Category: MLB Blogs
Final Recap: Nationals 5 – Mets 0
The Washington Nationals (46-32) defeated the New York Mets (40-36) by the final score of 5-0 tonight. For a full boxscore recap follow the link below…
Game Notes:
- In a rain-shortened outing Matt Harvey went 3.2 innings while allowing 1 run on 4 hits. He walked 3 and struck out 3.
- Jerry Blevins was charged with 2 runs in 1.1 innings of relief on a 2-run homer by Bryce Harper.
- Hansel Robles pitched 2 innings while allowing 2 runs on 2 hits while walking 2 batters and striking out 2.
- Asdrubal Cabrera was 1-4 with a double. It was the Mets only extra base-hit of the night.
Well if it couldn’t get much worse last night for Mets fans it certainly did tonight. The Mets were completely blanked offensively by Nats starter Lucas Giolito who pitched four rain-shortned innings and the Nationals bullpen who pitched five scoreless innings in relief. The Mets were only down 1-0 before mother nature intervened in the bottom of the fourth and caused an 85-minute rain delay. However when Matt Harvey was pulled after the delay, reliever Jerry Blevins served up a 2-run home run to Bryce Harper in the bottom of the fifth which almost seemed to put the game out of reach, despite the Mets only being down 3-0.
The Mets certainly had an opportunity in the top of the sixth inning to claw back into the game after loading the bases with one out. But former Met Oliver Perez would have other plans and strike out James Loney, as well as retire Wilmer Flores on a fly ball to center field to end the Mets lone threat. Another ho-hum outing for the Mets offense and things will not get any easier with Max Scherzer on the mound for the Nats.
Despite Matt Harvey being tagged with the loss it wasn’t necessarily his fault Mother Nature made her presence felt and cut his outing short. Harvey looked to be pitching better than his last start in Washington when he was absolutely tattooed. Harvey unfortunately now becomes the quickest Mets pitcher in history to approach ten losses in a season. Tough break for the Dark Knight tonight as much of it wasn’t the fault of his own.
Curtis Granderson did not come out to play right field after the rain delay as it seems he is dealing with a mild right calf strain. Apparently this injury caused Granderson to sit on Sunday against the Braves and it may cost him a start tomorrow evening against the Nationals. It doesn’t seem to be anything too serious, but with the Mets rash of injuries this season we will keep a close eye on it. Alejandro De Aza replaced Granderson in right field after the delay.
The Mets have now dropped back five games in the standings behind the Nationals, and will look to at least salvage a game out of this series tomorrow night. The Mets now sit in third place and can’t afford to keep losing ground as they are probably in their toughest stretch of games this season prior to the All-Star Break. The Mets could quite frankly be out of the race prior to the break if they don’t begin stringing some wins together soon. They have one game against the Nationals remaining in this series, four against the Cubs next at Citi, three against the Marlins at Citi, and four against the Nationals at Citi to close out the first-half of the season. That is as tough of a schedule as they can face right now and there needs to be a sense of urgency heading into tomorrow’s finale.
- Tomorrow’s series finale will take place at 7:05 pm et and can be seen on both SNY and ESPN 2.
- Logan Verrett (3-4, 4.14 ERA) will receive the spot start tomorrow evening for the Mets and oppose Nationals ace Max Scherzer (8-5, 3.52 ERA).
Mets Tidbits:
- General Manager Sandy Alderson confirmed to reporters prior to tonight’s contest that both Noah Syndergaard and Steven Matz are dealing with bone spurs in their pitching elbows. Matz’s start has been pushed back a day from Wednesday, and will now start Thursday night’s game against the Chicago Cubs. It has also been confirmed that both pitchers won’t suffer any further damage if they continue to pitch with the spurs, but it could limit their effectiveness. Syndergaard’s spur, which is much smaller, will not require an operation but Matz’s spur most likely will require an operation at some point. It is all wait and see at this point to see if there is any effect on both pitchers going forward. Logan Verrett will get the start tomorrow night against the Nats.
