Mets Dominate Home Opener 5-0: Is Megill Breaking Out?
The New York Mets won Saturday afternoon in a game in which little went right. They had runners in scoring position in three of the first four innings but failed to score. In the bottom of the 7th, New York put three runners on base but again couldn’t drive anyone home.
The Toronto Blue Jays seemed destined to win when they took a 2-0 lead in the 7th. Two runs seemed more than enough, with the Mets’ continued failures in the clutch.
Jesse Winker is fast becoming a folk hero to Mets fans. He plays with unbridled enthusiasm and is highly skilled at getting under an opponent’s skin. New York needed an energy boost, so who better to provide it?
Winker doubled in the 2nd, tripled in the 4th, and was left on base both times. In the bottom of the 8th, he came up with two men on base and two outs. Failure in this spot would almost certainly lead to a Mets loss.
Some players would rather avoid the moments where the lights are the brightest. Others enjoy being in high-pressure situations because they feed off intensity. Winker wants to be up in the big spots. He proved it yet again with another triple, tying the game.
Like many of the Mets ‘ bats, Mets superstar Francisco Lindor has gotten off to a slow start. Even when down, he’s the player Mets fans want up in the most significant moments. Lindor came up in the bottom of the ninth with a runner on 1st and 3rd and one out. As he did throughout last season’s home stretch, he produced with a sacrifice fly to win the game.
Pete Alonso has played with renewed confidence and freedom since Juan Soto has been in the lineup. He has 11 RBIs in the Mets’ first nine games, one of only 11 players to do so in franchise history. He is hitting .364 with a.462 on-Base Percentage and a.864 on-Base plus Slugging Percentage—magnificent statistics.
The rest of the lineup has left much to be desired. Soto is getting on base but hasn’t contributed power stats yet. Lindor, Mark Vientos, and Brandon Nimmo have all struggled. Spring standout Brett Baty has done little. New York hitters are 12 for 73, a .164 batting average, with runners in scoring position this season.
The Mets’ starting pitching has performed decently, but it hasn’t provided much length due to injuries and careful management. Yesterday’s game illustrated this again. David Peterson, due to illness, labored to throw strikes. He walked five batters in 4 2/3 innings.
Manager Carlos Mendoza made the right call to remove Peterson, but the decision also necessitated outstanding bullpen work to hold the 2-1 lead.
Max Kranick was lights out during Spring Training and has elevated that upon the season’s opening bell. Yesterday, he came in with the bases loaded and the Blue Jays threatening to break the game open. He induced Alejandro Kirk to foul out, stranding three runners. Kranick has faced 22 batters this season and retired 21.
The Mets’ bullpen figured to be one of the best with the addition of A.J. Minter and the re-signing of Ryan Stanek to set up elite closer Edwin Diaz. Add a dynamic element like Kranick, which could finish well as the game’s elite. Mendoza has the luxury of not pushing his starters and mixing and matching his electric relief arms.
Diaz is one of the game’s best closers, but nothing usually comes easy. Mets fans often feel like they are walking a high-wire act as they watch him work. Yesterday proved no different.
Coming in to close a 2-1 Mets lead, Diaz promptly hit Alan Roden. He got the next two batters out. Just when the game was about to end, Diaz responded with another hit batter, Bo Bichette.
Diaz thrives in intense moments. Fans would prefer to avoid the nail-biting affairs, but it often seems like this is where he wants his opponent. Diaz responded by getting Blue Jays slugger Vladimir Guerrero Jr. to ground out in a fielder’s choice to end the game and clinch the sweep.
The Mets’ bullpen has been truly remarkable in the season’s early going. They have a 1.29 earned run average and have been primarily responsible for New York’s six wins. They are loaded with experienced, high-quality arms, and Kranick gives them another dominating element; their run should continue.
Fans have shown legitimate frustration with the bats’ struggles. The Mets signed Soto to a massive contract, adding to what was already one of the better lineups. Instant success is expected. Patience is difficult, especially when failed opportunities to break games open occur.
Fans should remember that Francisco Alvarez and Jeff McNeil are out due to injury. They will lengthen the lineup upon their return. There is also a saying to trust the statistics on the back of a player’s baseball card. The Mets’ hitters have exemplary career numbers, which tend to repeat by season’s end.
The Mets are 6-3 with little hitting outside of Alonso, a rotation that is very much in flux, and sloppy fielding. A mark of a good team is its ability to win when things aren’t going right. NY is doing that.
Kodai Senga and Clay Holmes figure to improve as they work through their adjustment periods to strengthen the rotation. Sean Manaea will return soon, which will elevate the starters. The Mets have one of the better farm systems. David Stearns will have the pieces to add a starting pitcher at the trade deadline. Sandy Alcantara, anyone?
Keep the faith, fans. The Mets are doing well, and they’re only going to get better.
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