After a red-hot stretch for over a month from July into August, Francisco Lindor has cooled off over the past week.
With an 0-for-4 effort in the Mets’ 1-0 loss to the Rockies on Sunday afternoon at Citi Field, Lindor dropped to 0-for-17 with five walks over his last five games.
“I said it was going to happen,” said Lindor, who had plenty of company on Sunday in a quiet game for the Mets’ offense. “It’s part of the year. I’m going to have good times and I’m going to have bad times. Hopefully I can get out of it sooner rather than later.”
Francisco Lindor grounds out during the Mets’ loss to the Rockies. Jason Szenes
Before this recent stretch, Lindor had not gone more than one game without a hit since July 6. This is the first time all season Lindor has gone five straight games without a hit, an indication of the overall strong year the shortstop has put together.
That had especially been the case of late, as Lindor hit .352/.417/.545 across 37 games from July 11 to Aug. 21. But in six games since, he is 1-for-21 with five walks and six strikeouts with the Mets going 3-3.
“Just part of the game,” Lindor said. “[Maybe] I’m going to go 10-for-10 against the Dodgers or I’m going to go 0-for-10, who knows? Just gotta be better.”
Manager Buck Showalter did not seem to put too much stock into Lindor’s brief cold stretch.
“Facing some good pitching,” Showalter said. “There’s an ebb and flow to the season. Obviously he’s been out there posting up for us and playing solid shortstop. He’s been a consistent guy. Everybody in that lineup has had ups and downs.
“These guys spoil us with a high level of play so when you don’t have a couple of hits or something, it’s like, ‘What’s wrong?’ Sometimes what’s wrong is the other team was really good that day.”
New York Mets star Francisco Lindor — who scored a $341 million-dollar, decade-long contract with the franchise — is moving on up … town, that is.
We hear the shortstop was spotted checking out an $18 million penthouse apartment at the Charlotte on the Upper West Side.
The Columbus Avenue building is eco-friendly and focuses on sustainability, with their website touting offerings like, “Non-toxic interior materials and finishes” and a Passive House Institute certification that reduces “energy usage of up to 90 percent for heating and cooling and has exceptional air quality.”
The site also states, “The lobby and amenity spaces have separate, independent ventilation systems that keep fresh filtered clean air circulating at all times. The air is also treated with UV light to eliminate almost all pathogens and moderated to ensure comfortable temperature and humidity levels.”
Sounds useful in the age of COVID.
The swanky building has just seven units and offers up healthy, environmentally friendly amenities.The Charlotte
The building has just seven units. The penthouse has two floors, a terrace, walk-in closet, high ceilings, four bedrooms and four-and-a-half baths.
Lindor has a growing family. He wed Katia Reguero in December after a one-year engagement. The pair have a daughter.
He has said the best thing about the city is “the convenience to everything, at all times you can get something to eat.” But, “The worst part of living in New York is if you get stuck in traffic, you in traffic for a while.”
Lindor signed a whopping $341 million contract with the Mets.Getty Images
Lindor, known as “Mr. Smile,” previously played for Cleveland before signing the massive deal with the Mets last year.
The New York Post reported that he just tied Jose Reyes for most RBIs by a Mets shortstop in a season (81) and joined David Wright as the only Mets player ever to score at least one run in 13 straight games.
PHILADELPHIA — Brett Baty’s long Saturday included zero hits, a pair of errors and a hit by pitch that looked painful.
The Mets’ recent call-up is living his dream, but dreams sometimes have rude awakenings.
The rookie has made an immediate impact, but his fourth and fifth major league games won’t be his favorite memories after the Mets and Phillies split a day-night doubleheader Saturday at Citizens Bank Park.
In the opener, an 8-2 Mets win, the third baseman committed his first error in the major leagues in the ninth inning of a mostly finished game. Philadelphia’s Matt Vierling hit a ground ball to Baty for what could have been the game’s final out, but his throw to first pulled Pete Alonso off the bag.
