Mets explode offensively to snap two-game losing streak
Plus, Pete Alonso, Brandon Nimmo and Francisco Alvarez showed the true potential of this offense
What’s up with the Mets? ⚾
The Mets snapped a two-game losing streak by beating the Cardinals 9-3 in St. Louis on Friday night (box | highlights)
RHP Clay Holmes struggled early and got hit on the ankle with a comebacker, settled in from there and allowed three earned runs over six innings
1B Pete Alonso hit his eighth homer of the year to give the Mets the lead in the top of the fifth - he finished with a run scored and two RBIs
LF Brandon Nimmo had an excellent night at the plate, going 3-for-3 with a home run, three runs scored, 1 RBI and two walks
C Francisco Alvarez enjoyed his best night of the season, finishing 3-for-5 with a team-high three RBIs
The Mets racked up 17 hits on the night with ten different batters all recording at least one hit
RHP Blade Tidwell - the No. 15 prospect in the Mets system - will make his MLB debut against the Cardinals on Sunday
1B Pete Alonso was named the NL Player of the Month for April, while INF Luisangel Acuña was crowned the NL Rookie of the Month for April
Injury Updates 🏥
RHP Paul Blackburn (knee inflammation) allowed two earned runs on four hits with no walks and six strikeouts across three innings in a rehab assignment for High-A Brooklyn on Friday
Roster Moves 📰
RHP Austin Warren recalled from Triple-A Syracuse
RHP Ty Adcock was optioned to Triple-A Syracuse
RHP Paul Blackburn was placed on a rehab assignment with High-A Brooklyn
The Polar Bear! 🐻❄️
After another big night, 1B Pete Alonso moved into sole possession of fifth place on the Mets’ all-time RBI list (616)
Alonso is also now just 19 home runs shy of surpassing Darryl Strawberry (252) for the most home runs in franchise history
Alonso now leads the National League in on-base percentage (.473)
Stats of the Day 📊
Dating back to the 2024 season, the Mets have now beaten the Cardinals nine times in a row for the first time in franchise history
The Mets’ 17 hits against St. Louis on Friday was the second-most hits recorded in a game this season
Who’s Hot? 🔥
Over the last 15 games, the Mets have amassed 87 runs, which is good for an average of almost six runs per game, and a whopping 148 total hits
Play of the Game ⭐️
In the top of the fifth with two runners on and one out, it looked like the Mets handed the Cardinals a gift as Mark Vientos grounded out into what looked to be an inning-ending double play.
Instead, St. Louis missed the double play, allowing a run to score and giving Francisco Alvarez the chance to add to the lead later in the inning.
Cardinals catcher Willson Contreras was actually marked with an error on the play for not catching the ball, which is rare given the official scorer can’t assume a double play.
Either way, the Cardinals came up short defensively and, instead of going into the bottom of the fifth down just one run, they trailed 6-3 and were never able to recover and get back into the game.
Down on the Farm 🌾
CF Drew Gilbert (No. 10 prospect, Triple-A): 1-for-3, 1 R, 2 RBI, 1 2B
LHP Felipe De La Cruz (Triple-A): 6.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 9 K
RHP Nolan McLean (No. 5 prospect, Double-A): 6.0 IP, 5 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 4 K
A.J. Ewing (No. 27 prospect, High-A): 3-for-4, 1 R, 2 RBI, 1 2B
BOX SCORES
Single-A STL | High-A BRK | Double-A BNG (GM 1 | GM 2) | Triple-A SYR
Today’s Game 🗓️
Match-up: Mets (22-11) vs. Cardinals (14-19)
Where: Busch Stadium - St. Louis, MO
Starters: RHP Tylor Megill (3-2, 1.74 ERA) vs. RHP Erick Fedde (1-3, 4.68 ERA)
When: 2:15 PM EDT
Where to Watch: SNY
Pete Alonso, Brandon Nimmo and Francisco Alvarez show true potential of this lineup… ✍️
The Mets were clicking offensively in St. Louis on Friday night.
The lineup racked up 17 hits and nine runs, while every single hitter recorded at least one hit.
