To finish off their season, the Mets did it with a grand walk-off to defeat the Braves, 7-6, at Citi Field. >> Box score
Five Takeaways from Sunday's game
1) In an improbable, feel-good finish to a season that was somewhat appropriate for a Mets' team that came back from the dead with a second-half comeback, Dom Smith hit an 11th-inning, game-winning home run in his first at-bat since July 26th. Which, naturally, led to one last tear-off-the-jersey moment, an instant tradition that also became a trademark of a team that pulled off some keep-hope-alive, walk-off wins at Citi Field down the stretch.
For Smith, who had missed the last two months due to a foot injury, it makes this coming offseason all the more intriguing, since he looms as a potential trade chip, with his natural position of first base blocked by Pete Alonso.
2) Noah Syndergaard finished a strangely inconsistent season with a flourish, striking out nine of the final 11 batters he faced while going seven innings, allowing three runs on five hits, and taking a no-decision. He couldn't hold a 3-0 lead, however, giving up a two-run home run to light-hitting outfielder, Rafael Ortega.
So he concludes his year with a record of 10-8 and a 4.28 ERA. That's not what the Mets were hoping for from someone whose pure stuff ranks with the best pitchers in baseball, and especially after an eight-start stretch of dominance in July and August when he posted a 1.82 ERA over 54 1/3 innings. Now the question is whether the Mets will trade him, after the front office discussed the possibility with other teams both last winter and at the July 31 trade deadline.
3) With extra innings, Alonso received an additional chance to add to his MLB rookie record of 53 home runs he set Saturday night. But he couldn't do so, popping out in the 10th inning to conclude a 1-for-5 day. During the top of the 11th, Mickey Callaway sent Smith out to replace Alonso at first base, prompting a huge ovation from the Citi Field crowd as the rookie raised his glove in salute to the fans.
For the season, he hit .260 and officially became the only rookie in history to lead the Majors in home runs, with his total of 53 as well as becoming the only Met to ever lead the league in that category.
4) J.D. Davis, perhaps the most pleasant surprise for the Mets in 2019, furthered his case that he should be an everyday player next season, going 2-for-4 with a home run, his 22nd of the season. With the two hits, Davis posted a .307 batting average over 453 plate appearances, after coming over in a trade from the Astros for three minor-leaguers -- the best acquisition of the offseason for GM Brodie Van Wagenen.
5)Feel-good final win or not, the Mets finished the season at 86-76, in third place in the AL East, failing to make good on Van Wagenen's proclamation that they were the division favorites going into the season. And so if the comeback win was fitting, more so was the bullpen blowing one last late-inning lead this season, and nearly losing it in the 11th before Smith's heroics.
With a chance to get a save, Paul Sewald gave up a game-tying, ninth-inning home run, and two innings later Walker Lockett gave up two solo shots. Ex-Met Adeiny Hechavarria, who expressed his unhappiness at being released in favor of Joe Panik in August, got some revenge, hitting both the game-tying home run and the go-ahead shot. It was the Mets' 28th blown save of the season as their pen finished with the fourth-worst bullpen ERA in the National League.
Highlights
DOM. SMITH. UNREAL. pic.twitter.com/uzzMf4uNJp
- SNY (@SNYtv) September 29, 2019
Video: WATCH: J.D. Davis rips a two-run HR
What's next
The Mets 2019 season has come to end as they finish 86-76. Unfortunately, they won't be heading to the postseason, but they'll be back in Port St. Lucie for Spring Training on February 22, 2020.