Pete Alonso

Mets Game Preview: (4/27/21) vs. Boston Red Sox (14-9)

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After getting Monday off, the New York Mets return to action at Citi Field against the Boston Red Sox. They play the first of two against a Red Sox team that has shocked many throughout baseball to begin the season. The first pitch is scheduled for 7:10 p.m. ET from Queens.

The Mets offense had its ups and downs during their series win against the Washington Nationals. They went from sinking to the bottom of the ocean to treading water enough that they could survive. J.D. Davis and Brandon Nimmo have continued to lead this offense, but it is slowly starting to get more help. Pete Alonso was 4-for-8 with three walks and a home run after he homered twice in Chicago. It is evident that Alonso is becoming more comfortable at the plate and starting to get into a groove.

Exceeding Expectations

The Red Sox are one of the true underdog stories in the American League. They join the Kansas City Royals and Oakland A’s as teams no one expected to hold first place at the end of April. Their offense leads MLB with 213 hits, 54 Doubles, a .276 batting average, and a .455 slugging percentage. All of that equals the Sox being second in runs scored in baseball. Combine all of that with average pitching, and you have their formula for success.

The big three of J.D. Martinez, Xander Bogaerts, and Alex Verdugo are the key parts of their offense. All are in the top-3 in the team’s offensive categories, and Martinez is tied for the AL lead with seven home runs. Since joining the Red Sox in 2018, Martinez has only played 104 games in the outfield due to his poor defensive ability. Despite the defensive shortcomings, it is hard to keep a bat as hot as Martinez’s on the bench.

Pitching Matchup

David Peterson gets the start against the team he made his MLB debut against. Peterson started strong in his last start against the Chicago Cubs but failed to get out of the fourth inning. He allowed six runs (three earned) on four hits and two walks in just 3.1 innings pitched.

Garrett Richards makes his fifth start of the season but has failed to give the Red Sox length in his first four outings. He has not pitched longer than five innings, and his inability to throw strikes is why. Richards has allowed 13 walks in 16.2 innings and has thrown just 58% of his pitches for strikes. In his last start, he threw 92 pitches, and only 48 were strikes. The Mets have the fourth-best on-base percentage in MLB, which should be a good matchup for them.

Matchups To Lookout For

Garrett Richards vs. Francisco Lindor: 1-for-8 (.125), Walk, 5 Strikeouts

David Peterson vs. Kevin Plawecki: 2-for-2 (1.000), Double

David Peterson vs. J.D. Martinez: 0-for-3 (.000), 2 Strikeouts

Mets Offense Chokes in Extra Innings During 4-3 Loss

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New York Mets, Edwin Diaz

The “Friendly Confines” of Wrigley Field were quite the opposite for the New York Mets as they dropped all three games to the Chicago Cubs. Unlike their 16-4 loss the previous night, the Mets a great chance to win this game. They had a runner on third with no outs and bases loaded with one out in the 10th but failed to take the lead. In the bottom half, the Cubs took advantage of their based loaded opportunity to win 4-3 and complete the sweep.

Jason Heyward played the hero with an RBI single, which showed the Mets how simple it is to drive in a run with the bases loaded. When the Mets had an opportunity to take the lead, Jeff McNeil struck out, and Dominic Smith grounded into a double play to foil any opportunity to win the game. The Mets went just 1-for-7 w/RISP, left eight runners on base, and are hitting .190 w/RISP.

Joey Lucchesi struggled again as he lasted just three innings and allowed the same amount of runs. Sean Reid-Foley was stellar in his Mets debut by throwing three perfect innings with four strikeouts. Reid-Foley set the tone for a Mets bullpen that was terrific all night. Trevor May followed with a scoreless seventh, then Aaron Loup and Miguel Castro combined to work around a leadoff triple in the eighth. Edwin Diaz sent the game to extra innings but allowed the bases-loaded single to take the loss.

