The 2009 New York Mets season was the franchise's 48th season and the team's first year at Citi Field, which opened on April 13 against the San Diego Padres. The Mets finished with a 70–92 record, as the season was plagued by many injuries. This was the Mets' first losing season since 2004.
Offseason Looking to improve the bullpen after the struggles of the 2008 season, the Mets signed closer Francisco Rodríguez to a three-year, $37 million contract on December 10, 2008.K-Rod, Mets finalize deal Immediately after, the team acquired reliever J. J. Putz from the Seattle Mariners in a three team trade involving the Mariners and the Cleveland Indians, giving the Mets a setup man for Rodriguez. New York shipped reliever Aaron Heilman, outfielder Endy Chávez, pitcher Jason Vargas and three minor leaguers to Seattle for Putz, center fielder Jeremy Reed and reliever Sean Green, while Mets reliever Joe Smith was acquired by Cleveland.Mets get Putz as set-up man in huge trade
On December 12, the Mets traded Scott Schoeneweis to the Arizona Diamondbacks for Connor Robertson. On January 12, 2009, the Mets signed RHP Tim Redding to a one-year contract. The Mets signed Alex Cora to a one-year, $2 million contract. Garcia's contract, which was full of incentives, could have reached $8 million if he reached the major league roster. On April 3, the Mets signed outfielder Gary Sheffield after being released by the Detroit Tigers.Sheffield agrees to deal with Mets
Roster 2009 New York Mets Roster Pitchers Catchers
Infielders
Outfielders
Utility player Manager
Coaches (first base) (catching) (bench) (hitting) (bullpen) (third base) (pitching)
Regular season
The Mets opened up the season in Cincinnati against the Cincinnati Reds on April 6. The Mets collected the victory, improving their win–loss record on Opening Day. The first ever home game at Citi Field was on April 13 against the San Diego Padres, who spoiled the opener with a 6–5 win against the Mets. In that game, Jody Gerut of the Padres became the first player to open a new ballpark with a leadoff home run.
On April 17, Gary Sheffield hit his 500th home run against the Milwaukee Brewers. On May 10, José Reyes stole his 300th base against the Pittsburgh Pirates. Despite an injury depleted roster, the Mets finished May with a 19–9 record and trailed the Philadelphia Phillies by a half game for the NL East lead.
After finishing April and May with a combined record of 28–21, injuries hurt the Mets in June and they went 9–18, their worst month since September 2003, but lost only games in the standings, as the Phillies were having their own struggles. Injuries continued to hurt them Mets in July, as they went 12–14, quickly falling to 4th place in the National League East.
On July 10, the Mets sent outfielder Ryan Church to the Atlanta Braves for outfielder Jeff Francoeur.
However, the Mets did set a team record during the 2009 season. They had a team-record 10 hits in the fourth inning on August 18 against the Atlanta Braves. They scored eight runs in that inning, on their way to a 9–4 victory.
On August 23, the Mets became the first team in National League history to fall victim to a game-ending unassisted triple play, turned by Eric Bruntlett of the Philadelphia Phillies at Citi Field in the bottom of the 9th inning.
The 2009 Mets season will be remembered as a season marred by injuries. On August 25, it was announced that ace Johan Santana would undergo season-ending elbow surgery on his pitching elbow, and was added to the long list of injured players. Including Santana, the Mets' had 20 players see time on the disabled list at some point during the 2009 season, including David Wright, John Maine, Jon Niese, Fernando Nieve, J. J. Putz, Billy Wagner, Brian Schneider, Carlos Delgado, Ángel Pagán, Gary Sheffield, Óliver Pérez, Ryan Church, Ramón Martínez, José Reyes, Alex Cora, Carlos Beltrán, and Fernando Martinez. Mets players spent more than 1,480 days in the DL in 2009, more than any other team in the majors. However, second-half turnarounds of Francoeur and Daniel Murphy helped the Mets finish the season with the best batting average in the National League, tied with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
On August 25, the Mets traded former all-star closer Billy Wagner to the Boston Red Sox for minor league outfielder Chris Carter and minor league first baseman Eddie Loria. The Mets finished with a 70–92 record and 4th place in the NL East, missing the playoffs for the third straight year.
