Francisco Lindor continued to spark the New York Mets with back-to-back standout games against the Miami Marlins, reaching 1,500 career hits and launching his first home run of the season. In the American League, Kenley Jansen made history by surpassing Hall of Famer Lee Smith for fifth all-time in strikeouts among Major League relievers during the Los Angeles Angels’ road win over the Tampa Bay Rays.
Lindor’s Hot Bat Keeps Mets in First
Lindor launched a solo home run Tuesday afternoon against Marlins starter Connor Gillispie, a 391-foot shot to right-center that cut Miami’s early lead to 2-1. The Mets went on to win 10-5 at Citi Field.
Lindor raises the apple! ???? pic.twitter.com/Oq6wm1nQFw
— New York Mets (@Mets) April 8, 2025
A day earlier, Lindor added a sacrifice fly that scored Luisangel Acuña, marking New York’s final run in a 2-0 series-opening win. The Mets improved to 8-3 and remain in first place in the National League East. They’ll wrap their three-game series with Miami on Wednesday, April 9, at 1:10 p.m. EDT.
Kodai Senga earned his first win of the season Monday, throwing five shutout innings and striking out four on 77 pitches. On Tuesday, Clay Holmes struck out 10 in 5.1 innings, giving up four earned runs on five hits and three walks.
The 32-year-old Holmes, in his first season with the Mets, is 1-1 with a 4.30 ERA over three starts. He has allowed seven earned runs over 14.2 innings, with 20 strikeouts and nine walks.
Lindor had three hits on Monday, bringing him to 1,501 for his career. Through nine games, the 31-year-old from Caguas, Puerto Rico, is batting .243/.295/.378 with one home run, five RBI, and two stolen bases across 39 plate appearances.
Now in his 11th Major League season, Lindor holds a career .274 batting average with 249 home runs, 775 RBI, and a .817 OPS. The former first-round pick out of Montverde Academy in Florida has appeared in 1,385 games between the Cleveland Guardians and Mets.
Jansen Makes History for Angels
Kenley Jansen recorded his 450th career save Tuesday night as the Los Angeles Angels defeated the Tampa Bay Rays 4-3 at George Steinbrenner Field. He struck out José Caballero with a 95.3 mph cutter for the final out.
Career save No. 450 for Kenley Jansen!
(MLB x @BudweiserUSA) pic.twitter.com/jupTKEQOv1
— MLB (@MLB) April 9, 2025
The 37-year-old right-hander from Willemstad, Curaçao, also passed Hall of Famer Lee Smith on the all-time reliever strikeout list. He now ranks fifth after fanning Brandon Lowe with a 94.5 mph cutter for the second out of the ninth inning.
???????????? ????????????-???????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????????????????????? ???????? ???? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????????? ???????? ???????????? ????????????????????????????: @kenleyjansen74 ❗️#TeamWass pic.twitter.com/ok8yIoUV2m
— Wasserman Baseball (@WassBaseball) April 9, 2025
Jansen had tied Smith’s mark of 1,255 strikeouts on April 6 with a punchout of Gabriel Arias at home against the Cleveland Guardians.
He now trails only Craig Kimbrel (1,265), Aroldis Chapman (1,250), Goose Gossage (1,340), and Hoyt Wilhelm (1,363) on the all-time strikeout list for relievers.
