A Split That Felt Like a Sweep

Is this glass half-empty or half-full? Griffin Canning left early with an ankle injury, one that looked innocuous on the field but decidedly less so when Canning had to be helped to the dugout. (It appears to be an Achilles injury, which would quite likely be season-ending.) But even as dark clouds gathered overhead, the Mets then dominated the Braves to earn a split and go back into first place courtesy of the Astros’ daytime victory over the Phillies.

Good day, or bad day?

If you want to delay your answer pending MRI results, that’s perfectly understandable. But for me, this split felt like a sweep — a big exhalation for a team and a fanbase that felt like it was strangling.

Canning departed in the third inning of a scoreless game in which he matched up with Grant Holmes, a rotini-haired hurler who looks like Kenny Powers with a primo hair-product endorsement. The portents weren’t great as an overworked revolving-door Mets bullpen tried to pick up where Canning had left off, with Austin Warren first to the hill … and against Ronald Acuna Jr. no less.

But youneverknow, to quote a noted baseball philosopher’s favorite word. Warren only needed two pitches to dispatch Acuna, and then hung around for another two innings, during which he gave up only a single to Marcell Ozuna. The baton then got passed to Dedniel Nunez, who looked gratifyingly like his 2024 self — you could see Nunez’s confidence rising higher and higher as he marched through the Atlanta hitters. Six up, six down and then it was Ryne Stanek‘s turn — and Stanek, too, looked better than he has in some time. Last up was Edwin Diaz, who allowed a solitary annoyance single before closing things out. On the day, Mets pitchers allowed just a trio of singles and nary a walk — not bad for any game, let alone one involving an early emergency and called audibles the rest of the way.

The hitters showed signs of life, too, led by three hits from Pete Alonso. Alonso chipped in an RBI single, but the big blow was a two-out, two-run single from Jeff McNeil on the first pitch from Dylan Dodd in the seventh. Dodd’s name on the back of his uniform looks weirdly like 0000 unless you look closely; guess the Braves could use a font coach.

McNeil’s hit turned a 2-0 Mets lead into 4-0, and I felt at peace for the first time in what’s felt like ages. It felt like the Mets had shaken off whatever this recent bad dream has been, remembering the value of timely hitting and solid pitching and postgame group kicks.

No explanation for wearing road uniforms at home — footage of that one will be a puzzler years from now — but we’ll let it slide.