The horizon got a bit grayer for the New York Mets on Monday. As if this storm could get any more violent.
With Michael Conforto and Jeff McNeil both expected to be on the shelf through June with “significant” hamstring strains, per general manager Zack Scott, the Mets will need this makeshift roster to start producing.
Either that or the replenishment of the reserves with capable depth needs to begin in earnest. Again. Sheesh.
Scott, speaking with the team’s media corps on Monday, confirmed that he’s been working the phones “all day, every day” exploring options to improve this roster. That would be helpful right about now.
Seth Lugo is expected back by the end of the month and Noah Syndergaard could follow shortly thereafter, but the offense is still left running in fumes until starters begin returning.
Pete Alonso (hand; Scott targeted next week as a tentative return), Brandon Nimmo (finger; inching toward a return to swinging), Kevin Pillar (nose; scheduled to begin working out on Monday), and J.D. Davis (hand; will play 1B in Syracuse this week) have some substantial gaps to fill as they stagger back to Queens.
Francisco Lindor continues to struggle (.193/.300/.283 on the year; more on him below). Dominic Smith appears to have been completely sapped of his power stroke (.319 slugging percentage). And as for Mets starters, that’s pretty much all that’s left.
James McCann, usurped from his everyday role behind the dish, was tabbed to make his first professional start at first base on Monday. That’s how dire these straits are.
Nearly every support beam keeping this team intact has been removed. Consistent production has and will continue to be tough to come by until the roster is whole again.
External additions would ease that sting, but it doesn’t change the fact that this current group still needs to get their game up.
The Mets arms have kept this team afloat, no question. On Monday, after relying on bullpen days and openers and long-stacking more than a few times over the last week, they needed a true starter to take the hill and eat up some frames.
Enter David Peterson. Coming into the night with a 5.18 ERA, at first glance, it’s fair to opine that the 25-year-old has been a weak spot. But that sorta depends on perspective.
Inconsistency has haunted Peterson this season, for sure. But seeds are being sewn for true growth. He’s earning his stripes. That makes all the peaks and valleys worth it in the long run.
Monday was a valley.
Ryan McMahon led off the second with a long homer to right on a hanging slider from Peterson and Elias Diaz crushed another hanger down the line in left later in the inning, putting the Mets in a two-run hole early on.
Mistakes down the heart of the plate will do that. Lost in that mix was McCann absolutely Gold Glove-ing his way back into the hearts of Mets fans with this web gem.
Colorado tacked on another in the fourth on Garrett Hampson’s RBI triple that Johneshwy Fargas nearly went through the wall trying to catch.
He stayed in the game after going down in a heap following the crash but was removed (Cameron Maybin to centerfield, Khalil Lee to right) in the bottom of the fifth.
Jonathan Villar tallied the Mets’ first hit of the night in the fourth but was immediately erased on Lindor’s 6-4-3 double play. Naturally, the Citi faithful let their opinion be heard. At this point, it’s tough not to be frustrated.
Zack Scott was asked about Lindor’s slow start on Monday.
“I think any time a player gets off to a start like the way he has, I know the first person that’s most concerned is always the player. From what I can tell he’s doing everything he can to try to understand why he’s struggling.”
“He’s working with others. I’ve seen improvements that maybe haven't come out in the results. I thought he had some better swings, even yesterday, even though the results weren’t necessarily there.”
“A lot of it with him is just kinda getting him to where his mechanics need to be so he’s working with the hitting coaches on that. So I don’t have long-term concerns about it but he’s obviously been off to a start that he didn’t want to have.”
The Mets are gonna need Lindor to spearhead this movement if they’re going to keep pace over the next few weeks. Let’s hope the side work begins to translate to the batter’s box sooner rather than later.
Handed a shovel and a deficit on Monday, the ReplaceMets couldn’t seem to dig their way out against Colorado left-hander Austin Gomber. Nasty stuff. Backfoot slider that will untie your cleat laces.
Gomber faced the minimum through six and two-thirds, effectively and efficiently keeping the Mets in their hole.
Newly-minted first baseman James McCann broke the shutout and Gomber’s stretch of 10 straight Mets retired with a solo blast into the party deck in left field. He really needed that.
Nido kept the Rockies’ lead at two heading into the ninth with a gorgeous strike to nab Hampson (walk via Yennsy Diaz; looked decent) stealing second. The more he plays, the tougher it’s becoming to imagine Nido out of the lineup.
Gomber came out for the ninth looking for his first career complete game. Not tonight.
Brandon Drury led off with his first home run with the Mets, a pinch-hit blast to make it a 3-2 game, and Patrick Mazeika lined a base hit, bringing the winning run to the plate and ending Gomber’s spectacular evening.
These Metsies just don’t say die. Unfortunately, their mad dash would fall just short.
Villar struck out looking at a knee-high fastball from Carlos Esteves, bringing up Lindor with one out and the tying run on first. He lined out, giving McCann a shot to top his oddly terrific night off accordingly.
Mazeika moved into scoring position on a passed ball, but McCann struck out to end the game. Another tough one. Something’s gotta give.
Jacob deGrom returns on Tuesday. That should help. We hope.
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