Last night felt so good in a month full of not so good moments for the Mets. It was so satisfying to see them jump out in front and take command of the game en route to a much needed series win against the St. Louis Cardinals.
Can you imagine what the alternative could have been? So instead of coming home to Citi Field down 5.5 games for that coveted second wild card, our Boys from Flushing begin a three-game series with the Phillies just 3.5 games away from a postseason berth. Considering how the road trip started, I’ll take that everyday plus Sunday.
I’ve gotta tip my cap to Robert Gsellman and Seth Lugo, two unheralded rookies who were thrust into a raging inferno of doubt as the Mets were scrambling to get back over .500 amidst the losses of Steven Matz and Jon Niese. It’s amazing how polished these pitchers look after we get them from that pitching guru in Las Vegas, Frank Viola. He doesn’t get nearly the accolades he so richly deserves.
With 35 games to go and 22 of those games against the Phillies, Reds, Braves and Twins, the Mets are in an ideal position to finish this season strong and earn that second wild card spot.
This team continues to be resilient in the face of injuries and adversity and I think that speaks volumes about their character.
The addition of Jose Reyes gave the team the speed and prototypical leadoff hitter they’ve lacked and it’s made a difference. Wilmer Flores has become a force when the Mets face a left-hander, while Justin Ruggiano and Kelly Johnson have been excellent in part-time roles. Neil Walker has been huge and with his return to the lineup tonight, we’ll finally get to see what him, Yoenis Cespedes, Jay Bruce, Asdrubal Cabrera and the aforementioned Reyes can all do together in the same lineup. Finally.
I’m hoping for a strong return from Steven Matz and a bounce-back performance from Jacob deGrom. If those two and Noah Syndergaard can finish as strong as they did last season, there’s no stopping the Mets.
This season hasn’t played out quite the way I envisioned it, but here they are only 3.5 games out with a healthier team, a revitalized offense, three young power pitchers in the rotation, and a shutdown backend of the bullpen. Looking at the remaining schedule, the Wild Card is there for the taking. We can do it… Let’s get this done… Let’s Go Mets!
