Rays 7 Mets 6 (Tropicana Field, St. Petersburg, FL)
Mets record: 16-18
Mets streak: Lost 3
WP - Erasmo Ramirez (1-0)
LP - Jake Diekman (1-1)
L10 3-7
Seat on the Korner: Jonny DeLuca
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.
Jonny DeLuca came through in the clutch with a game-winning 2 RBI triple in the bottom of the 10th inning, sealing the victory for his team. Earlier in the game, he had already made a significant impact by driving in a crucial go-ahead run in the 3rd inning, breaking a 3-3 tie and setting the stage for the Rays thrilling extra-innings finish.
Need to Know
Since starting the season 0-5, the Mets have now gone 16-13.
The Mets are in a stretch of 13 consecutive games and 26 games in 27 days, they are 3-7 in that stretch.
The Mets are now 7-8 on the road.
Severino has made 12 starts (16 games) against the Rays and 8-3 with a 3.58 ERA (31 ER/78.0 IP) with 26 walks and 100 strikeouts lifetime against the Club...His eight wins are the most against any opponent.
Isaac Paredes h as now reached base safely in a career-best 16 straight home games since March 30.
Yandy DIaz In 5 career games vs. the Mets, is 10-for-21 (.476) with 4 2B, 6 RBI and 4 Runs.
The Rays and Mets concluded their 12th all-time series today, including the sixth at Tropicana Field. The Rays, are now 7-4-0 in series play against the Mets (5-2-0 at home), winning five of the last six sets since 2015...they have now won a club-record eight consecutive home games over the Mets dating back to Aug. 8, 2015, their longest home winning streak over a single opponent since winning seven straight over the Marlins from Sept. 6, 2020–July 25, 2023... the Rays have won eight of nine, eleven of fourteen and thirteen of the last seventeen matchups with the Mets.
The Mets lost as Jonny DeLucas sinking line drive in the bottom of the 10th eluded Harrison Baders diving attempt and 2 runs came home for a Rays 7-6 win.
Turning Point
The turning point was quite obviously the 9th inning. Edwin Díaz who has recorded 100 saves as a member of the Mets, came in to the ninth with an opportunity to add onto his current save streak of 26 games which was the longest active in the majors...It is was also the second-longest of his career.Díaz career-best is a 28 save streak from June 2-August 15, 2018. With the Mets clinging to a 5-4 lead, Edwin struck out Richie Palacios, got Isaac Paredes to pop out to Jeff McNeil, and was one strike away from getting the struggling Randy Arozarena, who took Diaz's hanging slider deep to left to tie the game up at 5-5 and send the game into extra innings.
Three Keys
Men of Steal
The Mets' weaknesses in holding runners on and throwing them out were glaringly evident today as the Rays exploited them, stealing 7 of 8 bases. Jose Caballero led the charge with an impressive 4 stolen bases, making him only the second player in Rays history to achieve this feat, alongside Carl Crawford. This onslaught contributed to the Mets' 7-6 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays, marking their vulnerability in this aspect of the game. Notably, the Mets' last surrender of 7 or more stolen bases in a game was on May 17, 2023, against the Rays at Citi Field. In contrast, the Mets failed to capitalize on the base-running front, not stealing a single base throughout the game. With Francisco Alvarez sidelined, the Mets urgently need to address this issue, especially considering Omar Navarez's and Nido's struggles in throwing out runners this season.
Animals are Struggling
Both the Squirrel and the Polar Bear had a tough day at the plate, going a combined 1-9 with 4 strikeouts. Adding to the offensive struggles, Pete Alonso faced two crucial at-bats with the bases loaded but couldn't produce. His recent slump paints a concerning picture, as he's now just 1 for 23 over the last seven days. Perhaps it's time for Pete to take a day or two off to reset mentally. Meanwhile, Jeff McNeil's performance is equally troubling; historically a consistent contact hitter, he's been floundering with 3 strikeouts today and a total of 5 in this series alone.
Walk This Way.
While the Mets' pitching has been strong overall, their Achilles' heel remains walks, leading the league in free passes surrendered. This weakness, coupled with their inability to effectively control the running game, creates a recipe for baseball losses. Today, the Mets issued a staggering 9 walks. Despite Francisco Lindor's efforts to emphasize the importance of pitchers paying attention to runners on second base, opposing players stole third base at will, showcasing Lindor's evident frustration.