Zack Wheeler rebounded after early struggles while Jeurys Familia and Edwin Diaz both pitched out of crucial jams late as the Mets returned to .500 with a 4-3 win over the Tigers at Citi Field.

Wheeler struck out eight batters and gave up three runs and five hits in 7 1/3 innings, retiring 13 batters in a row after giving up a two-run single to Nick Castellanos in the third inning that gave the Tigers a 3-0 lead.

Wheeler has pitched at least seven innings in four of his last five starts. But it was even more important for the Mets, especially after they used six relievers in Saturday's 13-inning game.

The Mets, in their manager's mind, could have rolled over. 

Had that happened, and the Mets' 6-1 homestand that included a sweep of the Nationals and taking two of three from the Tigers wasn't reality, perhaps Mickey Callaway would be out of a job. Instead, his club is back at .500 following Sunday's 4-3 win over Detroit. 

"Coming off that Miami series, coming home, we get some guys hurt, it would have been easy -- most organizations would've just folded at that point," Callaway said.

John Oliver, host of "Last Week Tonight" on HBO, is a notorious Mets fan. But he didn't grow up in Queens.

Rather, Oliver is originally from England, but when he moved to the U.S. in 2006, he adopted the Mets as his baseball team.

Of course, he could have picked the Yankees, who at the time were 26-time World Series champions. But Oliver knew of the Yankees' reputation and what rooting for them entailed -- and that was before he blasted their ticket policies in 2016.

The Mets bested the Tigers, 4-3, on Sunday at Citi Field in the rubber match of the series. >> Box score

Five things to know about Sunday's game

1) Adeiny Hechavarria played the part of hero once again during his short tenure with the Mets, with his second three-run homer over the right-field fence this week. This one came off Tigers starter Spencer Turnbull, who ultimately took the loss, as part of the Mets' four-run fourth inning that accounted for all of their runs. And this time, the dinger held up and the Mets held on to win. Hechavarrria is hitting .188 with the Mets. 

The Mets have reshaped their roster over the last year and change, saying goodbye to some familiar faces (some beloved, some not) in the process. Every week, we'll take a look at how some of those former Mets are performing with their new teams...

Jarred Kelenic, Mariners (minors)

Kelenic has somewhat cooled off from his scorching starrt, but he's once again found his power stroke over the course of the last week. The 19-year-old, who was one of the key pieces in the Robinson Cano/Edwin Diaz swap from the offseason, is hitting .301/.394/.545 with eight homers and 24 RBI on the season. The Mets' top pick from a year ago legged out a pair of triples this week, and he's also drawn six walks in his last six games for Class A West Virginia. 

The Mets made a roster move on Sunday, as Michael Conforto (concussion) was activated off IL and Rajai Davis was designated for assignment. 

Conforto said Friday that he could be play this weekend in the Tigers series, and that's exactly what he's doing batting third in the lineup today. 

The 26-year-old was heating up before going on the IL after his collision with Robinson Cano last week in the field. Conforto is slashing .271/.406/.521 with nine homers and 21 RBI this season. 

The Mets (25-26, 5.5 GB in NL East) finish up their series with the Detroit Tigers (19-30, 15 GB in AL Central) at Citi Field on Sunday at 1:10 p.m. 

Mets notes

Tomas Nido was the hero last night for the Mets, as his walk-off jack gave New York the victory in 13 innings. ...The Mets' last four wins have all come in the team's last at-bat. ...The Mets have won eight of their last nine games at home. ...Wilson Ramos tallied his eighth multi-homer game last night. ...New York has strung together 27 home runs in their last 16 games.

It's no surprise that David Cone has become a great listen as a Yankees broadcaster. He is unique in his ability to translate analytical data -- the language of modern baseball -- in a way the average fan can appreciate, and still relish the telling of anecdotes about the human side of the game, often in self-deprecating style.

For much the same reason, Cone was a delight to cover as a player throughout his career. Indeed, he was a thinkinman's pitcher who offered great insight into his craft, but also a player with a rebellious streak who challenged authority at times, enjoyed speaking his mind, and believed a pro athlete should be accountable publicly in good times and bad.

Even if that once meant having to explain how he rather famously allowed two runs to score while arguing with an umpire about a call at first base. Yep, there was Cone at his locker that night in Atlanta some 30 years ago, sheepish grin and all, owning up to his brainlock.

The Mets scored five runs in Saturday's 13-inning win over the Tigers. All five were driven in by catchers.

Wilson Ramos continued to surge with two homers and four RBI and Tomas Nido hit a walk-off homer, the first walk-off hit of his career.

