In Need of a Spark, Mets Comeback Fizzles Out

Athletics 11 Mets 6 (Citi Field, Flushing, NY)

Mets record: 7-8

Mets streak: Lost 4

WP - Jacob Lopez (1-1)

LP - Kodai Senga (0-2)

Seat on the Korner: Tyler Soderstrom

We select a Star of the Game and virtually invite him to take his Seat on the Korner — just as Ralph Kiner did on WOR-TV Channel 9 during the early days of the New York Mets.

Continuing the tradition of Rheingold Beer sponsoring Kiner’s Korner, this season every seat is proudly presented by The Main Event Restaurant & Sports Bar.

With locations in Plainview and Farmingdale, The Main Event features 80+ HD TVs, fresh daily seafood, and Black Angus certified steaks—so you never have to choose between great food and the big game.

Tyler Soderstom's frustrating start to the 2026 season came to an abrupt end with his first two home runs of the season. His 2-run shot in the third inning the A's lead to 4-1, and his 8th-inning 3-run blast made the game 11-6, essentially putting the game away. The Athletics left fielder also added a single, giving him a 3-hit day, with 2 home runs, 2 runs scored and 5 valuable RBIs.

Need to Know

• Mets starting pitcher Kodai Senga lasted just 2.1 innings, giving up 7 runs on 8 hits, 2 home runs, with 2 walks, and 3 strikeouts. The second home run against him was a 3-run shot by A's designated hitter Carlos Cortes. It was the first 3-run home run Senga has ever given up in the majors. This was also the first time that Senga has given up at least 7 runs in a game.
  

• Jeff McNeil went 3-5 today, with 3 singles and 2 runs scored. He is now 5-9, with 4 singles, a double, 2 runs scored, and an RBI.

• Offseason pickups Bo Bichette and Jorge Polanco each hit their first home runs in a Mets uniform.

• Francisco Alvarez hit his team-leading 4th home run on the season.

• Francisco Lindor went 1-5 on the day with a single, a run scored, and 2 strikeouts. More importantly though, he had another mental mistake in the field, when he chose to go for a ball on the second base side of the bag instead of positioning himself at the base to turn a much-needed double play. Marcus Semien got to the ball easily and then had to race to second to get just one out on the play. The A's took the lead on the fielder's choice and never gave it up.

• The Mets are now and even .500 (302-302) since Interleague Play began in 1997.

Turning Point

After taking an early 1-0 lead, the Mets seemed ready to put their losing streak behind them. However, Kodai Senga's implosion put them in a seemingly insurmountable 7-1 hole. But, for the first time in a few days, the Mets offense showed some life and worked their way back to a 7-6 ballgame going into the top of the 8th inning. To that point, the Mets bullpen had been stellar. That came to a sudden end against reliever Luke Weaver, however. With two outs and a runner on first, Weaver walked first baseman Nick Kurtz. Then A's catcher followed that up with an RBI single to put increase their lead back to two, at 8-6. Still, in an up and down battle like this game had been, two runs suddenly didn't seem so daunting. Then Tyler Soderstrom stepped up and put the game away.

Sodertrom's 3-run home run made the score 11-6 and took whatever wind the Mets had left in their sails. The A's cruised from there and the Mets inspiring comeback was left incomplete.

Three Keys

Streaky Blinders

In last night's recap, we mentioned three streaks between the two teams. It didn't take long for all 3 streaks to come to an end.

With Bo Bichette's first inning RBI single, the Mets offensive scoreless streak (17 innings) and the Athletics pitching scoreless streak (26 innings) came to and end. Two innings later, Tyler Soderstrom put an end to the Mets pitchers homer-less streak (68 innings). Most importantly, and most unfortunately, for the Mets, the team's losing streak was extended to 4 games. The Mets have been outscored 29-9 in those four games.

A (Possible) Hall of Fame Debut

Prior to the game, the Mets called up possibly Cooperstown-bound reliever, Craig Kimbrel. This will be Kimbrel's 17th season in the majors. Over his career, he has a 56-48 record with a 2.58 ERA. His 1,284 strikeouts is 4th all-time among relief pitchers, and his 440 saves is 5th. The nine-time All-Star made his Mets debut, pitching a scoreless 7th inning, striking out two and giving up a single.

To make room for Kimbrel on the roster, the Mets designated Richard Lovelady for assignment. This is the fifth time the Mets have DFA'd Lovelady since they first signed him last June. If history is any indication, he should return to Flushing sometime in the near future.

Nightmare Weaver

It may feel like ages ago, but it was just this past Tuesday when Mets reliever Luke Weaver pitched a scoreless 10th inning, leaving the ghost runner stranded, and earning a win in the Mets 4-3 victory over the Diamondbacks. To that point, Weaver had throw 5 scoreless innings on the season. Since then, however, things have taken a turn. On Thursday, Weaver gave up 2 runs on 2 hits in 2/3 of an inning. And today, the A's tagged the Mets high leverage reliever for 4-run on 3 hits blowing open what had become a close game. Weaver's ERA jumped from 0.00 after Tuesday's game to 8.10 after today.