Category: Baseball

It's possible that 22-year-old Mets rookie Jonah Tong was pitching for his spot on the roster on Thursday against the Padres at Citi Field, one start after failing to make it out of the first inning.

If that was the case, he answered the question emphatically, firing 5.0 innings of often-dominant ball while allowing one unearned run on four hits as he walked none and struck out eight in New York's win over the Padres. He threw 82 pitches on the day, with 59 going for strikes.

The line does not do Tong's start justice.

He allowed a scratch unearned run in the third inning, but was literally untouchable after that. Tong retired the last seven batters he faced, striking out four batters in a row at one point.

Tong's biggest weapon on Thursday -- as will be the case most of the time -- was his four-seam fastball.

The fastball was sitting around 93-94 mph at the start of Tong's outing, but he reached back for more as the game went on, regularly hitting 95 mph and topping out at 96 as he induced plenty of swings and misses up in the zone.

That ability to use the fastball to miss bats -- while mixing in his changeup, curve, and slider -- is what made Tong such a monster this season as he tore through the minors while striking out an eye-popping 179 batters in 113.2 innings.

If Tong is able to unleash that version of himself this season in the majors, or simply come close to it, he has to be in consideration to be one of the Mets' starting pitchers should they reach the three-game Wild Card Series. Or to at the very least be included on the staff in some way.

With Kodai Senga still working on things in the minors and David Peterson pitching to a 5.23 ERA in the second half, it appears highly likely that the only locked in option right now to start a potential playoff game is Nolan McLean, who has been dominant over his first six big league starts.

While not having the sample size McLean does, fellow rookie Brandon Sproat has been sharp over his first two big league starts, allowing just three runs in 12.0 innings -- including 6.0 shutout frames his last time out.

So it can be argued that Sproat -- as of now -- also has a strong case to be penciled in to start in a possible Wild Card Series.

Another option could be the piggybacking duo of Clay Holmes and Sean Manaea.

What about Tong?

If he has a strong outing his next time out in what will be his final start of the regular season, the Mets will have a big, layered decision to make.

The easy part of decision would be whether to carry Tong on the playoff roster (again, should they make it). That would have to be yes.

The hard one would be how to deploy him.

Using all rookies in the Wild Card Series rotation would be unprecedented. And as tantalizing as that might be, it's hard to see the Mets doing it.

That means the possible move could be Tong in the rotation and Sproat in the bullpen or Sproat in the rotation and Tong in the bullpen.

In that scenario, no matter which way they go, the Mets will have an electric trio of arms ready to help them take on the Dodgers. Again ... should they get there.

The Mets beat the Padres, 6-1, on Thursday afternoon at Citi Field...

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Here are the takeaways...

- Pete Alonsoopened the scoring in the first inning, rocketing a solo homer 445 feet to left-center that landed just to the left of the center field black that surrounds the Home Run Apple. It was Alonso's fourth consecutive game with a homer, setting a career-high.

- After San Diego got a scratch unearned run against Jonah Tong in top of the third inning to tie things, 1-1, the Mets answered back in a big way in the bottom half. 

Following back-to-back singles by Cedric Mullins and Francisco Lindor, Juan Sotodrove Mullins in with a ground out to second to give New York a 2-1 lead -- it was Soto's 100th RBI of the season. With Brandon Nimmo up, the Padres removed starter Randy Vasquez in favor of left-hander Wandy Rodriguez, but Nimmo greeted him by blasting a three-run homer to right-center to make it 5-1, Mets.

It was Nimmo's 24th home run of the year, tying his career-high, which he set in 2023.

- Tong's start began inauspiciously, as he allowed a one-out single to Luis Arraez before Manny Machado rocketed a ball over Nimmo's head in left field. But the Mets gunned down Machado at second base and Tong struck out Jackson Merrill to strand Arraez at third base.

Tong settled in after the first. He allowed the aforementioned unearned run in the third inning, but was otherwise largely dominant. He twirled perfect innings in the fourth and fifth, striking out four consecutive batters at one point. 

After starting the game sitting mainly 93-94 mph with his fastball, Tong dialed it up a bit in the middle innings while topping out at 96 mph. And the heater had plenty of life up in the zone, leading to a bunch of swings and misses. 

