For much of Saturday, the Mets were left chasing the same problem that has followed them through this matchup with the Dodgers: they found traffic, but not enough timely contact to turn it into a real inning. Tyrone Taylor changed that in the eighth, lining a two-RBI double down the left field line that pulled New York within 4-3 and briefly gave the game a different shape.
The hit was one of the few productive swings for the Mets in a 4-3 loss, and it came in a game where New York finished 2-for-11 with runners in scoring position. That is the part that matters most. Taylor’s double did not erase the earlier missed chances, but it did show that the Mets were still within one swing of changing the outcome, even after the Dodgers had spent most of the night controlling the margin.
Saturday also brought a solid outing from Nolan McLean, who started against Yoshinobu Yamamoto and allowed two earned runs in six innings. That kept the Mets close enough for the late rally to matter, even if the offense never built enough pressure before the eighth. In a game like this, the difference between a loss that feels routine and one that feels frustrating is often just a single clean hit. Taylor provided it.
A useful sign in a difficult stretch
Taylor’s recent form gives the moment a little more weight. He has hits in 12 of his last 17 games, which is the kind of steady production a club can use even when the bigger offensive picture is uneven. It also fits the larger story of this series: the Mets have had issues turning opportunities into runs against Yoshinobu Yamamoto and the Dodgers pitching, and this game was no exception.
There is still a bigger concern hanging over the matchup, though. New York has seen fielding mistakes lead to Dodgers runs this season, and that theme has not gone away. Wednesday’s miscue by Brett Baty in right field against the Milwaukee Brewers was another reminder that the Mets can make life harder on themselves even before the bats get involved. Add in the fact that this was the first game since early May that Baty played first base, and the broader picture becomes even more unsettled.
So Taylor’s double should be read for what it was: a timely, well-placed swing that kept the Mets alive late, but not the kind of hit that can hide the rest of the performance. The Mets still need cleaner defense and better results with runners in scoring position if they want nights like this to turn into wins. Sunday afternoon brings another chance, with Freddy Peralta starting against Emmet Sheehan at 1:40 pm EDT.
