On Canada Day, the Mets dropped the rubber game of their series with the Blue Jays, 9-3. The Mets have now lost ten of their last twelve, and are 2-4 in the Andy Green era.
Certainly, the Mets hoped that Freddy Peralta’s most recent start was the beginning of a turnaround for the veteran free agent-to-be. But the Blue Jays had other plans, as three straight hits to start the game led to a run. A one-out walk loaded the bases, but Peralta was able to escape with just the 1-0 deficit, but threw entirely too many pitches in the first frame.
Advertisement
After a low-stress second inning, the wheels came off for Peralta in the third. A walk to Kazuma Okamoto started the inning and a single by Alejandro Kirk put two on, but Peralta managed to get two outs and almost got out of the inning. Ernie Clement doubled to score Okamoto.
Not to be outdone, Sean Keys drove a ball over the left-field wall for a three-run jack, and all of a sudden the Mets were down 5-0. Peralta would pitch a scoreless fourth, but that was merely to give the Mets a little (wait for it) relief for their bullpen. Joey Gerber was first out of the ‘pen, and he pitched an inning and a third of scoreless ball before leaving the game in the sixth with an apparent hand injury. Cionel Pérez was next up, and he went got through the sixth without incident, but had his first truly bad outing as a Met, allowing four runs to score in the seventh, including a Myles Straw three-run jack.
Anyone who has been watching the Mets know that offense has been hard to come by at points for the Mets, and they were stymied today by opener Braydon Fisher, bulk man Spencer Mills, and the unexpected 2026 relief debut of Patrick Corbin. Corbin looked about as good as he has in this decade, although with the way most of the team was swinging the bat today, they could’ve put Corbin at his worst out there and he may’ve looked like May 2021 Jacob deGrom.
Defensive was how Vlad Guerrero Jr. contributed to this game, making three excellent plays at first base. Despite his offensive skills in free fall this year, Guerrero looked almost Keith Hernandez-esque in the field today. On the Mets’ side, A.J. Ewing threw an absolute bullet off the wall to throw out Okamoto trying to stretch a single into a double. Tyrone Taylor, also in the seventh, threw out Clement on a replay-confirmed call later in the inning. Taylor made another fantastic diving catch in the eighth; this outfield construction is maybe the best defensive outfield the Mets have put out in at least a decade.
Advertisement
A.J. Minter came in with two outs in the seventh and quickly dispatched Keys on a held foul-tip for a strikeout. The Mets added two runs in the top of the eighth on a home run from Carson Benge. The only real consequence of this was that Luis Torrens was going to pitch the bottom of the eighth but could not because the Mets were only down by seven, not eight. Francisco Lindor hit a one-out solo home run in the ninth, but it was too little too late, as has been most Met action in 2026.
Only Unnaturally Rude Homers Operate Mercilessly, Enjoying Agonizing National Days. No Agita Toronto, I Very Enthusiastically Laud And Naturally Decree: Happy Canada Day.
The Mets are off tomorrow before traveling to Atlanta for a three-game series with the Braves. Christian Scott will go for the Mets, with our old pal TBD going for the Barves.
SB Nation GameThreads
Amazin’ Avenue
Bluebird Banter
Advertisement
Box scores
MLB.com
ESPN
Win Probability Added
Mets/Blue Jays WPA Chart for 7/1/26
What’s WPA?
Big Mets winner: None
Big Mets loser: Freddy Peralta, -26.0% WPA
Mets pitchers: – 26.0% WPA
Mets hitters: -24.0% WPA
Teh aw3s0mest play: Carson Benge’s third inning double, +2.5% WPA
Teh sux0rest play: Sean Keys’s three-run dinger, -15.3% WPA
Read the full article here