Suspensions for the fracas, Jacob deGrom's opt-out, and a big week coming up for the Mets
The Mets are set to play their next 11 games against the Phillies and Braves
What’s Up with the Mets? ⚾️
Cardinals 3B Nolan Arenado was suspended for two games and fined for his role in inciting the incident which led to the benches-clearing brawl on Wednesday against the Mets. LHP Genesis Cabrera received a one-game suspension and an undisclosed fine for his actions during the incident.
RHP Yoan López each received an undisclosed fine for contributing to the incitement of the incident, and RHP’s Taijuan Walker and RHP Jack Flaherty were fined for participating in the incident while being on the Injured List.
The Mets are set to meet with the league office regarding the amount they’ve been hit this season (New York Post)
The Mets still think Jacob deGrom intends to opt out of his contract at the end of the year (New York Post)
Today’s Game 🗓
Match-up: Mets (14-6) vs Phillies (10-10)
Where: Citi Field - Flushing, New York
Starters: RHP Tylor Megill (3-0, 2.35 ERA) vs. RHP Aaron Nola (1-2, 3.74 ERA)
When: 7:10 PM EDT
Where to Watch: SNY
A key ten-day stretch against the NL East is here 📝
The Mets have hit an important stretch on their baseball calendar.
They will open a seven-game, six day home stand tonight, beginning with a three-game series against the Phillies, followed by a four-game series against the Braves. They will then head down I-95 for another four-game set against the Phillies next weekend.
The Mets have a doubleheader on Tuesday against the Braves, at which point the Mets are expected to recall David Peterson to start one of the games.
As such, the Mets are playing their next 14 games against the division. As such, it’s a key, early stretch for the Mets.
With the schedule still unbalanced and leaning towards each team’s division, a key element to a team’s success is how well they perform against their division rivals.
So far so good for the Mets in 2022 - they’ve posted a 5-2 record against the Phillies and Nationals over the first month of the year.
But the situation wasn’t quite as rosy last year - they were 39-37 against National League East opponents in 2021 and just 18-20 against the Braves (9-10) and Phillies (9-10), their primary competition in the NL East this season and the two teams they are playing over the next ten days.
Contrast that 39-37 record mark to the Braves, who won the division and posted the best overall record against their division rivals - 45-31 including a 14-5 mark against the Nationals.
Recent history has shown that the team with the best record against division rivals have won the NL East.
So, it’s imperative the Mets at least come out of this ten-game stretch with a winning mark, if not take the opportunity to set the pace in the NL East.
They’ve already gotten a taste of what the Phillies have to offer and they did an outstanding job neutralizing Bryce Harper, Nick Castellanos and Rhys Hoskins in their first three-game set with them in Philadelphia two weeks ago. But that team can hit and they’ll face Aaron Nola tonight who, while he can be a wild card at times can always serve as a buzzsaw, as he was in his last outing against the Brewers when he allowed just one hit over seven innings.
After this weekend’s series against the Phillies, a reinforced Braves team is coming to town on Monday thanks to the long-awaited return of Ronald Acuña Jr. The Mets will also need an extra pitcher in their four-game series next week thanks to the doubleheader on Tuesday. The Braves have struggled in the early part of the year as their pitching staff has produced the sixth-worst team ERA in the game to-date, but they’re the World Champions so that’s bound to improve sooner rather than later.
They’ll round out the ten day stretch with four more against the Phillies at Citizens Bank Park. By the time Mother’s Day rolls around on May 8, the Mets and Phillies will have played each other ten times already in 2022.
This week isn’t so much of a litmus test for the Mets in terms of determining their identity as much as it’s a test of how they stack up against their primary competition.
And in the end, if the Mets are going to be the team they are on paper in this division, it starts with winning these key early season games within the division.
Down on the Farm 🌾
David Peterson (Triple-A): 4.2 IP, 7 ER, 9 H, 1 BB, 5 K
Brett Baty (3B, No. 2 prospect, Double-A): 1-for-5, 3 RBI
Wilmer Reyes (2B/SS, High-A): 3-for-5, 2B, 3 RBI
Box Scores: Triple-A | Double-A | High-A | Single-A
Around the League 🚩
The Yankees went a perfect 6-0 on their homestead, capped with a 10-5 win over the Orioles at Yankee Stadium
Ronald Acuña Jr. made his long-awaited return from the injured list and contributed to Atlanta’s 5-1 win over the Cubs
Royals SS Adalberto Mondesi has a torn ACL - he will need surgery and likely miss the rest of the 2022 season
Veteran OF Jon Jay has announced retirement