Metrospective 7/12/2025: Swag Surfin'
Is Mark Vientos...back?
In today’s newsletter: Another late-game comeback, a solid return for Kodai Senga, and a much-needed breakout.
Offensive Procrastination
Bullpen blows great start, putting Mets in multi-run hole in the 8th inning. Then, an explosion of runs helps the good guys storm back to steal a game they had no business of winning. Sound familiar?
Only a few after their miraculous comeback on Tuesday against the Orioles — in which the Mets overcame a four-run deficit in the 8th inning on home runs from Francisco Lindor and Pete Alonso — the Amazin’s went back to the script on Friday night against the Royals in a resounding 8-3 win.
Kodai Senga tossed four scoreless frames in his first game back from a month-long absence due to a hamstring injury. But, the Mets only managed one run against Michael Wacha — a bases-loaded Alonso walk — and rookie Alex Carrillo gave up the tying run in the 6th on a Nick Loftin double that was badly misplayed by Brandon Nimmo.
With the game still knotted at one in the 7th, Huascar Brazobán ran into trouble. After the lead-off single he gave up to Kyle Isbel was eliminated on a replay-aided caught stealing, Jonathan India blooped a base hit to bring up Kansas City’s offensive engine, Bobby Witt Jr. Brazobán tried to sneak a first-pitch fastball by Witt Jr. only to watch the star shortstop demolish the middle-middle heater to left-center for a go-ahead two-run shot.
Brazobán was able to work around a Vinnie Pasquantino double to keep the deficit at two runs but, with how anemic the Mets’ lineup had been up to that point — just two hits, none since the 3rd inning — getting even felt like a Herculean task.
Thankfully, Royals skipper Matt Quatraro stuck with young righty Steven Cruz in the 8th instead of going to usual setup man Lucas Erceg. Nimmo led off with a single up the middle and was followed by walks from Lindor and Soto. Kansas City closer Carlos Estévez came in for the six-out save — you remember him from the NLCS — and got a king-sized out when he fanned Alonso on a high fastball. Alonso was so frustrated that he went full Bo Jackson and snapped his useless bat over his knee as he walked back to the dugout.
The slumping Mark Vientos was next, in truly dire need of a clutch hit. He too broke his bat earlier in the game when he struck out to end an inning. Vientos worked the count to 2-2 and when Estévez left a slider on the outer half, Vientos struck. He went with the pitch and laced a double to the wall in right-center, clearing the bases and giving the Mets the lead. A monumental hit for a guy who has really been going through all season and who, we know, has the potential to reclaim the star form he was in during 2024.
Reed Garrett worked a 1-2-3 8th to preserve the slim cushion. Then, the Mets went to work against Taylor Clarke in the 9th. Tyrone Taylor doubled and Nimmo walked in front of Lindor, who drilled a first-pitch fastball 410 feet to right for a critical three-run shot. Moments later, Soto made it 8-3 with an opposite-field moonshot, his 22nd blast of the year.
Up five, there was no need for Edwin DÃaz in this one, Chris Devenski retired the side in order to close out a wild win.
What To Note
Through seven innings, it was more of the same for the Mets between the wasted opportunities, short start (granted Senga was on a pitch count) and crushing bullpen blowup. But, as we have seen time and again, it just takes a little spark for this talented offense to start cooking. Last night, it was Vientos finally coming through.
After he had two hits in the first game on Thursday, Vientos looked very bad at the dish in the second. Yesterday, he was 0-for-3 in his first three at-bats with a pair of strikeouts until his double. He also ripped a single in the 9th. Clearly, that ability is still there for him — especially to the opposite field — even if the consistency isn’t.
So nice to see Senga back and pitching well. He wasn’t terribly efficient and needed to work through tough jams in his first three frames but what makes him special is the ability to stay calm with runners on base. He never seems fazed and, almost like DÃaz, sometimes needs the threat of runners in scoring position to really lock down. This team is so much better when he’s healthy.
Since that homer against the Orioles, Alonso is 0-for-11 with five strikeouts. A small sample yet it has featured a lot of swing and miss. Something to monitor.
As noted in yesterday’s post, Rico Garcia was designated for assignment to make room for Senga. Also, Jesse Winker (back tightness) was placed on the injured list and Justin Hagenman was optioned to Triple-A. Jared Young and Austin Warren were recalled.
Winker has some back inflammation but it is not connected to his recent oblique injury, per the Mets. Not ideal, to be sure, but it doesn’t seem like a long-term injury. Back injuries can linger so we’ll see how much longer Winker is out after the break.
Starling Marte (knee) got some good news on a MRI so the Mets expect to reactivate him shortly after the break as well.
Up Next
The Mets will try to avoid needing another huge late-game comeback on Saturday afternoon as Frankie Montas takes on Michael Lorenzen. First pitch from Kansas City is at 4:10 p.m. on SNY and 880 AM.
Montas gave up four runs in 5 2/3 innings in his last start against the Yankees a week ago, including a pair of home runs. He didn’t walk anyone, though, and had a nice lead most of the way so he had some margin of error to keep things in the zone. The Royals are not nearly as homer-happy as the Bronx Bombers.
Lorenzen has a 4.61 ERA in 18 starts for KC. Home runs have been a major issue for him as he has allowed 17 longballs in just under 100 innings. He is coming off his best start of the year last time out against the Diamondbacks, a scoreless seven-inning gem.