Three takeaways from the Mets' series vs. the Cleveland Guardians
Pete Alonso of the Mets grounds out to end the sixth inning against the Cleveland Guardians at Citi Field on Wednesday. Credit: Jim McIsaac
The Mets probably wish they could forget their three-game sweep at the hands of the Guardians, but the series shone a spotlight on some glaring issues facing the team as they head into their stretch run.
Here are three takeaways:
1. The offense is getting offensive, and the natives are getting testy.
The Mets were subject to repeated booing while getting no-hit for 8 1/3 innings in their 4-1 loss Wednesday, with attention now being turned to hitting coaches Eric Chavez and Jeremy Barnes. They were also no-hit for the final five innings of Tuesday’s loss.
Carlos Mendoza, though, said the hitting struggles are a group-wide concern, and not the fault of any one person. He added that the team isn’t making in-game adjustments, and Wednesday that meant “a lot of empty at-bats.” The "why" is still a mystery, especially as Mendoza noted that starter Gavin Williams’ game plan was relatively easy to parse.
“We know we’re good, but we’ve got to go out there and do it,” Mendoza said. “We believe in those guys, obviously. It’s been a rough stretch here for quite a bit now and they’re working really hard. The messaging, obviously, is that we’ve got to be better . . . They [have to] trust in their abilities, trust in their work, their preparation and going out there and competing.”
2. The starters still aren’t going long.
Sean Manaea couldn't get through the sixth Monday. Clay Holmes was finished after five innings and 75 pitches Tuesday. David Peterson . . . continues to be exempt. Peterson tossed six innings Wednesday, notable because he’s the only starter to have gone six innings or more in the last 50 games, and he’s accomplished the feat eight times in that span.
Peterson’s 133 innings are tied for 20th in MLB, while the Mets' rotation has only pitched 578 innings — 24th. That’s a heavy load to carry, for both the lefty and the bullpen — especially when the team isn’t scoring.
Peterson, though, said he isn’t putting extra pressure on himself.
“You don’t think about it that way,” he said. “The offense is going to struggle, the pitching is going to struggle, the defense is going to struggle . . . You’re going to go through waves with the different parts of the team, but you don’t come to the ballpark expecting the offense to struggle . . . I have full confidence when I walk into the ballpark on my start days that the hitters are ready to go.”
3. Bullpen help is great, but only if you can score.
The Mets weren’t able to get a starting pitcher at the deadline, and acquired moderate offensive help in Cedric Mullins, but built a pretty formidable back end of the bullpen with the acquisitions of fireballer Ryan Helsley and submariner Tyler Rogers, along with lefty Gregory Soto. One problem: All that doesn’t do much good when you fall behind early in the game and can’t crawl out. They’re 1-5 since July 31, and the Mets’ trade deadline moves, which were mostly lauded, now may still not be enough to put them over the edge.
“We’ve got to be a little better coming out of the gate,” Juan Soto said. “[We’ve got to] go right away, be more aggressive and play the nine innings.”
Laura Albanese is a reporter, feature writer and columnist covering local professional sports teams; she began at Newsday in 2007 as an intern.
