Mets Morning News: “Turn those thumbs around!”

Meet the Mets

Woof, what a day. It started with Javy Báez, fresh off a tremendously weird saga that saw Mets fans booing players for booing fans for booing players, apologizing to anyone he offended for his behavior. It continued with Francisco Lindor echoing Báez’s apology and adding some perspective, and then Luis Rojas finishing it off with a summary of a team meeting.

It continued with the Mets resuming a game from mid-April that was suspended due to torrential rain, capping one of the longest delays you will ever see in baseball.

Early on in the game, Gary Cohen provided some much-needed even-keeled analysis of the past couple of days, not excusing anyone’s behavior but choosing to explain why what happened may have happened. And then the Mets played two good baseball games and swept the Marlins, winning the first game 6-5 and the second 3-1.

Choose your recap: AA short (G1, G2) and long, Daily News, ESPN, MLB, Newsday, North Jersey, Post

Michael Conforto and Javy Báez came up big in both games, with the former hitting the game-winning RBI and the latter scoring the game-winning run in game 1 after the Mets put together a five-run ninth inning. Conforto then smacked the deciding two-run home run in game 2, with Báez adding insurance scoring a run of his own a few batters later.

Cohen provided an all-time call at the end of game 1.

After scoring the game-winning run, a search party that included GM Sandy Alderson set off to look for a piece of jewelry that fell off Báez.

Expected torrential rain has already postponed tonight’s game, however, with the Mets pushing back their starters a day. Carlos Carrasco, originally scheduled to pitch today, will instead pitch Thursday night against the Marlins.

The game will be made up as part of a doubleheader on September 28th.

In sadder news, Mets radio legend Howie Rose called his final game of the season last night, as he will undergo an undisclosed medical procedure before taking the rest of the year off. He is optimistic he will return next season.

Rose found a silver lining after his announcement, though.

The Mets placed Tomás Nido on the 10-day IL with a thumb sprain, retroactive to August 28th. They recalled Chance Sisco from Triple-A Syracuse to take Nido’s place on the roster.

In better news, Luis Guillorme is back from the IL, though he played in neither game yesterday. In a funny quirk of a months-long suspended game, both Guillorme and Nido technically started Game 1 and registered zero plate appearances.

Multiple media outlets published calls for the Mets to hire Theo Epstein in the offseason.

Former Met Al Leiter and John Smoltz will not appear at MLB Network’s studios after refusing to receive a COVID-19 vaccine.

Around the National League East

The Phillies doubled up the Nationals, winning 12-6 in D.C thanks to three hits from Bryce Harper and a home run from Andrew McCutchen. It was their fifth straight win, and it put them 2.5 games behind Cincinnati for the second wild-card spot.

The Nationals optioned former top prospect Víctor Robles.

The Dodgers beat the Braves 3-2 last night in Los Angeles.

After last night’s proceedings, the Mets sit in third place in the NL East, three games behind the Phillies in second place and six games behind the Braves in first.

Around Major League Baseball

Blake Snell pitched seven no-hit innings before being removed from the game due to a high pitch count. David Peralta broke up the combined no-hitter with one out in the eighth with a bloop single to left field, and the Padres ended up beating the Diamondbacks 3-0 in Phoenix.

The Red Sox now have had eight players test positive for COVID in the past four days with two more players on the COVID list, a list that now includes Xander Boegarts. The Rays beat them 8-5 last night in Boston for their ninth-straight win.

The Blue Jays designated Brad Hand for assignment. The Orioles beat them 4-2 last night in Toronto.

The Astros placed Zack Greinke and Taylor Jones on the IL following health and safety protocols.

The Angels beat the Yankees 6-4 in Anaheim. Shohei Ohtani stole home because of course he did.

Matt Chapman homered twice as the A’s beat the Tigers 9-3 last night in Detroit.

MLB is looking into creating an in-market streaming service.

Yesterday at Amazin’ Avenue

It was a busy day! Vas previewed the ongoing Mets-Marlins series.

Rob then reminded us of Randy Milligan in the latest episode of UnforMETable.

Allison published meters for both position players and pitchers over the past week, and, spoiler alert, they’re a bit lopsided.

There were also game threads and final scores galore, with this bringing the cheekiest headline of the day.

This Date in Mets History

Tom Seaver broke Walter Johnson’s record of seven consecutive 200-strikeout seasons with a 10-strikeout performance against the Pirates.