3 Up, 3 Down: Mets Sink To New Low Against Cleveland

It is officially time to hit the panic button.

The New York Mets are in crisis mode after being swept by the Guardians at Citi Field. The offense looks completely lost. This team doesn’t look like a World Series contender right now. Not even close.

Furthermore, the Mets have now lost four straight, eight of nine, and each of their last three series. We’re now in August, and this team is going in the completely wrong direction.

Therefore, let’s recap all the bad and the few good points from the Cleveland series in another edition of 3 Up, 3 Down…

3 UP

CLOSER TO HISTORY

Pete Alonso is just one home run away from becoming part of forever. The slugger went 4-for-5 with four RBIs in the series opener, including hitting his 251st career home run. As a result, Alonso is now on the precipice of accomplishing something incredibly special. Once he does match and then surpass Darryl Strawberry‘s franchise home run record, Alonso will cement his standing as the best power hitter in Mets history. It was just a shame he couldn’t tie the record before the home stand came to a close.

STEADYING THE SHIP

Clay Holmes has been on a downward spiral lately. He had allowed a total of nine earned runs and six walks in his previous four outings. However, in his latest start on Tuesday, Holmes got the train back on the tracks somewhat. The righty pitched well over five innings, allowing just two runs on three hits and two walks with six strikeouts. He shut down a dangerous Cleveland offense and had good command of all his pitches. Furthermore, Holmes looked like the pitcher he was earlier in the season. Hopefully, Tuesday’s start will act as a defining turning point in Holmes’ first season as a starter.

DOING THEIR JOBS

This series was a quiet success for the bullpen. Yes, the Mets got swept. But it wasn’t because of their relief pitching. In total, the bullpen allowed just three runs – one earned – in the three games against the Guardians. Five relievers combined to allow just two runs in the opener (not their fault either), while four relievers combined to allow just one run over four innings in the second game of the series. Then, in the series finale on Wednesday, Reed Garrett and Justin Hagenman joined forces to provide three innings of scoreless ball in relief. All in all, the bullpen is starting to look formidable. It was a strength, and not a weakness, in this series.

3 DOWN

GUT PUNCH LOSS

Certain losses throughout a 162-game season have the potential to be defining. File Monday’s heartbreaking crusher under that category. The Mets overcame a 5-0 deficit to get right back into the series opener, setting up what could have acted as a real turning point for this team. Instead, the offense wasted golden opportunities to score the winning run late in the game. Then, in extra innings, an inexcusable Brett Baty throwing error led to Cleveland scoring the winning runs. Baty’s fatal mistake, coupled with the offensive failures, set the tone for the remainder of the series. Some losses you don’t get up from, and this was one of them.

NO PULSE

This offense is lifeless right now. We’re in August and, unless something changes drastically, this lineup could doom the Mets’ chances of doing something special this year. As of now, this team doesn’t look like one capable of going on a deep postseason run. Heck, unless the offense fixes itself, maybe even reaching the playoffs could be in doubt. Because, to be brutally honest, we’re way past the point of panic time with this offense now. The lineup doomed the Mets in this series. After failing to drive the winning run home in the opener, the lineup proceeded to go 13 consecutive innings without a single hit. Only Juan Soto‘s ninth-inning home run prevented the Mets from being no-hit in the finale. That’s embarrassing.

Furthermore, the Mets have lost eight of their last nine games and are averaging just 3.8 runs per game over that stretch. They’ve also produced a .674 OPS since June 13 – the third-worst mark in all of baseball during that span. Plus, between June 22 and August 7, New York is hitting just .224 as a team – ranked dead last in all of baseball. All in all, this offense is an absolute abyss right now, and it could end up ensuring this season is a total bust.

ONE STEP BACK

Things were going swimmingly for Sean Manaea on Monday. The lefty cruised through five innings, allowing just two hits and needing just 57 pitches to do damage. However, hopes of Manaea going deep into the game for the first time this season were soon wiped out. The wheels fell off in the sixth, with Manaea allowing five runs on seven hits. And, just like that, Manaea’s night was over. Not only did the implosion lead to a series-defining loss, but no starter other than David Peterson has now finished the sixth inning since June 7.

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