Sarah: Inside the park. Inside the heartbreak. Pete Alonso hits his 300th career homer, but it wasn't enough to stop Coby Mayo from stealing the show with an inside-the-park grand slam in the 11th. That is how deep the pain goes for New York right now.
Tom: It’s a brutal way to end the night. A tie in the ninth, and then they lose it in extra innings. The Mets are sitting at 69-82, fifth in the NL East, and the road ahead doesn't get any easier.
Sarah: Welcome to the Beatline Podcast Network! I’m Sarah, and this is your daily preview of the New York Mets. Tom, we are back with another look at the Mets as they prepare to face the Baltimore Orioles again tonight. It’s a quick turnaround after that 7-5 loss last night.
Tom: Right. And honestly, looking at the injury report, I’m not sure who is even available to pitch tonight. We’ve got to talk about the pitching matchup, but also the emotional state of this clubhouse after losing two straight to Baltimore.
Sarah: Here is what we are covering today. First, we’ll break down the probable pitchers for tonight’s game and what that means for the rotation. Second, we’re diving into the key hitters—specifically Juan Soto and Francisco Alvarez—and the massive bullpen questions looming over this series. And third, we’ll give you our keys to the series and one bold prediction. Let’s get into it.
Sarah: Okay, Segment One. The pitching. Last night was a disaster for the Mets’ starters, or at least the relievers who had to clean up the mess. But for tonight, we need to know who is on the mound. Tom, who do you have seeing if the rotation has anyone left to throw?
Tom: This is where it gets ugly, Sarah. If you look at the roster, Sean Manaea is listed as a relief pitcher now, which tells you everything you need to know about their rotation depth. We’ve lost Tylor Megill to the 60-day IL, Devin Williams is on the 15-day, and Reed Garrett is also out. Who is left? We’ve got Kodai Senga, Christian Scott, Zac Thornton, Jonah Tong, and Nolan McLean.
Sarah: Wait, hold on. You said Nolan McLean? Isn’t he the guy we talked about yesterday when we were previewing the Yankees series? I thought he was done for the week.
Tom: He was healthy enough to start against the Yankees, but remember, we predicted bullpen fatigue would be the killer there. My prediction was a 5-3 Yankees win because the Mets had no arms left. Tonight, if McLean is going, it’s either him or someone from the lower tier like Jonathan Pintaro or Dedniel Nunez. But looking at the list, it seems like they might have to lean heavily on the long man.
Sarah: That sounds like a nightmare scenario. So, are we talking about starting a rookie or a minor leaguer? Because if they have to pull someone from Triple-A or use a catcher as a spot starter, that’s a recipe for disaster against a team like Baltimore.
Tom: Exactly. And Baltimore isn’t just any team. They are 74-78, fifth in the AL East, but they are playing with house money. They know the Mets are hurting. If the Mets don’t have a reliable starter, they are going to have to manage their bullpen differently than usual. But with Cionel Perez on the 15-day IL and Shane Baz day-to-day, the options are thin.
Sarah: I love that you used the word 'thin' to describe their options. It really highlights the crisis. So, if they go with McLean, can he go deep? Or is he going to be pulled after five innings to save a arm that might not exist tomorrow?
Tom: If McLean starts, I expect them to try to get him through six. But given the lack of support, the manager might be hesitant to leave him in if things get messy early. Remember, last night they gave up seven runs. That kind of damage usually means the starter didn’t miss many bats or couldn’t locate his breaking stuff. Without a strong defense behind him, it’s tough to recover.
Sarah: Well, let’s hope the offense can provide some insurance tonight. We’ll come back after this break to talk about the bats. Stick with us.
Sarah: We are back. Segment Two. The lineup. Last night was wild. Pete Alonso hit his 300th home run! He tied the game in the ninth against his former team. It was a huge moment. But then... well, you know what happened next.
Tom: It was heartbreaking. Coby Mayo’s inside-the-park homer in the 11th ended it. But let’s look at the positives. Alonso reached 300. That’s a milestone. And he did it in Queens. The crowd went wild. But the question is, can this lineup keep scoring runs against a Baltimore team that is also struggling defensively?
Sarah: Absolutely. And we have to talk about Juan Soto. He’s been on fire all season. How does he fit into this current Mets dynamic? With the injuries piling up, is Soto carrying the offensive load entirely?
Tom: Soto is definitely the engine. When he’s on, he drives the OBP and creates pressure on the opposing pitcher. But look at the rest of the lineup. We have Francisco Alvarez behind the plate, Brett Baty at third, and Bo Bichette also at third? Wait, did the roster update show Bichette at third?
Sarah: Yes! The data shows Bo Bichette listed at third base. That’s a significant shift. And Marcus Semien at second. So the infield is looking pretty stacked, but the outfield has changes too. We have Carson Benge, A.J. Ewing, Nick Morabito, Cristian Pache, and Juan Soto. Where does Lindor fit in?
Tom: Francisco Lindor is still at shortstop. So you have Lindor-Semien-Baty-Bichette-Alvarez. That’s a powerful top half of the order. But the middle of the order is where the inconsistency lies. Mark Vientos and Christopher Morel are sharing time at first. Jared Young is there too. It’s a committee approach.
Sarah: So, if the bullpen is weak, as we discussed, the offense needs to score early. Can Alvarez and Soto carry that weight? Alvarez has been developing nicely as a catcher-hitter hybrid. Do you think he can exploit Baltimore’s pitching?
Tom: Alvarez has the power. His launch angle is something to watch. If he can make consistent contact, he can punish mistakes. But Baltimore has good pitching. Gunnar Henderson hit a tiebreaking homer in the eighth last Monday to eliminate the Mets in a different game. So these guys know how to strike when it matters.
Sarah: Right. And remember, Alonso was hitless in his return to Citi Field on Monday. But he bounced back with the 300th homer Tuesday. So there’s resilience there. What about Luis Torrens catching? Is he getting the nod over Francisco Alvarez?
Tom: Torrens is listed as a catcher, so he could split time. But Alvarez offers more bat. In a game where you need runs, you want the best hitter behind the plate. Unless the defensive situation demands Torrens, I’d stick with Alvarez for his offensive upside.
Sarah: That makes sense. So, high-powered offense, but shaky defense behind them due to injuries. It’s a gamble. We’ll see if the bats can outscore the errors. Coming up, Segment Three. Keys to the series and my bold prediction. Don’t go anywhere.
Sarah: Alright, Segment Three. Keys to the series. Tom, what do the Mets need to do to win this one? And please tell me you aren’t predicting another loss.
Tom: I’m not predicting anything yet! But here is the key: Run prevention. They cannot afford to blow leads. Last night they tied it in the ninth, but they couldn’t close it out. They need to execute in high-leverage spots. And they need their starters to go deeper than five innings. If they rely on a depleted bullpen again, they are in trouble.
Sarah: Agreed. And for the fans listening, if you want to help keep this daily analysis free and accessible, please consider chipping in via the link in the episode description. Your support fuels these previews and helps us bring you the latest Mets news every single day. Thank you for being part of the Beatline family.
Tom: My bold prediction? I think the Mets split this series. They might win one game thanks to Soto and Alvarez, but the bullpen fatigue will cost them the other two. It’s a tough stretch for New York.
Sarah: And I’m sticking with my earlier prediction that they can steal one game. But I agree, it’s going to be a grind. Thanks for listening to the Beatline Podcast Network. Subscribe, rate, and review us wherever you get your podcasts. Go Mets!