Mandatory Credit: Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports
Not only have the Mets survived their unbelievably bad injury luck – enough so that everyday players are starting to trickle back – they’ve somehow done enough to pull away in the division.
The 3.5-game gap between them and the Braves – one made a game wider by the Mets’ 13-2 drubbing of Atlanta Saturday night – is tied for the largest such lead in baseball. Rain postponed two of the three games in the series, giving the Mets an elusive one-game sweep.
The only slip-up of the week came back on Monday, a narrow 3-2 loss to the Rockies, but the Mets rattled off four wins in a row after that, outscoring opponents 21-5 in that span.
Weekly Record: 4-1
2021 Record: 25-20 (1st Place, NL East)
162 Game Pace: 90-72
What Went Right: Pitching and Defense
Wait, what? The Mets? Yes, the Mets. Yes, they pounded the ball Saturday, setting season-best marks in both runs scored (13) and home runs (five), but with most of the beef missing from the lineup, it’s been the arms and gloves that have been the difference.
Over the four Met wins this past week, starters combined to pitch 19.2 innings, allowing just two runs while walking six and striking out 22. That is certainly a recipe for success as long as the bullpen can hold leads, which it’s done consistently all year.
The defense, perceived as a weakness heading into the season, has been anything but. It’s helped that the biggest defensive liability in J.D. Davis has missed extended time at third, but guys like Dominic Smith in left and Pete Alonso at first have played above their projections. Replacement players like Jose Peraza and Johneshwy Fargas have also played well defensively.
What Went Wrong: Precipitation
There’s really not a lot to look at after this week and be unhappy with, especially given the cards the team has been dealt. So, I’ll focus on the weather, which continues to not cooperate for the Mets.
After Wednesday’s rainout forced a doubleheader Thursday, Friday and Sunday’s postponements – the 10th and 11th of the season – are slated to be made up in June and July. As the weather heats up, the team will be forced to play a lot of games in a little bit of time, but that’s a bridge they’ll cross when they get to it.
Stock Up: Jonathan Villar
It’s tough to quantify how important Villar, a journeyman depth signing, has been to this Mets team through the first two months of the season. Because of injury, Villar has played in 36 of the team’s 45 games, and while his .231 average isn’t exactly eyebrow-raising, he’s certainly made his impact felt.
Villar is second on the team with five homers, he also has five stolen bases, provides legit – if sometimes untamed – speed at the top of the lineup, and has played really good defense at third base. In the dugout, Villar has been one of the few veterans left in the lineup, giving the Mets a steady, everyday presence.
Stock Down: Khalil Lee
It’s apparent now that the 22-year-old Lee was called up before he was ready. At the plate, he’s 1-for-18 with 13 strikeouts. He’s clearly been overmatched but also shown his potential in the field as an elite defender with great speed. Thanks to the signing of Billy McKinney to play right field every day, Lee was sent down Monday, which should be beneficial to his development.
Injury Report
How about some good news for a change? Jacob deGrom came off the Injured List Tuesday, looking very deGrom-like in his outing. The best in the business went five innings, allowed three hits, one run, no walks, and struck out nine.
Taijuan Walker made his own return on Saturday and was every bit as impressive, also finishing with five innings pitched and giving up two hits, no runs, and striking out eight – tied for a season-high.
On Monday, the Mets are activating Pete Alonso, Seth Lugo, and Kevin Pillar.
It was originally thought Alonso might have to complete a rehab assignment before making his return, but he was able to convince team brass he could return without one. In other words, they tried to make him go to rehab, but he said no, no, no.
Next Up
Already rolling and getting healthier every day, the Mets start a nine-game road trip Monday in Arizona against the Diamondbacks – losers of 13 in a row before Sunday’s 9-2 win over the Cardinals. DeGrom goes in game one of the three-game set.
From there, the Mets head to San Diego for a four-game set with the Padres, whose 34 wins are tied for the most in baseball. Obviously, taking down the likes of Fernando Tatis Jr., Manny Machado, and Co. is no easy task, but the Mets will have Walker, deGrom, and perhaps Marcus Stroman lined up for three of the games. Surely, a series split isn’t too much to ask for.