- It has been announced today that first baseman Dominic Smith (Team USA) and second baseman Dilson Herrera (World Team) will represent the Mets during the SiriusXM All-Star Futures Game in San Diego on July 10. The 21-year old Smith who was a former first round pick in 2013, is hitting .259 with six home runs and 48 RBI’s in 71 games played for Double-A Binghamton. He is currently ranked as the Mets number one prospect by MLB.com. The 22-year old Herrera made his MLB debut back in 2014, but is still considered one of the best young hitters in the minors, and is regarded as the Mets second baseman of the future. Herrera is currently hitting .278 with 11 home runs and and 44 RBI’s in 69 games played at Triple-A Las Vegas.
- Another top prospect, shortstop Amed Rosario, has been declared as most likely staying put during the upcoming trade deadline by a source close to the Mets upper-management. The 20-year old Rosario is currently ranked as the number two prospect in the Mets system by MLB.com, and could be considered the gem of the farm system. Rosario was recently promoted to Double-A Binghamton and is one of the youngest players in the Eastern League. In 71 games played between High-A Port St. Lucie and Double-A Binghamton combined, Rosario has hit .316 with three home runs and 44 RBI’s. Rosario has also collected nine triples.
Lineups & Game Notes: Mets vs. Nationals 7:05 pm et.
New York Mets (40-35):
1. Curtis Granderson (L) RF
2. Asdrubal Cabrera (S) SS
3. Yoenis Cespedes (R) CF
4. Neil Walker (S) 2B
5. James Loney (L) 1B
6. Wilmer Flores (R) 3B
7. Brandon Nimmo (L) LF
8. Travis d’Arnaud (R) C
9. Matt Harvey (R) P
SP: Matt Harvey RHP (4-9, 4.64 ERA)
Washington Nationals (45-32):
1. Ben Revere (L) CF
2. Jayson Werth (R) LF
3. Bryce Harper (L) RF
4. Daniel Murphy (L) 2B
5. Wilson Ramos (R) C
6. Ryan Zimmerman (R) 1B
7. Anthony Rendon (R) 3B
8. Danny Espinosa (S) SS
9. Lucas Giolito (R) P
SP: Lucas Giolito RHP (MLB Debut)
Tonight’s game can be seen on SNY and MLB Network.
Game Notes:
METS-NATIONALS NOTES: New York is 58-46 in Washington all-time…The Mets have won five of their last seven games in Washington…New York is 8-5 in D.C. since 2015…New York won two of three from the Nats in D.C. from May 23-25.
YO IN THE NATION’S CAPITAL: Yoenis Cespedes is hitting.387 (12-31) with four doubles, three homers and eight RBI in seven career games at Nationals Park.
NATURAL FLO: Wilmer Flores is 4-for-his-last-8 and has hit .319 (22-69) with four doubles, two homers and 12 RBI in 24 games in June.
FACING A STARTER IN DEBUT: Lucas Giolito will become the fourth starting pitcher to make his major league debut against the Mets this year…He joins Aaron Blair (April 24 vs. Atlanta), the Dodgers’ Julio Urias (May 27 at Citi Field) and Jameson Taillon (June 8 at Pittsburgh)…New York is 3-0 in those starts, but only Aaron Blair suffered the loss…Urias and Taillon had no-decisions…The three pitchers posted a combined 5.79 ERA issued eight walks and struck out seven.
LONEY AIN’T NO PHONY: James Loney has hit in seven straight games (9-26, .346) and in 14 of his last 15 games (18-54, .333)…Loney has reached base safely in 22 of the 25 games he’s played with the Mets.
THE DARK KNIGHT VS. NATS: Matt Harvey went 3-3 with a 1.77 ERA in 10 starts vs. Washington from 2012-2015…Harvey is 0-2 with a 12.91 ERA in two starts vs. the Nationals this season…He is 0-1 with a 10.45 ERA in his last two starts at Nationals Park…Harvey is 1-2 with a 4.02 ERA in five career starts at Nationals Park.
