From Santo Domingo...

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The Mets have the best record in Major League Baseball after a thrilling 4-3 extra innings victory over the division rival Phillies. They finished 7-0 on the homestand. The Mets are 12-1 at home this season, which is the best 13-game start at home in franchise history. Even with an injury (possibly two), the vibes remain immaculate.

David Peterson did not have it, as the kids say. He threw five and third innings, allowing eight hits, walking just one, but striking out just two. And there were several hard hit balls hit off of him. He allowed just two earned runs however, and really, that’s all that matters. 

Petey got into some trouble in the second inning. With one out, he allowed back to back singles to Alec Bohm and Edmundo Sosa. Then Weston Wilson reached on a Mark Vientos error to load the bases. But, as seemingly always, Peterson got away with it, coaxing Johan Rojas to fly out, not deep enough to score a run, and then getting Trea Turner to ground into a fielder’s choice to end the frame. 

The Phillies scored twice in the fourth. After JT Realmuto was robbed by Vientos, Bohm collected another base hit. Sosa reached on a fielder’s choice. With two outs, Wilson singled, moving Sosa to second. Then Rojas singled to center, scoring Sosa. Turner singled to center too, scoring Wilson. It felt like the Phillies were parading around the basepaths while Bugs Bunny helplessly kept throwing meatballs. But Bryce Harper bailed out the Mets and Peterson, grounding out to Pete Alonso. 

Huascar Brazobán pitched for the second day in a row. He showed no signs of fatigue, tossing a scoreless and hitless inning. Danny Young impressed - tasked with facing Harper and Kyle Schwarber in the seventh, he struck Harper out on a sweeper, and got Schwarber to look at a strike three sinker in the bottom of the zone. Jose Buttó, also pitching on zero days rest, struggled, walking two batters and then allowing a single to pinch hitter Max Kepler. Fortunately for him, Juan Soto is out there trying to win a Gold Glove - he threw a one-hopper to catcher Hayden Senger, who made a nice play of his own, to throw Nick Castellanos out.

Edwin Díaz was tasked to pitch the ninth and the tenth, because AJ Minter, Ryne Stanek, and Reed Garrett for some reason were all unavailable. (Garrett only threw 12 pitches on Monday night.) Sugar pitched a 1-2-3 9th, but in the tenth, after getting Schwarber to strike out looking at a slider, he gave up an RBI single to Castellanos. Then, after throwing one pitch to Realmuto, and disengaging technically three times, he signaled for the trainers. It was later revealed to be a hip cramp. Max Kranick, who threw three times as many pitches as Garrett the other night, had to come in cold and clean up the mess. After walking Realmuto, he allowed a single to Bohm, but Castellanos didn’t try to score. Bryson Stott flew out to center, but not deep enough to make it 4-2 Phillies. Kepler then innocently flied out to Juan Soto in right. Kranick did the job. 

The Mets scored two runs off of Phillies ace and old chum Zack Wheeler, who lasted six innings. Both the runs came off the bat of, you guessed it, Brett Baty.

Don’t throw a cutter leaking over the middle next time, Zackary. 

Matt Strahm took care of the Metsies in the seventh. Jose Alvarado threw a 1-2-3 eighth, and got the first two batters out in the ninth, but in a tie game, Luisangel Acuña singled to center. Luis Torrens once again hit an 0-2 pitch for a base hit. The stage was set for Francisco Lindor to hit another walk-off. Instead he grounded out to second. 

Down one in the bottom of the tenth, Lindor was the free runner, and the mercurial Jordan Romano was on the mound for Philly. Gary Cohen attempted to reverse jinx Juan Soto, saying on the SNY broadcast that Soto has never hit a walk-off home run, not to mention he’s yet to homer in Citi Field as a Met. Soto promptly grounded out. Alonso, who was 0 for 4 on the day, was down in the count when he doubled to the right center gap, scoring Lindor to tie the game at three apiece. Phillies manager Rob Thomson opted to intentionally walk Brandon Nimmo to get to Vientos. The strategy seemingly worked - Vientos whiffed on a fastball to strike out. With two outs, Starling Marte, from Santo Domingo, came up to bat. Marte had been struggling in his new role as a part-time designated hitter, hitting just .171 going into yesterday’s game. But when he pinch hit for Jesse Winker to lead off the ninth, he hit a ball hard - 106.5 mph exit velocity -  to lead off the ninth. It just happened to be hit right at the left fielder. So there was hope. Romano can blow away batters with his fastball, but he is in love with his slider. Marte was ready for it. On the second pitch of the at-bat, Marte blooped a ball into center field, breaking his bat in the process, scoring a hustling Pete Alonso to win the ballgame. 

