In their first game this season with the rival Atlanta Braves, the Mets lost 4-0 at Citi Field on Friday night in a rain-shortened game that was called after five innings.
The Mets, of course, lost the NL East title in 2022 to the Braves via a tie-breaker because they were swept in a three-game series in Atlanta in the final week of the season.
Friday night’s loss left them three games behind the first-place Braves in the NL East this season.
Here are the top takeaways from the loss…
1. The season matchup with the Braves started pretty much the way last year’s ended, with the Mets’ offense failing to do much with the bats while Atlanta flexed its home run muscles in the form of a three-run shot by Matt Olson.
Maybe things would have changed had the rain stopped, but as it was, the Mets were shut out over five innings by Max Fried. The Braves’ lefty, who has now allowed only one run in 20 innings this season, gave up three hits and one walk in holding the Mets scoreless.
For his career against the Mets, Fried is now 8-5 with a 2.64 ERA.
2. David Peterson looked sharp for four scoreless innings, but the roof caved in on him in the fifth as he gave up four runs, three of them on a two-out towering home run by the lefty-hitting Olson.
Peterson had done a great job keeping the ball down and using his changeup to get swings and misses early, but his command wasn’t as good in the fifth and he gave up four hard-hit balls that cost him.
With runners at second and third and one out, Brett Baty threw out Eddie Rosario at the plate on Michael Harris‘ ground ball to third, but then Ronald Acuna Jr. lined a first-pitch fastball for a single to right to give the Braves a 1-0 lead. Francisco Alvarez set up inside for the pitch but Peterson left the pitch in the middle of the plate.
Like Acuna, Olson jumped on the first pitch, a slider that Peterson wanted on the outside corner, or even off it. Instead he made a second straight mistake, leaving it over the middle of the plate, and Olson crushed it to give the Braves a 4-0 lead.
Peterson got out of the inning but that turned out to be the end of his night due at least partly to a rain delay. Although he gave up four runs in five innings, his ERA actually went down slightly from 7.36 to 7.34.
3. Now the question is whether Peterson’s spot in the rotation is in jeopardy. After declaring himself ready after his rehab start in Binghamton on Friday, Justin Verlander is expected to make his first start of the season next week in Detroit.
Because Peterson has struggled this season, he could be the odd man out if the Mets decide to keep lefty Joey Lucchesi in the rotation. Lucchesi has made two starts since being called up to replace the injured Carlos Carrascoone very impressive and the other solid.
4. Francisco Lindor made the defensive play of the game in the fourth inning. Playing toward the middle against Olson, Lindor went a few steps to his right to backhand a hard ground ball and then, in Derek Jeter-like fashion, jumped in the air to help propel his throw to first, just barely beating Olson.
Lindor has been playing outstanding defense at shortstop all season, as the restriction on shifts has allowed him to show off his athleticism, ranging far to both his left and his right at times. He has only made two mistakes.
Highlights
What’s next
The Mets and Atlanta Braves continue their four-game series on Saturday at Citi Field.
First pitch is scheduled for 4:10 pm as Taylor Megill goes up against Spencer Strider.