Get The Offense Going

If you search synonyms for the word “bad,” you will find many words to describe the Mets offense. Pete Alonso did homer for the second straight game, but he was the only somewhat hot hitter in the lineup. J.D. Davis tied the game in the seventh with a pinch double after getting a night off from playing the field. Davis is 8-for-18 to begin the season and should return to the lineup on Friday because they desperately need his bat despite his struggling defense.

Despite the sweep and falling back to .500, the Mets are still tied for first place. While there is never a guarantee to win with Jacob deGrom on the mound, they will have the opportunity to take advantage of his greatness when he starts on Friday. Erick Fedde pitches for the Washington Nationals, who make their first trip to Citi Field for the 7:10 p.m. start.

Ugly Middle Innings For The Mets Lead to 16-4 Blowout Loss

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Here is a list of facts that show you the theme of the New York Mets ugly 14-4 loss:

  • They had the same amount of runs as errors
  • The Chicago Cubs scored 14 runs in three innings
  • Luis Guillorme pitched an inning

David Peterson and the Mets had a similar start as Taijuan Walker did the previous night. Peterson kept the Cubs hitless for 3.1 innings, but things quickly unraveled in the fourth. The Cubs pushed across seven runs on six hits, with only one reaching an exit velocity of 90 mph or better. It continued to a three-run fifth, and Javier Baez’s grand slam capped off the middle inning outburst to put the Mets away for the rest of the night. Four different Mets made errors on the night, and J.D. Davis made his third in the last two games.

The Mets came into the season understanding their defensive flaws, but it is becoming worse than they could have imagined. Clearly, Davis is not an everyday third baseman with the glove, and it is becoming to defend playing him there every day. His errors show up on the box score, but simple plays become tall tasks for Davis. Unless he puts up MVP caliber numbers, there is no reason to continue to keep Guillorme sitting on the bench while the defense continues to suffer.

Defense Wins Championships

This team is way too talented for a lack of defense to separate them from winning the division. With the season still early and fresh, these losses are not the end of the world. They are certainly disappointing and disheartening, but the next day’s performance determines how bad it stings. If manager Luis Rojas adjusts the lineups and the team responds accordingly, it turns into just another loss. The final game of the series will show the early character of this team.

Offensively, the Mets saw encouraging signs from Francisco Lindor, who had three hits, including his first Mets home run. Davis’s bat continues to be the only thing keeping him in the lineup as he recorded two hits, including an RBI. Pete Alonso’s two-run home run was the last of the scoring and his third of the season.

The Mets look to flush this ugly loss away and avoid the sweep in Thursday’s game. Joey Lucchesi takes the mound against Trevor Williams for a 7:40 p.m. ET start from Wrigley Field.

Villar Caps Off Comeback With Walk-Off Single in 4-3 Victory

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The New York Mets sleepwalking offense desperately needed something to wake themselves up, and they finally found it their 4-3 walk-off win. It looked like the Mets would play in another miserable doubleheader after the Philadelphia Phillies took the lead in the top half of the inning, but there was no quit in them. Against closer Hector Neris, Pete Alonso led off the eighth with a lined single to tie the game, and Jonathan Villar‘s bases-loaded single brought the Mets back to .500.

The eighth inning started ugly as Trevor May ran into tough luck. James McCann‘s passed ball led to runners on second and third, then Didi Gregorious’s squib single allowed the Phillies to take a 3-2 lead. Miguel Castro suffered a similar fate when he allowed an infield single to Jean Segura, which allowed the Phillies to tie the game in the sixth inning. Both May and Castro were dominant in their outings and are proving to be their best relievers early in the season.

Sky WalKKKKKKKKer

Taijuan Walker had the strikeout pitch working as he recorded eight in 4.1 innings pitched. Due to the urgency of a seven-inning game, manager Luis Rojas opted not to stretch him out. Walker continued to show a fastball in the mid-90s, and he featured a slider which became his best secondary pitch.

