3 Up, 3 Down: Offense, Pitching Carry Mets In Chicago

Offense was the name of the game once again for the New York Mets in Chicago.

The bats exploded as the Mets took two out of three from the Cubs in a series that could have huge implications for the Wild Card race.

Pitching also did its job – the rotation and bullpen – mostly, but the highlight of the weekend was the electrifying offense.

Now, just one game back of a Wild Card spot, the Mets have made up tremendous ground over the last little stretch. And the series win at Wrigley Field was another huge step in the right direction for this team.

And, on that note, let’s dive into another edition of 3 Up, 3 Down…

3 Up

UNSTOPPABLE FORCE

Francisco Alvarez has been like an unstoppable hurricane since returning off the IL. Entering Sunday, the catcher was 10-for-19 (.526) with two home runs and six RBIs since coming off the IL. He collected another hit on Sunday with a double, going 4-for-9 with four walks, two homers and two RBIs in Chicago overall. Since April 5, the Mets are now 18-3 in games that Alvarez plays in. That’s pretty damn impressive. Overall, Alvarez has been red hot since returning, and he’s helping to power this unstoppable offense.

OFFENSIVE AVALANCHE

The offense overall was impressive at Wrigley. The lineup exploded for 14 hits and 11 runs in the series opener on Friday, with the Mets blasting three homers before the second inning was over. Nearly everyone in the lineup contributed on Friday. Granted, the bats did go cold in an 8-1 loss on Saturday. However, they rebounded on national TV on Sunday with Francisco Lindor, Mark Vientos and Brandon Nimmo all going yard. Harrison Bader was also electric with a couple of doubles and two runs scored. Furthermore, every Mets hitter – outside of Jeff McNeil – reached base in Sunday’s win. The offense continues to be electric, and that was on full display in Chicago.

EXHILARATING SEVY

Told he wasn’t pitching against his former team, the Yankees, in the Subway Series, you couldn’t blame Luis Severino if he felt aggrieved. However, if he did feel a certain way, that wasn’t on display on Sunday. Severino was electric in the series finale and was as key to the win as the offense was. The veteran was breathtaking on the mound, tossing six scoreless innings while striking out 10. That marked a season-high in strikeouts for Severino. He was everything the Mets needed him to be on Sunday and more.

3 DOWN

STICKY SITUATION

The fact the Mets won a huge series in Chicago wasn’t the main narrative to come out of the weekend. Why? Edwin Díaz‘s ejection for sticky stuff on Sunday was the bigger and juicer story. The shutdown closer was tossed out of the game without even throwing a pitch. He now faces an automatic 10-game suspension, with the odds of it being overturned via appeal incredibly slim.

Now, this isn’t the forum for a wider discussion on the protocols involving checks on sticky substances. I’m also not going to get into whether Díaz was guilty or not, or if crew chief Vic Carapazza needs to be held accountable. The reality is that the Mets will likely lose Díaz for ten games. They aren’t allowed to replace him on the roster, either. Given how crucial Díaz is to the bullpen – and the team overall – this could be a big blow.

NO LUCK

Starling Marte appears to be breaking down. The veteran outfielder exited Saturday’s game with a sore right knee, an ailment that has been persistent over the past few weeks. He sat out of Sunday’s game and will undergo an MRI on Monday. It is disappointing for Marte, who is hitting .278/.328/.416/.745 with seven homers, 12 stolen bases and 30 RBIs. However, Marte’s defense has fallen off a cliff this year, and a pile-up of injuries seems to be taking their toll on his body. Given that he’s clearly been restricted athletically for a while now, maybe an extended period out would do wonders for Marte and his beaten-up body.

SAME OLD TREND

Tylor Megill has a boatload of talent. There is no doubt about that. However, the 28-year-old has long struggled to parlay that talent into any kind of consistency over a full 162-game season. That worrying trend is seemingly rearing its ugly head once again. Megill crapped the bed in the worst way possible on Saturday, shelled for six runs in the first inning alone. He managed to last two more innings, leaving after giving up six earned runs on five hits. It was the second time in the last three starts that Megill had failed to complete five innings. With an ERA of 4.81 on the year, Megill needs to figure out how to be a consistently good pitcher over a full season. Otherwise, all that potential will be wasted.

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