The Mets snapped an eight-game skid with Pete Alonso’s dramatic 10th-inning, three-run walk-off, signaling a potential season-saving push despite crashing momentum since mid-June. The piece breaks down how pitching depth, bullpen turmoil, and inconsistent offense have strained the club’s championship ambitions, even with a $340 million payroll and a roster loaded with stars. A pivotal late-season stretch now becomes the test of whether the staff — including three rookie starters — can carry the lineup into October, or whether the Mets’ window closes again.

From the rotation’s fatigue to the bullpen’s meltdown (and a still-fragile offense that hasn’t clicked in unison with Lindor and Soto), the Mets face a high-leverage run to the postseason. The narrative centers on resilience, the need for reliable relief, and the question of whether Alonso’s late-game heroics can become a catalyst for steady, playoff-caliber performance over 12 remaining games.

New York could not complete a sweep as Will Warren opened with six runs in the first inning, stalling the offense’s rally against Chicago’s bullpen. They still took three of four from contenders, and now shift to Minnesota for a pivotal road trip. The Twins series kicks off a final stretch that will influence postseason positioning, with questions about Warren’s postseason role and late-inning options for the bullpen looming large.

The focus shifts to Target Field as fantasy managers parse bullpen usage and lineups for a strong closing run. Watch Garrett Crochet and Aroldis Chapman for late-inning leverage, and gauge how Warren’s early-season control trades off with the Yankees’ need for depth and stability in October.