Typically, 101 wins is a phenomenal season and wins you a division crown. For the Mets, however, they were subject to yet another white-hot Braves run that brought them back from the dead and into a NL East Division title.
With losing out on the division came playing a three-game series in the Wild Card round. The bright side? It would take place at home, Citi Field.
Their opponent would be the San Diego Padres, an 88-win team that had been struggling offensively, and with the arsenal of arms being sent out by the Mets, it appeared as if the Mets would be able to move on pretty easily.
This is October baseball though, where anything can happen. For instance: a .184 hitter by the name of Trent Grisham catching fire and carrying the Padres in the short 3-game set.
The fears coming in were Juan Soto and Manny Machado, but Grisham hit .500 in three games with 2 home runs and 3 RBI to help the Padres take down the Mets in 3 games.
In Game 1, the Mets sent half of their two-headed ace monster to the hill in Max Scherzer. Scherzer battled a lat strain down the stretch and his last start in Atlanta was anything but typical Mad Max.
The first pitch of the game was hit for a single. Scherzer was able to respond and get Soto and Machado out before facing Josh Bell. He fell behind 3-0 before landing a strike high and away. The mistake was throwing the same pitch on 3-1, to which Bell drove over the left center field wall for a 2-0 Padre lead before the Mets came to bat.
The Mets did have an opportunity in the bottom half. Francisco Lindor was hit by a pitch and NL Batting champ Jeff McNeil singled to set up first and third. MVP candidate Pete Alonso stepped to the plate with a chance to put the Mets on the board, but struck out looking.
That would be the beginning of the end for the Mets. Grisham launched his first of two home runs the following inning. Jurickson Profar and Manny Machado launched long balls as well and the Padres took Game 1, 7-1. Scherzer didn’t appear to have the same finish on his pitches, leaving you to wonder if his lat was still bothersome.
In Game 2, the Mets sent out their other ace Jacob deGrom to try and keep their season alive. deGrom was his usual self, giving the Mets a chance and the offense picked him up, putting up a 7-spot themselves. Lindor and Alonso tallied home runs and the Mets forced a Game 3, winner-take-all.
Game 3 saw Chris Bassitt v. Joe Musgrove as the pitching matchup. Just like Game 1, the Padres jumped out to an early lead, this time via a few hits.
Musgrove was dealing for the Padres, but something seemed amiss. Fans on social media were drawn to a shine on the ears of the San Diego right-hander, and rumors started swirling he may have been using a banned substance.
The Mets caught wind of it and saw the spin rates of his pitches were up drastically from normal. Before the bottom of the 6th, with the Mets down 4-0 and with just one hit to their name, veteran manager Buck Showalter walked onto the field and asked the umpires to check Musgrove.
The umpires ruled him to be clean and he continued to pitch, now more angered than before. He pitched 7 total innings on a miraculous 86 pitches and scoffed at the Met dugout after sending one hitter after the next before calling it a day.
The Padres took the game 6-0 and series 2-1– an unceremonious end to what was thought to be a championship run for the Mets.
The problems for the Mets do not end here. There will be a ton of free agents to consider as they weigh how much of the team will be brought back together. deGrom has already stated he wants to become a free agent, and may be leaning toward signing elsewhere. Closer Edwin Diaz, who had a phenomenal year, will also need a contract – along with center fielder Brandon Nimmo and pitcher Chris Bassitt.
On top of some other players getting older, it’s not going to be easy sledding for the Mets. This was the year to make it happen– but that’s why the game isn’t played on paper. Now, they have to try and clean up the mess before the plate irreversibly spoils for good.
