Mets vs Padres Recap: Syndergaard struggles, Mets lose 7-2

Much like Andrew Cashner on Monday night, Noah Syndergaard had a game to make K/BB ratio enthusiasts drool. Also like Cashner, Syndergaard got knocked around and couldn't make it through five innings.

It's worth highlighting Syndergaard's 10 strikeouts, 0 walks, and 17% swinging-strike rate tonight. In most games, that's a recipe for a shutout. He probably wasn't as bad as the seven runs on ten hits he allowed in four innings of work. However, he did allow three extra-base hits, including a two-run home run to Derek Norris on a hanging breaking ball. Handwaving his struggles tonight as simply poor BABIP luck seems too charitable. He had a bad game; it happens. Matt Harvey had a similar "el stinko" of a start in San Diego as his MLB career began in 2012. Tommy John Surgery aside, he has turned out fine.

Syndergaard's ERA jumped almost two runs, from 1.82 to 3.77, while his counterpart Ian Kennedy's ERA dropped from 7.15 to 6.60. Kennedy had been dreadful this season, allowing 12 home runs in 39 innings entering tonight's game. Unfortunately, the Mets couldn't go deep, and couldn't really get anything going. Kennedy allowed two runs on six hits in six innings of work, generally keeping the Mets' lineup in check. I'd bet on his ERA continuing to drop as the season goes on.

Michael Cuddyer's RBI single in the first inning gave the Mets an early 1-0 lead, but Wilmer Flores couldn't add any runs with two outs in the frame, flying out with runners on first and third. The Mets' second run came in the sixth inning when Flores singled home Cuddyer, who had doubled. That was the only extra-base hit for the Mets. Cuddyer went 3-for-4 and Ruben Tejada stayed hot, going 2-for-4. Jack Leathersich, Hansel Robles, and Dos Torres combined to throw four effective shutout innings in relief.

Let's check in with Kevin! Kevin Burkhardt was in attendance tonight, and the Mets' performance probably gave him flashbacks of his eight years following the team:

After the Nationals split a doubleheader with the Blue Jays on Tuesday, the Mets sit one-half of a game back of the first-place Nats in the NL East. The rubber game of the Mets-Padres series is Wednesday night at 9:10 pm ET. The pitching matchup is Dillon Gee (fresh off the DL) vs James Shields.

SB Nation GameThreads

* Amazin' Avenue GameThread
* Gaslamp Ball GameThread

Win Probability Added

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Big winners: Michael Cuddyer +15.7%, Ruben Tejada +1.9%,
Big losers: Noah Syndergaard -48.1%, Wilmer Flores -5.4%
Teh aw3s0mest play: Michael Cuddyer RBI single in first inning, +13.1%
Teh sux0rest play: Alexi Amarista two-run single in second inning, -17.6%
Total pitcher WPA: -47.5%
Total batter WPA: -2.5%
GWRBI!: Will Venable two-run triple in third inning