Mets keeping eye on potential hurricane in Atlanta's forecast next weekend
Mets manager Buck Showalter looks on against the Chicago Cubs during an MLB baseball game at Citi Field on Wednesday, Sept. 14, 2022. Credit: Kathleen Malone-Van Dyke
OAKLAND, Calif. — The Mets might have to deal with a force of nature next weekend — no, not Atlanta’s lineup.
The critical series that may well decide the NL East title is facing a potential complication in the form of Tropical Storm Ian, which is expected to become a hurricane. It is tracking to hit or partially hit Atlanta on Friday, when the teams are supposed to play the first of their three games.
MLB is monitoring the storm, but it was too early Sunday to know what impact it will have on the series. There is precedent for the league prioritizing safety and moving games to a different location under extreme circumstances. “You’re always dealing with unknowns,” Max Scherzer said. “This is baseball. You got to deal with a hurricane.”
He added: “You’re constantly dealing with things constantly moving and changing. You try to have a routine as best you can, but there’s so many things that alter your routine and alter what goes on. You have to be adaptable to that. You can’t just be ‘I have to do X, Y, Z or otherwise I can’t pitch.’ Sometimes you have to do X and Y and say, ‘That’s good enough.’ We’ll see how next weekend unfolds.”
Ruf rough
Darin Ruf, acquired at the trade deadline, started three consecutive games against Oakland’s lefthanded starters and went 2-for-12 with three strikeouts. His slash line with the Mets: .152/.216/.197. “He had a couple line-drive base hits, and I was hoping that was going to get him going,” manager Buck Showalter said. “But still not where he’s going to be — we hope — and capable of being.”
Marte healing slowly
Starling Marte’s new CT scan on his fractured right middle finger Sunday “showed improved healing,” the Mets said in a statement. He will do baseball activities “as tolerated.”
Both of those were true previously. Before the Mets sent him back to New York on Saturday, Marte said he was unable to swing or throw.
“Nothing negative,” Showalter said. “No steps back. Bones heal when bones heal.”
Tim Healey is the Mets beat writer for Newsday. Born on Long Island and raised in Connecticut, Tim has previously worked for the South Florida Sun Sentinel, the Boston Globe and MLB.com. He is also the author of “Hometown Hardball,” a book about minor league baseball in the northeast.
