Rain of Terror

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The Mets were shut out for only the second time this year, losing to the Pittsburgh Pirates (ew) 4-0. 

It was an ugly game if you’re a Met fan, which I’m going to assume you are. There are four excuses the Mets could use, but won’t because you’re not supposed to make excuses:

1) Clay Holmes gave up a two-run homer during a torrential downpour. The only reason why crew chief Alfonso Marquez - the same guy who ruled incorrectly that Jesse Winker hit into a triple play a few weeks ago in Washington - didn’t stop the game was because he was assured that the rain would soon pass. Which it did. But he definitely should have stopped the game for a quick delay. Instead, Holmes was forced to put the baseball into his freaking armpit before he put it in his glove to prevent it from getting wet. That is not ideal baseball throwing conditions. 

1a) Home plate ump Carlos Torres refused to give Holmes the high strike in that second inning. According to Gameday, Holmes had thrown strike three twice before giving up the home run to Matt Gorski.

2) Clay Holmes as a starter was pitching on regular (4 days) rest for the first time…ever. On the SNY broadcast, Ron Darling noted that Holmes’ pitches were “short”, stopping short of saying it was because he was fatigued. Around the time he said this, Holmes gave up a second two-run homer. 

3) The Mets might have been looking ahead to the off day, and the opponent they’re about to face - the Yankees. 

4) Juan Soto had a scheduled night off. (He fought Carlos Mendoza on it and lost.)

Still, with all due respect to Bailey Falter, Chase Shugart, Tanner Rainey, David Bednar, and Dennis Santana, it’s kind of embarrassing to get shut out by those five guys. 

The Mets had two big chances to score and didn’t come through. With the bases loaded and two outs in the bottom of the first, Luis Torrens struck out on a Falter slider. The bases were loaded once again with two outs in the bottom of the fourth, when the Pirates brought in Shugart to face José Azocar. Mendoza opted not to pinch hit Azocar, probably because it was so early in the game, assuming the Mets would have more chances down the road. If Azocar got a base hit, Carlos Mendoza would be praised again for his “feel” for his players. Instead, Azocar flew out to center on the very first pitch he saw. 

It was a game to conveniently forget, and I don’t think we’ll have any trouble doing so. Unless you’re a raccoon fan.

Or was it a rat that was running around the stands?

Génesis Cabrera successfully ate two innings, and Dedniel Nuñez had a 1-2-3 ninth. Luisangel Acuña played center field for the final two innings - no balls were hit in his general direction. 

Shows referenced by Gary Cohen and Ron Darling during groundskeeping delay: The Tracey Ullman Show, Bojack Horseman

Gare brought up a crazy stat: Brandon Nimmo’s OPS when he starts an at-bat with one ball and no strikes: 1.101. With no balls and one strike: .316. That’s the widest discrepancy in baseball.

It was revealed that Met fan Hank Azaria will narrate a David Wright documentary called The Wright Way. It’ll debut on SNY the night before David Wright’s retirement ceremony.

The reason why Wright was at Citi Field yesterday was to raise awareness for prostate cancer:  300+ men were screened at Citi Field (including The Captain). 

Engineer Chris Majkowski’s 5000+ streak of attending Mets games ended on Monday. He had to undergo surgery. 

Anthony DiComo asked Juan Soto what he’s most excited for with the Subway Series. “The crowd.” DiComo then asked, “Even if they boo?” Soto said, “I don’t mind.”

Soto confirmed he’ll play in the WBC in 2026 with the Dominican Republic

Mr. Met “showed off” his bald head. 

Members of the Mets front office were asked why Mrs. Met belongs in the Mascot Hall of Fame. 

The Jingle Man dropped the song of the summer yesterday: “Don’t Panic Here’s Kranick.”

Baseball America went long on the Brooklyn Cyclones

A mustached Sean Manaea (oblique) threw in the rain. Please don’t get pneumonia, Sean.

The next rehab start for Paul Blackburn (knee) will be with Binghamton at Hartford on Friday. Stearns said it’s an easier trip for him than going up to Syracuse. The goal remains for him to throw 75 pitches. 

The New York State Assembly voted 138-7 in favor of Steve Cohen’s Metropolitan Park proposal. The next step is a vote in the State Senate. That could be a problem, considering that Senator Jessica Ramos has opposed the project in the past.

David Stearns said he expects the Mets to be a better defensive team the remainder of the season.

Well, the Triple-A Syracuse Mets and Lehigh Valley IronPigs went into extras tied at eight. The final score was 18-8. Joey Meneses went 3 for 5 with a home run and a double. Brandon Sproat was not the GOAT: he lasted for four and one third innings, allowing six earned runs. He only gave up four hits, but three of them were home runs. He struck out 

four, walked three, and hit three batters. 

The Double-A Binghamton Rumble Ponies split a doubleheader against the Hartford Yard Goats (Rockies). They lost Game 1 1-0. Jack Wenninger got the always fun complete game loss for Bing. He allowed just three hits over six* innings and struck out six. The Ponies won Game 2 by a score of 3-2. Jet(t!) Williams hit a two-run homer. Alex Ramírez went 2 for 3 with a double and a stolen base. 

*Doubleheader games in the minors are seven innings long

The High-A Brooklyn Cyclones beat the Winston-Salem Dash (White Sox) 7-2. Catcher Ronald Hernandez went 2 for 3 with a walk and a stolen base. R.J. Gordon was the winning pitcher. The 2024 13th round pick went six innings allowing just two hits and one earned run. He issued three walks and struck out seven.

A Trace Willhoite double in the top of the ninth gave the Low-A St. Lucie Mets a 2-1 win over the Daytona Tortugas (Reds). 2024 7th round pick Will Watson started. He gave up five hits in four and two thirds scoreless innings. He walked two and struck out five. 

It’s an off day. Go outside. Unless it’s raining again.