3 Mets conclusions after splitting 4 games against the Padres

Taking 2 out of 4 from the San Diego Padres on the road was the bare minimum the New York Mets needed over the weekend. The bitter taste we had after the season wrapped had more to do with the momentum rather than the actual results. Win the finale in any series and it does feel a lot better.

The Padres were a major test for the Mets. What conclusions can we take from splitting the 4-game series against them?

1) The Mets are still relying on home runs to win games

In one win, the Mets piled up 17 hits without a home run. In the other, Francisco Lindor carried them on his shoulders with power. What can we rely on to lead them to victory? Home runs have been the main source of their success. They’re fifth in MLB while falling in line as the 11th most proficient at scoring runs. The Thursday win without a dinger was the exception to the rule.

The Mets scored twice more on Sunday, both teams on solo home runs. This is an exciting way to win. Twice against the Baltimore Orioles one final swing got them the W.

The trouble with the Mets lately has been coming up with timely hits. Lindor’s salami was the timeliest of all. He had a chance to repeat on Sunday, but fell short.

A bit lost in the weekend was that the Mets had only 5 hits on Saturday despite scoring 7 runs. They had 7 hits on Sunday with the J.D. Martinez and Mark Vientos home runs accounting for the scoring. The team literally had more hits in their first game than they would in the next three. It’s a funky thing to happen.

Let’s not forget that despite the 8-3 win on Thursday, it was only 3-1 heading into the ninth inning. The Mets exploded in the final frame after a night when a lot of men were left on base. Francisco Alvarez notably went hitless in 5 attempts with a couple of strikeouts. If there is one player who might be trying too hard to go yard, it’s him.