PITTSBURGH -- The Mets are not going to rebuild despite having a most disappointing season.
It is not in owner Steve Cohen’s M.O. to take a step back. If the Mets’ talented roster stays healthy, there is no reason why they couldn’t bounce back and contend next year.
Yet if the Mets want to get at least a little younger in 2027, three players who could help spark a turnaround shined in a 6-4 victory over the Pirates on Friday night in the opener of a three-game series at PNC Park.
Left-hander Zac Thornton (3-2) pitched five scoreless innings with help from his outfield defense. Center fielder A.J. Ewing had three hits, and left fielder Carson Benge hit a pair of RBI singles before leaving the game in the fourth inning with left wrist soreness.
The rookies’ heroics, along with Marcus Semien’s three-run home run, helped the Mets build a 6-0 lead by the fourth inning. The Mets withstood a two-run rally by the Pirates in the bottom of the ninth inning when closer Devin Williams got Bryan Reynolds to ground out with a runner on first to end the game.
It all added up to a fourth straight win, tying a season high for the Mets, who are last in the National League East with a 51-66 record.
Thornton blanked the Pirates despite sitting through a 36-minute rain delay after the second inning. He also bounced back from a subpar outing in his start last Saturday, when he allowed four runs (three earned) in 4 2/3 innings in a loss to the Marlins.
“It wasn’t as difficult as people might think,” Thornton said of waiting out the delay. “We went up [to the indoor batting cage] and threw what was essentially a simulated game. I felt like I still had a few bullets left.”
Thornton has a 2.52 ERA through seven career starts. On Friday night, he was aided by outstanding catches from Benge and Ewing.
“Zac certainly deserved the five clean innings with the way he pitched,” Mets interim manager Andy Green said. “He was phenomenal.”
Benge had to leave the game in the bottom of the fourth, one inning after he crashed into the wall in the left-field corner making a catch on a fly ball hit by Ronny Simon. X-rays were negative, though Green said Benge could undergo further imaging if his wrist is still sore Saturday.
Benge was 2-for-2 with two RBIs and a stolen base before his exit. In 112 games this season, the 23-year-old Benge is hitting .270 with 13 home runs and 18 stolen bases.
Ewing was 3-for-4 with two runs scored from the leadoff spot. He got the Mets off to a quick start when he led off the game with a double and scored on Benge’s single. Ewing, who will turn just 22 on Monday, has a .269 batting average with seven homers and 15 steals in 76 games.
It is almost impossible to replicate the production of superstar outfielder Juan Soto, who is on the injured list with a strained calf. However, Benge and Ewing are more than holding their own.
“They play the game the right way,” Green said. “It’s fearless. After a mistake, they’re resilient. They bounce back. They make changes when they need to. They defend the field. They run the bases. They give you quality AB's. It’s a winning mix, and they’ve been there all year when we’ve needed them.”