Mendoza said his typical eighth-inning arm could be Ryan Helsley, a power righty who throws 100 mph, has a wipeout slider, led the National League in saves last season and arrived with a 3.00 ERA.

After a frustrating loss Saturday, Brandon Nimmo was asked about whether the New York Mets’ “sense of urgency” had been heightened over the last month. Nimmo provided the usual answer to that question — that there is always a sense of urgency — before adding some crucial evidence.