Astros 3 Mets 1 (Daikin Park, Houston, TX.)
Mets Record: 0-1
Mets Streak: L1
Mets Last 10: 0-1
WP: Framber Valdez (1-0)
LP: Clay Holmes (0-1)
Seat on the Korner: Framber Valdez
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.
Tonight’s honorary seat on The Korner goes to Framber Valdez, who once again treated the Mets' lineup like a speed bump on his road to dominance. The Astros' lefty was in full control, firing seven scoreless innings and continuing his career-long torment of the Mets. After this latest gem, Valdez now boasts a sparkling 3-0 record, a microscopic 1.62 ERA, and 22 strikeouts in four career appearances against New York.
Before Valdez could even settle into his groove, shortstop Jeremy Peña set the tone for the day, just two pitches into the game. Francisco Lindor ripped a liner that looked ticketed for the outfield, but Peña had other ideas. With the kind of instincts that make pitchers sleep better at night, he made a full-extension jump, snatching the ball out of the air and robbing Lindor of a leadoff hit. It was the baseball equivalent of an opening-scene car chase in an action movie—a flashy, high-adrenaline moment that foreshadowed a long night for the Mets.
The Mets managed just four hits and two walks off him, which in today’s game qualifies as “making him work.” But Valdez, as always, had an answer for every potential threat. Case in point: the sixth inning. With Houston nursing a 3-0 lead and Pete Alonso standing on first with one out, the Mets had a glimmer of hope. Valdez, however, did what he always does—induced the kind of double-play grounder that makes pitchers smile and opposing dugouts groan. Mark Vientos was the unlucky victim this time, rolling over on one to snuff out the inning and, effectively, the Mets’ night.
Need To Know:
This was the Mets 64th season opener.Even though the Mets and Astros came into existence together in 1962, this is the first time the Mets and Astros have met on Opening Day.
This is the earliest Opening Day in Mets history. It is 158 days since game 6 of the NLCS which marks the shortest span between last game of prior season to first game of following season,beating the previous 159 days between game 5 of the 2000 World Series and 2001 opening day.
Opening day historical speaking has always been a success as even with today's loss the Mets have the best Opening Day record in MLB history (41-23, .640)
After today’s loss, the Mets are now 1-11 in Houston since 2012. They’ll need to win the next two games to secure their first series victory against the Astros since 2014.
Several Mets are on an Opening day roster for the first time they are C Hayden Senger, RHP José Buttó, RHP Max Kranick, LHP Danny Young, INF Luisangel Acuña, and INF Mark Vientos.
Clay Holmes made his first career Opening Day start and first start as a Met. Holmes turns 32 today, becoming the 7th pitcher in MLB history to start on his birthday.
In 11 career games against the Houston Astros, Holmes has now allowed four runs over 14.2 innings and is six-for-six in save opportunities.
Holmes became the seventh Mets pitcher to make their team debut as the club's Opening Day starter...The others are Roger Craig (4/11/62 at STL), Don Cardwell (4/11/67 vs. PIT), Mike Hampton (3/29/00 vs. CHC), Tom Glavine (3/31/03 vs. CHC), Pedro Martínez (4/4/05 at CIN) and Johan Santana (3/31/08 at FLA)...(Courtesy of Elias.)
The Mets have lost back-to-back season openers for the first time since 1999 and 2000. They made the playoffs both those years.
With today's the Mets are now 18-12 when starting the season on the road.
Today's game marked the debut of the"7" patch that the Mets will wear as a season-long tribute to Ed Kranepool, who passed away in 2024.
Turning Point(s)
Despite being outhit 6-4 through seven innings and trailing 3-0, the Mets found themselves in prime position to flip the script in the top of the eighth—mainly because Framber Valdez was finally out of the game and no longer personally tormenting them. But, as is often the case when the Mets visit Houston, things didn’t quite go according to plan.
