FLUSHING, NY — The Mets returned a favor to the Marlins after they were swept last weekend at loanDepot Park in Miami. Then was a three game series with abysmal at-bats, scoring two total runs. The favor this weekend was sweeping a three-game series at Citi Field and scoring a ton of runs throughout it to complete a successful 4-2 homestand.
Sweeps are nice, especially after being on the other side in Miami. The Mets, though, need wins and many more if they have any hope of creeping back into contention. On Sunday afternoon, the at-bats were consistent as starter Nolan McLean threw five innings though struggling with five walks.
After a 10-1 win and the Mets’ second series sweep of the season, their bags were packed. The next destination is Seattle for three games and another set of three in San Diego after which would mark the Mets’ last of three west coast swings.
More than one-third of the regular season is finished with the Mets going 26-33 across their first 59 games of 2026 – Image Credit: Bill Menzel/Latino Sports
A season to date of misery and 13.5 games behind the NL East leading Braves, perhaps an insurmountable task? The Mets as a team know they need to reach that .500 mark plateau before any talk is about catching the Braves or contending for a NL Wild Card spot.
Then again, bad starts and constant inconsistency put the Mets in this position. A 26-33 record is not the worst in the league but in the bottom tier. Their clubhouse has seen some life recently, of course winning and sweeping a series will change the complexion for a team.
For 2026, the consistency has not been there for the Mets. Though Juan Soto is swinging a hot and consistent bat with his third career grand slam, opening the flood gates Sunday in a five-run sixth inning.
The lineup posted a +9 run differential in the sweep and totaled 25 runs across the three games—the largest this season since a series win in April at San Francisco and on the road vs. the Nationals earlier in May.
Again, the Mets entered the season with those expectations of scoring runs and a large number of positives came against a Marlins pitching staff that struggles (4.30 ERA—20th overall in MLB). Regardless, winning games in their division and pounding a bad pitching staff are important, especially at this juncture.
“The whole lineup came ready to attack, everybody knows what to do,” the three-time LatinoMVP Soto said. “We had a plan and we executed throughout the whole series.”
And the Mets, 27th in baseball in scoring runs per game, did something different. Every starter in the lineup reached base once and eight scored a run. Rookie Carson Benge hit a leadoff first inning home run and Marcus Semien later added on with a two-run blast. The offense from Semien has come around, reaching base four times Sunday for the second time this season.
Consistency will come if the Mets can pull off a string of series wins. Is a run back into contention possible? In previous years they said it was impossible though there were comebacks. This team was expected to lead the pack or be within reach of being a serious contender.
“We had a tough series against the same team last weekend when basically we didn’t do anything offensively,” said manager Carlos Mendoza. “For us to make that adjustment quickly and put up that type of performance the whole weekend it was just good to see.”
The Mets offense pounded on fastballs despite Benge’s home run, his fourth of his career, coming off a slider that went to center field off the beginning of Miami’s carousel of open bullpen pitchers. John King got the start because Janson Junk hit the injured list with shin inflammation. Didn’t matter to the Mets, they came out swinging.
And soon, the Mets expect some of their regulars to return from the injured list. First baseman/designated hitter Jorge Polanco will begin the contingent of 12 Mets nursing their wounds. Francisco Lindor, though resuming some on field activities, said he is on schedule for late June. And that’s being optimistic to what has been an anemic offense since the two-time LatinoMVP’s absence of 30 games due to a left calf strain.
The Mets have now won four straight, so there is optimism but as the team has witnessed—sustaining the winning and taking consecutive series is to be determined. If not, as the month of June approaches with positives, they will soon become negatives. The August trade deadline could result in selling and going with the rookies towards another rebuild.
Whether it be from adding or subtracting, David Stearns and the Mets’ front office will have a busy summer on their hands – Image Credit: George Napolitano/Latino Sports
They will continue to add and subtract from the roster. At times it’s difficult for an observer to determine who is new in the clubhouse, something that has contributed to this frustrating season. David Peterson came out of the pen again and picked up his first career save after four innings of scoreless relief. The left-hander has been adjusting on and off as a starter and reliever, with Clay Holmes on the injured list.
With Semien, and his home run coming off a sinker, he’s compiled three HRs, two doubles and six RBI in his last 10 home games at Citi Field. It’s production the Mets were looking for when he was acquired from Texas for Brandon Nimmo.
“We have basically eight months to work as hard as we possibly can to get to a point where we’re playing in the game and the ball slows down a little bit and your swing is right,” Semien said.
As the season has gone on in Queens, Marcus Semien has gotten more comfortable at the plate, hitting three HRs with two doubles and six RBI in his last 10 games at Citi Field – Image Credit: George Napolitano/Latino Sports
On Sunday afternoon, the swings were right and the Mets played solid baseball from first pitch on. It was always supposed to be right when David Stearns, president of baseball operation, assembled this roster, but then again, baseball is that type of game with a swing or a miss.
The Mets hope to sustain the winning and bring the momentum to Seattle against a Mariners team who is also struggling to score runs in a mediocre American League.
Rich Mancuso is a senior writer and columnist at LatinoSports.com with coverage of MLB, boxing, and MLS – X: @Ring786, Facebook.com/Rich Mancuso
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