The Mets kicked off their second half on Thursday with a wild 4-1 win over the Phillies, but it wasn't just another game. The air quality in New York City and Philly was straight-up brutal thanks to those Canadian wildfires, turning the diamond into something out of a sci-fi flick.
Wildfire Smoke, Wild Game
The smoke was so thick, MLB actually pushed up the series opener an hour just to dodge the worst of it. Smart move, because even with the early start, players were feeling it. Mets' Brett Baty said he didn't even notice how bad it was until the last couple innings. Then, boom: "Eyes itching, burning a little bit." He even compared it to sitting way too close to a campfire, which honestly, sounds exactly right. Francisco Alvarez, the catcher, talked about how tough it got to see by the end of the game, making his job a serious challenge. You know it's bad when guys can't see the ball properly!
And it wasn't just the position players. Mets starter Christian Scott, who was absolutely cruising for five innings, had to battle through it. He ended up getting chased after 5.2 innings and only 79 pitches after Kyle Schwarber ripped a two-out double that almost left the yard. Scott was blunt about how it felt pitching in that haze: "towards the end of it, it was a little thick. I felt like I was breathing some metal in there." Breathing metal! That's not exactly ideal for peak athletic performance, is it? But he kept that gamer mentality, adding, "a little spoonful of adversity never hurt anybody. Part of the game. It was fun playing out there, the stadium was packed, good atmosphere." Love that attitude.
Bombs Away in the Haze
Despite literally breathing metal and battling terrible visibility, these Mets players somehow got the job done. Baty and Alvarez, who were just talking about how much the smoke sucked, combined for three absolute rockets out of the park! Like, what?! Even with fielders struggling to pick up flyballs and interim manager Andy Green admitting he couldn't see some pop-ups from the dugout, the Mets still found a way. Green himself didn't think the conditions ultimately changed the game's outcome, but he definitely felt it was "teetering a bit at the end" and could have gone sideways any moment. He credited the "good athletes on the field that can see things" for powering through. You've gotta respect that kind of grit when the air itself is actively working against you.
So, the Mets grab a crucial win to kick off the second half, proving they can battle through some truly wild conditions. They've got an off day Friday to clear their lungs, then it's back to action Saturday afternoon. Hopefully, that Canadian wildfire smoke is long gone by then, though the forecast is already talking thunderstorms. Looks like this squad is just gonna "roll with it," as Green said. They've already seen a game pushed back and one pushed up this week, so what's a little thunder and lightning when you've already survived breathing metal?
This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.