The New York Mets faced a tough time in their latest matchup against the San Francisco Giants, suffering a 12-4 defeat that marked their fifth loss in the last six games. This game was notable as backup catcher Luis Torrens had to step in as a pitcher in the ninth inning, reflecting the struggles of the team’s pitching staff.
The Mets’ starting rotation, particularly the performance of Frankie Montas, has come under scrutiny. Since signing Montas for two years and $34 million, his results have been disappointing. With a 6.68 ERA and no complete games in his seven starts, Montas struggled again on Sunday, allowing seven runs over just four innings. His inability to pitch deep into games has put pressure on the Mets’ bullpen, which has been overloaded due to the starters’ shortcomings. Manager Carlos Mendoza did not commit to Montas’ role moving forward, acknowledging the need for improvement.
The Mets had hoped for better outings from their starters, especially with Sean Manaea and Kodai Senga expected to pitch more innings as the season progresses. However, Senga himself struggled in the previous game, emphasizing the need for reliability from the starting rotation to avoid exhausting the bullpen in every game.
Additionally, the Mets have shown concerning trends against left-handed pitchers, with low offensive output compared to earlier in the season. Their OPS against lefties has significantly dropped, and the recent performance against Giants’ pitcher Carson Whisenhunt was a reflection of this ongoing issue. Despite these challenges, Mendoza remains optimistic that the Mets will eventually turn things around.
The Mets need to focus on regaining their strengths as they continue their season, with the expectation that their hitters, particularly stars like Pete Alonso and Francisco Lindor, will find their rhythm against left-handed pitching once again.