It’s not over yet, New York Mets fans. As crushing as the recent losses have been, let’s not forget how they beat the Philadelphia Phillies last Sunday with Zack Wheeler on the mound. This team has been incredibly good at times. Playing around a hurricane whilst on the road, they’ve been tested over the last week. So far, it has been a massive failure.
Through the loss in the one game they did play against the Atlanta Braves through the two versus the Milwaukee Brewers thus far, we’ve seen a much less incredible Mets ball club. In order to make the playoffs, they’re going to need to show up at least one more time (twice if the Diamondbacks win).
And even if the Mets do muster up the ability to make it to the playoffs, fans might be shaking in their boots as the likeliest scenario will have them playing the Brewers all over again in a best of three series in their ballpark. These Mets flaws can easily lead to a quick exit from a potential playoff situation.
1) The Mets have way too many hitters not hitting
As bad as the pitching has been at times this year, nothing is more frustrating than a lineup that puts up goose eggs. We got another on Saturday when the Mets failed to score any runs. It’s a reminder of how even in a September when they have rattled off a lot of wins, there were several games when they almost didn’t do anything at all. The Toronto Blue Jays held them hitless until the ninth. Even versus the lowly Chicago White Sox they didn’t do a whole lot of damage.
Far too many Mets hitters have gone up in smoke this month. The disappearing act has come at the worst possible time. Only five hitters have a September batting average above the .250 mark. One is DJ Stewart.
Brandon Nimmo, Harrison Bader, Jesse Winker, and J.D. Martinez are all below the Mendoza Line. Nimmo has somehow managed to bat only .183 yet lead the team with 15 RBI. Thanks to some clutch home runs this month, his September hasn’t been a complete wash. The same cannot be said about other underperformers. Pete Alonso has decent numbers yet he has done little to change the narrative about his lack of ability to come through in the big moment.
The Mets stepped up big in the absence of Francisco Lindor and perhaps a part of it was playing against the Washington Nationals. Or was it just because they were facing the Nationals?
Against superior pitching of the Braves and Brewers, they’ve shrunken. What are they going to do in the playoffs when the opponent can properly align themselves?