The Mets schedule this year has seen them flying by the seat of their pants many times. Now, it’s the Braves turn come Monday at Citi Field.
While the Mets have their own schedule crunch to deal with, it’s just desserts for the Atlanta Braves as well.
Fresh off a doubleheader split with the Nationals yesterday, the Mets play an afternoon game today in DC, after which they can fly home to watch the Atlanta Braves play the second game of a doubleheader against the St. Louis Cardinals as the ESPN Sunday Night Baseball telecast before the Braves fly to New York.
A rainout in Atlanta last night caused the glitch in the Braves schedule, and it means they are in for a long day and night, with odds of reaching their hotel in New York tonight before 2 am ET, no better than 2:1.
To make matters worse for the Braves and better for the Mets, they can look forward to facing Jacob deGrom, who is now virtually certain to make a start, in the first game of Monday’s twin-bill.
Per MLB rules, all games will be seven-inning affairs, and both teams can, if they wish, add a 27th man to their roster, and it doesn’t necessarily have to be the same player in both games.
Mets Await The Braves
Always predicted to be the greatest threat to the Mets, the Braves have been unable to get off the ground. As play begins today, the NL East Standings have them 5.5 games behind the Mets, still three games under .500, with only four wins in their last ten games.
Like the Mets, the Braves have been beset by injuries to key players.
Former Mets catcher Travis d’Arnaud has been out since April with a thumb injury and is not expected back until August 15. Marcell Ozuna couldn’t keep his hands to himself, and his fate still rests with MLB’s disciplinary committee.
Perhaps the most damaging injury, though, rests with their number one starter, Mike Soroka, who suffered one of those testy Achilles things, and if he returns at all, it will not be before September.
Still, as Mets fans know, the Braves have had their number over the years, with the Mets showing 375 wins against 425 losses.
A three-game sweep earlier this year by the Mets hopefully sets a different tone for the remainder of the 16 games on the 2021 schedule.
If you are the Mets, you always want to beat a good team when they’re down, or as the case might be tomorrow, tired.
Mets: First Things First, Though
First, though, it’s Taijuan Walker taking the ball today to wrap up the series against the Nationals. Walker has been nothing short of phenomenal for the Mets this season, posting a 6-2 record with a decisive 2.12 ERA.
Walker has logged fourteen innings in his last two starts, surrendering only ten hits and three runs – while striking out 21 batters. He’ll be opposed by Patrick Corbin (4-5, 5.60), who is still trying to figure it out with Washington after signing a multi-year deal as the most sought-after free agent three years ago.
For the Mets, their challenge remains the same as it’s been for the last two months. Don’t look at the teams behind; just keep focused on playing the brand of baseball that’s becoming your trademark this year, with solid pitching (including the bullpen) and a tight defense.
The Mets get a boost as soon as tomorrow when Jeff McNeil is activated after completing a successful rehab stint in Syracuse.
Michael Conforto is not far behind as well.
Finish off the Nats today, get home soon, and rest up for another grueling day at the ballpark tomorrow. It’s Jacob deGrom day at Citi Field, too…
Here’s What Readers Are Saying…
Stephen Steele is it a break or does it just level the playing field
Martin Mueller Well they the lost Series mainly to one batter, not a good sign for our pitchers !!! Put it in the book!! Tomorrow is a new day!!
Baseball, it is said, is only a game. True. And the Grand Canyon is only a hole in Arizona. Not all holes, or games, are created equal.
