Baty, It's You

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Brett Baty collected three RBI, all against lefties, and Tylor Megill struck out ten batters as the Mets ended their skid and beat the Red Sox 5-1.

Carlos Mendoza shuffled the lineup a little bit, but what made the biggest difference was keeping Baty in there despite the fact they were facing a (tough) left hander. Mark Vientos led off the second by drawing a walk against Garrett Crochet. Luis Torrens doubled to center to move Swaggy V over to third. A pessimist would figure that with two runners in scoring position and nobody out, the Mets will probably screw it all up. And it sure looked like that was going to happen. Both Tyrone Taylor and Luisangel Acuña swung at the first pitch and made unproductive outs. But Baty, hitting ninth, came through, singling in Vientos. The inning ended when Torrens tried and failed to score. More than one run would have been nice, but man, beggars sure can’t be choosers. 

Tylor Megill was terrific for the first four innings. He was able to strike out nine batters by throwing strikes and trusting his heater this time around. The Red Sox seemed confused - taking pitches because they were probably told that Megill doesn’t throw strikes. Whoops. He didn’t get out of the fifth inning, but it wasn’t entirely his fault. It started when Nick Sogard hit a ball five feet in front of home plate. Megill and Torrens couldn’t decide fast enough who should field the ball, and Sogard ended up on base. After striking out his tenth batter, Carlos Narváez hit a ground ball to Francisco Lindor’s left. Lindor’s momentum carried him away from second base, and his throw was not true to Acuña at second, who couldn’t come up with it. Then Megill hit Ceddanne Rafaela with a pitch to load the bases with one out. Jarren Duran hit a ball that on a non-windy night would have probably been a backbreaking grand slam. Instead, it settled under Juan Soto’s glove and was a measly sacrifice fly to tie the game at one apiece. After walking Rafael Devers, Mendoza took Megill out for one of the best relievers in the game right now - Huascar Brazobán. Brazobán struck out Bregman on a sinker to get out of the bases loaded jam. He proceeded to face the minimum in the sixth and seventh innings, even striking out the side in the latter frame. 

Against Liam Hendriks in the seventh, Torrens singled to center. This was followed by a Taylor base hit to right center, moving Torrens to second. Then Acuña picked up his second infield hit of the night to load ‘em up. Alex Cora brought in lefty Brennan Bernardino to face Baty. Baty was unfazed: he hit a line drive that one hopped to the Green Monster in left field, scoring two. Juan Soto, after striking out three times, hit a sacrifice fly to bring in New York’s fourth run. A Lindor home run over the Green Monster in the top of the ninth made it 5-1 Mets. Reed Garrett handled the bottom of the eighth and Edwin Díaz took care of the Red Sox in the ninth, despite the fact it wasn’t a save opportunity. 

A much needed win for the Mets, who now won’t be going home having lost four in a row. Tylor Megill isn’t dead just yet, and Brett Baty can hit lefties. And nobody’s talking about Juan Soto and hustling (for now). 

Yesterday afternoon, I skeeted that it felt like the Mets were going to win. Why? Because in my experience, the Mets totally would win the one game of a three-game series they’re not supposed to win. And facing Garrett Crochet while putting a struggling Tylor Megill out there would definitely count as a game the Mets aren’t supposed to win. Look at the big brain on me!

After Paul Blackburn threw seven scoreless innings in a rehab start, Tylor Megill struck out ten batters. Coincidence?

After Ronny Mauricio homered again, Brett Baty went 2 for 4 with three RBI. Coincidence?

Both Juan Soto and Mark Vientos struck out looking at a fastball middle middle last night. God, it’s so frustrating when the Mets guess wrong with two strikes. 

Walker Buehler seemed to take umbrage with Francisco Lindor celebrating his ejection Tuesday night. At two in the morning, he tweeted “I wouldn’t want me out there either. Sad thing is the BULLPEN is full of fucking animals. Tough choice.” I wonder what Buehler felt about his manager Alex Cora admitting on the radio that he had breakfast with Lindor yesterday morning, and that they had a laugh over Lindor cheering on Buehler and Cora getting the heave-ho. Besides, as Lindor pointed out, he was right to be happy: it caused Boston to use four relievers for a second day in a row. None of those players were available to Cora to use last night. Who knows if Cora would have went to another lefty, Justin Wilson, to face Baty in the seventh, and how it would have played out. 

Despite Mauricio’s hot start in Triple-A, Will Sammon wrote that “people familiar with the situation” estimated that Ronny won’t be considered to get called back up to the bigs anytime soon. “It may be longer than a matter of weeks” was the direct quote. I must admit to being upset reading that, but after Baty’s performance last night, less so.

It sounds like Mendoza wants to put Soto 3rd and Alonso 4th in the lineup for the foreseeable future. His only issue is who to bat second - he wants a righty in there, but Vientos hasn’t earned the second spot (not that he said that part out loud.) 

Jose Siri (fractured tibia) is sprinting, throwing up to 120 feet, and hitting against the velo machine, according to Laura Albanese, the new Met beat writer for Newsday (congrats to her!) I’m shocked Siri is progressing like this. 

Mike Piazza was asked about what Soto is going through. He said, among other things, that it’s a “rite of passage” to go through what he’s going through right now.

Speaking of Piazza, today is the 27th anniversary of Piazza getting traded from the Marlins to the Mets. I distinctly remember telling someone in Spanish class that very afternoon that there was “no chance” he would end up a Met. I’ve never been more glad to be wrong about something. 

Anthony DiComo did an AMA where he mostly tried to calm worried Met fans down.

The Triple-A Syracuse Mets defeated the Rochester Red Wings (Nationals affiliate) 5-2. Ronny Mauricio went 2 for 2 with a home run, a stolen base, and two walks. Donovan Walton also went yard. Paul Blackburn (knee) was outstanding in his final rehab start. He tossed seven scoreless innings, allowing just one hit, walking two, and striking out six. He threw 87 pitches. 

The Double-A Binghamton Rumble Ponies/Richmond Flying Squirrels (Giants) game was suspended in the top of the sixth inning. The game is tied at two. They’ll continue this afternoon and follow it up with a seven-inning game.

The High-A Brooklyn Cyclones were rained out at the Jersey Shore. They’ll play two today.

The Low-A St. Lucie Mets edged the Jupiter Hammerheads (Marlins) 4-3. Irving Cota was the winning pitcher. He threw five shutout innings, allowing just one hit. He walked nobody and struck out six.

Day off today before a big Dodgers series this weekend. The Syracuse Mets will be on SNY at 6:30 pm eastern though.