Mets vs. Dodgers: 5 things you might have forgotten about when they last played

Leaves on trees go through fewer changes in the year than the New York Mets did the last time they played the Los Angeles Dodgers. An early trip to Dodgers Stadium in April followed by a visit at the end of May, the last time these two faced off against each other was on May 29.

This was a notable game for one big reason. The Jorge Lopez glove throwing incident was digitally placed on the team’s grave. A player’s only meeting followed and the Mets were able to pull themselves together after.

Was there anything else of significance from this game? Let’s look back.

This game was David Peterson’s first start of 2024

Sidelined for the first two months of the season, this start against the Dodgers was the first from David Peterson in 2024. He put together a respectable outing, lasting 5 innings and allowing 3 runs (2 earned). The Mets lost by a score of 10-3 and little did we know Peterson would go on a streak of helping the Mets to win 8 straight games in which he started.

Only one relief pitcher from the game is active with the Mets

The Mets asked five different relievers to get them through the final four innings. Adam Ottavino, the man on the mound when the dam broke, is the only one who has remained active with the team into the playoffs. Ironically, he has yet to pitch. Sean Reid-Foley, Jake Diekman, Jorge Lopez, and Josh Walker were the other four who’ve either left the organization in one way or another or been placed on the IL.

Tomas Nido provided the bulk of the Mets offense

Requesting some of the second-stringers to contribute is a championship hallmark. In any random game, it could always be a team’s Tomas Nido who comes through. Nido was 2 for 3 with a walk, home run, and 2 runs driven in for the game. He had one of only two extra base hits for the Mets.

Pete Alonso left the game in the first inning after getting hit by a pitch

Pete Alonso managed to play in all 162 regular season games. This one didn’t include an official at-bat. The opposing pitcher, James Paxton, hit him in the first inning and he swiftly exited. Mark Vientos hopped over the pitcher’s mound to take over at first base. Brett Baty entered as the pinch runner. Baty would only appear in two more games in the regular season. One of them was in London as the extra 27th man.

Brandon Nimmo wasn’t in the starting lineup

This was strangely a game that we remember as a colossal failure by the Mets and yet it was tied 3-3 after 7 innings. Brandon Nimmo came off the bench to pinch hit in the bottom of the 7th in place of Tyrone Taylor with two outs and Starling Marte standing at first base. A lineout to Freddie Freeman at first base ended any potential Mets rally. One batter later, Dodgers catcher Will Smith did to the Mets what the actor with the same name did to Chris Rock and gave them a big old slap with a leadoff home run.