{"id":254687,"date":"2026-04-06T22:11:10","date_gmt":"2026-04-06T22:11:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/254687\/"},"modified":"2026-04-06T22:11:10","modified_gmt":"2026-04-06T22:11:10","slug":"3-up-3-down-mets-shine-in-san-francisco","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/254687\/","title":{"rendered":"3 Up, 3 Down: Mets Shine In San Francisco"},"content":{"rendered":"

Everything appeared to click for the New York Mets on the West Coast.<\/p>\n

After a disappointing start to the road trip, the Mets took three out of four from the Giants in San Francisco. All in all, they finished their first road trip of the year 4-3.<\/p>\n

Furthermore, several encouraging trends emerged from the series against the Giants. The pitching continued to look strong, while the offense showed tangible signs of a breakout. And the depth really came through, too.<\/p>\n

Through the first 10 games of the season, the Mets have scored 49 runs, fifth in MLB, while allowing just 32 runs, which ranks fourth best in the majors. While the sample size is small, those numbers do suggest that this Mets team is trending in the right direction.<\/p>\n

So, on that note, let\u2019s recap the four games in the latest edition of 3 Up, 3 Down \u2026<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Apr 3, 2026; San Francisco, California, USA; New York Mets second baseman Marcus Semien (10) hits an RBI single against the San Francisco Giants during the first inning at Oracle Park. Mandatory Credit: Neville E. Guard-Imagn Images<\/p>\n

3 UP
\nANSWERING THE DOUBTS<\/p>\n

Mark Vientos<\/a>\u00a0has had to deal with a lot of noise about his role on this team. Of course, a lot of that was of his own making. A tough 2025 season was followed by an ugly spring training. However, the infielder has started to answer some of those doubts early on in 2026. He has looked like a different hitter to start the year, and he was hugely productive in San Francisco. Vientos went a combined 8-for-16 with four RBIs and five runs scored in the four games against the Giants. He has embraced the challenge and has proved hard to drop from the lineup. He was a real spark throughout the series against San Fran, producing several key moments. Long may it continue.<\/p>\n

BREAKING OUT<\/p>\n

The offense went stagnant following a breakout on Opening Day. Well, we saw some real, tangible signs of life from the lineup in San Francisco. Aside from the opening game on Thursday, the offense exploded, giving the pitching the kind of run support it deserves. In all, the Mets outscored the Giants 26-12. More importantly, we saw some really encouraging individual performances.\u00a0Bo Bichette<\/a>\u00a0had six hits and came through with runners in scoring position.\u00a0Marcus Semien<\/a>\u00a0had his best series as a Met, including three hits and three RBIs on Friday.\u00a0Francisco Alvarez<\/a>\u00a0hit a pair of home runs in the second game of the series and had at least a hit in the three games he played in.\u00a0Luis Robert Jr.<\/a> stayed hot and stole his first two bases of the season on Sunday. And\u00a0Tyrone Taylor<\/a>,\u00a0Luis Torrens<\/a>, and\u00a0Jared Young<\/a>\u00a0all came up with big-time offensive contributions.<\/p>\n

In the wake of the series against the Giants, the Mets rank high in a number of key offensive categories across Major League Baseball. But, more importantly, several key hitters began to show signs of breaking out over the weekend, notably Bichette and Semien. Let\u2019s hope the entire lineup can now use these last four games as a launching pad for greater things.<\/p>\n

PITCHING EXCELLENCE<\/p>\n

The Mets continue to receive stellar performances from both the starting rotation and the bullpen.\u00a0Nolan McLean<\/a>\u00a0didn\u2019t have his best stuff, but still took a perfect game into the sixth inning on Friday.\u00a0Clay Holmes<\/a>\u00a0delivered seven shutdown innings on Saturday, again showcasing just how big a piece he could be this year. And\u00a0Kodai Senga<\/a>\u00a0was superb again on Sunday, striking out seven and allowing just two hits over 5.2 innings. All in all, Mets starters own a 3.13 ERA through the first 10 games of the season. As for the bullpen,\u00a0Huascar Brazob\u00e1n<\/a>,\u00a0Luke Weaver<\/a>, and\u00a0Devin Williams<\/a>\u00a0all remained lights out, as did\u00a0Tobias Myers<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0Brooks Raley<\/a>. The pitching overall has been really impressive, and it was elite for the most part in San Francisco.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Apr 2, 2026; San Francisco, California, USA; New York Mets outfielder Juan Soto (22) reacts after scoring a run on an RBI double hit by infielder Bo Bichette (19) against the San Francisco Giants during the first inning at Oracle Park. Mandatory Credit: Robert Edwards-Imagn Images<\/p>\n

3 DOWN
\nSCARY MOMENT<\/p>\n

It appears as though a true crisis has been averted with\u00a0Juan Soto<\/a>.\u00a0However, it was still heart-in-your-mouth time when the superstar exited Friday\u2019s game with a calf strain. Now, Soto was placed on the 10-Day IL with a right calf strain on Monday. The organization announced that a typical return to play is approximately 2-3 weeks. That\u2019s probably the best-case scenario, but still, being without your best hitter for any amount of time is hardly good news. However, it is probably wise for the Mets to be extra cautious with this type of injury, especially with a star player.<\/p>\n

BRUTAL OUTING<\/p>\n

David Peterson<\/a>\u2018s start on Thursday was tough to watch. The southpaw was just brutal, allowing six runs (five earned) on nine hits and two walks across 4.1 innings. To compound an already bad night, Peterson dropped the ball at first base to allow a run to score in the first inning. That set the tone for the rest of the night. Again, it is early, but Peterson\u2019s start to the season has featured many of the same problems that plagued him during the second half of last year. Poor location and poor pitch execution won\u2019t lead to anything good in the major leagues.<\/p>\n

OFFENSIVE FUNK<\/p>\n

Welcome back to our regular scheduled programming.\u00a0Francisco Lindor<\/a>\u00a0is off to a traditional slow start. Yes, he leads the National League in walks with 10. But, on the flip side, he is hitting just .135\/.333\/.243\/.577 with two extra-base hits over the first 10 games of the season. Lindor didn\u2019t have much success against the Giants, going a combined 2-for-16 with five strikeouts over the four games, including consecutive 0-for-5 outings. Perhaps more worrying is the fact that the shortstop has a 34.5 percent hard hit percentage, while he\u2019s been hitting the ball on the ground more often than not (48.3%). That plays into the notion that hamate surgery tends to sap a hitter\u2019s power. With that said, Lindor tends to start slow before hitting at a high level. Time will tell if the lack of power and the slow start is just par for the course, or if there\u2019s something bigger to be concerned about.<\/p>\n

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