On Sunday Night, the National League All-Star rosters were announced. Brandon Nimmo and Francisco Lindor were considered two of the biggest snubs to be left off the roster and on Tuesday they showed why.
Nimmo and Lindor both slugged homers in the Mets‘ 7-5 series-opening win over the Nationals.
For Nimmo, his three-run shot — and 15th of the season — in the bottom of the second inning jumped the Amazins out to an early 4-0 lead. The left fielder owns a .826 OPS on the season and ranked 18th in fWAR entering Tuesday. His opposite-field blast certainly helped make the case that he should be heading to Texas with Pete Alonso next week.
“I thought I had a pretty dang good shot [at making the All-Star team],” Nimmo said. “So I was pretty surprised when I wasn’t on there. Just statistically speaking I’m usually pretty truthful with myself. In a lot of the categories that matter, I’m up there in NL outfielders. Yeah, definitely was surprised when that didn’t happen.”
The Mets’ shortstop slugged his 16th of the season when his two-run shot entered the home team’s bullpen in right-center field, making it 6-0. The 30-year-old has bounced back from a slow start and his 3-for-4 night on Tuesday pushed his season slash line closer to a typical Lindor season: .253/.321/.455
“This is something I’m kind of ready to turn the page on,” said Lindor. “I’d love to be in the All-Star game. It would be an honor and privilege to represent the organization, represent my teammates and represent my family. But, I’m focused on this [team]. It’s something I don’t want to get to tied on because at the end of the day it is what it is.”
There is still an opportunity for both Lindor and Nimmo to head to the Midsummer Classic as some selected may be replaced due to injury.
Jose Quintana didn’t give the Mets much to sweat about in their easy victory. The southpaw tossed seven shutout innings, allowing just one hit with five strikeouts and one walk. The veteran’s dominant performance dropped his season ERA down to 3.91 in 17 starts this season.
“He’s staying on the attack with the way he mixes his pitches,” said manager Carlos Mendoza. “I thought today the changeup was really good, the two-seam, the breaking ball not only to get ahead but to put hitters away. Then he threw some fastballs off of it. Made pitches when he needed. … He made it look really easy.
“But, overall, I think the way Q[uintana] is attacking, putting hitters away and mixing his pitches, another really good outing for him.”
Adam Ottavino relieved Quintana in the eighth inning and his outing was short-lived. The right-hander allowed two hits, including a two-run homer by Ildemaro Vargas. Ottavino was later removed after hitting CJ Abrams with a pitch and registering just one out. Ottavino let the boo birds out of their cage as boo’s rained down Citi Field after serving up the homer and upon his removal.
The veteran’s ERA is up to 5.03 on the season.
Mendoza called on Dedinal Nunez who put out the fire in the eighth before Jeff McNeil added an insurance run with an RBI single in the bottom half of the inning. Reed Garrett was called upon to get the final three outs in the ninth.
The right-hander served up a two-run homer to Keibert Ruiz and retired the next two batters. However, Garrett couldn’t secure the final out after being just one strike away as he walked Jacob Young. That forced Mendoza to sound the trumpets with the tying run on-deck.
Young scored from second on a wild pitch after Francisco Alvarez lost track of the ball behind home plate, however, Edwin Diaz got Abrams swinging for the final out to secure the victory.
The Mets will turn to Luis Severino on Wednesday to secure another series victory. Severino will bring his 3.42 ERA against left-hander Patrick Corbin (5.50) for Dave Martinez’s squad.
