New York @ Minnesota preview
Target Field
Last Meeting ( Apr 14, 2025 ) NY Mets 5, Minnesota 1
Pete Alonso waited for much of the offseason without knowing where he would play in 2025.
Everything came together just before the start of spring training, and Alonso ended up returning to the only team he has known: the New York Mets.
Entering Tuesday's game between the Mets and the Minnesota Twins in Minneapolis, it is safe to say that all is well for Alonso. He is hitting .345 (19-for-55) with four homers and 19 RBIs in his first 16 games of the season, and he has every intention to keep going.
Alonso and the Mets will go for their third win in a row on Tuesday night.
"I'm just really happy that I've started swinging the bat this way," Alonso said. "It's really good, but I want to be able to continue that every single day and keep helping the team win."
New York has won 11 of its first 16 games to start the season. By comparison, Minnesota has lost 12 of its first 17.
The Twins keep searching for ways to break out of their early-season funk, particularly when it comes to scoring runs. Minnesota has been held to one run or fewer in five of 17 games, including an underwhelming series opener Monday when it managed one run on three hits.
Twins manager Rocco Baldelli recently moved Edouard Julien to the leadoff spot in an effort to spark the offense. The change has produced mixed results, and on Monday it did not look so good as Julien finished 0-for-4 with a pair of strikeouts in the No. 1 spot in the order.
For his part, Julien said he is better equipped to deal with a tough game or two this season, compared with his rookie year in 2024 when slumps were harder to process.
"I feel like at times (last season) I would have good contact and good at-bats, but not the results that I wanted. They would catch the ball, and it would drive me so crazy inside," Julien said. "I was so down on myself. This year, every time I hit the ball forward at a good angle and it's hit hard, I feel like it's a win. I don't take every loss like it's a huge thing."
Mets right-hander Tylor Megill (2-1, 0.63 ERA) hopes to maintain his terrific start to the season. He has allowed three runs (one earned) on 11 hits in 14 1/3 innings in his first three starts.
Megill, 29, has made two appearances (one start) against the Twins in his career. He is 0-0 with a 1.29 ERA, and he has allowed one run on five hits in seven innings.
Twins right-hander Bailey Ober (0-1, 7.11) also is set to make his fourth start of the season. The 6-foot-9-inch hurler has held opposing teams to one earned run in back-to-back starts after giving up eight runs in his season opener against the St. Louis Cardinals.
Ober never has faced the Mets.
Mets slugger Juan Soto will look to stay hot after belting his second homer Monday. Soto said the power surge was nice, but he was focused on helping the team however he could.
"I'm not trying to hit homers at all," Soto said. "We're trying to play team baseball right here. Whenever I've got to take my walks, I'll take my walks."
--Field Level Media