Inside The Mets

Mets Reliever Sends Message About Giving Up Pivotal Home Run During Game 2 Loss

New York Mets reliever Phil Maton got honest about his rough inning of work against the Milwaukee Brewers on Wednesday.

Grant Young

Sep 2, 2024; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets pitcher Phil Maton (88) celebrates after defeating the Boston Red Sox at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images
Sep 2, 2024; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets pitcher Phil Maton (88) celebrates after defeating the Boston Red Sox at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images / Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images
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After winning Game 1 of their NL Wild Card round series against the Milwaukee Brewers on Tuesday, the New York Mets faltered late in Game 2 on Wednesday and suffered a 5-3 defeat, which evens the series and creates a winner-take-all rubber match between New York and Milwaukee on Thursday.

The Mets were winning Game 2 by a score of 3-2 heading into the bottom of the 8th inning when reliever Phil Maton took the mound.

Maton has been elite for the Mets ever since getting traded from the Tampa Bay Rays in early July. In 31 appearances for New York during the regular season, Maton amassed a 2-1 record with a 2.51 ERA and 30 strikeouts in 28.2 innings pitched.

But Wednesday was a different story. Maton took the Loss after giving up 3 earned runs on 4 hits (including two home runs) in his one inning of work. This ended up being the difference in the game.

When Maton was asked about what makes Brewers rookie sensation Jackson Chourio (who hit a game-tying solo home run off him on Thursday) so tough after the game, he sent a clear message.

"I think he's just a young talented hitter who can always fight off good fastballs," Maton said of Chuorio, per SNY. "Overall, pretty happy with the pitch selection. Execution was a little bit more in the box than I would've liked. But just a talented hitter. Just have to tip your cap... just a good piece of hitting."

Maton later added of his outing, "It’s extremely frustrating,” per an October 2 article from Phillip Martinez of SNY. “Would rather have given that up in the regular season game. Just went over the iPad looking at the pitches, and overall pretty happy with my pitch selection.

"My execution, a little too much plate with some of them. It’s one of those situations where they just beat me today and it’s easier to rest on that. Ultimately, we have to take care of business tomorrow and respond," Maton continued.

Maton's tough inning can be easily forgotten if the Mets emerge from Thursday's game with a win.

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Grant Young
GRANT YOUNG

Grant Young covers the New York Yankees, the New York Mets, and Women’s Basketball for Sports Illustrated’s ‘On SI’ sites. He holds an MFA degree in creative writing from the University of San Francisco, where he also played Division 1 baseball for five years. He believes Mark Teixeira should have been a first ballot MLB Hall of Fame inductee.

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