What’s that saying about how if you watch a baseball game, you’re bound to see something you’ve seen repeatedly? Occasional outlier notwithstanding, the 2026 Mets are expert at rolling out slight variations on the same old same old.
Take Friday’s game — please.
Another cobbling together of à la carte options from the pitching menu: a reliever as an opener; a fallen starter as a bulk guy; a rookie granted an unforeseen opportunity to make a favorable impression. You might prefer a prix fixe deal along the lines of one starting pitcher, six solid innings just so you have an idea of what you’re getting, but the kitchen has sent word that they don’t have what it takes to offer that every night.
Another home run from the superstar on a tear. Can’t argue with one of those.
Another couple of deep fly balls caught near the wall by an opponent. We hate when that keeps happening.
Another low-scoring affair. Those can be tense. Those can be futile.
Another 2-1 final, this one in Miami instead of Washington, this one with the Mets scoring the 1 rather than the 2.
Similarities permeate, but the little differences tend to prevail.
Juan Soto did his part on Friday, going deep in the top of the first as has become his nearly nightly custom. Carson Benge tried to do his part, but he kept getting robbed in the vicinity of the center field fence by Jakob Marsee, not to be confused with Peppermint Patty’s pal Marcy. Nobody else among Juan and Carson’s teammates much joined in offensively. Tobias Myers was trusted to record four early outs. Sean Manaea filled in admirably afterwards, finishing the second inning, then processing the third through fifth in competent fashion. Jonah Tong took over the role of intriguing ingénue from Wednesday’s spotlight neophyte Zach Thornton. Jonah appeared sharper than when he was thrust onto the big league stage for his 2025 playoff chase audition, shutting out the Marlins in the sixth, seventh, and eighth. The theme of youth being served continued to resonate, with not only Tong replacing Craig Kimbrel on the roster, but all three outfield positions assigned to the rookie class.
So you had the things you like to see, the things that worked pretty well, the things that didn’t click whatsoever, and a bottom line that didn’t cooperate. The Marlins were held to five hits, the Mets three. Eury Perez gave up only two hits in six-and-third, both to Soto. The Fish bullpen was just as smothering. As a unit, the Mets’ lineup remained inept clear to the end of this 2-1 loss. Unlike the last time the Mets played at the former site of the Orange Bowl, New York wasn’t eliminated from postseason contention. This year’s edition has yet to approach postseason contention.
The season’s one-third mark arrives Monday. There’s still time for the Mets to gather momentum. Intermittent Metropolitan microsurges suggest they are capable of a sustained rise toward the middle of the pack, and if your team gets there, you can at least delude yourself regarding the surfeit of Wild Cards and your team’s possibility of nabbing one. There’s also still time for the Mets to keep groping for answers and sputtering in place while most of the pack sits stubbornly on their head. There’s way too much time for that, actually, and a little too much evidence indicating that’s how the remainder of 2026 will be spent. Dog days don’t necessarily wait until August to begin barking.
Vientos’ at-bats were pathetic. Chasing pitches way outside – or standing with the bat on his shoulder with strikes coming down the middle of the plate.
This team is clearly in rebuild mode, as evidenced by the hard hat and vests. Maybe someday, these rookies will form a new core, but for now it’s anyone’s guess. Funniest Mets word of 2026: “postseason”.
No truth to the rumor that Tong was at first going to be assigned #41.
Remember back on Opening Day when we had 6 healthy starters and there was talk of a 6 man rotation? The current situation reminds me of last August when we had zero to 2 starters, and this year’s 2 can barely, if ever, go 6 innings.