Edwin Diaz redeems himself as Mets hold for 3-2 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks!

[Music] do for the M it's t by his and ideas let's do s injuries and WIS we can't wait for the next game to begin this is the song to my podast this is the theme song to The M [Music] podcast hello welcome to mik best podcast I'm your host Mike pesota happy Wednesday to you we are recording this right after the Mets 32 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks uh Mets pulling off the victory uh taking two AT3 from the Diamondbacks first Home Series loss for Diamondbacks since June uh Diamondbacks one of the highest teams in baseball so huge victory for the Mets a huge performance from Edwin Diaz in the ninth inning uh bounceback performance from him after blowing the save the night before uh timely home runs from Francisco Lindor and Pete Alonzo would power the Mets to Victory as well as a uh go-ahead single from glaz Jose glaus in the ninth inning that helped the Mets take the 3-2 lead so uh a lot to recap in this game um first let's start with Evan Diaz who is coming off a badge stretch um for the Mets he blew saves against as I mentioned before the Diamond Backs in the second game of this series Bad loss for the Mets and also had blown a save against the Padre's and that in that are so uh these were potentially serious clinching victories the Mets could have gotten over the Padres and Diamondbacks Rivals for the Mets for the wild card spot for for one of one of those final Wild Card spots and uh they were critical losses uh Diaz bow them and blew them in the fashion that you would kind of expect with Diaz which is that um when he doesn't have it he is going to be giving up home runs and in both occasions he gave up bad bad home runs and uh we're not going to talk about that we're going to talk about what we did today which was uh he looked miles better um he did not crucially throw his slider and the slider is generally known as Diaz's best pitch he has not had great command of it in this in this season really for the most part um with some rare instances in between he has just not really shown complete control of the slider uh whether it's just him struggling to uh regain his command after the ACL injury uh coming back from that it's not totally clear but he has been showing Shades more of 2019 than 2022 and because of that he hasn't really been a very consistent option for the Mets in the ninth inning he has looked for the most part much better um it's just been these last two series unfortunately they're coming right back to back on each other that he has looked especially bad and it has caused his eay to balloon upwards over four um he has not been uh what you would really want from your closer and particularly your your All-Star like highest paid closer baseball like that level yeah he has not been pitching to that level unfortunately and because of that uh the Mets with all their Bullpen W don't really need another issue and Diaz uh has not been just it just has not been the guy for them unfortunately uh he did look great in this game um he was throwing a lot of fast balls um didn't look like the Diamondbacks were particularly prepared for it um they were blown away on more than a few of these pitches and uh it was a clean inning um he didn't walk anybody his control for the most part was pretty good and uh even though he only struck only had the one strikeout it was a pop flies uh this was the sharpest I think we'd seen from in a while and he looked very focused he looked very determined um he didn't seem to be holding that blown save in his mind at all which was a great sign for him and uh it was a great bounceback performance I really can't say enough about him coming back like that it was great job uh the Mets scoring in this not that much um the Mets flashed a lot of uh Lumber uh over this West Coast trip uh not really the case in this one uh although they did manag 10 base hits just had trouble getting those guys ban which has always been a theme for the Mets just leaving a lot of guys on base getting a lot of base hits not really so much getting guys back in and uh we saw another home run from Alonzo Alonzo's HED now uh in the series twice I believe and uh that should give him a little bit more momentum down the stretch I'm hoping uh Francisco Lindor you know uh there's a considerable case to be made that Lindor deserves to be named NL player of the month uh he will have certainly a lot of competition with Jo atani and the Mets are making their way into this uh out of the dog days of August finally and going into September very soon they were going to finish up their road trip against the Chicago White Socks and uh we're excited to see that happen uh but the Lindor Alonzo combination is going to be very critical down these last few series um as they have have to finish down the stretch strong and they have to finish down the stretch in a way that um is going to be difficult uh so I've kind of done the math it's not easy um the schedules for their principal competition which is the Braves the Padres and the Diamond Backs it's a little bit easier than Mets mets' uh schedule uh the Mets had a very easy um go of it earlier this year um they've now hit a very dangerous lull where they've had to um they have not been playing quite as well and part of is that they're just playing stronger competition um however taking four out of seven from the Padres and the Diamondbacks great job um if they can finish this up strong with um what would be very helpful would be a series sweep of the wful Chicago White Socks um that would be a great way to finish off this road trip before going back home and uh there's a you know very very real possibility that they could sweepa the white socks were a very bad team but uh the Mets have to stay focused