Mets' chemistry is bubbling over these days at Citi Field
Jose Iglesias #11 of the Mets performs his song 'OMG' after a game against the Houston Astros at Citi Field on Friday, June 28, 2024. Credit: Jim McIsaac
It’s a good thing Saturday’s Mets-Astros game was a 4 p.m. start instead of 1 p.m.
It probably took that long for everyone with the Mets to come down from the sights and sounds of what could only be called “Club Citi Field” on Friday night.
No one wants to go to work early after a night out at a swanky club. And that’s what Citi Field became: the place to be in New York City.
First there was the Mets’ victory. Then, before the expected postgame fireworks show, Mets infielder Jose Iglesias unexpectedly debuted his new song, “OMG,” with an in-uniform, on-field performance in which he was joined by The Queens Crew dancers and, eventually, the entire Mets roster.
“I’ve never seen anything like that,” Francisco Lindor told Newsday on Saturday. “And I probably won’t ever see something like that again.”
Then it was time for the fireworks.
On Saturday, Iglesias went 3-for-4 with two doubles and an RBI in the Mets’ 9-6 loss to Houston. The 34-year-old former All-Star, whom the Mets signed in the offseason to a minor-league contract, is batting .425, and apparently batting 1.000 when it comes to dropping hit songs.
Entire Mets team joins Jose Iglesias as he sings his new hit single OMG after the Mets’ win at Citi Field pic.twitter.com/z9iTdM0y2D
— Anthony Rieber (@AnthonyRieber) June 29, 2024
The Mets had won four in a row and 16 of 20 and would have moved into a virtual tie with St. Louis for the final National League wild-card spot with a victory. Oh, well, you can’t win ’em all, which the Mets proved by blowing a 6-1 lead built in the first three innings.
The Astros scored three in the fourth against Tylor Megill and three in the eighth on four walks, two wild pitches and one hit against Jake Diekman and Reed Garrett.
Garrett allowed Alex Bregman’s go-ahead two-out, two-run single as the Mets dealt with a short bullpen while Edwin Diaz serves his 10-game suspension for sticky stuff.
Danny Young gave up a two-out, two-run double by Maurice Dubon in the ninth to clear out much of the crowd of 32,348.
Even with the result, the atmosphere at Citi Field was awesome. Giving the ballpark the vibe of a late-night club seems to be a goal of Steve Cohen, who has been known to sit courtside at a Knicks game or two.
It’s harder to bring that sort of NBA arena atmosphere into a roofless baseball stadium, but darned if Cohen isn’t trying. And, at least for one night on Friday, succeeding.
From the giant centerfield scoreboard to the LED lights that ring the second and third decks to the blaring music to The Queens Crew to the Friday night DJs, Citi Field is becoming a party place.
One innovation that has really taken off is something the Mets are doing when the opposing team makes a pitching change during night games. They are turning the stadium lights off, playing eerie music and encouraging fans to turn on their cellphone lights. It’s visually stunning.
If this had been tried under the previous Mets ownership, there’s a good chance they wouldn’t have been able to get the stadium lights back on.
On Saturday at 1:19 p.m., Cohen posted on X: “There is something special happening at [Citi Field]. The players have come together and are playing for each other. The atmosphere is electric. Let’s keep this going!”
They did in the first three innings. But Megill, handed the five-run lead, went only 5 1⁄3 innings, and the Mets’ soft bullpen underbelly was exposed by the Astros.
President of baseball operations David Stearns said “sure” on Friday when asked if the Mets might add at the trade deadline. Even when Diaz returns, with Brooks Raley definitely and Drew Smith likely out for the season, a few extra relievers would be a nice addition.
Garrett couldn’t save the game, but Francisco Alvarez almost did when he stopped two balls in the dirt during Bregman’s at-bat with the bases loaded.
On Friday, Stearns hyperbolically called Alvarez “in many ways the heart and soul of the team.”
That’s a big load for a 22-year-old. When I mentioned that to Alvarez, he said, “I think it’s not me. We are a great group. We are very together.”
Stearns was asked on Friday if chemistry or winning comes first.
“I’m not smart enough to know that,” said Stearns, who definitely is smart enough to know that.
I asked Lindor the same question on Saturday.
“That’s a great question,” he said. [Thanks, blushing.] “I would say we can build chemistry through winning. I think you can win and build chemistry. But at the same time, you can lose and build chemistry as well.”
Wait — you can lose and build chemistry?
“This year, losing helped us get together,” Lindor said. “Because then you start looking at yourself and you start talking to others and you start asking questions like: ‘What’s happening? What can we do better?’ ”
What can they do better? As Adrian told Rocky in “Rocky II”:
Win.
Then Citi Field will really be the place to be in New York City.
Anthony Rieber covers baseball, as well as the NFL, NBA and NHL. He has worked at Newsday since Aug. 31, 1998, and has been in his current position since July 5, 2004.