The New York Mets face the Detroit Tigers in a three-game series starting tonight, struggling with a 15-25 record. While the Mets' pitching has improved, their offense remains a significant concern, especially with key players injured.
Key points
Mets have a 15-25 record entering series with Tigers
Mets' pitching has improved, but offense struggles persist
Key injuries include Francisco Lindor and Luis Robert Jr.
Mets face Tigers, who have lost six of their last ten games
Mets hope to revive their bats to avoid a lost season
New York MetsDetroit Tigers
Apr 10, 2026; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Keider Montero (54) celebrates in the dugout after throwing six scoreless innings against the Miami Marlins at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images | Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images
Apr 10, 2026; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Keider Montero (54) celebrates in the dugout after throwing six scoreless innings against the Miami Marlins at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images | Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images
The **New York Mets (15-25)** return home to welcome the **Detroit Tigers (19-22)** for a three-game series, beginning tonight. The nightmare that has been the 2026 season got a brief respite when the Mets took two series in a row from the Angels and Rockies, but the mirage faded when the Diamondbacks took two of three over the weekend, where the Metsā bats continued their shy, bashful nature.
If there is a positive for the club, it is that their starting pitching has, more or less, straightened itself out. Clay Holmes and Nolan McLean have been excellent, Freddy Peralta has been exactly as advertised, is looking good, and , for some reason, operates better after an opener. With the bullpen being more or less cromulent, the pitching side of their game is looking fine.
But the offense. Woof.
will be fine, but heās been making poor contact on pitches that the āoldā Soto wouldāve spit on or taken the other way. Instead, heās popping up bad pitches left and right. still looks totally lost at the plate, collecting just seven extra base hits in 175 plate appearances. I donāt believed that heās washed, but heās not playing anything like the clutch Bo of old.
If weāre looking for any sort of offensive bright spots, theyāre all with qualifiers. Carson Benge is starting to look like a big league player at the plate, but itās taken awhile. has flashed moments of looking better than his 2025 stat line would indicated, but those have been fleeting. has had a few games that flash his 2024 power, but theyāve been followed up with games that flash his 2025 struggles. has done well in limited playing time, but how long can that last?
The injuries are clearly an issue; this is undoubtedly a better team with , , and on the roster rather than , , and . But the limited offense canāt just be blamed on who isnāt there; there needs to be some fingers pointed at who is there.
If nothing else, this season is an opportunity to really stress test their young players. This looks to be the end of the line for both Vientos and as everyday contributors, and the Mets are doing all in their power to see just what sort of a hitter Francisco Alvarez really is over a full season. Benge is getting his shot and, as of tonight, so is . McLean and Scott are going to pitch a lot of innings, and they may be joined by Jonah Tong and Jack Wenninger before seasonās end. is going to get to pitch in just about every type of role out there, and will be given every shot to prove himself a useful reliever.
None of this really does much for the win column right now, and none of it really gives any hope for the series with the Tigers, especially when two of the three games are full of āTBDā starters (although Fangraphs lists those Mets starters as Scott and McLean and the Tigers as throwing and Keider Montero). If the Mets can wake up their bats, theyāre still in a position where the season isnāt *totally* lost just yet; plenty of teams have been ten games under .500 in mid-May and made a playoff push, but I truly canāt remember a team this offensively inept top to bottom most games.
If thereās a glimmer of hope for this series, it is that the Tigers are losers of six of their last ten and are also sporting a losing record, though theyāre not nearly as in the hole as the Mets are. Theyāre similarly injured, but their injuries are more on the starting pitching side, with , , and old friend all on the shelf with a variety of issues. Skubal is the biggest loss, obviously, but the team is struggling to find effective starting performances across the board.
The recently suspended Valdez has been just alright, ditto 2024 trade deadline darling . Their biggest surprise has been Montero, in his third season starting for the Tigers, really putting it together thus far. An ERA just over three and a 3.63 K/BB ratio have been a godsend for Detroit, and has stabilized at least one spot in the rotation.
Offensively, rookie Kevin McGonigle has been the story. An American League Rookie of the Year hopeful, McGonigle is hitting .293/.395/.435 in his first 39 games as a big leaguer. Riley Green and have also been good for the Tigers thus far, but injuries havenāt avoided the lineup either. Old friend , , and are all missing time right now as well.
