3 Up, 3 Down: Mets Surrender Best June Record To Astros
A hugely-impressive June ended disappointingly for the New York Mets.
Houston took two out of three at Citi Field over the weekend, ensuring that the Mets finished June with the second-best record in all of baseball (16-8). The Astros finished the month with the best record (17-8).
After clobbering the Astros for seven runs in Friday’s series opener, New York was undone by bullpen troubles the rest of the way.
As a result, the Mets finished an otherwise red-hot June two games back of the final wild card spot. They will enter July just one game under .500 and primed to stay competitive heading into the trade deadline.
And, on that note, let’s dive right into another edition of 3 Up, 3 Down…
Jun 29, 2024; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets second baseman Jose Iglesias (11) hits a RBI single against the Houston Astros during the second inning at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: John Jones-USA TODAY Sports
3 Up
Milestone Man
June was quite the month for Brandon Nimmo. After getting off to one of the worst statistical starts of his career, the outfielder rebounded and then some in June. He finished off a scorching-hot month in style, going 4-for-11 with one homer, two doubles, three walks, four RBIs and three runs scored against Houston. Nimmo also hit his 100th career homer on Sunday, a game in which he came up with two clutch hits to tie the game twice. He was huge all month for this team.
LONG MAN
Adrian Houser did his job on Sunday. The starter turned reliever entered the series finale and threw two scoreless innings. He allowed just two hits with no walks and one strikeout. It was another dominant outing from Houser, who finished June with a stellar 1.08 ERA. In one of the surprise twists of the year so far, the veteran has morphed into a reliable and clutch long man in the Mets bullpen.
GOOD VIBES
It was quite surreal watching what unfolded at Citi Field on Friday night. In the wake of a 7-2 win, veteran infielder Jose Iglesias grabbed a microphone and performed a live rendition of his new single ‘OMG‘. As a result, another memorable moment in a month full of them was born. Friday night’s impromptu gig underlined the team spirit that has fueled a remarkable turnaround. Aside from the two losses to finish the month, the vibes are high with this team. Something quite special appears to be brewing in Queens.
3 DOWN
Jun 29, 2024; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets pitcher Reed Garrett (75) reacts during the eighth inning against the Houston Astros at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: John Jones-USA TODAY Sports
BULLPEN IMPLOSIONS
The Mets were well on their way to finishing June with the best record in baseball. However, the bullpen had other ideas. An incredibly taxed group of relievers gave away not one but two games. Jake Diekman and Reed Garrett combined to walk four and allow three runs to blow a 6-4 lead on Saturday. Then, on Sunday, newly-promoted Matt Festa allowed five runs in extra-innings. This bullpen is gassed and razor-thin. If reinforcements aren’t added, this season could come crashing down on the Mets.
How we end up judging the 2024 season may well depend on what David Stearns does at the trade deadline. Building on the above point, bullpen help is seriously needed. Stearns’ ability or inability to add reinforcements may dictate whether or not this team makes the playoffs. With Edwin Díaz suspended, Sean Reid-Foley on the shelf and Brooks Raley and Drew Smith out for the year, the pen is taxed and undermanned. Help is needed. And quick.
WALK-A-THON
The Mets now lead the National League in walks with 316. And it isn’t even close. Walks also played a big part in their downfall against the Astros. Diekman and Garrett combined to walk four hitters on Saturday, leading directly to a bullpen collapse. The pen has now blown six leads after eight innings this year. That’s tied for the most in baseball with the Rockies. And issuing a boatload of free passes has been a contributing factor for sure.
DOWNWARD DESCENT
The Tylor Megill mystery continues. The righty boasts a boatload of talent and potential, but he just doesn’t seem capable of putting it together yet. To illustrate that, look at his outing on Saturday. He gave up four earned runs on five hits while walking three. As a result, Megill’s ERA stands at 5.08 on the year, and he was optioned to Triple-A. Now, that was to enable the Mets to call up more bullpen help. However, the point stands that Megill has been unable to pitch consistently. Saturday was another example of that.
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