Tagged: New York Mets
The injuries just keep on coming…
The Mets announced some troubling news this afternoon as Steven Matz has had a setback with his shoulder strain and will no longer pitch Thursday night. At this point the Mets are hopeful that Matz will resume throwing eventually and pitch next week, but manager Terry Collins is not as optimistic. There certainly is a fear from Collins that Matz may not pitch for the rest of the season with this latest setback. Matz had told reporters that an MRI of his shoulder revealed no structural damage but did show irritation of his rotator cuff. Jacob deGrom will move up a day from his scheduled start on Friday, and pitch in Matz’s place on Thursday. Matz has not pitched since August 14th when he one-hit the San Diego Padres through 7.1 innings of work.
Collins also expressed a lot of concern for Neil Walker and his back issue, as Walker is out of the starting lineup for the third straight game. Collins suggested that Walker will have to manage his injury from here on out if he wants any shot of playing down the stretch, and it could be a real possibility the second baseman could be lost for the season. It’s certainly frustrating news which seems to come once a day from the Mets, as Walker has clearly been the Mets second best offensive player this season. Even if Walker is able to play down the stretch, the way Collins made his injury sound, he may not be an everyday player. The 30-year old second baseman was slashing .389 with six home runs and ten RBIs in 18 games during the month of August.
In unrelated news the Mets demoted pitcher Rafael Montero to Double-A Binghamton, and recalled right-handed pitcher Logan Verrett from Triple-A Las Vegas. It’s a bit surprising that the Mets brought up another pitcher instead of opting for depth on a thin bench. Verrett will provide the Mets with a fresh arm out of the bullpen. The 26-year old right-hander has produced a 3-8 record with a 5.36 ERA in 85.2 innings pitched at the MLB level this season.
Lineups: Marlins vs. Mets 7:10 pm et.
Miami Marlins (67-64):
1. Dee Gordon (L) 2B
2. Marcell Ozuna (R) CF
3. Martin Prado (R) 3B
4. Christian Yelich (L) LF
5. Xavier Scruggs (R) 1B
6. Ichiro Suzuki (L) RF
7. J.T. Realmuto (R) C
8. Adeiny Hechavarria (R) SS
9. Tom Koehler (R) P
SP: Tom Koehler RHP (9-9, 3.85)
New York Mets (67-64):
1. Jose Reyes (S) 3B
2. Asdrubal Cabrera (S) SS
3. Yoenis Cespedes (R) LF
4. Jay Bruce (L) RF
5. Alejandro De Aza (L) CF
6. Wilmer Flores (R) 2B
7. James Loney (L) 1B
8. Rene Rivera (R) C
9. Seth Lugo (R) P
SP: Seth Lugo RHP (1-2, 2.51 ERA)
Tonight’s game can be seen on SNY.
Final Recap: Mets 2 – Marlins 1 (10)
The New York Mets (67-64) defeated the Miami Marlins (67-64) in walk-off fashion tonight in ten innings by the final score of 2-1. For a full boxscore recap follow the link below…
Game Notes:
- Yoenis Cespedes went 3-5 with a walk off solo HR in the bottom of the 10th.
- Jose Reyes was 1-5 with a double and would score the tying run on a wild pitch in the bottom of the 8th.
- Rafael Montero went 5 innings in his first big league start of the season while allowing no runs on two hits. He walked 6 and struck out 3.
- Addison Reed had a rare off night as he pitched an inning while giving up 1 run on 2 hits. He walked none and struck out 1.
WHAT A WIN!! Tonight’s game felt like a playoff game and rightfully so between two teams in the thick of the NL Wild Card race. The Mets were able to walk off on the heroics of none other than our star player Yoenis Cespedes, as he deposited a 92 mph fastball deep into the left center field seats to give the Mets a much needed win in extras tonight. I will be watching that home run over and over for the next 24 hours as it was simply a thing of beauty.
The Mets over the past week and a half with Cespedes in the lineup have some sort of magic that follows them, similar to last season and it’s hard to ignore it. Down 1-0 in the bottom of the eighth after Addsion Reed was touched up for a run in the top of the inning, Jose Reyes led the bottom of the inning off with a double, and advanced to third on a fly ball from Alejandro De Aza. Reyes would then come home and score on a violent collision at home plate with Marlins pitcher A.J. Ramos who had thrown a wild pitch to the backstop. Reyes would be down for a few moments as he looked severely injured, but he eventually hopped up to the delight of the Citi Field crowd and remained in the game.
