Mets Continue Proving Their Mettle
Take two versus Colorado with Atlanta coming into town this weekend
Amid all the fluctuation — wins and losses, IL stints, imaginary rats — the one constant that this team has been able to enjoy is their ability to pick themselves up and stay in motion.
A number of events in this still-young season could have stopped this team’s momentum dead in its tracks. Hasn’t happened yet.
Even this week, three consecutive losses heading into Jacob deGrom’s start on Tuesday have now led to three consecutive victories, and the ball just keeps rolling.
On Thursday, with their lead in the NL East at a manageable 1.5 games and the news that Noah Syndergaard would be shut down for six weeks with elbow inflammation fresh on their minds, these resilient Metsies continued to prove their mettle.
Marcus Stroman pitched beautifully in the first game, getting through six innings on 90 pitches with three hits allowed, three strikeouts, and two walks.
Jose Peraza put the Mets ahead with a solo homer leading off the third and between Stroman’s exploits and a perfect seventh from Edwin Diaz, the slim lead stood up.
Stro was tasked with fielding his position more than once and did so tremendously, exhibiting precision footwork on a 3-1 putout at first and pouncing on a Garrett Hampson bunt attempt that, despite Hampson’s speed, never stood a chance.
Stroman induced 10 groundouts in the win, surely increasing his fourth-in-MLB 53.6% groundball rate heading into the afternoon.
Just totally on-brand. As we’ve noted here in the past, Stro doesn’t simply pitch to contact. He actively pursues soft contact.
During Ryan McMahon’s sixth-inning at-bat, Stroman went upstairs with a two-strike cutter that bordered ever-so-slimly on one of McMahon’s most dangerous zones, per Statcast.
Likely knowing he could draw McMahon — Colorado’s hottest hitter this week, by far — in with something close to his hot spot, Stroman’s cutter danced just far enough north of that danger zone to induce the whiff.
Big-time strikeout. And that’s what Marcus Stroman does. He’s not just firing away out there. There’s intent — immediate and long-term — behind every pitch. It’s truly a joy to watch.
McMahon took Stroman’s split-change the other way for a base hit in the first and only saw one more the rest of the game. You can bet Stroman’s replicated spin directions and consistent release points kept McMahon looking for it all day, though.
After the game, Stroman spoke about the current situation the Mets’ starters find themselves in with the majority of this team’s offensive firepower on the shelf.
“I don’t think it’s any different now. I’ve always taken pride in taking the ball every fifth day and putting my team in the position to win,” he said. “Since we have a lot of the guys on the [injured list], I just feel like it puts a little bit more pressure on the guys who are in the rotation to kinda carry their load while those guys are out. I know once we get them back, we’ll roll.”
With a 2.94 ERA as a rotation heading into Thursday (fourth in MLB), it’s safe to say this group is taking the opportunity that’s been handed to them and running with it.
Joey Lucchesi got the ball in the second game, escaped two one-out walks in the first unscathed, and the Mets handed him a 1-0 lead in the bottom half. What in the world is going on in Flushing?
Villar drew a leadoff walk off Rockies right-hander Antonio Senzatela, Francisco Lindor snapped his 0-for-19 drought, and newly-acquired outfielder Billy McKinney brought Villar home on double-play groundball.
Take ‘em however you can get ‘em. And, per the data, early runs have bode well for this team.
As our good buddy Mike Mayer of Metsmerized pointed out after Game 1, the Mets came into the back-end tilt with a 19-5 record this season when scoring first.
That research checked out and that trend continued.
Lucchesi retired nine consecutive Rockies before McMahon (picked off in motion to second) and C.J. Cron led off the fourth with singles, retired two more Rockies, but walked Yonathan Daza to end his day.
Drew Smith entered, had Connor Joe at 1-2, and put a slider well on the outer edge of the plate, but Joe went and got it, shooting it through the hole right of the bag at second to score Cron and tie the game at one.
Lucchesi fell victim to a questionable call on his 2-0 offering to Daza. That sinker and his 3-0 offering landed in the same spots — high, outside corner — but only the latter was called a strike (numbers three and four below).
A 2-1 count changes the dynamics of the at-bat, for sure, but what can you do? Get it back. That’s what.
McKinney stroked a one-out double into the right-field corner in the fifth to get things started, and off they went. Well, as far as this lineup will take them.
Dominic Smith (back in the lineup after suffering a knee contusion on Tuesday) was hit by a pitch, James McCann walked to load ‘em up, and Peraza shot one through the 5.5-hole to score McKinney and put the Mets ahead, 2-1.
With the bases still loaded, Cameron Maybin, 0-for-24 to start his Mets tenure, grounded out to end the inning. Something’s gotta give there, huh?
If Maybin can come around, he could be a viable depth piece moving forward. Unfortunately — playing like this, at least — he may not make it that far.
On Thursday morning, Rojas named Mets minor leaguer Mason Williams as a possible option to plug some holes in the outfield’s offensive production moving forward.
Over 41 plate appearances with Triple-A Syracuse this season, the 29-year-old former fourth-round pick (2010, Yankees) is hitting .333/.415/.472 with five doubles and six strikeouts.
Aaron Loup worked around a one-out double via Hampson in a scoreless fifth and Jeurys Familia navigated Rodgers’ one-out single in the sixth effectively and the Mets tacked on two more in the sixth (two bases-loaded walks) to make it 4-1.
Coasting, right? We’re not there yet.
Robert Gsellman ran into some trouble in the seventh, hitting Blackmon with a pitch and allowing an RBI single to Raimel Tapia, cutting the Mets’ lead to 4-2.
With two outs, Jacob Barnes entered to face McMahon as the tying run and popped him out to left, shutting that door.
Break up these Metropolitans, baby.
It really is mind-blowing how this team continues to push ahead despite the perpetual uphill climb they’ve found themselves traversing.
As we’ve talked about here in the past, in the face of endless challenges, there’s something special happening in Queens. There’s an identity being created within those clubhouse doors. These guys are fighters.
“We have a ton of adversity right now. We’re playing through a ton of adversity and we’re putting it together, we’re putting wins together, having 15, 16, however many guys on the [IL],” Stroman said after Game 1. “We just have to keep this momentum up, keep this camaraderie that we have, and I think we kind of feed off each other.”
Amen, Marcus. You are preaching to The Apple-reading choir.
New Simply Amazin’ drops in the morning. Braves are in for the weekend. Plenty to discuss. LFGM, family.
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