Mets Morning News: Mets extend NL East lead to seven with win over Reds

Meet the Mets

The Mets topped the Reds 5-1 at Citi Field to open up their three-game series. The Mets took a lead two batters into the game on a Starling Marte two-run homer and never looked back. They added a run in the third on a Daniel Vogelbach single, and Tyler Naquin contributed a two-run triple in the eighth for good measure. Chris Bassitt worked into and out of trouble all night and ended up tossing eight innings of one-run ball for the victory.

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Mets’ pitchers now lead baseball with 1,048 strikeouts in 110 games.

Marte, who has struggled in August after a torrid July, got back to his All Star form with his first inning homer.

Turns out assembling a winning baseball team makes people want to watch your product. Sunday’s game was the second most-watched game in SNY history, bringing in over 555,000 viewers. Only the final game of the 2008 season was watched by more people. The weekend as a whole was the most-watched series in SNY’s history.

SNY’s video of Edwin Díaz entering Sunday’s contest went viral, and ‘Narco’ is now easily the most electric thing in sports and really gets the people going.

Díaz could be a dark horse Cy Young candidate.

Amid Díaz’s greatness, don’t overlook Adam Ottavino, who has been a tremendous addition for New York.

Ottavino believes the Mets have a top-5 bullpen in MLB.

Ben Clemens of Fangraphs waxed poetic about getting to watch Jacob deGrom again, and wants fans to enjoy it while we can.

David Roth talked about deGrom walking the tightrope.

Max Scherzer doesn’t want people to view the Mets’ rotation as just a two-man show of him and deGrom.

Something big is happening in Queens.

It’s time to start freaking out about the Mets (in a good way, for a change).

Francisco Lindor has hit his stride for the Mets this season.

Mark Canha has seen his playing time diminish as of late, but he has gotten ‘used to’ his part time role with the club.

The Mets came in at number four on MLB’s Power Rankings.

Tim Britton’s latest “This Week In Mets” focuses on deGrom’s return and how the sense of possibilities is weighing heavier than the usual dread for Mets fans.

Joey Lucchesi (remember him?) is getting close to beginning his rehab on his road back from Tommy John Surgery.

At long last, the scorching-hot Brett Baty is being promoted to Triple-A Syracuse.

The Brooklyn Cyclones welcomed the new members of their squad—William Lugo, Jeffrey Colon, and Christian Scott—and wished Rowdey Jordan and Nic Gaddis well in Binghamton.

Around the National League East

Deesha Thosar wondered if the Braves can catch this Mets’ team.

Nick Maton has been a force for the Phillies both in the clubhouse and on the field, which may help Philadelphia reach the postseason.

Philadelphia has been one of baseball’s best teams since Bryce Harper’s injury.

The Phillies bullpen, which is often a mess, has been uncharacteristically not messy this year, due in large part to Rob Thomson’s unconventional strategy.

The Nationals lost their sixth straight, falling 6-3 to the Cubs.

Around Major League Baseball

Anthony DiComo pondered the biggest post-deadline questions for each club.

Kevin Gausman and Nolan Arenado were named AL and NL Players of the Week, respectively.

The Cubs will release Jason Heyward, an ‘emotional leader’ on the club, at year’s end. They are also adding Franmil Reyes, who was recently DFA’ed by the Guardians.

Jon Heyman examined what might be wrong with the Yankees, who are struggling after their torrid start.

Following the season, Dennis Eckersley will retire from the NESN booth.

Ryan Mountcastle’s home run helped power the Orioles over the Blue Jays 7-4. Mountcastle now boasts a 1.131 OPS against Toronto, with 13 homers in 30 career games.

The Angels 2-hit the Athletics in a 1-0 victory.

The Diamondbacks 3-hit the Pirates in their 3-0 win.

The Giants 5-hit the scuffling Padres, winning 1-0.

The Yankees snapped their five-game skid with a 9-4 victory over the Mariners. It was a costly win, as they lost Matt Carpenter to a fractured foot.

Yesterday at Amazin’ Avenue

Allison McCague brought us the position player and pitcher meters for the week, with the latter including a certain ace pitcher for the first time in 2022.

I predicted a sweep in my Mets Series Preview.

In Episode 182 of From Complex to Queens, the crew looked at the team’s minor league system post-deadline.

This Date in Mets History

The Mets staged a dramatic comeback against the Nationals on this date in 2019. Down three runs in the ninth, Todd Frazier tied the game up with a dramatic three-run homer against Sean Doolittle. After a Joe Panik single, a Juan Lagares bunt, a Jeff McNeil flyout, and an Amed Rosario single, Michael Conforto drove in the winning run with a single, and was stripped of his shirt for his troubles.