Mets endure terrible, horrible, no-good, very bad doubleheader
The New York Mets reached a low point by stranding 14 runners in a shutout loss Friday. Saturday, things got a lot worse.
Atlanta swept a doubleheader from New York by a combined score of 27-3. The Mets gave up 21 runs in the first game, which included six home runs and an eight-run ninth inning. Then, in the nightcap, they got shut out again, managing just five hits in a 6-0 loss.
Apart from a three-run homer by Daniel Vogelbach in the eighth inning of the early game, while New York was down 13-0, the Mets went scoreless in 26 of the 27 innings of this series.
It's small consolation for Vogelbach, who was heartily booed by his home fans Friday night after striking out four times, including swinging at one pitch that him him in the foot.
Still, he reached base five times in seven plate appearances Saturday, proving he wasn't the problem.
What was the problem? Aside from a lack of hitting, the Mets played some terrible defense. In the eighth inning, with the lead just 1-0, Austin Riley hit the ball right at second baseman Denny Mendick — and Ozzie Albies scored from first.
While the team traded away starters Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander, plus closer David Robertson, there's no reason that New York's offense should be quite this bad.
The Mets, who have a $364M payroll, fell to 23.5 games behind Atlanta in the National League East.
This might not even be the most depressing Braves series of the season for the Mets. In June, the Mets went to Atlanta and got swept in a series, where they led by at least three runs in all three games. That one was more heartbreaking; this weekend was merely sad.
At least the Mets have finally reached rock bottom. We think.
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