The Mets hit early and often and got another gem from Jacob deGrom en route to a 10-3 win over the Miami Marlins on Wednesday at Citi Field, but they were also eliminated from playoff contention. >> Box score
Five Takeaways from Wednesday's game
1) The Mets won 10-3 after keeping their slim playoff chances alive on Tuesday with some heroics from Michael Conforto. However, the odds were still stacked against the Mets and even with their win, they were eliminated from postseason contention thanks to the Milwaukee Brewers, which was the overlying story from this one. The Mets needed to win their final five games, including Wednesday, to stay alive, while the Brewers had to lose out. Instead, they beat the Reds on Wednesday, 9-2.
2) Had the Mets' playoff hope survived until Saturday, skipper Mickey Callaway said he would have started deGrom on short rest. Instead, that's gone. Wednesday was deGrom's final start of the year and he might have punched his ticket to second-straight Cy Young Award after pitching seven innings, allowing only two hits and one walk. No runners crossed home against deGrom as he finished the year with 23-straight scoreless innings. His seven strikeouts on the night brought him to 255 for the year. With that, deGrom became the third Mets pitcher ever to post consecutive 250-strikeout seasons, joining Tom Seaver (1970-1971) and Dwight Gooden (1984-1985).
3) Pete Alonso inched closer to history once again. Alonso hit a home run to center field in the second inning, it came via the three-run variety. The homer was his 51st of the season, which puts him one behind the rookie home run record currently held by Yankees slugger Aaron Judge. Alonso went 1-for-4 in the game and has four more game remaining to tie and potentially break the record.
4) This one was never in question. The Mets got off to a hot start as Brandon Nimmo walked and scored quickly after Jeff McNeil double during the ensuing at-bat. McNeil then scored as Conforto doubled and moved to third on an errant throw by Lewis Brinson in right field. Wilson Ramos' sacrifice fly scored Conforto, the final run of the inning, putting the Mets up 3-0 after the first frame.
5) McNeil's day went south from there. In the sixth inning, LHP Josh Smith hit McNeil in the right wrist with an 89 mph fast ball. McNeil immediately crouched and held his wrist. He did not make it to first base, either. McNeil went straight to the locker room and the Mets announced a short time later that his season was over due to a broken wrist. McNeil's season ends with a .318 batting average, 23 home runs and 75 RBI.
Highlights
Video: Alonso hits 51st HR, one shy of tying rookie record
What's next
The Mets round out their four-game series with the Marlins on Thursday at Citi Field. Zack Wheeler (11-7, 3.99 ERA) will make his final start of the season, and perhaps final as a Met, against Marlins righty Jordan Yamamoto (4-5, 4.83 ERA) with first pitch set for 7:10 on SNY.