The Mets concluded the first half of their 2025 season on Sunday with a narrow 3-2 defeat against the Kansas City Royals, thanks to a walk-off single by Nick Loftin, despite tying the game in the top of the inning. Holding a 55-42 record, they head into the all-star break half a game behind the 55-41 Philadelphia Phillies in the National League East, following the Phillies’ 2-1 victory over the San Diego Padres.

After being held scoreless for eight innings and trailing 2-0, the Mets managed to tie the game against all-star closer Carlos Estevez. Ronny Mauricio started the 9th with a double, and Jeff McNeil, in as a pinch hitter, hit an RBI triple just beyond the reach of center fielder Kyle Isbel, who crashed into the wall. Brett Baty, pinch-hitting for Luis Torrens, grounded out, followed by Jared Young, pinch-hitting for Luisangel Acuna, evening the score with a sacrifice fly.

Sean Manaea, who stepped in after starter Clay Holmes, made an impressive 2025 season debut but suffered the loss after allowing Loftin’s walk-off single in the ninth, preceded by a single from speedy outfielder Michael Tolbert, who then stole second base. Manaea gave up just that one run over 3.1 innings, throwing 66 pitches and allowing five hits, with seven strikeouts, including a stretch of five consecutive strikeouts, tying a career high.

Manaea re-signed with the Mets on a three-year, $75 million contract after a strong 2024 season but was delayed this year by an oblique strain and elbow issues. The team plans to rely heavily on him in the remainder of the season.

“It was really good to be back. The fastball and slider felt really good. It was great to feel healthy,” Manaea remarked. “Obviously, it sucks losing, but for me personally, it just feels good to be healthy and back on the mound.”

Mets Manager Carlos Mendoza expressed that Loftin would have been Manaea’s last batter due to a pitch count of 60-65 pitches, and he was impressed with Manaea’s performance in his season debut.

“The way he was throwing the ball, it was pretty dominant,” Mendoza stated. “A couple of singles there at the end, but I thought he was really good overall.”

Mendoza felt Manaea picked up right where he left off despite not pitching since Game 6 of the 2024 NLCS.

“[He was] the typical Sean Manaea,” Mendoza said. “Fastball playing at the top of the zone. He was getting swings and misses. The sweep was really good. We saw that the whole [2024] year. It was good to see it again today.”

Clay Holmes pitched five innings, giving up two runs and five hits, striking out two, walking one, and hitting one batter. He effectively controlled Royals’ star shortstop Bobby Witt Jr., inducing him into two double-play grounders during his at-bats. Witt had only grounded into one double play all season before this game.

John Rave’s two-run double in the second inning was the entirety of the Royals’ scoring, with Holmes managing to minimize further damage, helped by catcher Luis Torrens throwing out Rave when he attempted to steal third. After conceding the two-run double, Holmes retired 11 of the next 14 Royals batters.

Royals’ standout rookie pitcher Noah Cameron stifled the Mets’ offense, equaling a career high with eight strikeouts over 6.2 scoreless innings, reducing his ERA to 2.31. Cameron navigated around seven hits and two walks to keep the Mets off the scoreboard.

The Mets’ offense failed to capitalize on early opportunities. Mark Vientos hit a one-out triple in the first following a misplayed fly ball, but Juan Soto’s weak ground out to the infield and Brandon Nimmo’s foul out after Pete Alonso was intentionally walked left them scoreless. They left men on base in the second, third, and two in the fourth inning.

Overall, the Mets went 1-7 with runners in scoring position and stranded eight men. McNeil’s 9th inning triple was the only hit with a runner in scoring position. Despite getting the leadoff man on in four of the seven innings Cameron pitched, they did not score against him.

Hitting with runners in scoring position has been an issue for the Mets throughout the first half, with the team entering Sunday with a .230 average in those scenarios, better than only four other teams in the majors. Mendoza believes consistency is the main issue for the team in these situations.

“We’ve been through some stretches where it’s hard for us, but we’ve been through some stretches where the offense is clicking,” Mendoza explained. “It’s part of the season. We

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