With Jacob deGrom’s start being pushed back to Friday and the Mets calling up Rafael Montero to take his place from Double-A, you have to agree the pitching tonight exceeded expectations. Montero and the bullpen went toe to toe with the Jose Fernandez who always stymies the Mets, and gave the Mets a chance to pull off tonight’s victory. While Montero was a bit erratic on the mound and flirted with danger multiple times, he danced around it and ultimately oddly pitched five scoreless innings with six walks. You can’t make this stuff up, but of course we will take it! And shout out to the bullpen who despite Addison Reed’s off night (hey it happens) pitched incredibly the whole night! A combined five innings of one run ball with three hits and six strikeouts is getting it done.
The Mets won’t gain any ground on the Cardinals tonight as the Cardinals won, and they will still sit 2.5 games behind them for the final NL Wild Card spot. They are now even however with the Marlins in the standings and could pass them tomorrow night with another victory.
- The Mets and Marlins will play the second game of their critical four-game series tomorrow night with first pitch scheduled for 7:10 pm et. You can watch tomorrow’s game on SNY.
- Impressive rookie Seth Lugo (1-2, 2.51 ERA) will toe the rubber for the Mets and face off with Marlins right-hander Tom Koehler (9-9, 3.85 ERA).
Final Recap: Phillies 5 – Mets 1
The Philadelphia Phillies (60-70) defeated the New York Mets (66-64) this afternoon by the final score of 5-1. For a full boxscore recap follow the link below…
Game Notes:
- Making his first career start, Robert Gsellman went 7 innings while allowing 4 runs on 7 hits with 1 walk and 5 strikeouts. He was charged with the loss. Hansel Robles allowed three of Gsellman’s inherited runners to score, and was charged with a run himself.
- Curtis Granderson was 0-2 with a walk and an RBI sac fly.
- Jay Bruce struggles continue as he was 1-4 with 3 strikeouts.
- Asdrubal Cabrera was 1-1 with a base hit before departing early with an injury.
- The Mets left 8 on base today and were 1-5 with runners in scoring position.
Well after a promising first two games to start the series, Sunday did not go as planned for the Mets. Already playing without the heart of their lineup with Yoenis Cespedes and Neil Walker sitiing with injuries, Asdrubal Cabrera would reinjure his left knee in the first inning. Cabrera ran into Phillies first baseman Tommy Joseph while legging out a hit and it appeared that Cabrera had injured his arm or wrist. That would not be the case as Cabrera would run to second base very gingerly and immediately be pulled out of the game. It’s another blow for the Mets (which is a redundant phrase this season) after Cabrera had been help carrying the Mets offensively since returning from the DL. Any reaggravation of the knee injury that cost Cabrera three weeks can’t be good, and while there is no official word on how long he will be gone, the way things have gone this season I wouldn’t be surprised if he hit the DL. Simply bad luck has followed the Mets this season and it appears there is no end in sight.
Robert Gsellman pitched admirably in his first career start as he had limited the Phillies to only one run through six innings before being allowed to take the mound for the seventh. It’s extremely debatable as to how long Gsellman should’ve been left out there before loading the bases with no outs, or whether he should’ve been even sent out to pitch the seventh. In my opinion I didn’t mind seeing him out there for the top of the inning, but he should’ve been yanked when he gave up the first base hit of the inning. He’s a young pitcher making his first career start and the Phillies had a read on him in the seventh, and the Mets ultimately paid for it as Hansel Robles came in and did everything but put out the fire. I do like Gsellman’s potential however as he has a pretty good arsenal and I’m looking forward to seeing more of him the rest of the season.
All in all it’s a tough day to be a Mets fan, as we lost another premier player to injury, we have question marks surrounding two of our top offensive players who were sitting with flare ups of previous injuries, and the Mets failed to gain any ground as the Cardinals, Marlins, and Nationals all lost today. I’ve learned to accept the roller coaster ride this season however as it seems each day of the season has brought something entirely different to the table. Us Mets fans will continue to adapt and hope that the best case scenario begins to work in our favor from here on out.
- The Mets and Marlins will open a big four-game series tomorrow night at Citi Field which will certainly have postseason ramifications. First pitch is scheduled for 7:10 pm et and you can catch tomorrow’s game on SNY.
