Nothing was going the New York Mets' way early in the 2024 MLB season.
The Mets lost their first five games and went 9–19 in May. Edwin Diaz, the once-feared closer, blew four saves in one month and fellow reliever Jorge Lopez was designated for assignment for chucking his glove into the stands out of frustration. The television broadcast on SNY would go viral about once per week for a depressing one-liner during another loss.
And then Grimace entered the picture. The Mets' dramatic turnaround in the 2024 campaign began right around when McDonald's famous mascot threw out the first pitch at Citi Field in mid-June. Ever since then, Grimace has been spotted around New York as the Mets' newly crowned good luck charm.
The Mets, who are playing in their first NLCS since advancing to the 2015 World Series, play host to the Los Angeles Dodgers on Wednesday at Citi Field for Game 3. As the Dodgers arrive to the Big Apple, they were greeted by a rather menacing billboard in Times Square featuring Grimace.
"It wasn't luck. It wasn't fate. It was Grimace," the billboard read.
Times Square this morning 🟣 pic.twitter.com/VNJAPdSFUK
— SNY Mets (@SNY_Mets) October 16, 2024
That's just great marketing.
Grimace threw out the first pitch at Citi Field on June 12. At the time, the Mets were 29–37 and 16.5 games behind the Philadelphia Phillies in the NL East. New York defeated the Miami Marlins 10–4 that night and went on to win seven straight games and 12 of its next 14, climbing over .500 and completely turning the season around.
The Mets finished the season with an 89–73 record and claimed the NL's third and final wild-card spot. They knocked out the Milwaukee Brewers in the wild-card round and defeated the Phillies in four games in the NLDS to earn a chance to take down the Dodgers in the NLCS.
Luis Severino will get the start in Game 3 against Walker Buehler and the Dodgers. When he toes the rubber in the top half of the first inning, you can bet there will be countless purple Grimace costumes in the Citi Field seats.
And an intimidating billboard in Times Square.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Grimace Billboard Menacingly Lurks Over Times Square Ahead of Mets-Dodgers Game 3.
