Amazin' night for Mets after comeback victory, positive deGrom news

The Mets receive a positive health update on their ace. Plus, breaking down Monday night's incredible comeback victory vs. the Cardinals.

Rich MacLeod

Apr 26, 2022

What’s Up with the Mets? ⚾️

The Mets scored five runs with two outs in the 9th inning to defeat the Cardinals 5-2 on Monday night (box)
RHP Jacob deGrom’s MRI showed “significant progress” in his right shoulder and he will now begin a strengthening program although he has yet to be cleared to begin throwing (story)
RHP Max Scherzer dominated once again, pitching seven shutout innings while allowing just three total base runners with 10 strikeouts
Scherzer has now gone 23 consecutive starts without being charged with a loss
1B Dominic Smith delivered with a pinch-hit, go-ahead, two-run infield single in the 9th inning that gave the Mets a 3-2 lead at the time
Mets hitters now have 39 RBI with two outs this season, tied for the most in the majors
The Mets plan to give Scherzer an extra day of rest prior to his next start
RHP Taijuan Walker pitched four innings in a simulated start and is expected to return to the club this weekend vs the Phillies

Who’s Hot🔥

RHP Max Scherzer (1.80 ERA) has struck out 20 hitters while allowing just one run over his last two starts – he became the first player in MLB history with three or more wins, 25 innings pitched and 33 strikeouts while allowing 11 hits or fewer in his first four starts with a new franchise (Baseball Cloud)
2B/OF Jeff McNeil went 2-for-4 with a pair of doubles and is now batting .316 with an .855 OPS this season
CF Brandon Nimmo clubbed a two-run homer in the 9th inning on Monday, and now leads the team with a .956 OPS

Today’s Game 🗓

Match-up: Mets (13-5) at Cardinals (9-6)

Where: Busch Stadium – St. Louis, MO

Starters: RHP Chris Bassitt (2-1, 3.00 ERA) vs. RHP Jordan Hicks (1-1, 1.29 ERA)

When: 7:45 PM EST

Where to Watch: SNY

The anatomy of a comeback 📝

Did that really just happen? The dust has settled but I am still not entirely convinced that what I witnessed on Monday night was, in fact, reality.

Down to their final out — their final strike — against the Cardinals, facing a 2-0 deficit it seemed like it just simply wasn’t going to be the Mets’ night. The thoughts “it happens” and “can’t win ‘em all” surely crossed most of our minds as Mark Canha stared at an 0-2 hole against one of the better young closers in the National League.

But somehow, some way — in insane fashion I might add — the Mets won this baseball game.

Down to their final strike, Canha, who has already been such an intangible piece of this club, battled back to run the count full, refusing to give in to closer Giovanny Gallegos. After smashing a ball down the third base line, it looked like that was a wrap. Platinum glove, all-world defender Nolan Arenado got to it and by all accounts, the game should have been over. But somehow, be it the baseball Gods stepping in or simply an err in judgement by the fielder, Arenado made a rare and shocking miscue as he took several extra steps before hurling the ball over the glove of Paul Goldschmidt and into right field. A run scored and more importantly, the Mets were alive.

After a Jeff McNeil double put the tying and go-ahead runs in scoring position, up came Dom Smith (who entered the night with a sub-600 OPS) in his biggest moment of the early season. After he smashed a ball down the first base line, it appeared as if — once again — the game was over. Goldschmidt made a great diving stop to corral the ball but Gallegos was late to cover and Dom wasn’t taking anything for granted, hustling down the line about as fast as we’ve ever seen.

“Dom is safe and two runs score and the Mets take the lead,” Gary Cohen exalted. “Unbelievable!”

Like a blur, the Mets had themselves a 3-2 lead in the 9th inning. Mets fans were euphoric, Cardinals fans were shocked, even the TV booths were dumbfounded. Just an incredible, stunning turn of events for a team that has far more often been on the other end of moments like this.

Then, for good measure, on the very first pitch from the new reliever, Brandon Nimmo ripped a two-run home run down the line in right, which happened so fast that the SNY booth didn’t even get back on the air in time to call it until the ball had already found itself clanking around the seats.

When all was said and done, the Mets blitzed St. Louis for a five-run 9th inning — all with two outs — and won themselves an absolutely wild 5-2 baseball game. In all my years, it is one of the most stunning and unexpected comeback wins I have ever seen.

“If you’re going to have a magical season, sometimes you have to beat the other team’s closer,” Ron Darling said on the SNY telecast prior to the rally.

It is moments like this that continue to back up that indelible impression that this Mets team may actually be different this year. This club is never out of a game. In fact, their largest margin of defeat through 18 games is just three runs and their overall run differential currently stands at +35. Just three weeks into the season this team already has a 4.5 game lead in the NL East, the largest margin of any first-place team in all of baseball.

And it’s these times, these moments, these comebacks that add to that special feeling. To have a special season, as Darling said, sometimes you have to put together a come-from-behind win, sometimes you have to even get lucky. But its the good teams, the special ones, even, that take advantage of those moments and come through in the biggest spots. So far this year, these Mets have done just that.

Unbelievable, indeed.

Down on the Farm 🌾

Francisco Álvarez (C, No. 1 prospect, AA): .289/.378/.711 with 4 HR, 4 doubles and 12 RBI in 10 games
Brett Baty (3B, No. 2 prospect, AA): .354/.415/.542 with 11 runs scored and a .957 OPS this season
Mark Vientos (3B/OF, No. 4 prospect, AAA): .552 OPS with 19 strikeouts in 50 at-bats

Box Scores: All four Mets minor league affiliates were off on Monday

What the Buck? 😡

The Mets were plunked once again on Monday night (15 times overall), so you know what that means…

Around the League 🚩

Blue Jays SS Bo Bichette hit a go-ahead grand slam in the club’s 6-2 victory over the Red Sox
Angels RF Mike Trout hit his 50th career triple during the team’s 3-0 win vs the Guardians
Giants RF Luis González hit his first career home, a two-run go-ahead shot in the 9th inning to defeat the Brewers
Braves OF Eddie Rosario will undergo a laser eye surgery and could miss between 8-12 weeks (The Atlanta Journal-Constitution)
The D-backs designated former Mets LHP Oliver Pérez for assignment on Monday
The Phillies blew out the Rockies with an 8-2 win at Citizens Bank Park