The New York Mets were one of the most disappointing teams in the MLB in 2023, and their start to the 2024 campaign didn't give anyone much reason to believe that a turnaround was right around the corner. However, following an 0-5 start to the season, the Mets won three out of four games entering their series against the powerhouse Atlanta Braves; this gave them the momentum and confidence they needed to give the Braves some trouble, and on Thursday, the Mets secured their second consecutive series win with a 16-4 thumping of their division rival.

Thursday was as good of a day as it's going to get for the Mets; it's not too often that a deep Braves pitching corps gets tagged in this manner. But it's impressive that the Mets have been able to right the ship this quickly, especially after the rocky start they had to 2024.

It's a testament to how level-headed the Mets are this season that they're not letting the early-season adversity snowball into something far worse. For manager Carlos Mendoza, he's proud of the fact that the Mets locker room hasn't grown demoralized, resulting in a much-needed series victory, over the Braves no less.

“Even though we got off to a homestand that was a struggle for us, the consistency, the preparation and continuing to have fun are there. It’s still early but it’s important to start winning series, especially against two really good teams,” Mendoza said following the Mets' trouncing of the Braves, per Mike Puma of the New York Post.

Indeed, it's a big deal that the Mets were already able to get two out of three games from the Braves this season. Last year, the Braves were their so-called “daddy”, with New York taking just three out of their 13 games against Atlanta in 2023.

The Mets never forget

As mentioned above, the Mets struggled mightily against the Braves; their performance against the 2023 NL East champion was emblematic of the way they fell off the pace amid a 75-87 finish. But April marks a fresh start for New York. Carrying with them the lessons they've learned from their rough 2023 season, they made a statement with the way they blew out the Braves on Thursday night.

“They had our number last year and a lot of guys in this clubhouse remember that. We play them a lot more, but this was a good start to see,” designated hitter DJ Stewart said.

When it rains, it pours, and the Mets simply had it firing on all cylinders on Thursday. Backup outfielder Tyrone Taylor even hit a pinch-hit grand slam.

The hope now for the Mets is that they maintain the same level of focus moving forward even against teams that aren't the Braves.

More difficulties lie ahead for New York

The MLB schedule is as unforgiving as there is in professional sports. Following the Mets' impressive series win over the Braves, they'll be hosting the red-hot Kansas City Royals, a team that has started the season with a 9-4 record, which is rather surprising after coming off a 56-win 2023.

The Royals have been much-improved this season, thanks to the stellar performance of their pitching staff thus far. It'll be a good early-season test for the Mets to see if their better play in recent days is sustainable. This series begins later tonight at 7:10 PM E.T.