Juan Soto's home run was enough for the Mets and the bullpen in their 3-1 win over the Royals on Saturday afternoon in Kansas City.
-With Michael Lorenzen (illness) scratched, the Royals went with a bullpen game but Carlos Mendoza decided to keep the same lineup he originally had, and it was just good enough on this day.
The Mets' bullpen allowed just two walks across four scoreless innings to clinch the series against the Royals.
Here are the takeaways…
– Soto started at DH after fouling a ball off his thigh in Friday's win. It's the 22nd start at DH for the slugger, so he acted like a DH and blasted his 23rd homer of the season in the fourth, putting the Mets up 2-0. Soto's blast went 435 feet at 106.6 mph into the fountain in right center field.
Soto tied his career-high home runs in the first half, which he did a season ago with the Yankees.
– After Soto's homer, 15 straight Mets were retired by Royals pitching until Brandon Nimmo drew a two-out walk in the eighth. New York wouldn't get another hit until Pete Alonso's one-out double in the ninth that Jeff McNeil — starting in right for Soto — drove home with a two-out single to give the Mets a 3-1 lead.
– Francisco Lindor stole his 200th career base just before Soto's homer. He becomes just the third MLB player to reach 200 home runs and 200 stolen bases (Derek Jeter and Jimmy Rollins).
– Mark Vientos broke out in a big way on Friday with his go-ahead, bases-clearing double. And he continued the good vibes with a 1-for-3 day, extending his hitting streak to three games.
– Frankie Montas was on the mound and was effective against an anemic Royals lineup. He pitched five scoreless innings, allowing just two hits and retiring 15 of 16 batters at one point. However, Montas gave up back-to-back doubles to lead off the sixth and that was it for Mendoza. The Mets skipper brought in Reed Garrett, who pitched a clean inning on Friday, to try and keep the Mets' lead.
After a Garrett throwing error trying to pick off Jonathan India at second, allowing the infielder to move to third, the Mets reliever got Bobby Witt Jr. to hit a shallow fly ball and Vinnie Pasquantino to ground out to Alonso. All-Star Maikel Garcia then hit a line drive but right atMcNeil in right field to get out of the inning.
Montas threw 83 pitches (55 strikes), allowing one run on four hits, now walks and striking out five batters through his five-plus innings.
Chris Devenski was handed the seventh inning and didn't have as smooth a frame. Devenski faced runners on first and second (walk, HBP) with one out. Luisangel Acuna made a good play at second to get the runner at second, and Devenski forced a 4-1 groundout to get out of trouble.
Edwin Diaz was handed the eighth and after Witt Jr. reached on a one-out walk, the 2024 AL MVP runner-up seemingly stole second base. Like last night, the Mets challenged the safe call and the same result occurred. Witt was deemed out and Diaz got out of the inning unscathed following a strikeout of Pasquantino.
Diaz, in his second inning of work, got the Royals in order to end the game.
Game MVP: Mets bullpen
The bullpen was great. From Garrett's Houdini act in the sixth, to Diaz's two-inning save, the relievers delivered.
Highlights
JUAN SOTO LIFT-OFF TO THE WATERFALL!
HIS 23RD HOME RUN OF THE SEASON! pic.twitter.com/oCd9mjKa2e
— SNY (@SNYtv) July 12, 2025
Reed Garrett comes in and gets the job done to keep the Mets in front! pic.twitter.com/QAigf5VrVu
— SNY (@SNYtv) July 12, 2025
THE METS WIN THE CHALLENGE!
Luis Torrens with a perfect throw to get Bobby Witt Jr. trying to steal! pic.twitter.com/SOELcb3V26
— SNY (@SNYtv) July 12, 2025
Jeff McNeil provides the insurance!
Mets lead 3-1! pic.twitter.com/dl7Pfw1InA
— SNY (@SNYtv) July 12, 2025
What's next
The Mets and Royals wrap up their three-game set and the first half of the season on Sunday. First pitch is set for 2:10 p.m. on SNY.
Clay Holmes (8-4, 3.29 ERA) will start with Sean Manaea making his season debut set to pitch after. The Royals will send LHP Noah Cameron (3-4, 2.56 ERA).
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