- Rafael Montero (0-0, 11.57 ERA) will be promoted from Double-A Binghamton to make his first start of 2016 for the Mets against Marlins ace and Met killer Jose Fernandez (13-7, 2.91 ERA).
Mets Injury Updates:
- The Mets placed outfielder Justin Ruggiano on the 15-day disabled list last night with left shoulder discomfort. Ruggiano had left Friday night’s game early with the discomfort in his shoulder and it has been determined the injury will hinder him for the next 15 days. In what has become another injury blow to the Mets, Ruggiano hits the disabled list less than 10 days after being activated from the disabled list from his hamstring strain. Infielder T.J. Rivera was recalled from Triple-A Las Vegas in a corresponding move. Rivera has played eight games in the outfield in the minors this season so he may be an option for the Mets out there as well.
- Yoenis Cespedes is out of today’s starting lineup with a flare up of his quad that previously kept him on the disabled list. While the flare up is considered minor, we have seen how injuries have dismantled this team this season and it will be worth keeping a close eye on. For now we’ll consider Cespedes day to day but anything longer could have serious ramifications for the remainder of the season for the Mets.
- Neil Walker is also out of today’s lineup with a minor back flare up. Walker previously sat four games earlier this month with a back issue, but today’s reported flare up is also considered minor in nature and he is expected only to miss today’s game. However as this has become a reoccurring injury now for Walker, we will also keep a close eye on him and hope it doesn’t end up as something more serious down the line.
- Finally some good news, Steven Matz reportedly felt fine during his scheduled bullpen session today. He will be activated off of the DL, and start Thursday night’s game against the Miami Marlins. Matz who had been dealing with a shoulder strain has not pitched since tossing 7.1 innings of one-hit, shutout ball against the Padres on August 14.
- Last but not least taking Jacob deGrom’s rotation spot on Monday night will be right-hander Rafael Montero. While Montero started the season at Triple-A Las Vegas, he struggled mightily to the tune of a 7.20 ERA in 16 starts. The 25-year old right-hander has turned his season around however at Double-A Binghamton, as he has posted a 1.70 ERA in eight starts.
Lineups: Phillies vs. Mets 1:10 pm et.
Philadelphia Phillies (59-70):
1. Cesar Hernandez (S) 2B
2. Odubel Herrera (L) CF
3. Maikel Franco (R) 3B
4. Tommy Joseph (R) 1B
5. Aaron Altherr (R) RF
6. Jimmy Paredes (S) LF
7. A.J. Ellis (R) C
8. Freddy Galvis (S) SS
9. Vince Velasquez (R) P
SP: Vince Velasquez RHP (8-6, 4.31 ERA)
New York Mets (66-63):
1. Jose Reyes (S) 3B
2. Asdrubal Cabrera (S) SS
3. Kelly Johnson (L) 2B
4. Jay Bruce (L) RF
5. Curtis Granderson (L) LF
6. Alejandro De Aza (L) CF
7. James Loney (L) 1B
8. Travis d’Arnaud (R) C
9. Robert Gsellman (R) P
SP: Robert Gsellman RHP (1-0, 0.00 ERA)
Today’s game can be seen on SNY.
Lineups: Phillies vs. Mets 7:10 pm et
Philadelphia Phillies (59-69):
1. Cesar Hernandez (S) 2B
2. Odubel Herrera (L) CF
3. Aaron Altherr (R) LF
4. Maikel Franco (R) 3B
5. Ryan Howard (L) 1B
6. Cameron Rupp (R) C
7. Jimmy Paredes (S) RF
8. Freddy Galvis (S) SS
9. Jeremy Hellickson (R) P
SP: Jeremy Hellickson RHP (10-7, 3.60 ERA)
New York Mets (65-63):
1. Jose Reyes (S) 3B
2. Asdrubal Cabrera (S) SS
3. Yoenis Cespedes (R) LF
4. Neil Walker (S) 2B
5. James Loney (L) 1B
6. Alejandro De Aza (L) CF
7. Curtis Granderson (L) RF
8. Rene Rivera (R) C
9. Noah Syndergaard (L) P
SP: Noah Syndergaard RHP (11-7, 2.61 ERA)
Tonight’s game can be seen on WPIX.