Season standings
Record vs. opponents
Game log
|- bgcolor="ffbbbb" |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 1 || April 6 || @ Reds || 2–1 || Santana (1–0) || Harang (0–1) || Rodríguez (1) || 42,177 || 1–0 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 2 || April 8 || @ Reds || 9–7 || Pelfrey (1–0) || Vólquez (0–1) || Rodríguez (2) || 13,568 || 2–0 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 3 || April 9 || @ Reds || 8–6 || Arroyo (1–0) || Pérez (0–1) || Cordero (1) || 17,837 || 2–1 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 4 || April 10 || @ Marlins || 5–4 || Lindstrom (1–0) || Feliciano (0–1) || || 24,070 || 2–2 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 5 || April 11 || @ Marlins || 8–4 || Hernández (1–0) || Nolasco (1–1) || || 39,412 || 3–2 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 6 || April 12 || @ Marlins || 2–1 || Johnson (2–0) || Santana (1–1) || || 18,109 || 3–3 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 7 || April 13 || Padres || 6–5 || Mujica (1–1) || Stokes (0–1) || Bell (4) || 41,007 || 3–4 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 8 || April 15 || Padres || 7–2 || Pérez (1–1) || Correia (0–1) || || 35,581 || 4–4 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 9 || April 16 || Padres || 6–5 || Peavy (2–1) || Maine (0–1) || Bell (5) || 35,985 || 4–5 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 10 || April 17 || Brewers || 5–4 || Putz (1–0) || McClung (0–1) || || 36,436 || 5–5 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 11 || April 18 || Brewers || 1–0 || Santana (2–1) || Villanueva (1–2) || Rodríguez (3) || 36,312 || 6–5 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 12 || April 19 || Brewers || 4–2 || Suppan (1–2) || Figueroa (0–1) || Coffey (1) || 36,124 || 6–6 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 13 || April 21 || @ Cardinals || 6–4 || Motte (1–1) || Putz (1–1) || Franklin (3) || 35,506 || 6–7 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 14 || April 22 || @ Cardinals || 5–2 || Piñeiro (3–0) || Maine (0–2) || Franklin (4) || 35,622 || 6–8 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 15 || April 23 || @ Cardinals || 12–8 || Lohse (3–0) || Hernández (1–1) || || 38,522 || 6–9 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 16 || April 24 || Nationals || 4–3 || Santana (3–1) || Olsen (0–3) || Rodríguez (4) || 40,522 || 7–9 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 17 || April 25 || Nationals || 8–2 || Pelfrey (2–0) || Cabrera (0–2) || || 39,960 || 8–9 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 18 || April 26 || Nationals || 8–1 || Zimmermann (2–0) || Pérez (1–2) || || 40,023 || 8–10 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 19 || April 27 || Marlins || 7–1 || Maine (1–2) || Sánchez (1–2) || || 38,573 || 9–10 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 20 || April 28 || Marlins || 7–4 || Badenhop (1–0) || Green (0–1) || Lindstrom (4) || 38,546 || 9–11 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 21 || April 29 || Marlins || 4–3 || Pinto (1–0) || Putz (1–2) || Lindstrom (5) || 39,339 || 9–12
|- bgcolor="ffbbbb" |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 22 || May 1 || @ Phillies || 7–4 || Pelfrey (3–0) || Park (0–1) || Rodríguez (5) || 44,773 || 10–12 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 23 || May 2 || @ Phillies || 6–5 (10) || Taschner (1–0) || Green (0–2) || || 45,069 || 10–13 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbbbbb" | || May 3 || @ Phillies || colspan=6 |Postponed |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 24 || May 4 || @ Braves || 6–4 || Maine (2–2) || Vázquez (2–3) || Rodríguez (6) || 19,132 || 11–13 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 25 || May 5 || @ Braves || 4–3 || Hernández (2–1) || Kawakami (1–4) || Rodríguez (7) || 21,049 || 12–13 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 26 || May 6 || Phillies || 1–0 || Santana (4–1) || Eyre (0–1) || Rodríguez (8) || 37,600 || 13–13 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 27 || May 7 || Phillies || 7–5 || Pelfrey (4–0) || Moyer (3–2) || Rodríguez (9) || 37,295 || 14–13 