Are the New York Mets back?

It sure feels that way after a statement sweep of the Phillies. The Mets got big-time offensive production, not to mention another star turn from their rookie sensation, to take all three games at Citi Field.

New York has now won five of six. As a result, it is within four games of the Phillies for the NL East lead. Furthermore, the Mets have moved 4.5 games ahead of the Reds for the final Wild Card spot in the National League.

With everything now seemingly clicking for this team, let’s proceed with a special edition of 5 Up, 1 Down…

Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

5 UP
A STAR IS BORN

Just three games in and Nolan McLean already looks like a star. The rookie sensation authored his best outing yet in the series finale. He pitched an absolute gem, allowing just four hits in eight stellar scoreless innings with no walks and six strikeouts. It was how McLean pitched that was most impressive, though. He left a formidable Phillies lineup absolutely perplexed, retiring 15 straight batters at one point. The righty is just starting his Major League career yet, somehow, he looks like a seasoned veteran out on the mound. It is also hard to understate just how big a boost McLean has given his team. Since his call-up, the Mets are 8-3 and are operating at full tilt. It sure looks like Queens has a new hero to get behind.

THE KEY TO EVERYTHING

Mark Vientos being able to figure it out has long been thought to be the key to this Mets lineup living up to its potential. Well, that is playing out in front of our very eyes right now. Vientos has put his struggles behind him and is unstoppable at the plate. He came up with another two monster hits in the finale, with his seventh inning home run putting the game to bed. Vientos also drove in two doubles in the opener. As a result, he’s now riding a 10-game hitting streak and is hitting .407/.467/.963/.1.430 with four homers and 11 RBIs over his last seven games. If Vientos can keep this up, that gives the middle-of-the-order a game-changing spark.

GOOD VIBES ARE BACK

The magical spirit of the 2024 Mets seemed alive and well with the 2025 vintage throughout this series. The pitching was stellar, the offense was explosive, and the whole team came through in the clutch time and time again. Plus, Brandon Nimmo‘s walk-off single on Tuesday echoed the kind of heroics last year’s team excelled at. In totality, everything is clicking for this team right now. Even the RISP woes seemed to have vanished. The Mets went a combined 21-for-37 with runners in scoring position in this series against the Phillies. Plus, with McLean off to a historic start and fellow rookie Jonah Tong set to make his MLB debut on Friday, hope and excitement are back in the air in Queens.

John Jones-Imagn Images

BACK TO NORMAL

Keeping with the trend of everything going right for this team, Sean Manaea looked like his old self in his latest outing. The lefty was sharp on the mound on Tuesday, striking out eight while allowing just two runs across 4.2 innings. It was a significant positive step forward for the veteran, who had allowed 17 earned runs in his previous four starts. All that is needed now is for Manaea to start going deeper into games and provide the kind of length this rotation needs from all its starters.

BALANCED ATTACK

As already mentioned, this offense is clicking right now. And that was evident throughout this series. Heading into Wednesday’s game, the Mets led all of baseball in batting average (.358). Furthermore, they’ve now scored 140 runs in August – the team’s highest-scoring month of the season. And the contributions are coming from up and down the lineup. We’ve already mentioned Vientos and Nimmo. Francisco Lindor, Juan Soto, and Pete Alonso all hit three consecutive RBI singles to help build an early lead in the finale. Alonso also had a monster 4-for-5 night on Tuesday. Luis Torrens matched a career-high with five RBIs in Monday night’s win. Jeff McNeil and Tyrone Taylor both also had big nights on Monday. All in all, everyone in this lineup is contributing on a night-to-night basis, thus helping this lineup morph into a deep, balanced, and formidable threat.

Aug 25, 2025; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets pitcher Kodai Senga (34) delivers a pitch against the Philadelphia Phillies during the first inning at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images

1 DOWN
LONE NEGATIVES

The only real negatives to emerge from this series belonged on the pitching side. Kodai Senga continued to struggle post-IL return, gifting the Phillies an early lead before being lifted in the fifth inning on Monday night. Senga has now allowed 14 earned runs over his last five outings as a result. He now owns an ugly 6.10 ERA in the second half of the season. Then, on Tuesday, another struggling pitcher continued to head in the wrong direction. Ryan Helsley, who has not been good since being acquired at the Trade Deadline, allowed a game-tying home run in the eighth. Consequently, Helsley has now allowed 14 runs – 10 earned – in 11 games with New York. It goes without saying that the Mets need a lot more from both Senga and Helsley going forward.