Entering this season, the Mets probably figured they would produce a few five-homer games over the course of the summer. Their lineup was built to mash — one of the best in the National League. The Mets were constructed to put up gobs of runs.
They just never really envisioned it happening like this.
The five players to homer in their 13-2 rout of the Braves on Saturday — James McCann, Jonathan Villar, Brandon Drury, Billy McKinney and Francisco Lindor — represent the myriad of sources the Mets have turned to for offense throughout their injury-laden spring. Two of those players are high-priced veterans the Mets acquired over the winter. One is a roster misfit who actually wound up fitting quite snugly. Two are lesser-known veterans looking for their shot.
Combined, those players constitute the patchwork 2021 Mets, who continue to build their first-place lead in the NL East despite everything that has gone wrong for them.
McCann starred in the blowout win, homering in the first inning en route to his first four-hit game as a Met. But he was far from the only one. The Mets rapped out 13 hits in total against Braves pitching, including the biggest blow: McKinney’s three-run homer in the sixth, that turned the game into a rout. Right-hander Taijuan Walker pitched five shutout innings in his return from the injured list, striking out eight.
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Kyle leads sports coverage and hosts the Concrete Jungle podcast. Have a lead or question? Send it to [email protected].