Escaping the Narrative

The Mets entered Thursday afternoon with a 2-0 lead that quickly became 2-1, creating tension as Washington stayed close. David Peterson was removed after 82 pitches despite earlier location issues, and the decision was viewed as reasonable given his 2026 struggles. The Mets’ offense produced two runs on a middle-infield single by Bo Bichette, aided by conditions including a stiff wind that discouraged hard-hit fly balls. Mark Vientos struggled at times but made a key defensive play, and his first-base work showed improvement. In the ninth, the Mets loaded the bases with nobody out through two singles and a Nationals error on a sacrifice bunt, but MJ Melendez struck out, Luis Torrens made an out on a good play, and Carson Benge’s hit was reduced to an out by the wind.

"I was nervous for much of Thursday afternoon's game, as the Mets refused to expand on a 2-0 lead that quickly got halved to 2-1. That was too close, with the Nats lurking around waiting to do Natty things (which used to be equally offensive Expo things) and the Mets still laboring beneath 2026's dark cloud."

"For openers, I forgave the braintrust excusing David Peterson after 82 pitches: Peterson had endured stretches where his location essentially vanished, and given his 2026 struggles I saw the wisdom in having him exit with a lead, a job fairly well done and a selection of parting "attaboys" and "something to build ons.""

"I even forgave Mark Vientos' frantic flailing at sliders low and away - yes, he needs to stop doing that, but he also preserved the Mets' lead with a legitimately nifty tumbling snare of a hot shot by CJ Abrams that sure looked like a dispiriting double. I still wouldn't call Vientos a good first baseman, but he's improved dramatically over there, and the " Mark Vientos, pickin' machine " jokes are heard a little more often in our house while landing with a bit of actual sincerity."

"But despite forgiving these things, in the ninth everything seemed to have aligned for a narrative turned sour. First the Mets loaded the bases with nobody out, courtesy of two singles and a Nats error on a sacrifice bunt. But it all came to naught: MJ Melendez chased a high fastball to strike out, Luis Torrens lined out on a nice play by the annoyingly capable Nasim Nunez, and Carson Benge smoked a ball only to see the wind downgrade it from fan souvenir to out."

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