A vintage pitching performance from Luis Severino on Saturday...
Severino threw the first complete game shutout for the Mets in over three years in their 4-0 win over the Marlins on Saturday
What’s Up with the Mets? ⚾️
The Mets shutout the Marlins 4-0 at Citi Field on Saturday afternoon (box)
Luis Severino pitched a complete game shutout, allowing just four hits and a walk with eight strikeouts
Francisco Lindor got the Mets going with a leadoff home run in the first inning, Pete Alonso added a homer in the second, Jesse Winker drove in a run with a single in the third, and Mark Vientos doubled in a run in the fourth
Alonso’s second inning homer was his 100th at Citi Field, joining Darryl Strawberry (127) and Mike Piazza (105) as the only Mets to hit 100 or more home runs in Queens
The Mets are now 7-8 in August, 9-10-3 in home series, 20-16-7 in series overall, 38-19 when scoring first, 22-16 vs the NL East, 52-35 when they hit a home run, 51-22 when scoring four or more runs, they clinched the season series against Miami for the seventh straight season, and are 15-13 since the All-Star Game
Playoff Race 🏁
The Mets gained ground on the Diamondbacks, but with Atlanta and San Diego both winning their games, were unable to gain ground on either of those clubs. They remained 5.5 games behind the Padres, are now 4.5 games behind the Diamondbacks for the second wild card, and just a game behind the Braves for the third wild card spot.
There are 39 games remaining.
Per FanGraphs, the Mets have an 27.8% chance of making the postseason.
New York has the 5th most difficult schedule in MLB the rest of the way
Tiebreakers:
vs. ATL: 5-5
vs. ARI: 2-2
vs. SD: 3-0
vs. CIN: 2-1
vs. STL: 4-2 (finished)
vs. SF: 2-4 (finished)
vs. PIT: 5-2 (finished)
vs. CHC: 4-3 (finished)
Luis Severino… 👏
Recorded his second career complete game shutout (last 5/2/18 vs HOU)
First Met to throw a nine inning complete game shutout since Jacob deGrom did so against Washington at Citi Field on 4/23/21
Became the first Met to throw a complete game shutout against Miami since Noah Syndergaard (9/30/18)
His 113 pitches on Saturday were the most by a Met pitcher this season
Threw the 16th complete game in the majors this season, and is only the 14th different player to throw a complete in 2024
Became one of eight different pitchers to throw a complete game shutout in 2024
Francisco Lindor… 👏
Leads the National League with 5.9 fWAR
When leading off a game: .319/.413/.536, 9 2B, 2 HR, 2 RBI
Hitting in the first spot in the order: .300/.375/.527, 22 2B, 1 3B, 17 HR, 51 RBI, 18 SB, 58 runs scored
Over his last 78 games overall, Lindor is hitting .307/.379/.539 with 22 doubles, a triple, 17 home runs, 49 RBI, 99 hits and 57 runs scored
Is second in the majors among shortstop with 13 Outs Above Average (OAA), 11th with two defensive runs saved (DRS), and fifth with a 2.2 Ultimate Zone Rating (UZR)
Who’s Hot 🔥
During his 11 game hitting streak, Francisco Lindor is hitting .375/.412/.604 with three doubles, a triple, two home runs, seven RBI and nine runs scored
During his five-game hitting streak, Mark Vientos is hitting .412/.546/.882 with two doubles, two home runs, five RBI, four walks and four runs scored
Injury Updates 🏥
OF Starling Marte (bone bruise, knee) is expected to be activated for Sunday’s game against the Marlins
RHP Christian Scott (UCL Sprain) feels good and is expected to start throwing from 120 feet very soon
Down on the Farm 🌾
RHP Jonah Tong (#10 prospect, High-A): 6 IP, 3 R, 6 H, 3 BB, 5 K
OF AJ Ewing (#29 prospect, Low-A): 2-for-3, HR, BB, RBI, 2 R
BOX SCORES
Single-A STL | High-A BRK | Double-A BNG | Triple-A SYR
Mets Top 30 Prospect Rankings
Today’s Game 🗓
Match-up: Mets (64-59) vs. Marlins (45-78)
Where: Citi Field — Flushing, NY
Starters: RHP Paul Blackburn (5-3, 4.43 ERA) vs. RHP Valente Bellozo (2-1, 2.28 ERA)
When: 12 PM EDT
Where to Watch: Roku Channel
Just what the doctor ordered… ✍️
Dwight Gooden I am sure was proud. Tom Seaver would’ve been proud.
