Mets Pen Unable to Stand the Heat

Braves 7 Mets 4 (Citi Field, Flushing, NY)

Mets Record: 46-34

Mets Streak: L 2

Mets Last 10: 1-9

WP: Spencer Strider (3-5)

LP: Jose Castillo (0-2)

SV: Raisel Iglesias (9)

Seat On The Korner: Matt Olson

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.

First-baseman Matt Olson continued to hurt the Mets, going 2-4 with a double, a run scored and three RBIs, earning him a seat on the Korner. Olson has now hit in all five Braves-Mets games this season, with multiple hits in each of the last four between the two teams. Olson's 2-out 2-run single in the 6th inning put Atlanta ahead 5-3, and they never looked back.

Need To Know:

• Tonight's starting temperature of 97 degrees was the hottest on record in Citi Field's 17-year history. The last time a Mets home game started with a temperature this high was August 9, 2001, when it was 98 degrees at Shea Stadium, when Al Leiter and the Mets bested the Milwaukee Brewers 4-3.

• The Mets are now 1-7 in their stretch of 13 straight games.

• The Mets have now lost 5 straight at home for the first time since they opened the 2024 season with 5 home losses in a row.

• Juan Soto walked two more times tonight, giving him 66 walks through the team's first 80 games, a franchise record.

• The Mets are now 13-11 versus NL East teams in 2025.

• Down on the Farm, part 1: Francisco Alvarez was removed after the top of the first in tonight's Syracuse Mets-Rochester Red Wings game. After initial concern and confusion, it was revealed that he was suffering from heat issues and dizziness.

• Down on the Farm, part 2: Relief pitcher Brooks Raley made his third minor league rehab appearance tonight for the St. Lucie Mets. In each of his three appearances, the lefty has pitched 1 inning, given up 1 hit, and struck out 2 without walking a batter.

Turning Point:

Following five shutout innings from starting pitcher Frankie Montas in his Mets debut, the bullpen came in to hold onto a 3-0 lead. They were unable to do so. . Huascar Brazoban walked the bases loaded to open the inning before allowing a sacrifice fly to make the score 3-1. His night ended and Jose Castillo's started, and the results were no better. Castillo gave up an RBI-single (albeit an infield single) to Eli White, then followed that up hitting Michael Harris II with a pitch. Then came tonight's turning point - normally light-hitting, although also current Mets killer, Nick Allen tied the game with a single to right field. Before long, the Mets were behind for the rest of the night.

Three Keys:

Ohhh That Frankie Montas

In 6 minor league rehab games, Frankie Montas threw 18.2 innings, giving up 30 hits, 25 runs (all earned), and 8 home runs. Just in case you thought that was a typo - yes, 8 home runs in 18.2 innings. So it's understandable that Mets fans were uneasy at the idea that he would put a stop to their recent starting pitching woes. Instead, Montas and his well-placed upper 90's fastballs, went 5 shutout innings, allowing 3 hits, 3 walks, and striking out 5.

Going Baty

For the second straight night, Brett Baty had a productive game at the plate. He followed Monday night's 2-hit effort with a key 2-out 2-run single off Braves starter Spencer Strider in the bottom of the 4th inning.

Two Sides of Lovelady

Montas wasn't the only pitcher to make his Mets debut tonight. Richard Lovelady came out of the pen to start the 7th inning and looked sharp, dispatching the Braves hitters 1-2-3 on just 8 pitches. The 8th inning, however, was not as successful. After retiring the first two batters, Lovelady walked Ronald Acuna Jr., gave up a run-scoring double to Matt Olson, and then walked Marcell Ozuna, before manager Carlos Mendoza removed him for Dedniel Nunez, who gave up an RBI-double to Austin Riley. That run was also charged to Lovelady.

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