Brett Baty gets hit by a pitch in Game 1 of the Mets’ doubleheader split.Getty Images
In the nightcap, a 4-1 Mets loss, the Phillies had two runners on base in the sixth inning when Alec Bohm hit a chopper to Baty. The 22-year-old rushed the play — which was made more difficult by Kyle Schwarber being in the vicinity as he ran from second to third — and tried to transfer the ball too quickly from his glove to his hand. The ball popped out of his mitt, and everyone was safe.
Manager Buck Showalter said he felt no need to talk to the rookie, who is “going to be good” and who will “learn from it.” Francisco Lindor had some helpful words.
The shortstop, Baty said, told him: “Just take it slow. Know your runner and know how much time you have.”
Lindor, according to Baty, continued: “He said I have a good internal clock, I just need to focus on catching the ball first.”
The Phillies had the bases loaded, but Stephen Nogosek and Jeff McNeil ensured Baty’s second error did not matter. J.T. Realmuto hit a flare to the right side, and McNeil raced over on the outfield grass, went full extension and saved a few runs with a catch that required every inch of his 6-foot-1 stature.
Baty, who is playing because both Luis Guillorme and Eduardo Escobar are on the injured list, has been impressive, even homering Wednesday on his first major league swing. But extended time in the big leagues will expose holes, and the Mets hope their No. 2 prospect’s defense is not one of them.
The 2019 first-round pick was hit in the leg with a curveball from Philadelphia’s Nick Nelson in the opener and got a look from the trainer as he took first base.
That was Baty’s only time reaching first Saturday, when he combined to go 0-for-7 and made the final out of the nightcap. He represented the tying run, but David Robertson induced a ground ball to third base.
He acknowledged that he is still learning, “but we’re in a pennant race,” Baty said after his first two hitless games as a major leaguer. “So I gotta be better for the ballclub.”
PHILADELPHIA — Pitching coach Jeremy Hefner was in a hurry, running late to a meeting as the Mets prepared for batting practice before their game against the Phillies on Friday night.
With questions to ask, we turned to the assistant pitching coach.
The person holding that unofficial title for the Mets has won three Cy Young awards and needs one win to reach 200 for his career.
“You’re not far off, because I am older than Hef,” said 38-year-old Max Scherzer, nodding in approval at the assistant pitching coach moniker.
Carlos Carrasco, in recent days, hit the injured list with an oblique strain and Taijuan Walker is now dealing with a bulging disk in his back that still had him questionable for his Sunday start. The Mets will play a doubleheader on Saturday at Citizens Bank Park, in which they will deploy David Peterson and Trevor Williams in some order as the starting pitchers. If Walker can’t pitch Sunday, Jose Butto from Triple-A Syracuse might make his major league debut.
From Scherzer, we wanted to know if he thought the Mets’ success this season plugging the rotation had toughened that unit. After all, the Mets were without Jacob deGrom for four months to start the season and Scherzer himself was sidelined for nearly seven weeks.
The assistant pitching coach agreed with the premise, but thought it could be stated differently.
Max Scherzer N.Y. Post: Charles Wenzelberg
“Different guys have had an opportunity to step up and contribute to this team,” Scherzer said before the Mets’ 7-2 victory. “Trevor Williams, Tylor Megill and David Peterson in particular, those guys have answered the call more often than not and they have gone out there and delivered really good outings for our team and those guys going out there and getting an opportunity to showcase what they can do, that is a credit to their work behind the scenes and everybody around them to allow them to perform at a high level.”
Their chief NL East competition, the Braves and Phillies, added starting pitching at the trade deadline, but the Mets stood pat, instead focusing on platoon hitters and the bullpen. The Braves got Jake Odorizzi and the Phillies traded for Noah Syndergaard, who is receiving extra rest this weekend and won’t face the Mets.
In determining that deGrom’s return would be enough of a trade deadline boost, the Mets banked on Peterson, in particular, as their best line of defense against a rotation gap. The left-hander has pitched to a 3.30 ERA in 18 appearances for the Mets this season, 14 of which have been starts.
“I think he’s at the phase of his career where now he is trying to truly establish himself and be consistent, have three pitches every single outing and be able to throw strikes on a consistent basis,” Scherzer said. “He’s identified something he wants to get better at, and he is going out there and doing something about it.”
