Two months into the season, the New York Mets seemed destined for another playoff-less year.
On May 30, they fell to 22-33 after a sweep at home by the Los Angeles Dodgers and subsequently jettisoned reliever Jorge Lopez for throwing his glove into the Citi Field stands. Fast forward to Thursday and the Mets are 49-46 and hold the third National League wild-card spot.
So, what changed?
The easy answer is that Mets stars started playing like stars. Shortstop Francisco Lindor holds a batting average above .300 since his move to the leadoff spot and the return of catcher Francisco Alvarez has provided a needed spark. For the Mets and their fans, though, it’s never that simple.
Something special happened at Citi Field on June 12. The Mets, who have a partnership with McDonald’s, let the company’s purple mascot Grimace throw out the ceremonial first pitch against the Miami Marlins. The Mets won that night 10-4 and proceeded to win the next six games thereafter. Grimace had become a savior among the Flushing Faithful.