Overall, Tong allowed one run (unearned) on four hits while walking none and striking out eight. He threw 82 pitches, with 59 going for strikes. 

In the process, he became the first Mets pitcher aged 22 or younger to strike out eight or more batters since Noah Syndergaard in 2015.

- Tyler Rogers tossed a perfect sixth inning in relief of Tong, with Brooks Raley twirling a spotless seventh. Gregory Soto worked around two hits (that both caromed off him) in a scoreless eighth.

- Edwin Diaz retired the side in order in the ninth.

Game MVP: Jonah Tong

It was a monster outing for Tong after he struggled his last time out.

Highlights

Two more strikeouts for Jonah Tong in the fourth! pic.twitter.com/fNIDZ1dHlK

— SNY (@SNYtv) September 18, 2025

Pete Alonso has a home run in four straight games! pic.twitter.com/L4vfdXLVao

— SNY (@SNYtv) September 18, 2025

Juan Soto puts the Mets back on top with his 100th RBI of the season pic.twitter.com/vk1RLwDy2Q

— SNY (@SNYtv) September 18, 2025

BRANDON NIMMO!

The Mets have taken a 5-1 lead! pic.twitter.com/LejzOPDpZU

— SNY (@SNYtv) September 18, 2025

Two more strikeouts for Jonah Tong in the 5th 🔥 pic.twitter.com/XPMC8OAHgo

— SNY (@SNYtv) September 18, 2025

What's next

The Mets open a three-game series against the Nationals on Friday at 7:10 p.m. on SNY.

Brandon Sproat gets the start for New York, opposed by Andrew Alvarez for Washington.

Mets pitcher Kodai Senga is set to make another start in Triple-A on Thursday as he reworks his mechanics in an effort to get back to the big leagues.

While it remains unclear when Senga will return to the majors, or in what role, manager Carlos Mendoza indicated that the right-hander may not be part of the team's postseason pitching staff, if they make it.

"I wouldn't say definitely," Mendoza said. "I think we'll have the conversations and we'll take the best 13 guys that we feel are going to give us the best chance to win baseball games in October. In the meantime, we got ten more and we'll continue to treat it that way.

"But Senga, I think the biggest thing is for him to go out there today and have a good performance, and then we have decisions there."

In his first start with Syracuse on Sept. 12, Senga allowed one run on three hits over 6.0 innings (74 pitches) with eight strikeouts and no walks. His stuff looked good, including getting 11 whiffs on 11 swings with his forkball over 17 pitches.

"I like the fact that there was no walks last time when he pitched in Triple-A," Mendoza said. "Getting ahead, using all of his pitches. He got swing and misses with the split. I think it starts with him throwing strike one and then staying on the attack."

President of baseball operations David Stearnssaid Tuesday that Senga needs to show he can "consistently get major league hitters out," emphasizing that "results always matter."

Senga had struggled mightily before consenting to a minor league stint, owning a 6.56 ERA over 35.2 innings across eight starts from July 21 to Aug. 31. During that stretch, he allowed 39 hits, including eight homers, and 22 walks.

New York has 10 games left to play in the regular season, including Thursday's matchup against the Padres, and remain in possession of the third and final Wild Card spot in the National League. Senga could potentially help the Mets out of the bullpen if they make the playoffs, but he'll need to keep proving he belongs while in the minors. 

Dodgers' Clayton Kershaw to retire at end of 2025 season originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

Three-time Cy Young Award winner and former National League MVP Clayton Kershaw will retire at the end of the 2025 season, the Dodgers announced Thursday.

Kershaw is schedule to make his final Dodger Stadium regular season start on Friday against the rival San Francisco Giants.

Kershaw spent the entirety of his 18-season career with the Dodgers, a rare feat in professional sports. He was the 2014 National League MVP and an 11-time All-Star.

The 37-year-old left-hander notched his 3,000th strikeout in July. In August, as the Dodgers’ starting rotation finally got healthy, Kershaw elevated his performance to another level, going 5-0 with a 1.88 ERA that month.

Kershaw is a two-time World Series Champion, winning titles in both 2020 and 2024, and will likely be a first-ballot Hall of Famer.

