Mets lose again thanks to more sloppy play, lack of offense
There appears to be no end in sight to the Mets slide as the Mets have now lost 14 of their last 18 games to fall seven games under .500 for the year
What’s Up with the Mets? ⚾️
The Mets were sloppy in the opener of their weekend series in Philadelphia, and fell to the Phillies 5-1 (Box)
Kodai Senga went the first 5.1 innings and deserved better, allowing a pair of unearned runs in the first, and two more in the sixth that were also a result of a defensive misplay
The Mets offense mustered only three hits, and scored their only run on a third inning homer from Brandon Nimmo
In the sixth, Francisco Lindor and Tommy Pham failed to communicate on a shallow fly ball to left by Brandon Marsh, the ball fell, and led to three Philadelphia runs
New York didn’t muster a single hit in three innings against the Philadelphia bullpen, went 0-for-6 with runners in scoring position and left five runners on-base
Roster Moves 📰
IF Eduardo Escobar traded to the Angels for minor league RHP’s Coleman Crow and Landon Marceaux (story)
RHP Tylor Megill optioned to Triple-A Syracuse
RHP Vinny Nittoli recalled from Triple-A Syracuse
Today’s Game 🗓
Match-up: Mets (34-41) at Phillies (39-36)
Where: Citizens Bank Park – Philadelphia, PA
Starters: RHP Max Scherzer (6-2, 4.04 ERA) vs LHP Christopher Sanchez (0-0, 3.24 ERA)
When: 4:05 PM EDT
Where to Watch: WPIX
The Mets lack of attention to detail is appalling… ✍️
The calling card of the Mets success in 2022 was their second to none preparation, focus on fundamentals, and unwavering attention to detail. In Buck Showalter’s first season in Queens the Mets seemingly could not do anything wrong.
The contrast between that and what’s going on here in 2023—especially lately—could not be more stark.
Friday night’s series opener in Philadelphia served as a microcosm of the Mets’ season as a whole. The Phillies scored five runs in the game. None of them should have crossed the plate.
The very first batter Kodai Senga faced, Kyle Schwarber, lofted a shallow fly ball to center field. Francisco Lindor and Jeff McNeil both raced out onto the grass, while Brandon Nimmo sprinted in. Lindor and McNeil pulled up late to try to give way to Nimmo, who couldn’t squeeze the ball after going into a slide, an error that was clearly a direct result of the anxiousness caused by a potential collision.
Mistakes happen, but this is one that should not have occurred. The ball was Nimmo’s all the way, he was going to get there, and neither middle infielder should have complicated the play by even getting in the same area code as the center fielder.
The mishap led directly to a pair of unearned runs, putting the Mets behind the eight ball in the first inning yet again.
Fast forward to the sixth where the game got away for good, and deservingly so.
Philadelphia led 2-1 at that point and had runners on the corners with one out when Senga exited the game and handed the ball to left-hander Josh Walker. The rookie’s first batter was speedy Phillies center fielder Brandon Marsh, who popped a 3-1 pitch into shallow left field.
Lindor hustled out into the outfield, but this ball should have been caught by the left fielder, Tommy Pham, who was charging in and would have prevented the runner on third base from tagging and coming home.
Lindor got to the spot and appeared to be camped under the ball, before seemingly having the same thought, that the on-charging Tommy Pham would have a better chance to hold the runner at third base.
The only problem?
He failed to communicate that with his compadre.
Instead, at the very last second Lindor vacated the area only to have the ball fall at the feet of Pham. Bryson Stott scored on the play that should have resulted in the 2nd out of the inning.
On came Josh Walker who immediately got Edmundo Sosa to fly out to left—a play that, remember, should have ended the inning. Instead, Trea Turner would soon deliver a two-run single to increase the Phillies lead to 5-1—a margin that might as well have been 100.
The Mets defense was arguably the strongest aspect of their club a year ago, but too often this season their players have appeared to be asleep at the switch in the field.
On Friday, the club’s pitching was not the problem. Senga and company did enough that with Major League caliber defense behind them, the Phillies should have been shutout. And it’s getting untenably frustrating to watch this team continue to make mistakes that allow thoroughly winnable games to just slip through its finger tips.
The quality of play from the Mets - top to bottom - has simply been unacceptable this year. Too many mistakes on routine major league plays have cut the throat of the Mets all year long. Their problems span well beyond one single aspect, whether it’s the starting rotation (a major problem), their bullpen (a major problem), their lack of any sort of consistent offense (a major problem), or some of their in-game tactical miscues (a major problem).
Once again, it just seems as though they are completely unprepared and completely unfit to play. Friday night was yet another example of what the Mets are in 2023.
That falls on the general manager and the coaching staff. Yes, these well-paid players are accountable for their poor play, but a lack of preparedness and their inability to adapt to the rules/speed of play in this version of the game is the foundational theme of failure for the 2023 New York Mets.
Simple as that.
Around the League 🚩
Elly De La Cruz hit for the cycle in the Reds in the wild 11-10 win over the Braves
The Pirates scored three 9th inning runs against LHP A.J. Puk to steal a 3-1 win from Miami
Willy Adames blasted two homers and drove in five runs in the Brewers 7-1 win over the Guardians
The AL West leading Rangers plated two runs in the top of the 10th and beat the Yankees 4-2
I must commend you for being able to report so thoroughly, day in and day out, on this debacle of a baseball team. It’s bewildering and heartbreaking that this is happening so consistently to a team that won 100+ games just a year ago. And there’s no end in sight. You blame the GM for lack of preparation but I must point out it’s the manager of the year ‘22’s fault. Plain and simple, he should be the one who’s head is on the chopping block but I know I’m in the minority with this opinion. The first step to recovery is admitting you have a problem and admitting what the problem is instead of flippantly denying it.