Williams has shuffled between the rotation and bullpen, and his best success has occurred in relief.
“He has been the Swiss Army knife of this team and for this pitching staff,” Scherzer said. “Whether it is pitch in relief, pitching long out of relief, making spot starts, I guess fans don’t understand how difficult that is, that is an extremely difficult role to fill because you don’t know when you are going to pitch.”
It’s clear Scherzer is enjoying himself almost as much on his days between starts as when he is pitching. This staff has coalesced, with Scherzer perhaps the glue that has strengthened the bonds the tightest.
But Scherzer won’t take that credit alone. In the bullpen, there are veterans Adam Ottavino and Tommy Hunter (set to return from the IL on Sunday). Chris Bassitt, who shined in the series opener Friday, is an ace at reacting to what he sees from the opponent, according to Scherzer, and imparts that to other members of the pitching staff.
Scherzer has his own approach, especially with younger pitchers such as Peterson and Megill.
“The young guys, it’s trail crumbs,” Scherzer said. “You can’t give them the whole cookie. You have got to give them little crumbs and just take one little thing at a time, like, ‘You need to do this to get from here to there.’ That is the hard thing when I am talking to young guys is just to take it gradually, because they want the cookie. They want to know everything and they don’t realize you have got to do one thing at a time.”
ATLANTA — The Mets received what they consider “good news” on Taijuan Walker’s sore back Wednesday, but that might not preclude the right-hander from missing his next start.
Walker departed his outing Tuesday after only two innings, with what the Mets termed as back spasms. According to manager Buck Showalter, a subsequent MRI exam Wednesday didn’t reveal any structural damage.
Taijuan WalkerUSA TODAY Sports
“Pretty good news, all things considered on the MRI,” Showalter said before the Mets’ 9-7 win over the Braves. “I think Sunday’s start is in jeopardy, but we are still going to hold out hope it manages before that and we’ll just go day to day right now.”
The Mets already have David Peterson and Trevor Williams in the rotation to pitch a doubleheader Saturday at the Phillies. Williams is replacing Carlos Carrasco, who is on the injured list with a left oblique strain.
Among the potential options for Sunday if Walker can’t pitch is Jose Butto from Triple-A Syracuse.
Pete Alonso plans to represent Team USA in the 2023 World Baseball Classic. The Mets first baseman said he was recently asked to participate and accepted the invitation.
“There’s a lot of really amazing guys on the team so far and it’s a great opportunity and I just feel lucky to be a part of it,” Alonso said.
The tournament was last held in 2017, when Alonso was still playing in the minor leagues. Alonso said he considered at the time the possibility he might get to represent the USA.
“It looked like an incredible environment and it’s an incredibly fun event,” Alonso said. “I always wanted to play in it. It’s an honor to play for the Stars and Stripes.”
Tomas Nido, who is on the COVID list, could return this weekend in Philadelphia, according to Showalter.
Joey Lucchesi is scheduled to pitch an inning for Single-A St. Lucie on Sunday in his first rehab appearance since undergoing Tommy John surgery last year. The left-hander could be a bullpen option for the Mets when he is ready.
Tylor Megill threw 20 pitches in live batting practice in his rehab from a right shoulder strain. Megill is expected to pitch from the bullpen upon his return.
Tommy Hunter will likely return from the IL Sunday, according to Showalter. The right-hander has been on the IL since Aug. 6 because of back tightness.
SAN FRANCISCO — These kings of late-inning drama were just getting started as much of their East Coast fan base was fading off into a haze.
But the difference in this latest miraculous Mets comeback was a counterpunch. The Giants offered not one, but two on a wild Tuesday night in the Bay Area.
Edwin Diaz allowed two runs in the ninth, including a walk-off RBI single to Brandon Crawford that sent the Mets to a 13-12 loss at Oracle Park.
Joc Pederson was the offensive hero, with three home runs and an RBI single in the ninth that tied the game before Crawford won it moments later.
