Ground That Young Man

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The Mets made some more mental errors, and fate, using Nats center fielder Jacob Young as a vessel, told the Mets they might be against them this year as the Nationals beat the Mets 3-2 in the final regular season game at Citi Field this season.

The Nationals scored all of the runs they would need in the second against Sean Manaea. Daylen Lile got himself another “dork” single to left. With one out, Jorge Alfaro doubled to left. Francisco Lindor committed a throwing error trying to nab Alfaro at second, allowing Lile to score. One batter later, Nasim Nuñez hit the first home run of his life batting right-handed to make it 3-0. So much for Manaea’s new dad strength. 

Jake Irvin, who has struggled lately, pretty much dominated. The Mets scratched out a run in the bottom of the third on an odd, originally scary play. With Luis Torrens on second after doubling, Cedric Mullins hit a fly to deep left. The left fielder, Daylen Lile, caught it, but the ball fell out of his glove as he crashed into the side wall. Torrens raced around the bases to score, while Mullins, who, along with first base coach Antoan Richardson, thought the ball was caught and Torrens was tagging up, stayed at first base instead of speeding towards second and beyond. This cost a much needed run, because Lindor then lined out to first baseman Josh Bell who easily touched first for a double play. Juan Soto doubled after that, reached third on a balk, and was left stranded. (Lile was able to walk off the field under his own power.)

To start the bottom of the fifth, Brett Baty hit a fly ball deep in straightaway center. Jacob Young made the craziest catch you will ever see. 

That play led Gary Cohen to echo what a lot of fans figured: maybe it’s just not the Mets’ year. Personally, I try not to think like that - it was only the fifth inning after all. You’re never going to hear me or read me say something ridiculous like “We’re snakebitten, baby.” (Who would say such a thing?)

Jake Irvin hit a wall in the sixth. Lindor led the bottom half of the frame off with a home run to right center to make it a one-run game. Juan Soto walked. Brandon Nimmo reached on a fielder’s choice, Soto forced out at second. Pete Alonso, possibly playing at Citi Field for the last time as a Met, singled to center, moving NImmo up a base. Irvin then left the game for…Mitchell Parker…

You see, Sean Manaea ended up exiting one batter into the fourth, right? Then Clay Holmes shut out the Nats in three and two thirds innings of work. The Nationals decided that they liked the Mets’ piggyback plan so much that they decided to perfect it, so after Jake Irvin was done, the lefty starter Mitchell Parker entered. Parker got Jeff McNeil to pop up and then struck out Mark Vientos on a controversial check swing. Vientos was so frustrated he slammed his bat and got himself rung. 

Brooks Raley, Gregory Soto, and Edwin Díaz ensured the Nationals wouldn’t score another run, but it ultimately didn’t matter. Francisco Alvarez led off the bottom of the ninth by hitting a soaring liner to center. The ball, had it not been interfered with by a fielder, might have landed just over the outfield wall’s orange line. Instead, Jacob Young made a leaping catch. What is this guy’s problem? Baty and Torrens also failed to get on base, and the ballgame was over. 

There’s no sugarcoating it - this is bad. Losing two in a row to the now 64-92 Washington Nationals, at home, when you absolutely need to win, is pretty pathetic. And with the Reds winning, the Mets are currently on the outside looking in with six games left to play. 

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The Reds swept the Cubs in a four-game series. They won 1-0 yesterday. Pete Crow-Armstrong made the final out. That sounds about right. The Diamondbacks beat the Phillies handily. 

The Mets announced that they drew a Citi Field-record 3,184,570 fans this season. It’s not looking like they’ll top that next year…

I didn’t list all of the mental mistakes the Mets made yesterday. Juan Soto was picked off first base in the first inning. Brett Baty didn’t cover third on a stolen base attempt in the fifth. 

Pete Alonso got a big ovation when he was pinch-run for in the eighth inning. It was touching, although it feels like the Polar Bear has had “potentially his final” whatever a thousand times already. 

The Mets are now 24-25 against NL East teams.

Chris Devenski was designated for assignment to make room for Sean Manaea’s return from the paternity list.

Kodai Senga will throw a live BP either Tuesday or Wednesday in Port St. Lucie. As I wrote the other day, it doesn’t seem like the Mets are really considering Senga for a potential postseason (unless a pitcher or two gets hurt.)

The Bronx Giraffe lost, of course. They finish the inaugural year of the 5 Borough Mascot Race 0-81*. The final standings: Queens (train) 31, Brooklyn (pizza slice) 20, Manhattan (skyscraper) 18, Staten Island (ferry) 12, Bronx (giraffe) 0. 

*I was wrong yesterday - they did in fact do the race 81 times, not 80. The Mets must have been in charge of the entertainment in Williamsport.

The New York Post wrote about the top arms in Double-A Binghamton.

The Triple-A Syracuse Mets (77-73) finished their 2025 season with a 9-0 whooping against the Lehigh Valley IronPigs (Phillies affiliate). DH Luke Ritter went 4 for 4 with a home run, two runs scored, and an RBI. SS Jet!(t) Williams, C Kevin Parada, 1B Ryan Clifford, and RF Carson Benge all homered too. CF Tyrone Taylor (hamstring) went 1 for 5 with a run scored, an RBI, and a strikeout. He played all nine innings in center. RHP Jonathan Pintaro got the win. He threw five shutout innings, allowing just two hits. He walked nobody and struck out six.

The Double-A Binghamton Rumble Ponies were pasted 14-5 by the Erie SeaWolves (Tigers) in Game 1 of the Best-of-Three Eastern League Championship Series. RF D’Andre Smith went 2 for 5 with a home run, a run scored, two RBI, and two strikeouts in the loss. 2B Wyatt Young managed a 3 for 4 game with a run scored, an RBI, and a strikeout. Starter RHP R.J. Gordon did not have a good time. He allowed six earned runs on nine hits in three and two thirds innings. Gordon walked none and struck out three.

Nine years ago tonight, Asdrubal Cabrera hit a walk-off three-run homer in the bottom of the 11th to beat the Phillies 9-8. He hit it off of Edubray Ramos. Years later, Ramos would throw at Cabrera, and Asdrubal initially didn’t know why - he had forgotten the losing pitcher’s name. That’s cold. 

The Mets have a travel day before they face the Cubs tomorrow. The Reds and Diamondbacks (and Marlins) are also off before they play the Pirates and Dodgers at home, respectively. Fun alert: for tomorrow’s newsletter I think I’ll write about how the Mets got to this point.