The Mets have gone from inept with runners in scoring position to incredible with runners in scoring position.
On Friday night, though, that applied to every situation at the plate.
The offense made Jonah Tong’s debut easy, exploding for 19 runs — their most runs ever in a home game, and tied for their highest total all season — including 11 in the first two innings of the 19-9 defeat of the Marlins.
Just six other pitchers in history have gotten 19 or more runs of support in their Major League debuts, only four of which came in the live-ball era, the last being Charlie Zink for the Red Sox in 2008.
“Good at-bats up and down the lineup,” manager Carlos Mendoza said. “We got off to a really good start today. We hit the ball out of the ballpark. We went the other way when we needed to. With two strikes, with runners in scoring position, we controlled the strike zone. Offensively, we know what we’re capable of.”
Juan Soto, whose hitting with runners in scoring position has been a problematic storyline all year for the Mets, sent a ball 398 feet in his first at-bat of the night with Francisco Lindor on second base, having stolen the bag after a walk.
Juan Soto hits a single during the second inning of the Mets’ 19-9 blowout win over the Marlins on Aug. 29, 2025. Robert Sabo for NY Post
Just three batters after Soto’s homer, Brandon Nimmo hit a three-run home run. Nimmo then added a second bomb off the foul pole for good measure in the sixth inning with the game well out of hand, the Mets’ fourth of the game, with Pete Alonso having hit one in the second.
Vientos added a fifth homer of the night off position player Javier Sanoja in the eighth.
Pete Alonso (right) is greeted by Mark Vientos after he scores on his two-run home run in the Mets’ blowout win over the Marlins. Robert Sabo for NY Post
Marlins starter Eury Pérez was chased after just two-thirds of an inning, with Tyler Zuber making it through just three outs before getting lifted in the second with the Mets having batted around.
The Mets now have scored six or more runs in six of their past eight games, marking a red-hot streak for the offense that now has continued through a trio of series.
Juan Soto rounds the bases after belting a two-run homer in the first inning of the Mets’ blowout win over the Marlins. Robert Sabo for NY Post
All nine players in the starting lineup not only reached base Friday but all nine of them scored, and eight had at least one RBI, with Brett Baty being the only exception.
“I think it’s just a testament to this offense and what we’re capable of,” Nimmo said. “We’ve seen it during the Phillies series. We’ve seen it over the last 10 days. Guys are really coming together and putting together good ABs. Very proud of all the guys it took everybody to do it. I think it shows what this offense is capable of when we’re clicking. We did it against good arms too. That’s really impressive.”