3 UP
1.Robinson Cano’s hot streak
Before last night’s game when he exited with “left groin tightness”, Cano was a bright light in the rather disappointing series against the Braves as he had eight hits in the four-game series.
Over the past four days, he had a .615 batting average with a 1.548 OPS.
This is great news for the Mets as the 37-year-old had a slow start to the season until Friday when he cracked a 426 foot home-run, his first of this season.
Luis Rojas has expressed his satisfaction with Cano’s improving comfort at the plate explaining that over the last few games they have seen the real Cano.
Rojas going on to say that “His stance and mechanics, he definitely looks more quiet getting ready early and recognizing pitches and get the head of the bat out.”
2. A healthy Jared Hughes
With the Mets bullpen struggling so greatly, the risk of another loss was too great on Monday after giving up several late-inning games due to unreliable pitching.
Luckily Jared Hughes was there to save the 7-2 lead without allowing any damage, giving up only two walks and striking out three batters over 2 innings pitched.
Hopefully, his consistency will continue as the Mets have been floundering to match up run support with consistent pitching.
3. deGrom finally gets run support
An ongoing issue for pretty much his entire career as a starting pitching with the Mets has been the teams’ inability to provide Jacob deGrom with run support.
Last night being one of the very few times in his entire career that offense gave him five-plus runs of breathing room.
Surprisingly it wasn’t one of deGrom’s best starts as he allowed two runs, including a home run to Travis D’Arnaud — which deGrom’s response was, “I guess I should stop facing my old teammates.”
The last home run he had allowed was to former Met Wilmer Flores last season.
The Mets managed to keep the Braves at bay with the two runs and the 32-year-old two time Cy Young winner had his first double-digit strikeout night of the season with 10 Ks in the six innings he pitched.
3 Down
1.Wacha’s painful start
On Saturday night’s game, Michael Wacha gave up five runs on seven hits in only four innings, while allowing two walks in the process.
This was almost a complete 180 from his previous start where he had a respectable outing, compared his most recent against the braves where he ended up with a disheartening 2.25 WHIP.
Wachas’ struggle with command as well as a flat slider as he came out of the game, explaining that he could feel how sloppy his mechanics were and his dull performance was the outcome.
2. Inability to get runners home from the bases
There have been an almost comical amount of times where with runners in scoring position, and with only one out, the batter was unable to provide run support, leaving player after player stranded on base.
Is it due to an inability to bring the heat without fans in those situations? Maybe.
But almost every game that the team has lost so far this season could have been salvaged if the batter was able to hit with runners in scoring position.
3. Rick Porcello‘s poor command
Porcello’s two starts with the Braves were both atrocious.
But the start in this series specifically, Porcello allowed five hits with four runs and three walks.
Porcello has been struggling to throw strikes only having 48 strikes over 82 pitches leaving him with a 3.0 WHIP and 13.50 ERA for the four innings he pitched.
Even with him having the last starter spot as of right now, he needs to step up his game and find his command again.
He expressed his optimism having had made it past the second inning — which he was unable to do in his first start — but as a starting pitcher that is still not much to be proud of, to put it bluntly.
Hopefully his momentum continues to go forward, but any improvement would help at this point.
To keep things looking on the bright side, the team seemed to get some positive velocity in the last game against the Braves.
But, they will need to get their heart back into it and keep adding run support in order to give the pitchers some wiggle room when they struggle if there is any hope of getting closer to a .500 record.
