Mets vs Rangers Recap: Paralyzed by Perez

After last night’s sign of life, it was right back to this weekend’s low energy Mets, as the team barely made a sound while losing to the Rangers, 5-1 this afternoon at Citi Field. Blame the early start if you like, but the Mets seemed absolutely out of it all game long.

Rafael Montero was off from jump street, giving up a lead-off double to Shin-soo Choo, who eventually scored on a balk from Montero four batters later. That batter, Joey Gallo, also socked a two-run home run to put the Rangers up 3-0 before the Mets came to bat.

Rangers starter Martin Perez claimed earlier in the week that he had been tipping his pitches, and made an adjustment to correct that. It certainly seemed like he made the proper fixes, because he absolutely stymied the Mets today. Over eight innings, he gave up just one run - a solo home run by Wilmer Flores that was, at first, erroneously called a double in the fifth - along with two other hits, no walks, and five strike outs.

In the second inning, Choo walked to lead off the inning, but was erased on an Elvis Andrus fielder’s choice. Andrus then stole second and third off of Montero, and scored when Amed Rosario tried to throw him out at the plate instead when Nomar Mazara grounded to short. Montero would allow an Adrian Beltre single and hit Carlos Gomez before getting out of the inning.

Montero only lasted one more inning, forcing the Mets to use their bullpen quite early. Josh Smoker pitched two plus innings, looking inconsistent, giving up two singles, a walk, and a ground-rule double in his first two innings. But he managed to get through both the fourth and the fifth unscathed - the same couldn’t be said for the sixth.

Smoker loaded the bases without recording an out on two singles and a walk, before giving way to Hansel Robles, who walked the second batter he faced to bring in the Rangers’ fifth run of the day. Robles then settled down, pitching three hitless innings, striking out five and walking two.

Alex Claudio recorded the final three outs for the Rangers, putting the Mets out of their misery in a quiet fashion.

Tomorrow, the Mets travel to Philadelphia, where Jacob deGrom hopes to have a functioning offensive team behind him when he takes on Vince Velasquez.

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What’s WPA?

Big winners: Hansel Robles, +4.1 WPA, Wilmer Flores, +3.9% WPA
Big losers: Rafael Montero, -28.0 WPA,
Teh aw3s0mest play: Wilmer Flores’s solo home run
Teh sux0rest play: Joey Gallo’s two-run home run
Total pitcher WPA: -26.9
Total batter WPA: -23.1
GWRBI!: Joey Gallo