they have to take those games seriously they have to win them and win them in in decisive fashion um we can't be having Bon slaves no situations like that against the worst even baseball so um if they can finish off this Ser this road trip with that series sweep or at least taking 2 A3 I would take 2 A3 at the very minimum but they really should sweep the white sock there's no reason why they can't do it um but uh finishing off this series this road trip would be uh in that way would be a great great sign for the Mets going forward um because it is going to be difficult uh so I mentioned the their principal competition the Braves Padre's and Diamondbacks are the ones in the way uh the Mets schedule is not particularly Easy A lot of these teams they're going to be playing the Braves and the Phillies and the Brewers um these are going to be playoff competition they'll have some easy competition in the in in the middle of there also there with uh the Washington Nationals uh showing up and uh you know as as much as the brav are in the way the Braves are not way I would say are incredible um competition even though they are streaking lately um it's important for the Mets to uh stay focused here and make sure that they can uh pull off this uh last row this last go round because that that Series against the pris I'm just thinking more and more is going to be uh the deciding one um and they're playing three in Atlanta um it's their final stretch and they're going to finish up this series this season uh with 10 games on the road um another long road trip they haven't traditionally traditionally done very well on these road trips um so they're off to a good start in this one but that final season road trip is going to be really really difficult and uh the hope is that they can potentially take the series over the Braves and that might be enough to push them over the stretch um with the final series coming against the Milwaukee Brewers they have to play three against them on the road as well so uh that series against the Braves I think more and more is just going to be uh the potential SE season decider as to whether or not the Mets can make one of those final Wild Card spots because I it feels like they're going to be neck and neck with Atlanta down that stretch uh Atlanta schedule isn't going to be super easy and these two teams are decided are separated by just a matter of a few games here so it's just a matter of um who can take the most games really at this point which no brander right there great analysis by Mike but um yeah it's really a deci of which teams can actually pick up these wins that's why I'm saying that the three- game series that the Mets are about to play against the Chicago White Socks is going to be critical they need to take these wins uh and make sure that that series uh is uh does go in the in Mets favor uh because if they if they are in a situation where they have to play Atlanta with potentially their season on the line it's a lot to ask my team that has not had a lot of hasn't had a ton of success they are this is not a Unstoppable team there are certainly weak spots in the bullpen and starting rotation and even in some cases the lineup um even though I think the lineup is their strong as asset but this is a team that can be had they can have problems befall them as we've seen during this road trip where um they're with the guy who should be their principal star uh Edwin Diaz in the Bullen um has been the one actually blowing these games and that's not what you want you you do not need Diaz doing that so there's a great bounceback performance let's see if he can keep that uh that same level of intensity and momentum going for the Mets over this final month plus of the Season uh also want to shout out Diva Peterson another great start from him Peterson crucially win seven innings in this game another um really important fact is the fact that um the Met Bullpen has not been really good and part of that you have to blame a little bit on the starting rotation just not going very deep in these games and it's the the the people who are uh mostly to blame for that are guys like kintana and also Pearson Pearson has not been going to games very much until lately Peterson has been um controlling his uh pitch C much far better he's being uh he's he's attacking the strik out more um his off speed stuff is gaining more um uh getting people to to fall for it a little bit more and you're just seeing um him pitch to a level that we just haven't seen much from him over the course of his metch career it's been sort of up and down with Pearson uh but he's on a terrific tear as of late and this was was seven Innings you know seven hits uh which was not great but only allow to runs only walk two batters big big there uh and strike out four um ultimately finishing with 88 pitches he probably could have gone into the eighth inning if they really needed him to but um the Mets opted to go with Jose budo in the eighth inning Buddha pitched a clean eighth and L it off to Diaz in the ninth um and uh we uh we got to see big it was a big performance I mentioned Diaz before it was actually two strikeouts not not one I thought it was uh was it was a foul ball foul ball strikeout I for I forgot to mention that but so two strikeouts for TZ uh in that ninth inning uh but Peterson uh another big story about this one um even though probably the most of the attention was now being focused on Diaz but Peterson um it should not be lost in the fact that uh Peterson was once again very strong for them he lowered his erra down to 2.83 uh he has been uh along with sha banaya the uh top met pitch piters down the stretch which has been big um you know seino and kintana have been fine um I don't really know what is yet the case for Paul Blackburn he's on the 15-day iil as of right now um