It’s May 10th, and it’s probably the first game that the Mets had done what was envisioned for them at the start of the season. Star pitcher (in this case, Verlander) for seven, and the back end for the 8th and the 9th.
(Editor’s note: I’m not counting the Joey Meatballs start because nobody envisioned that.)
Verlander went seven innings and gave up two hits and two walks while striking out seven for a 2-1 win to get his first win against the Reds in his career, and get Met fans some chicken soup for the soul. (Verlander now has a win against all 30 teams.) While it took until May 10th, but it only took Verlander two starts to do it which gives all of us some hope that this could actually e a regular occurrence.
Here’s how much the Mets really needed to see that: Verlander gave up a run in the first, but found all of his pitches in concert since then. He had retired 15 out of 16 batters through six innings. If the Mets weren’t in such a bad way and didn’t really need this game, I think Verlander gets pulled after six, even at 2-1. But with where the Mets were and were headed, I think both team and pitcher agreed that a 7th inning was necessary.
"Your job as a starting pitcher when it's your day and you know the bullpen is a little taxed is to go out and eat some innings. To be able to do that, it felt great and hopefully it can jump-start our rotation and just win some games"
– Justin Verlander pic.twitter.com/hS4xEZfLlF
— SNY (@SNYtv) May 11, 2023
That 7th inning was flawless, and the Mets got their form and function.
And give David Robertson (and to a lesser extent, Adam Ottavino) a lot of credit. Robertson has to replace Edwin Diaz, and he’s been close to flawless. Tonight was one they really needed, and if Robertson had blown Verlander’s season changing (hopefully) outing? Man, I think we would have all been looking for the ayahuasca. But Robertson went 1-2-3 in the 9th for the most important win to date.
***
And give Pete Alonso a lot of credit for changing the game with his second inning home run off Hunter Greene. Greene’s slider looked like Kershaw’s slider to the Mets hitters in the first, as he struck out the side. But Alonso parked the first pitch he saw … a slider … in the second, and Greene didn’t want to throw it anymore. It changed the entire outlook of the game as he went from Clayton Kershaw to Alay Soler on one pitch.
Today’s Hate List
Dry Eye Syndrome.
/laughs hysterically
Look, I have no doubt that Tomas Nido’s eyes are dry. And I feel for him. But I’ve never heard of dry eyes landing you on the 10 day IL. Convenient that they needed a roster spot, and all of a sudden, Nido “loses his Visine”.
I’m old enough to remember a time when the Mets didn’t have to make up injuries to manipulate the roster. They just got them. Nobody made up “Hand Foot and Mouth Disease” or “Valley Fever”. They just appeared.
But that conversation in the GM’s office must have been hysterical.
“How ya feeling, Tomas?”
“Okay, but my eyes are a little dry.”
“Really? Dry Eyes?”
“…”
“Hey Tomas, would you call it … ‘a syndrome?'”
“I mean, I don’t know …”
“I think you need 10 days here.”
So which Met goes on the IL for a Darkness Retreat?
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