Mets split doubleheader, Max Scherzer gives the Mets a breath of fresh air for the club
After dropping the first game, both the offense and pitching had a good day in the second with Max Scherzer leading the way on the mound
What’s Up with the Mets? ⚾️
The Mets picked up where they left off when the rains came and dropped the first game of the doubleheader 3-2 (Box)
Stephen Nogosek was on the mound when the game resumed and gave up one run in three innings
Dominic Leone gave up the game-winning run and got the loss
The Mets offense exploded for eight runs in game 2 and defeated the Nationals 8-2 to split the two games (Box)
It was a return to the mound and a return to form for Max Scherzer who gave up one run and two hits in five innings
Mark Canha had a great day at the plate and went 3-for-4 with two RBIs and a run scored
Starling Marte also showed some signs of life at the plate and went 2-for-4 with two runs, two RBIs, and a stolen base
Brooks Raley returned to the mound after a stint on the IL and pitched a scoreless inning despite walking three
Roster Moves 🗞️
LHP Joey Lucchesi optioned to Triple-A Syracuse
LHP Zach Muckenhirn recalled as the 27th man for the doubleheader
RHP Dennis Santana selected from Triple-A Syracuse for the suspended game
RHP Seth Elledge designated for assignment
LHP Brooks Raley activated from the injured list
RHP Dennis Santana designated for assignment after the suspended game
Injury Updates 🏥
Carlos Carrasco (bone chips in elbow) threw four scoreless innings for Double-A Binghamton on Sunday in his second rehab start. He could rejoin the rotation later this week
Who’s Hot 🔥
Jeff Brigham appeared in two games this series and gave up one hit and struck out two. He holds a 2.77 ERA in thirteen innings so far this season
Over his last seven games, Starling Marte is 8-for-27 which is good for a .296 average. He did not walk or hit any home runs over that span but hopefully this is a sign of things to come
Today’s Game 🗓
Match-up: Mets (20-21) @ Nationals (17-23)
Where: Nationals Park - Washington DC
Starters: LHP David Peterson (1-5, 7.68 ERA) vs LHP Patrick Corbin (1-5, 4.87 ERA)
When: 4:05 PM EDT
Where to Watch: SNY
It’s good to see you Max… ✍🏼
It’s been a strange season so far for Max Scherzer, to say the least.
While pitching effectively to start his season it has been up and down since then, without the dominant Mad Max ever showing up. He struggled in his second start of the season against the Brewers before bouncing back in a win against the Padres. Then of course the drama of the sticky glove happened against the Dodgers, and between the suspension and rain his return to to the field was delayed until he had a poor start against the Tigers.
Away from the field, he has also dealt with neck spasms that pushed his latest start back and discomfort in his shoulder. He said after Sunday’s game he had been in a neck brace in the six days leading up to his start, which he said impacted his stamina in-game since he couldn’t run or properly prepare for his start.
Whether it was the injuries or all the time away from the field, his fastball velocity had alarmingly dipped in Detroit which led to disastrous results. But, he appeared more like himself in Washington yesterday, which was a very positive development. He has yet to go beyond six innings in any game this year and the last time he went six was on Opening Day.
Perhaps that is the next step for him.
After his latest outing, he was upbeat and said he physically felt fine which this team desperately needs. The starting pitching has been a nightmare so far this season, but if the club can get Scherzer back and into a normal routine alongside Justin Verlander, and Carlos Carrasco can offer some stability in the back of the rotation when he returns, sanity could be restored to the rotation.
For Scherzer specifically, his fastball had both the velocity and electricity we are accustomed to seeing. He was missing a good percentage of bats with that pitch which enabled him to leverage his secondary pitches effectively, and induce a large percentage of swings and misses with those pitches as well. But it was important for him to be able to lean on his fastball on Sunday. As I said, his velocity had been down but it appeared to be restored and he showed pinpoint control with that pitch in the process.
All-in-all, this was an important day for Scherzer, and perhaps an important day in the Mets season. Now, it needs to continue, and Scherzer has to be able to stay on the field.
More specifically, if the Mets are to turn this season around, both Scherzer and Justin Verlander will need to be the aces the team thought they were getting when they acquired both. The offense of course has their issues (what else is new, although it was nice to see the Jekyll and Hyde bust loose in game 2 yesterday) but this team is going nowhere without their pitching, plain and simple. It remains to be seen if the natural decline that comes with aging has finally caught up with their twin aces, but just getting back on the field and being effective is a positive first step for both them and the team.
Around the League 🚩
The Phillies and Rockies got into a benches-clearing brawl after Bryce Harper charged the mound when he didn’t like the reaction of Colorado pitcher Jake Bird
Rockies pitcher Ryan Feltner was diagnosed with a skull fracture after being struck by a line drive, but thankfully he will not need surgery and was released from the hospital
Clayton Kershaw’s mother passed away and he is expected to go on bereavement leave after his next start
The Reds are calling up Matt McLain who is one of their top prospects
The Dodgers shutout the Padres to finish off a sweep of their closest rivals
Pirates starter Mitch Keller continued his dominant season by shutting out the Orioles while striking out 13