May 21, 2025; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; New York Mets starting pitcher Tylor Megill (38) pitches against the Boston Red Sox during the fourth inning at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images The New York Mets have spent most of May struggling to score runs.
However, doing the little things in other areas of the game is allowing New York to get by with a little bit of offense.
The Mets will look to clinch a series win Tuesday night, when they host the Chicago White Sox in the middle game of a three-game interleague set.
Tylor Megill (3-4, 3.56 ERA) is slated to start for the Mets against fellow right-hander Jonathan Cannon (2-5, 3.76).
The Mets pieced together another comeback win Monday, when Juan Soto and Francisco Lindor had sacrifice flies in the eighth and ninth innings, respectively, of a 2-1 victory.
The comeback victory was the third in as many days for the Mets, who overcame a two-run deficit on Saturday in a 5-2 win over the Dodgers before giving up the first run on Sunday and bouncing back for a 3-1 win over Los Angeles.
The Mets had just three hits in the first seven innings Monday but trailed just 1-0 thanks to a series of impressive plays on defense. Shortstop Lindor and second baseman Jeff McNeil robbed Chase Meidroth and Mike Tauchman of hits in the third and sixth, respectively, while Brandon Nimmo ran down Miguel Vargas’ foul ball to deep left in the eighth.
The Mets finally produced the tying run with some small ball in the eighth. After Francisco Alvarez hit a leadoff single, pinch runner Luisangel Acuna advanced to third on Nimmo’s one-out single and scored on Soto’s liner to medium left.
In the ninth, Tyrone Taylor laced a leadoff double and went to third on Luis Torrens’ sharp single before Lindor flied out to right, bringing home the runner.
The Mets have scored five runs or fewer in each of their last 13 games, a span in which they are 7-6. Their pitchers have recorded a 2.46 ERA in that stretch.
“There’s different ways of winning ballgames, and today was one of them,” Lindor said. “Acuna going first to third, sac flies, playing good defense.
“Whenever it seems like it’s not clicking but things are clicking (otherwise), it’s a good thing.”
The narrow loss continued a series of frustrating trends for the rebuilding White Sox, who fell to an American League-worst 17-37. The defeat marked the 20th time this season Chicago has lost a game in which it led.
Chicago also has the worst road record in the AL at 5-22. The White Sox have lost all nine road games decided by one run and have suffered six walk-off losses, the most in the majors.
The White Sox squandered numerous chances to extend their lead Monday but left eight runners on base between the fourth inning, when Andrew Benintendi lofted a sacrifice fly, and the eighth inning. Meidroth also was stranded at first in the ninth when Edwin Diaz struck out Tauchman.
Overall this season, Chicago is hitting .205 with runners in scoring pitching and .215 with runners on base — both figures the worst among American League teams.
“You play well, you put yourself in a good spot there, you have to find a way to score more runs,” White Sox manager Will Venable said. “Pitching and defense did a great job.
“We have to continue to have good at-bats.”
Megill didn’t factor into the decision in his most recent start on Wednesday. He allowed one run over 4 2/3 innings and fanned 10 in the Mets’ 5-1 win over the Boston Red Sox.
Megill won his lone previous appearance against the White Sox last Aug. 30, when he gave up one run over 5 1/3 innings as the Mets earned a 5-1 victory.
Cannon was scratched ahead of his scheduled Saturday start against the Rangers due to lower back tightness, but he is slated to get the nod against the Mets on Tuesday. The White Sox called the injury a day-to-day issue on Saturday.
He pitched most recently on May 18, when he gave up four runs (three earned) in five-plus innings during a 6-2 loss to the Chicago Cubs.
Cannon has produced a 3.07 ERA over 41 innings across his last seven starts. The only time he faced the Mets was when he went against Megill on Aug. 30, and Cannon yielded four runs in five innings en route to a loss.
–Field Level Media
