The Mets topped 100 wins for the first time in more than three decades. New York couldn’t hold off the scorching hot Braves down the stretch, however. Atlanta claimed the NL East title, sending the Mets to the Wild Card series against the Padres. Disappointing end to the regular season aside, New York will have home-field advantage for all three games and the ability to turn to two of the sport’s top arms in the short series.
Right-Handed Pitchers
- Chris Bassitt
- Jacob deGrom
- Edwin Diaz
- Mychal Givens
- Seth Lugo
- Trevor May
- Tylor Megill
- Adam Ottavino
- Max Scherzer (Game 1 starter)
- Drew Smith
Left-Handed Pitchers
Catchers
Infielders
Outfielders
The biggest news for New York is that Marte is back on the active roster. The All-Star outfielder has been out for a month since suffering a non-displaced fracture in his right middle finger. While he’d continued to battle soreness as recently as this week, he’s evidently capable of getting back on the diamond. Marte will be in the starting lineup tonight against Yu Darvish, hitting sixth while playing right field.
The Mets also carry Alvarez, their top catching prospect who made his big league debut last week. He and veteran corner outfielder/first baseman Ruf are right-handed options off the bench for skipper Buck Showalter. Fellow righty bat Mark Vientos is left off the roster, as is the lefty-swinging Tyler Naquin. Naquin was acquired from the Reds at the deadline to add some balance to the Mets outfield, but he has just a .203/.246/.390 line since landing in Queens. The Mets will opt for a speed and defense oriented player in Gore to round out the outfield instead.
New York’s pitching plans are also sure to be the focus of some debate. The club has yet to announce a Game 2 starter, only noting that deGrom and Bassitt are lined up for the next two outings in some capacity. Showalter confirmed the Mets will turn to deGrom tomorrow if they lose tonight but hold him in reserve for a potential Game 3 if they win today (via Anthony DiComo of MLB.com). In an ideal world for the Mets, they’d pull off a sweep with Scherzer and Bassitt on the hill, leaving deGrom to take Game 1 of a Division Series match-up with the Dodgers.
Carlos Carrasco and Taijuan Walker aren’t active, as the Mets elected to go with a number of traditional relievers while not carrying their fourth/fifth starters for this three-game set. At least one of Carrasco and Walker would presumably be activated for the Division Series if the Mets advance.
If the Mets get swept and DeGrom doesn’t pitch , does this go down as another Buck Zach Britton move ? Or non move should I say
It’s actually smart to have your best pitcher go in game 2 if you’re down or game 3 if it’s tied. However with Buck’s luck, it will surely backfire
I’m sure DeGrom struggling at the end of the year, giving up at least 3 in his final four starts against some pretty bad teams, had nothing to do with Bucks decision to start Scherzer game one.
“Showalter confirmed the Mets will turn to deGrom tomorrow if they lose tonight but hold him in reserve for a potential Game 3 if they win today.”
DeGrom will start game 2 if they lose tonight.
And deGrom will start tomorrow night if they lose tonight. Whew I’m sure glad we got that straightened out finally.
And if the Mets sweep does it go down as a genius move?
Yes. That’s how it works 🙂
Yes
I would have kept Naquin and removed Ruf.
Agree but they needed a righty bat.
Padres are carrying 5 leftys. That’s why the extra righty bat.
Naquin has actually been slightly worse lately, if you can believe it.
Over the last two weeks and 25 ABs, Naquin has a single, a double, and zero walks. .080/.080/.120 slash.
Over the last month and 55 ABs, Naquin has three singles, four doubles, and three walks. .135/.182/.212 slash.
Ruf has a .130/.231/.130/.361 slash over his last two weeks/26 ABs. Plus, he’s a righty.
So…were they playing possum with Marte, or did he have a miraculous recovery?
It could be that the fracture had healed but the swelling needed to go down such that he could grip a bat and throw a ball.
Possum 4 sure
I notice a lot of teams are interestingly carrying 3 catchers on their rosters. In a short 3 game set I would think teams would want to prioritize pitching or defensive versatility
Well, because there are more off days extra pitching isn’t needed. No need for those extra two guys out of the pen, the guys who are so bad you hope they never have to actually pitch. Alvarez is there for his bat, not so much as a third catcher.
There’s no off days for these series they are played through the weekend
The off days are before and after. You don’t need extra bull pen arms for a three game series surrounded by off days. The entire pen has rested arms right now… these would be the relevant points
Marte’s definitely on the juice again
Dumbest comment I’ve ever read
Stick around a while
So, were they playing possum with Marte, or did he have a miraculous recovery?
We heard you the first time.
Which deGrom, the August dominant one or the one that got smoked by the Athletics and the Braves. Imagine back in spring training thinking, in late Sept, If deGrom beats the Athletics the Mets win the division.
I’m surprised Scherzer made the roster.
Yes & where is Jose Butto? At home watching the game on TV. Very surprised about that too.
Jordan Yamamoto, anyone?
Jordan Yamamoto, no one.
I have to give respect to the Mets. That was one hell of a regular season. I hope my fellow Braves fan can express the same because the Mets should have earned our respect for at least what they can do on the field. It’s a difficult route the Mets have to take to the NLCS so good luck to you guys. If I were going to bet on any wild card team doing that it would be the Mets.
The mets are a very solid well built team. I think the playoffs are such a crapshoot. I could see them doing well if their starters hold up.
I kind of feel the same about the playoffs. Anything really can happen. It just has to happen more often with the Mets as they will have a longer path. However, we have seen more than once the team that wins it all is the team that gets hot at the right time and not necessarily the best team in baseball.
