Three takeaways from the Mets' series sweep of the Washington Nationals
Mets second baseman Jeff McNeil follows through on a three-run home run against the Washington Nationals during the first inning of a game on Thursday at Citi Field. Credit: Noah K. Murray
The Mets completed a three-game sweep of the Nationals on Thursday and continue to roll, even as the hamstring injury suffered by Kodai Senga in the series finale remains front of mind.
The Mets carry a run of six straight wins and 15 in their last 18 games, plus the best record in baseball (45-24), as they welcome Tampa Bay for three games at Citi Field starting Friday. The Rays are pretty hot too, having won 15 of their last 21 games.
Despite the Senga injury, the Mets have a lot right going for them. Here are three takeaways from the sweep over Washington:
1. A familiar Soto has emerged
Juan Soto largely stumbled through the first two months of the season after arriving with a record $765 million contract, but he is looking more and more like the superstar everyone expected. Against the Nationals this week, he was 5-for-11 with two doubles, two home runs and four RBIs.
Over his last 13 games, Soto has a stellar slash line of .386/.542/.818. In that stretch, nine of his 17 hits have gone for extra bases — including five home runs — and he has drawn 14 walks, scored 16 runs and driven in nine.
Soto is also stealing bases. On Thursday, he swiped his eighth in eight tries and has surpassed the seven he had all of last season.
2. The rotation continues to be outstanding
Mets starting pitchers lead all of baseball in earned run average with an aggregate mark of 2.79 and they have been especially good the past two weeks. In their last 13 games, Mets starters have a 2.36 ERA.
Paul Blackburn pitched five scoreless innings against the Dodgers in Los Angeles in his first start of the season and, because the club had a day off Monday, has been in the bullpen since. He is the odds-on choice to step into Senga’s spot the next time it comes around, though Carlos Mendoza wasn’t ready to commit to that.
“He’s available out of the bullpen in the next series [against Tampa Bay],” he said. “Then we’ll go from there.”
The Mets also could soon have back two starters who were in the blueprint for this rotation but have been on the IL since Opening Day, Sean Manea (oblique) and Frankie Montas (lat strain). Montas makes his fifth rehab start Friday and may not need another.
3. McNeil and Nimmo are hot
Jeff McNeil was 4-for-10 in the Nationals series with five RBIs, including a three-run homer that was the key to Thursday’s win. He has a six-game hitting streak entering the series with the Rays during which he is batting .409 (9-for-22) with four home runs and 10 RBIs.
Brandon Nimmo hit three home runs in the last two games against the Nationals. Over his last 13 games he has a .323/.391/.613 slash line with five homers, 11 runs and 10 RBIs.
Roger Rubin returned to Newsday in 2018 to write about high schools, colleges and baseball following 20 years at the Daily News. A Baseball Hall of Fame voter since 2011, he has covered 13 MLB postseasons and 14 NCAA Final Fours.
