The New York Mets’ recent string of good fortune hit a brick wall tonight, dropping the middle game of their series against the Padres, 5-2. Fernando Tatis Jr. was an absolute menace at Citi Field, launching two home runs and driving in three crucial runs that set the tone early and put the Padres firmly in control. This was a tough night for a Mets squad that had been riding high.
Tatis Jr. Unleashes The Bat (And Ray Dominates)
Seriously, if Zac Thornton, the Mets’ starter, could have just kept Tatis Jr. in check, it would have been a totally different game. But Tatis has truly woken up his bat in the second half, and Thornton was on the wrong side of that tonight. Tatis drilled both of his dingers in the first five innings, putting the Padres up enough that any later insurance runs were just gravy. Manny Machado added his own solo shot in the ninth off Dedniel Nuñez, and Ty France singled home Jase Bowen in the seventh off Jack Weisenburger, showing off that Padres depth. It wasn’t just power, either. Bo Bichette was a big winner with his bat, collecting two hits and registering a solid +4.0% WPA, while Christopher Morel also chipped in with a hit. The Padres just kept grinding and finding ways to get on base, making it a long night for New York.
Mets’ Offense Stalls, Momentum Vanishes
On the Mets’ side, the offense was nowhere to be found, producing only two solo home runs. Luis Torrens continued his renaissance with a fifth-inning blast, which was actually the “awesomest play” of the night for the Mets with a +9.7% WPA. Luis Robert Jr. added another solo shot, and while he might not be back next season, it’s good to see guys producing up and down the lineup when they can. But beyond those two long balls, it was mostly just a few walks. Mets starter Zac Thornton gave them a perfectly cromulent five innings, allowing three earned runs on those two Tatis homers, while striking out seven and walking only one. He’s bent but not broken in many starts this year, and this was another example. The big ‘loser’ of the night, according to WPA, was Francisco Lindor, who checked in at -21.0%. Contrast that with Robbie Ray, who looked really good for the Padres. He dealt six innings of work, allowing just three hits and three walks, while striking out four. He wasn’t overpowering, but he kept the Mets completely off-balance and limited their productivity big time. The Mets’ bullpen was similarly fine after Ray left, but the damage was already done. After four straight games where the Mets looked like they had some serious juice, tonight they just looked flat.
Tomorrow is the rubber match at Citi Field, with Robert Stock making his fourth start of the season, facing off against Michael King in a matinee. The Mets need to shake off this flatness fast if they want to salvage the series and get that winning vibe back heading into the weekend. Let’s see if they can turn it around.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Amazin’ Avenue.
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