NEW YORK — Already without star shortstop Francisco Lindor because of a back injury, New York Mets manager Carlos Mendoza figured at some point Monday he’d be able to use outfielder Starling Marte despite a bum forearm. Marte wasn’t in the lineup, but as Mendoza watched the 35-year-old hit booming line drives during batting practice, he grew convinced he’d have him available. So Mendoza told Marte, “Be ready.”
In his first at-bat as a pinch hitter, Marte failed. He swung at the first pitch with a runner on third base and hit a hard grounder for the second out of the eighth inning. The next batter, Jose Iglesias — who else? — bailed out the Mets by hitting a sharp comebacker that Washington Nationals reliever Derek Law failed to field cleanly. By the time Law picked up the ball, Iglesias was already pounding on his chest, celebrating an infield hit that tied the score 1-1. The Mets didn’t add another run in the inning, so Mendoza stuck with Marte and had the veteran play right field.
Typically, Mendoza has substituted Marte out of the game in such situations for a superior defender. He had Harrison Bader on the bench but declined to use the superb fielder in that spot for a couple of reasons. For one, Mendoza thought Marte may get another chance to bat. Also, with the score tied and the Mets already down a player in Lindor, Mendoza couldn’t burn through his bench so quickly. If the Mets had taken the lead in the eighth inning, Bader would’ve entered for Marte. With the score tied, Mendoza had a hunch he may need Bader later as a pinch runner. He was right on all counts.
Mets 2, Nationals 1: In a huge spot, Starling Marte delivered a huge hit. His walk-off single in the 10th gave the Mets a game they just had to have. It’s officially a winning season for Carlos Mendoza and David Stearns, but the Mets eye much more. New York is 82-68.
— Will Sammon (@WillSammon) September 17, 2024
With one out in the 10th inning, Marte came through in a big spot with a big hit. His walk-off single scored Bader, who entered as the automatic runner on second base and advanced to third base on a flyout to right field, to give the Mets a 2-1 win in a game they just had to have.
The Mets (82-68) clinched a winning season in the first year under Mendoza, a rookie manager, and president of baseball operations David Stearns. They eye much more. The win enabled the Mets to take a one-game lead for the final playoff spot over the Atlanta Braves, who wrapped up a four-game series against the Los Angeles Dodgers with a loss but see their schedule now soften.
“We got good players,” Mendoza said, “and they continue to find a way.”
Ever since Lindor said he’d be out at least two to five days, talk around the Mets has centered on who steps up in his place. But maybe it works best for New York this way, with its manager squeezing all he can out of every player available and those guys doing just enough to claw out wins. Another one of the Mets’ best players getting hot would make a run without Lindor more sustainable. But the Mets have done it the way they did it Monday before, receiving contributions throughout their lineup and winning either unconventionally, late or both.
In the latest example, Nationals starter Jake Irvin held the Mets to just three hits through the first seven innings. But along the way, a variety of Mets players performed their specific roles well. The only thing missing was the big hit from one of their middle-of-the-order bats. The Mets overcame poor lineup production with stout defense and stellar pitching, a familiar winning formula for them.
Starter Sean Manaea allowed just one run in seven innings, his seventh straight start of at least six innings.
If second baseman Eddy Alvarez is known for anything beyond winning Olympic medals in two sports, it’s his defense. And he flashed a terrific backhand flip to Iglesias using just his glove for a forceout at second base.
“One of the coolest things I’ve seen on the field,” Manaea said.
The Nationals scored their lone run in the fourth inning, but things might’ve been worse for the Mets if Francisco Alvarez didn’t throw out Jose Tena attempting to steal second base for the second out.
Around the sixth inning, rookie Luisangel Acuna grabbed a glove and started throwing a ball off the wall to himself inside the dugout. He would soon be called upon. After Marte batted for Alvarez in the eighth, Acuna took over at shortstop, moving Iglesias to second base. Acuna ended up making four plays, including fielding the final two grounders and stranding a runner at third base in the 10th inning.
“That says a lot,” Mendoza said of Acuna.
The Mets’ bullpen shined with José Buttó, Edwin Díaz and Reed Garrett expertly negotiating the eighth, ninth and 10th innings.
With the score tied for the Mets’ turn in the 10th, Bader replaced Mark Vientos. So if New York hadn’t won it in the 10th, backup catcher Luis Torrens would’ve played second base and Iglesias would’ve shifted to third.
Using everyone and grinding away is the kind of thing the Mets have proved able to handle. It’s what gives them a chance to weather Lindor’s absence, as long as it remains short term and doesn’t drift into the series starting Thursday against the Philadelphia Phillies, the class of the NL East.
There are 12 games left, and the Mets don’t know exactly how many more they’ll have to play without Lindor, who spent the entire game in the same spot, arms stretched over the railing in the middle of the dugout, often cheering on teammates.
At leadoff and shortstop was someone different: Iglesias, whose impact on the Mets cannot be overstated as a gritty do-all-it-takes veteran. Mendoza said that Iglesias has talked a lot during meetings about doing the little things and making plays down the stretch. He’s been instrumental in such conversations. He’s been even more important in putting those words into practice. His contact approach and hustle again came up big for a team without its best player and is forced to lean on fundamentals more than ever.
“He’s a huge part of our team, on and off (the field),” Iglesias said of Lindor. “He told me to step up, and I do every single night the best I can for this great team that we have. I miss him over there, for sure. But he will be back soon.”
(Photo of Starling Marte: Adam Hunger / Getty Images)
