The Mets came out of the All-Star break and handled the Phillies in a game played under an eerie orange haze, the kind tied to the horrific wildfires in Canada. It was the only game on Major League Baseball’s schedule, and New York made it count, putting together a clean, complete effort for its first win of the second half.
Christian Scott set the tone on the mound and outpitched Aaron Nola. The recently announced untouchable right-hander worked 5.2 scoreless innings, struck out seven, and allowed just three hits without issuing a walk.
The only real jam came in the sixth, when Kyle Schwarber lined a two-out double that was very close to leaving the yard. That ended Scott’s night before he could reach a quality start, and Brooks Raley stepped in to get Bryce Harper and close the door on the threat.
The Mets did most of their damage with power. Francisco Alvarez got the scoring started in the third with a solo homer, Brett Baty added another solo shot in the seventh to push the lead to 2-0, and Alvarez followed with his second solo blast of the night to make it 3-0. All three runs Nola gave up came on solo home runs.
New York’s bullpen was steady almost across the board. Raley and Huascar Brazobán each posted scoreless outings, and the only blemish came in the eighth when Trea Turner took Luke Weaver deep for a solo homer. That snapped Weaver’s run of 27 2/3 consecutive scoreless innings, a stretch that figures to keep him high on the trade market as the deadline approaches.
The Mets answered right back in the ninth. A.J.
Ewing lined an opposite-field double that brought home Jared Young, extending the cushion to 4-1. Ewing has been one of the bright spots for the 2026 Mets, hitting .274/.347/.438 with a 121 wRC+ over his first 58 major league games.
If the season doesn’t produce much else, the club at least looks like it may have a long-term outfield core with Juan Soto, A.J. Ewing and Carson Benge.
Soto had one of those stat lines that says almost everything and still leaves a little drama behind it. He finished 1-for-1 with three walks, continuing an MVP-caliber season at .292/.412/.563 with a 166 wRC+. But he also left in the eighth with left calf soreness, though the Mets still expect him to play this weekend.
For a team mostly grinding through the rest of the year, performances like Scott’s, Ewing’s and Soto’s are still worth paying attention to.
In Other News...
This Feels Like Exactly The Risky Mets Pitching Bet Stearns Loves
The Mets have already shown a willingness to keep turning over pitching bets, and late June brought another reminder when David Peterson was shipped to the Cubs for Cole Mathis. Around the league, Lance McCullers Jr. has become one of the more intriguing names to watch after Houston sent him and Colton Gordon to Milwaukee for Jadyn Fielder, a move that puts a once-promising arm in a new setting and gives clubs a fresh chance to evaluate what he has left.
For New York, the appeal is obvious enough even with the risk baked in. McCullers has spent the last two seasons fighting through major health issues and uneven results, and the kind of pitcher he becomes with the Brewers will matter more than his reputation ever could. If he can stay on the mound and show something closer to his old form, he could fit the sort of upside play the Mets have not been shy about exploring, especially with David Stearns having known him from their time together in Houston. [Read more 🡒]
Mets Deadline Selloff Could Soon Cost Them A Trusted Bullpen Arm
As the deadline approaches, the Mets are widely expected to move into sell mode, and one of the more appealing pieces on the roster is a left-handed reliever who has quietly been one of their steadier bullpen arms this season. Brooks Raley has given New York the kind of late-inning reliability contenders tend to chase in July, which is why he has started to surface in conversations around clubs looking for help on the left side.
Boston has been one of the teams linked as a possible fit, especially with a need for another matchup lefty to pair behind Aroldis Chapman. But the Red Sox have also played their way into a murkier spot, and their recent surge has made it harder to tell whether they will push in for bullpen help or stay patient, leaving any potential deal hanging on how they read the next few days. [Read more 🡒]
Phillies Are Eyeing A Mets Starter And Fans Wont Like It
The Phillies have surged since Don Mattingly took over as interim manager, and their push toward the NL East race has only sharpened the focus on the trade deadline. According to ESPNs Buster Olney, Philadelphia is prioritizing starting pitching, with the middle of the rotation emerging as the area it wants to upgrade as it tries to keep pace in a tight division battle.
For Mets fans, the more unsettling part is that one of the names floating into that discussion is a current New York starter who is still working back from injury. He is on the 60-day injured list and expected to return in August, which makes him an especially intriguing possibility for a contender looking to add help without waiting too long, and it adds another layer to a deadline market that could get complicated quickly. [Read more 🡒]