Mets look sharp in sweep of Braves

Game 1

The Mets, after dropping the first game to the Braves last night, came into the double header with David Peterson taking the hill. The Mets’ lineup featured an unusual assortment of players, including leadoff hitter Travis Jankowski, giving some regulars the afternoon off. The B (team) Mets gave him a lead in the bottom of the first against veteran Charlie Morton, when back to back RBI singles from Pete Alonso and Eduardo Escobar put the Mets up 2-0. Peterson gave up one run in the top of the second inning, but Peterson had men on second and third with one out and managed to give up just one run on a sacrifice fly by Travis Demeritte.

But the Mets pushed back in the bottom of the second. Walks to Luis Guillorme and Jankowski and a fielder’s choice that didn’t result in an out off the bat of Mark Canha loaded the bases with just one out. Francisco Lindor grounded out, but drove in a run, and Alonso contributed his second RBI single in as many innings to put the Mets up 4-1. Morton eventually settled down and found his curveball, and limited the Mets to just one more run across the afternoon.

That run came in the fifth, when Jankowski reached base on a fielder’s choice, stole second, advanced to third on an errant throw, and scored his third run of the game on a Canha sacrifice fly, making it 5-1 Mets. Between Jankowski’s big game, Luis Guillorme’s flashing of some serious leather on the first two at-bats of the game, and Tomas Nido collecting a hit, the subs acquitted themselves nicely this afternoon.

In the bottom of that inning, with one out and a man on first, Peterson let a weak come-backer sail over his glove, eliminating the double play, and continuing the inning. One pitch later, Matt Olson made him pay for it by smashing a three-run home run and bringing the braves within one run. Peterson would get out of the inning, but that would be all for him today.

Despite the moon shot, Peterson looked solid again for the Mets, and continues to be far better than the sixth starter the Mets have had in [checks notes] a very long time? There’s a very real chance that he’s a part of their future, and I hope the teams continues to give him the opportunity to prove himself.

Luckily, the Mets’ bullpen showed up today, unlike their performances on Saturday and Monday, and gave Peterson the dub with four scoreless innings of work. Adam Ottavino pitched a scoreless, hitless, walkless, two-strikeout sixth inning. Drew Smith gave up a walk but struck out two over two innings of work. Edwin Diaz gave up a hit and struck out two to lock down the save.

It is hard to overstate how much this game - from the lineup to the matchup - felt like a game that the Mets always lost. This is obviously both recency bias and scarring from a lifetime of Mets fandom, but the 2022 team, thus far, has avoided falling into the typical Mets trappings. Even when their sixth starter (at the moment, more likely the seventh on the actual depth chart) gives up a late home run and the team is sitting three regulars, the Mets are still winning.

Is this...hope?

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What’s WPA?

Big winner: Drew Smith, +19.5% WPA
Big loser: David Peterson, -13.2% WPA
Total pitcher WPA: +27.6% WPA
Total batter WPA: +22.4% WPA
Teh aw3s0mest play: Pete Alonso singles in a run in the first, +10.6% WPA
Teh sux0rest play: Matt Olson hits a three-run home run in the fifth, -19.8% WPA

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Game 2

There’s nothing easy about a doubleheader, but the Mets made things look relatively simple as they defeated the Braves for the second time in the same day.

Carlos Carrasco was a big reason the team was able to do that, as he allowed fairly consistent traffic on the basepaths but pitched efficiently otherwise and completed eight scoreless innings of work. Considering how his previous start had gone, it was a massively welcome development to see Carrasco pitching that well.

At the plate, the recently-not-optioned Dominic Smith provided a significant contribution, hitting a two-run double in the bottom of the first to give the Mets a lead they never came close to relinquishing. But for a little bit of insurance, fellow first baseman/designated hitter Pete Alonso—who played the DH role in this one—hit a solo home run in the sixth.

Seth Lugo took over for Carrasco in the ninth. He gave up an hit but was otherwise totally fine, putting together a quick scoreless inning that ended when he induced a game-ending double play.

SB Nation GameThreads

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Box scores

ESPN
MLB.com

Win Probability Added

What’s WPA?

Big winner: Carlos Carrasco, +36.4% WPA
Big loser: Francisco Lindor, -6.1% WPA
Total pitcher WPA: +38.9% WPA
Total batter WPA: +11.1% #WPA
Teh aw3s0mest play: Dom Smith doubles in two runs in the first, +19.0% WPA
Teh sux0rest play: Matt Olson doubles in the sixth, -8.3% WPA