Game Review: New York Mets vs. Detroit Tigers, September 2, 2025
The New York Mets continued their playoff push with a convincing 12-5 victory over the Detroit Tigers on Tuesday night at Comerica Park. The win marked their second straight in the three-game series, further solidifying their position in the National League wild card race.
Starting Pitchers
New York Mets: Rookie right-hander Nolan McLean (4-0, 3.60 ERA) delivered a gutsy performance, overcoming early trouble to pitch six solid innings. After allowing two runs in the first inning, McLean settled in impressively, retiring his final 14 batters while striking out seven. He allowed just three hits and three walks overall, becoming the first Mets pitcher in franchise history to win each of his first four major league appearances.
Detroit Tigers: Sawyer Gipson-Long (0-2, 4.95 ERA) struggled in his return from injury, making his first start since August 13. The right-hander lasted just four innings, surrendering six runs on five hits and two walks before being relieved.
Game Highlights
The offensive fireworks started early with Pete Alonso launching a mammoth 435-foot solo home run in the first inning that landed in the shrubs behind the center-field wall, giving the Mets an immediate 1-0 lead.
The Tigers responded quickly in their half of the first, turning a pair of two-out walks into two runs with timely hitting against McLean to take a 2-1 lead.
The game’s pivotal moment came in the fourth inning when Luis Torrens connected for a three-run homer, propelling the Mets to a 6-2 advantage that they would never relinquish.
New York put the game completely out of reach in the seventh inning with an explosive six-run outburst. The highlight came when Juan Soto and Pete Alonso hit back-to-back solo home runs, extending the Mets’ lead to 12-2. For Soto, it was his 37th homer of the season and remarkably his fifth in the past five games. Alonso’s second blast of the night was his 33rd of the year.
The Tigers managed to score three consolation runs in the ninth inning, but by then the outcome was well decided.
Standout Performances
Pete Alonso: The Mets’ slugger went 2-for-5 with two home runs, two RBIs, and two runs scored.
Juan Soto: Continued his torrid pace with another home run, going 2-for-4 with a walk, an RBI, and two runs scored. The day before, Soto had made baseball history by becoming the first player in the modern era to hit a go-ahead grand slam and a go-ahead triple that scored more than one run in the same game.
Jeff McNeil: The versatile Mets infielder drove in three runs and collected three hits.
Brandon Nimmo and Brett Baty: Both contributed three hits each to the Mets’ 17-hit attack.
Atmosphere at Comerica Park
The crowd of 24,733 at Comerica Park witnessed a disappointing performance from their AL Central-leading Tigers, who have now lost seven of their last nine games. The game lasted 2 hours and 43 minutes, with a comfortable September evening providing the backdrop for what started as an energetic atmosphere but gradually quieted as the Mets built their substantial lead.
Playoff Implications
With this victory, the Mets improved to 75-64, maintaining their position five games ahead of Cincinnati and San Francisco for the final National League wild card spot. Meanwhile, the Tigers, despite the loss, still hold a nine-game lead in the AL Central with their 80-60 record.
The series concludes Wednesday with Mets RHP Clay Holmes (11-6, 3.60 ERA) scheduled to face Tigers RHP Casey Mize (12-5, 3.95 ERA) in what promises to be an intriguing pitching matchup.
Photos: Glenn Gervais – In Play! magazine
