3 Up
1. Matz Back on Track
The series finale down in Miami was certainly one the Mets needed to have. Terry Collins said before the series began, that the Mets needed to take two of three. In order for them to do so, Steven Matz was going to need to give them a solid outing. He did just that by earning his first win in almost two months. Matz went six strong innings while allowing no runs on just four hits and striking out six. It was his first win since May 25, and is now 8-6 on the season.
2. Loney Lets Loose
It was a big series for Mets first baseman James Loney. His two-run pinch hit mammoth of a home run in the top of the ninth inning on Friday night proved to be the difference in a 5-3 victory. He also came through in a big spot in the series finale on Sunday with his RBI single in the eighth inning that gave the Mets a 3-0 lead. In Lucas Duda’s absence, Loney has been very steady and all the Mets really could ask for. Since acquiring him in May he has hit a solid .287 with five home runs and 20 RBI.
3. Reyes Provides Spark
It almost was like a flashback to 2006. Jose Reyes got things started for the Mets on Friday night and continued it throughout the entire series, collecting five hits, including a double, triple, and two RBI. He’s so far surprisingly flourished defensively at the hot corner, and has given this Mets team something they haven’t had in quite some time, speed. Boy isn’t it still fun watching him turn second base and head for third?
3 Down
1. DeGrom Takes Step Back
It was a start that Jacob deGrom most certainly would like to forget. He struggled from the start of it and lasted just 3 2/3 innings. He allowed five runs on and ten hits and a walk. One of those hits was a moonshot two-run home run off the bat of Giancarlo Stanton. In his last four starts prior to this one, deGrom held a 0.93 ERA. His last outing was a complete game, one-hit shutout in Philly. Saturday’s start turned out to be his second shortest outing of his career.
2. Walker’s Struggles Continue
Neil Walker got another much needed day off in the series finale on Sunday. He was 0-8 with four strikeouts in the first two games of the series, while stranding a total of four runners on base. He is now 1 for his last 24, and has just two home runs in the month of July. His batting average has dipped all the way down to .239.
3. Cabrera Can’t Cash In
The Mets certainly have their fair share of struggles when it comes to driving in runners in scoring position, but perhaps the guy who takes the lead on that front is Asdrubal Cabrera. He is now 0 for his last 32 with RISP. He once again failed to drive in runners on Sunday afternoon, when he came up to the plate with the bases loaded and grounded into a fielder’s choice. The Mets as a team have to get much better with RISP, and Cabrera is certainly a huge culprit of that.
