Mets’ Mistakes and Marlins’ Power Combine for 4-2 Defeat

Marlins 4 Mets 2 (loanDepot park, Miami, FL)

Mets record: 2-3

Mets streak: Lost 1

Last 10: 2-3

WP - Sandy Alcantra (0-1)

LP - Kodai Senga (0-1)

SV - Anthony Bender (1)

Seat on the Korner: Kodai Senga

We select the star of the game and virtually invite him to a Seat on the Korner, just as Ralph Kiner used to do for his studio postgame show on WOR-channel 9 broadcasts in the early decades of the Mets.

Most nights, Ralph’s guests came from the winning team, but given Kodai Senga’s long-anticipated return, he’d get the nod tonight—along with an extra chair for his interpreter, Hiro Fujiwara.

Making his first regular-season start since July 26, 2024, Senga showed flashes of the dominant form that made him the Mets' ace last season, particularly with his signature “Ghost Fork.” The unhittable splitter was alive and well, as he fanned eight batters over five innings of work. However, his outing began with a few haunting moments. Marlins leadoff man Xavier Edwards greeted him with a sharp double, and two pitches later, Kyle Stowers launched a two-run homer to right-center, putting Senga and the Mets in an early hole.

Despite the rocky start, Senga settled in, allowing just one more hit over his remaining four innings. He displayed excellent command of his off-speed pitches, recording 14 whiffs, and worked efficiently outside of that first-frame stumble. His final line—5.0 innings, 3 hits, 4 runs (2 earned), 1 walk, and 8 strikeouts—wasn’t quite ace-level dominance, but it was a promising step forward for a Mets team desperate for rotation stability.

If nothing else, the Mets can take solace in the fact that the Ghost Fork is back—and so, perhaps, is Kodai Senga.

Need to Know

• Brandon Nimmo has homered for the second consecutive game.

• Max Kranick continues to shine, throwing another three scoreless innings.

• Sean Manaea has been shut down from throwing for at least two more weeks after receiving a Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) injection for his strained right oblique. Manaea felt discomfort during a long-toss rehab stint, and an MRI revealed inflammation.

• Today marks the 40th anniversary of the famous Sidd Finch April Fools' joke and the 45th anniversary of Jay Horwitz’s tenure with the Mets

Turning Point

With the score knotted at 2-2 in the bottom of the fourth, the Mets had a chance to keep the game in check. But a costly defensive miscue opened the door for the Marlins to take control.

Otto Lopez led off with a routine grounder to Francisco Lindor, but the usually slick-fielding shortstop booted it for his second error of the game, allowing Lopez to reach safely. Kodai Senga responded by striking out Matt Mervis, seemingly settling things down.

Next up was Griffin Conine, who grounded to second for what could have been an inning-ending double play. Luisangel Acuña fielded it cleanly and flipped to Lindor for the force at second, but Conine hustled down the line and narrowly beat Lindor’s throw to first, keeping the inning alive.

That extra out proved costly. Senga then issued a two-out walk to Jonah Bride, moving Conine into scoring position. The Marlins capitalized immediately, as Graham Pauley roped a line-drive double to left. Brandon Nimmo got the ball in quickly, but both Conine and Bride scored, giving Miami a 4-2 lead.

Senga bounced back to strike out Dane Myers, but the damage was done. The Mets’ missed double-play opportunity and Lindor’s costly error had given the Marlins all they needed, as they held on for the eventual win.

Three Keys

Sandy Alcantara's Short Stint: Less Heat, But Still Sweet

Making just his second start since Tommy John surgery, Alcantara wasn’t his overpowering self but still delivered a strong five-inning performance. He allowed two runs on just three hits and struck out four, but his velocity dipped compared to his season debut. Instead of relying heavily on his fastball, Alcantara adjusted, using his changeup and breaking pitches more. Despite throwing just 70 pitches, an early hook from manager Clayton McCullough proved to be the right call, as the Marlins' bullpen shut the door on the Mets.

Marlins’ Pen Makes the Mets Flounder

With Alcantara lifted after five solid innings, the Marlins’ bullpen took over and methodically shut down the Mets' offense, ensuring Miami’s 4-2 victory. The relief corps, a mix of youth and experience, held New York to just two hits over the final four frames, striking out three and walking only one.

Ronald Henriquez (2.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 2 K) was the first man out of the pen, working two clean innings with ease and earning his first career hold. He effectively mixed his fastball and slider, keeping Mets hitters off balance and preventing any sort of momentum shift.

Liam Bachar followed with a flawless eighth inning, needing just 13 pitches to retire the side in order. After getting the first out in the ninth, Anthony Veneziano ran into a bit of trouble, surrendering a one-out single and issuing a walk before giving way to closer Anthony Bender.

Bender, wasting no time, needed just four pitches to record the final two outs, locking down the win and securing his first save of the season.

The decision to pull Alcantara early was a strategic one, prioritizing his long-term health while showing confidence in Miami’s bullpen. That faith paid off, as the Marlins’ relievers combined for four scoreless innings, proving that even on a night when their ace wasn’t pushed to his usual limits, they had more than enough firepower to finish the job.

April Stowers: Kyle's First-Inning 421 Foot Blast Gives Fish Early 2-0 Lead

Kyle Stowers wasted no time making an impact in the Marlins' 4-2 victory over the Mets, launching a two-run homer in the first inning off Mets starter Kodai Senga. The early blast put the Mets on their heels, forcing Senga to recover from the jump. Stowers’ timely hit gave Miami a quick 2-0 lead, providing the Marlins with the cushion they needed to settle into their game. The ability to strike early helped the Marlins dictate the pace, allowing their pitching staff to work with a comfortable lead and set the stage for a strong overall performance on the mound.