Mets hang on, slug their way to a win over the Yankees

The Mets hit four home runs, including two from Mark Vientos. Plus, an ugly reminder as to how important Edwin Díaz is to this bullpen

What’s Up with the Mets? ⚾️

• The Mets held off a late barrage by the Yankees with a 9-7 win at Citi Field (Box)

• The Mets slugged four home runs before knocking Gerrit Cole out of the game, including two from Mark Vientos who had hit three straight home runs dating back to Sunday night in Chicago

• David Peterson started for the Mets, but could not complete five innings thanks in part to allowing five walks, but he did allow only one earned run in 4.1 IP

• The Mets bullpen allowed six runs - five earned - in relief of Peterson, thanks in part to a grand slam from Aaron Judge in the eighth off of Reed Garrett. Garrett did delivers a scoreless ninth inning

• The Mets became the second team ever to hit four home runs against Cole in a game, the last coming on June 9, 2022 against the Twins

• The Mets are now 37-38 with a +1 run differential on the year, 13-5 in June and winners of 15 of their last 21 games overall. They’re 13-15 in series openers, 1-3 against the NL East, 17-8 when hitting at least two home runs, and 24-11 when scoring at least five runs.

---

---

Injury Updates 🏥

• OF Starling Marte (bone bruise in his knee) will be out at least four weeks

• RHP Shintaro Fujinami began a rehab assignment with the FCL Mets

---

Roster Moves 🗞️

• RHP Edwin Díaz began his sticky stuff suspension on Tuesday with no appeal. He can return on July 6

• OF Starling Marte placed on the 10-day injured list (bone bruise in knee)

• Selected the contract of OF Ben Gamel from Triple-A Syracuse

---

Down on the Farm 🌾

• INF Boston Baro (Low-A STL): 3-for-4, BB, R

• OF Matt Rudick (Double-A BNG): 2-for-4, 2 2B, R

• RHP Christian Scott (Triple-A SYR): 4 IP, 1 ER, 4 H, 3 BB, 3 K

• OF Carlos Cortes (Triple-A SYR): 3-for-5, HR, 2 RBI, 1 R

• INF Luisangel Acuña (Triple-A SYR): 2-for-5, R, RBI

• INF Brett Baty (Triple-A SYR): 1-for-4, HR, 2 RBI

BOX SCORES

Single-A STL | High-A BRK | Double-A BNG | Triple-A SYR

---

Today’s Game 🗓

Match-up: Mets (38-39) vs. Yankees (52-29)

Where: Citi Field - Flushing, NY

Starters: LHP Sean Manaea (4-3, 4.16 ERA) vs. RHP Luis Gil (9-2, 2.77 ERA)

When: 7:10 PM EDT

Where to Watch: SNY

---

Survival mode for the Mets and their bullpen! ✍️

When Edwin Díaz returned to his usual role in the bullpen a few weeks ago, order seemed to be restored to the instability not only his absence caused, but his underperformance as well.

Then came his sticky stuff suspension on Sunday night, and with that came an unfriendly reminder of how important his presence is the that stability he provides.

Last year, when Díaz was out from start to finish, most people said at the beginning it would be no problem for them, they should be ok with David Robertson closing, and so on and so forth. He did fine in that role but his absence caused a seismic shift for the rest of the bullpen, causing overuse in some cases and obvious underperformance in others.

Fast forward to this season, and the Mets had really been without the version of Díaz they need for the first two months of the season, and now for the next ten days.

So now they’re left to piece together the back end of these games without Díaz again. And on Tuesday night, we saw the immediate fallout from his absence in near catastrophic fashion. The Mets were forced to ask Reed Garrett for a multi-inning (non) save and the game nearly ruptured when Aaron Judge hit a grand slam, shrinking what was originally a 9-1 lead and then a 9-3 lead into a 9-7 lead, rather predictably I should add.

As such, all of that nervousness and cynicism that was so prevalent in May returned, albeit briefly as Garrett was able to retire the side in order in the ninth and preserve a game this club simply couldn’t let getaway, especially after building an eight-run lead and knocking out Gerrit Cole in the process.

For the Mets and their bullpen, they’ve proven how ineffective they are without Díaz, specifically this season but for the better part of two years. They now have to figure out the next nine days without him once again, a vital part of their schedule as they attempt to demonstrate their relevancy in this crowded and watered down wild card race over the next 30 days.

It’s also worth mentioning the Mets cannot fill Diaz’s suspended roster spot. So they have to work with what they have until next Saturday.

One of the key differences in a game like last night when the bullpen nearly imploded was their offense was able to create what was an obvious margin for error. They slugged four home runs against Cole, two of which from Mark Vientos. To say Vientos has done everything the Mets have asked and need him to be since he was recalled understates his value to this club in the midst of this resurgent stretch.

Vientos’ 1.1 fWAR is the 18th best in the National League since May 15, the day he was brought back to the big leagues. He has a .903 OPS which is the eighth best in the NL during that stretch. His 156 wRC+ is the ninth best.

He’s been the offensive force the Mets have hoped for and needed at third base. And he’s been generally fine at third base too with Francisco Lindor able to cover most of what Vientos can’t on that side of the field.

Sure, maybe the Mets are paying for offense in that roster spot with a little defense, but certainly not enough to justify not having Vientos in the lineup. Their offense has shown marked improvement since his arrival and that is indisputable. His presence has made nearly everyone around him better, he’s lengthened the lineup and been the right-handed force the Mets needed from the beginning but didn’t have.

He credits Carlos Beltrán for his evolution, but I also believe JD Martínez and his professionalism and leadership has to be a part of Vientos’ maturity. After all, Martínez was there from the beginning, putting his arm around him to console him when it was clear he was going to the minors. He didn’t hang his head, went to the minors and proved he belonged here.

It’s a great story and its hard not to root for a guy like this.

Anyway, the Mets are turning themselves into a story of where they were before and what they’ve become today. The day was really May 30 when David Stearns had seen enough and shook up the roster. There has to be credit given to Francisco Álvarez too - his presence at the plate and behind the plate has been difference-making, evident by their 21-3 record since April 4 when he’s played. But that was the day he clearly warned the players will be held accountable, and the Mets haven’t looked back. They’re 16-6 since that date, having hit .292/.359/.513 in those 22 games.

It’s been an amazing turnaround. Can they survive another month to the trade deadline?

That question lies on their rotation and bullpen specifically with a trying nine-day stretch ahead without Díaz. They’ll also have to figure this out on the field without Starling Marte, who will miss at least a month with this bone bruise in his knee.

But if they can survive the next month and be in this vicinity of the wild card, the Mets will augment this bullpen for sure and add some other pieces to solidify their roster. I do believe they need a starting pitcher only because they struggle so badly to get length out of the group they have, but with so many pieces to figure out now and the possibility they could potentially trade from their stock, perhaps they could help their rotation with additional relievers and shorten their games that way.

We will see.

For now, its about survival and getting to the point for these options to be considered.

---

Around the League 🚩

• Shohei Ohtani extended his RBI streak to nine games as the Dodgers edged the White Sox 4-3

• The Guardians outslugged the Orioles 10-8 thanks in part to a three RBI night from José Ramirez

• The Astros won their sixth straight game and have pulled back to one game under .500 with their 5-2 win over the Rockies

• Tarik Skubal improved to 9-3 on the year thanks to seven shutout innings in the Tigers 4-1 over the Phillies