Dominic Smith tripled leading off the ninth and pinch-runner Travis Jankowski scored on Brandon Nimmo’s sacrifice fly to put the Mets ahead.
Buried in a six-run hole, the Mets created buzz in the seventh inning and then went bonkers in the eighth to take an 11-8 lead before Pederson’s third homer of the game, a three-run blast against Drew Smith, tied it.
Francisco Lindor slapped a bases-loaded triple in the eighth that put the Mets ahead, but this was a rally that had plenty of heroes. And the team’s ability to put the ball in play and pressure the defense was at the forefront in an inning the Mets had three infield hits.
Darin Ruff slides safely to score the winning run as Tomas Nido drops the ball in the ninth inning of the Mets’ 13-12 loss to the Giants.AP
With the Mets behind 8-4 (Lindor had smashed a two-run homer the previous inning), Jeff McNeil and Eduardo Escobar singled in succession to begin the epic rally. Mark Canha’s single off Crawford loaded the bases and Dominic Smith awoke from a slumber to deliver a two-run single that pulled the Mets within 8-6. After Luis Guillorme was retired on a fielder’s choice, Nimmo hit a slow grounder to third and beat Kevin Padlo’s throw, loading the bases. Starling Marte followed with a hard grounder off Padlo that brought in Smith. Lindor’s grounder past third base — which Pederson overran in left field — unloaded the bases and gave the Mets an 11-8 lead.
Chris Bassitt allowed three “bye-bye babies” to the Giants and never got through the fifth inning. The performance was a rare clunker for a Mets starting pitcher this season.
Bassitt (who arrived from across the Bay Bridge in Oakland in a March trade) surrendered eight earned runs on eight hits and three walks over 4 ¹/₃ innings in his worst start in a Mets uniform.
Starling Marte high-fives Pete Alonso after scoring one of the runs on Francisco Lindor’s three-run triple during the Mets’ loss.AP
In his start against the Cardinals last week Bassitt also scuffled, allowing four earned runs over 6 ¹/₃ innings. But his biggest tormentors have been the Giants, who also beat him at Citi Field last month, when he allowed five earned runs over six innings.
The Mets certainly would welcome the return of the Bassitt, who was sitting 11 days ago with a 2.34 ERA (that number has since jumped to 3.91) as they try to weather recent injuries to Max Scherzer and Tylor Megill that have shortened the rotation. That’s on top of the fact Jacob deGrom hasn’t yet thrown a pitch for the Mets this season. In those spots the team has turned to David Peterson and looks ready to give Thomas Szapucki an audition. Trevor Williams has also twice been used as a starter in doubleheaders.
Bassitt allowed his third homer in as many innings, a two-run shot to Pederson in the fifth that buried the Mets in an 8-2 hole. The blast was the second of the game and ninth of the season for Pederson, who arrived last winter as a free agent after helping the Braves win a World Series title.
Joc Pederson, who hit three home runs and drove in eight runs, hugs Brandon Crawford after Crawford’s walk-off single gave the Giants a win over the Mets. Getty Images
Tommy La Stella’s three-run blast in the fourth had extended the Giants’ lead to 6-1. Luis Gonzalez doubled in the inning and Michael Papierski walked before La Stella unloaded into the right-field seats.
In the fourth, Bassitt walked Mike Yastrzemski before leaving a cutter over the plate that Pederson blasted for a two-run homer.
The Giants jumped on Bassitt from the start. La Stella singled leading off the game and Yastrzemski doubled before Darin Ruf’s ground out brought in a run.
Logan Webb was tough on the Mets, allowing two runs on five hits over five innings. Canha stroked an RBI single in the second that tied it 1-1. The Mets got another run in the fifth on Lindor’s sacrifice fly after Brandon Nimmo was hit by a pitch leading off the inning.
Lindor launched a two-run homer in the seventh that pulled the Mets within 8-4. The homer was Lindor’s seventh of the season.
Stephen Nogosek stepped up in long relief. In his first appearance in nine days, the right-hander fired 3 ²/₃ scoreless innings behind Bassitt. In his only other major league appearance this season Nogosek pitched three scoreless innings against the Nationals.
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