The New York Mets continue to struggle after dropping a series to the Astros.
The Mets lost two out of three to Houston for their third straight series loss. As a result, they have now lost four of five and seven of their last 11.
Still, it is hardly about wins and losses at this point. There were some positives to take from the three games against Houston.
On that note, let’s recap everything from the Astros series in the latest edition of 3 Up, 3 Down…
Nolan McLean by Berto Carlo
3 UP
RETURN OF THE KING
Juan Soto was activated from the IL over the weekend, and he made his presence immediately felt. The superstar recorded an RBI single in his first game back on Saturday. He followed that up with a solo home run on Sunday. In all, Soto finished with two runs scored and two RBIs over his first two games back. Even with nothing to play for, Soto’s return to the lineup ensures that games are still worth watching.
DOING THEIR JOBS
Both Nolan McLean and Zac Thornton stepped up to the plate in their respective starts in this series. McLean was stellar on Saturday, tossing seven innings of one-run ball with two hits, three walks, and four strikeouts. That marked McLean’s fourth straight quality start. Meanwhile, Thornton also did his part, providing five solid innings with two runs and five strikeouts on Sunday. With the end of the season nearing, McLean and Thornton keep providing hope for the future.
YOUNG AND FREE
Okay, yes, Jared Young committed an error on Sunday that led to two runs scored. That wasn’t great, although the Mets’ offensive struggles was the biggest reason for the loss. In any case, Young deserves to be in this category for his exploits on Saturday. The infielder recorded his first career three-RBI performance to go along with a three-hit day. Young proved to be the heart of the offense in the Mets’ only win of the series. Furthermore, he continues to show he can be a full-time contributor for this team.
Christian Scott by Berto Carlo
3 DOWN
MELTING DOWN
The bullpen was not great in this series. Nate Lavender allowed three inherited runs to score in the loss on Friday. Daniel Duarte gave up a home run in his outing on Saturday. Then, on Sunday, Jonathan Pintaro and Jefry Yan combined to allow four runs across just two innings. It is probably fair to expect some down days from the bullpen this late in the season.
GETTING TIRED?
Christian Scott may benefit from some extra rest down the stretch. The young starter is nearing the end of his first season post-Tommy John surgery, and it is possible that fatigue may be settling in. Scott held the Astros to just one run through the first five innings of Friday’s game, but walked three straight in the sixth to load the bases. That led to the deciding runs being scored. Scott just lost the zone, and he’s faded late in games before. This could be a situation worth keeping an eye on.
CONTINUED STRUGGLES
A.J. Ewing‘s slump at the plate continues. He went 0-for-7 with three strikeouts in the first two games of the series. Now,Ewing did finish strong with a walk, a double, a run scored, and a stolen base in the series finale. Still, he’s hitting just .152/.204/.378/.174/.378 over his last 12 games. Hopefully, Ewing can use his performance on Sunday to get the trainback on the tracks offensively.