"It was like Mike Piazza back there or something," Mickey Callaway said with a laugh.

The Mets placed Brandon Nimmo on the IL on May 22 with his neck stiffness persisting and an MRI revealing inflammation. But the injury isn't just inflammation.

Nimmo, who first started dealing with the neck issue in mid-April (when he left a game against the Phillies due to a stiff neck), is also dealing with a bulging cervical disc and whiplash. 

"I'm 26 years old. I had never had neck problems like this before," Nimmo told MLB.com's Anthony DiComo . "I take a lot of really good care of my body to try and prevent that stuff from happening, to warm it up. And so I was just like, 'Man, why does this keep happening?'"

The Mets won a wild, ugly game against the Tigers in 13 innings on Saturday afternoon at Citi Field >> Box score

Six things to know about Saturday's game

1) Leading off the bottom of the 13th inning with the game tied, 4-4, Tomas Nido smoked a homer to right field to give the Mets a 5-4 win. Nido's homer came after Hector Santiago escaped a bases loaded, one-out jam in the 12th inning before working a scoreless 13th.

2) With the game tied, 4-4, in the bottom of the 11th, the Mets wasted a golden opportunity to win. After a one-out walk by Wilson Ramos (who was pinch-run for by Steven Matz), consecutive singles by Dominic Smith and Todd Frazier loaded the bases for the Mets with one out. That brought up Aaron Altherr, who struck out swinging after getting ahead in the count 3-1. Things were left to Adeiny Hechavarria, who grounded out to the pitcher on a 3-2 pitch.

Tomas Nido was the final position player available for the Mets in Saturday's extra-inning affair with the Tigers, but he proved that good things come to those who wait.

Subbed into the ballgame as a pinch-hitter in the 11th inning, Nido put the game into the win column for the Mets with a walk-off solo home run to right center.

Video: Wilson Ramos goes oppo to give Mets the lead

After homering in the eighth inning of Friday's game against the Tigers, Wilson Ramos was at it again on Saturday. The Mets fell behind 3-2 on a Brandon Dixon two-run homer in the sixth, but in the bottom of the inning, Ramos stepped up with his third home run in his last four at-bats, giving the Mets the 4-3 lead.

Mets slugger Pete Alonso has not been shy about his desire to compete in the Home Run Derby but the rookie is not interested in doing it for the money. 

The new $1 million prize MLB enacted this year would be nearly twice Alonso's salary, but if the Mets first baseman were to win the grand prize he would not keep it all. 

Instead, Alonso would donate a portion of the potential winnings to the Wounded Warrior Project, according to MLB.com's Anthony DiComo

If you're in the Mets clubhouse, you hear it: "Ye Ye Ye."

If you're listening to Carlos Gomez in a postgame interview, you hear it: "Ye Ye Ye."

Now Carlos Gomez explains where the saying came from...

The Mets (24-26, 5.5 GB in NL East) look to get back on track agianst the Detroit Tigers (19-29, 14 GB in AL Central) at Citi Field on Saturday at 4:15 p.m. 

Mets notes

Infielder Luis Guillorme was optioned down to Triple-A to make room for LHP Jason Vargas, who is back from the IL, which leaves Todd Frazier as the Mets' emergency backup infielder. ... Pete Alonso is tied for fourth in Mets' franchise history with 17 rookie home runs (Jay Paton, 2000 and John Milner, 1972). He is also just one of seen players with at least 17 home runs through his first 50 career games. ... Wilson Ramos is batting .353 with two home runs, nine RBI and nine runs scored in his last 12 games.  

The Mets officially activated LHP Jason Vargas off the IL to start Saturday's game against the Tigers. In doing so, they optioned Luis Guillorme down to Triple-A Syracuse. 

Guillorme was just recalled on Thursday to provide some infield depth after both Robinson Cano and Jeff McNeil were placed on the IL. 

Without Guillorme, the Mets are thin at infield depth with no middle infielders behind Adeiny Hecchavaria and Amed Rosario for Saturday's game. Mickey Callaway said that Todd Frazier is the backup middle infielder in case of an emergency. 

The Mets (24-26, 5.5 GB in the NL East) blasted five home runs but fell short to the Tigers on Friday. They return to action against Detroit on Saturday at 4:10 p.m. at Citi Field.

Here's what went down on Friday, in case you missed it:

Despite the Mets' bats coming alive for five home runs, it was not enough as Noah Syndergaard  was roughed up for six runs over 5.1 innings in a 9-8 loss to the Tigers. 

Rollercoaster.

In one word, it's how the Mets night went. The lead was traded back and forth all night with the Tigers, and the road team came out on top in the end after a three-run seventh iced the win. 

