Flushing– Following a lackluster offensive performance the Mets bats came to life in a blowout win against the Marlins. Three different players went deep tonight including a two run home run in the first inning from Harrison Bader.
“Our lineup is very dynamic. I think you can put a lot of guys in that position and they’d be successful. Mendy chose me today to be that guy and kind of switch it up. I think a lot of guys can be in that situation and find success the way I did tonight,” Bader said.
With left-handed pitcher Braxton Garrett getting the start for the Marlins Carlos Mendoza decided to keep Nimmo out of the lineup and made a few wrinkles to the lineup. For the first time this season Harrison Bader was penciled in the two hole.
“Sometimes it’s going to work, sometimes it’s not going to work. I’m glad it worked out today in that first inning. Some of the chances you take as a manager, knowing your players, knowing the personnel, and putting them in situations they’re going to have success and today it worked in that first inning,” Mendoza said.
The Mets offense over the course of the last two weeks has found its groove. Starling Marte has been a key piece to the offensive production adding a solo home run in the 5th inning to extend the Mets lead to two. Before entering tonight’s game in the month of June Marte is slashing .421/.450/.579/1.029, and with two more hits added on tonight Marte is setting a presence in the middle of the order.
Another key piece to the Mets offense since taking over the third base position is Mark Vientos. Tonight Vientos hit his 10th RBI in the last 10 games to make it a three run lead late in the game. Heading into tonight’s game Vientos had a .343 batting average with 12 hits, 2 home runs, 9 RBIs, and 5 runs scored in his last 10 games.
Vientos has not been the only Met that has turned heads. Right-handed reliever Dedniel Nunez has shined in his opportunity with Edwin Diaz on the injured list. In Nunez’s last 10 appearances he has managed to pitch 15.2 innings, 2.30 ERA, 0.83 WHIP, .182 Opp AVG, and 24 strikeouts. In the two and a third innings pitched tonight Nunez struck out 5 of the 7 Marlins he faced.
“I came out with a plan from the bullpen just to be aggressive from my first pitch to my last pitch, and just to be a winner against every hitter I face,” Nunez said.
With Edwin Diaz most likely returning to the team tomorrow, Nunez has been speculated to be the odd man out of the bullpen. Carlos Mendoza this whole entire season has been trying to find reliable pitchers coming out of the bullpen, and it will be an awfully tough conversation with David Sterns about who is going to be sent down.