Morning Briefing: David Peterson Gets Birthday Win

Good morning, Mets fans!

David Peterson celebrated his birthday in style, hurling six magnificent innings in the Mets 7-2 victory against the Red Sox. Though Boston starter Kutter Crawford pitched his own six strong innings of two-run ball, Francisco Lindor, Mark Vientos, and Pete Alonso all walloped homers and combined for six runs batted in. It was the Mets’ sixth consecutive victory.

With Tuesday’s win, the Metropolitans are 11 games above .500 and remain half a game behind the Braves.

Wild Card Update

The Diamondbacks won a tight one against the Giants, 8-7. Arizona nearly blew a 7-1 lead with a four-run eighth, and each team scored a run in the ninth. The Diamondbacks remain three games ahead of the Mets (and 2.5 over the Braves).

The Braves beat the Rockies 3-0 Tuesday behind another excellent start from Chris Sale. Their new acquisition, Gio Urshela, tallied two hits and an RBI yesterday, and he’s rebounding nicely with the Braves, with 14 hits in 33 at-bats. They are still a half-game up on the Mets.

Latest Mets News

On Wednesday, New York will look to sweep the Red Sox at 7:10 p.m. ET. Tylor Megill (3-5, 4.82 ERA) will battle Boston’s ace Tanner Houck (8-9, 3.12 ERA). Both pitchers have never seen the opposing team before.

Lindor’s home run Tuesday brought him to 30 home runs, the fifth time he’s reached that milestone. Lindor’s now sitting on a 30-25 season. The last time he attempted a stolen base was Aug. 19, so he’s in a bit of a stolen base drought.

Paul Blackburn dominated for 6 2/3 innings for Triple-A Syracuse, allowing just one run on four hits across 75 total pitches. If all goes well, Blackburn should return after the minimum stay on the 10-day IL.

Mets beat reporter Anthony DiComo reported that Dedniel Núñez will not throw this week, but once he does, he’ll be able to “ramp up quickly.” As of now, the Mets don’t expect him to require another MRI on his arm.

In an interview, Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns said that an MVP “looks like the guy who runs out to shortstop every day for us at 7 o’clock.” Stearns added that he thought Lindor was producing “perhaps the greatest individual position player season in the history of the franchise.”

Sean Manaea, Luis Severino and David Peterson are currently lined up to face the Braves in the last week of the regular season. Just like in 2022, that Braves series appears to be shaping the entire Mets season.

In lighter news, Pete Alonso shaved his mustache. (Why, Pete?)

Latest MLB News

Darin Ruf, 38, joined Omaha baseball’s coaching staff as an assistant coach. Over nine years in the bigs, Ruf tallied 1,690 plate appearances with four teams, including the Mets. The former slugger spent his childhood in Omaha, so this isn’t much of a surprise.

Elsewhere, the MLB Players of the Month were announced Tuesday by MLB Network. Corbin Carroll was named the NL’s Player of the Month, and Aaron Judge the AL’s. Bowden Francis and Blake Snell won Pitcher of the Month for the AL and NL, respectively.

Power-hitting first baseman Christian Walker was reinstated from the injured list, taking an active roster spot from Lourdes Gurriel Jr., who went on the IL due to a strained left calf.

On this Date in Mets History

2011: Mookie Wilson and Bill Buckner guest-starred in the sitcom “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” in an episode titled “Mister Softee.”

Born on this Date: Andrés Giménez (1998), Chris Beck (1990), Jo DePastino (1973), Luis M. Lόpez (1970), Mike Piazza (1968).

The post Morning Briefing: David Peterson Gets Birthday Win appeared first on Metsmerized Online.