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Mets: Three overreactions from a mixed first week of play

By Nick Porr

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - APRIL 10: Jacob deGrom #48 of the New York Mets looks on after coming off the mound during the eighth inning against the Miami Marlins at Citi Field on April 10, 2021 in the Queens borough of New York City. The Marlins won 3-0. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - APRIL 10: Jacob deGrom #48 of the New York Mets looks on after coming off the mound during the eighth inning against the Miami Marlins at Citi Field on April 10, 2021 in the Queens borough of New York City. The Marlins won 3-0. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images) /
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Apr 7, 2021; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; New York Mets right fielder Michael Conforto (30) reacts in front of Philadelphia Phillies catcher J.T. Realmuto (10) after striking out with bases loaded to end the fourth inning at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports /

One week into the season, despite the new faces, the New York Mets still look and feel like the New York Mets. After a three-game series away against the Phillies and two at home against the Marlins, New York sits at 2-3 on the season.

The mixed bag can best be understood when taking a look at Mets ace Jacob deGrom. deGrom is as dominant as ever, throwing 21 strikeouts in just 14 innings of action. Despite that, the Mets have lost both of the games he started.

That’s the Mets for you.

The team has had plenty more struggles than their so-so record would make seem. It took a debatable hit by pitch call to get their win over the Marlins, and a blowout of the Phillies infamously bad bullpen to get their two wins. Things are not looking great in Queens, and it’s threatening to become a problem.

1) The Mets are going to struggle to score all season long

The Mets’ bats are doing alright to start the season, hitting .222 AVG ranked 17th in the MLB. It’s not great, but it’s not low enough to be a sign for concern this early in the season. What is a problem though, is their batting with runners in scoring position.

NY is hitting just .146 AVG w/RISP, 29th in the MLB. That’s the perfect recipe to lose games. The Mets just haven’t been able to bring runners home so far this season, and that problem could plague them all season long.

They’ve stranded an atrocious 9.00 runners on base per game, a number that puts them second-worst in the MLB.

The Mets were 23rd in AVG w/RISP last season (.243), and it cost them chances to win throughout 2020. New addition Francisco Lindor (0-2, 3 BB w/RISP) has not helped the hitting, and returning stars like Pete Alonso (1-7 w/RISP) have not been much better.

If the Mets can’t learn to hit in the clutch, they’re going to continue to have scoring issues all season long.

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