Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

3 UP

Best Mets Start

The Mets had a long west coast trip, and in many ways, how people were going to react to the trip in general hinged on the series finale. That goes double with the Mets looking to avoid losing two straight series for the first time all season.

Taijuan Walker stepped up big on what he called the best start of his Mets career striking out 10 over six innings. This was very much the Walker we saw as an All-Star last season.

Really, Walker has stepped it up big time since the Mets’ top starters hit the IL. Over his last five starts, he has a 2.73 ERA while averaging nearly six innings per start.

Walker isn’t just keeping runs off the board. He’s giving the Mets some length too. Overall, the Mets have weathered this storm because Walker was the pitcher who stepped up big time.

Alonso Loves LA

Over his career, Pete Alonso has absolutely destroyed the baseball while playing at Dodger Stadium. Apparently, it’s more about Southern California than it is that ballpark.

In this series, Alonso was 4-for-13 with two homers and three RBI. That is part of his team-best 156 wRC+. That’s also good for fourth in the NL.

Rest assured, Alonso appears on track for his second All-Star berth, and that game is going to be played at Dodger Stadium. He is going to put on a show.

Sprained No More

After getting a cortisone shot in his ailing left wrist, Brandon Nimmo was slumping badly. In his nine games after getting that shot, he was hitting .103 with no extra-base hits.

In the first game of the series, Nimmo snapped that streak with a homer. It was the first step in seeing the real Nimmo in this series.

Over the three-game set, he had a double and homer while drawing a walk and getting hit by a pitch. That’s textbook Nimmo. Get on base any way you can, and when you get a chance drive the ball.

With a healthy Nimmo atop the lineup, this is just a different team offensively. If he’s back to his All-Star caliber form, the rest of the NL East can do whatever they want because it won’t matter.


3 DOWN

Lindor Coming Up Short

Francisco Lindor had his RBI streak going, which reminded everyone of just how great a player he truly is. However, since that streak ended, he’s been in a slump.

Over his past seven games, he’s 5-for-29 (.172) with just one double and no RBI. He’s also struck out eight times while walking just three.

There’s no cause for concern just yet. We’ve seen how he takes off in July, and he’s still a top-five SS by WAR.

Left Out

In this series, the Mets’ best left-handed reliever was David Peterson, who was really just a piggyback starter for Tylor Megill.

Chasen Shreve made one appearance allowing three runs over two innings. He now has a 4.70 ERA, 4.22 ERA+, and an 86 FIP.

Joely Rodriguez faired a bit better. In his 1/3 of an inning, he allowed a single and walked a batter. He’d strike a batter out before needing to be rescued by Adam Ottavino.

On the season, Rodriguez has a 5.40 ERA, 3.59 FIP, and a 75 ERA+. Between Rodriguez and Shreve, the Mets do not have one reliable left-handed reliever.

Maybe Peterson can emerge to be what Jon Niese was in 2015, but in the end, that may not be the gamble the Mets want to make.

Finally, A Challenge

For much of this season, it appeared the Mers were going to run away with this division without so much as a challenge.

Well, things have changed recently. The Atlanta Braves are the hottest team in baseball winning 11 in a row. They’ve moved from an under .500 team to seven games over.

After firing Joe Girardi, the Philadelphia Phillies are 8-1. They’ve gone from seven games under to being a .500 team.

Despite these hot streaks, the Mets are still leading the division by 5 1/2 games and still have the best record in the National League. They’re also doing this without a single pitch from Jacob deGrom.

Ultimately, things may be tougher, but in the end, the Mets are still winning this division.