New York Mets fans relieved as team snaps three-game losing streak behind dominant performance from Justin Verlander: "That a boy ACE" "1-0 in July!"
Justin Verlander was dominant on the mound for the New York Mets on Saturday. The ace went seven innings, giving up five hits and one run while striking out six batters.
The Mets cruised to a 4-1 victory against the San Francisco Giants, snapping a three-game losing streak. This is exactly how the team needed to come out to start the new month.
New York's offense came to light in the third inning with a barrage of homers. Francisco Lindor, Brandon Nimmo and Francisco Alvarez hit home runs in the inning.
Drew Smith and Adam Ottavino came in for relief and held the game down. Both pitchers went an inning of hitless baseball to secure the victory.
"That a boy ACE" one fan tweeted.
"1-0 in July!" another fan tweeted.
New York Mets fans couldn't be happier with their team's performance Saturday. The San Francisco Giants were coming off a hot month in June, and the Mets put them in their place.
The win improves the Mets' record to 37-46. They still have a bunch of work to do if they want to close the gap in the division. They are currently 18.5 games behind the red-hot Atlanta Braves.
New York Mets may be one team to watch as the trade deadline approaches
It's unlikely the New York Mets can make up the ground and catch the Braves, but they can still make the postseason. It won't be easy, as Fangraphs is giving them an 8.8% chance to make the playoffs.
Owner Steve Cohen will do everything possible to make this a competitive team. They recently traded away Eduardo Escobar to the Los Angeles Angels to open up more playing time for Brett Baty.
This will be an interesting team to watch at the trade deadline. Cohen stated that he was open to anything. Nobody is safe outside Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer, who have no trade clauses. Players in the last year of their contracts, like Carlos Carrasco, Tommy Pham, Mark Canha, David Robertson and Brooks Raley could be moved.
One player who seems safe is slugger Pete Alonso. Given the season he is having, the Mets would love to keep him around as a cornerstone of their organization. He's under club control until 2024 but has expressed a desire to sign an extension and stay in New York.