More Ado About Nothing

Beehiiv informed me Gmail doesn’t allow gifs that are more than 1MB. The problem is pretty much all gifs are over 1MB? If the gifs don’t show up, click the “read online” option. 

Happy Freebie Monday, TMN Gang. Consider a paid subscription? That way you’ll figure out what went wrong after every single Mets loss! And what went right when the Mets win, which one would assume will happen again eventually.

The Mets were shut out for the second time in three games as Nick Kurtz’s solo home run provided the entirety of the scoring for both teams. The Athletics completed a sweep of the Mets for the first time in their franchise’s history. New York has now lost five in a row.

It looked in the bottom of the first like the Mets would continue where they left off on offense from Saturday. Francisco Lindor, who would end up with half of the Mets’ four hits, singled to right to lead things off against A’s starter Aaron Civale. However, with a full count on Jorge Polanco, the A’s converted on a strike ‘em out-throw ‘em out double play, with Lindor easily gunned down at second. Jared Young pulled the ball for a base knock, then advanced to second on a wild pitch, but Bo Bichette struck out swinging at a high cutter, ending the inning. Civale would retire the Mets 1-2-3 in innings two, three, and four.

And five.

Freddy Peralta meanwhile had his best start as a Met so far. That isn’t to say it was smooth sailing entirely. With a runner on second with two out, Peralta walked Darell Hernaiz on eight pitches. Fastball Freddy, who at times grunting his way to reaching 95 mph on the radar gun, froze Denzel Clarke on a curve in the zone to strike him out looking to get out of the second. Peralta has yet to allow a runner in scoring position to score off of him this season. 

How can that be? Well, the long ball has been a problem, as was the case in the top of the third. Nick Kurtz with one out said thank you very much to a hanging Peralta breaking ball below the knees and sent it outta the park.

It was Kurtz’s first dinger of the season. 

Peralta got into more trouble in the fourth when he walked Max Muncy and Jeff McNeil doubled him over to third. The A’s lead remained 1-0 when Hernaiz struck out swinging at a changeup, and Clarke was robbed of two RBI by Carson Benge at center.

It wasn’t a cheapy. Clarke’s batted ball had a 66 percent hit probability. It was good to see from Benge, who committed two errors the previous two games.

Peralta would last six innings and throw exactly 100 pitches. He deserved a lot better.

The Mets threatened to have a good time in the bottom of the sixth. Luis Torrens singled to the opposite field. After Tyrone Taylor popped it up to McNeil, Lindor drilled a base knock to center, moving Torrens to second. A Polanco fielder’s choice moved Torrens to third with two out. At that point, A’s manager Mark Kotsay swapped out Civale with the lone lefty in his bullpen, Hogan Harris. Carlos Mendoza countered by pinch hitting Mark Vientos for Jared Young. Even though Swaggy V was 0-for-homestand, it was probably the right decision. Vientos sadly flew out to right for the third out.

Sean Manaea, on three days rest after tossing 70 pitches, took over in the seventh and was outstanding, throwing three perfect frames even though his velocity remained mostly below 90 mph. He struck out four of the nine batters he faced. Manaea’s ERA is down to 2.25 on the year. 

The Mets showed little life in the final three inning on offense. In the seventh, Bichette struck out. Baty struck out after ball four was ABS overturned into strike three. Semien hit the ball hard but innocently flew out to left. With one out and nobody on in the eighth, Torrens was robbed of a hit by a diving Lawrence Butler in right field. Taylor walked on five pitches, but Lindor grounded out to his old chum McNeil. Joel Kuhnel needed four measly pitches to retire Polanco, Vientos, and Bichette in the ninth for the save, which was particularly galling.

Off to Los Angeles to face the two-time champions. 

Some criticized Mendoza for not pinch hitting Luis Robert Jr. and/or Francisco Alvarez in the late innings. Mendy explained that Robert had played five games in a row and needed a break, which is something I brought up in the newsletter yesterday. He didn’t say the quiet part loud about Alvy, that he’s 0 for 28 lifetime as a pinch hitter. 

The Mets kind of surprisingly designated RHP Luis García for assignment and recalled RHP Joey Gerber from Triple-A Syracuse. García was signed to a one year, $1.75 million contract a couple of months ago, and Ryne Stanek lasted the whole year last season, so I assumed Stearns would give García more rope. But Stearns did say during the offseason that he regretted not being more proactive in 2025, and this is definitely a proactive move. 

As is calling up Tommy Pham straight from Low-A St. Lucie, which is reportedly what the Mets are going to do for tonight’s game. Does this have a whiff of desperation to it? Kinda. Are the Mets desperate right now? Kinda! Pham will likely be in the starting lineup too, considering that they’re going to face a lefty starter. 

Despite the fact that he wrote “The MLB” and “RBIs” (It’s just RBI because R stands for Runs, plural), I really liked A.M. Gittlitz’s book Metropolitans: New York Baseball, Class Struggle, and the People’s Team. It’s The Mets Newsletter Book of the Month, why not?

The Triple-A Syracuse Mets edged the Buffalo Bisons (Blue Jays affiliate) 3-2. CF Nick Morabito’s two-run homer in the eighth made all the difference. RF Cristian Pache went 1 for 4 with a triple. RHP Ryan “The Eggman” Lambert got the dub. In one and two thirds scoreless innings he allowed just one hit, walked nobody, and struck out one.

The Double-A Binghamton Rumble Ponies fell to the Somerset Patriots (Yankees) 7-5, despite a three-run bottom of the ninth. 3B Jacob Reimer and RF Jose Ramos both went yard. LF Chris Suero went 2 for 3 with a triple. RHP Dakota Hawkins had a rough afternoon, permitting five earned runs in just one inning.

The High-A Brooklyn Cyclones were shutout by the Jersey Shore BlueClaws (Phillies) 7-0. SS Mitch Voit went 1 for 2 with a double and two walks. RHP Joel Díaz got the loss, allowing four earned runs in four innings. He walked and struck out four. Fours all around for this guy.

The Low-A St. Lucie Mets got beaten by the Dunedin Blue Jays 13-6. The Mets had 10 hits but nine of them were singles. In his second rehab appearance, LHP A.J. Minter (lat surgery) had a clean inning, striking out one in the process.

On this day in 1967,  a 22-year-old Tom Seaver made his major league debut. Seaver allowed two runs and struck out eight hitters over 5 1/3 innings. What a bum.

On this day in 2009, the Mets played their first ever game at Citi Field. They lost to the Padres. Jody F. Gerut hit the first ever home run there.

Exactly four years later, Matt Harvey carried a no-hit bid into the seventh inning in Minnesota against the Twins. Harvey allowed one run over eight innings to raise his season ERA to 0.82 after three starts.

Late tonight, the Mets take on the Dodgers in Los Angeles. LHP David Peterson (0-2, 6.14 ERA) will try and get back on track for New York (NL) while fellow southpaw Justin Wrobleski (1-0, 4.00 ERA) will chuck the pill for the evil empire. First pitch is scheduled for, woof, 10:10 pm eastern. The game will air on SNY with Gary Cohen and Ron Darling behind the mics, as well as Audacy Radio 880 AM with Keith Raad and Pat McCarthy.