Dominic Smith also made an impact both with the bat and with his mouth. His 2-run home run provided all the offense against Phillies starter Chase Anderson. It was his second one off of Anderson this season, except this one came on a fastball that was actually in the strike zone. When Jose Alvarado threw two consecutive up and in pitches to Michael Conforto, the latter drilling him on the hand, Smith was vocal toward Alvarado to cut it out. No altercation resulted from it, but it was clear that Smith was not happy with Alvarado’s lack of control at 99-100 mph.

Game two of the doubleheader will begin at 8:05 p.m. and features a good pitching matchup. Marcus Stroman faces Aaron Nola in the nightcap.

Mets: Pete Alonso breaks another home run record

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The New York Mets’ win against the Philadelphia Phillies on Tuesday night was special in many regards. It was the first of the season after several days of inactivity due to suspensions, and it was also the first in the Steve Cohen era.

It was also special because it had a Pete Alonso home run, and those are always impressive. However, last night’s dinger made the first baseman the fastest hitter in Major League Baseball to reach 70 round-trippers.

Wayne Randazzo, through his official Twitter account, reported the interesting stat. Alonso became the fastest player in Major League history to reach that many career homers, as it took him 220 games — 11 fewer than previous record holder Aaron Judge – to achieve the round number.

Alonso, the Mets’ first baseman ever since he burst into the scene in 2019 with 53 dingers, a record for a rookie – besting Judge’s 52 blasts from 2017 – is determined to return to the level that made him one of the most promising and feared power hitters in the league a couple of seasons ago.

The Mets want to see Alonso’s best version

During the shortened 2020 campaign, the Mets’ couldn’t have the best version of Alonso, and it reflected on the final standings, as the team finished in last place of the NL East division.

Overall, Alonso didn’t hit his stride until late in the season, resulting in a disappointing .231/.326/.490 line. However, the Mets know that despite some cold streaks here and there, Alonso’s power is intact: even during last year’s struggles, he bopped 16 balls out of the park in 57 games, roughly a 45-homer pace over a full season.

This year, Alonso started on the right foot, with a .375/.500/.875 line and a homer, three runs, and a couple of RBI in the first two games of the season. He wants to regain his place among the most dangerous home run hitters in MLB.

Mets Patience At The Plate Leads To Their First Win of the Season, 8-4

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New York Yankees, New York Mets, Marcus Stroman

The New York Mets lineup is built with dangerous hitters, and their terrific approaches at the plate gave them an 8-4 victory. Marcus Stroman led the Mets with six strong innings, allowing just one run and three hits to hand the Philadelphia Phillies their first loss of the season. Stroman only struck out three but stayed true to his craft with 13 ground ball outs.

Chase Anderson held his own against the menacing Mets hitters. He gave the Phillies five strong innings with a Dominic Smith two-run home run as the only blemish on his outing. The homer was no fault of his own because Smith swung at a ball by his shoulders but still managed to lose it to the opposite field. Vince Velasquez was the first reliever for the Phillies and had a “Jekyll and Hyde” outing. He struck out the 3-4-5 hitters in order in the sixth but was a completely different pitcher in the seventh.

Velasquez walked four batters, three in a row at one point, which eased the Mets into a 3-1 lead. Francisco Lindor picked up his first Mets RBI with a sacrifice fly followed by a first and third double steal, allowing the Mets to score their fifth run. The double steal easily could have been marked as an error on Didi Gregorius, who muffed a catchable throw at second base. Michael Conforto finished off the four-run inning with an RBI double. Pete Alonso put the finishing touches on the win by muscling a 2-run home run over the left field fence in the ninth inning.

Bullpen Woes

A five-run lead would have been an opportune time for Manager Luis Rojas to give Dellin Betances or Jeurys Familia some low leverage work, but he opted for Miguel Castro again. Castro bent but did not break after allowing three straight two-out hits and a run. He got Bryce Harper to fly out on a solid play by center fielder Brandon Nimmo to escape the jam.

