NEW YORK — In taking two out of three games from the Chicago Cubs at Citi Field over the weekend, the New York Mets looked the part of a strong team. The Mets scored at least five runs in each game, including Sunday’s 6-2 win. They pitched mostly well, twice holding one of the league’s best lineups to two runs. They played good defense, made wise decisions on the base paths and showed hustle.
“To end up where we want to end up, we gotta do things like this,” star shortstop Francisco Lindor said.
The Mets (26-15) outplayed the Cubs (23-18). It wasn’t the Mets’ first difficult opponent —New York previously swept the Philadelphia Phillies. But the Mets haven’t played as strong a schedule as the Cubs. That starts to change this month. In consecutive weekends in May, the Mets play Chicago, the New York Yankees and the Los Angeles Dodgers. It was imperative that they got off to a good start.
“It’s important to play well against teams like the Cubs — that’s a good team right there,” Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said. “Top to bottom, the lineup, one of the best offenses in the league. And they’ve played some tough competition. It’s always good to see how you match up against those guys.”
Here are the takeaways from the series.
Brett Baty, Mark Vientos thriving at same time
After rejoining the Mets from Triple A, Baty hit a home run Friday and belted two more Saturday. After not starting two straight games, Mark Vientos had two hits Saturday and two more hits Sunday, including a home run. Baty started at third base Friday and Saturday. Against lefty Matthew Boyd on Sunday, Vientos, the designated hitter Saturday, started at third base over Baty. The way things are going — and with designated hitter Jesse Winker sidelined with an oblique injury — the most optimal Mets lineup likely includes both of them.
So would Vientos be OK with shifting to designated hitter more often to allow Baty more action at third base?
“Absolutely,” Vientos said.
Mark Vientos delivered a solo home run during the sixth inning as part of a recent hot streak by the Mets’ third basemen. (Vincent Carchietta / Imagn Images)
There’s a strong possibility that Monday’s lineup features Vientos at designated hitter.
Even if it doesn’t happen Monday, the Mets aren’t opposed to giving Vientos more days at designated hitter with Baty at third base. Either way, and unless he falters, Baty should continue to receive steady playing time (he entered as a defensive replacement in the ninth inning Sunday and made two solid plays for outs).
“We’ll find room,” Mendoza said.
Mendoza is adept at utilizing his bench and rotating players into the lineup. Considering Baty’s ability to play second base, plus the versatility of others, the possible configurations also impact designated hitter Starling Marte, second baseman Luisangel Acuña, infielder/outfielder Jeff McNeil and center fielder Tyrone Taylor.
“It’s always good when there’s a healthy competition,” Mendoza said.
Especially with two young players at third base.
Vientos and Baty are close friends. But they’ve competed often with one another for playing time. Just last year, for instance, Baty opened the season as the starting third baseman only to lose it to Vientos, who ended up hitting 27 home runs as a first-time full-timer in the majors. Vientos got off to a slow start, but over his last 25 games, he is 27-for-94 (.287 batting average) with five home runs. Over Baty’s last 12 games in the majors, he is 12-for-39 (.308 batting average) with four home runs.
“They came up together, so they’re used to this,” Mendoza said. “They pull for each other, they root for each other. They’re great teammates. They care about each other. That’s a good thing they got going on there.”
Vientos said he has hit four home runs over the past five years on Mother’s Day. Before the game, Baty needled Vientos about his Mother’s Day success, joking that it comes from using a pink bat since Vientos, nicknamed Swaggy V, cares about style. Vientos thought he might hit a home run on Mother’s Day. But he insisted the idea of making a heart gesture for his mom toward the end of his home run trot came to him in the moment.
“That’s mommy power right there,” Vientos said.
Francisco Lindor leads by example (again)
Since last year, when he started habitually hitting big home runs late in games for the Mets, Lindor tended to conceal emotion during his trip around the bases.
Not Sunday. Not by his standards, anyway.
After his solo home run in the eighth inning supplied the Mets with a 3-2 lead, Lindor allowed himself a scream as he passed first base and slapped his chest repeatedly upon touching home plate.
He said he was thinking of his wife and mom on Mother’s Day.
Also, he was thinking of Saturday.
Lindor failed to come through in the ninth inning Saturday. In a one-run game and with a runner on first base, Lindor grounded into a double play. The Mets lost 6-5. Visibly displeased with himself, he tapped his chest while looking at his teammates on his way back to the dugout.
The next day, he wanted another chance. Same pitcher, Porter Hodge. Same pitch, a sweeper. Similar location, near the middle. On Sunday, Lindor didn’t miss.
That’s what leaders do.
“That’s what great players do,” Mendoza said. “We’re watching greatness here.”
Mets’ rotation can beat good lineups, too
Griffin Canning celebrates May 11 in special ways every year, not just when it happens to be Mother’s Day. It’s his birthday. It’s also his mother’s birthday.
So it was only fitting that he’d keep the party going with a gem.
Canning held the Cubs to just two hits — an infield single and a solo home run — in six innings with one walk and five strikeouts. He used his fastball high in and out of the strike zone for swing and miss, complementing his slider and changeup. He lowered his ERA to 2.36.
“He had everything going today,” Mendoza said.
The Cubs, featuring Kyle Tucker and Pete Crow-Armstrong, entered Sunday’s game with a .776 OPS, third-best in the major leagues behind only the Yankees (.823) and Dodgers (.795). Against Canning, that didn’t matter. Just like how it didn’t matter Friday against Clay Holmes, who limited Chicago to one run, three hits and three walks in six innings.
Frankie Montas and Sean Manaea were the Mets’ two biggest pitcher signings over the winter. Holmes and Canning? Some rival evaluators saw Holmes as a value bet at best. And Canning was an afterthought, added as a depth option. Both are thriving. That’s not bad for a combined salary this season of $17.25 million, or $250,000 more than what’s due to Montas in 2025.
(Top photo of Francisco Lindor’s eighth-inning home run: Jim McIsaac / Getty Images)