The New York Mets (19-21) fell to the New York Yankees (21-19) by the score of 1-0 tonight at Citi Field, splitting the series two games apiece. The Mets were looking for a series victory against the Yankees tonight, with rookie pitcher Jacob deGrom making his Major League debut squaring off against Chase Whitley, who like deGrom was also making his Major League debut.
What you should know:
DeGrom was effective and dazzled straight out of the gate tonight, looking like a seasoned veteran. He would pitch seven innings, allowing one run and four hits while striking out six. deGrom was splendid tonight and did not deserve this loss. His only blemish came in the seventh inning when he allowed a double to Alfonso Soriano to score Brian McCann. The situation may not have occurred, however, but the Mets failed to turn a double play before Soriano’s at-bat.
DeGrom also had a good day at the plate, recording the first Mets hit for a pitcher of the 2014 season (Mets pitchers had previously gone 0-64 at the plate,) and dropped down a sacrifice bunt.
Chase Whitley also pitched well for the Yankees, going 4 2/3 innings, allowing two hits and zero runs while walking two. Dellin Betances would bail him out in the bottom of the 5th with two of Whitley’s runners in scoring position.
Betances would pitch 2 1/3 innings for the Yankees, striking out six of the seven batters he faced. Yankees pitchers would strike out fourteen Mets hitters altogether on the night.
David Wright, as well as the rest of the team, had a miserable day at the plate, going 0-4 with three strikeouts. The Mets have not scored a run in eighteen innings.
The Mets bullpen pitched two scoreless innings with help from Scott Rice, Jeurys Familia, Josh Edgin and Jenrry Mejia, who pitched a scoreless ninth inning.
Chris Young is now 5 for his 36, and Gary Cohen made a comment tonight that if Juan Lagares had started in center field, there might have been a play at the plate on the lone Yankee run scored.
Final score: Yankees 1, Mets 0
Winning pitcher: Dellin Betances (2-0)
Losing pitcher: Jacob deGrom (1-0)
Save: David Robertson (7)
Well, that was a deflating loss to say the least. After the Mets put on an offensive clinic earlier this week at Yankee Stadium in which the Amazin’s scored twenty-one runs and hit nine home runs, the Mets offense was barren again, and their woes at Citi Field continue, as they are now scoreless in the last eighteen innings.
DeGrom’s outing tonight was reminiscent of many of Matt Harvey‘s outings last year, in which he never got any run support, and deGrom, unfortunately, took a hard luck loss.
On another note, Juan Lagares needs to start everyday in center field, and Wilmer Flores needs to start everyday at shortstop to see what he can do as well.
Bottom line: Not only is Lagares our best defensive player, but this season, he has also been one of our most consistent offensive players as well. I don’t care if Chris Young is making seven million dollars this year. He’s struggling. Start Lagares and sit Young. Lagares is very young and packed with potential. We can’t let him rot on the bench while Chris Young, who is only signed to a one year deal, is gone after this season.
As for Ruben Tejada, over his last ten games he is hitting .148, and is still flirting with the Mendoza line for the season. Flores’ offense has been talked about since day one, and right now that’s what this team needs. Offense. Yes, Tejada had a good couple of games earlier this week, but even a broken clock is right two times a day. His defense has been good, but I would easily trade in Flores’ offense and passable defense for Tejada’s almost non-existent offense and okay defense. The Mets starting pitching has not been the problem and everyone knows it. It’s time for the offense to start pulling its weight. The Mets are now two games under .500 for the season and need to pick it up soon before they become irrelevant for the seventh straight season.
On Deck:
The Mets start a weekend series with the Washington Nationals tomorrow night at Nationals Park with Jonathon Niese facing off against Tanner Roark. The Mets will look to turn things around, and win this series before returning home next week.
