The Metropolitan: Holding back tears
In Harvey's emotional return, floodgates open up in more ways than one
Good Morning,
It was a day of emotions at Citi Field yesterday, as the New York crowd welcomed back former star Matt Harvey with several warm ovations. After the game, Harvey described the reaction as “incredible,” saying he hadn’t known what kind of greeting to expect. He added that the crowd response had him “holding back tears” and that he’ll never forget it for the rest of his life.
While the crowd gave him a rousing welcome, the Mets players did not: Harvey failed to complete five innings as the Mets cruised to a 7-1 romp. We’ll discuss all the Harvey details, and do a deep dive on the remarkable depth of the Mets roster. But first, let’s recap yesterday’s win, the Mets’ seventh in a row.
⚾️ IN SHORT: In a game a former hero returned to New York in a different shade of orange, the Mets exploded for seven runs, Taijuan Walker looked sharp again, the depth continued to shine, and the Amazins defeated Matt Harvey and the Orioles, 7-1. [Box Score]
🔑 KEY MOMENT: Kevin Pillar has been a spark plug for the Mets this month, a key contributor for a team that lost another outfielder to injury when Almora Jr. was placed on the 10-Day IL yesterday. Pillar’s second-inning triple with runners on the corners got the offense going on Wednesday, and the team never looked back.
🎣 WHAT A CATCH: How good has Michael Conforto looked playing right field recently? It seems like everyday he is making another strong play. Yesterday might have been the best catch yet.
3 TAKEAWAYS
❶ HARVEY HOUR: Mets fans met Matt Harvey with class on Wednesday afternoon, giving him several warm ovations (with the former Met tipping his cap in response during the 1st inning). The kind welcome ended there. Clearly amped up, throwing 94 mph in the first inning, the Amazins eventually tagged him for seven earned runs on eight hits in just 4.1 innings. It was the worst start of the season for the resurgent right-hander. But after the game, Harvey talked more about the reaction he received from the New York crowd:
❷ WALKER: Starting opposite Harvey was a pitcher making his own comeback story: Taijuan Walker continues to impress, throwing seven innings of one-run ball, striking out four and walking three. Similar to his last start in St. Louis, Walker relied less on his two-seamer, which has helped him create better separation among his other pitches. Yesterday, he found his split-change most useful against an Orioles lineup with several left-handed hitters.
❸ DEPTH: Since May 1, the Mets have lost J.D. Davis, Brandon Nimmo, Jacob deGrom, and Albert Almora Jr., on top of the players who were already injured. And in that time, they have gone 9-2, propelling them to first place in the National League East. Giving Jeff McNeil a day off after he experienced body cramps last night, it was José Peraza’s turn to represent the team’s prodigious depth. The utility infielder kept the train moving with two RBI hits, with Peraza and Pillar accounting for four of the team’s RBIs. The Mets have responded to a slew of minor injuries with a string of wins. (Much more on the team’s depth below.)
👛 DOM RESURGENT: While the power hasn’t returned, Dom Smith collected three hits yesterday to extend a mini three-game hit streak. Two of those hits came with runners in scoring position, including a two-out hit in the third inning. This comes off his clutch, game-tying double last night in the ninth. He is now batting a respectable .281 with a .378 on-base percentage in the month of May.
⚾️ RISP: Overall, the Mets went 7-for-10 with runners in scoring position yesterday —incredible (or a natural correction) when you consider they started the season 6-41 in that situation.
📈 A DIFFERENT FORMULA: In an era when the entire league is going home run or bust, the Mets rank 29th in slugging (they scored seven runs yesterday without a long ball, and have hit just four during this seven-game win streak). Instead, they’re supplementing their strength — pitching — by getting on base, drawing walks, reducing strikeouts, and stringing together enough hits to outscore their opponent.
AVERAGE IS GOOD ENOUGH: Given the abundance of pitching on this roster, if the lineup merely hits league average, they are going to win a lot of games. Since May 1, their 103 wRC+ is just above league average and they are hitting even better than that (138 wRC+) with runners in scoring position.
🔫 ANOTHER WEAPON RETURNS: Reliever Drew Smith made his first appearance of the season after a bout with shoulder inflammation. The hard-throwing right-hander threw a clean ninth inning, allowing no baserunners and fanning one. He could be another valuable live arm out of the pen.
⛑ HEALTH: Manager Luis Rojas says Brandon Nimmo (bone bruise on finger) will make a rehab start before returning from the Injured List, perhaps over the weekend. And Rojas said Jeff McNeil (body cramps) should be ready to return on Friday.
LEE’S TURN: Albert Almora Jr. (shoulder bruise) was placed on the 10-Day IL after crashing into the wall on Tuesday. The Mets called up outfield prospect Khalil Lee, who the team acquired in the three-way deal that sent Andrew Benintendi from Boston to Kansas City.
