3 best Mets player decisions that paid off in their Game 5 thumping of the Dodgers

A lot of the discussion around the New York Mets in the NLCS has been the use of players. From the starting lineup to the last man out of the bullpen, there have been a baker’s dozen calls by the manager to question.

Carlos Mendoza hasn’t had an exceptional playoff series. In the Game 5 thumping of the Los Angeles Dodgers, he had one of his better games.

It’s easy when you never trailed. The Temptations hadn’t even relaxed when Pete Alonso hit a three-run home run in the first to put the Mets ahead for good. In the 12-6 win, there wasn’t much the managers could do to sway the game in either direction because many of the best calls by the Mets came before the first pitch. Let’s enjoy this win and give credit where it’s due.

1) The Mets finally put Jesse Winker back into what feels like the best lineup possible for them

J.D. Martinez had no business starting Game 3 and 4 at DH. Maybe we can excuse the latter because of the reverse splits. Who else hopes they never hear those words from Mendoza ever again?

Winker had an awesome game back in the lineup. Going 2 for 3 with a walk, RBI, and crossing the plate 3 times, he was involved in the action plenty.

The Alonso-Winker-Starling Marte connection in the lineup couldn’t have worked out much better. On a rare night where Mark Vientos did nothing, those three combined to go 8 for 11 with 8 runs scored. The meat of the Mets order couldn’t have been planned out better. We can evaluate the Mets lineup forever. A dozen runs confirms this was the most elite lineup they could have assembled and probably the one we should see again in Game 6 then again in Game 7.

Winker was the main difference in this game from the previous two when they lost. Unless the opposing starter is a lefty, he needs to start.

3) Sticking with Francisco Alvarez behind the plate has helped him regain his confidence

Francisco Alvarez was not a big part of the offense despite having three hits including a double. He scored once, drove in another, but looked far more confident at the plate for the second straight day. Shared jawing with Andy Pages showed us he wasn’t about to let the Dodgers push him or his team around.

Alvarez’s miserable postseason performance at the plate and behind it had many questioning if the Mets needed to replace him with Luis Torrens. Never a thought in Mendoza’s head, this storyline seems to have gone away already.

Maybe not yet completely gone is what the Mets should do at second base. Jeff McNeil finally started and a pair of sacrifice flies helped contribute to the scoring. Winker, McNeil, and Peterson in with Alvarez sticking around as well all worked out pretty well for the Mets in this one. All four contributed. It was a good mix of faith in players who have performed and the sanity to do something different.

The Dodgers had the Mets right where they wanted them. Or is it the other way around? The resiliency of the 2024 Mets continued. Just as soon as the funeral arrangements are made, a big toe in the morgue wiggles.