Kershaw’s rise to Dodgers stardom began when he was drafted No. 7 overall by the team in 2006. He went on to a career record of 222-96 with 15 shutouts, ranking first in both categories among active big leaguers. His 2.54 career ERA is the lowest in the Live Ball Era, dating to 1920.

He is tied with Zack Wheat and Bill Russell for the most years in as a Dodgers in franchise history.

Kershaw’s 222 wins currently rank second in Dodgers franchise history, just 11 behind Don Sutton’s 233.

Kershaw also contributed to the Los Angeles community off the field through community projects and philanthropy. In 2012, he won the prestigious Roberto Clemente Award.

“On behalf of the Dodgers, I congratulate Clayton on a fabulous career and thank him for the many moments he gave to Dodger fans and baseball fans everywhere, as well as for all of his profound charitable endeavors,” said Mark Walter, Owner and Chairman, Los Angeles Dodgers. “His is a truly legendary career, one that we know will lead to his induction in the Baseball Hall of Fame.”

pic.twitter.com/Y3wehQaONJ

— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) September 18, 2025

Dodgers' Clayton Kershaw to retire at end of 2025 season originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

Three-time Cy Young Award winner and former National League MVP Clayton Kershaw will retire at the end of the 2025 season, the Dodgers announced Thursday.

Kershaw is schedule to make his final Dodger Stadium regular season start on Friday against the rival San Francisco Giants.

Kershaw spent the entirety of his 18-season career with the Dodgers, a rare feat in professional sports. He was the 2014 National League MVP and an 11-time All-Star.

The 37-year-old left-hander notched his 3,000th strikeout in July. In August, as the Dodgers’ starting rotation finally got healthy, Kershaw elevated his performance to another level, going 5-0 with a 1.88 ERA that month.

Kershaw is a two-time World Series Champion, winning titles in both 2020 and 2024, and will likely be a first-ballot Hall of Famer.

Kershaw’s rise to Dodgers stardom began when he was drafted No. 7 overall by the team in 2006. He went on to a career record of 222-96 with 15 shutouts, ranking first in both categories among active big leaguers. His 2.54 career ERA is the lowest in the Live Ball Era, dating to 1920.

He is tied with Zack Wheat and Bill Russell for the most years in as a Dodgers in franchise history.

Kershaw’s 222 wins currently rank second in Dodgers franchise history, just 11 behind Don Sutton’s 233.

Kershaw also contributed to the Los Angeles community off the field through community projects and philanthropy. In 2012, he won the prestigious Roberto Clemente Award.

“On behalf of the Dodgers, I congratulate Clayton on a fabulous career and thank him for the many moments he gave to Dodger fans and baseball fans everywhere, as well as for all of his profound charitable endeavors,” said Mark Walter, Owner and Chairman, Los Angeles Dodgers. “His is a truly legendary career, one that we know will lead to his induction in the Baseball Hall of Fame.”

pic.twitter.com/Y3wehQaONJ

— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) September 18, 2025

The Mets look to win their three-game series against the Padres at Citi Field on Thursday at 1:10 p.m. on SNY.

Here's what to know about the game and how to watch...

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Mets Notes

• Juan Soto hit his career-high-tying 41st home run on Wednesday and is now tied with Todd Hundley (1996) and Carlos Beltrán (2006) for the third-most by a Met in a single season, trailing only Pete Alonso (53 HRs in 2019, 46 HRs in 2023)
• The Mets enter play with a 1.5 game lead over the Diamondbacks for the third and final Wild Card spot in the National League
• Jonah Tong looks to bounce back after a rough outing against the Texas Rangers on Sept. 12, allowing six runs over 0.2 IP
• Brett Baty (3-for-4 with a double Wednesday) has a .347/.407/.541 slashline with five home runs, four doubles, 11 RBI and 17 runs over his last 31 games dating back to August 12

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For more information on how to stream Mets games on SNY, please click here.

The Mets announced a series of roster moves ahead of Thursday's series finale against the San Diego Padres, highlighted by reliever Reed Garrett landing back on the IL. 