⏭ NEXT UP: The Mets have another off-day on Thursday before traveling to Tampa to take on the defending American League champion Rays. It’s a New York-themed week for the Rays, as they complete a three-game series with the Yankees at home tonight. Tampa has lost four of its past five, falling to .500 (19-19) with a 1-0 defeat on Wednesday. David Peterson will take the ball for the Mets against one of the American League’s top starters, Tyler Glasnow, who is 4-2 with a 2.37 ERA.
Stocking stuffers from the front office
🧓 by Jeffrey Bellone
It’s always the presents my kids are least excited about getting for their birthdays or Christmas that are the ones they end up using the most. The Polly Pocket inevitably lands in the bottom of the toy box (fellow parents know what I’m talking about), while a new pair of socks or pajamas gets used every week.
It’s not the perfect analogy for the Mets’ most recent offseason, but it does a good enough job of summing up what we have experienced so far: the name-brand acquisitions — Francisco Lindor, Carlos Carrasco, James McCann — haven’t made their impact felt yet, while the after-thoughts, the stocking-stuffers, if you will, have filled in the daily gaps, pushing the team to first place.
We saw this on full display yesterday. Mets fans spent the entire offseason obsessing over who would fill out the back of the rotation. It wasn’t until February 19, as the team prepared for Spring Training, when they signed Taijuan Walker to a two-year deal. It wasn’t a sexy signing, or a headline grabber, like Trevor Bauer. But it has turned into a very important addition. Walker out-dueled Matt Harvey to improve his season record to 3-1 with a sparkling 2.20 ERA. He has softened the blow of Carrasco’s injury.
On the field, the Mets seem to lose an outfielder everyday. I suppose this is where the sock analogy works best. With Brandon Nimmo out of the lineup since May 2, the team has turned to interchangeable pieces, such as Kevin Pillar and Albert Almora Jr. (at least until Almora crashed into the wall on Tuesday). Pillar has been the team’s best hitter, batting .351 with two home runs and five RBIs in the month of May. If you’re looking for an unsung hero to credit for the Mets’ recent success, look no further than Pillar, an addition many scratched their heads at when announced.
[SIDE NOTE: George Springer — remember him? The expensive free agent everyone wanted? He has played only four games for the Blue Jays this season. He is currently battling a right quad strain. Springer’s a great player, so it’s way too early to say the Mets dodged a bullet or anything like that, but imagine the angst among the fanbase if their $150 million signing had instantly fallen victim to injuries with uncertain timelines?]
Moving on, we can’t forget about the impact of Jonathan Villar. It feels like he is part of every big play, because he is often taking an extra base, or scoring a key run. While the hits haven’t come in bunches, his .395 on-base percentage this month has allowed him to be involved in so many key moments. With both J.D. Davis and Luis Guillorme hurt, Villar’s energetic presence in the lineup has been essential.
And we haven’t even talked about the random heroics of Patrick Mazeika, although perhaps that is more fluke than bench production.
What does this all mean?
The Mets wanted to make a statement this offseason, and they did so by trading for a superstar shortstop who they quickly extended on a massive contract. They bolstered their bullpen with Trevor May and Aaron Loup, who have both been excellent. Their in-house depth has been pretty good, too: There are already voices on Twitter calling for Tomás Nido to gain more playing time, and before his injury Guillorme was playing great.
But it’s the little moves, the areas the front office has ignored in the past, that have provided the greatest return. If you look at their individual statistics, besides Pillar, you won’t find much. But as a group, they have made a difference.
⚾️ Seattle prospect Jarred Kelenic is expected to make his Major League debut tonight. He plays outfield. That is all we are going to say in describing him.
⚾️ One-time Braves ace Mike Soroka had a significant setback in his attempt to come back from a devastating achilles tendon injury. He will need to have exploratory surgery.
⚾️ Yankees ace Gerrit Cole struck out 12 over eight dominant innings against the Rays, to reach 1,500 career K’s.
🔗 Khalil Lee: Here are 3 things you should know about the Mets' prospect, by Joe Jacquez, USA Today Network: “MLB.com's prospect experts have said Lee's offensive skills need work, but are high on his speed and arm. ... that speed gives him a good shot at sticking in center. The arm is even better than the glove and is a true plus tool, so if some route-running issues push him to a corner, he can still help any club defensively.”
🔗 Bobby Valentine putting baseball lessons to work in run for mayor, by Ken Davidoff, NY Post: “Manager, mayor, macher: No matter his role, or one he’s trying to land, Valentine makes it compelling. Why would his most impactful competition yet be any different?”
🔗 Matt Harvey gets an ovation from Mets fans and finds some closure: ‘I was holding back tears’, by Tim Britton, The Athletic ($): “Time really does have a way of softening what was once bitterness. The cheers Wednesday signified that so little of Harvey’s legacy with the Mets is legible on Baseball Reference; it’s less about what he did than how he made a fan base searching for hope feel. On Wednesday, the fan base paid back that feeling. What Harvey did on the mound didn’t matter. It was about the way Queens made him feel.”
And… we leave you with video of Citi Field showering Harvey with love, for the first time in years:
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FWIW, I had thoracic outlet syndrome (too many flying elbow drops) and it is indeed a humbling experience.
good analogy lol