More importantly, especially given what happened in the last two games against Arizona, this offense was able to come up with the big hit in critical moments.
That leads us to the trio of Pete Alonso, Brandon Nimmo, and Francisco Alvarez, who all had big nights against the Cardinals.
And, in doing so, that threesome highlighted the true potential of this lineup when it is operating at the full peak of its powers.
Alonso continued his stellar year with a clutch two-run shot in the top of the fifth that gave the Mets the lead - a lead they never relinquished the rest of the way. Alonso’s blast shifted the momentum in the game, and the slugger is the straw that stirs the drink for this entire offense right now.
Named the NL Player of the Month following an all-time April, Alonso now leads the National League in on-base percentage (.473). He’s been the dynamic catalyst for this offense, and he should become even more dangerous once Juan Soto starts hitting like Juan Soto. When both Soto and Francisco Lindor really hit their stride, and if Alonso can continue on this current pace, then that will give the Mets arguably one of the best top three hitters in all of baseball, if not the best.
What will also be crucial to any future success this team enjoys this season is both Nimmo and Álvarez hitting like they did on Friday.
Nimmo had a big night at the plate, going 3-for-3 with three runs scored, one RBI, and a pair of walks. His home run in the seventh effectively iced the game. Of course, we’ve seen Nimmo have a monster game before this season, only for his production to go ice cold again immediately after. That can’t happen again. This team needs Nimmo to produce on a consistent basis and set the table for the middle of the lineup.
The outfielder has the skillset to get on base a lot and grind down opposing pitchers with quality at-bats. He just needs to do it on an everyday basis now.
And then there is Alvarez. I spoke prior to the season about how the catcher having a true breakout season would be key to the Mets having another successful season. Alvarez then went and got hurt, of course, and he’s only recently returned to the lineup. But he has shown signs that the work he put in during the offseason on re-working his approach and mechanics could end up translating to a big season offensively the rest of the way.
We certainly saw a tantalizing glimpse of that on Friday with Álvarez finishing 3-for-5 with a team-high three RBI. Alvarez’s line-drive single in the fifth inning to add to the lead was as clutch a piece of hitting as you will see. Furthermore, two of Alvarez’s three hits on Friday were sent the opposite way to right field. If the catcher can come up with more opposite-field knocks on a regular basis, that will certainly help the bottom of the lineup provide more production.
All in all, what we saw Friday night was a blueprint for how dangerous this lineup can be. And, if Alonso can continue to hit at an elite level at the top of the lineup, if Nimmo can produce offensively and set the table for the middle of the order, and if Alvarez can get on base and provide some power from the bottom of the lineup, then that gives the Mets three critical focal points of the offense throughout the lineup.
Soto and Lindor are the headline acts of this lineup, obviously, but Alonso, Nimmo and Alvarez are the X-Factors that could really help to unlock the full potential of this offense.
Around the League 🚩
Yankees star OF Aaron Judge was named the AL Player of the Month after a truly incredible April
Dodgers RHP Yoshinobu Yamamoto was crowned the NL Pitcher of the Month, and Yankees LHP Max Fried was named the AL Pitcher of the Month
Red Sox 2B Kristian Campbell was named the AL Rookie of the Month, while Mariners RHP Andrés Muñoz and Padres RHP Robert Suarez were announced as the AL and NL Relievers of the Month, respectively
Tigers OF Riley Greene became the first player in MLB history to hit two home runs in the ninth inning
C Cal Raleigh now leads MLB in home runs (12) after blasting two homers in Seattle’s 13-1 victory over the Rangers
RHP Gunnar Hoglund allowed just one run over six innings in his first MLB start to help the A’s beat the Marlins, 6-1
LHP Tarik Skubal struckout eight and allowed just one run on four hits across six innings as the Tigers beat the Angels, 9-1
Willson Contreras was the first baseman, no?
Nice piece. I'd only add that an additional reason we need Nimmo, Alvarez, and company to perform is that we can't expect Alonso to continue at this pace. Never would have thought it possible for him to be leading the NL in obp!