A 1-for-29 RISP performance in St. Louis. A dozen runs in the last five games. What’s going on with the Mets offense?

For the third time in six games, the Mets are going to extras. It's 1-1 through nine.

Juan Soto was as surprised as anyone that his long fly ball to RF stayed fair for a go-ahead solo shot. Soto stayed in the box the whole time and raised his arms excitedly when it landed fair. His first homer of the year makes it 1-0.

Tough afternoon for Francisco Lindor. Forgot how many outs there were in the first to cost the Mets a double play, and he's picked off in the sixth.

Both teams built their first threats in the fifth inning. Mark Vientos picked up the Mets' first hit in the top of the inning, St. Louis put two on with none out in the bottom. Neither team scored.

Matthew Liberatore has retired the first nine Mets today on 34 pitches. That's 13 straight scoreless innings for New York, with just five hits in that span.

One key to Luis Robert's quick comfort and quick start with the Mets? The guy he's shadowed since the start of spring, the guy who's made sure their lockers are close: Juan Soto. With @willsammon.bsky.social:

On average, MLB players have swung at 74% of middle-middle pitches this year. The Mets lead MLB with a 93% swing rate on those pitches. The Sox rank last at 57%.

First pitch is slated for 2:15 p.m. ET.

The tarp is coming off the field here. Rain is supposed to be lighter for the next few hours, so perhaps this is the window.

The start of the game is officially delayed. It's supposed to rain all day in St. Louis.

Mets in the series finale against LHP Matthew Liberatore (weather permitting):

“It really felt like I’m a starting pitcher again.”

NYM 0 STL 3 Final Andre Pallante and four St. Louis relievers shut the Mets out on three hits. Kodai Senga was good in defeat. The Mets are 3-2.

The Mets' best threat of the night is cut short when Masyn Winn doubles off Bo Bichette on Jared Young's line drive up the middle. St. Louis leads 2-0 heading into the bottom of the sixth.

Mets lineup tonight v. RHP Andre Pallante:

NYM 4 STL 2 Final Clay Holmes was solid. The Mets scored enough despite a 1-for-14 with RISP. The Mets are 3-1.

Two-out RBI knock from Bo Bichette ends the Mets' 0-for-7 start with RISP and gives them a 2-1 lead.

Clay Holmes was at 67 pitches with nobody out in the fourth. He got the next three outs on three pitches -- a key for him to go deeper into the game. It's 1-1 through four in St. Louis.

Jorge Polanco is dealing with some Achilles soreness, which is why he’s DHing a second consecutive day, Carlos Mendoza said. Mets wanted as many lefties in the lineup as possible, hence Young in at 1B, Baty in RF, Benge in CF and Robert out of the lineup.

This Week in Mets:

Not since Sidd Finch was singeing catchers’ mitts behind strategically placed curtains had the Mets been as excited about action hidden on spring training’s back fields as they were about Luis Robert Jr. Two games into the regular season, Robert is doing his best to validate that optimism.

Not since Sidd Finch was singeing catchers’ mitts behind strategically placed curtains had the Mets been as excited about action hidden on spring training’s back fields as they were about Luis Robert Jr. Two games into the regular season, Robert is doing his best to validate that optimism.

PIT 2 NYM 4 Final/11 Luis Robert's three-run homer ends a frustrating day for the New York offense. The Mets are 2-0.

Bryan Reynolds' 55 mph swinging bunt that hugged the foul line puts the Pirates back up in the 11th. It's 2-1.

Alas, on to the 11th...

Back-to-back singles from Vientos and Torrens have tied the game. The Mets have the bases loaded with nobody out, the top of the order up, 90 feet away from a 2-0 start.

Garcia strands the bases loaded to keep it a 1-0 game. Hunter Barco will try to close it for the Pirates. He's the guy the Mets drafted out of HS in 2019 in case they couldn't sign Matt Allan.

Nick Gonzales' one-out single off Garcia breaks the ice. It's 1-0 Pittsburgh.

To the 10th inning we go. The teams are a combined 0-for-19 with runners in scoring position. Luis Garcia has the middle of the Pittsburgh order.

Williams worked around Jake Mangum's double to send this game to the bottom of the ninth tied. The Mets have Polanco, Robert and Baty due up against Dennis Santana.

Devin Williams' Mets debut comes in the ninth inning of a scoreless game against 8-9-1 in the Pirates order.

The line for David Peterson's season debut: 5 1/3 IP, 6 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 3 K, 76-51-8 swinging strikes. He'll get a no-decision. Huascar Brazoban came in to strand two runners and keep us scoreless into the bottom of the sixth.

Bo Bichette's throws across the diamond have had some arm-side run. He's taken Jorge Polanco off the bag three times in two games; this one took Polanco too far to get the out.

How to interpret Freddy Peralta’s ‘no comments’ regarding extension talks with Mets www.nytimes.com/athletic/715...

Mets roster news: Bryan Hudson was claimed back off waivers by the White Sox. Vidal Brujan and Ben Rortvedt cleared waivers and were outrighted to Triple-A Syracuse.

Really interesting comparison here from @willsammon.bsky.social:

On a bright Opening Day and Luis Robert as the pivot point:

“The crowd was the loudest I’ve ever heard times five. Hearing that was pretty sick.”

Carson Benge on The Bird:

PIT 7 NYM 11 Final The lineup punished the Pirates for their mistakes. Carson Benge and Francisco Alvarez homered. The Mets' Opening Day losing streak is ended at two. The Mets are 1-0.

And it's followed by a rocket from Francisco Alvarez off the facing of the second deck in left. About as good a day as the Mets could hope for from their new-look offense. It's 11-5 in the sixth.

Carson Benge's first major-league hit is a solo homer to right field off Justin Lawrence. He hopped into the air rounding first as the ball cleared the fence. It's 10-5 Mets.

Since meeting in the 2024 Wild Card Series, the Mets have acquired all three of Milwaukee's starters from that series (Peralta, Montas and Myers), as well as two members of the bullpen (Williams and Hudson).

Freddy Peralta's final line in his Mets debut: 5 IP, 6H, 4R, 4ER, 7K, 80-53-14 swinging strikes. He's in line for the W.

Through five innings (33 PAs), the Mets have seen 152 pitches. They lead 9-4.

Freddy Peralta won a battle with Bryan Reynolds to close out the fifth and strand a runner at third. Peralta is at 80 pitches through five, and Tobias Myers is warming in the New York pen.

Paul Skenes hits ninth hitter Francisco Alvarez with his 37th pitch of the first inning. It's his last. The reigning Cy Young award winner doesn't get out of the first inning in Queens.