Yes, Saturday was a throwback to the days of old for a starting pitcher. Luis Severino wasn’t necessarily as dominant as he was efficient, giving the Mets their first complete game of the season, their first complete game shutout in three years, and the building of good vibes as they won their first series since Denver in what has been a trial of a month of August for this club.
For Severino specifically, his outing was the book definition for what a starting pitcher is supposed to be and supposed to look like.
Strike 1 was the theme of the day for Severino, who was looking to bounce back from three bad starts and squash concerns about his velocity and how much gas he has left in the tank after throwing more innings in 2024 than he has since the 2018 season.
It was a vintage pitching performance in every sense of the word. It was fun to watch. It was relaxing, it was everything a ballgame should be for a fan.
He was as easy to catch for Francisco Álvarez as he is to write about this morning.
His velocity was right where it should be with respect to his season averages too, the second straight start he’s demonstrated that. So the argument he doesn’t have gas left in the tank is probably out the window for the time being.
Again, he wasn’t dominant. We often tie complete game shutouts and even no-hitters to high-strikeout performances, pitchers making batters look silly, and the like. But it doesn’t have to be like that and often times, those are the least stressed pitching performances for a starting pitcher because they’re going in and out of the dugout fast and not working deep counts in the process.
That was Severino’s day at Citi Field on Saturday.
It was a blue-collar effort on the part of Severino from start to finish, inducing short count ground balls to the tune of a 10:1 GB/FB ratio on the afternoon.
Now, if you want to argue this was a largely unrecognizable Marlins lineup, fine. Go for it. It's still the big leagues, and this was still a pitcher who was coming into this start with a cloud of question marks swirling around him
Kudos to Severino for proving everyone wrong.
Then there is Mets Manager Carlos Mendoza for trusting Severino with that ninth inning, and trusting him even after he hit Jake Burger to leadoff the frame.
He went out to the mound, seeming certain to lift Severino for Edwin Díaz in that spot. After all, the Mets just had to win, they couldn’t let the situation get out of control, and couldn’t let a second one multi-run lead get away in three days.
But no, that was not the case. Mendoza perfectly read Severino in his mound visit, trusted him with the ball and his pitcher solidified that trust by retiring the next three hitters.
That’s the mark of a good manager. Not giving into fear, paranoia, of would-be headlines should he had left him in and Severino had blown the lead. He knows his players, has a pulse on his players, knows how to read his room, and trusts his gut in the heat of the moment.
And so many of you were concerned the Mets didn’t get Craig Counsell or another high profile manager. Mendoza has been great at what he is supposed to be great at all year.
Just that.
And his patience has helped put the Mets in a position to be in contention. I’m not sure there are a lot of managers who would be able to say that, all things considered between this roster, the dead money on the payroll, and the rollercoaster ride this franchise has been on over the last calendar year.
He’s manager of the year in the NL in my book, whether they get to the playoffs or not.
Around the League 🚩
The Rays got to Zac Gallen for four runs in five innings as they cruised over the D-Backs 6-1 in St. Pete
Dylan Cease danced around five walks, the Padres bullpen was solid, and Manny Machado had a four-hit night as they cruised over the Rockies 8-3 at Coors Field
Chris Sale struck out 10 over six innings and the Braves offense cleaned the Angels clocks in an 11-3 win in Anaheim
After the Mets scored their four runs, the offense basically went to sleep. It is wonderful Severino went nine. But, in the past, Marlins games became quite nervous for fans. Don't stop scoring.
I respect the manager's efforts. I suppose we can suggest that when the Mets were doing bad early, it was growing pains. Also, as the Mets are struggling some in the second half, if the buck stops with him when they do well, it stops when him there too. I will wait anyhow to them getting to the playoffs before giving him "manager of the year."