Buck Showalter’s struggling Mets set for crucial road test against the Phillies
The Mets will walk into Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia on Friday night battered and bruised.
Buck Showalter’s struggling squad is set to take on the Phillies in a crucial three-game series having lost five of their last six series, owning a record of 34-40 (just 5-13 in the month of June) and sitting seven games back of the final Wild Card spot in the National League.
Ironically enough, the last time they won a series was on May 31 with a sweep against these Phillies. However, this is a very different Philadelphia squad from just a few weeks ago. Rob Thomson’s club is winners of 13 of their last 16 games and have heated up putting them right back into the playoff picture just 2.5 games out of a Wild Card spot.
The reigning National League champions have an opportunity to extend the Mets’ stunning freefall as they near the halfway mark of the season. The Amazins — who own the largest payroll in baseball by more than $60 million at $344 million — already have six teams to jump (including the Pirates, Cubs and Brewers) before being in the NL playoff mix as they begin to wrap up this six-game road trip that began with losing 2-of-3 to the Astros.
The Mets are 14th in runs scored in MLB which is something they may have been able to get away with had their expensive pitching staff come close to living up to their exorbitant price tag. However, the team owns the 26th-best ERA in baseball with a 4.68, only better than organizations who are hardly trying to put a competitive product on the field — the Reds, Royals, Rockies and A’s.
If their level of play continues to trend in the wrong direction, uncomfortable and unthinkable conversations may begin to be had about where they sit as a team at the July 31 trade deadline.
In the same token, the Mets don’t have to look far this weekend for added motivation for a turnaround. Last season, the Phillies owned a 21-29 record on June 3 when they fired manager Joe Girardi. They immediately won eight games in a row and rode the momentum all the way to Game 6 of the World Series.
Regardless of the outcome of this series, there will still be plenty of season left. However, Judgement Day is near with the All-Star break being just under three weeks away. Should the Mets show signs of life, owner Steve Cohen has shown that he will do whatever it takes to improve his club with his infinite pockets. If not, their front office will have plenty to consider moving forward with the trade market.
Showalter is trying to keep his troops in order despite plenty of frustration going around the room.
“It’s not always the sky is falling and waiting for something [to happen],” said Showalter after Wednesday’s loss to the Astros. “They don’t do that. There are certainly a lot of influences that can make you take your mindset there if you allow it. But, you can’t do it at this level and these guys don’t.
“At some point, I feel like somebody is going to pay for their frustration.”
That somebody could be former Met Taijuan Walker who will take the ball for Philly on Friday against Kodai Senga, who has arguably been the Amazin’s best starter this season owning a 3.54 ERA.
Walker — who signed a four-year, $72 million contract this offseason — is coming off his best start of the season tossing eight innings allowing one run while striking out eight against the A’s on June 16.
Cristopher Sanchez (3.24 ERA in 8.1 innings) and ace Zack Wheeler (3.48 ERA) round out the rotation for the Phils this weekend.
The struggling Carlos Carrasco (6.34 ERA) will take the ball for Showalter on Saturday while Max Scherzer — who just recently tossed eight innings of one-run baseball on June 19 against the Astros — is scheduled to finish off the series on Sunday.
