Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY Sports
Sometimes it’s difficult to know when to throw in the towel. I’ve spent way too long at the fair with boyfriends, jobs, and multiple seasons of Netflix shows. Why? Because I wanted to believe it would get better.
On Sunday, Javier Baez made some of his new Mets fans believe just that. On his return from 12 days on the injured list, in his first at-bat, the former Cub laced an RBI double off the left-center field wall.
It was the first time since August 12 that New York scored runs in the first frame — the kind of game that makes a fan of a flailing team hold onto the possibility that they have a chance to turn it around, because mathematically, they do.
This was one of the most stellar starting pitcher/bullpen collaborations from a non-deGrom outing all season. Given offensive support, Marcus Stroman shined with six innings of two runs on four hits, six strikeouts and a pair of free passes. Jeurys Familia, Trevor May and Edwin Diaz were a combined one hit, a couple of strikeouts and nary a walk.
J.D. Davis had a productive coming-out-of-a-slump party – four RBI via a single, two-run homer, and a bases loaded walk after an 0-2 count. He and Báez were the main attraction – driving in five of the Mets’ seven runs.
Second baseman Jonathan Villar singled in Davis for the third run in the first and Jeff McNeil plated Brandon Nimmo with a pinch-hit fielder’s choice in the seventh for the final run.
With Francisco Lindor expected to return sometime this week, and the Braves facing stiff competition from the Yankees, Giants and Dodgers, the Mets have an opportunity to gain some ground. Well, that’s if the Lindor/Báez experiment pays off and what happened at Dodger Stadium on Sunday doesn’t wear off.
There’s a fine line between sticking with something you think can improve and knowing when to cut your losses. I may not be ready to throw in the towel, but I’ll know when I’m becoming the Black Knight in Monty Python and the Holy Grail.
