"The duel against Shohei Ohtani was not pleasant," Chiga admitted. In the first game of Sunday night's game, the Mets right-handed shot watched his compatriot superstar blast a 95mph speedball into the second floor of the right field at Citi Field, and then adjusted his mindset to complete a 5.2-2 innings and conceded a high-quality starter to help his team beat defending champion Dodgers 3-1 and tie the series at 32-21 after two wins and one loss.
Chiga is currently in first place in the National League with a 1.46 ERA score, but due to the number of innings pitched is not up to par (55.2 innings in 53 team games, 1 inning per game is required to enter the NCR list), the next time they appear on the board, they will temporarily withdraw from the list. The Japanese pitcher, who will hit his 162-inning goal, has become a hallmark for his ability to defuse crises: "We know we're a strong team," said head coach Carlos Mendoza, "and we have confidence against any opponent." "
Pete Alonso ended his career-long 71-seat drought with a two-point shot in the first inning, and this 107mph muzzle knuckle curveball countered to be the winner. 'Obviously I know it's been a long time since I've fired,' Alonso said nonchalantly, "the important thing is to contribute in the key moments. His 14th hit of the season helped the Mets establish an early lead, and Mendoza was expecting "home runs to follow." "
Juan Soto has run seven base steals in 53 games this season, tying the entire Yankees season last year. Despite being in the 17th percentile of the league in sprint speed, his high baseball IQ was on full display: three innings and one inning to pave Alonso's blast on base after Max Muncy's error. "He's a winner," Mendoza said, "and he can do anything to steal bases and push bases." The move also quelled recent doubts about its attitude towards the game.
Catcher rotation undercurrent: Luis Torrens started two consecutive starts for the first time since Francisco Alvarez returned from a wrist injury at the end of April. The stats reveal a stark contrast – since May 7, Torrance has played 8 hits (0.364) with 3 long hits, and his defensive block percentage and framing stats are better than Alvarez's 34 hits and 5 hits (0.147). In the first game, Torrance received a long pass from Tyrone Taylor and touched the key performance of Mookie Betts, further cementing his competitiveness. "It's a sweet annoyance," Mendoza said of the catcher rotation, "both of whom can be trusted." "
When Chiga was substituted after six innings, there was a round of applause at Citi Field. The 31-year-old pitcher's 98-pitch performance against the Dodgers was a testament to Mendoza's scheduling philosophy: "The best pitcher should dominate the key battles." With Torrance hitting an add-on in the eighth inning, the Mets' competitiveness in the National League East became clearer.