Garrett, who was just activated off the IL on September 7 after dealing with right elbow inflammation, has again been placed on the 15-day IL with a right elbow sprain, which ends his regular season. 

According to manager Carlos Mendoza, Garrett is experiencing the same issues as when he went on the IL earlier this month, saying he "continues to have a hard time recovering after every time he pitched."

Garrett warmed up to come into Wednesday's game against San Diego, but he shut it down after experiencing discomfort. 

Garrett will undergo further imaging before the team determines the next step, but Tommy John surgery has not been ruled out. 

"It's hard to say now. We've got to wait until we've got the imaging there," Mendoza said. "But it's concerning. It's concerning for the second time in less than a month that a guy is going down with elbow issues. 

The right-hander pitched to a 3.90 ERA in 58 games this season, but he was extremely streaky. After not allowing an earned run in April and continuing to pitch well in May, Garrett posted a 7.36 ERA in June and an 8.00 ERA in August.

The rest of Thursday's roster moves include:

-- RHP Wander Suero has been selected to the Major League roster.

-- LHP Sean Manaea has been placed on the Paternity List.

-- RHP Huascar Brazoban has been recalled from Triple-A Syracuse.

-- RHP Chris Devenski has been recalled from Triple-A Syracuse.

-- RHP Dom Hamel has been designated for assignment.

By designating Hamel, who pitched a scoreless inning in his major league debut on Wednesday, for assignment and adding Suero, Brazoban, and Devenski, the Mets give themselves a crop of fresh arms heading into Thursday's finale against the Padres and the ensuing weekend series against the Washington Nationals.

With 10 games remaining in the regular season, the Mets are looking to hold off a handful of teams for the final Wild Card spot in the National League.

Here's everything you need to know ahead of play on Sept. 18...

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Mets: 78-74, 1.5 games up on Diamondbacks for third Wild Card

Next up: vs. Padres, Thursday at 1:10 p.m. on SNY (Jonah Tong vs. Randy Vasquez)
Latest result: 7-4 loss to Padres on Wednesday
Remaining schedule: 1 vs. SD, 3 vs. WSH, 3 @ CHC, 3 @ MIA
Odds to make playoffs: 82.3 percent
*Mets hold tiebreaker over Giants by virtue of winning the season series, while Reds hold tiebreaker over Mets. The tiebreaker between the Mets and Diamondbacks is TBD, and will likely be based on intradivision record since the two clubs split the season series

Diamondbacks: 77-76, 1.5 games back of Mets

Next up: vs. Phillies, Friday at 9:40 p.m. (Ryne Nelson vs. Taijuan Walker)
Latest result: 5-1 loss to Giants on Wednesday
Remaining schedule: 3 vs. PHI, 3 vs. LAD, 3 @ SD
Odds to make playoffs: 6.7 percent

Reds: 76-76, 2.0 games back of Mets

Next up: vs. Cubs, Thursday at 7:15 p.m. (Hunter Greene vs. TBD)
Latest result: 6-2 win over Cardinals on Wednesday
Remaining schedule: 4 vs. CHC, 3 vs. PIT, 3 @ MIL
Odds to make playoffs: 6.6 percent

Giants: 76-76, 2.0 games back of Mets 

Next up: @ Dodgers, Thursday at 10:10 p.m.(Logan Webb vs. Yoshinobu Yamamoto)
Latest result: 5-1 win over Diamondbacks on Wednesday
Remaining schedule: 4 @ LAD, 3 vs. STL, 3 vs. COL
Odds to make playoffs: 4.4 percent

Here's what happened in Mets Land on Wednesday, in case you missed it...

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• The Mets' offense couldn't overcome David Peterson's rough outing in 7-4 loss to Padres
• Juan Sotojust misses late-inning game-tying homer in Mets’ loss to Padres: "We're looking at inches"
• Mets need Peterson to return to form and steady rotation before it's too late
• SNY MLB Insider Andy Martino breaks down how the Mets may fill righty reliever need
• Top prospect Carson Bengelifts second Triple-A homer after being named Mets Minor League Player of the Year
• WATCH: Should Peterson be removed from Mets rotation?
• WATCH: Nolan McLean looks like a front-line starter for Mets with "silly" stuff 
• WATCH: Are the Mets better suited for playoffs than regular season?

