Here are five things to watch when the Mets and Atlanta Braves play a three-game series at Citi Field starting on Friday night...
Christian Scott's Citi Field debut
After a dazzling big league debut last weekend against the Rays in Tampa where he induced 18 swings and misses and was dominant after the first inning, Scott will be making his first Citi Field start on Saturday.
It's not hyperbole to say that Scott is the most talented and highest-upside starting pitcher to come up through the Mets' system since the quartet of Matt Harvey (2012), Zack Wheeler (2013), Jacob deGrom (2014), and Noah Syndergaard (2015).
Meanwhile, Scott replacing Adrian Houser has given the rotation an injection of serious upside, and someone who should help keep them afloat until Kodai Senga returns -- possibly in around three weeks.
Scott seems to have not only the stuff (led by his four-seam fastball and sweeper) to be elite, but the confidence, mound presence, and demeanor to thrive on the biggest stage in the biggest market.
And he will certainly not shy away from a Braves lineup that includes a few legitimate MVP-level players (Ronald Acuna Jr. and Matt Olson) and the current MLB home run leader (Marcell Ozuna).
Has Pete Alonso turned the corner?
Sometimes, all it takes is one big swing to break out of a slump.
On Tuesday against the Cardinals in St. Louis, Alonso had two big swings.
First, he smacked a tie-breaking two-run double to right-center as part of a six-run inning in the fifth.
Then, he swatted a solo homer to left field in the ninth to give the Mets a key insurance run.
During his week-and-a-half slump, Alonso had been chasing a ton of pitches out of the zone and not making much hard contact. That changed on Tuesday night against the Cards, and will hopefully roll over into this homestand against the Braves and Philadelphia Phillies.
Jeff McNeil is starting to come out of it
Along with Alonso, McNeil had been mired in a slump. But he's looked much better at the plate recently.
On Tuesday, McNeil had his second three-hit game of the season.
And he has reached base safely in five consecutive games.