Trevor May pitched into another jam in the eighth but struck out Brad Miller and Roman Quinn to slither out of a first and second situation. Jeurys Familia finally got some action with a six-run lead in the ninth and had tough luck on two weak hits and an error resulting in two unearned runs. Despite the issues, Familia got through the inning and completed the first win of the season.

The Mets defense compiled another two errors to push their count to three in the early season. Overall, the defense has been much better than last season, but they still have more work to join the upper class in the NL. The Mets’ eight walks were vital as the offense only mustered five hits. Four of those hits resulted in extra bases; two doubles and two home runs.

J.D. Davis also left the game in the second inning after getting drilled in the hand with a pitch. X-Rays came back negative and his status is day-to-day at the moment. On Wednesday, both teams play the rubber game of their series as the Mets send David Peterson to the mound against Aaron Nola. The first pitch is at 4:05 p.m. ET from Citizens Bank Park.

 

 

Lindor Starts, Smith/Alonso Puts Away Astros in Mets 8-3 Victory

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The New York Mets offense was rolling on all cylinders during their 8-3 win against the Houston Astros. 12 hits, 5 for extra bases, helped support another terrific outing from Joey Lucchesi. He had some help from Jacob Barnes, who struck out two as the Mets opener, a role Manager Luis Rojas seems to favor Barnes in.

Lucchesi threw 4.2 innings in “relief” and held the Astros to one run, and struck out four. His only blemish came on an Alex Bregman solo-home run in his final inning of work. The opener worked out perfectly for Lucchesi because he retired the first eight batters he faced. Trevor May was touched up for a Yordan Alvarez home run in his inning of work but struck out two batters. Jerry Blevins finished off the ninth inning as he tries to earn the final spot in the Mets bullpen.

Francisco Lindor had a sparkling day on both sides of the ball. Lindor made a terrific play, ranging to the first base side of the field to throw out a base runner. He was a perfect 3-for-3 with three RBIs and a walk. Dominic Smith also homered twice and went back-to-back with Pete Alonso in the seventh inning.

On Sunday, the Mets head back to Jupiter to face the Miami Marlins with Mike Montgomery (1-0, 0.00 ERA) making the start. The first pitch is at 1:10 p.m. ET but will not be on any of the Mets networks.

New York Mets: Lindor Hits Fourth Homer in Five Games During 5-3 Win

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The New York Mets are getting exactly what they traded for with Francisco Lindor‘s production this spring. Lindor has his best game of spring training by recording three hits, including his fourth home run. His strong game helped propel the Mets to a 5-3 victory over the Miami Marlins.

Marcus Stroman got the start and scattered nine hits over five innings. He was tagged for two home runs, but the umpires bailed Stroman out both times. Starling Marte‘s double hit the chain-link fence behind the right field wall and bounced back in play. Brian Anderson hit a towering shot over the left field foul pole that was called a foul ball. Instead of a three-run homer, Anderson struck out to end the inning instead.

In the third inning, Adam Duvall‘s sacrifice fly gave the Marlins their first run. Miguel Rojas recorded the final two runs with his two-run homer in the fifth inning as Stroman limped to the finish line. The quartet of Jacob Barnes, Aaron Loup, Trevor May, and Tommy Hunter finished the game with four hitless innings.

After Marlins starter Daniel Castano retired the first six batters he faced, the Mets came out swinging in the third inning. Triples from Kevin Pillar and Brandon Nimmo led to the first run of the inning. Francisco Lindor’s double drove in Nimmo, and a sharp single from Pete Alonso capped off the three-run third. Lindor’s fifth inning homer put the Mets in the lead, and another homer from J.D. Davis in the sixth gave their fifth run.

On Wednesday, Taijuan Walker (1-0, 3.00) takes the mound against the St. Louis Cardinals in Jupiter. The offense gets another opportunity to afflict more damage on Carlos Martinez (0-2, 10.03) and his ERA as he starts for the Cards.

