Issue Wasn’t Edwin Diaz Relieving Seth Lugo
The Mets pitching was again phenomenal. That started with Joey Lucchesi pitching 5.1 scoreless innings. After that, the bullpen provided 2.2 scoreless.
That last one-third of an inning came from Seth Lugo. It wasn’t a pressure situation in the bottom of the eighth, but Luis Rojas tabbed to get relieve Aaron Loup and get Trea Turner out.
He did. Keep in mind, Lugo’s turn in the order didn’t come up. He didn’t have an injury issue. The Mets didn’t get a lead.
Simply put, Rojas just trusted Edwin Diaz against the Washington Nationals top hitters more than Lugo. Honestly, this is not a bad decision.
Lugo has been phenomenal, but he’s still working his way back from injury. The Mets are also in an insane stretch of games, and they’ll need a fresh Lugo again soon. Mostly, this is Diaz whose been phenomenal all year.
No, it didn’t work. Diaz walked Juan Soto before surrendering back-to-back singles to Ryan Zimmerman and Yan Gomes. With that, the Mets lost 1-0.
It should be noted with Soto, that was a completely blown call. Still, the inning fell apart, and the Nationals scored the only run of the game.
Therein lies the problem. Erick Fedde limited the Mets to two hits over seven innings. He did walk four, but the Mets did nothing to drive home any runs.
Mason Williams and Luis Guillorme were thrown out trying to steal a base. In total, the Mets were 0-for-1 with RISP, and they stranded four.
When you get just two hits, and you don’t score for a second straight game, you’re going to lose. That’s the case whether Lugo or Diaz pitches.
Yes- ball four on Soto in the ninth inning COULD have been called a strike it probably caught the corner. But Strike two on Soto in the same at bat SHOULD have been called ball four – it was 2-3 inches outside, so ball four was, at worst, a makeup call.