ATLANTA — Coming off the primary sweep of the season, Brandon Nimmo stated it finest.
“I don’t care what their record says,” the Mets’ crew chief stated Sunday. “[The Braves are a] very good team that can play very good baseball, pitch very well, hit very well, especially in their home ballpark. So we’re going to be going in there expecting a bulldog fight, ready for Game 1.”
The Mets have been completely dominant at Citi Subject this season, and even on nights once they haven’t dominated, they largely discovered methods to win. A minimum of till this previous weekend, when Clay Holmes was pulled too early in his Friday begin and Paul Blackburn imploded in aid, Tylor Megill and Griffin Canning each fell aside of their respective begins and the bats couldn’t again them up.Now, the Mets start a stretch of 10 straight division video games, beginning with three in Atlanta, three in Philadelphia over the weekend, and 4 towards the Braves at residence subsequent week.
They’ll open the week main the Braves by 13.0 video games within the NL East (45-27), however maintain solely a 2.5-game lead on the Phillies. Atlanta has by no means precisely been a spot the place the Mets have performed their finest baseball, and we’ll discover out this week if final October’s dramatic end to the common season at Truist Park exorcised the demons.
No matter the place the Braves are within the standings, the Mets can’t take their foot off the gasoline. It’s been an odd season for Atlanta, a crew many picked to win the division. A gifted, deep lineup with left-handers who mash, they aren’t producing runs at a excessive charge this season. Ronald Acuña Jr. returned from his second ACL tear choosing up proper the place he left off, having posted a 1.179 OPS over his first 21 video games with seven residence runs and 13 RBI, but he hasn’t been the cog that the Braves wanted. Atlanta has gone simply 7-14 since his return.
It will mark the primary time Ronald has performed in the identical sport towards his youthful brother, Mets infielder Luisangel Acuña. The youthful Acuña is caught in an odd in-between state in the intervening time, with the Mets seeing a participant who may also help them win Main League video games, but additionally a participant who wants rather more improvement.
A slick-fielding infielder who brings pace on the basepaths, Luisangel has been streaky with the bat, limiting him largely to a bench position. The Mets sometimes get him into most video games, be it as a late-game defensive alternative for Jeff McNeil or Brett Baty at second base, or as a pinch-runner, however the switches have been unusual at instances.
Nevertheless, the crew is adamant about getting him time. They don’t desire a younger, rising sitting for a number of days at a time. If that was the case, they’d ship him again to Triple-A the place he may play day by day.
As an alternative, the crew works with him every day whether or not he’s within the beginning lineup or not, reinforcing the necessity to put together the identical day by day and to maintain him engaged. Acuña, and every so often Baty and third baseman Vientos as properly, get particular instruction with coaches in an effort to additional his improvement on the big-league degree.
Going through his brother might be what he must jumpstart his manufacturing.
The Mets had their three finest starters lineup up earlier than Kodai Senga was injured final week. Now, they’ll go along with left-hander David Peterson in Tuesday’s opener, adopted by right-hander Paul Blackburn rather than Senga on Wednesday, and Clay Holmes on Thursday evening. Blackburn was lights-out towards the Los Angeles Dodgers in his season debut, however has since given up seven earned runs in 4 1/3 in innings towards the Colorado Rockies and Rays. He was shelled Friday evening, giving up three straight hits earlier than getting an out, adopted by a two-run single.
Blackburn was alleged to go lengthy in a piggyback form of outing after Holmes went 5, however the Mets changed him with Max Kranick after that two-run single, and the right-hander couldn’t maintain the inherited runners.
The Mets stunned baseball with their depth this season, but when that depth isn’t performing, Senga’s loss shall be rather more troublesome to soak up.
The Braves will throw right-hander Spencer Schwellenbach, left-hander Chris Sale and right-hander Spencer Strider. With six division video games, this week might be make-or-break for a crew 8.0 video games below .500 (31-39). A dropping report this week may power them to have to dump expiring contracts on the commerce deadline. However a very good week may get them again into the combination.
The Mets perceive they are going to face adversity all through the season. Now’s the time to indicate their mettle.
