Not a lot has gone right for the Mets in 2024. An 0-5 start, multiple injuries and setbacks for expected starters, and a 6-16 start to their May.
But on a day when everything was going right and the Mets were cruising over the struggling Dodgers, the team collapsed yet again in the ninth inning.
With a 2-1 lead and victory only three outs away, Adam Ottavino took the mound for the Mets—a move that has been somewhat normalized with Edwin Díaz‘s struggles early in 2024.
Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports
With Ottavino on instead of Díaz, the momentum of the game immediately shifted. Teoscar Hernández singled to right field sharply, and then Gavin Lux followed with a line drive into center field.
Ottavino, who entered today’s game with a 5.79 ERA in May, was in trouble. Two runners on, no outs, and Chris Taylor up to bat. Facing the utility man, Ottavino threw a first-pitch sinker, which Taylor squared to bunt on.
The ball was hit toward Ottavino, who made an effort to reach out and grab the ball. He couldn’t catch it, and then failed to pick up the ball twice, which allowed Hernández to score from third and Taylor to reach safely. The game was tied 2-2.
The inning could have been much worse. But luckily for the Mets, the righty settled down. He struck out Jason Heyward for the first out of ninth, and then got Andy Pages to ground into a double play to retire the side.
The bullpen blowup sent the Mets to the bottom of the ninth and spoiled a spectacular start for Tylor Megill.
Megill had dominated the Dodgers lineup in Game 1. He struck out nine batters and allowed only four base runners in seven innings, handing a 2-0 lead, which the Mets got a Lindor two-run homer, to the Mets bullpen.
Unfortunately for Megill and the Mets, the bullpen couldn’t handle the Dodgers’ potent lineup. They allowed all five runs to the Dodgers, with Jorge López allowing three in the 10th inning to ice the game for the Mets.
The bullpen also faltered in the eighth, largely due to the Mets infielders having hiccups in the fields.
The first hiccup came from Lindor, who couldn’t complete the double play on a ball hit from Andy Pages. The Mets would have had two outs and no base runners, but instead, the Dodgers had a runner on first with Mookie Betts at the plate.
The next miscue happened the very next at-bat. With Betts up as the tying run, Reed Garrett got the former MVP to chop a ground ball toward Brett Baty. The 24-year-old whiffed on a potential double-play ball, setting runners on the corner with one out instead of the Mets escaping the inning for a second straight batter.
That set up the other former MVP, Freeman, who singled two batters later and cut the Dodgers’ deficit to 2-1.
The 5-2 loss handed the Mets their 17th loss in May and ended the Dodgers five-game losing streak. It was a game the Mets could have won and probably should have.
The Mets had another chance to win the game in the bottom of the ninth. They loaded the bases with only one out against Daniel Hudson, and Tyrone Taylor had a 3-0 count and was one ball away from ending the game.
The Mets’ outfielder, however, popped out to Betts, and Jeff McNeil popped out to Lux.
Stat of the Game
Megill pitched into the seventh inning for only the third time in 55 career starts. The first time was on Sept. 10, 2021, against the Yankees, where he struck out 10 and allowed two earned runs. The second time was against the Phillies on Sept. 30, 2023, where he struck out seven and allowed one run in 7 1/3 innings. Megill has now won all three games where he’s pitched at least seven innings.
On Deck
First pitch of Game 2 comes up soon. Jose Quintana (1-5, 5.13 ERA) takes the mound for the Mets and will be opposed by Gavin Stone (4-2, 3.60 ERA). The game will be televised on SNY and TBS (out of market), and will be broadcast on WCBS 880.
