Mets implode in Philadelphia as Buck Showalter continues to find ways to lose

It was another embarrassment for the Mets as they drop yet another series, having lost 16 of their last 21 games

What’s Up with the Mets? ⚾️

• The Mets had a chance to win a series but the bullpen imploded so they instead lost 7-6 in excruciating fashion (Box)

• Buck Showalter - for some unknown reason - stayed away from David Robertson, so the combination of Josh Walker and Jeff Brigham combined for a disastrous inning to surrender the lead in the eighth. Walker loaded the bases and did not record an out and Brigham allowed all of them to score upon entering

• The sloppy play continued with both Brett Baty and Omar Narváez committing errors

• Carlos Carrasco struggled once again and did not make it past the fourth inning. He allowed just two runs but gave up five hits and and two walks

• Both Francisco Lindor and Pete Alonso hit home runs

• Tommy Pham picked up another two hits and went 2-for-5 at the plate

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News and Notes 📰

• The Mets will likely recall LHP David Peterson from Triple-A Syracuse to start on Tuesday

• The Mets were considering promoting LHP Joey Lucchesi to pitch tomorrow, but Peterson had stronger peripheral numbers during his stint in the minors

• RHP Drew Smith will return from his ten-game suspension on Monday

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Roster Moves 🗞️

• Claimed RHP Reed Garrett off waivers from the Orioles, optioned him to Triple-A Syracuse

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Injury Updates 🏥

• LHP José Quintana (rib surgery) pitched four innings in a rehab start and allowed just one run and struck out five

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Who’s Hot 🔥

• Tommy Pham is hitting .329/.390/.616 with seven doubles, a triple, four home runs and 19 RBI over his last 21 games

• Francisco Lindor is hitting .333/.452/.792 with two doubles, three home runs and eight RBI over his last seven games

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Today’s Game 🗓

Match-up: Mets (35-42) vs. Brewers (40-37)

Where: Citi Field – Flushing, NY

Starters: RHP Justin Verlander (2-4, 4.50 ERA) vs RHP Colin Rea (3-4, 4.88 ERA)

When: 7:10 PM EDT

Where to Watch: SNY

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It is time for the Mets to make major changes ✍️

Here we are again.

The Mets lost a series where they could’ve come away with positive momentum, a winning series in Philadelphia and an even 3-3 road trip.

Instead, the Mets are left with questions, even more concerns, and a general feeling of hopelessness. What’s worse, after a complete meltdown by the club’s second tier relievers with their best relievers sitting on chairs in the outfield, the manager seemingly had no idea and went on the defense as to why he was being asked questions about his bullpen issues and usage.

There was a rookie (Brett Baty) and a first year Met standing in front of their lockers taking more accountability for Sunday’s mess than the manger.

They have a rotating door of futility when it comes to the bullpen due to a poorly constructed unit.

There was a player directly refuting what the manager said in his postgame conference.

There is a starter penciled in to start Tuesday with a 6.00 ERA (David Peterson) over his last five starts in Triple-A instead of the one with a 2.36 ERA in Syracuse (Joey Lucchesi).

It’s just disaster upon disaster upon disaster with no clear plan on how to fix it. And honestly, based on these continued decisions paralyzed by analysis, there might not be one.

The Mets have actively made choices to get to this point. A point they are closer to the bottom of the league than near the top and no where near deserving of any of these conversations of a playoff race. As it has been mentioned in the past, Mets GM Billy Eppler chose optionable arms for the bullpen instead of more reliable arms (which was ludicrous at the time and even more ridiculous now, considering how bad the bullpen is) so all that is left is a rotating door of arms, each more volatile than the last. The Mets, so far, have steadfastly stood by their coaching staff and yet the sloppy play, mental mistakes, and embarrassments continue.

They knew they would need a pitcher for Tuesday and yet they let Joey Lucchesi take the ball on Friday so now their only option is David Peterson who is having a dreadful season both in the majors and Triple-A. This was another head-scratching decision by the organization in a season full of them. There does not seem to be any planning, foresight, or sense of urgency.

To me, they’re trying to wrap their decision around promoting Peterson with false intelligence when it was the organization who blatantly screwed up by allowing Lucchesi to pitch on Friday in the minor leagues.

I have not always been a supporter of firing someone just for the sake of firing somebody, but it is time. To keep this staff around is to send the message that this level of play is acceptable. There is certainly enough blame to go around so any firing is justified at this point. Jeremy Hefner, Buck Showalter, and Billy Eppler are the top candidates.

Eppler built the roster, so he’s arguably the main culprit. Would Steve Cohen feel comfortable with a replacement GM right before the trade deadline? Probably not, but I would argue Eppler doesn’t deserve the chance. He has consistently shown he is a horrible evaluator of talent and should not be trusted to handle a sell-off. Eppler in charge of another deadline could potentially prove to be disastrous and set the organization even further back. I would prefer the team stand pat and retool in the offseason, preferably with someone else in charge.

No matter what, change is needed. It is probably too little too late to save the season but a message that this type of play is unacceptable is also needed.

Especially for an organization that would like to attract top tier free agents like Shohei Ohtani next season.

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Around the League 🚩

• The Orioles are calling up one of their top prospects, 24-year-old Jordan Westburg

• The Dodgers placed OF Chris Taylor on the injured list with a bone bruise on his knee

• Cardinals 1B Paul Goldschmidt became the first player in major league history to play a MLB game in five different countries, and now his cap that he wore in the London series is headed to Cooperstown to mark the achievement

• Marlins’ star 20-year-old Eury Pérez lowered his ERA to 1.34 after throwing six scoreless innings in Miami’s 2-0 win

• Matt Olson hit his twenty-fifth home run of the year to help lead the Braves to victory over the Reds