Mets put up another lifeless effort in embarrassing shutout loss to the Marlins
Christian Scott struggled on the mound and the lineup was nowhere to be seen. Plus, why Jon Heyman is wrong to be positive about this team...
What’s Up with the Mets? ⚾️
The Mets got zero offense yet again on the way to being shutout 8-0 by the Marlins in Miami (box)
New York has now lost six of its last eight and 13 of its last 20
The lack of offense continues to be a real problem with the Mets having now been shut out a total of five times year this, while Friday was the 11th time they’ve been held to one run or less. They are 0-11 in all of those games
Furthermore, the lineup managed just six hits all night and went 0-for-3 with RISP, leaving seven runners on base
RHP Christian Scott endured his first difficult night in the majors. His final line: 4.0 IP, 7 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 1 BB, 3 K, 1 HR
LHP Josh Walker was unable to stop the bleeding in the fifth and sixth innings, allowing two earned runs on three hits with one walk while striking out two
RHP Grant Hartwig also couldn’t stop the damage, giving up two earned runs on three hits with two walks in the final two innings of the game
Marlins LHP Jesús Luzardo tossed six scoreless innings with just five hits and no walks, while striking out seven as the Mets lineup went down without a fight
DH J.D. Martinez had arguably the most respectable night for New York hitters, going 2-for-3
This is the fifth time the Mets have been shutout, the 11th time they’ve been held to one run or less. That’s 25 percent of their games - they’re 0-11 in all of those games.
Injury Updates 🏥
OF Brandon Nimmo (illness) was absent from the lineup for a second consecutive game
RHP Tylor Megill (shoulder strain) is expected to be activated off the IL and return to the rotation on Monday in Cleveland
Down on the Farm 🌾
RHP Dom Hamel (No. 14 prospect, Triple-A): 4.2 IP, 3 R, 3 ER, 4 BB, 4 K
OF Trayce Thompson (Triple-A): 3-for-4, 4 R, 5 RBI, 2 BB, 1 HR
C Hayden Senger (Triple-A): 3-for-4, 1 R, 3 RBI, 1 2B, 1 3B
RHP Luis Moreno (Double-A): 4.1 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 5 K
RHP Douglas Orellana (High-A): 5.0 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 6 K, 1 HR
C Christopher Suero (High-A): 2-for-4, 2 R, 2 RBI, 1 HR
C Ronald Hernandez (No. 21 prospect, Single-A): 3-for-5, 1 R, 7 RBI, 1 3B, 1HR
BOX SCORES
Single-A STL | High-A BRK | Double-A BNG | Triple-A SYR
Who’s Cold 🥶
SS Francisco Lindor is hitting just .107/.194/.143/.336 with just one extra-base hit over the last seven days
3B Brett Baty has a slash line of just .121/.147/.152/.299 with one RBI over the last 14 days
Mets pitchers - starters and relievers - have issued a total of 74 walks in the month of May so far
Today’s Game 🗓
Match-up: Mets (20-24) @ Marlins (14-32)
Where: loanDepot Park - Miami, FL
Starters: RHP Luis Severino (2-2, 3.00 ERA) vs. LHP Braxton Garrett (0-0, 8.44 ERA)
When: 4:10 PM EDT
Where to Watch: WPIX
Jon Heyman is wrong - the Mets do not look like a Wild Card team… ✍️
I like Jon Heyman of the New York Post. I really do. He’s a highly-respected, longtime baseball columnist and insider, and he knows his stuff.
He also loves baseball. And I think everyone can relate to that.
However, Heyman is known to get a little carried away at times, like the instance where he called Aaron Judge ‘Arson Judge’ in tweeting that the slugger was on the verge of signing a free agency deal with the Giants.
That’s probably one he would like back.
Well, Heyman was at it again on Friday night. Okay, so there wasn’t as much high-stakes drama attached to this one, but I still think it was a case of the writer drinking a little bit too much Kool-Aid.
If you missed it, Heyman posted a column shortly after the embarrassing blowout loss to the Marlins, telling all Mets fans not to worry because the team is “still primed to make a run at wild card - even after mediocre start.” That’s a direct quote.
Okay, firstly, that is a brave column to write let alone even post in the wake of the Mets getting the absolute tar beaten out of them by a Marlins team that is currently 14-32. I’ll give Heyman some kudos on that front. Secondly, he’s not entirely wrong on a couple of things. For instance, I agree that Francisco Lindor won’t be a .195 hitter by the time we reach August. I’ve been steadfast in my belief on that one. I also concur that J.D. Martinez is starting to heat up and that will only benefit a run-shy lineup that is the exact opposite of dangerous right now.
