The Mets kicked off the second half of their season on Thursday, bouncing back despite facing injury challenges.
Their pitching staff was further drained when Griffin Canning left the game after three innings due to what appears to be an Achilles injury. Still, the Mets managed to secure a split in their four-game series, achieving their second consecutive win with a 4-0 shutout at Citi Field.
In Canning’s absence, four relievers stepped up to fill the gap.
Mets manager Carlos Mendoza mentioned he was awaiting the results for Canning’s injury, indicating it likely involves his Achilles.
Even with a rough patch where they lost 10 out of 11 games leading up to a 7-3 victory against Atlanta, the Mets now lead the NL East with a 48-34 record, just ahead of the Phillies.
Last year, at the season’s midpoint, the Mets had a record of 40-41 but ultimately finished strong with 89 wins before falling to the Dodgers in the NLCS.
“We started strong this year,” Mendoza reflected. “Many players have contributed in pitching and offense, and while we hit some rough patches, we keep pushing forward.”
“It’s just the halfway mark. We understand the competition is stiff in the National League, with many solid teams around. We have to keep improving and showing up each game; that’s what counts.”
However, misfortune continued when Canning was forced to exit after his brief stint on the mound, during which he suffered his injury while fielding a play involving Nick Allen. He needed assistance leaving the field.
He was succeeded by Triple-A call-up Austin Warren, who managed to hold off Atlanta during his time on the mound until Juan Soto drew a walk, setting the stage for further scoring opportunities.
In the fifth inning, after Soto got on base, Pete Alonso stepped up, hitting two singles that brought in runs, making the score 2-0.
Although the Mets had a chance to increase their lead when Tyron Taylor loaded the bases, they couldn’t capitalize on it.
But that didn’t seem to faze them. Dedniel Nuñez came in for the sixth inning and quickly retired the next six batters, even striking out four in a row.
Jeff McNeil added two singles in the seventh inning, creating a four-run cushion for the team. Ryne Stanek and Edwin Díaz then took care of the final outs, securing the victory.
