Mets lose a heartbreaker again on a game-ending, controversial call at the plate
Was Pete Alonso safe or out? Was the catcher blocking the plate or not? Was it a rules interpretation problem?
What’s Up with the Mets? ⚾️
The Mets lost another heartbreaker to the Cubs 1-0 on Wednesday night (box)
With one out and runners at second and third in the ninth, Jeff McNeil hit what looked like a sacrifice fly to left field, but the Cubs were able to nail Pete Alonso, who had tagged up on a very close, reviewed, and controversial play at the plate to end the game
José Buttó allowed just a run on four hits over six innings with six strikeouts - he lowered his ERA to 2.57 for the season
The Mets got another strong effort out of their bullpen — Jake Diekman, Adam Ottavino and Sean Reid-Foley combined to allowed only one hit with seven strikeouts to close the game out
The Mets notched just five hits against Shota Imanaga and the Cubs bullpen on Wednesday
The Mets are now 2-4 on this homestand, having scored just 15 runs over the six games
The club is 5-3 in one-run games, 7-8 against the NL Central, 3-11 when trailing after six innings, 1-11 when trailing after seven innings, 1-12 when trailing after eight innings, 5-10 when scoring three or fewer runs, and have been shutout three times this season
Injury Updates 🏥
Francisco Lindor left Wednesday’s game with flu-like symptoms
Roster Moves 🗞️
Traded Zack Short to the Red Sox for cash considerations
Signed free agent 3B Mike Brosseau to a minor league contract
Down on the Farm 🌾
RHP Austin Trousser (Single-A St. Lucie): 4.2 IP, 2 H, 2 BB, 9 K
INF Boston Baro (Single-A St. Lucie): 1-for-2, 2 BB, 3 RBI
INF Rowdey Jordan (Double-A Binghamton): 1-for-3, 2 RBI
LHP Felipe De La Cruz (Single-A Brooklyn): 4 IP, 1 ER, 5 H, 3 BB, 4 K
LHP Joey Lucchesi (Triple-A Syracuse): 6 IP, 7 H, 1 R, 2 BB, 5 K
Today’s Game 🗓
Match-up: Mets (15-15) vs. Cubs (19-12)
Where: Citi Field — Flushing, NY
Starters: RHP Adrian Houser (0-3, 8.37 ERA) vs. RHP Ben Brown (0-1, 4.30 ERA)
When: 1:10 PM EDT
Where to Watch: SNY
Another heartbreaker… ✍️
That was indeed another heartbreaking loss for the Mets.
For the entire night, the Mets couldn’t touch Cubs LHP Shota Imanaga, who was dazzling the Mets with an array of disappearing off-speed pitches highlighted by the splitter, which appeared to be missing the Mets bats by two feet or more at times.
Still, José Buttó and the Mets bullpen was able to keep this game winnable at 1-0 through eight innings before the Cubs brought in their vulnerable closer, Héctor Neris.
The Mets nearly won the game after Pete Alonso was hit by a pitch with one out, and JD Martínez at the plate. He hit a ball to the wall which was still in play but close to going out, and was nearly caught by former Met prospect Pete Crow-Armstrong in the gap in right center. But it banged off his glove as he attempted to make a leaping catch, so the Mets had to settle for second and third with Jeff McNeil at the plate.
McNeil, who has been struggling in multiple ways at the plate so far this season, appeared to have done his job, sending a flyball to fairly deep left field. Alonso tagged and took off for the plate. The Cubs executed a perfect relay play to the plate, but it still appeared as though Alonso had barely beat the throw and the tag.
It had also appeared in real-time that no matter what, Alonso would’ve been awarded the plate on an interference call, as it seemed as though Cubs catcher Miguel Amaya had blocked the plate and a lane to the plate before he took possession of the ball.
Upon review, and a justifiably lengthy one at that, Amaya was ruled to have not only legally played that relay throw, but also tag Alonso out at the plate.
Both were very, very, very close.
Amaya was right on top of the base before he took possession of the ball. The video makes that clear. The question on this part of the challenge was, how far into the lane was he and was there any evidence to suggest he or any part of his body or equipment entered the lane and served as a block for Alonso to get to the plate?
If I am being fair, the answer is no but it is very much borderline and is open for interpretation and debate. What’s not up for debate is the catcher cannot be on top of the plate without possession of the ball, and that’s the part that they got wrong.
As for whether or not Alonso was safe, I think that’s a little clearer and less open to interpretation. His hand came up on his head first slide and it appeared he could not get it onto the plate before Amaya tagged him out. In the end, that part of the argument didn’t hold any water, upon review.
The problem with these new rules is while there are specific technicalities which define them, especially those which address blocking and runners lanes and what defines both, is that interpretations of the rule vary by whoever is in charge of the decision. I am not saying the umpires got it right or wrong - I honestly have no idea because I don’t really know how the rule should or should not be applied.
I am not even sure player and club personnel completely understand what blocking the base or not means.
I don’t want to see anyone get hurt, especially not the way Buster Posey did which is why this rule is in place to begin with. But the problem is, when players don’t really know the rule in its entirety, that will unquestionably lead to someone getting hurt that way. It’s just a matter of when.
As for the Mets and Wednesday night, it’s a heartbreaking way to lose a ballgame. It looked like they had the game nearly won with Martinez’s flyball, it looked like they definitely had the game tied, and neither happened for them. They got a gem on the mound from José Buttó who has earned his keep as a member of this starting rotation after giving them another strong outing on the hill.
That’s just a game the Mets needed to find a way to win at home after splitting two very tight ballgames at home against a good team.
But in the end, it was not to be.
Look - hat tip to Shota Imanaga for a shutdown performance against the Mets. They looked clueless last night - he has carved up the league over the first month of the season and his ERA is proof of that. That’s just being fair.
Having said that, the Mets have scored 15 runs in six games on this homestand. That is with Martínez in there and scattering his hits and it still hasn’t been enough to cover the gaps left by slumps from Alonso (1-for-19 on the homestand) and Francisco Lindor (3-for-21), just to name a couple.
Score more runs and games don’t come down to a bang-bang play at the plate in the club’s last at-bat.
That all leaves the Mets with a big game to try and salvage a split with the Cubs this afternoon. It’s a tall task - Adrian Houser and his lack of command are on the mound for the Mets today. The Mets will need him to take a step forward today, collect himself and his command and start to prove he can be a mainstay in this rotation going forward.
Around the League 🚩
The Twins extended their winning streak to ten games with a 10-5 win over the White Sox, although they lost Byron Buxton to a knee injury
The Phillies improved to 21-11 with a 2-1 win over the Angels behind another strong effort from Zack Wheeler and a two RBI day from Kyle Schwarber
Luis Gil gave the Yankees 6.1 strong innings and the bullpen did the rest in a 2-0 win over the Orioles
Multi-hit days from Ronald Acuña Jr and Austin Riley along with five strong innings from Chris Sale paced the Braves to a 5-2 win over the Mariners
The game should not have come down to that call BUT.... MLB has a real problem with these rules. There is no consistency to the application of the rules. Can't block second base but can block home plate? What is that????
I call BS on calling Alonso out at home - clearly the catcher was blocking the plate w/o the ball and even with that Alonso touched the plate before he was tagged. It would have been nice if Mendoza showed more emotion - might motivate the team.