On a Sunday night game against the Cubs in Chicago, what should have been a triumphant win for the Mets turned sour when relief pitcher Edwin Diaz was ejected for a sticky substance violation upon entering the game in the ninth inning. Drew Smith and Jake Diekman had to step in to secure the final outs, but the Mets now face Diaz’s automatic 10-game suspension due to the violation. This incident echoed situations earlier in the season involving Max Scherzer and Smith himself, leaving the Mets to play a man short for the duration of the suspension.
Despite these challenges, the Mets were able to come out on top with a 5-2 victory over the Cubs thanks to strong performances from players like Luis Severino, who delivered six shutout innings. The team also received key home runs from Francisco Lindor, Brandon Nimmo, and Mark Vientos, continuing their winning streak and improving their record to 13-6 for the month of June. Severino’s successful outing was a contrast to his recent struggles in Texas, showing resilience and effectiveness on the mound.
Originally scheduled to face his former team, the Yankees, Severino wasn’t disappointed when a rotation change led him to start against the Cubs instead. Despite the shift, Severino expressed a desire to face the Yankees in the future, possibly in the second installment of the Subway Series after the All-Star break in The Bronx. His strong performance against the Cubs included 10 strikeouts and only three hits allowed over 102 pitches, showcasing his dominance on the mound and ability to control the game.
Severino’s success was complemented by Lindor and Nimmo’s back-to-back home runs in the third inning against Cubs pitcher Javier Assad, helping the Mets jump to a 3-0 lead. Another run in the fifth extended their advantage to 4-0, with key contributions from players like Harrison Bader and J.D. Martinez. Assad, who entered the game with a solid ERA, struggled against the Mets, allowing four earned runs over 4 1/3 innings before being removed.
Though the Cubs managed to score two runs against Mets pitcher Dedniel Nunez in the seventh, Vientos responded with a massive 451-foot bomb in the eighth to extend the Mets’ lead to 5-2. Despite the late-game drama surrounding Diaz’s ejection and subsequent suspension, the Mets were able to maintain their composure and secure a crucial victory on the road. Now, the team looks ahead to the upcoming Subway Series against the Yankees, hoping to continue their winning ways and build momentum for the rest of the season.
