The month of May ensured that there is not a moratorium on the Mets‘ season just yet.
As the Mets enter the month of June on a four-game win streak, they capped off a much-improved 16-12 month of May. That helped them improve to 26-33 on the heels of a miserable April.
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Now, the real test awaits the Mets as eight of their nine series in June are against teams with winning records. The only one which is not is the final series of the month against the reigning American League champion Blue Jays.
The Mets will welcome the Braves for a series at home and play their first two series against the Phillies in a big opportunity to inch back into the NL East picture.
With the Mets playing improved baseball, here are three important storylines for the next month:
After David Peterson was shelled for six earned runs on 11 hits and three walks at the beginning of last homestand against the Reds, Mendoza made the declaration that the left-hander would be returning to the bullpen and Sean Manaea would be trusted to start or fill in as a bulk reliever.
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Peterson’s role will be “fluid” as he’ll be deployed in every role from a single lane in a lineup to working to eat innings. On Sunday, he notched the first save of his career, tossing four scoreless innings with three strikeouts and one hit and one walk allowed.
“It’s kind of been that way all year, so it wasn’t necessarily a surprise,” Peterson said of his change in role. “My goal is to go out there when I get the ball and pitch and put up zeros and help the team win.”
Peterson is 2-0 with a 1.88 ERA in 24 innings across six relief appearances, compared to a 7.56 ERA in seven starts.
Mendoza said last week that the Mets have been encouraged by the life on Manaea’s fastball and getting swings and misses at the top of the zone. In the month of May, Manaea has allowed five earned runs in 12 innings (3.75 ERA) with 15 strikeouts and a 1.58 WHIP.
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Jonah Tong will continue to be deployed out of the bullpen early this week. The rookie right-hander has allowed one run (none earned) in 6⅔ innings across two appearances. That means the Mets will continue with only three traditional starters in Nolan McLean, Freddy Peralta and Christian Scott. And soon enough, Kodai Senga will enter the occasion.
The Mets have one of the most feared hitters in baseball at their disposal in Juan Soto, and the superstar outfielder put that explosiveness on full display in the month of May.
During the month, Soto slashed .281/.369/.615 with 10 home runs, 21 RBI, 20 runs and five stolen bases. With his second grand slam as a member of the Mets on Sunday, Soto has now homered in nine of his last 15 games while reaching base in each of those contests.
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“He’s an unbelievable. He’s elite. I think it’s just his ability to do a lot of different things offensively,” Mendoza said. “When he’s on a roll, he’s impacting the baseball, driving the ball to the pull side. He can go the other way. The walks, the way he controls the strike zone.”
Now with Soto playing a leading role, the Mets offense is starting to show signs of life. And Soto has received a little energy from the infusion of youth in the outfield with Carson Benge and A.J. Ewing, who have provided an ultra-important spark both offensively and defensively over the past few weeks.
“I try to make them feel like they are a part of this. They are the same as me,” Soto said. “They have the same voice. Some things, sometimes we got to help them to get through it. It’s the first time for them in the big leagues, but at the end of the day, I try to be one of them.”
The Mets lineup figures to get a little bit closer to full strength this week.
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Jorge Polanco, who has been out since April 15 due to lingering effects of Achilles bursitis, will continue his rehab assignment and progression on Tuesday with Triple-A Syracuse. Mendoza said earlier this week that there was a chance that Polanco could rejoin the Mets later on this road trip.
The switch-hitting Polanco, who is 2-for-5 with a home run, three RBI and a run in three rehab games, is likely to be used in a bat-first role when he returns.
“I’m not anticipating a guy that is going to play a lot in the field,” Mendoza said. “We’re going to have to manage him. We’re going to have to monitor it. There’s going to be DH, there’s going to be off days, probably coming off the bench, just things like that.”
That would suggest Mark Vientos will continue to see the lion’s share of time at first base, with Jared Young factoring there in certain matchups, as well.
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Mendoza said Sunday that Francisco Alvarez is expected to make a rehab assignment with Triple-A Syracuse beginning on Tuesday. Alvarez, who is working back from a torn meniscus and surgery in his right knee, is well ahead of schedule in his recovery.
Despite an original estimation of an eight-week recovery following the May 12 injury, Alvarez will be back on the field exactly three weeks after the injury.
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: NY Mets storylines as Juan Soto tries to carry them through June test
