Mets series loss to Astros does have share of silver linings

Don’t miss Mike Puma’s text messages from Queens and beyond — he’s giving Sports+ subscribers the inside buzz on the Mets.HOUSTON — Strangely, on Sunday, the Mets are resting.It’s an odd time for an off-day, but it seems like a nice opportunity for us to evaluate their first series, which unusually ended halfway through the weekend but still lasted long enough to provide a few hints about the ballclub.Even though the Mets lost the series after they were one-hit Saturday in a 2-1 defeat — naturally, with hot, well-heeled Juan Soto getting the lone hit, a double that he thought would fly into the Crawford boxes but didn’t quite get there — there were still a few very positive signs.1.

Soto doesn’t seem negatively affected by his record paycheck ($126 million, counting the signing bonus, for 2025 alone).Yes, the Soto Era is off to a positive start, at least as far as Soto goes.He hit the Mets’ only homer in the series, was on base seven times and even threw in a patented Soto Shuffle or two.The home run Friday was something to behold, a laser of a shot that slammed off the facing of the upper deck.

He hit a more routine drive Saturday that hit midway up the left field wall, or at least too high for diminutive left fielder Jose Altuve to reach.“I thought I got it,” Soto lamented in a downer of a clubhouse.Soto was contemplative about the 1-2 record they take to Miami.“This is the first [series].It didn’t go as expected … It is what it is,” Soto said, sounding like a true New Yorker.“But we have a lot of things we can take from this and move on,” Soto added.We agree.

Here are a few more.2.Ultimately, Soto’s going to need some help.

The rest of the Mets Fab Five — Francisco Lindor, Pete Alonso, Brandon Nimmo and Mark Vientos — were a combined 4-for-42 (.095).Lindor has yet to record a hit in 11 at-bats — although he said he feels much better at the plate than he did last year, when he began horrendously before moving i...