3 takeaways from the Mets' opening series against the Pittsburgh Pirates
The Mets' Luis Robert Jr. knocks a single during the second inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Citi Field on Sunday. Credit: Newsday/Thomas A. Ferrara
In their first series of the season, the Mets took two of three from Pittsburgh at Citi Field.
The Mets won, 11-7, on Opening Day on Thursday before playing two extra-inning games: a 4-2 win in 11 innings on Saturday followed by a 4-3 loss in 10 innings on Sunday.
Here are three takeaways from the series:
1. Robert impresses
New Mets centerfielder Luis Robert Jr. made a strong first impression in his first three games with the team, going 5-for-11 with five RBIs, three walks and only two strikeouts. He delivered the biggest clutch hit of the weekend with a walk-off three-run homer Saturday. Robert, acquired from the White Sox, has a tendency to chase pitches but showed mostly steady plate discipline.
Despite the Mets easing the oft-injured 28-year-old into spring training, Robert played all 30 innings defensively — perhaps a good indicator of his health.
2. Bichette struggles
Bo Bichette, on the other hand, struggled at the plate in his first series with the Mets after inking a three-year, $126 million deal with the club. He went 1-for-14 with eight strikeouts; he had only a 14.5% strikeout rate with Toronto last season. Bichette admitted that he might be trying to do too much, and he was booed Sunday after striking out on three pitches with men on second and third in a 2-2 game in the seventh. He joked that he should’ve been booed sooner.
It’s certainly a small sample size for one of the game’s great hitters, leaving no real concern offensively just yet.
3. Corner defense questions
Defense, though, was always going to be a question mark for Bichette at third base, a position he never played professionally before this year. It was mostly smooth Sunday, and he started an important 5-4 forceout to end the ninth inning. But he had throws Saturday that drifted up the first-base line.
Jorge Polanco also was shaky at first base in the first two games of the series, but Brett Baty looked the part in his first big-league appearance at first base Sunday and made a nice scoop. Time will tell, but maybe Baty — who was lauded by Carlos Mendoza for his athleticism around the bag — could be the team’s best first baseman.
Ben Dickson is Newsday Sports' general assignment reporter. He joined Newsday’s high school sports staff in 2023 after graduating from Maryland, where he covered several of the Terrapins' teams.
