On August 4, 2025, the New York Mets fell to the San Francisco Giants, 12–4, at Citi Field. With this loss, San Francisco secured the series win, taking two of three games.
Starting pitcher Frankie Montas lasted four innings, allowing seven earned runs. He began the game by retiring six straight batters, but ran into serious trouble in the third inning. The Giants scored four runs, capped by a three-run home run from Rafael Devers. According to Statcast, the ball left the bat at 105.9 mph and traveled 403 feet into the upper deck in right field.
The following inning, the Giants tacked on three more runs. Devers and Heliot Ramos each delivered run-scoring singles, and Casey Schmitt crossed home on a fielder’s choice. Montas issued a walk to Matt Chapman to open the fifth before being replaced by Austin Warren, who pitched four scoreless innings in relief.
- Frankie Montas allowed seven earned runs in four innings, raising his ERA to 6.68 and prompting questions about his role in the Mets’ rotation.
- The Mets’ continued struggles against left-handed pitching were evident as rookie Carson Whisenhunt limited them to two runs over 5 1/3 innings.
- Betting odds favored the Mets before Sunday’s game, but market confidence was undercut by Montas’ recent performance and growing inconsistency.
Mendoza Comments on Montas’ Performance
Before the game, Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said he wanted Montas to compete with all his pitches and pitch deep into the game. Postgame, Mendoza commented that Montas was unable to generate swings and misses and that a four-seam fastball thrown to Devers ended up right down the middle, which good hitters can take advantage of. Mendoza also said Montas’ sinker and splitter showed promise early, but things fell apart in the third inning.
Montas has given up 12 earned runs across 8 1/3 innings in his last two outings. His ERA increased from 4.62 to 6.68 during that span. Asked about Montas’ place in the rotation going forward, Mendoza said, “He has to be better. He knows that.”
Speaking after the game, Montas said he will review video footage to find what’s going wrong and added that he’s committed to improving. “There is a lot to improve. I’m definitely working to get better,” he said. “I’m going to keep trying to make pitches and [get] outs.”
Mets Use Catcher to Record Final Out
The ninth inning continued to unravel for the Mets as Ryne Stanek allowed five runs while recording two outs. With the bullpen depleted, manager Carlos Mendoza brought in catcher Luis Torrens to finish the inning. Torrens faced one batter, retiring Patrick Bailey on a fly ball to center fielder Cedric Mullins.
Mendoza also acknowledged ongoing issues with the team’s performance against left-handers. Before Sunday’s game, the Mets held a .226 batting average, .303 on-base percentage, and .356 slugging percentage against left-handed pitchers.
On Sunday, rookie lefty Carson Whisenhunt held the Mets to two runs, only one of which was earned, over 5 1/3 innings. Francisco Lindor opened the scoring with a solo home run in the first inning, his 21st of the season. After that, Whisenhunt retired 11 of the next 12 batters he faced. New York’s only other run against him came in the fifth, when Jeff McNeil scored following a throwing error by right fielder Grant McCray.
Mendoza said Whisenhunt had “a good arm” and complimented both his fastball and changeup, calling the latter his “best pitch.” Mendoza added that Whisenhunt “did one hell of a job” for the Giants.
Odds Movement and Market Response
Before the game, betting lines favored the Mets. Caesars Sportsbook set the moneyline at –160 for New York and +135 for San Francisco. The run line was Mets –1.5 (+120), and the over/under was listed at 8.5 runs. Data from Covers showed 57% of bettors backed the Mets to win, while 61% picked the over on total runs.
During the game, a featured same-game parlay on Caesars included a Giants win, Rafael Devers Over 1.5 total bases, and Carson Whisenhunt Over 3.5 strikeouts, with +550 odds.
In terms of futures, the Mets’ World Series odds improved from roughly +1400 to +800 after they signed Juan Soto in December 2024. Their odds to win the NL East were around +130 at the time of Sunday’s game.
Mets Snap Losing Streak with Saturday Win
The Mets won Saturday’s game 12–6, ending a four-game losing streak. Kodai Senga started for New York but only pitched four innings, giving up four earned runs. He threw 71 pitches and was removed with the game still close. Mendoza explained that he intended to be aggressive with pitching changes and credited the availability of the bullpen.
Reed Garrett handled four outs between the fifth and sixth innings. Gregory Soto gave up one single but finished the inning with two strikeouts. Tyler Rogers, making his first appearance for the Mets, recorded three consecutive outs after allowing a single to Heliot Ramos.
Pete Alonso got the Mets started early with a three-run home run in the first inning, his 250th career homer. After the Giants took a 4–3 lead, Cedric Mullins singled, Brett Baty walked, and Brandon Nimmo tied the game with a hit. Lindor then bunted, allowing Baty to score without a throw. Lindor later said, “Every run counts, every game counts and whatever it takes to win.”
Lindor and Nimmo each finished the game with three hits. Lindor drove in four runs and hit a double. Nimmo had three RBIs, all on singles. Nimmo said it was “amazing to see Francisco do what he did today and Pete, as well.”
The Mets improved to 63–48 with the win and briefly moved a half-game ahead of the Phillies in the division standings. The loss on Sunday brought them back into a tie.
Montas’ Contract and Reactions
Frankie Montas signed a two-year, $34 million contract with the Mets in December 2024. The deal includes a player opt-out after the 2025 season. He has a 3–1 record and a 5.46 ERA across six starts in 2025 after missing a large portion of the season with a high-grade right lat strain.
After Sunday’s game, Mendoza was asked directly if Montas’ rotation spot was in jeopardy. He said, “We just got done with the game. He has to be better. He knows that.”
On social media, several fans reacted to Mendoza’s comments. One user wrote, “Love it. Immediate accountability. No promises.” Another posted, “He will not be making his next start.” There were interpretations of the comment as a signal of possible change, with one writing, “Even Mendy wants him gone lol.”
Montas said he will continue trying to execute his pitches and will use video analysis to identify the problem.