Be thankful. The Braves don’t win the division withou deGrom and Scherzer missing 20+ starts and Marte going down.
Don’t make excuses. The Mets win the division if they don’t get swept by the braves in New York
The LOLmets lost the division because they got swept at Truist Park in ATL last weekend.
I think he was reffering to earlier series, not the one in Atlanta.
Rrrright, but it did happen and the Braves won it. So, who cares?
Eventually you (along with many Dodger fans) are going to have to accept what is. Your bag of excuses are tiring and embarrassing. *Insert Reggie Miller choke sign gif*
And the Braves would ve won more had Albies and Acuna not missed time this season. Injuries are part of the game and all teams will endure some over 162 games. With Scherzer being 37 and Degrom’s injury history, them missing some amount of starts was pretty foreseeable.
I bet you wish Max was injured for the playoffs after that clunker. Also, the Mets were a 10-10 in their last 20 deGrom/Scherzer regular season starts. So your injury arguments hold no water.
I like this Mets team but not liking having an away status… no way they should’ve lost that division.
This season was a disaster. We lost so many games down the stretch because of our bullpen. Our bullpen won’t survive in the playoffs. Billy Eppler is one of the worst GMs out there. His trading deadline was one of the worst I’ve ever seen
LOL disaster season with 101 wins and identical record for the defending WS champs.
How do you figure? We have 4 top prospects that should make the opening day roster next year. Trading them for a mediocre catcher wouldn’t have improved their odds much and now they got a potential real deep lineup for the next few years.
I never a said for them to getna mediorce catcher. Sean Murphy was available, Eppler got no relievers, JD Martinez was a viable righty DH. Again, he didnt get anyone good
Eppler did a bad job with the bullpen at the deadline, didn’t get a left handed reliever and his Ruf trade was stupid, even at the time. He banked too much on guys coming back from injury. That said a 101 win season is not a disaster.
Could have traded for Contreras, a decent catcher and DH.
Mets fans bagging on their poor deadline, but really, league-wide none of the deadline moved had any offensive impact. Even Soto stunk.
Their deadline was fine. This is just the obligatory complaining from fans who would trade away the entire farm system every trade deadline if they could. And still complain.
These types of sane and respectful comments have no place on this site!
San Diego in 3
Megill, May, Rodriguez and Givens have no business being on a postseason roster. Walker and Carrasco should be in the pen in replace of at least Megill and May. McCann is awful and should have been left off as well. Last game of the season aside he is one of the worst offensive players in the game and should be released. When you’re the less offensively capable player in a platoon with Nido you shouldn’t be on a team let alone a playoff roster. Alvarez could be the back up catcher in a 3 game series.
Walker started Tuesday so he would only be available for game 3 on regular rest and Carrasco started Monday so he wouldn’t be available for game 1. On top of that, one of them needs to be stretched out and on regular rest for game 1 or 2 of the NLDS if the Mets advance. Both of them will make the DS roster. This was just how things lined up.
And I agree regarding McCann’s offense but he’s only gonna be the backup. Do you honestly want a rookie who never caught these pitchers before to be calling a playoff game? Nido is gonna be in there every day anyway, but if he goes down at least McCann has a great rapport with the staff. Alvarez is also better suited as a righty DH and PH option since the Padres have a lot of lefties.
I agree with all the moves, they make sense. If we need to use one of those relievers we’re either on the good or bad side of a blowout.
Great article Anthony, but not sure Mets will have home field for all three games because I am not sure that there will be a game three. Dodgers/Braves/Astros/Yankees.
Where is “Youcanputitinthebooks”, he’s disappeared.
Some Mets fans are the worst. Here’s “realMetsfans22”, starting up the “could have”, ‘would have”, “should have” line, because Scherzer and De Grom missed some games in the regular season. Well cry me a river, all sides deal with injuries, none so more than the Braves again this year..
Many teams could say well such and such was out of the lineup, and this is the reason we didn’t do this or that, it is absolutely pathetic. You have to deal with it and find a way to win. But the most pathetic part is that some Mets fans shot their mouths off all year on this site and show continual disrespect to the Braves with comments such as;
“We’re 10.5 games ahead”
“We’re gonna win the NL East and there’s nothing you can do about it”
“We’re better than the Braves”
“De Grom & Scherzer are going to destroy you at Truist Park” etc etc
I have nothing but respect for the Mets roster and Buck Showalter, but some of their fans have to be some of the worst fans in all of baseball, and to boo one of your own players when he’s given nothing but 100% all year when he had a bad day in a play-off game, it speaks volumes about some people that are ‘part’ of your Mets fanbase.
The series is only 1 game old and not over, and you booed one of your own players.
Manfred ball is a joke too, there should be no 3rd wildcard. Teams battle all year for 162 games to earn their spot in the play-offs, and then Manfred is giving sides that finish 3rd in some divisions a lottery ticket, it is farcical.
You can put it in the books is still posting Fred. He just dropped the “You can” from his screen name. He’s “put it in the books” now. Still the same angry little Mets troll that ranted all season about the NL East race being over. Still the same jerk that was delighted every time a Braves player was injured. He’s hiding behind a name change. Typical troll move.
Just so we know, the playoffs format was negotiated as part of the CBA. The owners wanted the extra games because they mean real cash money. If you don’t like it, blame the owners. Manfred works for them, not the other way around.
It has crashed down. It is over. Relied on too many old players that wore down in the second half. Time to strip it down and start again.