Oh, Hey Mets... Welcome Back
New York's offense awakens, Stroman and Williams deal in Mets' twin-bill sweep, bullpen soaring
Overcoming two three-run deficits in the suspended series opener against the Washington Nationals on Wednesday and sweeping a getaway-day doubleheader on Thursday has injected a shot of life into the New York Mets.
About time.
The Mets began the day a game back of Atlanta and Philadelphia in the National League East, both tied atop the division.
They closed out their twin-bill sweep a half-game back of the Phillies (eeked out a win against Los Angeles on Thursday afternoon) and tied with Atlanta, who hosts Cincinnati at 5 PM EST.
Despite everything that’s gone down over the last few weeks (months, years, decades, etc) in Flushing, at this point in this season, you’ve gotta take that.
Even against a floundering ballclub in the Nats. Even with the Dodgers-Giants-Dodgers-Giants minefield that lies ahead.
The last month or so has been anything but ideal, but the momentum shift over the last three days has been palpable. Impeccable timing, per sources.
The offense has finally begun showing signs of life following a painfully unproductive stretch that flipped New York’s position in the standings on its end.
Thirteen hits and eight runs in Wednesday’s wild win. Another 12 base hits and four more runs in Game 1 on Thursday. A late-game awakening and 10 more hits in the early-evening-cap.
Who are these guys?
The Mets’ one-through-four spots in their batting order went a combined 14-for-31 over the first two games of the series.
Pete Alonso finished the set 6-for-12 with three doubles and one very big home run (see below). Brandon Nimmo went 4-for-12 with a huge three-run homer in Game 1 and four runs scored.
Michael Conforto went 5-for-10 with a double. J.D. Davis went 5-for-9 with three doubles (broke the ice in Game 2). Jonathan Villar went 5-for-9 with a two-run homer late in the finale.
Outstanding developments, all around.
Image credit: Chris Simon
Marcus Stroman led the way in the first game on Thursday, posting his 18th start of the season allowing two runs or fewer and his 11th outing giving up one or less (5 IP, 3 H, ER, 8 K, 2 BB).
Stroman’s put up a 2.91 ERA with 1.12 WHIP over six second-half starts (34 IP, 31 K, 5 BB) and his 2.79 ERA on the season ranks eighth in MLB (tied with Kyle Gibson, TEX/PHI).
The right-hander’s consistency has been a godsend, especially under the constant flux this Mets rotation has found itself in all year.
A few more starts like this down the stretch and we could very well begin seeing Stroman’s name pop up in NL Cy Young Award conversations. That coinciding with a Metropolitan push toward the postseason couldn’t hurt, but one thing at a time.
Veteran right-hander Trevor Williams made quite the impression in his Mets debut in the second set on Thursday after coming to Queens in the Javier Baez trade last month (4.1 IP, ER, 2 BB, 2 K; 52 pitches). One would assume we’ll see more of him.
New York’s bullpen was virtually flawless through the series, racking up nine scoreless innings before the Nats plated a run in the ninth in Game 2.
Jeurys Familia, Miguel Castro, Drew Smith, Trevor May, and Edwin Diaz went five scoreless behind Carlos Carrasco (four earned runs over a frame before the rain on Tuesday) and Rich Hill (three runs in the game’s resumption on Wednesday).
Aaron Loup (1.19 ERA on the year) and Diaz closed out Stroman’s gem in Game 1 on Thursday, and Seth Lugo (1.2 IP, 2 K) brought things to the seventh in Game 2.
Trevor May loaded up the bases, Familia allowed a run to cross on a wild pitch and Washington tied the game at four on Andrew Stevenson’s base hit. Can’t ever be easy.
Fortunately for this group, Pete Alonso made things right and sent the Mets into the next of many more pivotal series for this team over the next seven weeks on the right foot.
Boom, just like that, steam power. Series like these are what get a team back on track. All good things.
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