On a night when the Mets somehow figured out how to get value for Matt Harvey, they couldn’t figure out a way to get Jason Vargas to only pitch the even-numbered innings.

For the third start in a row, Vargas gave up a passel of runs early. The first inning started with bloop singles by Jose Peraza and Scott Schebler and Joey Votto getting hit by a pitch. Before you could sit down, the Reds had the bases loaded and nobody out. Eugenio Suarez followed with a two-run single and Vargas was behind again. After Scooter Gennett flied out, Adam Duvall hit into a double play, sparing further bloodshed. Vargas was able to pitch around a leadoff triple by Tucker Barnhart in the second, but in the third, a one-out walk to Votto, a Suarez double and a Barnhart single accounted for two more runs. Vargas pitched a clean fourth.

While all this was going on, Cincinnati starter Luis Castillo (Oh! That name…) was mowing down Met after Met. He retired the first 14 he saw, before Amed Rosario singled in the fifth. Rosario was immediately double-switched out in the bottom of the fifth, Wilmer Flores taking over third, Jose Reyes shifting to short and Seth Lugo taking over on the mound. From here, that move was questionable; at the moment, the Mets were carrying three catchers — Tomas Nido, who started, Jose Lobaton and Devin Mesoraco, who was acquired this evening in the aforementioned trade of Harvey. Why Mickey Callaway didn’t make use of that advantage and switch out the anemic-hitting Nido is a mystery.

Shows how much I know.

Flores hit a long drive over the left centerfield fence to get the Mets on the board with one out in the sixth. After Michael Conforto grounded out, Asdrubal Cabrera singled and Yoenis Cespedes walked. That was all for Castillo, who had been throwing a brilliant game. This was what the Mets wanted, to be able to romp through the Reds’ bullpen. Well, be careful what you wish for. Jay Bruce drew a four-pitch walk from Amir Garrett to load the bases and Adrian Gonzalez got an RBI when he walked on a 3-2 pitch. The game was right there for the taking, but Brandon Nimmo struck out pinch-hitting for Lugo.

Instead, it was the Reds who got to scramble the bullpen. AJ Ramos had replaced Lugo and surrendered two singles, but no runs in the sixth. He started the seventh by surrendering a long double off the right field fence to Schebler. Jerry Blevins came on. Votto hit a deep fly to center and Schebler crossed to third. Hansel Robles replaced Blevins, and dropped napalm on this game. Suarez hit a looping single to left to make it a 5-2 game and Gennett launched a fastball into the upper deck in right. That was it for the scoring, but for good measure, Robles walked Duvall and gave up a single to Barnhart. He left the game with an injury on a sacrifice bunt.

Oh, and for the record, Mesoraco struck out in his first at-bat as a Met in the ninth. It seemed fitting.

Getaway matinee tomorrow, Zack Wheeler vs. Sal Romano

9 comments on “Gut Reaction: Reds 7, Mets 2 (5/8/18)

  • TexasGusCC

    From the peanut gallery:

    Josh Lewis sure sounded irritated when he said Hansel Robles has the appropriate initials. And when Howe Rose told us that he has given up 5 gophers in 11 innings, he mentioned that Robles may not be around much longer. The boys were testy, testy, testy….

    Too, those first inning runs were bloops and bleeders, but Cespedes not being to move too well out there didn’t help matters in the first or in the seventh as bloops fell in front of him. Isn’t there a Director of Health Performance, or something like that, to monitor these things?

    • Brian Joura

      And for Robles, this stretches back to last season. In his final 37.2 IP he allowed 9 HR.

      I was always a bit partial to Robles, because of his ability to light up the radar gun. But I just don’t see a path to recovering from this. At this point, I’d rather see his spot on the 40-man given to Tim Peterson. But I’m guessing it goes to Buddy Baumann, instead.

      • Chris F

        Calling Jon Rauch, calling Jon Rauch!

        • TexasGusCC

          Chris, sorry that I didn’t get to the Chatter tonight to wish you well.

          • Chris F

            no worries, off to England today!

  • Michael

    From what I have read about Mesoraco and his injuries he would make TDA look like Ironman. Over the last few years all I’ve read on the defunct Mets message board was how awful the Mets catching platoon was. Man, I’d like to read their thoughts now.
    Robles has to go, just trade him anywhere. I too liked his fastball and that he wasn’t afraid to pitch inside. That’s not enough. Change of scenery for him couldn’t hurt. With that BP spot open, stick Vargas there and see if they can work some “Harvey magic” on him. The way he is throwing he would get lit up in AAA.

  • Matt Netter

    Callaway and Eiland were brought in largely to squeeze more out of an underperforming, but talented roster of pitchers. They admittedly failed Harvey, they’re clearly failing Robles. Wheeler and Matz are both healthy at the same time (gasp!) but neither has been consistent or good. Jerry Blevins has been bad and misused. Even Syndergaard has been less than great. Where’s all that magic fairy dust?

    • Chris F

      Work wonders? So the thing is that extends so far. These guys arent miracle workers. Harvey sucks. Gsellman sucks. Wheeler mostly sucks. Matz mostly sucks. Thats the pressing hard core reality. The Mets and us fans labelled them “5 Aces” but that was a projection of a dream, not based in reality. On top of that add the injuries.

      Wheeler waaaaaaaay over rated. Hes never been more than a #3 no matter what kind of Ace hes been labelled. Same with Matz. Gsellman had a lucky start. Lugo is a reliever.

  • Mike Walczak

    This team looks like a train wreck.

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