The New York Mets may have had their best month of the season in July but it wasn’t quite enough to avoid a sell-off. The fact that the Mets went 14-9 in July to post the best record in the National League over that span was a cruel tease of what could have been, particularly since they got strong contributions across the board. Francisco Alvarez (.275/8 HR/16 RBI) and Francisco Lindor (276/5/11) posted strong offensive numbers while Kodai Senga pitched to a 1.93 ERA in four starts, but the unquestioned best performer for the Mets in July was right-hander Justin Verlander.
The Mets finally got the version of Verlander they were expecting when they gave him a huge contract over the winter as he went 4-1 with a 1.69 ERA in six starts. Verlander struck out 32 batters in 37.1 innings pitched, holding opponents to just a .167 batting average against him as he was the Mets’ most effective starter in that stretch. The strong performance allowed the Mets to trade him to the Houston Astros at the deadline once the decision to pivot was made, netting them two top prospects in exchange for Verlander’s services over the next two years.
There is no question that Verlander’s recent performance enhanced the return for the Mets in the deal, getting them two intriguing young outfielders who can potentially play a big part in the Mets’ future. It is sad that it came to this for the 2023 Mets but Verlander will leave town with one additional fake trophy for his mantle.
Previous Mets Of The Month:
April: 1B Pete Alonso
May: C Francisco Alvarez
June: OF Tommy Pham
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