8/17 Game Recap: Mets Lose Mejia as Team Falls To Padres 8-2

Aug 17, 2013; San Diego, CA, USA; New York Mets starting pitcher Jenrry Mejia (58) throws during the first inning against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports

Saturday night in San Diego, the Mets lost to Edinson Volquez and the Padres by a score of 8-2.

What should’ve been a day to remember for Mets fans, with Travis d’Arnaud making his major league debut, quickly became a day to forget when starting pitcher Jenrry Mejia left with an injury to his elbow.

After allowing a run in the first inning, Mejia shut down the Padres’ offense until he was forced to leave before the fourth. Mejia is set to undergo surgery in the offseason to remove bone spurs in his elbow; his injury tonight appears to be related to that.

David Aardsma relieved him, pitching two innings and allowing four runs on six hits. He yielded a two-run home run from Nick Hundley in the fourth, as well as a Jesus Guzman single the next inning to drive in the Padres’ fifth run of the game.

Pedro Feliciano continued with a scoreless 2/3. Carlos Torres, who came in for long relief, let rookie Jedd Gyrko break the game open in the eighth with a three-run home run.

Mets hitters tagged Volquez for two runs on seven hits in his five innings. In the third, after a single and stolen base from Eric Young, Daniel Murphy drove in the Mets first run. Young also scored the second run of the game after leading off the fifth with a double and Ike Davis singling him home.

That would be all the Mets would score for the rest of the game, though. The team didn’t even have a hit after Flores’ 2-out double in the fifth. Overall, Young and Lagares led the Mets offense, each with two hits on the night. Murphy, Marlon Byrd, Davis, and d’Arnaud each had multiple men left of base.

With his family in attendance, d’Arnaud made his first career start in the big leagues at catcher. He was unable to come up with a hit, though, going 0-2 with two walks for the night. He came up in a key spot in the fifth inning — with runners on second and third and two out — but grounded out to third to end the inning.

Overall, this was an ugly loss for the Mets, who couldn’t seem to get a big hit off the Padres bullpen.

Notes:

The Mets were held hitless after the fifth inning with just two walks.

In his major league debut, Travis d’Arnaud finished 0-2 with two walks.

Ike Davis continues to produce after the All-Star Break. After going 1-4 tonight, he is now hitting .316 in the second half.

After going 1 for his last 20, Juan Lagares ended the night going 2-4.

Marlon Byrd had a bad day at the plate, going 0-4 with two strikeouts and three men left on base.

Carlos Torres‘ ERA jumped from 2.53 to 3.00 after allowing three runs in 2.1 innings. This is the first time we’ve really seen Torres touched up in relief.

Thoughts:

With Mejia likely out for the remainder of the season, this opens up a spot in the Mets rotation. ESPN’s Adam Rubin believes Torres may take his spot as opposed to a pitcher in the minor leagues. “Everyone talking about calling up deGrom, Montero, Syndergaard — Sandy Alderson has made very clear those players have tight innings caps,” he tweeted. Of the three, the only pitcher I would consider promoting is Jacob deGrom. Although he is not on the 40-man roster, the Mets want to protect him from the Rule 5 Draft this offseason, so he would have to be added anyway.

Next Up:

The Mets look to win the series against San Diego tomorrow afternoon with Matt Harvey on the mound. First pitch is scheduled for 4:10 PM.

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