Carson Benge and A.J. Ewing are helping to right a ship caught in a storm
The young duo played a starring role in the sweep of the Tigers this week
What’s Up with the Mets? ⚾️
The Mets completed a sweep of the Tigers by winning the finale by a score of 9-4 (box)
Their sweep of Detroit is their first sweep of the season and the first since August 2025
This series was the third time in Mets history that they swept a series of 3 or more games despite trailing by multiple runs in each game (Sarah Langs)
Despite not having his best stuff, RHP Nolan McLean pitched seven innings and struck out seven. He gave up three runs in the first and walked three but picked up his first win at Citi Field this season
The team slugged five home runs in the finale against Detroit. A.J. Ewing, Brett Baty, Mark Vientos, Juan Soto, and Marcus Semien all went deep
RF Carson Benge stayed hot and went 2-for-5 with a run scored and stolen base
Injury Updates 🏥
C Francisco Álvarez (meniscus tear) underwent surgery on his knee and is expected to miss eight weeks
SS Francisco Lindor (calf) still has no timetable for his return, but his latest MRI showed some healing, and he can start strength training for his recovery
Play of the Game 🌟
The Mets were down early after Nolan McLean gave up a three-run shot in the first inning, but once again it was a rookie providing a spark to ignite the comeback.
A.J. Ewing picked up his first major league hit in the first game of the series, and now he can add a big-league home run to his stats. In the third inning, he hit a solo home run to get the Mets on the board, which started them on the comeback trail. Brett Baty’s two-run shot an inning later tied the game, and the team was off and running to win the game. The offense’s power as a whole was on full display, but Ewing’s first should not be overlooked in the team’s comeback victory.
Just Mets Podcast 🎙️
In the latest edition of the Just Mets Podcast, Andrew reacts to the first series sweep of the year for the Mets, led by the, “Baby Mets.”
SUBSCRIBE: YouTube | Apple Podcasts | Spotify
Down on the Farm 🌾
RHP Jonah Tong (No. 2 prospect, Triple-A): 1.2 IP, 5 H, 7 R, 6 ER, 3 BB, 3 K, 2 HR
LHP Jonathan Santucci (No. 8 prospect, Double-A): 5.0 IP, 6 H, 4 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 4 K
SS Elian Peña (No. 7 prospect, High-A): 1-for-2, R, 3B, BB, K
BOX SCORES
Triple-A | Double-A | Single-A | High-A
Today’s Game 🗓
Match-up: Mets (18-25) vs. Yankees (27-17)
Where: Citi Field — Flushing, NY
Starters: RHP Clay Holmes (4-3, 1.86 ERA) vs. RHP Cam Schlittler (5-1, 1.35 ERA)
When: 7:15 PM EDT
Where to Watch: Apple TV
Carson Benge and A.J. Ewing have offered a glimpse of the future ✍️
Some eyebrows were raised earlier in the week when the Mets announced that they were calling up top prospect A.J. Ewing to the major leagues.
Some argued it was too soon, while others said it was a desperate move since the team was struggling. Both of those things might have been true, but after this first series against Detroit, he eased those concerns, the Mets won baseball games, and he—combined with Carson Benge—offered a glimpse of what the future could hold for this franchise.
Over the last nine or ten years, it seems like the Mets have had position player prospects graduate to the big leagues that held the promise for success, such as Michael Conforto, Brandon Nimmo, Amed Rosario, Dominic Smith, Jeff McNeil, Pete Alonso, Brett Baty, Mark Vientos, and Francisco Álvarez. Some have been very successful, some have gone on to have long careers, and some are still looking to fulfill that promise. But none were able to lead the team or be a part of a championship with the Mets.
Of course, you could literally say that about every single prospect that has come up since 1987, right?
Obviously, Baty, Vientos, and Álvarez still have that opportunity, but with their struggles, the new wave of prospects have the potential to make this team their own, and in this series against the Tigers, they did just that.
Game 1 was all about Ewing and his major league debut.
He showed both his patience at the plate with three walks and his speed with a stolen base and a triple. It was both an exciting debut and a refreshing sight in the team’s 10-2 win. Benge also went 2-for-5 with a run and RBI in that game, and it certainly seemed like both had injected some youthful energy into the club, which is what this team needed.
The second game was all about Benge.
Mr. Pulchritudinous has made some stellar defensive plays this season, but his misplay in the outfield cost Christian Scott and the Mets two runs. The team managed to scratch out two runs of their own, and the game went to extras, where Benge got the opportunity to make up for his miscue. With the speedy Ewing as the ghost runner, any hit would easily score him, which is exactly what happened. Benge became the walk-off hero, and the team secured what has been a rare series victory this season.
In the third game, the pair each contributed in their own way to the series sweep.
Ewing was a bit flashier with his first major league home run, but Benge again went 2-for-5 out of the leadoff spot with a run scored and a stolen base. Benge has been on fire lately, hitting .370/.393/.407 over his last seven games with three runs, three RBIs, and two stolen bases.
Obviously, it was only one series, but it is fun and easy to dream on these two prospects who have a load of talent and could patrol the outfield with a future Hall of Famer for years to come. And right now, the Mets need something to hang their hopes and hats on since their season has been generally miserable to date.
And quite frankly, things need to be more positive and more fun for the team if they’re going to turn things around. We have been saying all year on this site that the Mets needed to make wholesale changes to what was clearly a bad roster. While there are still problems they need to solve, such as figuring out how to get Francisco Lindor back as quickly as they can, value out of Bo Bichette, and getting general consistency out of those who are not injured, the front office should be credited - for now anyway - for being patient with Benge and taking a bold chance to inject some energy into the major league roster with Ewing.
We will see if Benge and Ewing will finally be the duo that can help bring a championship back to Queens after far too long. But as this organization has seen far too often over the years, prospects with talent and hype don’t always get the job done. This was indeed a small sample, and the club needs to see how these two respond when things inevitably become more challenging for them out there in their struggles.
For now though, they are righting the ship caught in a storm, been a positive distraction for a floundering club, and that is a massive win for a team in desperate search of them.
Around the League 🚩
The Mariners placed C Cal Raleigh on the IL with an oblique strain which is the first time in his career he has landed on the injured list (ESPN)
The Athletics acquired LHP José Suarez from the Mariners in exchange for cash considerations (MLB.com)
Phillies DH Kyle Schwarber helped power the Phillies to a 3-1 win over the Red Sox
The Cardinals mounted a dramatic ninth inning comeback after being down to their last strike in their 5-4 with over the Athletics