What’s Up with the Mets? ⚾️
The Mets were shutout by the Yankees on Sunday by a score of 2-0 (box)
RHP Christian Scott started for the Mets and pitched well, allowing solo home runs to DH Ben Rice and C Austin Wells over six innings
The Mets offense hit a buzzsaw in RHP Cam Schlittler, who allowed only one hit over six innings. The Yankee bullpen allowed only two hits over the game’s final three innings
LHP Nate Lavender and RHP Austin Warren fired two hitless innings out of the Mets bullpen
Plays of the Game ⭐️
Sunday’s game was seemingly put to bed early when DH Ben Rice hit a solo home run to the short porch in right field in the bottom of the first inning. That gave the Yankees a 1–0 lead, and the Mets didn’t have any response against RHP Cam Schlittler, who dazzled the Mets over six shutout innings.
The Just Mets Podcast 🎙️
In the latest edition of the Just Mets Podcast, Andrew offers his insight on the Mets series loss to the Yankees and has a fun back-and-forth with Shawn (with a W) from Knicks Film School about Juan Soto.
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Down on the Farm 🌾
C Hayden Senger (Triple-A): 1-for-3, HR, 2 RBI
BOX SCORES
Double-A BNG (Canceled) | Triple-A SYR
Today’s Game 🗓
Match-up: Mets (69-80) vs. Orioles (72-78)
Where: Citi Field - Flushing, NY
Starters: RHP Jonah Tong (2-1, 4.80 ERA) vs. RHP Brandon Young (9-4, 3.71 ERA)
When: 7:10 PM EDT
Where to Watch: SNY
On the Mets growth, their Subway Series, and Andy Green (hopefully) staying on ✍️
What are you going to do, right?
Once the Mets lost the opener of this Subway Series on Friday night, it was going to be very, very difficult for them to win this series. And the reason for that is Cam Schlittler, who pitched like the Cy Young Award winner he is likely to become in 2026 against the Mets on Sunday. He simply dazzled the Mets and shut down a red-hot offense over six innings.
Yep, the game was over in the first inning when Ben Rice homered.
But honestly, this is one series loss for the Mets I actually don’t feel too bad about.
Sure, Friday night’s loss was annoying. Nolan McLean was overamped and simply didn’t pitch well, and the Mets, while they were able to keep themselves in the game offensively, just couldn’t keep up. But they crushed Gerrit Cole, Zac Thornton was nails on the mound, and Christian Scott was excellent on Sunday despite coming up on the short end of the game - he has been quietly outstanding in his first year back post-Tommy John Surgery, which bodes really well for next season for Scott specifically.
Sure, they couldn’t touch Schlittler, but not many have this season, and he has a 2 ERA to show for how good he has been this season. It happens, but the loss on Friday set the table for this series loss, for sure.
Aside from that, there was a lot of good to take away from this series, and I think it showed that with a few more plugs for their holes, the Mets might be able to be on the long end of Friday’s game and win this series.
Despite it all, and if you are one that cares about the outcomes of these Subway Series on an annual basis, the Mets and Yankees played to a 3-3 draw in 2026, have not lost a season’s Subway Series since 2017, and are 26-20 against the Yankees since 2018. And in most of those years, the Mets have tended to be the inferior team on paper, yet they have a winning record against them over the last ten seasons.
Over time, I have cared less and less about the Subway Series myself. To me, they’re just extra games on the schedule. I thought Friday’s game carried more significance than most of these Subway Series games simply because of the date and the outstanding ceremony the Yankees put on before the game in remembrance of September 11. I think the Mets and Yankees are otherwise always on different paths which just happen to cross 4–6 times per year. I think there’s a fun and energetic element for a lot of people to this, and I respect that very much and love hearing the banter back and forth among those who get into this. But I think the Subway Series had a different ring to it in the late 1990s and early 2000s, when the Mets were getting good but the Yankees were legendary in real time and always just seemed to make that one big play or get that one big hit that was too much for the Mets or anyone to handle.
I was also younger and had more energy to devote to shutting my Yankee fan friends up when the Mets would occasionally sneak a win in here or there against the Jeter-era dynasty.
