Following the Mets’ 7-2 loss to the Diamondbacks on Wednesday, manager Carlos Mendoza and the players spoke about the game…
Sean Manaea was once again tasked with saving the Mets bullpen after David Peterson struggled to get past five innings.
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While it wasn’t Manaea’s finest outing, he was still effective and helped the get the final 12 outs of the game to save the relievers for Thursday’s rubber game against Arizona.
“Each day is trending in the right direction,” Manaea said after the game. “Changeup and sweeper were really good. Sinker, I kinda lost it there [in the eighth inning], but overall I thought things are trending in the right direction.”
Thursday marked Manaea’s 10th career relief appearance of at least four innings and his third overall this season. He allowed two runs on five hits and two walks against the Diamondbacks.
Manaea said that he’s doing a lot of different drills to potentially make him feel better. He said that every day, there’s a plan for him and he just executes it.
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Prior to first pitch, Mendoza said he doesn’t plan to go to a six-man rotation. He reiterated that after the game, and was asked whether Manaea could replace a struggling Peterson in the rotation. The Mets skipper said that’s not in his plan and they will continue to go with the same rotation they started the season with.
Manaea has learned to be comfortable in his new role.
“I’m here to help this team win any way I can,” Manaea said. “My job is to do what I’ve been doing. I’m very happy doing that. Like I said before, we have five really good starting pitchers. I can help any way I can.”
“[Manaea was] Good, able to keep us there,” Mendoza said of his reliever. “Couple of plays we couldn’t make, gave up a couple of runs there. He was aggressive… I thought he was good.”
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Luis Robert Jr. unable to make the play
Those “couple play” Mendoza mentioned came in the eighth inning.
First, Robert Jr. nearly made a sliding catch in center but trapped it, allowing Ildemaro Vargas to get on with one out. Three batters later, and with the bases loaded, Jorge Barrosa lined a pitch to centerfield. The ball continued to travel toward the wall and Robert Jr. seemed to have a bead on it, but when he put his glove up to catch it, the ball bounced off it and fell for a double.
“He got there. Maybe that ball just kept on going and it went further than he anticipated,” Mendoza said of the double. “He got there, he just missed it.”
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The two plays cost Manaea and the Mets two runs.
Benge gets off the schneid
Carson Benge has struggled since Opening Day. He was 0-for-24 heading into the ninth inning of Wednesday’s game. Benge got back on the hits board with a single through the right side.
“Yesterday, there were better at-bats. His work today was a lot better,” Mendoza said of Benge. “Shorter, barrel going through the heart of the zone. The path was better. Good to see him get that hit right there. He’s going to be fine.”
Benge has had a tough start to the season. He’s slashing .108/.214/.403 with one home run and three RBI.
