New York Mets reliever Phil Maton had a rough night in Milwaukee in Game 2. Maton entered the game in the bottom of the eighth inning with the Mets holding a 3-2 lead, just six outs away from advancing to the NLDS.
However, Maton gave up a home run to Jackson Chourio and another to Garrett Mitchell, and he walked away from Game 2 with a loss as the Brewers forced a Game 3 on Thursday. After the game, Maton made sure to give some props to Chourio, who had two home runs on the night, when asked why he's so difficult to pitch to.
“I think he's a young, talented hitter who can always fight off good fastballs,” Maton said. “Overall, pretty happy with the pitch selection. Execution was a little bit more in the box than I would've liked but just a talented hitter. Have to tip your cap. Kind of taking advantage of trying to go to the (four-seam fastball) after the sinker and just a good piece of hitting.”
Mets fans were very unhappy with Maton's approach to the question, and they shared their frustration on social media.
“Singlehandedly cost an entire franchise a playoff game,” one fan wrote on X, formerly Twitter. Another added, “That's the guy who our manager thought was ready to compete in the biggest moment of the season.”
The Mets have one more chance to regroup when they take the field in Milwaukee on Thursday for a win-or-go-home battle.
Mets must step up to make highest-paid roster worth it
The New York Mets have the most expensive roster in Major League Baseball by total payroll in 2024; not the New York Yankees, not the Los Angeles Dodgers, but the New York Mets.
The Mets' season got off to a nightmare start as the team sunk to 11 games under .500 over the summer. They have turned things around in a massive way, getting hot at the right time and playing some of the best baseball in the major leagues down the stretch to sneak into the playoffs with a chance to make some noise.
However, none of that matters if you can't get it done in October. The Mets' season comes down to one game, a game that will either see them advance to the next round or go on an early vacation after just three postseason games.
They were in a similar situation on Monday where they had to get one win in two games in Atlanta to make the final bracket, and they responded well. A massive comeback at the end of Game 1 of the doubleheader, capped with a game-winning Francisco Lindor home run, clinched a playoff berth for New York.
On Thursday, they will be called upon to respond in a similar way. They need to win and advance to take on their division rivals for this roster to be worth it before some of their key pieces likely head out the door. If they can't, this season will still be seen as a failure despite the great run during the second half.