NEW YORK — Rick Porcello put it candidly: "It's been frustrating."
"We’ve lost a lot of close games and games that, if we get a ball to drop in here or there or make a pitch, we could win 'em," said Porcello, who is from Chester. "It’s one of those tough things because you’re not playing terrible baseball, because you’re in those games."
The Mets are 7-11. They've had two blowout losses — 14-1 versus Atlanta, 16-4 versus Washington. If you remove those, New York has lost its other nine games by an average of around two runs per game. The Mets have three one-run losses.
All of this has occurred in the season's first 18 games.
"We just need something," Porcello said, "to get over the hump."
Right now, it seems the path to that is clear: Hit with runners in scoring position.
It seems simple, but it's true. In most of their losses, the Mets created opportunities, only to fail to collect the big hit. That's why it's been so frustrating for them and their fans.
They haven't been no-hit. They've only been shut out once.
Opponents are not dominating them.
No, the Mets are in most games. The big hit has been elusive.
"These guys here are professional hitters, and that’s why they create the traffic — because they take the quality at-bats and they’re able to get on base and create these situations," manager Luis Rojas said. "We’ve got to finish it. It’s just one thing to stay consistent as a team taking those at-bats. I know we’re going to be able to break through and drive in the runs we need to win ballgames."
Entering Tuesday's game against Washington, the Mets were hitting only .213 with runners in scoring position. They added an 0-for-4 to that.
Rojas has mentioned his team growing anxious in key spots. He's discussed players expanding their zones. He's mentioned how, sometimes, guys try to elevate the ball instead of sticking with a natural swing and approach.
Whatever it is, the Mets haven't yet ironed it out.
“We need to keep talking, we need to keep working, we need to keep communicating amongst ourselves to know what’s going on," Rojas said after Tuesday's 2-1 loss to Washington. "Once again, the runners in scoring position, it showed up tonight. We didn’t get that big hit, and we need to talk about those at-bats."
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Again: The frustrating part for everyone — players, coaches and fans — is that this lineup should be performing much better in those situations. It's a talented group.
Brandon Nimmo has a 32-game on-base streak. J.D. Davis is hitting .327 and Jeff McNeil is at .321. Even Andrés Giménez, known for his defense and speed, has contributed at the plate.
The Mets are manufacturing opportunities but not runs. It's confusing.
"We just need something to get over the hump," Porcello said. "For me, over a 162-game season, you just keep going out there. You keep pressing, you keep pushing until you can break through. The baseball season, it’s peaks and valleys. Sometimes it doesn’t roll your way and you’ve just kind of got to ride that storm out until you get some things to go your way, and all of the sudden it’s happening every night.
"Unfortunately, this is one of those years where we don’t have a lot of time to wait for that to happen. But for me, that’s been my past experience is just keep going — especially right now. It’s not like we’re getting blown out every game. We’re right there. We just need something to get us over the hump."
As Porcello said, the Mets don't have multiple months to figure this out. They have just over one and a half.
To be clear: No one should be pressing the panic button. With the expanded playoffs this season, 16 teams will make the postseason instead of 10. The Mets are absolutely one of the National League's top eight teams. You shouldn't be worried yet.
Still, they must find a way to escape this period of so many close losses.
“You’re going to lose some games. It’s going to happen," Luis Guillorme said. "But we’re still having fun out there, we’re still playing at the best of our abilities and we’re going to try to keep doing what we’re doing and try to keep winning games."
Justin Toscano is the Mets beat writer for NorthJersey.com. For unlimited access to all Mets analysis, news, trades and more, please subscribe today and download our app.
Email: toscanoj@northjersey.com Twitter: @justinctoscano
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