Mets Look to Take Series After 4-2 Loss in Miami
Another strong night on the mound and a late push at the plate—this Mets team isn’t backing down.
Kodai Senga bounced back from an early hiccup to strike out eight, Max Kranick continued his flawless run out of the bullpen, and the Mets had the tying run at the plate in the ninth before falling 4-2 to the Marlins at LoanDepot Park.
With a rubber match today (4:40 pm), New York looks to head home with their first series win.
They’ll open up their season at home against the Blue Jays on Friday.
Senga’s Forkball Still Unhittable
Senga’s season debut started with a couple of hard-hit balls, but once the forkball started dropping, it was game over for Miami hitters. Despite an early two-run hiccup, a double off Xavier Edwards, and a home run from Kyle Stowers in the first, the right-hander settled in nicely.
Kodai Senga, Fastball, Sweeper & Ghost Fork Overlay.
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) April 1, 2025
Over five innings, he punched out eight and gave up just three hits. His final frame was a clinic: a clean, 12-pitch inning capped by a 97 mph heater past Kyle Stowers. When that forkball is dancing, hitters don’t stand a chance. With Senga still ramping up, this was a big first step.
Alcántara as Filthy as Ever
Marlins ace Sandy Alcántara proved why he’s still one of the nastiest pitchers in the game. His hard slider bit late, and his curveball had sharp depth. After last night’s performance, a lot of Mets (and I) would agree they’d like to see him in orange and blue.
Multiple members of the Mets tell @NYPost_Mets that they would like to see the team pursue Marlins ace Sandy Alcantara if he became available via trade:
🔸 Juan Soto: “It would be one of the best trades that we could have. I know we have great pitching here, but adding a Cy… pic.twitter.com/oqZmG0ad0D
— SNY Mets (@SNY_Mets) April 2, 2025
Kranick is Shoving
Max Kranick dominated this spring, and that dominance has carried over into the season. The righty needed just 21 pitches to fire three perfect innings, painting corners and keeping Miami off balance. His fastball had late life, and his slider was darting just out of reach.
Have the New York Mets developed ANOTHER stud in Max Kranick? pic.twitter.com/psPuN0vuni
— MetCast (@MetCastPod) April 2, 2025
Through three innings over two outings, he’s yet to allow a baserunner. With the Mets’ rotation needing depth, Kranick’s performance has been massive.
Nimmo Finds No. 2, Lindor’s RBI Single and Quick Feet
The offense didn’t break out, but it didn’t roll over either.
Brandon Nimmo crushed his second homer in as many games, a 388-foot shot in the top of the second off a 2-1 changeup that he squared up and drove to right-center field.
Brandon Nimmo demolished this baseball 😮💨 pic.twitter.com/PsmAiDX4nE
— MLB (@MLB) April 1, 2025
Francisco Lindor ripped an RBI laser to center field later in the third inning, scoring Luisangel Acuña, who had reached on a ground-rule double.
Lindor ties the game! 👏 pic.twitter.com/8BfdLjRagP
— New York Mets (@Mets) April 1, 2025
Lindor wasn’t done, swiping second for his first stolen base of the season.
Lindor’s Tough Night in the Field
Lindor defensively had an uncharacteristic rough night, committing two errors on the same day—a rare occurrence for the Mets’ shortstop.
The first came involving Dane Myers, a passed ball off the heel of Lindor’s glove that he misplayed on the hop. The second, however, was more costly: a routine grounder to start the fourth inning off Otto Lopez Lindor’s miscue allowed two unearned runs to score, extending the Marlins’ lead and ultimately making the difference in the 4-2 loss. Despite the mistakes, Lindor took full accountability after the game.
“It’s our job to finish the plays, and today was on me,” he said, acknowledging his misplays and vowing to bounce back.
Kodai Senga, never one to throw a teammate under the bus, offered his full support.
“Since the day I signed with this team, Lindor’s always been there,” Senga said. “He’s always supported me, always given me words of encouragement. So, when he makes a mistake, I need to be there to pick him up.” Senga made it clear that it’s a team effort, emphasizing how the Mets pick each other up when things don’t go according to plan.
“Since the day I signed with this team, Lindor has always been there. Not just me but the whole team. When he makes a mistake, I need to be there to pick him up. It was my fault to make his errors be highlighted because of my poor performance”
– Kodai Senga on Francisco Lindor pic.twitter.com/0iOLMyJRec
— SNY (@SNYtv) April 2, 2025
Late Inning Fight
Juan Soto sparked a ninth-inning rally with a leadoff walk, and Nimmo followed with a single, but the good chunk of a slider Jesse Winker grounded out on couldn’t bring the go-ahead runs in.
The Mets continue to work counts and put themselves in positions to win—with the way this lineup can explode, it’s only a matter of time before things really get going.
Rotation Recovery, Depth Tested
The Mets’ pitching has carried them early, but they’ll have to keep stepping up with Sean Manaea now facing a longer recovery timeline. The lefty was shut down after experiencing discomfort while ramping up from his oblique injury and will be out for at least a few more weeks.
Manaea and Frankie Montas are both sidelined, so the Mets will lean on their depth arms to hold it down.
Bullpen Dominance
The Mets’ bullpen has been a major strength early in the season.
While Danny Young ran into trouble in Houston, the core relief as a whole has been nothing short of impressive. Reed Garrett has been locked in, showcasing his ability to get critical outs in high-leverage situations. Huascar Brazobán continues to deliver his usual fireballing effectiveness, keeping hitters off balance with his explosive stuff—and is still scoreless, mind you.
BRB KRANICK MAXING pic.twitter.com/y9zrES5UUm
— Pitch Profiler (@pitchprofiler) April 2, 2025
José Buttó, AJ Minter, and Ryne Stanek have been nails, routinely setting the tone late in games with high velo and sharp breaking balls. Veteran closer Edwin Díaz has shown why he’s one of the most reliable in the game. This bullpen is deep and versatile and continues to build on these dominant starts, ensuring the Mets have all bases covered late in games.
Holmes on the Hill
Clay Holmes takes the mound this afternoon, looking to keep momentum for the Mets’ pitching staff. With how this group has been dealing, the Mets are in every game, and the bats are bound to catch up. The first week is about setting the tone, and this squad is already proving it’s built to compete every single night.
