Mets Must Muster Momentum From Tough Loss

Light up the darkness...

Image credit: Roberto Carlo

If the New York Mets were facing left-hander Julio Urias in the postseason, it would be hard to believe they’d trot out the same eight they did in Friday’s 6-5, 10-inning loss to the Dodgers in their series opener at Citi Field.

Urias’ 2021 platoon splits (.678 OPS against lefties, .632 OPS against righties) likely didn’t necessitate Kevin Pillar, Albert Almora, and Brandon Drury starting in place of Dominic Smith, Michael Conforto, and Jeff McNeil, but the decision was made.

Bold strategy.

In turn, the Mets were held to just three hits over the first six innings, finding themselves in a 4-0 hole thanks to a Corey Seager RBI double in the first and three sacrifice flies on right-hander Tylor Megill’s line.

Megill pitched well, all things considered (5 IP, 3 ER, 6 K, BB). Limiting big innings is not easy against this Dodgers lineup, even in its current state. The 26-year-old accomplished that goal in spades and kept his team in the game. Cap tip.

Not surprisingly, once Mets skipper Luis Rojas began substituting his regulars into the game, the offense woke up.

Conforto’s two-out double in the seventh sparked a game-tying sequence with Smith (RBI single), Brandon Nimmo (walk), Pete Alonso (intentional walk), McNeil (two-run bloop single) all reaching and Pete tying the game on a Will Smith passed ball.

Needless to say, the packed house at Citi Field was rocking. Jonathan Villar flew out to end that threat, but the electricity didn’t stop there. Pretty cool to see, actually.

Miguel Castro worked around a Chris Taylor base hit in the eighth, keeping the heart of Los Angeles’ lineup at bay. Edwin Diaz navigated a leadoff base-on-balls to old pal Billy McKinney in the ninth, striking out Trea Turner and Max Muncy to end the frame.

Two-out comebacks? Solid bullpen work? These are the types of performances you hang your hat on as a scuffling, fringe-of-contention ballclub.

Of course, a victory would have been ideal. As would have a clean inning from Jeurys Familia in the 10th as opposed to Smith taking an inside, waist-high sinker deep down the left-field line to give LA a 6-4 lead.

The Mets plated one and had the winning runs on base in the tenth, but to no avail. Still, that trademarked fight that this team’s exhibited all season was very much alive and well. There’s a lot to be said for that.

“Always proud of the guys, every single one of them,” Rojas told reporters after the game. “Falling down 4-0 against this unbelievable Dodgers team and just being resilient […] I’m proud of them. This is who we’ve been the entire season and to show it against a team like this, it shows we don’t shy away.”

Can’t win them all. We know this well. In the same respect, was this loss avoidable? Probably.

We’re all about taking away positives here. You know this. And this is an accurate assessment via Rojas, but Friday night didn’t have to be like this.

Sitting half of your starting lineup regardless of who’s on the mound arguably puts your team at an immediate, self-inflicted disadvantage.

Rojas and the Mets front office assuredly had data to support their decision. And hindsight is always crystal clear. It’s just a bit puzzling. As was the decision to go with Familia as opposed to Aaron Loup, who’s having a gem of a season (1.19 ERA), in the 10th.

Again, these things happen. Gotta keep moving forward. The Mets woke up on Saturday a half-game back of Philadelphia and Atlanta in the NL East. This thing is far from over, tough loss or not.

Every single game from here through the end of the season is a postseason game for New York. Think of it as a bunch of Game 1s and Game 2s. There’s time to rectify missteps but no room for prolonged funks.

The road doesn’t get any smoother over the next two days with the Dodgers sending NL Cy Young contender Walker Buehler and newly-acquired legend Max Scherzer to the bump on Saturday and Sunday, respectively.

It would be prudent of the Mets to muster whatever momentum they can from Friday night’s loss and carry that with them. They’re gonna need it.

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