It's also a word to describe Noah Syndergaard's season thus far. Before tonight's start, he had been pitching deep into games, and began show more control of his pitches. The Mets were hoping he had turned the corner...

The Mets crushed five home runs, but their pitching couldn't hold up in Friday's 9-8 loss to the Detroit Tigers. >> Box score

Seven things to know about Friday's game

1) The Tigers jumped on Noah Syndergaard early, scoring four runs in the first two innings. Nicholas Castellanos and Miguel Cabrera each drove in a run in the first, and Jacoby Jones jolted a two-run homer in the second. Syndergaard's night came to an end after 5.1 innings, as he tied his season-high with 10 hits allowed, leading to six Tiger runs. 

2) The middle infielders provided a spark for the Mets, as Amed Rosario jump-started the offense in the third inning with a solo home run. Then, in the fourth, Adeiny Hechavarria slammed an opposite-field three-run shot, giving the Mets a 5-4 lead.

It was raining homers at Citi Field on Friday, but a recently departed Met crushed one of his own in his first plate appearance with his new team.

Keon Broxton destroyed the first pitch he saw as an Oriole, hitting a 474-foot home run for his first of the season. 

Down in the Mets' minor leagues, LHP Anthony Kay has been tearing it up for the Doulbe-A Rumble Ponies this season. 

The first-round pick by the Mets in the 2016 MLB Draft has been virtually untouchable with a 1.07 ERA and 0.77 WHIP over nine starts this season. He also threw a no-hit, seven-inning shutout during a doubleheader in his last start on May 20. 

Kay is setting himself up perfectly for a promotion to Triple-A, and if he keeps it up, he could see a call-up to Queens, too. 

Kay, along with his head coach Kevin Boles, sat down with SNY for a "Prospect Profile" to talk about the Mets' pitching prospects amazing start to 2019, and how he's been so successful thus far....

Pete Alonso just keeps mashing. His solo home run off the left field foul pole put the Mets ahead 6-5 in the bottom of the fifth Friday against the Tigers and was his 17th homer of the season. 

Anthony McCarron, SNY.tv | Twitter |

Darryl Strawberry cherishes the Mets record he set back in 1983, when he slugged 26 home runs has a rookie. It's part of an unforgettable season in his career, one in which he learned crucial lessons about what it took to thrive in the majors and how much callus-causing work was involved. 

But the man called Straw does not greedily cling to the mark, nor does he want it to stand forever. Pete Alonso is putting Strawberry's record in serious jeopardy with each mighty swing and the former Mets superstar is rooting for him.  

"Talent is going to come around and will shatter different records," Strawberry said in a telephone interview. "I'm hoping he does it. 1983 -- you know how long ago that is? 

The Mets (24-25, 4.5 GB in NL East) have won four straight games, and will take that momentum into their series opener with the Tigers (18-29, 14 GB in AL Central) at Citi Field on Friday at 7:10 p.m. on SNY.

Mets notes

Prior to tonight's game, Mets new OF Aaron Altherr was activated to the 25-man, while RHP Ryan O'Rourke was sent back down to Triple-A Syracuse. ...In three straight come-from-behind victories, the Mets have actually won in their last at-bat each time. It was Carlos Gomez Thursday afternoon who hit a three-run homer to retake the lead, and win the game for the Amazins.' ...Pete Alonso has set a Mets rookie record with 16 homers before the All-Star break. ...The Mets lead the NL with a .371 OBP from pinch hitters this season. They're also third with 15 RBI.

The Mets are adding even more outfield depth by signing former All-Star Matt Kemp to a minor-league deal, pending a physical. He'll initially report to Port St. Lucie.

Kemp was released by the Reds three weeks ago after Cincinnati acquired him from the Dodgers in December.

The 34-year-old, who was an All-Star just last season, was hitting .200 with one homer in 62 plate appearances with the Reds this season. Before he was released, he was placed on the injured list retroactive to April 22 with a broken rib. 

The Mets' bullpen could have a different look on Friday night.

Speaking before the opener of this weekend's three-game series with Detroit, Mets manager Mickey Callaway said that he's unsure if Edwin Diaz will be available out of the pen on Friday. The Mets' closer pitched three of the last four days, tossing three scoreless innings over the course of the Mets' four-game sweep against the Nats.

According to Callaway, Drew Gagnon may get the call to close out the game if Diaz can't go. The 28-year-old righty has strung together seven straight scoreless outings and has established himself as one of the Mets' most reliable bullpen arms.

Can you guess which Mets pitcher has the team's best ERA, and is tied for the most wins in the rotation?