However, that’s as far as Heyman and I go in terms of agreeing. Because, put bluntly, I don’t think this Mets team is one capable of reaching the postseason. Not even close.
Granted, we’re still in May and a lot can change. But, if you factor in last year too, I think there is enough of a sample size to go along with the majority of the red flags we’re currently concerned with.
Pete Alonso is one of the best power hitters in the game, but his batting average has been an issue for over a year now. If he can’t figure out a couple of things - and quick - then this lineup will be doomed the rest of the way.
Both Starling Marte and Jeff McNeil appear to be cooked and I think we’re rapidly approaching goodbye time with that particular pair. McNeil has had effectively one very good season out of the last four, while injuries and Father Time have seemingly caught up with Marte.
We still need to see more offensively from both Brett Baty and Mark Vientos on a consistent basis. And, while the bottom of the lineup is a concern, it almost doesn’t matter if the top of the lineup continues to struggle the way it has for most of the year so far.
Heyman is right when he refers to Tylor Megill as talented but, let’s face it, the righty hasn’t ever been able to sustain his greatness over a full season. Until he does that, the jury is still very much out. And, to Heyman’s point on the great pitching depth the Mets have, I’m not so sure. Megill hasn’t been able to stay healthy, and the same can be said for David Peterson. We still don’t really know what’s going on with Kodai Senga, José Quintana is struggling and, as great as Luis Severino has been, let’s not start celebrating just yet. After all, the two-time All-Star has failed to make 20 or more starts since 2018. His arm - and overall health - should be considered a ticking time bomb.
Plus, if star closer Edwin Díaz can’t figure things out and continues to struggle, then all hope goes out the window.
However, the biggest issue I took with Heyman’s overly-positive column was the fact he mentioned that the schedule should get easier for the Mets over the next couple of stretches. Heyman stated that Friday was the first real opportunity the Mets have had to play “one of the true patsies of MLB.” A patsie that whooped the Mets in a 8-0 shutout, by the way. How Heyman was able to construct that exact sentence with a straight face moments after witnessing the same implosion in Miami we all did is lost on me. And, for the record, I fight back hard against the notion that there is such a thing as a cupcake portion of the schedule in Major League Baseball. Especially when you are as fundamentally flawed as the Mets are.
Heyman also ridiculed anyone who put too much stock into owner Steve Cohen’s now-deleted Tweet about not being able to do much until the trade deadline. Heyman seems pretty confident that Cohen won’t sell at the deadline. But, here is why I think he’s so wrong on that. This is the David Stearns show now. Okay, so Cohen will still have a major say. Of course he will. But Stearns was Cohen’s big white whale for a reason. Cohen craved a highly-respected and incredibly intelligent baseball executive from the moment he bought the team, and I believe he will let Stearns run the Mets as he sees fit. So, if we get to the trade deadline and this team is well out of it, and if Stearns feels that the core needs to be blown up, then I can’t see how Cohen will stand in the way of Stearns doing what needs to be done for the long-term health of this franchise.
All in all, I do admire Heyman for attempting to strike a positive tone about this team in the middle of what has been a really tough stretch. But, when you strip everything away, the ugly truth is I just don’t think the 2024 New York Mets are good enough to make the postseason. Not even as a Wild Card team.
And no amount of overly-enthusiastic cheerleading will change my mind on that.
Only the Mets can do that. And we’ll see if they are truly capable of being a fundamentally sound baseball team over long stretches the rest of the way.
I’m not convinced.
Around the League 🚩
Giants rookie OF Jung Hoo Lee will undergo season-ending surgery on his torn labrum
The Dodgers have placed INF Max Muncy on the IL with a right oblique strain
Seven-time All-Star Nelson Cruz has been named as Special Advisor for Baseball Operations by MLB
Shohei Ohtani crushed an opposite field two-run homer on ‘Shohei Ohtani Day’ in LA as the Dodgers beat the Reds, 7-3
Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton both cranked mammoth home runs with the Yankees beating the White Sox 4-2 in the series opener at Yankee Stadium
Tigers LHP Tarik Skubal tossed a gem against hometown team the D-backs, allowing just one hit and no walks in six scoreless innings while striking out six
This team is Lifeless and has not seemed prepared since Spring Training. Anyone miss Buck yet ? Unfortunately U can’t fire players but u can start firing the coaches. - start with Hefner ( walks , stolen bases , Diaz , etc. Next both hitting coaches and finally Mendoza who seems to be more of a coach than a manager.
Jon Heyman has long been an overrated lightweight hack. Next to Joel Sherman he’s a minor-leaguer. How you ever took him seriously before this latest absurd piece is a mystery.