Brazoban and Garrett are an excellent one-two setup punch that gives Mendoza a lot of late-game options.
Nothing seems to come easily for New York. Even when scoring four runs in the first inning, they find themselves in a nailbiter that requires creative managerial moves late. They have experienced an emotional downer against the White Sox after taking the huge Dodgers series.
The National League has multiple excellent teams. The Philadelphia Phillies, Chicago Cubs, San Diego Padres, and Mets all look likely to pass well beyond 90 wins. The Atlanta Braves will get a boost with the return of Ronald Acuna Jr and Spencer Strider. The St. Louis Cardinals, Milwaukee Brewers, and Arizona Diamondbacks all have playoff-caliber squads.
New York can’t afford lulls against weaker opponents. Young may provide a spark, but more is needed. General Manager David Stearns is almost certainly looking at dealing for a big bat as the trade deadline moves closer. The competition is too stiff to afford doing little to bring in outside help.
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