After spending the majority of the season at the top of the National League East Division, the New York Mets slipped to second place at the very end of the season.
Never mind, since what the team led by Buck Showalter really hopes for is to take the next step. It starts with winning the second-best series against the Padres.
Interesting fact: Padres manager Bob Melvin declined the offer to lead the Mets before taking the pole in San Diego. Let’s see if this decision will have paid off… or not.
New York Mets Season
The New York Mets finished the 2022 campaign with a stellar record of 101 wins and 61 losses.
Throughout the season, they knew how to take advantage of their chances and certainly won their share of matches. Above all, they have not collapsed as has been the case in past years. No player was booed and the chemistry seemed to be present in the team.
Added to this victorious season is the story surrounding Edwin Diaz and his famous song when he takes over. An extra layer for fans who have waited a few seasons to see these kinds of moments.
San Diego Padres season
Oh what a roller coaster Padres season has been. At the start of the season, injuries afflict the players of the Californian formation. Then, finally, the month of August will be full of emotions.
Fans are over the moon as the squad just acquired top right fielder Juan Soto from the Washington Nationals. The price paid will have been high, but not to make the playoffs and win. The first part is now done.
Comes mid-August. A tile falls on the lineup as star shortstop Fernando Tatis Jr. is disciplined for using Clostebol, an anabolic steroid.
Despite this event, the troop of Bob Melvin has found a way to win its share of meetings to reach the playoffs. The Padres finish with a record of 89 wins and 73 losses.
Obviously, this is done behind the (powerful) Los Angeles Dodgers.
Compare pitching staff
No offense to the Padres’ batters, the Mets’ pitching staff is simply intractable. With Max Scherzer, Jacob deGrom and Chris Bassitt, it will be difficult for the Padres to get anything out of it. However, if this were the case, it will be necessary to find a way to hit the powerful fastball of Edwin Diaz, while avoiding rushing on three catches on his slippery.
Diaz is one of the best relievers on the planet. He had 32 saves and a minimal 1.31 earned run average. Added to that is a 17.1 strikeout ratio on three strikeouts per nine innings. Good luck!
Despite everything, Josh Hader can be successful. He’s been vulnerable from time to time this season, but he’s still recorded 36 saves. Interesting to see if the left-hander will be able to pull out of the game.
Over the past few hours, we’ve learned that Padres starter Mike Clevinger is out of the series against the Mets with an injury.
For his part, the manager of the Mets, Buck Showalter is going there with a strategy that is daring to say the least. He opted to send Max Scherzer into the fray for the first duel. Until then, everything may seem normal.
In the event of victory, however, he does not wish to continue with Jacob deGrom unless he faces elimination. If the Mets sweep the Padres, then it will be without deGrom to keep him against the Dodgers.
Could he go with Chris Bassitt? What if the strategy didn’t work and the Padres ran away with the wins? Who risks nothing gains nothing.
Compare Attacks
On this level, amateurs will not lack choice. On the Padres side, they can count on the excellent Juan Soto and Manny Machado. Add to that players who always find a way to get to the trails and make opposing hitters work. From the outset, I think of Jurickson Profar, Jake Cronenworth and Brandon Drury.
Would the Padres have taken Tatis Jr. into the lineup? To ask the question, is to answer it…
On the Mets side, there is no doubt that it goes through Pete Alonso, his 40 home runs and some 130 RBIs. He will be a threat to opposing pitchers. Without forgetting Jeff McNeil, who confessed to being a revelation this year. He also won the title for batting average in major league baseball.
With Francisco Lindor, Eduardo Escobar and so on, the Padres defense will have to be alert. The Mets are used to making their points bit by bit. They will want to continue in the same line.
imponderables
This series represents a lot for the two teams who want to move to the next level. The decision to (potentially) not send out Jacob deGrom before Game #3 could be a double-edged sword.
However, the Mets have the punching power and pitching needed to defeat the Padres. However, the latter will not want to end their season so quickly.
A very good series to follow!
