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The Mets have one of their best opportunities in recent years to finally take down the banged-up Braves, their forever nemesis. But they certainly can’t do it like this.
It was a mild and lovely night in Flushing, and the Mets nicely celebrated the entire county of Queens. Fans’ moods turned south, however, as they started to realize the Mets’ scary slide was about to continue.
Booing began when Mets starter Paul Blackburn, pitching in his home debut and against his former team, gave up an early three-run home run. Half-hearted boos were sprinkled throughout the lovely evening. They were deserved.
The soon-to-be-Sacramento A’s eventually beat the Mets 9-4 to make it four straight losses for the team from Queens and raise more doubt about a squad that erased a huge hole to move into playoff position before falling back out in recent days.
Unlike in the Mets’ wasted weekend in Seattle, there were no excuses.
The Mets are no longer playing a contender on the final leg of an arduous, exhausting four-city, three-time-zone trip. No, they followed a full day’s rest with a Citi Field date against an also-ran.
They aren’t still toiling in the shadows in Seattle, where the grass is too thick and the air even thicker. And they are no longer facing the Mariners’ dynamic pitching staff. The starter Tuesday night for the still-Oakland A’s was a minor-league call-up, Joe Boyle, who came into the night toting a 7.16 ERA.
There was ample reason to give the Mets a pass for their awful three-game stay in Seattle, as it came on the end of the longest trip of the season in the city farthest from their home base. Sure, the Mets played their worst series in Seattle, getting outscored 28-1. But they get half a pass here considering the opponent, the conditions and, frankly, the exhaustion.
This one is much more worrisome. The Mets had no alibi for this.
And if they can’t ultimately beat out the hated Braves for the sixth and final playoff spot, similarly, there also will be no excuse for that. Putting it mildly, the Braves — winners of the NL East six years running — are a physical mess now. For a change, they should be very vulnerable. If the Mets are ever going to outdo those guys, this should be that season.
The Mets valiantly dug themselves out of a hole 11 games below .500 to move into playoff position, but stand 1 ½ games behind the Braves after this latest debacle. Meantime, the Braves limp ahead.
Braves ace Spencer Strider is out for the year. Ronald Acuna Jr., he of the 40-70 miracle, is also gone for 2024. What’s more, most of the rest of Atlanta’s elite players are either under the weather or underperforming. Even if they don’t look so hot lately, the healthier Mets should still be able to unseat them.
“Ever since I’ve been here … they’ve been a thorn in our side,” Brandon Nimmo said about the Braves. “We’ve been knocked out by them plenty of times. Definitely, they’re a team we would like to turn the tables on. It would be nice to have Atlanta on the outside looking in.”
I get it. This was supposed to be a transitional year at 41 Seaver Way. But a lot has happened since the two rivals took the field in late March, and much of it for the Braves involves pain.
Injuries have knocked them down, but not out. “Hurting but surviving,” is the way a Braves person summarized their situation.
“It definitely sure seems like this would be our time to step up and take hold of this here,” Nimmo said.
The Mets’ health is better than most, and way better than the Braves. They did lose their own would-be ace, Kodai Senga, who had issues with his shoulder, his timetable and finally his calf. They are still holding out hope he can make it back if they make the playoffs. But I’d say they have a much better chance than Senga of making it to October.
Despite past disappointments, and the presence of the Braves in the race, they are keeping the faith.
“I’m very confident in this group,” Pete Alonso said before the game. “The talent, the chemistry and the way we’ve been trending — all signs point to us making it.”
It feels like the Diamondbacks and Padres are separating themselves and will take the first two Wild Card spots. That leaves the Braves, the Mets, and then a trio of teams behind them. The Cardinals, Giants and Cubs all still have some shot, which should please commissioner Rob Manfred and the powers who expanded the playoffs.
But ultimately, the Cardinals look like a classic .500 team, the pitching strong Giants look like half an excellent team and the Cubs seem more about their future than present. From here, the Braves still look like the team the Mets need to beat for that final, coveted spot. It’s always the Braves, isn’t it?
