3 Up, 3 Down: Mets Endure Mixed Series Vs. D-backs

It was a weekend full of ups and downs for the New York Mets.

The series against Arizona – a team the Mets have beat up on in recent years – started so well. In the immediate aftermath of the team meeting held after the Dodgers debacle, New York won two straight. The bats were hot, the stars did their jobs and everything came together.

However, the wheels soon fell off, and poor pitching from both the rotation and the bullpen ended with the Mets splitting the series with the Diamondbacks. No sooner had this team teased a potential turnaround, grim reality soon set back in.

Of course, sandwiched between all the frenzy was the emotional ceremony on Saturday to retire Darryl Strawberry‘s No. 18 jersey. It proved to be a special day at Citi Field despite the show of ineptitude on the field that followed.

On that note, let’s dive right into another edition of 3 Up, 3 Down…

3 UP

ULTIMATE HONOR

Saturday was all about Darryl Strawberry. The franchise icon finally had his jersey retired, and the entire ceremony was a fitting tribute. Issuing a heartfelt apology, Strawberry hit all the right notes to fans for walking out on the team and declared that he’s a forever Met. Indeed, Saturday felt more like a homecoming long in the making rather than a jersey retirement. Strawberry will always hold a special place in the hearts of Mets fans, and Saturday was the perfect way to pay homage to one of the most electrifying players to have played in Queens. His No. 18 jersey belongs in the rafters of Citi Field forever.

LEADING BY EXAMPLE

I spoke last time about Francisco Lindor‘s role as a leader for this team in the wake of calling the team meeting following the Dodgers implosion. The shortstop swiftly proved he could back up his words with meaningful actions on the field. Lindor went 4-for-4 with a home run and two RBIs in the series opener. He followed that up with another big day at the plate on Friday. In all, he went 7-for-15 with one double, one homer, three RBIs, a walk and two stolen bases against the D-backs. Lindor truly led by example this weekend.

GETTING IT DONE 

J.D. Martinez is proving his true worth to the Mets. The veteran slugger was stellar throughout the Arizona series, coming up with a handful of clutch hits. He came through with at least one big hit in all four games, including the late go-ahead home run in the series opener. In all, Martinez went 5-for-15 with two home runs, one double, one triple, three walks and four RBIs. Talk about getting it done. We all talk about Martinez’s power – and for good reason – but this weekend highlighted just how dangerous the masher is when it comes to putting the ball in play and driving runners home.

3 DOWN

BULLPEN WOES

The Mets arguably would have won this series were it not for the continued struggles of the bullpen. There is no disputing that claim. It all started on Saturday when Josh Walker allowed four runs in 2.1 innings of work. However, Sunday proved to be the more crushing blow. After the bullpen pitched at an elite level for four innings, Mendoza tasked Jake Diekman with getting the save. Instead, he gave up a go-ahead two-run homer to blow the save and lose the game. As a result, the Mets had to settle for a series split. They’ve now lost six games when leading after eight innings in the last month. It could be a long summer if the bullpen can’t right the ship.

STARTER WOES

It wasn’t a great series for Mets starters for the most part. Other than Christian Scott on Thursday, the three other starters struggled against Arizona. Luis Severino allowed five runs – four earned – on six hits on Friday night. Sean Manaea got shelled for six runs, including a grand slam on Saturday. Last but not least, José Quintana‘s struggles continued after he gave up three earned runs on four hits in four innings on Sunday. The Mets can’t afford to have that many bad starts in a row, especially given how inconsistent the lineup has been. You need good pitching to win games, and the Mets just didn’t get that this weekend.

WRITING ON THE WALL

The future doesn’t look all that bright for Brett Baty. The Mets optioned the third baseman to Triple-A Syracuse just before the start of this series. With Mark Vientos continuing to rake in the big leagues, Baty does appear to be at a majorcrossroads in his Mets career. Granted, he did mash a couple of homers for Syracuse over the weekend, but he hasn’t been able to do that consistently where it counts. As a result, Baty may find himself expendable in the not-too-distant future, especially if Vientos continues to provide big-time offensive contributions in the majors.