Rhys Hoskins’ Grand Slam Dampens Mets’ Playoff Pursuit

Rhys Hoskins launched a grand slam off Sean Manaea in the opening inning, dealing a blow to the New York Mets’ playoff aspirations during an 8-4 defeat to the NL Central champion Milwaukee Brewers on Friday night. The race for the final two National League wild card spots has the Mets, Arizona Diamondbacks, and Atlanta Braves in contention. Following Friday’s games, the Mets and Braves share an equal 87-71 record, with the Diamondbacks trailing slightly at 88-72.

“They exhibited resilience,” Mets manager Carlos Mendoza commented, following his ejection by plate umpire Ramon De Jesus due to a dispute over a third strike call on Francisco Alvarez in the fourth inning. “We started off on the back foot, but we didn’t falter. We need to move on and prepare for the next game.”

Lindor’s Return Overshadowed by Mets’ Defeat

The Mets’ loss overshadowed the return of star shortstop Francisco Lindor, who marked his first appearance since September 15 with a 2 for 4 performance and a walk, marred by one error. Lindor had been nursing lower back pain, restricting him to just one inning across the Mets’ last 10 games.

While the Mets continue their quest for a postseason spot, the Brewers have already secured the No. 3 seed in the NL playoffs, with their Wild Card Series set to kick off Tuesday in Milwaukee.

“We’re well aware of what’s at stake for the Mets this weekend,” stated Hoskins, noting the Brewers’ focus on prepping for Tuesday’s game.

Hoskins’ Record-Tying Grand Slam Puts Brewers in Driver’s Seat

Hoskins’ first-inning four-bagger marked his third grand slam and the Brewers’ 10th for the season, equalling franchise records. The Brewers’ impressive start set the tone for the game, putting them ahead 4-0.

Manaea, boasting a 12-6 record, surrendered six runs – five earned – in just 3 2/3 innings. His performance was a departure from his previous 12 starts, where he had only once allowed more than three runs.

“The team’s determination is unwavering,” Manaea noted, acknowledging the disappointment of the loss.

Efforts to Bridge Gap Fall Short for Mets

The Mets found themselves trailing by five before Mark Vientos’ third-inning two-run homer sparked hope. Despite having two runners on base in the fourth, Alvarez’s 10-pitch at-bat culminated in a strikeout, leaving the Mets trailing.

The Mets chipped away at Milwaukee’s lead in the eighth, bringing the score to 7-4. However, a spectacular catch by rookie Jackson Chourio in deep left-center curtailed their momentum.

Impressive Relief Pitching Secures Brewers’ Win

Joe Ross (3-6) delivered three innings of shutout relief, earning the win, while Trevor Megill sealed the deal with a scoreless ninth inning, notching his 21st save in 24 attempts.

TRAINER’S ROOM: Brewer’s RF Sal Frelick was forced to exit the game after colliding with the sidewall in an attempt to catch a foul ball in the third inning. Milwaukee manager Pat Murphy confirmed Frelick will undergo an MRI on Saturday. Alvarez also left the game with back spasms after sliding into third in the seventh inning.

UP NEXT: The series continues on Saturday night, with Mets’ LHP Jose Quintana (10-9, 3.74 ERA) and the Brewer’s RHP Tobias Myers (8-6, 3.09) taking the mound. Quintana has thrown a career-high 22 2/3 consecutive scoreless innings and allowed one earned run over 32 innings in his last five outings. He hasn’t pitched since Sept. 18.