The Mets got another good outing from a starting pitcher. But a leaky bullpen and an offense that was missing in action for most of the game led to a 3-2 loss to the Diamondbacks Saturday afternoon in Citi Field.
Carlos Carrasco pitched five shutout innings and fanned eight. However, a high pitch count kept him from going deeper into the game. Buck Showalter turned to Joely Rodriguez and Seth Lugo in the same game, which hasn’t been a good combination this year. Those two gave up three runs, which was more than the Mets’ offense could overcome.
The Mets had just five hits and three walks. Late in the game, Keith Hernandez noted that the Mets didn’t have a runner in scoring position all game, which is not good. The only runs of the game for the home team came in the eighth inning, when Jeff McNeil singled and Starling Marte followed with a homer, his second in two days.
Trevor May returned to action and pitched a scoreless eighth inning. Adam Ottavino loaded the bases but did not allow a run in the ninth. But the Mets ran out of late-game magic and ended the game with a wimper, as Eduardo Escobar flew out to shallow left while Robinson Cano and Dominic Smith struck out in back-to-back ABs to end the game.
The double-barrel lefties of Cano and Smith are unfortunate. On paper it looks impressive, but neither guy poses any real threat to the pitcher out there. Melancin made them look very bad.
Carrasco impressive
McNeil had a good day.
Marte a nice blast.
Otherwise the team looked flat against a very ordinary DBacks team.
I hope my boy Escobar gets lined up soon. Needs a day off?
Is it me, or has Guillorme not hit a ball hard since last summer?
Finally, I guess I’ll have to get used to watching Pete Alonso flop around first base like a bobble on a string. I counted three balls today that a legit first baseman would have played, and he didn’t. One poor play cost a run, and what did we lose by? I’d give anything for a great-fielding first baseman.
Gotta win tomorrow.
I really don’t like this Joely Rodriguez. Castro walked alot of batters, but he has wicked stuff and had a good year last year. Bad Trade
Gut Reaction: Buck has a bullpen plan but the players that he chose to executed it are failing. Maybe he should change the roles for Rodriguez and Lugo, who pitched today in a tie game, for Sherve and Smith who pitch in a blowout yesterday. Throughout the season the bullpen roles should remain fluid.
An expected win Sunday will take the series. Let’s see if this team has what it takes to secure the series.
Lugo velocity down.
He didn’t look right all last season.
He’s not durable, so many “not availables,” which puts added pressure on the pen.
It’s a concern. A few years ago he might have been the best reliever in baseball, busting a 97 MPH fastball to go with that curve. That’s not the guy I’m seeing.
A “right” Lugo would be a huge asset. This guy is hurting us.
Joely did well today. It was a bad, unnecessary trade — but he pitched well today.
The Very Good News is that Carrasco had another solid game.
A bad day, it happens, we’ll get them tomorrow. Too many cold players are playing, and too many unproductive relievers are out there. I’m not sure I follow Showalter’s plan of letting the pitcher that finished the previous inning start the next. Seems he’s trying to steal some outs.
Right now, reliable: Diaz, Ottovino, Smith, Shreve. Maybe: May, Rodriguez, Williams. Not: Lugo, Foley. Peterson is in the rotation until further notice, and that may be a while knowing Walker is fragile. So, it may be time to juggle the “hot/not” list in Showalter’s scorecard.
I have a good feeling for JD Davis tomorrow.
I feel that JD and Dom need more consistent ABs.
The DL situation with Nimmo & Canha makes that a little tougher to accomplish right now, since Buck wants McNeil in LF.
He’s clearly reluctant to put brutal gloves on the field.
Hopefully one or both of those guys puts forward a string of good ABs that merits more playing time. Neither have looked deserving so far. It’s a catch-22. Want more playing time? Make the most of your opportunities. Period.
Metsense makes perfect sense. Shreve and Smith look better than Lugo and certainly JRod. So much sense. Pitch Lugo in more low-leverage situations to get him right. Work JRod in here and there to get a better assessment of his role. I’m sure Buck loses more sleep over these things than we do. Mets bullpen a patchwork of mediocrity…