Sloppy defense costs Mets in another loss to the Dodgers

Mets starter Nolan McLean allowed two earned runs - including a home run to Kyle Tucker - but sloppy defense in the third inning doomed him in a 4-3 loss to the Dodgers at Citi Field Saturday night. 

In the three-run third, the Dodgers scored on Andy Pages' groundout after a throwing error by first baseman Brett Baty. They got another run on the eighth passed ball this season charged to Mets catcher Francisco Alvarez, most in the National League.

Tucker started the inning by hitting McLean’s 2-2 fastball inside the right-field foul pole for his ninth homer. It was the first time Tucker homered in consecutive games since spurning the Mets in free agency last offseason to sign a $240 million, four-year contract with the Dodgers.

Pages added an RBI single that made it 4-0 in the fifth.

Freddie Freeman had his third straight three-hit game and the Dodgers won their fourth in a row. They improved to 5-0 against the Mets this season.

Los Angeles has the best record in the majors at 67-38.

Six days after beating Cam Schlittler at Yankee Stadium for his first career regular-season complete game, Yoshinobu Yamamoto (11-6) was not as sharp and constantly pitched with runners on. He allowed five singles, struck out five and walked three.

The last-place Mets (43-62) fell a season-worst 19 games under .500 after placing Juan Soto on the injured list with a strained left calf. Soto is expected to miss at least three weeks, and probably more.

Bo Bichette had an RBI single in the fifth for the Mets, and pinch-hitter Tyrone Taylor doubled home two runs off Tanner Scott in the eighth. Scott struck out rookie A.J. Ewing with two on to end the inning. Brock Stewart pitched a 1-2-3 ninth for his third career save and first since May 2023 with Minnesota.

McLean (7-7) yielded four runs — two earned — and seven hits in six innings.