3 reasons why the Mets could be a handful for the Dodgers this weekend

It wouldn't be a New York Mets season if it didn't feel like a non-stop roller coaster ride. The Mets kicked off the Carlos Mendoza era with a whimper in stumbling to an 0-5 start, but since then, they've looked like one of the best teams in baseball. The Amazins have now won four straight series, and this week's home sweep over the Pirates has gotten them above .500 for the first time this year. At 10-8, things are looking considerably better than they were two weeks ago.

The fact that the Mets have put together this recent run of excellent play is all the more impressive when one considers that they've played the most difficult schedule in the league to date. This weekend will be even tougher, though, as the Dodgers, one of the favorites to win the World Series, are waiting to welcome the Mets to Chavez Ravine for a three-game series.

The Dodgers won 100 games last year, but after a disastrous sweep at the hands of the Diamondbacks in the NLDS, they went all-in on chasing another World Series by landing the two biggest prizes of the offseason, Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto. L.A. also traded for Rays starter Tyler Glasnow and signed former Blue Jays outfielder Teoscar Hernandez in free agency, further enhancing an already stacked roster.

The Dodgers' season has been the complete inverse of the Mets', as they started hot and have slumped since. L.A. opened the year 6-1 by beating up the Cardinals and Giants, but a 2-5 record in their last seven games has dropped them to 12-9 on the year.

Dave Roberts manages arguably the most formidable roster in the league, but the Mets are playing better baseball right now. Let's look at three reasons to like the Mets as the teams prepare for their first meeting of the season.

The Mets can beat the Dodgers because their bullpen has been so good

Much of the focus on the Mets bullpen coming into the year was on the return of All-Star closer Edwin Diaz. Diaz missed the entire 2023 season after tearing his patellar tendon in the World Baseball Classic last March, and his return was supposed to bring the Mets bullpen back to respectability after the team finished in the bottom 10 in bullpen ERA without him last year.

Diaz has only given up one run on seven innings pitched, and he already has four saves on the year, but the Mets bullpen has been so much more than just one man. Nearly everyone has contributed to what has been the best bullpen in the National League, which has helped the Mets rank tied for second in the majors in comeback wins with seven.

Returnees Adam Ottavino, Brooks Raley, and Drew Smith have been outstanding, with just three earned runs allowed in over 21 innings pitched. Smith even got the save Saturday to give Diaz a day of rest, mowing the Pirates down 1-2-3 to close out a 3-1 win.

While the recognizable faces in the Mets bullpen have all been great, the newcomers have been just as impressive. Jake Diekman had a rough outing against the Reds nearly two weeks ago, but he's been reliable otherwise. The revelation of the bullpen, though, has been Reed Garrett, who has been absolutely dusting opposing hitters with a mid-90s fastball, a wipeout sweeper, and a devastating splitter. Garrett has struck out more than half the batters he's faced, and has yet to allow a run on the season.

In the modern era of baseball where starters rarely last past the fifth inning, having a dependable bullpen on is one of the most valuable luxuries a team can have. Even when the Mets have fallen behind, they've been able to claw back thanks to a set of relievers that can limit the damage and keep them in games. As long as the bullpen pitches this well, the Mets are never out of it.

The Mets can beat the Dodgers because they have so many unsung heroes

The Dodgers got the headlines for their bonanza of an offseason, but the Mets are proving why David Stearns was such a good hire. Nobody got all that excited when the team signed Harrison Bader, Tyrone Taylor, and Sean Manaea, but those three have been instrumental in turning the Mets around.

Bader was signed in large part for his defensive aptitude, which is why Brandon Nimmo got moved to left field. He's been a real contributor on offense, too, especially recently. Bader has hit safely in six out of seven games, and he even had a string of four multi-hit games in a row. He's been one of the most active Mets on the bases with three steals, and he just hit his first homer of the season on Sunday.

Taylor was an even more under-the-radar signing than Bader, but the former Brewer has stepped up when called upon. His grand slam against the Braves last week put an exclamation point on a 16-4 beatdown, while his three-hit game on Sunday against the Pirates helped spark a 9-1 win. Taylor has looked comfortable no matter where Carlos Mendoza pencils him into the lineup, and although he's not playing every day, he's the kind of outfield depth piece that the Mets sorely lacked last year.

Manaea got lit up by the Royals in his last start, but his first two outings were gems. He gave up only one run in 11 combined innings against the Tigers and Reds, and he'll need to find that form again when he gets the ball to open the series against the Dodgers. It will be a tall task, as he'll be facing the likes of Ohtani, Mookie Betts, and Freddie Freeman, but with Yamamoto on the bump opposite him, Manaea has the opportunity to make a real statement on behalf of his surprising team.

Luis Severino also needs to be mentioned as a low-risk move that is already paying dividends, but he's not slated to start in L.A. after shutting down the Pirates on Wednesday. Severino was one of the worst starters in the league last year, but after reportedly fixing an issue with tipping pitches, he's been great for the Mets, with one earned run or fewer allowed in his last three starts after a mediocre debut.

The Dodgers may have star power on their side, but the Mets' new additions have been just as effective in turning around a culture that was borderline toxic last year. Bader, Taylor, and Manaea aren't names that will wow anybody, but don't be shocked if they help the Mets win the series this weekend.