An Independence Day spent across the Canadian border yielded a victory for the New York Mets, as they defeated the Toronto Blue Jays 6-3.
Once again, the Mets offense put up a six spot on the starter for the Blue Jays. This time, it was the struggling ace Marcus Stroman that yielded the runs to the Mets. After allowing a run scoring single to Brandon Nimmo in the top of the third inning, it took the Mets until the fifth inning to completely unravel Stroman. During that inning, five runs would cross the plate for the Mets. The biggest blast came off the bat of Todd Frazier, who started things off in the fifth inning with a two-run blast. To pair with the home run, Frazier also had a fantastic night at the hot corner. Today, Frazier flashed the leather in a bounty of ways that proved he could really handle the position well.
Following the blast, Jose Bautista, Asdrubal Cabrera, and Michael Conforto each contributed an RBI single to the inning, making the score 6-2. The Mets displayed tonight what the offense could have been this season if they each contributed like they did tonight. My Gut Reaction is that tonight will spark some offensive momentum for the Mets, and the team will start to hit better as a unit.
On the mound to start for the Mets was Corey Oswalt, who produced a much better outing than his last time on the mound. Although he was given a short leash of only four innings and 65 pitches, Oswalt made the most of his time. Oswalt was effective, allowing two runs on five hits, while striking out two.
With Oswalt going so short, it was obvious going into the night that Seth Lugo would see significant time on the mound. He pitched three strong innings for the team, allowing one run on 37 pitches, striking out two. From there, the combination of Jerry Blevins, Robert Gsellman, and Jeurys Familia combined to throw two innings of scoreless relief.
Following the win, the Mets improve to 34-49 on the season. After an off day tomorrow, the Mets will start a three game series against the Tampa Bay Rays at Citi Field. On Friday, it will be Jacob deGrom taking the mound against Ryne Stanek at 7:10 pm.
Oswalt was okay and I was surprised that he was pulled after four innings and a manageable but it worked out. Frazier had maybe his best game as a Mets as he had a fantastic day on the field making two or three really good plays and hitting the go ahead homer. Lugo was very sharp especially his last inning as his curve was as filthy as ever. Nimmo has a solid games getting on base three times and Cabby continued to plug along as hopefully his trade value goes up a smidge. Familia looked really strong throwing his sinker 98 mph and getting grounders. Blevins even looked good as he threw a couple good breaking pitches and Gsellman actually did his job though I wanted Familia in there in that spot over Gsellman.
Plawecki continues to drive the ball and his wRC+ is now over 110 so no complaints and if he can get the ball in the air more he can be a very very good hitter.
All in all, nice rebound win and they really should have swept.
That might have been Reyes’ worst game on his fugly return to the Mets the last few years.
Hope we get our independence from Gary Apple as a play by play announcer he was horrific is every way possible, can’t wait until Cohen returns.
A big one game winning streak. It has to start somewhere.
For the past two months there have been more good starts than bad starts for Matz and Wheeler – who are combining with deGrom to give three fairly reliable starters.
In the last three weeks, the offense is coming around. They’ve scored 86 runs in their last 17 games, an average of slightly over 5 rpg.
Now if only the bullpen wasn’t atrocious.
I’m not gonna worship the Radar Gun, but Oswalt is not an mlb Pitcher at 88-90
I never realized how complete a player J Bats is.:: even at 37, he shows a complete game
Flores can’t play an IF position—- he’s become a decent bat. Time to say goodbye
Where does this starting rotation rank over the last 40 games?
Yeah, I thought he was supposed to touch 95. I didn’t see the game last night but Brooks Baseball has his fastest pitch at 92.9 and a total of five pitches over 92 mph. It would be nice to see a few more mph.
For the month of June, Mets SP had a 4.11 ERA, which was 8th in the NL. Their 1.235 WHIP ranked 6th. Vargas made three starts in June and had an 8.76 ERA. But the B-R injury box had him out until early August, so the July numbers could be better.
Trade value looking positive:
Bautista
Flores
Cabrera
Wheeler
deGrom
Lugo
(Syndergaard)
trade value looking neutral:
Familia
trade value looking down:
Frazier
Bruce
Ces
Swarzak
Vargas
Gsellman
To the Keep the Pitchers Together Cohort:
Can someone explain in terms of contracts how keeping the pitchers together (controllable years and/or extensions) works for building a team that is relevant before they are gone? (Presume no contract extension for this). I really hear the idea “build around the pitching” but not a word about how to do that, with what players, and financial layout.
