NEW YORK ¨C The Marlins pitching staff could learn a thing or two from right-hander Max Meyer. Entering Wednesday¡¯s action, he was the only pitcher on the team to record a quality start in 2025.
Meyer did even better against the Mets at Citi Field. He held them scoreless for 6 1/3 innings and helped Miami to a 5-0 victory.
Meyer needed all of his pitches -- 4-seam fastball, slider, changeup, sinker and sweeper -- to befuddle New York. He had a no-hitter going until Francisco Lindor singled to center field in the sixth inning. Meyer ended up inducing nine ground-ball outs and notching four strikeouts.
Meyer said he was aware by the fourth inning that he held the Mets hitless. A frame later, the Citi Field crowd started heckling him about his great performance.
¡°Obviously, I wanted the no-hitter, but I¡¯m just happy to get a win for the team,¡± Meyer said.
The game also indicated that Meyer has fully recovered from Tommy John surgery, which he had on Aug. 9, 2022. Finally feeling healthy reminded him of how he threw the baseball before he entered the MLB Draft.
¡°I¡¯m able to throw the ball without pain,¡± Meyer said. ¡°I have the confidence I used to have in high school and college. I just go out there and attack the zone. I feel like maybe in the past, I was playing defense a little more, but I¡¯m never going to do that again. I¡¯m only going to be playing attack. I¡¯m the one that¡¯s going to be on offense.¡±
Mets second baseman Bret Baty saw first-hand how tough Meyer could be. Baty struck out twice in two at-bats against him.
"He's a really good arm,¡± Baty said. ¡°He's got really good stuff. His slider has got a lot of late action, and his heater is really good, too."
It¡¯s only the month of April and Meyer has yet to pitch a full season in the big leagues. Though, manager Clayton McCullough has confidence in his young pitcher that he can go deep into games.
¡°Max has pitched very well. He has an early deep arsenal,¡± McCullough said. ¡°We have a lot of confidence in him and the other guys. They are going to go out there and do whatever is asked of them that day and go as deep when we need them to.¡±
The run support for Meyer came in the fifth inning. With runners on first and second and no outs, Matt Mervis singled to center field off Mets right-hander Tylor Megill, scoring Kyle Stowers. Two batters later and Max Kranick in relief, Nick Fortes singled to left field, bringing home Jonah Bride and giving the Marlins a two-run lead.
After that, Meyer pitched until the seventh before leaving the game in favor of Anthony Bender, who blanked New York for 1 2/3 innings.
Miami then added three more runs in the top of the ninth inning highlighted by a two-run homer by Mervis. Marlins reliever Lake Bachar shut the door in the bottom of the inning ninth to secure the finale, aided by a brilliant catch from Dane Myers in center to end the affair.
It was Mets first baseman Pete Alonso who hit the ball over Myers¡¯ head. It looked like Myers didn¡¯t have a shot to catch the ball, launched with an exit velocity of 109 mph. But Myers covered 81 feet and made a backhanded, lunging catch before crashing into the wall headfirst. The catch came a day after teammate Derek Hill covered 110 feet and made a great diving catch off the bat of Tyrone Taylor during Miami¡¯s 10-5 loss.
¡°We talked about Derek last night,¡± McCullough said. ¡°This one, coming straight over your head, running full speed and total disregard for your body and then [crashing] into the wall like that and holding on. That¡¯s a great play and that was sweet.¡±