Despite loss, Mets find themselves in a good spot at All-Star break — and things could get even better from here
Mets starting pitcher Clay Holmes throws during the first inning of a game against the Kansas City Royals on Sunday in Kansas City, Mo. Credit: AP/Charlie Riedel
ATLANTA
Only because it’s the Mets, and lifelong observers of this franchise gravitate toward the glass-half-empty crowd, the mindset at the All-Star break often tends to be more autopsy than applause.
In that sense, you could take Sunday’s 3-2 walk-off loss to the Royals at Kauffman Stadium, after an inspired ninth-inning comeback nearly rewarded a brilliant 2025 debut by long-recovering ace Sean Manaea, and point to a handful of nettlesome themes from the first 3 1⁄2 months.
Was Manaea pushed too far in riding him for 3 1⁄3 innings and 65 pitches in his welcome-back appearance piggybacking on Clay Holmes’ start?
Can Holmes, the converted closer, survive after the break with a skyrocketing innings workload?
Will the Mets ever hit with runners in scoring position?
Their stage fright continued Sunday (1-for-7) until Jeff McNeil launched a 412-foot RBI triple in the ninth that would’ve been a tying homer in 22 other ballparks.
Maybe those burning questions, along with the bogeyman of no real baseball to watch for the next four days, will make for some restless nights until the Mets return on Friday to Citi Field.
But here’s the thing: Carlos Mendoza & Co. just wrapped up a pretty good first half, and knowing who’s in charge of upgrading this roster by the July 31 trade deadline, we expect an even better performance in the months ahead (including October).
It’s no fluke that the Mets spent 73 days atop the NL East, and despite their recent three-week slip into second, they still climbed back there after Saturday’s win in K.C. — only to get nudged out by the Phillies again, by a half-game, in the waning hours of the first half.
Might as well get used to the roller-coaster ride, because it’s very unlikely that either team ends up running away with the division. And the Mets will be up for the fight, based on a few trends that should be leaning in their favor.
Some of the most obvious involve the rotation, as Manaea’s impressive Sunday outing (no walks, seven strikeouts) followed Frankie Montas looking fixed Saturday and Kodai Senga’s own eagerly anticipated return Friday.
It took the entire first half, but on the final weekend, the Mets’ starting staff became whole — and this was after patching together a rotation that still posted the fourth-best ERA (3.38) in the majors to this point.
“We’re getting healthy, which is nice,” McNeil said.
The bullpen, on the other hand, is desperate for an infusion of outside talent, something that will be a high priority on David Stearns’ shopping list. Losing A.J. Minter early on and then Dedniel Nunez this past week to Tommy John surgery were big blows to a relief corps that began showing signs of serious strain in June.
The good news? Edwin Diaz is at the peak of his powers, allowing one earned run in his last 27 appearances, striking out 40 in those 28 1⁄3 innings.
As for the Mets’ surprisingly inconsistent lineup — the place where owner Steve Cohen invested most of the cash from this year’s $325 million payroll — you’d have to think this group eventually will start doing more damage on a regular basis.
It’s great that the pitching staff did most of the heavy lifting in the first half and the rotation now is intact for the first time. But shouldn’t Cohen’s “Fab Four” start steamrolling teams on a nightly basis?
The Mets were middle of the pack (14th overall) in runs — 426 total, for a 4.39 average — and their .738 OPS ranked eighth in the majors.
Ask Brandon Nimmo, and he’ll tell you the arctic conditions by Flushing Bay in April/ May put an early chill on the offense’s production (the data mostly backs him on this). But the June launch of Juan Soto, who soared into the break hitting .321 with 15 homers and a 1.162 OPS in his last 39 games, suggests continued greatness in the second half, especially with the All-Star snub as added fuel for the $765 million slugger.
“Forget about that,” Soto told reporters over the weekend. “It’s baseball. It’s really tough to get in. Whatever. Next time, I’m going to try harder and see what I can do.”
At least Soto was able to smash the early-season narratives surrounding his decision to call Flushing home for the next 15 years (over the Bronx). Now the Mets have to make sure the rest of the lineup is doing damage around him.
That shouldn’t be a problem for Pete Alonso, who’s muscling up for another shot at free agency as he chases Darryl Strawberry’s franchise home run record (five away from tying him). Nimmo and Francisco Lindor should be fine, too.
Beyond the Fab Four? The Mets have to be encouraged by Mark Vientos’ rebound before the break (7-for-19, two doubles, triple) along with Francisco Alvarez’s flex down at Triple-A Syracuse; he’s hammered eight homers in his last 13 games.
The future of the DH spot seems to be in flux, however, as the durability of Starling Marte and Jesse Winker was put in doubt by their recent IL stints.
“Overall, we’ve got a good offense,” Mendoza said. “You just got to understand that, at times, you’re going to have a hard time scoring.”
Not as hard as it’s too often looked for these Mets during the first half.
But from where they’re sitting at the All-Star break, the view is pretty decent.
David Lennon is an award-winning columnist, a voter for baseball's Hall of Fame and has covered six no-hitters, including two perfect games.