It's not Jacob deGrom or Noah Syndergaard, both hurlers you might have tabbed this preseason.

It's Steven Matz, the soon-to-be 28-year-old southpaw.

Michael Conforto is inching closer to returning to the Mets lineup. 

The outfielder was eligible to return from the 7-day concussion IL on Friday and while he was not re-activated, he did have nothing but positive news to report from Citi Field before the Mets' game against the Tigers. 

"Feel good. Feel normal. Feel happy that I'm back to doing full baseball activity," he said. "Obviously the road trip was tough and not being there was even tougher. But it's been really fun to be with these guys through the last series and starting a new series today. So I feel good, feel 100 percent and we're just kinda taking it day-by-day."

Mets OF Carlos Gomez has started in right field the past four games, during which New York never lost against the Nationals.

Gomez, 33, was promoted from Triple-A Syracuse last week. If he had been promoted four days earlier, it would have been 12 years to the day since making his big-league debut wearing a Mets uniform in 2007.

Prior to being promoted the first time, Gomez was an elite, much-hyped prospect.

Mets rookie Pete Alonso is taking the baseball world by storm this season, and that power that scouts have been drooling over all this time has been on full display. 

So, before he hits another one, here are Alonso's 16 home runs this season in 60 seconds...

The Mets claimed Aaron Altherr off waivers from the Giants on Thursday, and he's already joining the team in Flushing. 

The team announced on Friday that Altherr is being activated to the 25-man roster, while RHP Ryan O'Rourke has been optioned to Triple-A Syracuse.

It was an expected move by the Mets, as Altherr is out of options, which means he needed to be added to the roster. Still, with their entire starting outfield on the IL and both Carlos Gomez and Rajai Davis up from Triple-A Syracuse, the Mets could use more reinforcements.

Does Mets pitcher Noah Syndergaard prefer Nicki Minaj or Cardi B? Peer into Noah's personality while he plays This or That.

Detroit Tigers at New York Mets
Moneyline: DET +230/NYM -270
Over/Under: 7.5
Series: DET +260/NYM -320
First pitch: 7:10 p.m. ET
TV: SNY
Probable pitchers: Gregory Soto (0-2, 10.80 ERA) vs. Noah Syndergaard (3-4, 4.50 ERA)

Just when it seemed like the Mets' season was slipping away and their manager on the brink, all appears to be well again after claiming a four-game sweep of the rival Washington Nationals at Citi Field.

The Mets signed veteran RHP Ervin Santana to a minor-league deal pending a physical, the team announced Friday.

Santana, 36, was granted free agency when the White Sox designated him for assignment in April. He went 0-2 with a 9.45 ERA in three starts. Santana would report to Port St. Lucie, Florida.

Over the past two seasons, Santana has only made eight starts, going 0-3 with an 8.53 ERA. He has allowed 36 runs, 50 hits and 15 homers in 38 innings.

If there is one thing Steve Phillips knew to avoid doing as Mets GM, it was making any sort of bold proclamation. 

So when Brodie Van Wagenen boasted that the Mets were the favorites in the National League East before the season, Phillips knew that was a mistake. 

"It was like, 'noooo, don't say that' because I just know how this goes," the SiriusXM baseball analyst said, per The Post. 

The Mets (24-25, 4.5 GB in the NL East) rallied again on Thursday to complete a four-game sweep of the Nationals. They begin a three-game series against the Detroit Tigers on Friday at 7:10 p.m. at Citi Field.

Here's what went down on Thursday, in case you missed it:

Carlos Gomez hit a two-out, two-strike, three-run home run in the bottom of the eighth inning to turn a 4-3 deficit into s 6-3 lead as they won their season-best fourth straight game.

The Mets have needed to dip into their Triple-A Syracuse roster recently to alleviate some of the injuries plaguing their core players. And those have been called up are making an immediate impact. 

For today's comeback win, that recent call-up was Carlos Gomez. 

With two runners on and the Mets down one, Gomez found himself in a hole with a 1-2 count and two outs already on the board. But Wander Suero didn't hit his spot with a fastball, and Gomez put a quick swing on it to lift it over the fence for a three-run homer. And that was all she wrote as the Mets swept the four-game series...

Matt Harvey's introduction to the American League hasn't gone as planned.

The former Mets ace, who signed with the Los Angeles Angels this offseason, was bounced in the third inning of Thursday's start against the Twins, allowing eight earned runs on seven hits.

Mets LHP prospect David Peterson has rounded into form lately while pitching for Double-A Binghamton, and the big lefty could be an option for the Mets' rotation in 2020...

