All good things must come to an end, but not just yet. In what appeared to be an impending end to their early season win streak, the Mets refused to lose, topping the Marlins 8-6 with a fantastic comeback.
Jacob deGrom looked terrific for four innings and the Mets jumped out to an early 3-0 lead courtesy of an RBI double by Wilmer Flores, a solo home run from Asdrubal Cabrera and an RBI single by Michael Conforto. deGrom seemed to come a bit unhinged in the fifth, surrendering four runs on a combination of seeing eye singles and a two run home run by Justin Bour that gave the Marlins a 4-3 lead. The Mets tied it back up in the sixth courtesy of a Juan Lagares sacrifice fly and deGrom settled down to tack on a scoreless inning to his six-inning start. Does any pitcher battle back better than deGrom?
deGrom gave way to the bullpen in the seventh and Jacob Rhame quickly gave up the lead with another two run home run by Bour to give the Marlins a 6-4 lead. But before fans had a chance to despair, the Mets came roaring back to tie it back up in the eighth on a pair of solo home runs by Flores and Cabrera.
Hansel Robles held the tie in the eighth and Yoenis Cespedes drove in two on a double in the ninth to give the Mets an 8-6 lead that would hold firm thanks to another save by Jeurys Familia. Salt and pepper, baby! That makes seven wins in a row, a beautiful 9-1 record and a catbird seat atop the NL East. The Mets and Marlins will wrap up the series tomorrow with Zack Wheeler taking the mound.
So, tonight we had our first dry hump of the year, and fittingly, it was Paul Sewald. Trump Callaway had promised us:
– The closers role will be rotated. (Ha, ha, ha)
– He wouldn’t dry hump guys by having them warm up if they won’t be coming in. (Sewald hadn’t pitched since April 1st, and with the bullpen so burned out that they brought up an extra arm, he didn’t get in even though he warmed up.)
– He would keep the best players. (Nimmo was demoted).
– Flores would get alot of playing time. (Hmmmmm, 15 PAs through 10 games is 240 for the year.)
– He would rest guys and keep them hydrated to preserve health. (Cespedes looks drained, Frazier looked tired and drained after dashing to third on Dietrich and was shuffled defensively all night.)
Happy for the wins, but, these guys need a breath.
Also, who is that guy wearing Cabrera’s uniform? He’s an all-star.
Correction:
Sewald pitched. He threw two pitches and finished the inning. I guess I blinked, and I missed it.
It was Corey Oswalt that warmed up two times and didn’t come in, but he was optioned back tonight. Call it a throw day.
This start is really important. If they play .500 ball for the rest of the year, they win 85 games. A shade better gets them to 90 wins.
Gus, I found myself questioning a number of moves both by Callaway and the front office yesterday, but then they win again. There must be some logic behind demoting Nimmo, not using Sewald hardly at all and letting Robles pitch in high leverage spots. I don’t see it, but they keep winning so who am I to question.
Why can Rhame and Robles throw full innings but the more reliable, proven and experienced Blevins and Ramos cannot? In any case it’s good that Lugo and Gsellman have had a few days off because they will be needed today. Wheeler will either get knocked out early or pitch 5 good innings. Ideally, he goes five and Lugo and Gsellman can go the rest because some of these guys need a day off.
Matt, I keep telling myself many things you pointed out. They’re winning… Nimmo wasn’t playing much… They should know best… There must be some reason Sewald is in Chateu Baou Waou, to quote John Davidson…
This may be a good time to bring back Evans for the defensive flexibility as the last man on the bench.
If Wheeler can pitch a clean 5 and Lugo/Gsellman finish up for a 5-2 win, we can all take a break and resume this in late September.
All this looks too easy so of course we have to wait for the full circle. Am I being too pessimistic?
9-1 and I will take it anyway they do it. There was some very clutch hitting by Cespedes and that is why he gets paid so much. Cabrera’s home run on a 3-0 count was fabulous and Flores needs more playing time but where do you find it? Frazier’s 5 3 put out in the ninth was a hit last year. I am enjoying the ride.
What the hell has Plawecki done to earn all this playing time?
Travis outhit Plawecki early last year
Travis outhit Plawecki in September
Travis outhit Plawecki in the Spring.
So why has Plawecki started 6 games to Travis’s 4? And once again his OPS has fallen to sub 600. He’s a backup at best, and it needs to be closer to 75/25 in favor of Travis.
Now we know why. End of the road for Travis, maybe.
To think I passed up 40-1 to win the WS in Vegas a couple of months ago…….
Ok, the Mets are 9 and freaking 1.
Me, the Mayor of Panic City is here to tell you all this: the Mets are 9 and freaking 1. I dont have any interest in what I think is best. This team is winning. Every person on the team is pulling on the rope in the same direction. I have complete confidence in Callaway et al. I have exactly zero to complain about this team, who is playing, how its being run, and what the outcome is.
Let’s Go Mets!
Let’s Go Mets!
Let’s Go Mets!
you know this team is headed in the right direction when Chris F is on board.
Eric, don’t jump to conclusions yet. A partial UCL tear would explain TDA’s lousy throwing, but it doesn’t necessarily mean he’s going to get TJ surgery and sit out the rest of the year. Lugo, Tanaka and others have been able to continue playing with it. Depending on the severity of the tear, he may just need some time off and rehab. If it’s worst case scenario, we may need to get a catcher. Plawecki backed up by Tomas Nido or Jose Lobaton likely won’t give us enough production.
It’s TDA – so I’d lay money on TJ surgery and him being out for the year. Hope I’m wrong. If that happens, Lobaton will be added to 40 man and Nido sent down. KPlaw is going to have to dig deep and fulfill his potential. He’ll get every opportunity now.
The thing is TdA will get surgery and he should do so immediately. But the first storm has come to Mickey. Let’s hope Mickey has the solutions to this and that Nido is ready for prime time.
d’Arnaud could have played through the UCL and gutted the pain…. but now that other teams know it’s a UCL, they would have run with Impunity!!!…Oh, Wait……
Btw…I believe the injury was really knocking down his Pitch Framing