Final Recap: Nationals 11 – Mets 4
The Washington Nationals (45-32) defeated the New York Mets (40-35) tonight by the final score of 11-4. For a full boxscore recap follow the link below…
Game Notes:
- Noah Syndergaard was lit up for 5 runs on 7 hits in 3 innings pitched. He walked 3 and struck out 5 in his worst outing of the season.
- Sean Gilmartin wasn’t better in relief allowing 5 runs on 7 hits in 3 innings pitched.
- Wilmer Flores was 2-4 with 2 RBI’s.
- Brandon Nimmo collected his first and second Major League hits by going 2-4.
- Travis d’Arnaud was 3-4 with three singles.
Tonight’s game was flat-out ugly no matter which way you slice it. The Mets jumped on Nationals starter Joe Ross early tagging him for four runs in the first three innings before the game imploded before our very eyes. Taking a 4-0 lead into the bottom of the third, Noah Syndergaard was tagged for five runs and would be removed after the inning. The Nationals played small ball against Thor swiping a season high five bases off of him and hitting singles to drive in runs. It was the shortest outing of Syndergaard’s career and there are now question marks surrounding him after this start. The questions certainly merit warrant after he departed his last start with elbow discomfort and he now had the worst start of his season. New York Daily News reporter Kristie Ackert has reported that Syndergaard is dealing with bone chips in his pitching elbow and is trying to delay surgery until after the season. Syndergaard however denied the report after the game, stating nothing is wrong with his elbow. Fingers crossed the latter is the truth.
This was not the kind of outcome the Mets had hoped for after a promising early 4-0 lead, and then the Nationals scoring 11 unanswered runs. In a battle to regain control of first place, with tonight’s loss, the Mets now sit four games out of first place and the best they can do is come out of this series two games out of first. The road over the next two games doesn’t get any easier as the Nationals send two electric pitchers to the mound to face the Mets struggling offense. Ya gotta believe that the Mets can right the ship tomorrow after a tough day both on and off the field, with question marks now surrounding both Syndergaard and Steven Matz. Let’s keep the faith and hope for a crucial victory tomorrow night.
- The Mets and Nationals will square off in the second game of their three game series tomorrow evening with first pitch scheduled for 7:05 pm et. You can watch tomorrow’s game on SNY and MLB Network.
- Matt Harvey (4-9, 4.64 ERA) will look to help the Mets swing momentum back in their favor while opposing Nationals right-hander Lucas Giolito who will be making his Major League debut.
Mets Injury Updates:
NEW YORK, NY – MAY 01: Juan Lagares #12 of the New York Mets bats against the San Francisco Giants at Citi Field on May 1, 2016 in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City. San Francisco won the game 6-1. (Photo by G Fiume/Getty Images)
- Outfielder Juan Lagares is expected to begin a rehab assignment tomorrow with Double-A Binghamton in his return from a left thumb injury. Lagares who was diagnosed with a partially torn ligament in his left thumb earlier this month, is trying to play through his injury instead of opting for surgery. If Lagares were to get surgery on his thumb he would be out for up to two months. The Mets will keep a close eye on Lagares progress over the next few days to see how his thumb holds up while both hitting and fielding.
- Right-handed pitcher Zack Wheeler came out feeling fine after long-tossing in Port St. Lucie today. Wheeler was originally shut down last week after experiencing some discomfort in his surgically repaired elbow and was diagnosed with nerve irritation which isn’t considered a serious aliment. Wheeler has since received a cortisone shot to relieve the discomfort and appears to be on track to continue his return to the big league roster. Wheeler is scheduled to return to the Mets after the All Star break but now it remains to be seen if his 2016 debut is pushed back after his recent hiccup.
