Mets Morning News: Woe in Washington

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The Mets were swept in a doubleheader against the Nationals yesterday. In Game 1, Jacob deGrom emptied the tank, but it wasn’t enough, as the Mets lost 4-3 and were officially eliminated from playoff contention. An inside-the-park home run on a ball hit by Andrew Stevenson in which Dominic Smith collided face-first with the left field wall tied the game and Josh Harrison’s RBI given up by Edwin Diaz was the final blow. Rick Porcello lasted just three innings in the second game, giving up five runs—three of them earned—on eight hits. Pete Alonso’s two-run homer in the fourth prevented the shutout, but the Mets were unable to complete the comeback.

Choose your recap: Amazin’ Avenue short (Game 1, Game 2) and long, Daily News, MLB.com, Newsday, North Jersey, NY Post

“I guess Bauer,” Jacob deGrom said unenthusiastically when asked about his choice for the NL Cy Young Award.

Andres Gimenez left the first game of yesterday’s doubleheader with right oblique tightness he experienced during a swing, ending his season. Ryan Cordell was called up to replace him on the roster.

Both David Wright and Yoenis Cespedes’ contracts will be off the books after today’s game.

To miss the playoffs in a shortened season after playoff expansion is an “unacceptable” result for the Mets, writes David Lennon of Newsday.

Rick Porcello clearly feels similarly. “To the Mets fans, I’m sorry that we couldn’t have done better for you,” he said after yesterday’s game.

“Just basically telling them that we’re a lot better than that. We’re a lot better than what the result was this year. We feel like we’re a team that should’ve been in those eight seeds for the playoffs,” manager Luis Rojas said to his players after the loss in Game 2 of yesterday’s doubleheader. “Right now, our mission when we separate is to go and keep getting better in certain areas. ...We’ve just got to show up next year and correct some of the things that kind of like stopped our momentum, didn’t let us get hot in this type of season.”

Around the National League East

The Phillies lost to the Rays 4-3 yesterday, bringing them to the brink of playoff elimination as well. Thanks to a Giants loss to the Padres, however, they remain mathematically alive on the season’s final day. But they are now reliant on other teams to make it to the playoffs, despite best laid plans with their rotation.

The Braves lost to the Red Sox 8-2 and Braves prospect Tucker Davidson did not fare well in his Major League debut.

The Nationals chose not to release the details publicly regarding the length of manager Dave Martinez’s contract extension, but the organization is happy that they will have stability at the helm of their dugout.

Around Major League Baseball

Joel Sherman of the New York Post gave us his picks for the MVP, anti-MVP, Cy Young, and anti-Cy Young in each league. He listed Jacob deGrom third for the Cy Young, behind Trevor Bauer and Yu Darvish and Steven Matz got the unfortunate “anti-Cy Young” distinction for the National League.

Richard Justice of MLB.com listed nine trades that are currently shaping the 2020 postseason.

Hunter Pence has decided to retire from baseball.

After eight seasons as a member of the Red Sox, Jackie Bradley Jr. will be a free agent. Julian McWilliams of the Boston Globe writes on Bradley Jr.’s reflections about his time in Boston.

This Date in Mets History

The 2000 Mets clinched the Wild Card on September 27 with a win over the Braves.