We have seen some of the best Mets’ performances in July, and this potentially foreshadows what is next to come. Approaching the trade deadline is always exciting, and the Mets did not make any moves. Therefore, the production we saw in July should be matched for the remainder of the season. Let’s take a look at some of the players who turned a corner in July.
Lucas Duda– Earlier this season, the Mets’ first base situation appeared to be a question mark, as time would be divided among Ike Davis, Lucas Duda, and Josh Satin. Sandy Alderson decided it was time to trade Davis, and Duda has taken the job over with authority. In July, Duda hit .293 while hitting seven homeruns and driving in 19 runs. Duda is tied for sixth for homeruns in the National League with 19 round trippers, and PECOTA is projecting Duda to finish with 26. With this past month, Duda looks like he is finally finding a comfort zone, and while it may seem like a stretch to see this type of production every month, the numbers can be met throughout the rest of the season.
Travis d’Arnaud– The catcher of the future has shown some of the potential we have heard about. d’Arnaud hit .272, hit three homers and drove in 13 runs. This was his best month by far, and it seems that d’Arnaud has found his stroke. All it took was a trip back to Las Vegas and an increase in confidence (as he crushed the ball), and it has translated to big league success. Look for Travis to continue driving the ball and getting base hits. Although July was a good month for him, I think better days have yet to come, and I look forward to seeing his growth come August.
The Bullpen- The bullpen improved tremendously in July, as Vic Black, Jeurys Familia, and Jenrry Mejia dominated the month. The pitching staff had a 3.22 ERA, which was 9th best in the majors, and the team had 15 wins which was tied for forth most in the majors. The bullpen has been a major plus for the Mets this season
Black, who was acquired from Pittsburgh last year, made 12 appearances in July and pitched 8.1 innings. His 2.16 ERA is what impresses me the most about his month. More strikeouts would be a plus, but with a WHIP of 1.08, there is not much to complain about.
Familia’s July showed how dominating he is. 12 appearances, 12 IP, 9 K and 0.92 WHIP showcased his spectacular month, and if that wasn’t enough, his ERA was 0.00. With 5 holds, Familia showed that he is the 8th inning man of the future, and that he is a critical part to the future. Although his July would be tough to replicate, it would be nice to see Familia continue his hot streak.
When Bobby Parnell went down, the closers were Kyle Farnsworth and Jose Valverde. Mejia was a starting pitcher at that time, and although he did okay as a starter, his starts would tax the bullpen as he struggled to pitch long in games. Mejia’s move to the bullpen has made this season somewhat enjoyable. After a tough June, Mejia converted 7 out of 8 saves and struck out 13 hitters in 11 innings. I’m not too sure what will happen when Parnell comes back, but the Mets look in good shape with Mejia closing down the ballgame.
Jacob deGrom– deGrom’s July was so good, that there is hope that he will win Rookie of the Year in the National League. His 1.39 ERA only placed behind Clayton Kershaw and Tyson Ross for ERA in the National League for the month. Going 4-1 won’t hurt his case for the award either. deGrom’s season may be cut short or adjusted as there have been rumors that he may move to the bullpen as he approaches his innings limit. Hopefully, the Mets leave him in the starting rotation and see him progress into next season.
Zack Wheeler– deGrom’s July was so incredible, that it overshadowed Wheeler’s performance. Throughout the month, Wheeler went 3-0, had a 1.67 ERA and struck out 30 hitters in 32.1 innings. The Achilles heal for Wheeler always has been and continues to be walks. Allowing nine walks is not too terrible, but the goal has to be for him to limit walks in order for him to pitch longer into games.
In July, the Mets went 15-10 and had a run differential of +17. The offensive performances of d’Arnaud, Duda, Granderson and Murphy ignited the Mets offense. deGrom and Wheeler helped out the pitching staff, while the bullpen came in to secure the lead. July showcased the Mets’ talent and how they should be playing from here on out. Last year, the Mets went 33-38 after the All-Star break, and with July’s performance, they should perform better than that.
Brutal 2 games against the Giants in early August though,uggh.
Regardless of what the outcome of the season, we are starting to see pieces come together and in particular seeing young players start new patterns.
Almost blinds you to Niese throwing 83 MPH and Gee getting his fastball placed up by the Pepsi Porch.
Exciting to watch, even when they aren’t playing well like right now.
I agree, Niese’s velocity is troubling, but the team is fun to watch. Keith Hernandez passed a comment saying this team is fun to watch and that the fans are starting to get behind this team. Hopefully we add one more piece and we begin to really compete.
They still have to prove they can hang with great teams. Unfortunately the Giants series was evidence that we still have a ways to go.
Very true, I was hoping they’d win the series and keep playing competitive, but Bartolo’s start was a shame. Shows how much we need Duda and Murphy in the lineup, even if it’s against a lefty.