Wednesday brought a new low point for the Mets as they slid into their seventh straight loss dating from May 10 and continuing into a 5-4 loss against the Diamondbacks on May 17. The Mets had a clear shot at winning over Arizona in the series finale, but the online baseball odds for the Mets game opened as them as the +123 underdogs.
The Metsies are now seven games below .500, a mark not seen since the last week of the 2014 season, which has prompted concern from Mets Manager Terry Collins over the work they’ve done as of late.
However, all is not lost; the 2017 season is at its beginnings and it’s still early to right the ship. The Mets have some catching up to do nevertheless as they’re nine games behind the National League leading Washington Nationals.
Leftie Tommie Milone got the nod in Tuesday’s game in his second start with the Mets, but ran into trouble in the third inning, allowing five runs with a two-run single from Gregor Blanco and a scoring single from Chris Owings. Milone did not pitch beyond the sixth inning after which rookie reliever Paul Sewald took over to close strong not allowing a single run.
New York’s pitching problems have become all the more evident, showing a strained bullpen that needs to change if the Mets are to compete for a title in 2017.
The Mets hit four runs against the D’backs’ best starter Zack Greinke, over six and two third innings, but could not capitalize in the second inning with the bases loaded and one out that only resulted in one run. Curtis Granderson scored a solo homer in the fifth innings, while Rene Rivera added a two-run homer in the seventh. They then fizzled out and could not score another run even against Arizona’s weakest link, closer Fernando Rodney.
Whatever happens in the final game of the series versus the Diamondbacks, and beyond, the rumblings that Terry Collins’ historic tenure as manager may be approaching. Though there’s nothing official, if the Mets’ season keeps on sliding as it has there’s no telling what’s in store for the 68-year old manager except that he’ll reach his 1,013th game at the Mets’ helm this weekend.
To be fair, what’s happening to the Mets this year has less to do with Collins and more to do with a series of unfortunate injuries. Starting with Steven Matz’ injury and continuing with Seth Lugo’s, Noah Syndergaard’s and now Jeurys Familia’s blood clot, the stars are not lining up to say the least. In all, 11 players are injured and that’s a tough pill to swallow.
In any case, Collins is grizzled enough to know that in these circumstances there’s no sense in complaining and that you just have to hunker down and weather the storm.
