On a day when the Mets’ starting rotation was in doubt after Kodai Senga suffered a potentially season-ending calf injury, the Mets’ offense struggled against Atlanta at Citi Field.
The Mets were dominated by Atlanta rookie right-hander Spencer Schwellenbach, who struck out 11 batters and allowed just two hits in seven innings.
The loss ended the Mets’ five-game winning streak and dropped them from first place in the National League Wild Card race, a day after dropping the Braves to second place.
Atlanta entered the game on a six-game losing streak, but as Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said Friday, they weren’t looking at the standings.
Still, the Mets were looking to reach a season-high eight games with a winning percentage above .500.
They haven’t been there since 2022 and did very little on Saturday, suffering just their second shutout loss since May 28th.
Tyler Megill, who has been in the minor leagues for about a month, took over in the starting rotation for young right-hander Christian Scott, who is on the disabled list with left shoulder periarthritis.
He gave up a season-high three home runs and just four runs over six-plus innings in a disappointing performance.
Megill got off to a fast start in the afternoon game, striking out the first 11 batters he faced before giving the Braves the lead with two outs in the top of the fourth inning when Marcell Ozuna hit a 423-foot home run to left-center field.
Matt Olson hit a home run to left-center on an 0-2 split that bounced off the top of the wall.
A shot in the opposite direction made the score 2-0.
Atlanta added another run in the fifth on an RBI single by Orlando Arcia, and in the seventh Eddie Rosario hit a solo homer off Megill.
The Mets, at least, appeared to avoid another injury crisis when Brandon Nimmo was hit by a foul ball on his knee in the bottom of the fourth inning.
He appeared to be in significant pain but finished the at-bat and, more importantly, the game.
On offense, the Mets only had one out double by Jeff McNeil in the second inning and two out doubles by Pete Alonso in the fourth against Schwellenbach.
Schwellenbach retired 21 of the 23 batters he faced, including the final 10.
The Mets finally got another runner on base in the bottom of the ninth when Luis Torrens led off the inning with a single to left field off closer Raisel Iglesias.
Francisco Lindor sent a ball down the left track, but Rosario jumped to catch it, and then Nimmo singled to score J.D. Martinez.
Martinez struck out and Alonso struck out swinging to end the game.