Also, please do not make opposite things true in the same scenario. I think Lugo is a critical starter….Im so happy Lugo is the cornerstone reliever…both absolutely *cannot* be true.
Help me understand. I honestly cant see how we climb over the Braves and Phillies….and even the Nats without a complete tear down and getting back controllable MLB and AAA level top prospects (mostly).
The Mets are really short on talent. By trading expiring contracts, we probably win get much back.
Out vaunted pitching staff has Wheeler for one more year, deGrom for two and Syndergaard for three. If they don’t trade these pitchers, do you really think they will compete within the next three years? I don’t think they will unless farm produces real talent. We are stuck with Bruce and Cespedes for two more years.
I don’t see the team developing unless the do a serious rebuild. That will probably bad seasons for two more years at least. They will also have to be very strategic in signing good free agents when they start to improve.
But it all starts with the GM. Who, how aggressive and what moves will they make.
I think Callaway hit the perfect storm. I don’t know, but it feels like the team lacks fire and it feels like he doesn’t have the clubhouse.
So let’s see what happens.
True Chris— You need to spend some money to build around them….and they need to be right and lucky about the guys they choose!!! They will need to make a harsh and true meausre of who is who on the present roster. They will need to be willing to assume some deadhead money, to some extent.
In some form, Bruce and Ces are coming back—and you’ll die if you “plan perfectly” for both being healthy and productive as full timers…..I expect Bruce to return to his baseball card. Ces?….. I’d prefer to be greatly surprised to the positive.
Ces, Bruce, Nimmo, Conforto— that’s the bulk of OF/1B
Frazier-3rd
Rosario-short
2b?
C?— Bring Mes and Plaw back in a Platoon
Bullpen and Bench?
How about Lugo for Brandon Drury????
Not a chance in the world I’d deal Lugo for Drury. Lugo is an outstanding reliever and is controllable for years and should be the closer once Familia is gone. They’d have to get far more than a Drury for Lugo.
Agree with Pete. Drury for a minor leaguer is fine, but for anyone on the MLB roster is out of the question.
Chris, your question on how to win by keeping the pitching intact is actually quite simple to say, but harder to count on. As the Giants showed us, you can win just one elite arm, a star hitter, and everyone else doing their jobs well.
It’s why I felt the Mets were always underperforming. Further, under Joe Girardi the Yankees always stayed over .500 even through their rebuild. It starts with the leadership.
The Mets can keep all the pitching and lean on the bats of Cespedes, Conforto, Nimmo, but need one more hitter. Further, the defense needs to start catching everything to help the pitching staff and not keep making life harder for them.
I’m convinced that the only reason Conforto was touted as such a much better CF than Nimmo despite all the BS we heard about Nimmo’s defense was to keep Bruce in the lineup and avoid asking Alderson any uncomfortable questions. In fact, Nimmo looks fine in CF (not Lagares, but Matt Netter expects him back in August) and Conforto is comfortable in a corner. About time the genius got out of here so things can start getting better. Fix the defense, add speed, add good hitting, and fix the bullpen. There are good usable components in all these areas.
The Mets need to figure out how to add quality position guys and I’m afraid without moving any starting pitching, they won’t be able to. Wheeler would be my target to move since he has the least control left, but if the prospects aren’t MLB ready, what’s the use. Just keep your pitching and keep an open mind on trades and wait for your kids to come up.
Sorry Gus, Im not buying “lean on the hitters we have” as a plan. I see it every day, and Im not seeing much no matter what this last stretch has been. Also, neither Nimmo nor Conforto are major league center fielders. Putting either out there is forfeiting the position. I take Encierte all day every day over both, combined.
Lets look want we have to surmount
1B Freeman v Smith/Flores/Alonso/Wright/Ces (Braves win)
2B Albies v Cabrera or Flores or TJ or Checchini or Rosario (Braves win)
SS Swanson v Rosario/Reyes/Giminez (Braves win)
3B nobody v Frazier (draw)
C Flowers/Suzuki v KP and ? (Braves win)
LF Acuna v Ces/Conforto (draw, but Acuna will likely put Braves ahead)
CF Enciarte v Conforto/Nimmo/Lagares (Braves win)
RF Markakis v Nimmo/Bruce (Braves for the moment, but who believes in NM?)
Thats a lot to climb over without serious spending. And our bull pen is in tatters
I’m really not sure why everyone is in such a panic mode – Omar Minaya is back in charge – he’ll just trade everyone for the Little League world champs – after all he was always thinking of the future his last time around.