When Max Scherzer was signed by the Mets, the dream scenario was that he and Jacob deGrom would combine for 60 dominant regular-season starts and then 10-12 more in October, pitching the Mets to the Canyon of Heroes.
Now, it is fair to wonder whether they will even get half of that, 30 starts this year. You can play a game now: which currently injured ace will even throw a major league pitch next and will that come before or after the July 19 All-Star Game?
But as Buck Showalter repeats regularly, the season does not stop when you have problems. Your opponents don’t care that you have troubles, they are only glad you have them. Next man up.
In the Mets’ case, they have plenty of good next men. And, as their general manager Billy Eppler said, “This team already has shown many times this year its resiliency. It’s a very strong, collective group of baseball players.”
By the way, this would be the sentiments of every manager and GM; no matter how bad the talent level or mental makeup of their roster. In the Mets’ case, though, they have exhibited better depth — of both talent and character — this year.
They learned definitively Thursday that Scherzer, who pulled himself from a start the previous evening, had a “moderate to high-grade internal oblique strain” and will miss at least six weeks. DeGrom (scapula) has not thrown a pitch yet this season and has to truly ramp up his throwing. Tylor Megill (biceps inflammation) makes it three starters out. They are joined on the sidelines by catcher James McCann and key setup man Trevor May.
That is a lot of key pieces. But the Mets are verging near a $300 million payroll. And plenty of talent remains. They also have the largest lead (seven games) in the majors in a division in which no other team is over .500. They have built a nice cushion to survive and advance. And they have now built a few months of shared belief in the group.
When I asked Francisco Lindor if he — owner of the largest contract in franchise history — needed to carry more weight with Scherzer joining the injured brigade, he replied: “Last year, yes, but this year, no. I really feel we have gone through a whole culture change with Billy and Buck and bringing in so many new players who are real pros. The whole attitude changed to ‘just do your job.’ I’ll do my job, you do your job and that will take care of it.”
It makes sense. Still, for Lindor, being dynamic is his job. Note “dynamic.” Lindor’s skill set is such that his presence should be felt every game in some way — offense, defense, baserunning. And in too many games of late, you could forget he was playing. Not Thursday, though, in what became a 7-6 Met victory over the Cardinals in 10 innings. Lindor had two walks, two hits and two fine defensive plays. And in the first inning he was dynamic, creating a run on his own: walk, advanced to second on a single, steal third, score with a headfirst slide with the infield in on a grounder to short.
Starling Marte, who is set to return from the bereavement list Friday, is a dynamic player, too. So are the current versions of Jeff McNeil and Brandon Nimmo on both sides of the ball; McNeil drove in three runs Thursday and made two strong plays in left field, moving Showalter to express, “How about the game he had.”
Pete Alonso is a dynamic hitter. In his case, note “hitter,” not just power bat. When asked before the game about his perception of Albert Pujols, Showalter said even this late-stage version of Pujols can smell RBIs and like his younger self go to the opposite field in right to drive home runs. As an aside Showalter mentioned like Alonso does. Sure enough, in his first at-bat, Alonso darted an RBI single to right. In his last at-bat, Alonso offered his signature — destroying a Gio Gallegos fastball 447 feet for a two-run walk-off homer.
Even without deGrom and Scherzer, this version of Chris Bassitt and Carlos Carrasco would be the Nos. 1-2 starters for quite a few teams. Bassitt was not his sharpest as the Mets completed taking three of four from the Cardinals. But he took the ball into the seventh inning (four runs) and his overall numbers (eight starts, 5-2 record, 48 ²/₃ innings and 2.77 ERA) resemble Scherzer’s (eight starts, 5-1, 49 ²/₃ and 2.54).
That doesn’t mean the Mets won’t miss deGrom and Scherzer. Of course, they will. Particularly in a June when the schedule toughens with series against the Dodgers, Padres, Angels, Brewers and a home-and-home with the Astros. But they are not empty-handed. They still have a lot of talent, a big division lead and a terrific manager.
If everyone left does his job, there will be plenty of meaningful games for deGrom and Scherzer to start. There still can be a dream scenario.