It only gets tougher from here for the Mets
The Mets most difficult part of their schedule is upon them - they can ill afford to continue playing badly this month
What’s Up with the Mets? ⚾️
The Mets avoided a sweep by the Cardinals in the series finale with a 5-4 victory (box)
The team hit three home runs against St. Louis one each by Bo Bichette, Jared Young, and Juan Soto
Both Soto and Young went a combined 4-for-8 with two home runs, 3 R, and 3 RBIs
RHP Christian Scott struggled and couldn’t complete five innings. He pitched 4.2 innings, gave up four earned runs, struck out six, walked one, and gave up three home runs
The bullpen combination of RHP A.J. Minter, LHP Brooks Raley, RHP Luke Weaver, and RHP Devin Williams was superb. They gave up just one hit and walked one between them to keep the team in the game
Roster Moves 📰
RHP Daniel Duarte recalled from Triple-A Syracuse
RHP Jonathan Pintaro optioned to Triple-A
Injury Updates 🩺
RHP Kodai Senga (ulnar nerve irritation) pitched six innings with Double-A. He gave up one run, struck out five, and walked one
Luis Robert Jr. (lower back injury) does not known when he will return, but expects to play again in 2026
Play of the Game ✨
The ball was flying out of Citi Field on Thursday against the Cardinals. The Mets jumped out to an early lead thanks to home runs by Bo Bichette and Jared Young in the first to make it 3-1 Mets.
Unfortunately, the Cardinals punched back with two home runs of their own to take a 4-3 lead. The Mets tied it up in the fifth on a Young single, and the game remained tied until Juan Soto stepped to the plate in the seventh. He blasted a solo shot, which ended up as the game winner.
All told, six home runs were hit in the game, but Soto’s was the difference-maker in a game the team desperately needed.
Just Mets Podcast 🎙️
ICYMI: Andrew and Rich reflected on the Mets going .500 over their final West Coast trip of the regular season, celebrated the young psychopaths, and tried to forecast a way forward for this year’s club.
SUBSCRIBE: YouTube | Apple Podcasts | Spotify
Down on the Farm 🌾
RHP Tobias Myers (Triple-A): 2.2 IP, 0 ER, BB, 2 K
RHP Jack Wenninger (No. 4 prospect, Triple-A): 5.0 IP, 6 H, 3 ER, 2 BB, 5 K, 1 HR
C Ronald Hernandez (High-A): 2-for-2, R, 2 BB
BOX SCORES
Single-A STL | High-A BRK | Double-A BNG | Triple-A SYR
Today’s Game 🗓
Match-up: Mets (30-38) vs. Braves (45-23)
Where: Citi Field - Flushing, NY
Starters: RHP Nolan McLean (3-4, 3.98 ERA) vs. RHP Spencer Strider (4-1, 4.00 ERA)
When: 7:15 PM EDT
Where to Watch: Apple TV
Just like old times! Mets face a gauntlet in the Braves this weekend ✍️
Opportunity knocked for the Mets in their series against the Cardinals. But as has been the case for most of this season, they failed to seize the day.
The Mets had a chance to gain ground in the Wild Card standings in this last series against the Cardinals, but they dropped two of three and are now 5.5 games out of a playoff spot.
Needless to say, they failed their test in a home series against St. Louis, and now they face another in the Braves, an even bigger gauntlet against the best team in the sport.
Will they be up to the challenge against Atlanta, a team that has haunted them mostly year after year for the better part of 30 years?
For the moment, it certainly appears as though the Braves are running away with the division. As opposed to the last two seasons, everything has broken right for Atlanta so far in 2026 despite dealing with some serious roster adversity during spring training. Their potent offense is in the top five in the league in home runs, runs, RBIs, average, slugging, wRC+, and fWAR. Combined with the Mets’ shaky starting pitching, this could be a tough match-up for the Mets.
The Mets are a bit lucky that the Braves will be without Ronald Acuña Jr. who recently returned to the IL with a hamstring injury. That takes a powerful bat out of the Braves lineup, but this Atlanta team will still prove challenging for the Mets, who are simply a superior club.
Old friend Dominic Smith is having the best season of his career so far this year. He is batting .291/.329/.453 with six home runs and 28 RBIs in 148 at-bats. Michael Harris II is having an All-Star year, batting .306/.339/.513 with 13 home runs and 40 RBIs. And then there is Matt Olson, who is batting .272/.344/.558 with 19 home runs and 50 RBIs so far this season.
The lineup is still plenty deep even missing Acuña.
It does not get any easier after the Braves leave town. Up next is the Reds, Phillies, Cubs, and then the Phillies again before facing the Blue Jays to close out June. The Reds, Phillies, and Cubs are all teams ahead of them in the standings, so if they were to go on a run now is the time to do it. They already failed their first test. They can ill afford to get more failing grades, or this season may in fact be truly over, and they’ll have some decisions to make come July and the trade deadline.
But quite frankly, it doesn’t really matter who the Mets are facing at this point if they can’t get out of their own way. Their rotation issues will victimize them whether they play a first-place team or a team like themselves, which is simply a second-division club. The same goes for their offense.
And, until they can mitigate those issues, either by making wholesale changes to their roster, getting their injured stars back, or simply playing better, nothing is going to change.
Around the League 🚩
Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani exited their game against the Pirates early with left knee inflammation (ESPN)
Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal is set to rejoin the Tigers this weekend against the Guardians after undergoing elbow surgery five weeks ago
The Phillies acquired OF Derek Hill from the White Sox in exchange for prospects and international bonus pool money
RHP Seth Lugo is feeling ok one day after being struck in the head by a line drive off the bat of former teammate Brandon Nimmo (MLB.com)
Boston Red Sox team president Sam Kennedy said that they do not plan on firing chief baseball officer Craig Breslow despite the disappointing play this season (ESPN)