Last Night’s Recap: Mets 9 – Phillies 4
The New York Mets (65-63) defeated the Philadelphia Phillies (59-69) in last night’s opener by the final score of 9-4. For a full boxscore recap follow the link below…
Game Notes:
- Asdrubal Cabrera had a big game going 2-4 with 2 HRs and 3 RBIs.
- Wilmer Flores went 1-4 with a grand slam.
- Jose Reyes went 2-4 with a leadoff HR in the first inning.
- Yoenis Cespedes was 2-4 with two base knocks.
- Bartolo Colon pitched seven innings giving up 4 runs on 6 hits with 2 walks and 6 strikeouts. He also did it with the bat going 2-3 with a double and 2 runs scored.
The Mets absolutely laid the smackdown on the Phillies last night, and it was something we hope to see more of down the stretch, as the Mets will be playing one of the easiest schedules in terms of team records. The offense came out in full force last night, and the Mets haven’t been able to beat the Phillies as handily as they did last season. The Mets came into last night’s contest 5-4 against the Phillies this season, and they will be seeing the Phillies nine more times this season which makes it crucial that they continue to play well against them. The Mets are currently riding a nice streak as they have won five of their last six games, and the team has really come alive over the past week. This team knows what it will take to get back to the postseason and if they can avoid injury they will make the next few weeks of baseball very interesting.
Here are some impressive numbers for ya: Over the past seven games Asdrubal Cabrera has hit .393 with a .750 slugging percentage. Over his last 12 games Jose Reyes has hit .360. Over Yoenis Cespedes last seven games he has hit .345 with a .724 slugging percentage. And of course Wilmer Flores continues to mash left-handed pitching at a .344 clip with 10 home runs. Those numbers are certainly welcoming for a team that has been deprived of offense for much of the season.
On a side note outfielder Justin Ruggiano did leave last night’s game early with some shoulder discomfort. There is no word as to how the severe the injury is but it certainly is frustrating to see another Met go down with injury. Let’s keep our fingers crossed it is nothing serious as he has been a nice contributor while he has been on the field for the Mets.
- You can catch tonight’s game on WPIX with a 7:10 pm et. start time as the refreshed Mets will go for the series victory against the Phillies.
- The Mets will send Noah Syndergaard (11-7, 2.61 ERA) to the mound to take on the Phillies top starter Jeremy Hellickson (10-7, 3.60 ERA).
Mets Tidbits:
- The Mets activated infielder Neil Walker from the Paternity Leave List and optioned infielder T.J. Rivera to Triple-A Las Vegas. Look for Rivera to be back up with the big league club when rosters expand in September.
- Manager Terry Collins indicated that the Mets are likely to skip Jacob deGrom’s next turn through the rotation which would come on Monday against the Marlins. DeGrom has been dreadful over his last two starts allowing 13 runs combined, and it appears fatigue has set in with the 28-year old right-hander. There is no definitive answer as to who will fill deGrom’s spot in the rotation on Monday, but Logan Verrett, Sean Gilmartin, Gabriel Ynoa, and maybe Seth Lugo on short rest are all possibilities.
- Steven Matz is scheduled to resume throwing prior to tonight’s ballgame, and the Mets will then make a determination if he is ready to be activated off of the disabled list depending on his session. If the Mets brass likes what they see out of Matz, he will in all likelihood make his return Tuesday night against the Marlins.
Lineups: Phillies vs. Mets 7:10 pm et.
Philadelphia Phillies (59-68):
1. Cesar Hernandez (S) 2B
2. Aaron Altherr (R) LF
3. Maikel Franco (R) 3B
4. Ryan Howard (L) 1B
5. Cameron Rupp (R) C
6. Odubel Herrera (L) CF
7. Freddy Galvis (S) SS
8. Peter Bourjos (R) RF
9. Adam Morgan (L) P
SP: Adam Morgan LHP (1-7, 6.21 ERA)
New York Mets (64-63):
1. Jose Reyes (S) 3B
2. Asdrubal Cabrera (S) SS
3. Yoenis Cespedes (R) LF
4. Neil Walker (S) 2B
5. Wilmer Flores (R) 1B
6. Jay Bruce (L) RF
7. Justin Ruggiano (R) CF
8. Travis d’Arnaud (R) C
9. Bartolo Colon (R) P
SP: Bartolo Colon RHP (11-7, 3.36 ERA)
Tonight’s game can be seen on SNY.
Above The Mendoza 