Mets open a crucial three-game series against the Braves in an attempt to jump start their season, again
The Mets will play their first series in Atlanta this season. Plus, Tomás Nido has been removed from the roster
What’s Up with the Mets? ⚾️
The Mets were off on Monday, but are in Atlanta to open a three-game series with the Braves tonight
The Mets lost two out of three to the Braves in early May, and sit 5.5 games behind Atlanta in third place in the NL East through the first 60 games of the season
Roster Moves 📰
Reinstated C Omar Narváez from the injured list
Designated C Tomás Nido for assignment
Today’s Game 🗓
Match-up: Mets (30-30) vs. Braves (35-24)
Where: Citi Field – Flushing, NY
Starters: RHP Carlos Carrasco (2-2, 5.74 ERA) vs RHP Bryce Elder (3-0, 1.92 ERA)
When: 7:20 PM EDT
Where to Watch: SNY
What this week’s test against the Braves actually is… ✍🏼
I could sit here this morning, sip my coffee, and come up with all of the things you might want me to say about the Mets, the Braves, the calendar, ebbs and flows of the season, and all of that good stuff.
But it’s hard to to sip my coffee and do that for you today.
Yes, there are 102 games left on the schedule, but I think we are past the mile marker in the season where we can expect a lot to change among this group which currently resides on the active roster.
Sure, the Mets are bringing back Omar Narváez from the injured list today and, rather unsurprisingly, jettisoning Tomás Nido from the roster as the consequential move. So theoretically speaking, the roster is probably better today than it was yesterday.
But Narváez isn’t saving this club from it’s own mysterious woes.
Yes, this is a chance for the Mets to not only make up ground, and all of that overused mumbo jumbo that we’ve said for years but always seems to be equalized by a piece of the gut the Braves rip out at some point during a season series between these two clubs.
But I don’t think any of this applies, nor should it serve as some kind of pill of hope that the Mets will suddenly look like the roster Steve Cohen and Billy Eppler built before the season started.
Instead, I think it’s way simpler than that for the Mets right now.
Whether it’s the Braves, Yankees, Pirates, or even the Nationals, the Mets have to demonstrate to themselves they deserve a spot in the pennant race. That’s what begins right now on June 6.
It has nothing to do with who they’re playing, the stakes in the NL East, or whatever anyone else might fabricate and tell you. When a team is .500 and meandering on a daily basis and unable to beat second division teams on a routine basis, none of that stuff matters.
They have to demonstrate they deserve to stand next to the Braves in this series. The test isn’t to see who can or should win the division. Rather, it’s a test to see whether or not the Mets can show they even deserve that conversation.
That’s just the honest assessment on where things stand with the Mets right now. I’m not sure even sweeping the Braves would be so convincing considering they swept the Phillies last week and then the Blue Jays wiped the floor with them this past weekend, rather easily in my opinion.
They can’t hit, their starting pitching has been better but remains generally inconsistent, and their bullpen is overworked and out of alignment thanks to not having their actual closer (through no fault of their own, of course).
It’s game 61. That’s the state of the Mets union right now. It’s not April or May anymore. Their core players are generally here and healthy now too. Yet nothing has really changed.
The question for the Mets as they forge ahead - for me anyway - is not whether or not they can catch the Braves or whatever false hope anything this week might bring. Its a matter of whether or not they can survive the next six weeks, Francisco Lindor and Starling Marte can show a consistent pulse, and they can somehow get to the trade deadline in a position to contend and plug their biggest holes (there are multiple right now, and the cost will be through the roof prospect wise, as we’ve come to learn over the last couple of years in July).
Then the question will be, should the Mets pursue those upgrades at such a high cost at the trade deadline?
The third wild card and what the Phillies did in 2022 will probably serve as the convincer for the Mets and most clubs who might be on the fringe in six weeks. And that’s fine with me - I just want the Mets to be fun to watch, be better and give people reason to believe.
Right now, that isn’t there for most.
Around the League 🚩
Luis Arraez went 3-for-4 to raise his average to .399 on the year in the Marlins 9-6 win over the Royals
Aaron Nola allowed one hit in seven innings as the Philliesbeat the Tigers 8-3
The Rangers transferred Jacob deGrom to the 60-day injured list on Monday - he will undergo new diagnostic imaging on his sore elbow this week
The Astros pounded the Blue Jays in Toronto 11-4 - Corey Julks headlined the offense with a first inning grand slam
The Pirates edged the A’s 5-4, sending Oakland to their 50th loss of the year - they are on pace for 130 losses in 2023