The Mets offense was silenced in the Bronx and their off-day couldn't come soon enough
The Mets offense was silenced in the Bronx and their off-day couldn't come soon enough
The Mets had just four hits against Domingo German and the Yankee bullpen on Monday night
What’s Up with the Mets? 🚉
The Mets lost to the Yankees 4-2 on Monday night at Yankee Stadium (Box)
Max Scherzer didn’t have his best stuff on Monday - he allowed four earned runs to the Yankees over 6.2 IP. It’s the second straight outing he’s allowed four runs
The Mets scattered four singles around a Yankee error and a two-run home run from Daniel Vogelbach in the seventh inning in an otherwise silent night for the Mets offense
Despite the loss, the Mets are 7-3 against the Yankees in their last ten meetings, although their 7-9 against the American League this season
The Mets are now 39-26 on the road, 46-30 at night, 15-8 in August, 16-5 in series openers on the road, 17-33 when the opponent scores first, 28-19 in one or two run games, 5-38 when trailing after eight innings, and 11-39 when scoring three or fewer runs in a game
Roster Moves 📰
C Tomás Nido reinstated from the injury list
RHP Connor Grey selected from Triple-A Syracuse
RHP Jose Buttó optioned to Triple-A Syracuse
LHP Rob Zastryzny designated for assignment
LHP Nate Fisher designated for assignment
Injury Updates 🏥
RHP Taijuan Walker (back injury) will start Tuesday night’s game against the Yankees
RHP Tommy Hunter (lower back tightness) is close to returning although its unclear when he will be activated
INF Eduardo Escobar (left oblique tightness) participated in baseball activities at Yankee Stadium on Monday and could return when eligible from the injured list
Playoff Odds Tracker 🎲
The Mets are 79-45 and lead the Braves by three games in the National League East with 38 games to go. They are on-pace for 103 wins, which would be the second-highest mark in franchise history (108 in 1986)
The Mets have the second-easiest schedule down the stretch of the season (.450 opposing winning percentage, per Tankathon)
Playoff odds (FanGraphs):
Make the playoffs: 100 percent ↔️
Win the National League East: 82.5 percent ⬇️
Clinch a first round bye: 82.2 percent ⬇️
Win the World Series: 17.1 percent ⬇️
Today’s Game 🗓
Match-up: Mets (79-45) at Yankees (75-48)
Where: Yankee Stadium — Bronx, NY
Starters: RHP Taijuan Walker (10-3, 3.36 ERA) vs RHP Frankie Montas (4-10, 3.87 ERA)
When: 7:05 PM EDT
Where to Watch: SNY
Wednesday’s day off couldn’t come soon enough for the Mets…📝
The Mets seemingly left their bats on the 4 train on Monday night. Or maybe they left them on the Acela at Penn Station when they came home from Philadelphia. Perhaps they just left them at Citizens Bank Park altogether on Sunday.
It was simply a sleepy day for the Mets who not surprisingly looked a little tired and hung over after that exhilarating game and series against the Phillies. Domingo German was on point for the Yankees, pounding the lower part of the strike zone with one strike after the next (with a little help from home plate umpire Lance Barrett). The Mets simply had no answer for him as he stepped up for a Yankee rotation badly in need of a strong outing.
On the mound, Max Scherzer’s slider command eluded him and had a second-straight pedestrian start against a key opponent for the Mets. But make no mistake - he’s awesome, he will be fine and he will be on-point when the bell rings in October.
It happens and again, after what happened at Citizens Bank Park on Sunday it wasn’t terribly surprising the Mets were a little gassed. They certainly looked a little dazed and tired out there on Monday. It’s frustrating because it’s the Subway Series and the energy is supposed to tick up for these contests, even if they’ve become a little overhyped and a little overrated after 25 years of this. But again, it happens over the course of 162 games.
The problem of course is while the Mets are playing a premier opponent in the Yankees (yes, they’ve really struggled over the last six weeks, but they’re still the Yankees and the second best team in the American League) the Braves are in Pittsburgh playing the second division Pirates and nobody can seemingly get Michael Harris out anymore. They won and so the Mets lead in the National League East is down to three games again.
Look - this is one of the most difficult stretches in the Mets schedule. They combined to play the Braves and Phillies 16 times in 18 days with only the Reds in the middle to give the Mets a breather during that stretch. Now they’re finishing up this difficult run against the Yankees, who are better than the way they’ve played lately and always seem to be up for a good fight against the Mets. Should the Mets win today, they will have gone 5-5 on this road trip and 13-8 during this daunting stretch in the schedule.
If that’s the result, I’ll take it. They can’t control what Atlanta does unless they’re playing them and the Mets went 5-4 in their two series against the Braves during this difficult hike. Again, sign me up.
The good news for the Mets is they have a badly needed off-day tomorrow followed by a far easier schedule down the stretch of the season. They come home for a homestand that has the Dodgers sandwiched in between the Rockies and Nationals for a ten-game stay at Citi Field and a two-week stay in New York with these games at Yankee Stadium included. They will then play 13 straight games against the Pirates, Marlins and Cubs through September 18. By then, they should be a little healthier and the path to the playoffs should be clear.
They have the second-easiest schedule the rest of the way of any team in baseball. It’s an opportunity to soak up a lot of wins, take care of their business and maintain control of their destiny ahead of the playoffs.
The great teams do just that.
The key is to get through tonight and come away with a split, get this club some much needed and well deserved rest tomorrow, and get their bodies and minds rebooted for their long homestand starting Thursday.
Down on the Farm 🌾
All Mets minor league affiliates were off on Monday.
Mets Top 30 Prospects (MLB.com)
Around the League 🚩
Albert Pujols - who was co-winner of the National League Player of the Week - homered again for his 693rd career home run in the Cardinals 1-0 win over the Cubs
Michael Harris accounted for the only runs for the Braves in their 2-1 win over the Pirates in Pittsburgh - they pulled back to within three games of the Mets in the NL East with the win
Noah Syndergaard allowed just a run on three hits over seven innings in a 4-1 win over the Reds for the Phillies
Mike Trout drove in a run for the Angels, his first since returning from the injured list. But the Angels lost to the Rays 2-1 in St. Petersburg