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J.J. Post, ESPN
The resurgent New York Mets have found a mid-June spark from an unlikely source — McDonald’s mascot Grimace.
The Mets were spinning their wheels after an ugly start to the season. New York had a 29-37 record, having won eight of its previous 20 games.
Then came Grimace’s birthday. To celebrate the mascot, the Mets had Grimace throw out the first pitch before their June 12 game against the Miami Marlins.
Grimace threw out the first pitch tonight at Citi Field 🟣 pic.twitter.com/9i9vEWpDxz
— SNY Mets (@SNY_Mets) June 12, 2024
Grimace’s first pitch wasn’t exactly Cy Young-worthy, arcing into the ground, and wide of home plate. But it would precede a run of much stronger play by the team that invited him.
A pair of victories over the Marlins, currently sitting in last place in the National League, weren’t out of the ordinary. But New York wasn’t done. The Mets kept their momentum rolling into the weekend, completing a three-game sweep of the San Diego Padres.
It was the first time the Mets had swept the Padres in 18 years. New York’s five-game win streak is just the second time all season the team has won more than three games consecutively.
The @Mets complete the sweep and are now 5-0 since Grimace threw out the 1st pitch on Wednesday. 👀 pic.twitter.com/oThhYYFwQ1
— MLB (@MLB) June 16, 2024
It’s more than just fans who are catching on to the correlation between the Mets’ hot streak and Grimace’s first pitch. Tylor Megill, who earned the start and win in New York’s sweep-concluding 11-6 win over the Padres on Sunday, took to Instagram to reference the purple mascot.
The Mets are now just 1.5 games back in a crowded National League wild-card race. New York will test its winning ways on Monday, hitting the road for the first time in their Grimace era to face the defending World Series-champion Texas Rangers.