the prognosis is not great um they they not sure if Blackburn will be able to return U before the end of the year uh so we'll see how that goes but uh for now uh they're relying on uh guys like Peterson and manah to um through so uh we know that Tyler Mill will replace Paul Blackburn in the rotation it seems as though he's going to be pitching tomorrow um for the team as as far as right now for the uh the plan so they will have Tyler mill on the mound against uh the Chicago White Socks uh tomorrow so uh that's something I guess to look forward to um I've made my feelings about Migel pretty clear over the course of this podcast which is that there are times he can look really good there are other times he looks absolutely terrible and um you know it wasn't that long ago that I felt very similar about David Pearson Pearson has just you know there's been a lot of up and down performances from Peterson so um you know there's a chance that Migel can kind of turn around to the way that Peterson has I'm just not totally confident and until I see him pitch which thankfully he's going be playing the white socks we will see a version of Migel probably that was going to be pitching a little bit better that we're hoping um but there remains to be seen uh uh how well he's going to perform for the Mets um down this stretch because you know they were expecting to have Paul Blackburn as I said um they're not totally sure when Blackburn is going to be able to return uh so it seems more and more like they're going to have to rely on Migel uh down the stretch so uh he is uh going to be unfortunately a factor that they have to like to play into this which is that um even though you know I would not call Blackburn you know a crucial piece of this of this puzzle for them you know they did make him a a principal trade asset down the line they targeted him to acquire and they were expecting to have that veteran starter um down the stretch even though I think mcel and Blackburn probably be in the in the league roughly the same amount time but uh uh it's it's interesting to see how this is all going to play out over the these last few weeks of the season um where you have unfortunately another unknown element or not really unknown but sort of a random element in the in the case of Miguel where there's just you're rolling the dice with him every time he goes out on the mound uh where you're not totally sure if he's going to be giving you you know six strong Innings or three absolutely terrible Innings uh there's really just no way of telling how he's going to perform and unfortunately because of that um you can't really rely on him as a consistent starter um there was probably a chance that met could have used him in the bullpen um and just gone with Jose budo in the rotation instead but budo is just too useful in that in that eighth inning role um and they just don't have a lot of useful pieces at this moment particularly with um the loss once again of uh Daniel Nunes and uh Nunes uh as a rookie has been incredible for the Mets um but um with what is apparently uh forearmed tightness I believe that's the uh they were saying for uh nunes's issue right now um it's now another situation where he's going to be on the ilil and uh he this guy just can't stay healthy unfortunately which is a big problem um so uh just 15 days as as of right now does not seem to be a crucial is issue for him and they're hoping that they can get him back um healthyish for th those last couple weeks of the season but um it's it's definitely it's definely going to hurt them um if they can keep get him back at least for that final stretch at least that that that final Row game stretch on the season um having nunas in that Bullpen would be big and uh we are uh not totally sure what to do yet about that that rotation so um if I was going to make a guess based off of uh where the Mets are right now I'd say this is a team that probably can win 87 games um the schedule looks pretty favorable for the most part but they are they are as I said about to go off to a really tough stretch where they are going to be playing uh come back home they play six against the Red Sox and reds and those those are both winnable series um I think the Mets could probably take four four out of six in those series at the minimum uh three on the road against the Toronto Blue Jays Blue Jays are in last place in the East they've kind of given up on that season and uh we're hoping at that point that the blue JS are just kind of uh you know they're probably trying to play spoil a little bit but um in the case of the Blue Jays they're probably hoping to Showcase their young their young players a little bit more than their and so there's a chance Mets be able may be able to take two out of three from the Blue Jays there as well then you to go on the road and play the Phillies and the Phillies have not played great um over these last few weeks to the point that uh their their division lead is pretty much all Fallen away uh the Braes are just five back from the Phillies and if you're the Phillies if you're a Phillies fan right now you're like I can't believe this team is just kind of uh collaps and falling apart like the way they have but um it's kind of the problem when this team is just not really hitting for the most part and their pitching hasn't been very consistent and uh a team like the Braves who who have not been good this season I I would say the Braves have been a huge disappointment of of all the teams that have have been playing this year I think they're probably the biggest disappointment but injuries have played a part there as well and uh because of this uh the Phillies lead now of the Braves is only five games over the Mets is only eight and a half games I mean this is pretty insane I mean like it seemed like they had that division