3 Up, 3 Down: Mets Labor Against Reds

Jersey retirements aside, this was not a weekend to remember for the New York Mets.

After honoring former captain David Wright by retiring his iconic No. 5 jersey, the Mets dropped two out of three to the Reds at Citi Field.

Granted, New York did win the series finale on Sunday to avoid the sweep. However, this weekend was hardly an ideal way in which to start the second half of the season.

To that end, let’s recap all the good and all the bad from the Cincinnati series. It’s time for another 3 Up, 3 Down…

3 UP

HONORING AN ICON

Without doubt, the high point of the weekend for the Mets came on Saturday. Before the game, a true franchise icon in David Wright was honored in a special and emotional ceremony at Citi Field. The Captain got the day he so deserved after giving everything he had to the organization over a memorable career. Wright saw his No. 5 jersey raised to the rafters, while he was also inducted into the Mets Hall of Fame. You couldn’t help but tear up while watching the ceremony.

The Mets now get it right when it comes to paying tribute to their past. And Wright still means a great deal to the organization, to the fans, and the entire city of New York. He was the perfect face of the franchise, the ideal leader and role model, and one heck of a player. Saturday was the perfect way to say thank you to one of the best to ever represent the Mets.

SUNDAY BEST

David Peterson proved to be the perfect pitching tonic on Sunday. The ever-reliable starter was stellar once again. He allowed just one run on four hits and one walk with four strikeouts across six full innings. More importantly, Peterson once again gave his team some much-needed length. Consequently, the lefty is now the lone Mets starter to have completed six-plus innings over their last 35 games. He’s accomplished that feat five times in total. With a 2.90 ERA on the year, Peterson is giving the Mets quality, dependability, and durability nearly every single start.

SMARTS & HUSTLE

Juan Soto isn’t known for his baserunning ability, but his hustle and smarts on the basepaths played a big role in preventing a series sweep. With the series finale tied at 2-2 in the bottom of the eighth, Soto started and finished the play that led to the winning run. He drew a leadoff walk, before showing tremendous IQ and instincts to get a headstart from third and make a head-first slide to home. Soto’s aggressive jump put pressure on the Reds defense, and an off-target throw allowed Soto to score the go-ahead run. Again, Soto is known more for his superstar hitting, but his instincts and smarts were what won the game for New York on Sunday.

3 DOWN

WAIT & SEE

There was some notable concern on Sunday when Pete Alonso‘s name was missing from the lineup. It was revealed that the first baseman was day-to-day with a right hand contusion. Now, Alonso did come off the bench in the finale, striking out in the eighth inning in his only at-bat. As a result, he kept his franchise-record 354 consecutive games played streak alive. However, hand injuries can be tricky for hitters, and the Mets will be hoping this contusion remains a minor problem and nothing more. After all, a healthy and locked-in Alonso will be needed if this team is to meet expectations in the second half.

SETTING THE WRONG TONE

Questionable decisions and throwing games away are starting to pile up for the Mets. We saw glaring examples of both in the opener on Friday night. Sean Manaea was stellar across four innings, but was removed after throwing just 69 pitches. It was clear that the lefty could have gone a little longer. However, the more egregious decision proved to be going to Alex Carrillo, who immediately blew a lead. Manager Carlos Mendoza then decided to keep Carrillo in for the sixth, before eventually pulling him from the game. The result? Carrillo was shelled for five earned runs and three homers on three hits and two walks. A 2-1 lead quickly morphed into a 6-2 deficit. Mendoza’s questionable decision cost the Mets the game and set the tone for the rest of the weekend.

WHERE IS THIS EXPLOSIVE OFFENSE?

Once again, the offense was missing in action for the Mets. A so-called explosive lineup managed just nine runs across three games against the Reds. The offense also went 6-for-25 (.240) with runners in scoring position, leaving a whopping 25 runners stranded on base. The problems could be found up and down the lineup. Francisco Lindor finished the series 0-for-14. Mark Vientos, who is without a home run since May 28, went 2-for-11 in the series. Juan Soto and Pete Alonso combined for just two hits across the three-game set. It is hard to win baseball games when your offense is that ice cold.Furthermore, the Mets are averaging just 3.7 runs over their last 31 games, which is tied for the sixth-worst mark in all of baseball over that span. Not good.

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