Mets blow another big lead, come up small in a sloppy 7-6 loss to the Yankees
The Mets left 11 runners on-base while going 3-for-15 with runners in scoring position
What’s Up with the Mets? ⚾️
The Mets lost to the Yankees 7-6 on Tuesday at Citi Field (Box)
The Mets had a 5-1 lead, but Max Scherzer allowed five runs in the fourth inning and the Mets couldn’t keep pace with the Yankees from there
The Mets had their chances to take the lead on several occasions, but they went 3-for-15 with runners in scoring position on the night and left 11 runners on, including an eighth inning, bases loaded opportunity before both Francisco Lindor and Starling Marte struck out against Clarke Schmidt to end the threat
Brandon Nimmo did go 2-for-4 with a homer and two runs scored, but missed a fly ball in the sixth inning which allowed the decisive run to score for the Yankees
Drew Smith was ejected from the game for a sticky stuff violation - he is facing a ten-game suspension from MLB
Injury Updates 🏥
LHP José Quintana (rib surgery) threw a scoreless inning in the first outing of his rehab assignment
Roster Moves 📰
RHP Tommy Hunter has been released
RHP Stephen Nogosek sent outright to Triple-A Syracuse
Today’s Game 🗓
Match-up: Mets (31-36) vs. Yankees (39-29)
Where: Citi Field, Flushing, New York
Starters: RHP Justin Verlander (5-2, 3.71 ERA) vs RHP Gerrit Cole (7-1, 2.84 ERA)
When: 7:10 PM EDT
Where to Watch: ESPN
Tuesday night was just so awful! ✍️
Last night’s game featured everything that is wrong with the Mets in 2023.
They couldn’t hit.
They couldn’t pitch.
They came up small.
They found a way to lose.
They lost another pitcher to a sticky stuff violation (deservingly or otherwise, it’s embarrassing)
Their execution lacked focus and concentration.
Right? That’s literally six sentence summary of the season.
Things started off generally well for the Mets although Max Scherzer started and immediately allowed a customary bomb to Giancarlo Stanton, the only player in the big leagues who always makes Citi Field look small.
If the Yankees want to rejuvenate Stanton and get his bat going, they should petition MLB to move their home games to Citi Field, right?
Anyway, last night’s game bordered on the unwatchable. In fact, my dad texted me when the Yankees scored their five runs, literally saying, “Oh shit!” and I responded with “they are just terrible. Unwatchable.”
It’s unfortunately true.
The Mets did almost everything wrong last night and next to nothing right. Between the 3-for-15 with runners in scoring position, the 11 runners left on-base, the missed fly ball by Brandon Nimmo in the sixth inning, the wrong place, wrong time placement in the fourth inning, Max Scherzer’s overall stink bomb which once again led to a starting pitcher being knocked out before the team could get the 15th out, and those maddening strikeouts from Francisco Lindor and Starling Marte in the eighth inning, it was just so aggravating to watch.
In the end, it was the club’s ninth loss in their last ten games, and they are an unimaginable 31-36 and 9.5 games behind the Braves in the NL East, four games back in the wild race.
Putting the offense aside for a moment, look no further at the ERA’s and overall performance of Scherzer and Justin Verlander for a basic explanation. We’ve been saying since the moment the news broke that this team is going to go where those two take it in 2023, and so far those two have taken the Mets right into the sewer. They’ve so grossly underperformed not only their paychecks but their overall abilities and track record, to a degree that can only leave any observer concerned that this is what they have left in the tank at this stage of their careers.
Their performances have left the Mets with a real problem not just presently, but going forward as well. There’s no reason to expect Scherzer would even consider opting out of his deal unless things dramatically change or he chooses to retire and forfeit his salary next year. And the Mets have Verlander under contract for two more years after this at such an absurd amount of money too.
That’s really the only way to look at them, considering what’s taking place on the field.
Then there’s the cases with Lindor and Marte, with Lindor in particular needing only to get the ball in the air in the eighth inning to tie the game last night, not to mention a hit which would’ve given the Mets a late lead. Instead, he took what looked like a hopeless at-bat against Clarke Schmidt before Marte whispered in his ear and said, “don’t worry, I can make your at-bat look competent!”
Yesterday’s game made Monday’s off-day look like a win. Maybe they’ll get rained out tonight so they can win again?
Sigh.
Around the League 🚩
The A’s edged the Rays 2-1 in Oakland for their seventh win in a row - they’re now 19-50 on the year
Gunnar Henderson hit a grand slam as part of an 11-6 drubbing of Chris Bassitt and the Blue Jays
The Giants gutted the Cardinals 11-3 thanks in part to a 4-for-6, 3 RBI night from Michael Conforto
The Twins walked off the Brewers 7-5 thanks to a four-run ninth inning, highlighted by a walk-off homer from Carlos Correa
So many things to say about this terrible game. Big time players come up small. Plenty of blame to go around. Can't hold a 4 run lead, sloppy defense and just the simple act of putting bat on ball with bases loaded and less than two outs. I may be a "back in my day" guy, but players used to be able to hit a sacrifice fly to score a run. Smart baseball isn't played anymore. It's go for the fences.
However, I'd like to address the Drew Smith situation. Not that he is a great pitcher, but the Mets will now be down a bullpen arm for 10 days, which means this rotation which can't get past 4 innings will have to go 5 or 6. But why was he thrown out BEFORE throwing a pitch? Why did the umpires check him before the inning and not after? Max Scherzer (and prior to that Severino) were told to wash their hands and then get checked again, why wasn't this afforded to Drew Smith?
Obviously, this is SUBJECTIVE to each umpire. MLB needs an OBJECTIVE way to be applied to all umpires and pitchers. One umpire may say the hand is sticky, while another doesn't. How can MLB allow this to keep happening?