Hitting in late and close situations is one of baseball's toughest challenges, and it can make or break a team's season. The Mets, two games into the season, have already shown promise in this area.
Luis Torrens came through with a clutch tying run in the bottom of the 10th, and Luis Robert Jr. smashed a three-run homer to secure a comeback victory. This kind of performance could be the difference between this year's 2-0 start and last year's potential 0-2.
Robert Jr.'s homer was particularly impressive. He took a pitch down and outside and sent it over the fence, battling against a strong wind on a chilly night. It was a display of sheer power and precision.
Last year, the Mets' offense was above average overall, but they struggled in late and close situations. According to Baseball Reference, these situations occur from the 7th inning on, when the game is tied, the team is ahead by one, or the tying run is at least on deck. In 2025, the Mets' performance in these moments was almost identical to the median MLB team, with a slash line of .229/.312/.361.
Despite having a strong overall offense, the Mets faltered when it mattered most. Fans might have celebrated players like Alonso, Nimmo, McNeill, and Marte for their season stats, but the team's lack of clutch hitting in crucial moments was a letdown.
The 2025 Mets ranked ninth overall in batting average, on-base percentage, and slugging percentage, but only 15th in late and close situations. This discrepancy highlighted their lack of clutch performance, a likely factor in the roster changes made by Steve Cohen and David Stearns. The aim is to improve in these pivotal moments.
The hope is that the new-look Mets will excel in late and close situations in 2026, turning potential losses into wins and bringing smiles to fans' faces, even if they're not familiar with the "late and close" stat.
Bo Bichette set the bar high in 2025 with a .325/.354/.558 line in late and close situations. That's the kind of clutch performance the Mets aspire to replicate this season.
While the first game against Skenes wasn't a true test of late and close prowess due to the early lead, the Mets showed their potential in those early, tight moments. Alonso, on the other hand, went 1 for 5 with no RBIs on Saturday, and he's still looking to break his RBI drought.
The season is young, and the Mets are already giving fans reasons to be optimistic about their clutch potential.