It was sizzling at Citi Field on Tuesday night—literally and figuratively—as the New York Mets dropped their third straight game. This time was to the division-rival Atlanta Braves in a steamy 7-4 loss that rewrote the record books for heat.
The first-pitch temperature? A blistering 97 degrees, making it the hottest game ever played at the Mets’ home ballpark. Unfortunately for New York fans, the action on the field didn’t do much to lift the mood.
Strider vs. Soto: Heat, Tension, and a Strikeout Debate
If there was one moment that defined the night, it was the fifth-inning showdown between Braves flamethrower Spencer Strider and Mets superstar Juan Soto.
With the count full and runners watching closely, Soto took a fastball on the inside edge—home plate umpire rings him up. Soto wasn’t buying it. Visibly frustrated, he let the umpire hear it, gesturing and voicing his disbelief.
But Strider wasn’t having it. As he made his way to the Braves’ dugout, he turned back toward Soto and, with a bit of that classic competitive fire, made his point loud and clear: “Right down the middle.”
Not once, not twice, but three times for emphasis. Call it gamesmanship, call it chirping, but the message was unmistakable—Strider believed he won that battle fair and square.
Soto, for his part, had been having a decent night up to that point, drawing two walks before the K. He later grounded out in the eighth, finishing the game 0-for-2 but still very much a presence in the Mets lineup, just as he’s been all year. With 17 home runs and 43 RBIs through 79 games, Soto’s been living up to his end of that jaw-dropping 15-year, $765 million deal.
Strider’s Comeback For the Braves Continues
Strider, meanwhile, continues to climb back to form after undergoing elbow surgery last season. He was lights out in 2023, leading the National League in wins and drawing Cy Young consideration, but pitched just twice before a torn UCL sent him to the sidelines.
Now eight starts into his return, Tuesday’s win bumped him to 3-5 on the year, but it’s not about the record. It’s about rhythm, and Strider’s finding his again. He went five innings in the heat, a few tense moments, and a W in the books. That’s a win on multiple levels for the Braves, who continue to chip away in the standings.
Another Lost Night in Queens
As for the Mets? The heat wasn’t the only thing hanging over them. The loss puts them at a crossroads as summer kicks into gear. Soto’s massive contract was meant to change the conversation around this team. While he’s done his part, the Mets just haven’t clicked. Pitching inconsistencies, bullpen hiccups, and a lack of timely hitting have kept them treading water in a division that doesn’t wait for anyone.
On a night when everything felt heavy—the air, the expectations, the disappointment—the Mets once again came up short. And as Strider strutted off the mound and into the win column, the message couldn’t have been clearer: the Braves brought the heat, and the Mets got burned.
