3 Up, 3 Down: Mets Fillet Fish

3 UP

Walker This Way

In the history of the Mets, you are going to be hard-pressed to find a two-year deal that has worked out as well as Taijuan Walker‘s has. Last year, he was an All-Star. This year, it appears he is going to be better than he was last season, and he’s doing it at a time when Jacob deGrom and Max Scherzer are on the IL.

His start against the Marlins was the latest example. After a lead-off single, he retired 18 straight, and he would strike out nine while allowing just one run over 6 2/3 innings.

Everything his working for him now. His splitter is helping generate more strikeouts. He’s going deeper into games with his averaging six innings per start over his last six starts. Mostly, he’s just stepped up at a time when the Mets needed him most.

It’s Always Mother’s Day

Lately, Francisco Lindor has been struggling at the plate with a broken finger. That all seemed to be in the past as his mom showed up to the Friday night game. Lindor responded by homering and driving in four during the game.

Mom seemed to be the spark Lindor needed as he went on to hit two homers in the series while driving in seven runs while playing his Gold Glove-caliber defense.

He now has a five-game hitting streak where he has a .868 OPS and driving in seven runs. He’s tied for fourth in the majors with 52 RBI.

Seeing Lindor play, Buck Showalter commented he wanted Lindor’s mom to say. Of course, Lindor said the same saying, “She brings the best out of me, for sure.” Seeing Lindor this weekend, it’s hard to argue with him.

Step Brothers

It’s time to cue up another video (please no more Brodie Van Wagenen) because Pete Alonso and Jeff McNeil are again making the case to be All-Stars. Only this time, their selection should be guaranteed, and Mets fans need to step up and send them to Los Angeles as starters.

Alonso had a double, homer, and five RBI in the series. He now has a 149 wRC+ and his 64 RBI leads the majors. What’s insane is he’s not even the best player on this team (at least by WAR).

That honor goes to McNeil. McNeil was great again in this series getting four hits and earning an uncharacteristic three walks. Of course, we saw the usual versatility from him with his playing second and left.

With both players, let’s talk All-Star Game for now, and in a month from now, we can see their MVP campaigns in full swing. More than that, we’ll see them prepping for their first postseason.

3 DOWN

Designated What Again?

In this series, Mets designated hitters combined to go 2-for-10 with no extra-base hits and six strikeouts. The two players who were at DH were J.D. Davis and Nick Plummer.

After his hot streak, Davis has cooled off going 3-for-15 (.200) with zero extra-base hits and seven over his last seven games. On the season, he has a 108 wRC+, 1.87 GB/FB, and he rates among the worst players in the majors in Whiff%.

As for Plummer, he’s completely overmatched right now, and the limited playing time is not doing him any good as he’s hitless in his last 20 at-bats. He needs to be in the minors, and it needs to happen now.

Overall, the DH position is a big problem for the Mets. Their collective 83 wRC+ is unacceptable from a position that is only supposed to go out there and hit. It ranks as the third-worst in the NL.

The Mets’ answer for DH isn’t on the roster right now, and with his getting hit on the hand, it appears it definitely won’t be Davis. Presumably, next up is Dominic Smith, who already faltered, and then Daniel Palka, who hasn’t played in the majors since 2019.

Again, the sooner the Mets realize Mark Vientos is their best answer at DH, the better.

Injuries Are Contagious 

It just seems like the Mets can’t get out of a series without some sort of injury news. This one was no different.

As discussed above, Davis was hit on the hand. As Gary Cohen and Keith Hernandez pointed out, it seemed to be in the same spot as last year, which does not forbear well for Davis.

Far worse than that was McNeil. After scoring on a passed ball, he left the game with right hamstring tightness. Gary and Keith noted McNeil tried to play through similar issues last year, and it did not work out well.

Moreover, Keith noted the complications the flight to Houston possesses for the injury. All told, it seems like McNeil will be limited for an unknown period of time, which is a huge problem, because, as already noted, he’s been the Mets best player all season.

Alcantara Has Arrived

Boy, did Sandy Alcantara look great against the Mets on Sunday. Then again, that’s nothing new for him as he has a 2.76 career ERA against the Mets. After all, what Marlin doesn’t perform his very best against the Mets?

If not for him, this is likely a four-game sweep with the Mets having a 6.5-game lead in the division.

However, Alcantara is on a different level right now and having a Cy Young-caliber season. He’s in his prime at 26 years old, and the Mets are going to have to deal with him through potentially 2027.

Of course, the hope is the Marlins will be the Marlins and get rid of him well before then making it easier on the Mets.