Mets capitalize on defensive surge to edge past Padres

After months of struggle, the Mets’ defensive prowess finally materialized Monday night, delivering a crucial performance for New York.

Eager to capitalize on their recent momentum, the Mets will look to continue their defensive dominance when they host the San Diego Padres in the second game of a three‑game series on Tuesday night.

The Mets will turn to rookie left‑hander Zac Thornton (3‑3, 2.78 ERA) to oppose Padres starter Robbie Ray (10‑7, 3.28 ERA), who makes his third start after being acquired from the San Francisco Giants at the August 3 trade deadline.

Carson Benge and A.J. Ewing, both rookies, teamed up to record three outs at the plate in the first two innings Monday night, propelling the Mets to a 2‑1 victory over the Padres.

Their defensive play kept starter Nolan McLean in the game despite eight baserunners in the opening two innings, allowing him to limit the damage to a single run.

Benge sealed the first inning by brushing aside Jake Cronenworth and Manny Machado on back‑to‑back singles from Ty France and Jackson Merrill. Ewing, playing left field, completed the second inning by catching Xander Bogaerts trying to score on a single by Cronenworth.

According to SNY, the Mets became the first team since at least 1920 to record three home‑plate outs in the first two innings of a game.

Benge (.273) and Ewing (.249) have emerged as two of the Mets’ few bright spots, helping New York win 10 of its last 13 games. Although the team remains last in the NL East, the duo’s combined batting average of .263—27 points above the roster’s overall mark—along with a plus‑seven fielding run value (per Baseball Savant) underscore their impact.

Among Mets players, only catcher Luis Torrens boasts a fielding run value above plus‑one, a result of the offseason overhaul in which David Stearns traded away Pete Alonso, Brandon Nimmo and Jeff McNeil to bolster New York’s defensive capabilities.

“Without those kids on the corner, we wouldn’t have won that game; Nolan wouldn’t have been able to settle in and throw six strong innings for us,” said interim Mets manager Andy Green. “The outcome could have been wildly different if they hadn’t played such a solid outfield.”

The defeat could prove costly for the Padres (67‑59), who sit just one game ahead of the Arizona Diamondbacks in the chase for the National League’s final wild‑card berth.

San Diego managed only four baserunners after the second inning, with just one player reaching second base.

Manager Craig Stammen defended his club’s aggressive approach, noting that San Diego ranks fourth in stolen bases (124) but 21st in runs scored (536), the fewest among teams currently holding a playoff spot.

“We had three chances to score, and they got us for every single one,” Stammen observed. “Our mentality is to be aggressive on the basepaths and force the other team to make a play. Tonight, they did just that.”

Thornton suffered the loss in his last start on Wednesday, allowing three runs over six innings in a 6‑3 defeat to the Atlanta Braves. Ray, meanwhile, was uninvolved in the decision after surrendering two runs over four innings in San Diego’s 4‑3, 11‑inning win over Milwaukee.

Thornton has never faced the Padres, while Ray holds a 5‑2 record with a 3.14 ERA in ten career starts against the Mets.

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