Mets lose to Royals on walk-off balk

In the not-too-distant future, the result of the Mets’ first game following the 2023 trade deadline will probably be hard to remember. The way in which it ended might stand out, though.

Pete Alonso’s solo home run in the second inning accounted for the only run of the game for quite a while, but the Royals eventually got to José Quintana when they tied things up on a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the fifth.

In the seventh, the Royals scored twice more, plating a run on a throwing error by Francisco Alvarez on a stolen base attempt at third base and the other on a single. But the Mets took advantage of the Royals’ rocky bullpen and scored three times in the top of the eighth to take a 4-3 lead.

The Royals tied the game on a sacrifice fly again in the bottom of the eighth, but after a scoreless ninth for both teams, Francisco Alvarez gave the Mets the lead once again on a two-run home run in the top of the tenth.

Unfortunately, the Royals tied it in the bottom of the tenth against Brooks Raley, and after the Mets turned to Grant Hartwig, they loaded the bases. Josh Walker took over from there, and thanks in large part to a PitchCom issue, he balked before he threw a pitch, giving the Royals a walk-off win.

Whatever.

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What’s WPA?

Big Mets winner: Francisco Alvarez, +46.7% WPA
Big Mets loser: Brooks Raley, -54.2% WPA
Mets pitchers: -100% WPA
Mets hitters: +50% WPA
Teh aw3s0mest play: Francisco Alvarez hits a two-run home run in the top of the tenth, +42.3% WPA
Teh sux0rest play: Bobby Witt Jr. doubles in a run in the bottom of the tenth, -35.5% WPA