The Mets bounced back from yesterday’s fiasco, as four pitchers combined on a shutout, leading the Mets to a 2-0 win Tuesday night in Philadelphia.
Tylor Megill pitched well in his second straight game, throwing 5.1 scoreless innings. He wasn’t quite as dominating as he was on Opening Day but given both the opponent and the venue, it was equally impressive.
Chasen Shreve added a scoreless inning, even getting Bryce Harper in the extra up-down appearance at the start of the seventh. Perhaps the bullpen surprise of the night was Buck Showalter going a second inning with Drew Smith, a move that paid off in spades. Edwin Diaz survived two runners in the ninth, both reached on balls that didn’t leave the infield, to earn his first save of the year.
The Mets had Zack Wheeler on the ropes in the first inning. Not because of anything they did but rather due to two HBP and a walk. But Robinson Cano struck out to end the inning. It was a bad start en route to an 0-4 night for Cano. And like the Phillies in the ninth, Cano didn’t get the ball out of the infield, either.
Brandon Nimmo delivered the game’s first run, as he chased Wheeler with a home run in the fifth inning. Wheeler was only supposed to go four innings tonight but Joe Girardi sent him out for an extra inning. He retired the first two batters on two pitches, so Girardi left him in and Nimmo made him pay. It’s the third extra-base hit for Nimmo, who’s recovered nicely from the power outage he suffered the first two months after he returned from the hand injury last year.
The Mets scored an insurance run in the eighth inning when the Phillies didn’t complete a chance for a double play. Starling Marte, who reached on the fielder’s choice, stole second base and scored on Francisco Lindor’s single.
Is it the end of April that the rosters get shrunk a bit? Teams carry what, 28 now? What will it be come May 1st, 25 or 26? Any guesses as to who will be dropped from the roster?
I know a lot of us have been wondering why Cano is playing so much….my guess (hope) is that the Mets will eat his remaining salary and cut him…now that would certainly make us all sit up and take notice.
Gut Reaction: Megill pitched very good again. He is seizing his opportunity and he is stepping up.
The Marte stolen base, setting up the insurance run, was the turning point of the game. It is a facet of the game was that the Mets were lacking in past seasons.
This afternoon, with Scherzer pitching, they could win the series.
+1.
Nice bounce back win.
I woke up thinking about why Cano is playing. Here’s what I came up with:
The Mets want to clergies the hurdle of the Cano dilemma. The best strategy might be to play him enough to see what he’s worth. Either he gets hurt and suspends the problem,. does fairly well and contributes, or yes poorly and gives them the rationale to dump him.
Meanwhile Dom Smith sits and waits for that to play out. But I have news for him… the same experiment may be awaiting for him.
To me, Dom has a whole lot to prove.
JD is the guy who deserves the majority of the ABs. He proved he can hit RHs well enough to not be strictly platooned.
I think your take on Cano is exactly right. I’d add my speculation that Buck respects Cano’s stature and is giving him every chance to succeed before benching him. At some point soon, I hope, Cano’s performance has him on the pine.
Also agree that Dom has something to prove but it may not be fair to evaluate his contribution until Cano is sitting and he and Davis are splitting ABs in the DH slot.
My two cents.