Three Mets takeaways from Subway Series vs. Yankees
The Yankees' Jasson Domínguez scores a run in front of Mets catcher Francisco Alvarez after a throwing error by Mets first baseman Pete Alonso during the eighth inning on Sunday at Yankee Stadium. Credit: Noah K. Murray
Here are three Mets takeaways from the Subway Series:
1. Not a Juan-derful weekend
Juan Soto was savaged by Yankees fans from the moment he stepped onto the field on Friday night until the final inning on Sunday.
The only way to quiet hectoring fans is to perform. But Soto did not have a big moment in any of the games as the Yankees took two of three.
Overall, Soto went 1-for-10 with four walks and three strikeouts.
On Sunday night, he backed out at nearly the last minute from what probably was an ill-conceived-to-begin-with on-field, in-game interview with ESPN.
As Sunday’s game went on, Soto was the last Mets player to take the field for defense, as if he didn’t want to be in rightfield one second longer than he was required to.
After the game, Soto did not speak to reporters.
Aaron Judge had a moment with Soto after the game.
“Just said hello to him,” Judge said. “I hadn’t seen him all series. Just kind of wished him the best. I kind of said, ‘Hey, you’re the best in the game. Things like this are going to happen. Just keep playing your game.’ It was good to see him. Happy we were able to either walk him or not let him do any damage, especially in this series.”
Soto has 14 more seasons to quiet Yankees fans (15 if they meet in this year’s World Series). But Round 1 went to the Soto-bashers.
2. Edwin Diaz is back
Mets manager Carlos Mendoza basically kept Diaz encased in bubble wrap in the first month of the season, not using him in back-to-back games and generally keeping the closer’s workload low. That cost the Mets two games that were blown and lost by fill-in closer Ryne Stanek.
There also were questions about Diaz’s velocity and command, but all of that appeared to be put to rest on Saturday when Diaz closed out the Mets’ 3-2 victory by striking out Austin Wells and Aaron Judge in a perfect ninth.
Diaz got ahead of Judge 0-and-2 with sliders. The count got to 3-and-2, and Diaz ended the game with a high 99-mph fastball that Judge swung through.
“Facing the best hitter at the end of the game is fun,” Díaz said. “I was trying to make my pitches, compete against him and just get him out.”
Mendoza and the Mets believe that easing Diaz into the season will pay dividends all the way to October. We shall see.
3. Bat’s all?
The Mets have scored a total of nine runs in their last five games (two of them wins). They have a lot of capable hitters who are underperforming.
Here are some key batting averages: Soto (.246), Mark Vientos (.241), Brandon Nimmo (.225), Starling Marte (.200), Brett Baty (.225) and Jeff McNeil (.245).
Batting averages don’t tell the whole story, but they are the start of the story, and the Mets right now aren’t getting enough hits or scoring enough runs, especially with Soto struggling and Pete Alonso cooling off from his hot start.
Anthony Rieber covers baseball, as well as the NFL, NBA and NHL. He has worked at Newsday since Aug. 31, 1998, and has been in his current position since July 5, 2004.
