Disappointing teams Mets, Giants playing out season with eye toward '27

As Labor Day weekend begins, the New York Mets and San Francisco Giants are being framed as two of baseball’s more disappointing teams, with New York seemingly closer to returning to contention in 2025. On Friday night, the Mets host the Giants for the opener of a three-game set, with right-hander Nolan McLean (10-8, 3.06 ERA) starting against left-hander Matt Wilkinson (0-2, 4.63). The Mets are coming off a 10-4 win over the Tampa Bay Rays on Wednesday, moving to 23-20 since the All-Star break and recording their fifth series win over a contender. The Giants fell 5-2 to the Pittsburgh Pirates, dropping to 17-28 in the second half and holding a 58-83 record. Juan Soto missed five weeks with a strained left calf but returned last Saturday and said, “We’re not finished yet.” San Francisco’s pitching walked seven batters Thursday, and manager Tony Vitello cited missed strikes.