Steven Matz has bone spur in left elbow
New York Daily News reporter Kristie Ackert has heard from multiple Mets sources that Steven Matz is dealing with a bone spur in his left elbow. Matz who has been dealing with elbow discomfort over his past couple of starts has been cleared of any structrual damage with his throwing elbow by a doctor, but it appears he is dealing with a spur.
The 25-year old left-hander could certainly pitch through the injury and have surgery in the offseason, but it is all dependent on pain tolerance and whether that pain would impact his performance. The club could also opt to have Matz go under the knife immediately, but at that point he would be sidelined and unable to throw for six weeks.
No decision has been made by either Matz or the organization regarding his elbow, so we will be in wait and see mode over the next couple of days. It is certainly concerning however as Matz has shown vulnerability to injury over his brief stint with the Mets thus far, and you can imagine the Mets are going to do their due diligence before making a decision on the rookie left-hander. If Matz were to miss his start on Wednesday night you could expect either Logan Verrett or Sean Gilmartin to receive the start in his place.
Mets Tidbits:
- Cuban free agent third baseman Yulieski Gourriel held his private workout with the Mets today at the Mets facility in Port St. Lucie. Gourriel who is widely regarded as the best player in Cuba, held a private workout with the Los Angeles Dodgers last week. In 15 seasons played between Cuba and Japan, Gourriel has hit .335 with a .417 OBP, .580 slugging percentage and 250 HR in 5,491 plate appearances. Former teammate and current Met Yoenis Cespedes has heavily campaigned for the Mets to sign Gourriel. It is estimated that the 32-year old Cuban could ask for between $10-11 million annually, and it is unknown if the Mets will meet that price tag. Gourriel posted the picture above on his personal Instagram account today.
- The New York Mets are on the fence as to whether Steven Matz will make his next scheduled start on Wednesday night against the Washington Nationals. Matz who has been examined by a doctor, has no structural damage in the left elbow but is still feeling discomfort. You can imagine the Mets and manager Terry Collins are going to play it safe with their prized rookie left-hander, but we should know an exact status on Matz by tomorrow.
- Manager Terry Collins has indicated before tonight’s game that former shortstop now turned utility player, Jose Reyes will play his final game with the Low-A Brooklyn Cyclones tonight before moving his minor league assignment to Double-A Binghamton tomorrow. It is widely expected that Reyes will spend between 7-10 days in the minors working out at third base and in the outfield before making his return to the Major League roster. In Reyes first action yesterday for Brooklyn he played third base and went 0-3 at the plate with a walk. Reyes is expected to be inserted immediately into the leadoff spot upon his arrival to the Mets.
- In sort-of related Mets news, the Washington Nationals announced that right-handed pitcher Lucas Giolito will be recalled from Double-A tomorrow night to face the Mets. Giolito is expected to replace Stephen Strasburg while he is on the disabled list. Giolito is widely regarded as the number one prospect in baseball and is ranked as the number one overall prospect in baseball by MLB.com. The Mets however have faced their fair share of high-end rookie pitchers this year including facing the number two prospect in baseball, Dodgers left-hander Julio Urias.
Lineups & Game Notes: Mets vs. Nationals 7:05 pm et.
New York Mets (40-34):
1. Curtis Granderson (L) RF
2. Asdrubal Cabrera (S) SS
3. Yoenis Cespedes (R) CF
4. Neil Walker (S) 2B
5. James Loney (L) 1B
6. Wilmer Flores (R) 3B
7. Brandon Nimmo (L) LF
8. Travis d’Arnaud (R) C
9. Noah Syndergaard (L) P
SP: Noah Syndergaard RHP (8-2, 2.08 ERA)
Washington Nationals (44-32):
1. Ben Revere (L) CF
2. Jayson Werth (R) LF
3. Bryce Harper (L) RF
4. Daniel Murphy (L) 2B
5. Wilson Ramos (R) C
6. Ryan Zimmerman (R) 1B
7. Anthony Rendon (R) 3B
8. Danny Espinosa (S) SS
9. Joe Ross (R) P
SP: Joe Ross RHP (6-4, 3.11 ERA)
Tonight’s game can be seen on SNY & MLB Network.
