3 Up, 3 Down: Mets Sweep Padres inspired by Grimace

Raise your hand if you had Grimace as the savior of the New York Mets on your 2024 bingo card.

No, me neither. But if things continue this way, perhaps we’ll see a statue of Grimace erected outside of Citi Field in the not-too-distant future.

From the milkshake-loving fast food mascot threw out the first pitch last Wednesday, the Mets are 5-0. That includes a sweep of the Padres at Citi Field last weekend.

Not only does New York win, but everything seems to be working for this team. The offense strikes at an impressive pace. The throw stopped the bleeding. And there’s hope swirling in Queens again.

Of course, it says a lot about the state of the Mets’ season that we’re now pinning our hopes on a big purple blob. And Luis Torrens. Let’s see where this team stands in July before we hand Grimace the keys to New York.

But, for now, there’s not much to complain about, and we’ll continue to revel in Grimace’s glory and this current winning streak. It’s time for a very positive 3 Up, 3 Down…

3 MORE

SUMMER PLEASURES

As the start of summer officially arrives, the Mets are holding up their end of the bargain by being good again. For weeks, the fear was real and tangible that the season would end by July. While this may still happen, at least we have some hope to cling to. As winners of five straight games – and nine of their last 11 – the Mets have breathed new life into their season. After impressively sweeping the previously red-hot Padres, this team has guaranteed that the next few weeks will be interesting to say the least. It’s up to them to decide whether the hope and enthusiasm can last past the trade deadline.

ON HEATING

There was a reason the Mets’ collective fan base fell over themselves for the team to sign J.D. Martinez. We see why now. The veteran slugger has been a boon to this lineup, and that was on full display throughout the series against the Padres. Martinez was unstoppable against San Diego, powering an offense that was irresistibly fun to watch all weekend. The six-time All-Star reached base ten straight times, hitting two homers and a double with six RBIs and three runs scored while drawing five walks. Additionally, Martinez had some big hits, including the game-winning two-run double on Friday night. He was the main driver of this recent turnaround.

Martinez is hitting .450/.593/.1.050/.1.643 over the past seven days while putting on an absolute clinic at the plate. It is special seeing the veteran do what he does best. Of course, Martinez also increases his value before the trade deadline. But, whether he stays or goes, he’s certainly made it fun to be a Mets fan again lately.

PROVEN PITCHING

Pitching was a collective strength for the Mets in this series. Apart from a mini collapse on Sunday, during which Jake Diekman allowed three runs in a third of an inning, the rotation and bullpen delivered. Edwin Diaz got the save Friday, recording his second consecutive electric ninth inning. Dedniel Nuñez was impressive on Saturday, pitching two perfect innings with two strikeouts. And Sean Reid Foley managed to come in and get the job done in the ninth inning on Sunday, erasing the damage caused by Diekman. As for the starting pitch, Sean Manaea, José Quintana And Taylor Megill all had good starts and pitched at least five innings. Quintana threw six and got off to a bounce-back start with six strikeouts and one run on two hits. Overall, the rotation and bullpen worked for the Mets all weekend.

3 DOWN

A LATE FEAR

The Mets were coasting Sunday until they weren’t. Jake Diekman entered the game in the eighth and made things very, very interesting almost immediately. A routine pitch gone wrong sparked panic, and three runs given up in less than an inning set the stage for an embarrassing collapse. In truth, the Mets recovered after Diekman’s departure, mainly thanks to a Luis Torrens home run. Some criticisms can be attributed to the manager Carlos Mendozawhich undoubtedly eliminated Adrien Houser too early. It was a case of overmanagement. But Diekman’s mistake and subsequent implosion made Sunday’s game more interesting than it needed to be.

HARD EXTENSION

You can say I’m starting to grasp at straws given how good this weekend was. The Mets will have a tough task ahead if they want to maintain this current resurgence. They hit the road to face the Rangers and Cubs before returning home for a two-game set against the Yankees. Now, Texas was swept by the Mariners this weekend, but could benefit from the pitching matchups on Monday. Wrigley Field is always tough and the Yankees are the best team in baseball. You just hope this next step doesn’t bring a return to reality.

MIXED WEEKEND

Jeff McNeil made a saving defensive play Friday night for the big second takedown. It was crucial in the overall context of the match. It was also a reminder of the second baseman’s elite glove. He did a nice person also play with the glove on Sunday. However, McNeil continues to struggle offensively. He went 2-for-10 against the Padres, with just one walk and one extra base hit. Sure, McNeil scored three runs, but his at-bats are mostly hard to watch. Now hitting .222/.289/.311/.600 on the year, the narrative around McNeil and his future with the team will only become more interesting as his offensive struggles continue.