KANSAS CITY — You’d by no means know that the Mets have been thought of preseason World Series contenders primarily based on the lineup they put out Tuesday for the primary sport of a collection in opposition to the Kansas City Royals, and primarily based on the best way they misplaced.
Brandon Nimmo was out with quad tightness. The Mets used fringe guys like DJ Stewart, Rafael Ortega and Danny Mendick rather than lineup regulars. Such is life after the commerce deadline, which handed simply two hours earlier than the Mets misplaced, 7-6, in 10 innings at Kauffman Stadium.
With the bases loaded, the Mets introduced in left-handed rookie Josh Walker. He balked with out even throwing a pitch and the Royals walked off with the win.
Walker’s balk was the results of a PitchCom difficulty. Walker was unable to acquire one when he ran out to the mound. They didn’t have them within the bullpen.
“I didn’t have a PitchCom in my ear so me and [catcher Francisco Alvarez] didn’t have communication, so I was trying to relay that to him,” Walker mentioned. “When I went to step off, my foot was kind of in the footprint of where guys have been throwing. I think my knee buckled a little bit so I stepped off. That was it.”
It was a disappointing finish to a disappointing day.
“It was very technical,” mentioned supervisor Buck Showalter. “But you’ve got to step off there.”
Francisco Alvarez hit his twenty first house run of the season, Pete Alonso hit his thirty first and Jose Quintana turned in a stable outing regardless of being charged with three earned runs over 6 2/3 innings. It was the form of outing the Mets (50-56) may’ve used earlier within the season when pitchers have been routinely failing to even make it to the sixth inning, not to mention the seventh.
“Wish we would’ve had him all year,” Showalter mentioned.
But Quintana was on the shelf for many of the season recovering from a freak damage that occurred throughout spring coaching. He spent a lot of the season rehabbing after a bone graft surgical procedure was required to take away a lesion on his rib. By no fault of his personal, the Mets spiraled. There was some rumored curiosity within the veteran lefty because the market heated up, however the Mets have been in a position to maintain on to him.
Quintana’s return offers some hopeful indicators for that aggressive 2024 season Billy Eppler has promised since he’s signed via subsequent season.
“The last couple days, it was on my mind,” Quintana mentioned. “I’ve been in that situation before with my career so it’s nothing to be worried about. Today, I was ready to pitch and if something happens, it happens.”
In the Mets’ first sport with out right-handed ace Justin Verlander, right-handed reliever Dominic Leone and outfielders Tommy Pham and Mark Canha, the crew confronted the second-worst crew within the main leagues. Kansas City’s once-great ace, Zach Greinke, couldn’t get a lot going. Alonso took the veteran right-hander deep within the second inning, main off with a shot to heart area to place the Mets up 1-0.
A double, a sacrifice bunt and a sacrifice fly by the Royals tied the sport within the backside of the fifth. Quintana retired the aspect so as within the sixth earlier than operating into bother within the seventh and Kansas City (33-75) took a 3-1 lead.
The Mets rallied for 3 within the eighth however the bullpen wouldn’t maintain the lead, with right-hander Adam Ottavino giving up a run within the backside of the body. Alvarez teed off on reliever Carlos Hernandez to steer off the inning, giving the Mets some insurance coverage. But, Brooks Raley (0-2) then gave up two and Kansas City knotted the sport at 6-6. The Mets wanted three pitchers within the backside of the tenth and nonetheless couldn’t make it via.
“Tonight was hard for us when we were so close to getting that win and winning the game a couple times,” Quintana mentioned. “We need to keep focused on the games and play hard so we can get some wins.”
The future seems positive, but it surely’s unclear how far-off that future is. The current isn’t fairly as spectacular, however no less than now the Mets can get some decision to a disappointing season.
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Source: www.bostonherald.com