Kenta Maeda
After a surging April, the Mets began to cool down in May. On May 7, Bartolo Colón became the oldest player to hit his first career home run, at 42 years and 349 days old. It came off San Diego Padres pitcher, James Shields in a game against San Diego. Mets pitchers continued to hit when on May 11, Noah Syndergaard hit two home runs off of Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher, Kenta Maeda. The second home run gave the Mets the lead in the 5th inning. On May 27, the Mets returned to Citi Field to play the Los Angeles Dodgers in what was the first game in a 1986 World Championship 30th Anniversary Weekend Celebration. New York won the first game on a Curtis Granderson walk-off home run, but lost the next two games, highlighted by Noah Syndergaard throwing behind Dodgers second baseman Chase Utley, an act that was seen as intentional as the Mets were trying to get revenge for Utley's questionable slide against the Mets in 2015 NLDS. In the series finale, Colón and Clayton Kershaw battled on ESPN Sunday Night Baseball. However, Mets closer Jeurys Familia allowed three runs in the 9th to lose the game. The Mets finished the month with a record of 14–15. This dropped them to second place in the NL East to the Washington Nationals, who would never relinquish their lead in the division.