Justin Verlander reveals plans for his MLB future after turning season around originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Giants starter Justin Verlander has turned things around in his age-42 MLB season, and he has no intention of slowing down any time soon.

After another dominant outing Wednesday, in which he spun seven scoreless innings in the Giants’ 5-1, extra-innings win over the Arizona Diamondbacks, Verlander was asked if he plans to keep going in 2026.

“Next year? I mean, I’d like to, yeah,” Verlander told reporters at Chase Field. “I would hope that somebody would offer me a contract now, showing that I can turn it around and still pitch at a high level.”

After a rough start to his first season with the Giants, Verlander now has a 2.17 ERA in his last 11 starts.

Verlander, who turns 43 in February, will be an unrestricted free agent entering the 2026 campaign after signing a one-year deal with the Giants.

Giants president of baseball operations Buster Posey even admitted Verlander exceeded his expectations when he brought the veteran pitcher to San Francisco this past offseason. And Posey’s open to the idea of keeping him around.

“Yeah, definitely,” Posey said Thursday morning on KNBR’s “Murph & Markus.” “It’s something we’ll have to discuss, but for a multitude of reasons, he’s been a great teammate. He’s helped some of our younger guys learn how to prepare and then he just sets an example by going out and performing and continuing to show up.

“So that’s definitely something we’ll be open to.”

After Wednesday’s showing, Verlander joined seven-time Cy Young winner Roger Clemens as the only pitchers age 42 or older to allow one or fewer runs over four consecutive starts (h/t Sarah Langs).

Verlander’s 3-10 record certainly doesn’t paint the whole picture, as either the Giants’ bullpen or lack of run support has let him down.

The Giants (76-76) still are chasing the New York Mets for the final NL wild card spot, tied with the Cincinnati Reds (76-76) and one-half game behind the Diamondbacks (77-76).

San Francisco can thank Verlander for helping keep the team afloat, and his presence on and off the mound hopes to continue to inspire a postseason push.

Download and follow the Giants Talk Podcast

Dave Roberts started out of the dugout with a walk.

Once Blake Snell caught his gaze, it turned into a trot.

With two out in the seventh inning, and Snell trying to put the finishing touches on his best performance in a Dodgers uniform, Roberts appeared to be coming to the mound after a pair of walks to turn to his shaky bullpen with a three-run lead.

As he usually does when removing a pitcher, his gait was slow — at least, initially.

Once Snell saw him coming, however, Roberts picked up his pace — as he will sometimes do when electing to leave a pitcher in the game.

This time, it was the latter.

After a brief discussion between manager and starting pitcher, Snell stayed in.

Five throws later, the $180-million offseason signee rewarded the decision, striking out Otto Kemp with a 95-mph fastball to put an emphatic ending on his scoreless seven-inning start, one that lifted the Dodgers to a 5-0 win over the Philadelphia Phillies.

Entering Wednesday, all the discussion around the Dodgers had centered on the bullpen. The slumping unit was coming off two of its worst performances of the season. The majority of Roberts’ pregame address with reporters was spent dissecting how to fix it.

Read more:Hernández: If Shohei Ohtani is open to playing in the outfield, the Dodgers have failed him

“Before the results, has to be confidence,” Roberts said, comparing the relief corps’ struggles to the second-half scuffles that the offense only recently emerged from. “It's just kind of trying to reset a mentality, a mindset and expect that things happen. … You can't chase a zero in an inning until you execute the first pitch, and then keep going like that. And I think that right now you can see that they're kind of trying a little too hard.”

On Wednesday night, however, Snell made their job easy.

Efficient from the start with the kind of aggressive, attacking game plan he had acknowledged was missing in his last three outings, Snell went to work quickly against the Phillies, retiring the side on eight pitches (and two strikeouts) in the first inning, en route to setting down the first eight batters he faced.

Brief trouble arose in the third, when Bryson Stott and Harrison Bader had back-to-back singles.

But then Snell froze Kyle Schwarber with a curveball, one of the seven punchouts he recorded with the pitch. He had a season-high 12 strikeouts on the night.

And after that, the Phillies didn’t put another runner aboard until the seventh, with Snell breezing through the next 12 batters.

