The Mets are red hot again. They have won seven straight games. They went 6-0 last week, sweeping both the Angels and the Giants. This was thanks to some opportune hitting as well as some strong pitching performances from both their starters and bullpen. The Mets scored 31 runs over last week’s games, making that an average of just over five runs per game. They managed to hold their opponents to just 15 runs last week, which averages to 2.5 runs per game. The Mets managed to score runs while limiting their opponents’ scoring, a recipe to generate two series sweeps.
Francisco Alvarez. By Roberto Carlo.
Offensive Player of the Week: Francisco Alvarez
What a return for Francisco Alvarez. The time in Triple-A seemed to do him well, because he came back ready to make an impact right away. In just his second game back, Alvarez smoked a 374-foot, two-run home run. Alvarez slashed .353/.450/.765 with an OPS of 1.215. He hit two doubles, one triple, and one home run last week. Alvarez managed to drive in two RBIs while producing six runs. The young catcher is paramount to this team’s success. When he gets going, he can create depth at the bottom of this lineup, as displayed in Sunday’s win against the Giants.
Edwin Diaz (39)Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images
Pitcher of the Week: Edwin Díaz
A little bit of a rollercoaster at times, however, Díaz still managed to get the job done. Díaz accumulated four saves over the last week. He did this while allowing only one hit and limiting opposing batters to a .071 average. An area of struggle for Díaz was his control. He hit three batters in his appearances and walked two more. Although he did not surrender any runners despite these blemishes, it kept Mets fans on the edge of their seats, especially during Sunday’s game. Díaz managed to load the bases with only one out in a tight two-run game, then, in typical Díaz fashion, he struck out the next two batters.
Honorable Mention: Francisco Lindor
Lindor was in a rut in which he did not record a single hit from July 13 to July 22. He went 0-30 in 28 straight plate appearances. Then he broke out in a big way, recording two hits and driving in two RBIs in the Mets’ 6-3 win over the Angels on July 23. Lindor slashed .222/.250/.370 with an OPS of .620. He managed to record one double and one home run while driving in five RBIs and producing five runs. He was also a threat on the basepaths, stealing two bases. It will be great for Lindor to move forward from that hitless streak and continue to generate some offense for the Mets.
Up Next
The Mets continue their West Coast tour by taking on the Padres starting Monday. Since these are West Coast games, they have a later start than usual. They begin at 9:40 pm ET both Monday and Tuesday, then at 4:10 on Wednesday. Following the Padres, the Mets return home against the Giants, starting on Friday, August 1. These are important games for both the Giants and Padres as they are both in the Wild Card hunt. These games could impact whether these teams are buyers or sellers at the trade deadline. Look for these teams to play with a little extra effort with so much on the line.
