Rain delays a bounceback opportunity that the Mets desperately need to take advantage of
Rain delays a bounceback opportunity that the Mets desperately need to take advantage of
The Mets were rained out in Pittsburgh on Labor Day. Plus, how their "easy" September schedule entirely depends on how they approach things down the stretch.
What’s Up with the Mets? ⚾
The Mets had their series opener vs the Pirates rained out on Monday afternoon — it will be made up as part of a day/night doubleheader on Wednesday
The Braves were also off on Monday, keeping the Mets lead in the NL East at one game
Injury Updates 🏥
Luis Guillorme (left groin strain) is set to begin a rehab assignment today
The Pennant Race 🏁
Magic Number to win the NL East: 2️⃣7️⃣
NL East lead: 1️⃣ game
On-pace: 1️⃣0️⃣1️⃣ wins
Playoff odds (FanGraphs):
Make the playoffs: 100 percent ↔️
Win the National League East: 70.4 percent ⬇️
Clinch a first round bye: 70.0 percent ⬇️
Win the World Series: 16.8 percent ⬇️
Today’s Game 🗓
Match-up: Mets (85-50) vs. Pirates (49-84)
Where: PNC Park — Pittsburgh, PA
Starters: RHP Taijuan Walker (10-3, 3.45 ERA) vs. RHP Mitch Keller (4-10, 4.43 ERA)
When: 6:35 PM EDT
Where to Watch: SNY
The Mets schedule is only as “easy” as they decide to make it… 📝
So much for that easy schedule, huh?
For weeks, maybe even months, many of us have looked toward that big, soft September stretch the Mets had on their schedule as respite. This would be this team’s big chance to potentially break away and wrap up the NL East division once and for-all.
Well, three games into said soft schedule, the Mets have lost two games in the standings and now their NL East lead is down to one.
After a scintillating series victory over the league-best Dodgers earlier in the week, the Mets forgot that they still needed to show up to the ballpark when the bottom-dwelling Nationals came into town. This was the first time all season that this team had a serious letdown performance against an inferior team, and it really couldn’t have come at a worse time.
In Atlanta, the Braves did what they’ve done routinely over the last three months, and that’s annihilate inferior opponents. Many of us pointed at how the Braves schedule has been remarkably easy at times, and though it’s fair, they’ve still managed to beat up on bad teams in prolific way. As the Mets saw this past weekend, it’s not always as easy as you think.
Honestly, it was a seriously, no-good and just plain terrible weekend for this team. Max Scherzer left his start early on Saturday, and while he is still in line to make his next start, his departure seemed to cast a bad omen over the remainder of the weekend.
The biggest cause for concern, though, is that this team’s offense has been plain bad for nearly a month now. After scoring just two total runs in the final two games, the Mets are now averaging 3.6 runs per game over their last 23 and have scored two runs or less in 12 of those games (they’re 2-10 in such contests). For awhile you could make the argument that they were facing tougher competition and better starting pitchers and it was true to a point, but when you get shut down by the likes of Germán Márquez (4.86 ERA), Patrick Corbin (6.28 ERA) and Eric Fedde (5.08 ERA) in a week’s time in your own ballpark, it’s time to reevaluate how things are going for this offense.
After a rainout on Monday night, the Mets will get their first crack at a bounce back tonight in Pittsburgh. They’ll need to right the ship and get their act together immediately if they want to avoid falling out of first place for the first time all season (Atlanta will be playing the 50-85 Oakland A’s). At this point there is little wiggle room and no time to waste, the Mets have to win baseball games at a high enough clip to stave off the ever-charging Braves.
They have the easiest schedule in baseball remaining, but the Mets schedule will ultimately only be as easy as they choose to make it.
Down on the Farm 🌾
All Mets minor league affiliates were off on Monday.
Mets Top 30 Prospects (MLB.com)
Around the League 🚩
Blue Jays shortstop Bo Bichette homered three times to help power Toronto to a 7-3 win over the Orioles
The Yankees did what they do best — beat the Minnesota Twins
Yankees OF Andrew Benintendi was diagnosed with a broken hamate bone and will require surgery
Astros No. 1 prospect Hunter Brown pitched six scoreless innings in his major league debut on Monday as Houston defeated the Rangers, 1-0
The Nationals have allowed just two runs over their last three games — all wins — against the Mets and Cardinals