The Mets are coming off a scorching hot week where they swept the Pittsburgh Pirates and took two out of three in Los Angeles against the Dodgers, finishing the week with a 5-1 record while improving to 12-9 on the season. The offense kept the train rolling for the Mets, scoring 33 runs (5.5 per game), including two nine-run performances in back-to-back days.
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Marte has bounced back extraordinarily well after a down year in 2023, and he had a strong showing this past week. He swatted two home runs along with eight RBIs and six runs scored. His three-run homer Saturday against the Dodgers broke the 2-2 tie in the sixth inning to give the Mets the lead before the bullpen closed out the victory. He swiped two bags on the week, showing his speed is still very much a threat at 35 years old, especially after double groin surgery. With five stolen bases this year, he hasn’t been caught stealing yet.
Marte was vital to the Mets’ offense in his first season with the team in 2022 when they finished the regular season with 101 wins. Except for a couple of defensive blunders, he has looked like his All-Star-level self. The Mets were often at their best in 2022 when Marte was producing, and it’s no coincidence the team has turned things around thanks to Marte’s early season success. Signed through the 2025 season, Marte will play a large role offensively moving forward. If he continues to play at his current speed and stays healthy, everyone will be happy.
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The Mets claimed Garrett off waivers from the Baltimore Orioles last June after posting a 10.13 ERA over 2 2/3 innings. He struggled over his first few outings with the Mets last August before he turned things around toward the end of the year, allowing just one earned run in his final ten innings across five appearances with New York from August 20 through September 30.
Well, this season has taken all the right turns for Garrett. This week, he added to his already stellar campaign by picking up two wins and his first career save. In four innings of work, he recorded ten strikeouts while handing out just one free pass and two unearned runs that stemmed from a Joey Wendle error. Manager Carlos Mendoza has shown his trust in the 31-year-old journeyman and has used him in multiple roles within the game. He’s shown endurance on the mound this season, with three multi-inning outings in relief. Now more than ever, the Mets will be leaning on Garrett with the recent news that left-handed reliever Brooks Raley landed on the 15-day injured list with elbow inflammation. If Garrett can remain steady along with the likes of Adam Ottavino, Jake Diekman and Jorge López, the bullpen should be able to stay afloat.
Bader has been a pleasant surprise through the early portion of his first campaign in a Mets uniform. David Stearns inked Bader to a one-year deal over the offseason with the notion that he would be playing centerfield quite regularly, and he has stayed true to that, with Bader appearing in 18 of their 21 games.
The highlight of the week for Bader came on Friday. He went 4-for-4, hitting three singles, one double, driving in one and scoring one. In Wednesday’s contest with the Pirates, he blasted a two-run shot for his first home run of the season.
The Mets will travel north to San Francisco to take on the Giants in a three-game set starting Monday night to complete their West Coast trip. The series includes two 9:45 pm EST start times, so Mets fans on the East Coast should plan accordingly.
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