For the Mets specifically this year, I did view this as a good test for them and, generally speaking, they did ok. This past weekend further exposed their holes and their needs, but it was a playoff atmosphere at Yankee Stadium, and the young players in particular did generally well in that pressure cooker. Between Thornton’s money performance, AJ Ewing and Carson Benge continuing their ascent, and both Francisco Lindor and Juan Soto doing their things on Saturday specifically, I came away encouraged despite the team losing two out of three.
So now, we have reached the final homestand of the year. And it will include the return of Pete Alonso with the Orioles in town for three to start the week. Get ready for the questions and the tribute video tonight and all of the talk about how the Mets didn’t want him, Alonso bolting for the Orioles and having an Alonso-like year, and the Mets thinking a group of misfit toys was still actually better than anything Alonso would give them (and how bad they look for it).
But, it should be an emotional day for Alonso, the Mets, and the fans who attend the game at Citi Field. He cares very much for this organization; he didn’t really want to leave, but business is business, and the Mets are going to have to wear this one for a long time.
One day, the Mets will hold a Pete Alonso Day at Citi Field, a day in which he will become a member of their Hall of Fame and see his number retired among the many greats who have ever put on their uniform.
The Mets have a chance today of being officially eliminated from playoff contention whether they win or lose tonight (they’ve been eliminated from the NL East for a while, and their tragic number for the Wild Card is 1), but this was inevitable pretty much by the end of April nearly five months ago, as well as they’ve played since the All-Star Game. They also have a chance to act as a spoiler against the Orioles, who are hanging on by a thread in the Wild Card race despite being 72-78 and in last place in the American League East. Right now, it can easily be argued the Mets are the better team simply based on the way they’ve played in the second half, even with far less to play for with less than two weeks to go in the regular season.
I do think it’s generally important the Mets finish out their schedule strong. Outside of the Phillies, it’s not a terribly difficult stretch of games, and the Mets have handled a difficult second-half schedule really well to the tune of a 29-23 record since July 16. It’s a chance to keep a positive narrative going into the winter, a narrative in which Andy Green and the rest of the dugout staff have done an outstanding job in changing over the last three months or so.
Speaking of Green, I sincerely hope he decides to change his mind and throw his hat into the mix for the Mets managerial opening once the season ends. He has been a fantastic addition to the dugout; they’ve won despite a broken roster with him at the helm; he knows this organization; knows the young players who are here and are still coming; he fits the criteria to be a good, young, modern manager; and it just seems like he is doing the things the Mets need right now for this group to be successful and continue to improve.
I am not saying Green is the best manager in the game by any means. I don’t know if he is or not yet— he’s managed the Mets for three months. But the Mets have shown a lot of growth under his leadership in the dugout; he has been able to right the ship with a roster mixed with expensive stars and young up-and-comers; has been able to maximize even fractional players and protect most from their weaknesses when possible; and all of that is the mark of a good manager and someone this group needs for an extended period of time.
Sure, Alex Cora is a flashy name. So is Don Mattingly. But the Mets have brought in flashy names in the past to manage this team, and it always seems to end the same way. And why would someone like Cora or Mattingly want to manage the Mets anyway? Mattingly, if he wants, can just stay in a good situation in Philadelphia where he is already established, and Cora can basically choose the next place he wants to manage if he wants to manage at all next season as well. Sure, the Mets can throw money at anyone they want, and that can be the deciding factor for either of these guys, after which one would sign and say all of the right things about why the Mets were the best choice.
But I just think the Mets have a good thing going with Green and, if he chooses to stay, there really is nothing else for them to do but give him a two-year contract to be their next full-time manager.
Around the League 🚩
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hit his first home run in Toronto this season in the Blue Jays 8-1 win over the Orioles
The Marlins won their series against the Dodgers this weekend thanks to two runs in the eighth and four runs in the ninth to topple LA 6-4 in Miami
The Rangers held off the Diamondbacks late rally to win 7-6, which helped them stay two games out of the final Wild Card spot
Rafael Devers will not play again in 2026 after he suffered a core muscle injury (ESPN)
The photo you had of Green and Ewing spoke volumes about the steadiness and encouragement Green provides for the young players.
Adore Andy Green sooo, he has been wonderful! The players love him, as he is kind, brilliant, & expresses himself eloquently, & has a huge heart! He pushes the players to be the most excellent versions of themselves, & is warm, ingratiating, & sincerely cares about them as players & as people! He is sincerely one in a million & we pray with all our hearts, he has a change of his huge heart, & wishes to return. He's a precious blessing! :)