wrapped up with a bow uh earlier this year and now uh everything just kind of uh collapsing and crumbling on them and has led to uh we now think there's a chance that you know I do think the Philly still take that division but you know you're you're on the road against the Phillies it's not out of the question the Mets could take one maybe even two games from that series but let's say they only take one out of three from the Phillies and in that go um you're still in pretty good shape um because you go back home and you're going to play the Nationals good you play Four against the Phillies and that's when the road trip is that's that's when the home stand ends because then he have to play six on the road against the brers and the rers I think I might have said 10 on the road earlier in this thing I think I mistook that as a as a road trip for the Phillies because I was looking at the Phillies schedule before but so it's so it's 4 at home to finish up the homestead this the final home uh home stand for the Mets and uh four at home against the Phillies there's a chance I mean let's say they split that Series against the Phillies and then you go play three on the road and against the rav and Brewers let's say the Mets probably are in the realm of 84 to 85 victories at that point you can take maybe one from the Braves but I think the Braves just have too much of a lead now at this point that they can actually hold on to it and the bra just have to play basically 500 ball from this point on because I don't think the Mets can really take any of these series like they need like a long consistent winning streak and the problem is that there's these this road trip stretch where they have to play six on the road right at the end of the year is going to be a problem their opponents you know they they'll have like easier opponents but the Red Sox are not terrible uh nor are the Reds that both those teams are hovering around 500 uh and then the Blue Jays are I guess like 500 five under 500 but then you have the Phillies and the Nationals Nationals are you know uh also well under 500 so there's a good chance there but the Phillies are still somewhat dangerous I mean I would would say they've been sufficiently declawed at this point that I wouldn't view them as you know major contenders but um there's a chance that you know the Phillies could take those those games against the Mets there's there is no guarantee really right now and and at this point in the season the bets really need consistent wins there's just hasn't been a ton of consistency over the course of this month um and part of that just both pen blown saves a lot of issues there starters not pitching particularly well the offense at times just kind of uh coming on glued and falling apart and not coming up with runners in scoring position has been a big big issue there uh so I don't want to end this this episode on feeling so doom and gloomy but um they are running out time they're they've they've run out of the situations where they have like very favorable uh series matchups going forward they they they'll have a few down the stretch but not really enough that I would consider the Mets in a great position and they need to come through in these bigger situations um so um we thankfully have an easy opponent coming up against the Chicago White Socks I'm hoping the Mets can take three three three three for the from the white socks but uh the focus now is on how exactly this Bullpen can perform down the stretch how how well this starting ation can perform down the stretch with Paul Blackburn out and uh with the lineup performing as it has been is a good sign uh we came through in fine fashion today but again only three runs but uh it's it was a big Series win uh and we shouldn't lose sight of that with uh our focus on the future um focus on the present should be that it was a huge Series win uh the as I mentioned before Dbacks do not win uh sorry do not lose at home very often uh has not been the case um since June that they've lost the Series as I mentioned before so this is a Hu it was a huge it was a huge win it was a for not just Diaz but also for the Mets um keeps their playoff hopes in alive and in check and there's a chance that they can potentially drive forward with this momentum and uh take that into the series against Chicago white sock so U great things there do want to mention um uh if you're watching this on YouTube uh please check it out um I've I've added a special intro into this that I created myself so please check that out along with my podcast theme I hope people enjoy that and uh I hope everyone's enjoying also my new microphone that uh I just got and this has been a a very uh this is a I don't know professional style microphone but I really like this microphone a lot um with but with mute buttons and microphone volume changes that I can add on um if I need to so really enjoying it hope everyone can hear the volume it's should be much better than the last episode I recorded I do apologize for the problems with the audio in the last episode so I'm hoping everyone can hear this one really nicely um I'm listening I'm going to be listening to it in postproduction after I finish recording and uh uh tweaking it as I need as I see fit but uh do am enjoying this um trying to try to professionalize this podcast and make it a little bit different try to change it up so that um people can enjoy it um not just the audio but also the video with the intro uh quality so hope everyone enjoys that have a great night let's go MS thank you for listening to Mike Spence podcast please be sure to follow us on Spotify And subscribe to our YouTube channel as well finally please also follow the podcast Twitter which is Mike mats pod all one word appreciate your time and have a wonderful rest of your day or evening let's go m