Game Notes:
METS-NATIONALS NOTES: New York is 58-45 in Washington all-time…The Mets have won five of their last six games in Washington…New York is 8-4 in D.C. since 2015…New York won two of three from the Nats in D.C. from May 23-25.
METS RECORDS: The Mets have won four of their last six games…The Mets are 29-6 when they score four or more runs and 11-28 when they score three or less runs.
BOMBS AWAY: The Mets have hit 14 home runs in their last six games at Nationals Park, including six home runs in three contests this year.
HEY YO: Yoenis Cespedes is hitting .350 (21-60) with three homers and eight RBI over his last 16 games…He has eight multi-hit games in his last 16 contests…is hitting.385 (10-26) with four doubles, three homers and eight RBI in six career games at Nationals Park.
LONEY AIN’T NO PHONEY: James Loney has hit in 13 of his last 14 games, going 17-50 (.340) with four doubles, one triple and one homer during that span…Loney has reached base safely in 16 of his last 17 games and in 21 of the 24 games he’s played with the Mets.
LOCKDOWN: Jeurys Familia has 26 saves, the most in the majors…Is 26- 26 in save opportunities in 2016…Familia has a franchise record with 26 straight saves to open a season…Familia has saved 42 consecutive games in the regular season dating to August 1, 2015, extending a franchise-record…It is also the longest active streak in the major leagues.
ALMIGHTY THOR: Noah Syndergaard has won six straight decisions dating to May 11 and he has posted a 1.71 ERA during that stretch…Syndergaard reached 100 strikeouts this year in 81.1 innings, the fastest in team history by innings…Syndergaard is fourth in the majors with a 2.08 ERA and averages the fastest fastball (98.1), slider (91.3) and change-up (90.1) this year.
THOR VS. WASHINGTON: Has faced Washington once this season and four times in his career… Is 2-0 with a 1.33 ERA in four career starts against Washington… Has struck out 33 and walked six…His 33 strikeouts against the Nationals are the most versus any team he has faced…His 1.33 ERA against the Nationals is his second-lowest versus any team he has faced more than once.
METS VS. ROSS: Joe Ross has made two career starts against the Mets and is 0-1 with a 2.84 ERA in 12.2 innings pitched…Ross has struck out ten and walked one…This is Ross’ first start against the Mets this season…Notable numbers against Ross are provided below…
- Kelly Johnson: .667 (2-3), 1 2B
- Wilmer Flores: .333 (2-6), 1 RBI
- Neil Walker: .333 (1-3), 1 HR, 1 RBI
- Curtis Granderson: .167 (1-6), 2 K
- Yoenis Cespedes: .000 (0-3), 1 K
- Travis d’Arnaud: .000 (0-2), 1 K
Mets vs. Nationals: Round 3
The Mets will head into Washington tonight just three games behind the first place Nationals, which is something many wouldn’t have expected a couple of weeks ago. The Mets have had their fair share of struggles over the past couple of weeks, but the Nationals have been dreadful to say the least over the past week and a half as well. Continue reading
Getting married this week!
Hello fellow bloggers and Mets fans,
My fiancé and I (over 6 1/2 years of being together), are finally tying the knot this weekend! Beginning today I will be partaking in all kinds of fun wedding activities leading up to the big day on Saturday! My fiancé and I will also be going on our honeymoon the following day! Since I will be preparing for the most important week of my life and I won’t be having a computer on me, I will not be blogging for the next two weeks. That covers pretty much the rest of the upcoming homestand, and a couple of games in Atlanta next weekend. I will definitely be checking in on the scores of the games while I’m away and I hope the Mets can turn this thing around! Keep on believin’ Mets fans!
God bless baseball and God bless the New York Mets!
Above The Mendoza 