In the meantime, the Dodgers built a lead. Freddie Freeman homered to lead off the second. Ben Rortvedt (starting his third straight game behind the plate, even with Dalton Rushing back from a leg injury) added an RBI single later in the inning, following an Andy Pages hit-and-run single that put runners on the corners.

Another run came around in the fourth, after Pages worked a two-out walk, stole second, took third on a wild pickoff throw and scored on an RBI single from Kiké Hernández (who played third base in place of Max Muncy, who still felt “fuzzy” on Tuesday from a hit-by-pitch he took to the head over the weekend).

And from there, the Dodgers watched Snell cruise, with the $182-million offseason acquisition attacking the corners of the strike zone while also inducing misses on 24 of 54 swings.

The night culminated in the seventh, after walks to Nick Castellanos and Max Kepler drew Roberts out of the dugout. In the bullpen, left-hander Alex Vesia was getting warm. For a brief moment, it appeared the game would be in the hands of the relievers.

Snell had other ideas, signaling Roberts to hurry to the mound in the middle of his walk before seemingly pleading his case to stay in.

Read more:Plaschke: Dodgers are blowing their bye, and hopes for deep playoff run, thanks to familiar issue

Whatever he said, Roberts listened.

Snell stayed on the rubber. A crowd of 50,859 roared in approval.

Against his final batter, Kemp, Snell fell behind, missing low with a changeup before pulling a fastball wide. Undeterred, he went back on the attack, getting one foul ball with a heater on the inner half, then another with a curveball that leaked over the plate. The count was 2-and-2. Chavez Ravine rose to its feet.

The next pitch — Snell’s 112th of the night — was another fastball, this time on the upper, outside corner at 95.3 mph. Kemp swung through it. Snell screamed and pumped his fist. In the dugout, Roberts raised an arm in the air, then began clapping as Snell walked off to a raucous ovation.

The next two innings were refreshingly simple. Alex Vesia retired the side in the top of the eighth. The Dodgers made it a five-run lead by scoring twice in the bottom half of the frame, including on Shohei Ohtani’s 51st home run of the season. Embattled closer Tanner Scott spun a stress-free ninth, pitching three consecutive scoreless outings for the first time since early July.

Come October, that’s the kind of blueprint the Dodgers (who maintained a two-game lead in the National League West over the San Diego Padres) will have to try and replicate.

Their bullpen still needs fixing. Their relief issues aren’t solved. But more gems like Snell’s would certainly help.

Sign up for more Dodgers news with Dodgers Dugout. Delivered at the start of each series.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

One night after their pitching piggyback was a roaring success, the Mets’ rotation reality smacked them once again on Wednesday. On David Peterson’s turn, the Mets were back to their normal starter usage – one guy, his game. Let’s just say the results were not nearly as encouraging as those delivered by the Clay Holmes-Sean Manaea combo in the opener of this series against the Padres, and now thorny questions loom about Peterson going forward.

Peterson didn’t exactly get shelled, but he didn’t exactly do anything that should make the Mets feel comfortable about giving him an October start, either. You know, if the Mets can actually make the playoffs.

Peterson allowed six runs in five innings, the big blow coming on a Manny Machado grand slam in the fifth inning that tilted a tie game. The Padres went on to win, 7-4, and the Mets bungled a chance to put more distance between them and the Diamondbacks in the race for the third NL Wild Card. Arizona had lost earlier in the day, just as the Mets’ grounds crew was taking the tarp off the diamond at Citi Field, so the Mets still own a 1.5-game lead.

Again, Peterson didn’t get mauled – the Padres loaded the bases in the fifth on a hit batsman, a walk and a bunt single by Luis Arraez before Machado’s slam. And they got a run in the second on two bloop hits sandwiched around a groundout. Still, Peterson’s final line was ugly, in line with much of his poor second half. In 11 starts since making his first All-Star team, Peterson has a 5.71 ERA.

“It’s obviously tough when you know what you’re capable of,” Peterson admitted of his struggles. “You're gonna go through times where it's not going exactly how you want it to, whether it's baseball or whether it's something that you're not necessarily executing. But you know you can't hold onto it. Look at it as objectively as possible and correct things that need to be worked on and move forward.”

