Here are five things to watch and predictions as the Mets and Giants play a four-game series in San Francisco starting on Thursday night…
5 things to watch
Will Nolan McLean hit the ground running?
McLean didn’t have a great feel for his pitches at the outset of his first start of the season last Sunday against the Pirates, walking the first two batters he faced. The young right-hander was searching a bit over the first three innings, with manager Carlos Mendoza saying McLean didn’t really find it until the fourth inning.
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Even without his best stuff, McLean performed well, allowing just two runs on four hits while walking two and striking out eight in five innings.
As the game went on, McLean got more comfortable and his stuff started to overwhelm Pittsburgh.
Five of the last seven outs McLean recorded came via the strikeout — four swinging and one looking.
On the day, McLean threw 84 pitches (generating 12 swings and misses) while mixing in his full six-itch arsenal.
Power outage
With Pete Alonso departing for the Orioles, it felt likely that the Mets might not hit as many homers in 2026 as they did in 2025, when they smacked 224 — good for fifth-most in the majors.
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It should also be noted that aside from Opening Day, when the temperature was in the low-70s, the Mets have not played in weather that is optimal for the ball carrying.
Still, they entered play on Wednesday having hit just three home runs in their first five games — one each by Carson Benge, Francisco Alvarez, and Luis Robert Jr.
It hasn’t just been the Mets when it comes to low home run totals in the early going.
Fifteen teams (exactly half the league) entered play on Wednesday with five home runs or fewer, including the Tigers, Yankees Red Sox, and Phillies.
Is there a bullpen conundrum?
Of the eight pitchers in New York’s bullpen, one of them (Sean Manaea) is a starting pitcher whose usage won’t be regular, while another (Tobias Myers) is a multi-inning weapon who will often need multiple days off between appearances.
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Myers, who has been terrific in his role, is obviously going nowhere.
But it’s been a bit of a challenge early on for Mendoza while trying to juggle the rest of the bullpen.
Mar 29, 2026; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets relief pitcher Richard Lovelady (55) reacts during the tenth inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Citi Field. / Brad Penner – Imagn Images
Add to the above the fact that Brooks Raley is not yet being used on back-to-back days, and the struggles of Richard Lovelady, and you get a bit of a conundrum.
If the Mets’ starting pitchers don’t regularly start giving the team six or seven innings, it feels like there will have to soon be another arm added to the mix who can pitch far more often than Manaea or Myers are able to, or be a lot more effective than Lovelady.
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The Giants’ offense has been anemic
San Francisco mustered just 13 runs over the first five games of the season, better than only the Padres, Royals, and Twins.
That included only four runs total in their first four games before erupting for nine runs against the Padres on Tuesday.
The Giants were especially hapless against the Yankees, scoring one run in three games as they were swept in the season-opening series in San Francisco.
Against the Yanks, San Francisco was shut down by Max Fried, Cam Schlittler, and Will Warren. Fried and Schlittler both have great stuff. Warren, not so much.
Can the Mets get to Logan Webb?
Webb was tagged by the Yankees on Opening Night, allowing seven runs (six earned) on nine hits in five innings.
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He was better his second time out, allowing three runs in six innings against the Padres, but struggled with his command as he issued four walks.
Webb had a 3.22 ERA (2.60 FIP) and 1.23 WHIP while tossing an MLB-high 207.0 innings in 2025, finishing fourth in NL Cy Young award voting.
He has been one of the best pitchers in baseball since 2021, and has had his way with the Mets — with a 3.21 career ERA in 42.0 innings over seven starts. However, he’ll obviously be facing a version of the Mets that is much different than the one he went up against over the last five years.
Predictions
Who will the MVP of the series be?
Juan Soto
Soto has been locked in at the plate early.
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Which Mets pitcher will have the best start?
Kodai Senga
Senga’s fastball was explosive during his first start of the year on Tuesday against the Cardinals.
Which Giants player will be a thorn in the Mets’ side?
Luis Arraez
Arraez’s elite contact rate means his ability to be a pest in any given series is high.
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