Mets vs Cubs: The Mets rallied to beat the Cubs 9–7 in a wild Wrigley Series opener. Chicago’s rookie Matt Shaw returned after attending Charlie Kirk’s memorial — drawing criticism from Mets announcer Gary Cohen — while Brandon Nimmo, Pete Alonso and Francisco Álvarez fueled the Mets’ comeback. Full recap, Shaw controversy, player stats and what it means for the NL wild-card race.

Quick take (TL;DR)

The New York Mets rallied from a 6–1 deficit to defeat the Chicago Cubs 9–7 at Wrigley Field, powering past Chicago in a key late-season match. The headline beyond the scoreboard: Cubs rookie third baseman Matt Shaw missed a recent game to attend a memorial for conservative activist Charlie Kirk and has defended the choice — a decision that drew public criticism from Mets play-by-play voice Gary Cohen during Tuesday’s broadcast. This game tightened the NL wild-card picture and intensified off-field debate about players, faith, and public life.

Background context — why this Mets vs Cubs matchup mattered

This late-September matchup had both standings and narrative weight. The Mets are fighting for wild-card positioning in the National League; a comeback win like this pushes them upward in the standings and keeps momentum. The Cubs, meanwhile, were riding a winning streak earlier in the week and were jockeying for favorable playoff seeding. Off the field, Matt Shaw’s recent decision to attend Charlie Kirk’s memorial (he says he was invited by the family and acted on a personal, faith-based conviction) became a hot media story — and Tonight’s game felt like the place where both on-field and off-field drama converged.

Full game recap — Mets 9, Cubs 7 (what happened)

The scoreboard & key facts

• Final: Mets 9, Cubs 7.
• Big comebacks: New York trailed 6–1 in the fourth but erupted for a five-run fifth inning keyed by Brandon Nimmo’s three-run homer and Pete Alonso’s RBI single. Francisco Álvarez (two-run shot in the 8th) broke a 7–7 tie and sealed the win. Edwin Díaz closed with two shutout innings to earn the save.

Key plays and turning points

• Cubs early offense: Chicago jumped on the board early — contributions from Carlos Santana, Ian Happ, Nico Hoerner and Seiya Suzuki helped put the Cubs ahead 6–1 by the fourth inning.
• The Mets’ big fifth: A five-run fifth, highlighted by Nimmo’s three-run blast, erased Chicago’s lead and shifted momentum.
• Late dramatics: The teams traded runs; the game was tied 7–7 when Francisco Álvarez delivered a two-run homer in the eighth to give New York the edge. Edwin Díaz struck out five in two shutout innings to lock down the save.

Standouts & stat lines

• Brandon Nimmo (Mets): 3-run homer in the fifth helped spark the comeback.
• Pete Alonso (Mets): Key RBI single in the fifth.
• Francisco Álvarez (Mets): Walk-off-ish heroics in the 8th — two-run homer that broke the tie. (Game story credits Álvarez with a clutch go-ahead blast.)
• Edwin Díaz (Mets): Finished with a multi-K two-inning save (27th of season).
• Cubs contributors: Santana, Happ, Hoerner, Seiya Suzuki all contributed offensively in the early lead.

The Matt Shaw & Charlie Kirk story — timeline and reactions

What happened with Matt Shaw

• Attendance at memorial: Matt Shaw (Cubs third baseman, rookie) attended a memorial for conservative commentator Charlie Kirk in Arizona after being invited by Kirk’s widow; he told reporters he felt compelled to attend for personal and faith reasons and said he sought and received team support and management’s permission. Shaw missed Chicago’s game vs Cincinnati during that absence.
• Shaw’s explanation & stance: Shaw defended his choice publicly, saying the memorial “was really important to my faith” and that he “is not concerned” about potential backlash. He described a personal bond with Kirk and said he had consulted teammates and management. The story includes Shaw saying he was distraught after Kirk’s shooting death and that the widow invited him.

Media & public reaction — Gary Cohen’s criticism

• Gary Cohen’s comment during broadcast: Mets veteran broadcaster Gary Cohen publicly questioned Shaw’s decision during Tuesday’s Mets-Cubs broadcast, calling it “weird” for a player to leave the team in the middle of a playoff race for anything other than a family emergency. Cohen said he didn’t want to dive into politics but found the decision unusual. Cohen’s remarks were widely noted and amplified across outlets.
• Pushback & context: Many outlets and commentators noted teammates and Cubs management expressed understanding and support for Shaw — veteran Ian Happ publicly empathized. Several outlets also pointed out the personal, faith-based nature of Shaw’s relationship with Kirk. Shaw and the Cubs maintained that team permission and internal discussions took place before he traveled.

Why this matters

This incident sits at the intersection of sports, personal faith, and politics — players’ private decisions can create public debate when tied to high-profile political figures. The reaction shows how modern sports broadcasts can amplify a single off-field decision into a large national conversation. The difference of opinions — Cohen’s surprise vs the Cubs’ internal support — shows how teammates’ context and broadcast commentators’ outside perspective sometimes diverge.

Does anybody know why Mets vs Cubs on TBS would be blacked out in central Ohio?

What is the point of a national broadcast of two out of market teams if it’s blacked out indiscriminately across the country?

Who can actually watch it? Lol pic.twitter.com/gGHg1zoGC1

— Steve Helwagen (@SteveHelwagen) September 24, 2025

Reactions from teams and key quotes

• Matt Shaw: “I felt it was something important to me,” Shaw said, noting his Christian faith and the family invitation. He said he spoke with manager Craig Counsell and teammates before attending, and that he understood possible backlash but stood by his decision.
• Cubs teammates & staff: Cubs veterans publicly expressed empathy and said Shaw consulted with the club. Manager Craig Counsell and GM Jed Hoyer framed the choice as personal; the team indicated it had given Shaw latitude to attend and supported his return.
• Gary Cohen (Mets broadcaster): “The thought of leaving your team in the middle of a race for any reason other than a family emergency really strikes me as weird,” Cohen said on air, adding that he didn’t want to discuss politics but that the decision “was odd.” His comments were widely reported and sparked debate.

[Note: Images are collected from Instagram]

The optics: locker-room reality vs public booth commentary

There are two lenses through which this story is being examined:

1. Locker-room / organizational lens: Teammates and managers often know personal context (religion, family ties, mental-health issues). In Shaw’s case, the Cubs — who said they were consulted — publicly backed him. Within a team, such decisions may be handled privately and compassionately.
2. Broadcast / public lens: National broadcasters speak to millions and often use context-free language that reflects fan expectations (e.g., “stay with the team during a race”). Gary Cohen’s on-air reaction mirrored many fans’ surprise and raised the question of what constitutes acceptable reasons to miss a nonfamily event during a playoff push. The friction between these lenses produces headlines and social media debate.