The Mets’ trip to Toronto ended the same way too many of their recent series have ended: with more questions than answers.
New York lost two of three to the Blue Jays, and the problems that haunted Carlos Mendoza were still there under interim manager Andy Green. The Mets are now 2-4 since the change, and after a week with Green in charge, there’s no sign of a quick fix.
The biggest frustration was the same old mix of shaky defense and uneven pitching. On Wednesday, the starting pitching was solid until it wasn’t, when Freddy Peralta was hit for five runs.
The outfield also contributed another costly moment when Juan Soto and A.J. Ewing misplayed a George Springer single in left-center field, turning a routine hit into a Little League homer.
Another day, same Mets. Juan Soto and A.J. Ewing just turned this routine George Springer base hit into a Little League home run. pic.twitter.com/pOO7L0YvHl
That kind of blunder has become far too familiar. After an embarrassing six-error game against the Cubs last week, the Mets fired Mendoza, but the defense didn’t suddenly clean itself up in Toronto. For a team that spent the winter talking about “run prevention,” the repeated mistakes have become impossible to ignore, and the latest one only underscored how badly New York needs a real overhaul in that area this winter.
The offense didn’t offer much help either. By the end of the series, the Mets had delivered an offensive snooze-fest while the pitching and defense continued to sputter, leaving them with just one win in Toronto. It was also their fifth straight lost series.
There were a few encouraging signs tucked inside the mess, though. Francisco Álvarez keeps giving the Mets reasons to believe in him.
The catcher hit his ninth homer of the season on Tuesday night, pushing his OPS above .750 at the time. Since returning from the injured list on June 9 and through the end of the month, he has five homers and an .821 OPS.
That matters because plenty of the names once tied to the “Baby Mets” label still haven’t delivered. Álvarez, though, is still flashing the power that made him such a highly touted prospect.
He’s also getting more regular time at DH, which should help keep him on the field. The Mets don’t need to give up on him yet.
There was also more to like on the mound from Sean Manaea and Nolan McLean, who followed a strong return from the injured list by Christian Scott with back-to-back solid outings in Toronto. Those three are the Mets’ best starters under contract for 2027, and they’re starting to look like a group New York can build around.
Manaea’s resurgence has been especially important with his $22 million salary due next year. His ERA as a starter sits just over 4.00, though the Mets’ defense behind him has done him no favors. Scott and McLean profile as front-three arms, and if the Mets can find another starter this winter, Manaea could fit nicely toward the back of the rotation.
That may not salvage this season, but it does give the Mets a clearer picture of where the starting staff could be headed. And it gives them a better shot at chasing a top-end starter this winter.
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