The easy grind is over for the Mets after failing to sweep a three-game series from the Marlins Sunday afternoon at Citi Field. The Mets suffered a 3-2 loss to the lowly Marlins and now face reality in their pursuit for the third National League wild card.
The reality is that the Mets begin the tough grind Monday evening with 10 consecutive games against the Orioles, Padres, and Diamondbacks. Three at home with the Orioles and that trip to San Diego and Arizona that could determine if the Mets are viable for that wild card, though three at the lowly White Sox to conclude the road swing may be too little, too late.
Regardless, a sweep against the Marlins would have been a feel good end to this easy grind. The Marlins won six of 13 games in the season series, but this loss for the Mets was one that got away with a Derek Hill two-out tiebreaking single in the eighth inning.
The Mets bullpen showed their flaws again late, perhaps a reason why they did not get the sweep. And the Marlins had three base runners picked off, first team to pull of the feat since the New York Yankees did it against the Toronto Blue Jays in June 1991. Three pickoffs for Mets pitchers for the second time in franchise history, two from starter Paul Blackburn (6.0 IP, 4H, one run, 4 strikeouts) who was solid.
The pickoffs took Marlins’ runners off the basepaths and things seemed to be going the Mets’ way. Brandon Nimmo launched a solo home run (#18) in the sixth inning for a Mets 2-1 lead, though a seventh inning diving catch in center that saved a run could prove to be costly. Nimmo left the game with a sore right shoulder and is scheduled for an MRI on Monday.
The Mets hope Nimmo is ready to go for the grind. They are depending on getting quality starts again from David Peterson (7-1, 3.04 ERA), Jose Quintana (6-8, 3.26 ERA) and Sean Manaea (9-5, 3.46 ERA), who are all slated to start against the Orioles, a team competing neck-and neck with the Yankees for first place in the AL East.
“Today might leave a little bit of a bad taste in our mouth, but we’ve still got a long way to go,” Blackburn said. “We can’t dwell on something like this.”
But the Mets will look at this loss as one that got away, though not one in that gut wrenching category, it still stings. Winning a series at this juncture is important and a sweep more significant to keep pace with the Braves for that final wild card spot that has the Mets two games behind. More importantly, the next ten games can define if the Mets are viable to be a part of this chase in September.
The clubhouse mood of course is quiet. After losing two-of three this week to the Athletics, they realize those were games that could have been won. Losing their last three games by one run defines a team that won’t let a game get away but can’t get over the hump. Reality is the Mets know what’s at stake after their loss to the last place Marlins.
“You would like to do better facing the teams that aren’t necessarily in playoff contention,” said Nimmo, also looking ahead. “These games mean as much to them as they do to us. I think it brings a lot of the best out of teams and people and you’re going to see some real competitive games over the next couple of weeks. It’s going to be more like playoff baseball. I expect the guys to show up and play good baseball over the next couple of weeks.”
But all season long the Mets have not succumbed to the pressure. They have had their share of losing streaks. At one point they were a team sitting 11-games under .500 and seven games out of the wild card spot. Then they had their surge in June that took them to this part of the schedule of being viable, something that wasn’t in their grasp for most of April and May, though since the All-star break they are 15-14 and not overtaking the league.
“You would love to do better,” manager Carlos Mendoza said. “The pressure brings a lot for us as a team. Every game matters no matter who you are playing. We have Baltimore starting tomorrow and we have to take care of business there.”
But this also leads to urgency and not something the Mets will admit because they are viable. Though recently losing series to the Angels and Athletics, and not sweeping the Rockies and Marlins while going 6-6 was not a good look. Games the Mets should have won while not avoiding a sweep in a three-game series in Seattle against the AL West contending Mariners.
“The guys are playing good baseball games,” shortstop Francisco Lindor said. “Now we have teams that are contending. We have to play the game well for us to beat them”
And that is the urgency. The Mets need to win a majority of these upcoming games. If not there is that possibility and reality of being irrelevant down the stretch.
Rich Mancuso: X (Twitter @Ring786) Facebook.com/Rich Mancuso
About the Author
Rich Mancuso
Rich Mancuso is a regular contributor at NY Sports Day, covering countless New York Mets, Yankees, and MLB teams along with some of the greatest boxing matches over the years. He is an award winning sports journalist and previously worked for The Associated Press, New York Daily News, Gannett, and BoxingInsider.com, in a career that spans almost 40 years.