An abbreviated week of play was in store for the New York Mets, as the 87th All Star Game was played last Tuesday at Petco Park in San Diego. The American League won the game 4-2, and secured home field advantage for the World Series this year. The Kansas City Royals were well represented in the contest, and two of them, Eric Hosmer and Salvador Perez each homered in the three-run second inning off former teammate Johnny Cueto, who dominated the Mets in Game 2 of last year’s World Series.
The Mets had four All Stars this year, Noah Syndergaard, Bartolo Colon, Jeurys Familia, and Yoenis Cespedes. All but Cespedes made the trip out to San Diego, as he was still nursing a sore right quad. However, none of the Mets made it into the game, as NL Manager Terry Collins was planning on using Colon if the game went to extra innings, and using Familia in a save situation.
In what seemed like the longest week of the year, when baseball is scant and fans are itching for their teams to get back into the second half of the season, the Mets opened up a three game set against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park. The Mets won the series as they took the first game and the rubber game against the Phillies. A tremendous pitching performance by Jacob deGrom on Sunday sealed the deal for the Mets, as they now head to Chicago to play the first place Cubs starting Monday night.
As always, here are your MMO Players of the Week for July 11-17.
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK: JUAN LAGARES
Juan Lagares earns MMO’s Offensive Player of the Week for the three games against our foe down the Jersey turnpike. Lagares went 3 for 9 during the series, including two walks, a double, triple, homer, three runs scored, and two RBI.
Lagares started and played center the entire series, as Cespedes was eased back into action on Sunday playing left field, a position he said was easier on his legs to play moving forward. And now with Michael Conforto recalled from Triple A Las Vegas, Collins and the Mets are going to have to sort out who’s playing where. But Lagares has taken his opportunity and done well, which should give him more playing time as Collins should ride the hot hand at the plate.
Lagares opened the scoring early for the Mets on Friday night, homering in the top of the third on a first pitch fastball by Jeremy Hellickson to left-center field. Lagares also scored an insurance run in the seventh, as he led off the inning with his first of two walks in the game, and came around to score on Jose Reyes‘ fielder’s choice two batters later. The slow chopper to short was fielded quickly by Freddy Galvis who threw on the run to home to try and nab the speedy Lagares. But Lagares broke to the plate quick, and read the play perfectly, sliding underneath the tag and putting the Mets up by two.
He also opened the scoring during Sunday’s win, tripling in the top of the second and plating James Loney to give the Mets the early 1-0 lead. Lagares worked a great at-bat, quickly falling behind starter Zach Eflin 0-2, to then work the count full on three straight balls. On the seventh pitch of the at-bat, Lagares lofted a 93 mph fastball down the right field line, past a diving Peter Bourjos, and easily made it into third base for his second triple of the season.
PITCHER OF THE WEEK: JACOB DE GROM
For the second straight week, Jacob deGrom earns MMO’s Pitcher of the Week honors, after his masterful performance in Sunday’s rubber game against the Phillies. With the Mets looking to secure their second series victory against the Phillies this season, deGrom pitched a complete game one-hit shutout, his first major league complete game of his career.
He went the entire way, giving up only one hit to counterpart Zach Eflin in the bottom of the third. He walked one, and struck out seven in an impressive 105 pitch performance. DeGrom lowered his season ERA to 2.38 after his sixth win of the season.
As previously reported by Jamie Zimbleman in his Game Recap on Sunday, deGrom registered a 97 on the Game Score, which is the fifth highest Game Score in franchise history.
After a week and half of rest, including skipping a trip to the All Star Game after Collins asked deGrom about attending, he looked refreshed and rejuvenated on the mound Sunday, who mentioned that he was trying to be more consistent with his delivery after routinely dipping his shoulder off to the first base side through most of the first half of the season.
DeGrom has battled this season with diminished velocity in the early going, but over time and rest he seems to have righted the ship, and looks to be poised for a big second half for the Mets.
“I was hoping I’d have one like this, where you go out there and everything is working,” deGrom said. “But it’s part of the game. You don’t always feel good when you go out there, so you’ve got to find a way. Today I was fortunate enough to feel good.”