With the playoffs looming, Peterson must revert back to the ace-type that he was earlier in the season if the Mets hope to reach October and go on a run similar to last season. And the Mets have to help him get there.

“When he’s at his best, he’s getting a lot of ground balls,” Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said. “He’s inducing weak contact. He’s using all of his pitches when he’s ahead and he’s able to get swings and misses with the secondary pitchers. And we haven’t seen that for quite a bit.”

Still, Mendoza said, he trusts Peterson going forward.

“We trust him and all of the guys here,” Mendoza said. “We only got, what, 10 more (games) to go in the regular season. We need him. He’s been a big part of this team. But it’s been a struggle for him. We want to do everything moving forward to put guys in position to help us win baseball games.

“We’re counting on him.”

The Machado home run came on a 3-2 curveball that Machado swatted for his 14th career grand slam. Asked how he felt about the pitch when he threw it, Peterson replied, “Felt fine about it. I shook to that pitch and felt like I threw a good, competitive pitch down and away. And he’s a really good hitter and he was able to give them a gap there in the game.”

That is where the outing spun out of control for Peterson. His season has, too. As recently as Aug. 6, Peterson had a season ERA below 3.00 (2.98). It now sits a full run higher.  He was one of the few reliable sources of length in the rotation, too, a problem that’s plagued the Mets all year. Now it plagues Peterson, too. 

Wednesday’s loss dropped him to 9-6 and was the third time in his last seven starts he’s given up six or more runs. Earlier this season, he was working on a since-dead streak of 56 consecutive starts in which he did not allow more than five runs, according to the Mets.

Still, Mendoza confirmed postgame that Peterson will indeed make his next start. Would Peterson perhaps be a consideration for some kind of piggybacking scenario, too, at some point?

“We just got done with this turn,” Mendoza said. “We’re already doing it with two guys.”

But, the manager added, “I mean, everything’s on the table because we’ve got to win baseball games.”

Starting soon. They had won two in a row before losing Wednesday. Was that just a quick palate cleanser before another course of losing? The sands in the 162-game hourglass of the season are rapidly running out.

In a season in which there are no behemoths in either league, it’d be a shame if the Mets aren’t able to take their chances in October. They’ve got to get there first, though. And they’ll need a better David Peterson to do that.

“We’re looking at inches,” Carlos Mendoza said. 

That’s how close Juan Soto came to tying Wednesday’s game against the Padres. 

After Francisco Alvarez lifted an opposite-field homer to make it a one-run ballgame, the Mets' slugger stepped to the plate in the bottom of the seventh with a man on and one out, facing San Diego’s All-Star reliever Mason Miller. 

Soto had already gone deep once in the ballgame, tying his career-high with 41 blasts. 

After battling to a 2-2 count against the hard-throwing right-hander, the sweet-swinging lefty laced a 102.6 mph fastball for a long fly ball deep down into the left field corner that sent the Citi Field crowd into a frenzy. 

It came oh so close to being a game-tying two-run blast and Soto’s signature Mets moment down the stretch in the playoff push, but upon further review, the ball dropped in just shy of the foul pole.

“I knew it had enough power behind it to go out,” Soto said. “I just didn’t how long it was going to stay fair, it was fair most of the time and then at the end it just hooked a little more -- it was just a long strike.”

Miller would get the best of Soto one pitch later, freezing him with a nasty slider on the corner. 

The 26-year-old found himself with an opportunity for redemption a few innings later, though, as Brett Baty led off the ninth with a single and Francisco Lindor drew a two-out walk to again bring him to the plate as the tying run. 

Soto was in another 2-2 count when he laced a 100.5 mph comebacker back up the middle at San Diego closer Robert Suarez, which he was able to glove down before throwing to first to end the ballgame.  

Just like that, the Mets’ lead for the third wild card spot is back down to 1.5 games over the Diamondbacks and 2.0 over the Reds and Giants with 10 games to play. 

“We just have to try to be a little bit more consistent,” Soto said. “We still have a playoff spot, so we’re definitely still in this, but we have to get going today because tomorrow is going to be too late; we have to get going right now.”