Walker Superb, Lindor Hits Grand Slam in Mets 8-5 Win Over Cards

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Taijuan Walker became a bigger part of the New York Mets rotation after Carlos Carrasco‘s hamstring injury. He took the mound against the St. Louis Cardinals and was tremendous in the Mets 8-5 victory.

Walker made it look easy in his second start of the spring. He only allowed one hit over four innings and struck out three Cardinals. Walker needed just 50 pitches to get through his outing, and his slider was his best pitch.

The offense tormented Carlos Martinez once again as they tagged him for five runs in three innings. Pete Alonso continued to scorch the ball with a first inning RBI double to drive in Brandon Nimmo. The double was Alonso’s fifth of the spring and moved his average to .400.

In the second, Tomas Nido flicked a home run over the right field fence with the help of the Florida wind. The bulk of the scoring came in a five-run fifth when J.D. Davis beat the throw home on a fielder’s choice for the first run. Francisco Lindor capped off the inning with a grand-slam which made it a 7-0 game. Jerry Blevins put up a scoreless top half of the inning to relieve Walker.

In the eighth, Johneshy Fargas recorded a hustle triple, then scored on an error from third baseman Evan Mendoza to drive in a run. Jeff McNeil had some tough luck as he was hit by a pitch three times in three different spots. Luckily, none resulted in any injuries.

Oswalt Struggles

Corey Oswalt took over for the sixth and allowed plenty of hard contact. Oswalt allowed a two-run homer to Max Moroff and an RBI double before Trevor Hildenberger cleaned up the mess. He got an opportunity to redeem himself in the seventh inning thanks to the spring training rules. Oswalt pitched a 1-2-3 inning but lost it again in the eighth. He allowed another two-run homer to push his line to five runs in just 2.2 innings pitched. Daniel Zamora closed out the win with a scoreless ninth inning.

Saturday is a day off before Jacob deGrom takes the mound against the Washington Nationals in West Palm Beach on Sunday. For the first time, pitchers will bat, allowing deGrom ready for his first plate appearances since 2019. Hopefully, the Mets wrap deGrom in bubble wrap to prevent any other injuries to their rotation.

 

 

New York Mets Club Three Home Runs in 8-3 Win Over Astros

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The New York Mets put all of their valuable assets on display against the Houston Astros. Jacob deGrom had another dominant outing, and the offense pushed across eight runs in an 8-3 victory.

deGrom pitched four innings, allowed one run, and struck out six. His fastball did not quite reach 102 again, but he sat in the 100-101 range. deGrom also showed his best slider of the spring, which resulted in plenty of swings and misses. The one run allowed came on a high home run from Jeremy Pena, which bounced off the top of the left-field fence.

Jeurys Familia struggled with his control again but worked out of a bases-loaded jam to complete a scoreless outing. Dellin Betances was the victim of an unlucky bloop double with two outs that resulted in two runs. It should have resulted in an out, but Brandon Nimmo played Taylor Jones like Hank Aaron. The weak double ballooned Betances spring ERA to 13.50.

Trevor May bounced back from a couple of rough outings to strike out three in his one inning of work. Miguel Castro and Sam McWilliams finished off the eighth and ninth to give the Mets a win.

Hit Parade

It was all hands on deck for the Mets offense as five different hitters. Dominic Smith‘s three-run home run put the Mets on the board in the third inning. The homer was another example of his unique ability to wait back on the breaking ball. In the fifth, Pete Alonso took a high fastball and drove it into the left-field picnic area.

The third Mets homer came from Francisco Lindor. His no-doubter was his first homer as a Met and second hit of the day. Brandon Nimmo’s single and Jeff McNeil‘s double drove in the other two Mets runs.

On Wednesday, Joey Lucchesi (0-0, 0.00 ERA) makes his first start of the spring against Sandy Alcantara (0-0, 0.00 ERA) and the Miami Marlins. The road game for the Mets begins at 1:05 p.m. ET from Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium.