3 Up, 3 Down: Houston, We Have A Problem

3 UP

Escobar Hopefully Heating Up

Eduardo Escobar usually takes off in the month of June. It seemed like it was about to happen again this year. However, he had a medical issue and struggled.

Now that the issue appears behind him, Escobar is hitting again. He now has a three-game hitting steak with a homer and four RBI. That might not sound like much, but Escobar went 0-for-18 with eight strikeouts in the five games before the hitting streak.

If Escobar is hitting and back to his April form, this is a completely different team. It is a deeper lineup with a switch hitter which limits opposing manager’s decisions late in the game.

Alonso Still Mashing

Pete Alonso was second in the first published results of the All-Star voting. He’s now on a mission to make sure he is voted the starter.

Currently, Alonso has an RBI in three straight games, and he has a .966 OPS this month. Every single at-bat is a much watch event because you never know when he is going to destroy a baseball for another long home run.

Help On the Way

As the Mets are starting to wear down a bit and suffer more injuries and/or struggles at the plate, it’s clear this team needs more help. Fortunately, help does appear on the way.

Both James McCann and Max Scherzer are in Binghamton, and both players look good. Early indications are they will be set to rejoin the Mets soon.

With that, the Mets are going to get one of their aces back (just in time too), and they are getting their best offensive and defensive catcher. This is going to help this team exponentially as they look to regrown their division lead over the surging Atlanta Braves.

3 DOWN

Cookie Crumbled

The Mets starting rotation could ill afford another injury, but that’s what happened in this series. Really, it is difficult to remember the last time the Mets played a series and didn’t suffer at least a minor injury.

This time, it was Carlos Carrasco. He left the game with lower back problems after he had been beaten up to the tune of five earned over 2 1/3 innings.

Carrasco returning to form is one of the many reasons the Mets are in first place. They need him to be the stabilizing force he has been in the rotation. Every turn through the rotation he is out is another turn the Mets are putting pressure on pitchers who are fifth or sixth pitchers in a rotation.

Still Chasen Outs

The Mets thought the answer for their primary left-handed reliever was Chasen Shreve. Unfortunately, he has been anything but that.

In his one inning of work in this series, he allowed four earned on three hits and four walks. He took a game the Mets had a chance to make a comeback, and he turned it into a blow out loss.

On the season, Shreve has a 5.61 ERA, and he has allowed at least one run in seven of his last 14 appearances. He’s become increasingly less reliable, and it shows how much the Mets need another reliever in the bullpen come trade deadline time.

Atlanta Causing Problems

The recent hot streak from the Atlanta Braves make the National League East race from a laugher to at least an interesting race. The Mets started June up 10.5 games, and that lead is now down to 4.5 games. Again, the Mets are in control, but the Braves have at least put themselves within striking distance.

The Braves causing problems don’t compare to the problems of the Atlanta airport.

Seth Lugo left the team on paternity leave as his wife was about to give birth to the couple’s second child. Due to delays at the Atlanta airport, Lugo missed the birth of that child. That airport cost Lugo that precious moment he can never get back.