With Valdez hitting the showers after seven dominant innings, the Astros turned to Bryan Abreu, who promptly did his best to make things interesting. Jesse Winker, pinch-hitting for Luis Torrens, led off the inning by grounding out to second, which at the time seemed like a minor footnote. It wouldn’t stay that way.
Francisco Lindor then stepped in and, with runners nowhere in sight, struck out swinging—because why make things dramatic when you don’t have to? But then, chaos.
Abreu suddenly lost all sense of the strike zone, issuing back-to-back-to-back walks to Juan Soto, Pete Alonso, and Mark Vientos. Just like that, the Mets had the bases loaded, the tying run in scoring position, and the go-ahead run on first. Somewhere in the visiting dugout, hope flickered.
But after all that buildup, the Mets did what the Mets so often do in these situations in Houston—let the moment slip away. With the bases still loaded and a chance to be the hero, Brandon Nimmo swung at the first pitch he saw and lined out harmlessly to center, ending the threat and leaving Mets fans muttering, “Of course.”
If the eighth inning was a missed opportunity, the ninth inning was its identical twin. The Mets, ever the masters of the dramatic tease, once again found themselves knocking on the door—only to have Josh Hader slam it in their faces.
Trailing 3-1 after a Francisco Lindor sacrifice fly (yes, the Mets had actually scored a run!), they still had runners on the corners with two outs and Juan Soto at the plate. In a script that practically wrote itself, Soto worked the count full, fouling off a nasty sinker along the way. A big moment. A star player at the dish. A chance to flip the narrative.
And then… swing and a miss. Strike three. Ballgame.
With that, Hader notched his 200th career save, the Mets notched their 112th (estimated) frustrating loss in Houston.
So despite every opportunity to finally break through in Houston, the Mets walked away empty-handed yet again. Just another night at Enron, Minute Maid Park or Daikin Park what ever you want to call it, where hope goes to die and Framber Valdez never seems to leave disappointed.
Three Keys:
Got Late Early
The Mets never really found their rhythm at the plate until the eighth and ninth innings, and by then, it felt like trying to start a car with a dead battery. Their offense looked out of sync for most of the night—something that has become a frustratingly familiar theme when they visit Houston.
Francisco Lindor had a rough day at the plate, going 0-for-4, but at least he managed to drive in the Mets’ lone run with a sacrifice fly in the ninth. Meanwhile, Luisangel Acuña had a moment he’d probably like to forget in the third inning. With a tailor-made double-play ball hit right at him, Acuña misplayed it, turning what should have been two easy outs into an extra baserunner and, ultimately, an extra run. That mistake gifted Framber Valdez a little more breathing room, and a pitcher of his caliber doesn’t need the help. Instead of working with a tighter margin, Valdez cruised with a 3-0 lead from that point forward, dictating the game on his terms.
By the time the Mets finally started showing signs of life in the late innings, it was too little, too late. Houston had already set the tone, and the Mets were once again left wondering why things always seem to go sideways for them in the Lone Star State.
Great Pen(menship)
If there was a silver lining for the Mets, it was the bullpen, which did everything it could to keep the game within reach. After Clay Holmes’ uneven start—where he battled through five innings, giving up five hits, four walks, and three runs (two earned) while striking out four—the relief corps stepped up in a big way. Huascar Brazoban was particularly impressive, tossing 2 1/3 innings of one-hit, scoreless relief, striking out two and walking one. Danny Young followed with a clean inning of his own, allowing just one hit while striking out one. Together, they kept the Mets within striking distance, but the offense just couldn't capitalize until it was too late.
Soto Gets the First Juan out of the way quick.
Juan Soto wasted no time making his mark as a Met, collecting his first hit in blue and orange in his very first at-bat—a sharp single that briefly made it seem like the Mets might actually enjoy their time in Houston for once. He finished the day 1-for-3 with two walks proving he has the patience and presence that should make him a nightmare for opposing pitchers all season long. Unfortunately, his debut ended in frustration, as he was the last hope in the ninth, striking out with the tying runs on base—bringing the Mets’ night to an end.
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