Astros 2 Mets 1 (Daikin Park, Houston, TX)
Mets record: 1-2
Mets streak: Lost 1
WP - Spencer Arrighetti (1-0)
LP - Griffin Canning (0-1)
SV - Josh Hader (2)
Seat on the Korner:
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.
It wasn't quite the duels of yore between Seaver and Carlton, but Spencer Arighetti's six innings of one hit ball with two walks and five strikeouts sprinkled in were enough to beat a fine performance by Griffin Canning on Saturday as the Mets fell to the Astros 2-1.
Need to Know
Canning went 5 and 2/3's giving up two runs on four hits and two walks, with four strikeouts. He threw 56 strikes out of 87 pitches.
Francisco Lindor looks like he's headed for another slow start as today's 0-for-4 gives him an 0-for-11 collar to start the season.
Jeremy Pena's solo home run in the 5th inning was the first extra base hit for the Astros in the young season.
Max Kranick made his first major league appearance since May 11th, 2022 as a Pirate, and his first assignment was to face Yordan Alvarez with the bases loaded. Kranick got Alvarez to pop up to Mark Vientos before getting Christian Walker to ground to second to end the inning.
Juan Soto went 1-for-3 with a double (the Mets only hit of the game), and led off the ninth with an Opening Day rematch against Josh Hader. This time, Soto walked as Hader threw all sliders. Unfortunately, the Mets couldn't bring him across to tie the game.
The Mets, incredibly, have tomorrow off. A regular season Sunday will be dark for the New York Mets. But don't worry, it'll be their only Sunday off in the regular season.
Turning Point
I was wondering whether Canning would get to face Alvarez a third time with two outs in the 6th and a runner on first. Big hitters don't usually get a chance to face a pitcher a third time, especially when they enter a game hitting 7-for-13 against him with a double and two home runs.
But Carlos Mendoza stuck with Canning, as he had looked good throwing his slider primarily and, more importantly, it's Game 3 of the season and there's no need to manage like it's the playoffs right now. And Canning's slider to Alvarez wasn't terrible, although it could have been in the dirt. Alvarez went down and made good contact to give the Astros the lead for good.
Three Keys
Can Do
Give Griffin Canning credit. Hey, with the Mets having so many questions with the rotation to start the season, Canning gave them good March innings for a team that will need them while waiting for Sean Manaea to come back.
All hail the pitching lab.
A New Dynamic
Jose Siri is a Met for his defense. We can hope he hits, but he's here for center field. But seeing him run the bases tonight was a tasty little treat as his daring and smart baserunning is something the Mets could use in certain spots.
In the top of the 6th down 1-0, Siri drew a leadoff walk from Arrighetti, stole second after avoiding being picked off with a great slide, took third on a sacrifice fly to the left side of the outfield, then had the audacity to try to score on a comebacker to Arrighetti.
Was I the only one to get Mookie Wilson flashbacks on this play? Yes? Okay, let's move on.
That's It? Just One Hit?
Our preseason preview was littered with people that said that the offense was the Mets' strength. Why wouldn't we? The Mets one through five in their lineup can hang with anyone in the league. But they couldn't hang with the Astros in this series:
Lindor: 0-for-11, 1 RBI
Soto: 3-for-9, 1 HR, 4 BB
Alonso: 1-for-9
Nimmo: 2-for-11
Vientos: 1-for-11, 1 RBI
The Marlins are next up on the schedule, and the four players not named Soto should be able to get well. As for Lindor ... a historically slow starter as a Met, he kept a sense of humor about it as he's waiting for the birth of his third child.
Remember how good Lindor hit in 2023 after the birth of his second child? In 90 games: 19 HR's, 25 steals, .288 average, .887 OPS. Compare that to the .211 average and .700 OPS the rest of the season. Who could blame Francisco if that's on his mind a little bit this series? As he told you himself ... that's life.
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