In some ways, these two teams are both dealing with similar issues, but while the Tigersā offense is only 23rd best in baseball, the Metsā is dead last by fWAR. To put that into some context, the Mets, as a team, are work 0.5 fWAR right now. The Tigers are worth 3.5 fWAR.
Q&A
What is the current record of the New York Mets and Detroit Tigers?
The New York Mets have a record of 15-25, while the Detroit Tigers are at 19-22.
Who are the starting pitchers for the Mets vs. Tigers series?
The Mets are expected to start Christian Scott and Nolan McLean, while the Tigers will have Framber Valdez and Keider Montero on the mound.
What are the key injuries affecting the Mets' performance?
The Mets are missing Francisco Lindor, Jorge Polanco, and Luis Robert Jr., which has impacted their offensive capabilities.
How have the Mets performed recently against other teams?
The Mets briefly improved by winning two series against the Angels and Rockies but struggled against the Diamondbacks, losing two of three games.
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Tuesday, May 12: **Freddy Peralta vs Jack Flaherty, 7:10pm EDT on SNY**
**Peralta (2026): 43.1IP, 43 K, 18 BB, 4 HR, 3.12 ERA, 3.72 FIP, 79 ERA-**
Many folks were hoping that Peralta would take another step forward in 2026 after a very good 2025 campaign, but thus far, Freddy is being Freddy. Thatās not a bad thing, but it is a limited thing. Peralta typically throws 5 innings of competitive ball, and thatās what weāre getting thus far. Heās not looking like an ace; in fact, heās looking more like the Metsā third starter behind Holmes and McLean, but thatās fine. Itās just not a 7-8 year extension fine, thatās all.
**Flaherty (2026): 34.0 IP, 42 K, 26 BB, 5 HR, 5.56 ERA, 5.29 FIP, 133 ERA-**
Flaherty is having a rough go of it as of late, not seeing the sixth inning since April 15 and only getting out of the fourth once since then. Even the games heās looked reasonably good, like when he gave up no earned runs against the Red Sox, he walked six batters and only got ten outs in the game. Heās also been tagged with five unearned runs in his last four starts, which suggests some bad luck, but not enough to account for his performance.
Wednesday, May 13: TBD (likely Christian Scott) vs TBD (likely Framber Valdez), 7:10pm EDT on SNY
**Scott (2026): 11.0 IP, 15 K, 7 BB, 1 HR, 3.27 ERA, 4.03 FIP, 83 ERA-**
The Mets are being very cautious with Scott coming off of Tommy John Surgery, pulling him early in two of his three starts. Aside from his very bad first start, Scott has looked very good. He walked five in his first start, and has only walked two in the subsequent games. Heās struck out 14 in those two starts as well.
**Valdez (2026): 43.1 IP, 35 K, 15 BB, 5 HR, 4.57 ERA, 4.32 FIP, 110 ERA-**
A potential Metsā target this offseason, Valdez is coming off a five-game suspension for throwing at Trevor Story last week in Boston. This is the latest in what could generously be described as colorful incidents involving Valdez, and it is clear that the Mets did not need this added layer of distraction on their team this season. Additionally, Valdez just hasnāt been pitching like a guy whose contract is potentially worth $110 million.
Thursday, May 14: TBD (likely Nolan McLean) vs TBD (likely Keider Montero), 1:10pm EDT on SNY
**McLean (2026): 45.1 IP, 57 K, 12 BB, 3 HR, 2.78 ERA, 2.39 FIP, 71 ERA-**
Owner of the rare āFIP lower than ERAā stat line, McLean is looking like every bit the prospect that the Mets hoped he would. In his last start, he allowed just one run on three hits, striking out six and walking just one. In four of his eight starts, heās given up just one earned run, and hasnāt had a truly āgreatā start yet this year. Itās coming.
**Montero (2026): 39.2 IP, 29 K, 8 BB, 3 HR, 3.18 ERA, 3.24 FIP, 76 ERA-**
The cornerstone of their current rotation, Montero isnāt strikingt out a ton of batters, but heās been limiting runs and getting results. In his last two starts, heās allowed just one earned run, gone six plus innings, and walked just three batters. This should be a very fun matinee matchup.