The Skinny

Height: 6-foot-6

Weight: 240 lbs

With exactly one half of the Mets' regular starting lineup on the IL, it makes sense for them to get a bit creative when it comes to their lineup construction between now and when Michael Conforto, Jeff McNeil, Robinson Cano, and Brandon Nimmo return.

While Wilson Ramos (catcher), Pete Alonso (first base), Amed Rosario (shortstop), and Juan Lagares (center field) will start most days, the Mets need to shake things up elsewhere. 

Mets manager Mickey Callaway hinted over the last two days about what some of that creativity could look like. Here are four lineup ideas the Mets should consider as they wait for their injured players to return...

After recently suffering a "violent fall" at his ranch, Mets outfielder Yoenis Cespedes' season is officially over without it having ever begun. 

Cespedes suffered "ankle fractures" during the fall, Mets GM Brodie Van Wagenen.said on Monday, and underwent ankle surgery on Thursday.

Van Wagenen said Monday that Cespedes was being evaluated at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York and that they needed more information from doctors before fully understanding the severity of the injury.

The Mets won a wild one against the Nats on Thursday afternoon to complete a four-game sweep >> Box score

Five things to know about Thursday's game

1) Trailing 4-3 with two outs in the bottom of the eighth, the Nats elected to walk Wilson Ramos intentionally to put runners on first and second for Carlos Gomez, who crushed a three-run homer to left-center field off reliever Wander Suarez to give the Mets a 6-4 lead. Dominic Smith had doubled to start the inning.

The Mets reliniquished their lead in the top of the seventh, but they took it right back that inning thanks to Carlos Gomez. 

The veteran outfielder ripped a three-run homer to left-center field, and celebrated around the base paths in typical Gomez fashion...

In the bottom of the sixth, the Mets regained their lead thanks to some situational hitting...

Jason Vargas, who has been out since May 5 due to a hamstring issue, will return to the Mets' rotation on Saturday against the Tigers at Citi Field.

Vargas, who made a rehab start earlier this week for Double-A Binghamton, will be sandwiched between Noah Syndergaard (who pitches Friday) and Zack Wheeler (who pitches Sunday). 

The 36-year-old Vargas struggled badly at the beginning of the season, with his spot in the rotation becoming tenuous. But he had rebounded before his injury.

Three days after calling a press conference where he offered tepid support of Mickey Callaway, Mets GM Brodie Van Wagenen congratulated his manager on a milestone.

"Congrats Mickey Callaway on your 100th win as @Mets manager last night," Callaway tweeted. "Looking forward to many more. #LGM"

The Mets are now without exactly one half of their regular starting lineup.

A day after Jeff McNeil expressed optimism he would be able to return to the lineup Thursday after sitting on Wednesday due to hamstring tightness, McNeil -- who has not yet had an MRI -- has been placed on the 10-day IL.

McNeil said Thursday that he feels the injury is minor and that he hopes to be back as soon as the minimum 10 days are up. 

.

The Mets (23-25, 4.5 GB in NL East) go for a series sweep and seek to win their fourth straight game (which would be a season high) when they take on the Nationals (19-30, 9 GB) on Thursday at 12:10 p.m. at Citi Field.

Mets notes

Pete Alonso has a .302/.375/.698 batting line with four home runs and nine RBIs in 12 games against the Nationals this season. ... Over his last six games, Todd Frazier is hitting .412 with one RBI and three extra-base hits. ... The Mets bullpen has the best ERA (2.03) in the majors in the month of May and has held opponents to a .173 batting average.

The Mets (23-25, 4.5 GB in the NL East) rallied late to beat the Nationals on Wednesday night at Citi Field as they won their third-straight game. They wrap up their series with the Nats on Thursday at 12:10 PM.

Here's what went down on Tuesday, in case you missed it:

In the Mets' win over the Nats, New York turned a 1-0 eighth-inning deficit into a 6-1 lead in the span of two batters >> Read more

Playing for seven different teams in his 14-year career, one would think Rajai Davis has seen it all in the baseball world. But debuting for his eighth team in the Mets on Wednesday night was definitely one he will never forget. 

Davis has been playing for the Triple-A Syracuse Mets, and he woke up this morning in Allentown, PA like any other day. He arrived at Coca-Cola Park, and began warming up to face the Lehigh Valley Ironpigs -- the Phillies' Triple-A affiliate. But while taking his BP, Davis was told that he was actually getting called up. 

The 38-year-old thought it was a joke, but it turns out Brandon Nimmo was put on the IL after an MRI revealed inflammation has been causing his neck stiffness. And the news came less than two hours before first pitch at Citi Field. So Davis had to pack his things as fast as possible, and hightail it to Flushing to join the big club...