The Mets were this close to playing spoilers to the Rangers division and playoff hopes. It seemed like they were about to do so, behind solid starting pitching by Tylor Megill and home runs by Brandon Nimmo and D.J. Stewart, to pad the Mets to an early 3-0 lead.
Megill might’ve pitched his best game of the season. He went six innings, gave up only one run and struck out eight, going against one of the best lineups in baseball this year.
However, after Megill left in a 3-1 game and Sean Reid-Foley pitched a 1-2-3 seventh inning in relief, the rest of the bullpen did not come through.
Brooks Raley walked two batters and was lifted for Sean Coonrad, who walked his first batter and allowed an inherited runner to score, making it 3-2.
In the ninth inning, in came Trevor Gott to close the game. He immediately got into trouble with 2nd and 3rd with no outs. Gott did strike out his next two batters, but after Corey Seager was intentionally walked to load the bases, Nathaniel Lowe hit a clutch two run single, to give the Rangers a 4-3 lead.
The Mets did not score in the bottom of the ninth inning and lost a tough one 4-3 after their thrilling walk off win the day before over the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.
Megill’s solid outing however was a bright spot and one that can give hope to the Mets rotation next season if he finishes strong. Stewart continues his good power hitting with his seventh home run and Nimmo’s 19th homer puts him one shy of his first 20 home run season.
The Mets will look to bounce back tomorrow against those same Rangers with Jose Quintana on the mound.
So close but so far. Inches away from beating a team many thought we might have faced in the post season. Just not enough offense. Kudos to Nimmo for always doing his part. Megill tonight is the one we want – not the crappy version. Stewart earns more respect with each game. Would have been nice to have a real closer for the ninth.
Clutching defeat from the jaws of victory!
Tough to win when your 2-5 hitters go a combined 0-16 with 9 Ks, especially for a team that’s considered top-heavy.
Hey, what’s with Pete swinging at pitches a foot off away from the strike zone?!
My opinion is that Pete has always had some trouble with low and away pitches and he’s expanding his strike zone on these pitches this year. Part of his poor AVG this year is bad luck on BABIP. Another part is nearly a 5% increase in K%.
Wow, a pitch that Alonso swung at last night was at least a foot outside! That’s happening a lot these days!
Gut Reaction: Megill pitched a good game like Peterson did on Sunday. Until either one of them pitches consistently,then they be only long relievers/ spot starters. The Mets need three more starters for 2024. All year the Mets have needed good long relievers instead these option relievers that they used this year. Megill and Peterson would fit that role of long relievers in 2024.
Nimmo, although slightly less of carreer norms, has had a good year.
This game, I Gott a broken heart.
The Mets took on Flexen’s money to get Gott. I take it Flexen elected free agency…it would have been prudent to stash him in AAA for a rainy day…not that it matters much on the 2024 outcome, but Eppler essentially burned another $10 million or so of the owner’s pocket change.
They cut Flexen without even giving him a chance. He got picked up by Colorado and has gotten killed there too. I couldn’t understand the need to cut him for the stiffs they’ve accumulated.