Aside from Major League Baseball’s expanded playoff structure, the Mets’ most significant hope for a postseason berth in 2020 resided with their bullpen. Over the winter, the front office brought in Dellin Betances to add to a back-end mix that already included Edwin Díaz, Seth Lugo, Jeurys Familia and Justin Wilson. Hopes were high.
Through eight games, however, that bunch has routinely struggled. After Betances retired just one of the five batters he faced in the eighth inning Friday at Truist Park in Atlanta, Lugo allowed a go-ahead, three-run double to his former teammate Travis d’Arnaud. That provided the final margin in an 11-10 Mets loss to the Braves.
Staked to a six-run lead, Mets starter Rick Porcello gave back two of those runs, before Paul Sewald and Chasen Shreve allowed one more apiece. The Braves then rallied for five runs in an eighth inning opened by Betances, who allowed two walks and two hits and threw a wild pitch. Lugo entered and walked his first batter before serving up d’Arnaud’s double.
Kyle leads sports coverage and hosts the Concrete Jungle podcast. Have a lead or question? Send it to [email protected].