3 Up, 3 Down: Mets Flaws Exposed In Rays Sweep

It wasn’t a good weekend for the New York Mets.

To simplify, it hasn’t been a good stretch for a team that is now 4-10 over their last 14 games. The latest chapter in the slump came in Tamp Bay, with the Mets getting swept by the Rays.

There were some standout moments for sure, but in the end, it was a concerning three-game set that exposed all of the Mets’ ugly flaws.

With that, let’s dive into the latest edition of 3 Up, 3 Down …

3 UP

WELCOME TO THE SHOW

Christian Scott lived up to all the hype. And then some. The best pitching prospect the Mets have produced in years enjoyed an MLB debut for the ages on Saturday. Scott was electric, allowing one run on five hits while striking out six. He also gave his team some much-needed length, pitching into the seventh inning. Furthermore, the righty elicited 18 swing-and-misses against the Rays, the most generated by a Mets starter this season. Granted, it’s just one start, and it is foolish to get too carried away by what we saw on Saturday. However, in saying that, Scott came exactly as advertised and looked every inch the future All-Star ace this franchise craves.

BREAKOUT GAME

There were few positives to emerge from a nightmare weekend at The Trop. That actually might be an understatement. However, one encouraging sign to emerge was Brett Baty‘s display of raw power in the opening game of the series on Friday. The 24-year-old put together his first career multi-home run game, finishing the night 3-for-4 with two runs scored and two RBIs. Baty put the Mets on the board with a three-run blast in the second, a homer that got lost in the roof before eventually reappearing in the right field seats. The second home run – a mammoth solo shot in the ninth – traveled 421 ft with a launch angle of 27 degrees. All in all, it was a milestone night for Baty, who also made a couple of stellar defensive plays at the hot corner.

CATCHING A BREAK

It was only last week that we feared the worst when it came to Brooks Raley. The New York Post reported that the lefty reliever was in danger of missing the rest of the year with left elbow inflammation. Thankfully, those fears will not come true anytime soon. Per manager Carlos Mendoza, Raley will continue to throw after the inflammation in his elbow improves. And, more importantly, surgery is not an option at the moment. Plus, with Kodai Senga, Tylor Megill and David Peterson all making progress on the comeback trail, much-needed reinforcements could be on the way for a stretched pitching staff.

3 DOWN

RARE MISSTEP 

There was a sudden jolt to the system on Sunday when Edwin Díaz, usually money in high-leverage situations, gave up a home run to Randy Arozarena to send the game to extra innings. To make matters worse, Díaz needed just one more strike to end the game there and then help the Mets avoid the sweep. Instead, Tampa Bay won in extra-innings, forcing Díaz to stomach his first blown save in nearly two years. It isn’t often that Díaz fails to deliver, but this slip proved costly. Furthermore, the righty has now given up three homers on the year, the same amount he allowed in both 2021 and 2022.

FALLING STAR

Pete Alonso is in an all-time slump right now. The star slugger went 0-for-5 on Sunday, dropping him to 2-for-36 in his previous ten games. He hasn’t hit a home run in his last eight games, and he has just one dinger in his last 12. If that wasn’t bad enough, Alonso also isn’t putting the ball in play or making things happen in clutch situations. He’s now hitting .138 with RISP – ranked ninth-worst among qualified hitters in MLB heading into Sunday night. Alonso just isn’t getting the job done, especially in big situations. As a result, those shortcomings are hindering this offense. Entering Monday, his slash line sits at a meager .206/.295/.420/.715. Alonso needs to be better. A lot better. And fast.

TRENDING DOWN

Is it time to start worrying about Jeff McNeil yet? The second baseman is mired in his own slump, going just 1-for-11 against the Rays. However, that only tells one part of the story. McNeil now owns a .621 OPS on the year, and he’s hitting .192/.300/.192/.492 over his last seven games. That isn’t great. Furthermore, this is a continuation of McNeil’s struggles from 2023, so you can make a compelling case that the sample size is much bigger than just this year. Plus, when you take into account that the veteran has struggled in the field too, it is worth asking if this is the version of McNeil we now have to get used to. He seems a million miles away from the player he was in 2022.

Whether he can get back to that level remains to be seen based on what we’re witnessing right now.