Terry Collins’ consistently inconsistent ball club loses back-to-back games against the emerging Milwaukee Brewers and all the fans get is a sliver of silver linings.
Yes, on a positive note Mets starter Zack Wheeler had another strong outing, the bullpen kept it a one run game, Lucas Duda went 2 for 4, and Wilmer Flores continued to hit right-handed pitching – well, at least one in relief, on Thursday afternoon.
Wheeler had his fourth quality start in his last five and pitched into the seventh inning for the second time this season.
“We’ve got a really good team here,” Wheeler said after his start on Thursday. “Once our starting pitchers really get rolling and our bats heat up, we’re one of the best teams in baseball.”
Don’t get me wrong, these are significant stats, but the absence of key players and the ineffectiveness of a once prominent pitching roster is piling up like a neglected load of dirty laundry.
The bullpen was effective with Jerry Blevins stranding another base runner, tying him with teammate Josh Edgin for the Major League lead with 21 on the season.
Fernando Salas followed with two scoreless innings that included a career high five strikeouts.
Help is hopefully on the way with Steven Matz and Seth Lugo due to return to the majors after one more minor league rehab start. Matz’s last outing was perfect, literally, for five innings in Las Vegas, whereas Lugo, not so much, surrendering three runs on eight hits, over six.
A healthy Yoenis Cespedes, possibly back in the line-up this weekend in a designated hitting role, should surely inject some run support to the Mets offense – the operative word here being, healthy.
Friday night all eyes will be on Matt Harvey (4-3) as he tries to best his best start of the season when he faces the Pirates, who he held to one run over six hits last time out. If he fails to secure a win, it’s going to be a long hot summer, and then some.