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 28 || May 8 || Pirates || 7–3 || Parnell (1–0) || Yates (0–2) || || 38,496 || 15–13 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 29 || May 9 || Pirates || 10–1 || Maine (3–2) || Maholm (3–1) || || 39,769 || 16–13 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 30 || May 10 || Pirates || 8–4 || Hernández (3–1) || Snell (1–5) || || 39,871 || 17–13 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 31 || May 11 || Braves || 8–3 || Lowe (5–1) || Santana (4–2) || || 40,497 || 17–14 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 32 || May 12 || Braves || 4–3 (10) || Rodríguez (1–0) || Bennett (0–1) || || 39,408 || 18–14 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 33 || May 13 || Braves || 8–7 (12) || Bennett (1–1) || Takahashi (0–1) || González (6) || 40,555 || 18–15 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 34 || May 14 || @ Giants || 7–4 || Parnell (2–0) || Wilson (2–1) || Rodríguez (10) || 30,154 || 19–15 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 35 || May 15 || @ Giants || 8–6 || Stokes (1–1) || Wilson (2–2) || Rodríguez (11) || 41,684 || 20–15 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 36 || May 16 || @ Giants || 9–6 || Santana (5–2) || Johnson (3–4) || Putz (1) || 41,336 || 21–15 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 37 || May 17 || @ Giants || 2–0 || Cain (4–1) || Pelfrey (4–1) || Wilson (9) || 43,012 || 21–16 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 38 || May 18 || @ Dodgers || 3–2 (11) || Troncoso (1–0) || Stokes (1–2) || || 37,136 || 21–17 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 39 || May 19 || @ Dodgers || 5–3 || Billingsley (6–1) || Maine (3–3) || Broxton (10) || 37,857 || 21–18 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 40 || May 20 || @ Dodgers || 2–1 || Leach (1–0) || Putz (1–3) || Broxton (11) || 50,761 || 21–19 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 41 || May 22 || @ Red Sox || 5–3 || Santana (6–2) || Matsuzaka (0–2) || Rodríguez (12) || 38,092 || 22–19 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 42 || May 23 || @ Red Sox || 3–2 || Feliciano (1–1) || Papelbon (0–1) || Putz (2) || 37,871 || 23–19 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 43 || May 24 || @ Red Sox || 12–5 || Wakefield (6–2) || Redding (0–1) || || 37,446 || 23–20 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 44 || May 25 || Nationals || 5–2 || Maine (4–3) || Lannan (2–4) || Rodríguez (13) || 41,103 || 24–20 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 45 || May 26 || Nationals || 6–1 || Hernández (4–1) || Stammen (0–1) || || 39,376 || 25–20 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 46 || May 27 || Nationals || 7–4 || Santana (7–2) || Zimmermann (2–2) || || 40,171 || 26–20 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 47 || May 29 || Marlins || 2–1 (11) || Feliciano (2–1) || Sanches (1–1) || || 40,677 || 27–20 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 48 || May 30 || Marlins || 7–3 || Johnson (4–1) || Redding (0–2) || Núñez (1) || 40,727 || 27–21 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 49 || May 31 || Marlins || 3–2 || Maine (5–3) || Volstad (4–4) || Rodríguez (14) || 40,482 || 28–21
|- bgcolor="ffbbbb" |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 50 || June 1 || @ Pirates || 8–5 || Gorzelanny (3–1) || Putz (1–4) || Capps (11) || 11,812 || 28–22 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 51 || June 2 || @ Pirates || 3–1 || Duke (6–4) || Santana (7–3) || Capps (12) || 10,459 || 28–23 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbbbbb" | || June 3 || @ Pirates || colspan=6 |Postponed |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 52 || June 4 || @ Pirates || 11–6 || Jackson (1–0) || Pelfrey (4–2) || || 20,684 || 28–24 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 53 || June 5 || @ Nationals || 3–1 (10) || Green (1–2) || Hanrahan (0–3) || Rodríguez (15) || 20,353 || 29–24 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 54 || June 6 || @ Nationals || 7–1 || Lannan (3–5) || Maine (5–4) || || 31,456 || 29–25 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb"