Just as once Brodie Van Wagenen move blows up in their face, another comes back to haunt him as Travis d’Arnaud burns the New York Mets as his three-run double and five total RBIs helped the Atlanta Braves come back in an 11-10 Mets loss. For another night, the Mets could not get the big hit they needed as Wilson Ramos struck out with the tying run on second to end the game.
HAVE A NIGHT, TRAVIS D'ARNAUD.@BRAVES LEAD. pic.twitter.com/CCgB8mZZSW
— Bally Sports: Braves (@BravesOnBally) August 1, 2020
Van Wagenen designated d’Arnaud for assignment way too early in 2019, and it continues to blow up in their face. The Mets bullpen was supposed to be a strength for them, but it is clear they have significant issues to address there. Every reliever they turned to allowed a run, and Dellin Betances and Seth Lugo hurt them the most. Both of them did their best Edwin Diaz impression; they combined for a five-run outing to prevent the Mets from winning once again.
At this point in the season, Jeurys Familia and Drew Smith are the only relievers to pitch with any consistency. It would not be a surprise if Familia got the next opportunity to close for the Mets.
Don’t Forget About Porcello
Rick Porcello is partly responsible for the problem as his four-inning, four-run outing forced manager Luis Rojas to turn to the bullpen early. After the Mets took an 8-2 lead, the bullpen began to falter. The loss is their third straight and drops them to 3-5 on the season.
The Mets offense was not the problem as they scored ten times and homered three times. J.D. Davis, Robinson Cano, and Amed Rosario were responsible for the Mets’ longballs. Cano’s latest hot streak moved him to a .360 average on the season. Andres Gimenez also had an impressive offensive game, providing two hits and great defense at third base.
The Mets hope to break their three-game losing streak as Michael Wacha makes his second start of the season. The Saturday night matchup starts at 7:10 p.m. will be opposed by Touki Toussaint.