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The New York Mets have lined up aces Max Scherzer and Jacob deGrom for the upcoming Subway Series.
Scherzer is scheduled for Monday, and deGrom will take to the mound on Tuesday.
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“The Mets have Max Scherzer and Jacob deGrom lined up to face the Yankees on Monday and Tuesday, respectively.” - Tim Healy
Injuries haven’t been kind to the New York Mets for a while. A little over two months into their ongoing campaign, they were without both Scherzer and deGrom.
DeGrom was out for over a year owing to elbow issues and multiple setbacks during rehab. He made his much anticipated return earlier this month. Scherzer, on the other hand, was out for a couple of months between May and July owing to an oblique strain.
With both starters at their disposal now, the Mets' focus on the bullpen health.
The New York Mets survived the absence of their two aces thanks to a strong rotation. RHP Taijuan Walker, LHP David Peterson and veteran Carlos Carrasco have all contributed significantly.
During the seven-plus weeks that Scherzer missed, the Mets starters compiled a 3.47 ERA — the fourth-best in MLB. Extra credit must be given to Walker, who has stepped up with fine aplomb.
While Scherzer and deGrom were down, Walker pitched every fifth day and registered a 2.56 ERA across 55.2 innings. His performances earned him a well-deserved All-Star nod.
The tables have now turned. Carrasco is out with an oblique strain and is expected to be miss another month or more. Walker left after just two innings on Tuesday versus Atlanta with a back issue. He was diagnosed with spasms. The MRI came back clean, but it’s unclear when Walker will return. That leaves the Mets' bullpen severely malnourished.
The New York Mets’ National League East-leading status can be attributed to their balanced bullpen. Thanks to their strong rotation, they have been able to mitigate injury blows and remain on top.
However, everything is not working like clockwork. In stark contrast, the Mets offense has been quite toothless in recent weeks. They were taken apart by the Braves in back-to-back games, 13-1 and 5-0.
The Mets avoided further embarrassment and claimed the third game 9-7. But their batting inefficiency saw them tank the series and go down 3-2 in the final game.
New York Mets have business to take care of before Subway Series
The loss to the Braves snapped the Mets' six-series win streak. Prior to that four-match set, the Mets led the NL East by 6.5 games. Now that lead has shrunk to 3.5.
Up against the New York Yankees, the Mets will fancy their chances. And why not? They swept the last Subway Series 6-3 and 3-2 in July. The Yankees have been in freefall ever since.
Seven losses in their last 10 games is an alarming record, especially for a side that resembled a juggernaut earlier this year.
With the Yankees limping, the New York Mets have a chance to capitalize. However, they have business to conduct before that.
The Mets' upcoming three-game series against the Philadelphia Phillies is of paramount importance. Given the context of the race for the NL East pennant, some may even say it’s more important than the Subway Series.
