The New York Mets entered Tuesday’s opening game against the Arizona Diamondbacks off a high from their smashing of the Washington Nationals. Against Washington on Monday afternoon, the Mets scored 19 runs, hit four home runs, and went 10 for 17 with runners in scoring position. Could they maintain the momentum?
New York answered with an emphatic “YES!” MVP candidate Pete Alonso paced the bats. He went two for three with two runs scored and a monster blast to left field in the 4th. His home run capped the Mets’ scoring for the night.
The superlatives don’t begin to do justice to Alonso. He is now 36 for 98 for the season with seven HR’s, 22 runs scored, and 28 runs batted in. His batting average is .367, and his on-base plus slugging percentage is an eye-popping 1.189.
Alonso had what he admitted was a career-worst 2024. He has more than bounced back with his exemplary 2025. He has been the focal point of nearly all New York scoring rallies. His patience and control under pressure have vastly improved since last year. Getting a contract extension last offseason proved difficult for him; it won’t be next offseason.
Francisco Lindor has been on a tear since a difficult series against the Minnesota Twins. In the last two weeks, he hit .385 with a 1.131 OPS. He scored 12 runs and hit five HRs with 10 RBI. He is historically a slow starter, but that has been flipped with his exceptional performance.
Tuesday, that didn’t change. Lindor hit a crucial two-run HR in the 2nd, extending the Mets’ lead from two to four runs. He made a fantastic defensive play in the 4th, making a deflection and an amazing short hop to get Eugenio Suarez at first.
Lindor‘s fielding majesty might not have been the most magnificent highlight of the night. Also in the 4th, Tyrone Taylor came out of seemingly nowhere to make an unbelievable diving catch. He ranged from right-center to make a full-out sprint and extended dive to steal a hit from Lourdes Gurriel Jr.
Taylor’s catch was likely the most impressive defensive play by New York this season. It set the pace for fantastic fielding throughout the night and helped starter David Peterson relax through another robust performance.
David Peterson has become a constant in the Mets’ rotation. He broke out in 2024 with an impressive 10-3 record and 2.90 ERA. He became a critical factor in New York’s storybook late-season run, coming up huge in multiple pressure-packed starts.
Peterson has maintained his excellence in 2025. He has given the Mets quality appearances each time and continued Tuesday against the Diamondbacks. Helped by outstanding hitting and superb fielding, he pitched five innings, allowing five hits, one run, zero walks, and striking out two. He improved his record to 2-1 and lowered his ERA to 3.06.
Starling Marte played a critical role in New York’s series finale against the Philadelphia Phillies last week. He got the game-winning single to help the Mets win an extra-inning thriller and sweep the Phillies. He has gotten off to a slow start this season, but over the last week, he has looked better in his part-time role.
Marte continued his upgraded performance against Arizona. Hitting out of the cleanup spot, he hit a two-run HR in the bottom of the 3rd, driving home Alonso. He helped New York pad its lead to seven by inning’s end. Manager Carlos Mendoza believes in utilizing all his players to make them feel part of the game, he is skillfully doing so with Marte.
The Mets won the opening game against a quality Diamondbacks team. Arizona was one of New York’s strongest competitors for a playoff spot last season. They figure to be so again this year. Making a strong statement is critical, and the Mets did so with wonderful all-around play.
Over the last three games, New York has scored 34 runs. The Mets’ lineup is averaging 6.8 runs per game with 13 HRs over their last nine games. The bats started slow, and several key players like Juan Soto still need to crank it up. They are showing, though, what they are capable of as more key pieces like Jeff McNeil and Francisco Alvarez return.
Fielding has often been a problem this year. Sloppy play contributed to tough losses like those in Minnesota two weeks ago. Recently, it has been improved, highlighted by last night’s magnificence.
New York has MLB’s best record but can still go much higher. That is encouraging for Mets fans. David Stearns and Mendoza have crafted a deep team that can handle adversity. Last night was likely just the beginning.
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