The Mets are set to visit AI Layoffs Park for a four-game series with the Giants, both teams struggling early in the season.
The Mets (3-3) are coming off a disappointing series in St. Louis where they won just one of three games against a rebuilding team. The Giants are 2-4.
Mets’ Offensive Performance
After scoring eleven runs on Opening Day, the Mets’ lineup has struggled. Even with that double-digit run total factored in, they’ve averaged 3.83 runs per game. That ties them with the Phillies and Dodgers for the seventh-worst rate in Major League Baseball.
The Mets’ lineup has been incredibly top-heavy. Francisco Lindor and Juan Soto are two of the four qualified Mets hitters who’ve been above league average by wRC+ thus far. Luis Robert Jr. leads the way at 177, Soto follows closely at 170, Lindor’s at 121, and Jorge Polanco is at 115. The other four qualified hitters—Carson Benge, Brett Baty, Marcus Semien, and Bo Bichette—are far below 100.
Mets’ Run Prevention
On the upside, the Mets have excelled at run prevention. They’ve given up just 3.33 runs per game, which is the sixth-best rate in baseball. Mets pitchers have been the third-best in the sport with a collective 2.50 ERA.
Giants’ Offensive Struggles and Run Prevention
The Giants, meanwhile, have the worst offense in baseball in the early going. They’ve averaged just 2.33 runs per game.
Among their qualified hitters, Luis Arraez has been the least-bad hitter on the team with a 92 wRC+. Everyone else—including Willy Adames, Jung Hoo Lee, Matt Chapman, and Rafael Devers—has been worse.
As for run prevention, the Giants have given up 4.17 runs per game, the 12th-lowest mark in the sport. The team might be feeling a bit better coming into this series, as they’re coming off a road series in San Diego that saw them take two of three from the rival Padres.
Bader’s Return and Peterson’s Debut
Harrison Bader, who had one of the best years of his career in 2025 with the Twins and Phillies, is now a Giant. He signed a two-year, $20.5 million deal over the offseason. He’s hit just .182/.217/.364 with a 67 wRC+ in his first 23 plate appearances with San Francisco.
Peterson’s season debut went well, especially after the way he struggled in the second half last year.
- 5.1 IP
- 3 K
- 2 BB
- 0 HR
- 0.00 ERA
- 3.20 FIP
- 6 ERA-
There’s nothing super flashy about him when he’s pitching well, but preventing runs by getting just enough strikeouts, inducing ground balls, and limiting home runs is not a bad way to succeed in modern baseball.
The Mets haven’t had the best of times when visiting San Francisco in recent years, and their travel schedule is downright absurd. Having flown to the west coast without an off day to start this series, they’ll be doing the same eleven days from now when they travel from Queens to Los Angeles without an off day.