The Mets moved out of last place in the NL East again Sunday when they completed a sweep of the Marlins at Citi Field.
Now comes a bigger test: actually moving up in the standings.
Facing a Marlins team that moved into the cellar of the division, the Mets won their fourth straight game to match a season high with a 10-1 rout.
They open a six-game West Coast trip Monday in Seattle, with three against the Mariners followed by three in San Diego in their final trip west of the season.
The Mets are just 11-18 away from Queens and have lost seven of their last nine on the road, and it likely won’t be as easy in Seattle as it was against these Marlins.
On Sunday, they took advantage of Miami, loser of five in a row, being forced into a bullpen game when scheduled starter Janson Junk was scratched and put on the IL with right shin inflammation.
grand slam in the sixth inning against the Miami Marlins at Citi
Field, Sunday, May 31, 2026, in Queens, NY. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST
Nolan McLean, coming off the two worst starts of his young career, gave up just one run in five innings, but he walked a career-high five batters — and hit another — in his 94-pitch outing.
It didn’t take the Mets long to pounce, as Carson Benge hit a home run to center to open the bottom of the first.
The 418-foot shot was the rookie’s first leadoff homer and came against lefty John King, who was used as an opener.
It was also Benge’s first homer against a left-handed pitcher.
He’s put up impressive numbers so far versus lefties, with a .757 OPS entering Sunday’s game.
Marcus Semien greeted Miami’s next pitcher, Anthony Bender, with a two-run shot.
Bender replaced King with two outs in the second and Mark Vientos at first and Semien took him deep to left for his third extra-base hit in his last six games.
McLean surpassed his season high with four walks by the fourth inning when he issued free passes to Javier Sanoja and Jakob Marsee to open the inning.
A.J. Ewing then saved the Mets — for a moment — with a great running catch in center as he slammed into the wall.
But Owen Caissie followed with a double that fell in front of Juan Soto in left to make it 3-1.
McLean recovered to get Esteury Ruiz on a grounder to third before another walk to Xavier Edwards loaded the bases.
McLean got Liam Hicks to ground out to end the rally.
And the Mets added to their lead in the bottom of the inning.
They loaded the bases with two outs and Luis Torrens singled through the right side to drive in Ewing and Brett Baty for a 5-1 lead.
A grand slam by Soto in the sixth put the game away. Soto’s homer was the only hit in the inning, as the Mets walked four times and Torrens was hit by a pitch.
David Peterson, pitching out of the bullpen again, tossed four scoreless innings in relief.