So much for the narrative that the Mets only racked up wins against inferior opponents. Life is good. 

Edwin Díaz left the game with a cramp in his left hip. There doesn’t seem to be much concern about it. Díaz strangely claimed to the media that team trainers on Tuesday discovered that one of his legs is longer than the other, and they “fixed” it. Wink wink nudge nudge?

When asked after the game if Reed Garrett was available, Carlos Mendoza laughed for a few seconds and said he would have thrown in the 11th, but he was trying to stay away from him. It’s still odd to me that he was willing to bring in Kranick instead, when Garrett threw 24 fewer pitches than Fantastic Max on Monday. 

Someone pointed out that seeing grey in Zack Wheeler’s beard was jarring. They were not wrong.

Gary Cohen recommended Parks and Recreation to Ron Darling and Keith Hernandez. Gare seems to binge one old show during the offseason and makes constant references to it throughout the year. This happened a few years ago with the Gilmore Girls. I just want to know who is recommending these good TV programs to him.

Jesse Winker was asked his thoughts on the 2025 Mets being different than the 2024 edition. “If you hung on to the same s***, there would be no progress,” he said. “Like, imagine if we were still living how we lived in World War II. The f*** would we be doing?” 

The Mets traded minor leaguer Rowdey Jordan to the Astros. For what or whom, I have no idea. I just hope cool first names aren't the new market inefficiency. 

Paul Blackburn was supposed to make a rehab start yesterday, but he came down with a “stomach bug.” This guy is reaching Jed Lowrie territory.

The other night, Tyrone Taylor credited Jackie Bradley Jr. on teaching him the deke move that doubled up Kyle Schwarber. Taylor said he hoped JBJ saw it. JBJ did in fact see it.

Why is Francisco Lindor not slumping this time at the start of the season? It might be because co-hitting coach Eric Chavez had the guts to tell Lindor last October that in the beginning of the 2024 season, it was like he was a “no-show.” Lindor said “that hit home” for him.

Juan Soto wants to set a career-high in stolen bases this season. José Azócar apparently calls Soto “The Dead Cow” because of the way he slides. It apparently looks similar to a cow after it gets hit in the head with a stick, which is apparently something they do in Venezuela. Yeah, I don’t co-sign that nickname.

Among all teams, the Mets’ batters see the fewest fastballs.

Uncle Steve weirdly reminded us that the Mets will lose someday. What’s next? We’re not immortal?

The Triple-A Syracuse Mets were swept in a doubleheader by the Worcester Red Sox. The SMets lost Game 1 5-4. Jeff McNeil, playing center field in his final rehab start, went 2 for 4 with a walk. Jon Singleton also went 2 for 4. Starter Jose Ureña only pitched for two innings, allowing four hits and two earned runs. Dedniel Nuñez was tagged with a blown save and the loss. Syracuse also lost Game 2 by the same score of 5-4. Francisco Alvarez, in his final rehab start, went 0 for 4 with three strikeouts. He caught all nine innings and allowed one stolen base. Drew Gilbert went 2 for 3 with a double and a walk. Jon Singleton was 2 for 4 with a home run. Starter Dom Hamel threw three innings, allowing five hits and three earned runs. 

The Double-A Binghamton Rumble Ponies shut out the New Hampshire Fisher Cats (Blue Jays affiliate) 3-0. Jack Wenninger continues to impress, tossing five scoreless innings, allowing four hits, walking one, and striking out ten. Ryan Clifford was 2 for 3 with a 440-foot home run. The Ponies are on a six-game winning streak.

The High-A Brooklyn Cyclones took down the Jersey Shore BlueClaws (Phillies) 2-1. Joel Díaz extended his scoreless innings streak to 15 and two thirds, striking out five in four frames last night. 

The Low-A St Lucie Mets defeated the Daytona Tortugas (Reds) 6-3. Kevin Villavicencio went 2 for 3. He’s hitting .412. AJ Ewing stole two bases. 2024 12th round pick Ethan Lanthier got the start. He allowed three hits and one earned run in three and two third innings, walking two and striking out four. 

The Mets have the day off for the first time in two weeks. Of course, there’s Knicks playoff basketball, and the NFL Draft, and minor league baseball to watch. Or read a book about those subjects, I guess.