Sept. 10—The ability to improve gives the New York Mets the ability to seal a three-game series against the host Toronto Blue Jays on Tuesday.
The Mets (79-65) won the opener 3-2 on Monday to move one game ahead of the Atlanta Braves for the third and final National League wild-card berth.
New York had won 10 of 11 games but needed a tie on a wild pitch and blew a double-digit eighth lead. It was another late-game collapse for the Blue Jays (68-77), who have lost six of their last seven games.
The Mets are scheduled to start David Peterson (9-1, 2.75 ERA) on Tuesday. The left-hander allowed one run in six innings and struck out a career-best 11 in a 7-2 home win over the Boston Red Sox on Sept. 3. Two points.
Toronto plans to start former Mets right-hander Chris Bassett (9-13, 4.30 ERA). Bassett was scheduled to be in the rotation on Monday, but the Blue Jays decided to give the rotation an extra day and work the bullpen on Monday. Opener Ryan Burr pitched two scoreless innings.
In his most recent outing, Bassett allowed four runs (3 ERA) on 10 hits in 5 1/3 innings against the Philadelphia Phillies on September 3.
Bassett pitched once against the New York Mets, allowing four hits in 7 2/3 innings in New York’s 3–0 victory on June 2, 2023. Shutout.
The Mets’ first jam came Monday night when right-hander Paul Blackburn (lower back soreness) was unable to start as planned, a situation that could have implications in the stretch run.
Blackburn was placed on the injured list with an injury to his right hand, but he experienced lower back pain after beginning rehabilitation with Triple-A Syracuse on Sept. 3. The discomfort has persisted, leaving his next starting status in doubt.
“I’ve never had back problems,” Blackburn said before Monday’s game. “I’ve never felt anything like that.”
Tyler Megill started and pitched six scoreless innings with one hit and two walk-offs. He also struck out nine, tying a season high.
“He stepped up and gave us what we needed,” Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said.
The improvement continued in the eighth inning as the Mets scored twice with the bases loaded, an infield hit, a throwing error, a wild pitch, and a passed ball.
Pinch runner Eddie Alvarez scored on a perfect pass from Bryan Serven in his Mets debut.
“Some aggressive baserunning,” Mendoza said. “I thought we had some really good leads and good jumps, especially Alvarez’s lead.”
The infielder was acquired from the Boston Red Sox organization on Monday and will pitch in a major league game for the first time since 2022.
“A lot of people are going to walk through these doors and contribute,” Mendoza said of the newcomers.
Toronto head coach John Schneider was frustrated with the late-game troubles.
“We didn’t help ourselves there,” he said. “We talked about it yesterday and today, you play a team that fights for everything and you have to play clean. We didn’t do that two nights in a row.”
Toronto’s defence was shaky in a 4-3 loss to Atlanta in 11 innings on Sunday.
The Blue Jays hope he can be back as a regular in a week or two. Shortstop Bo Bichette (calf strain) is scheduled to begin rehabilitation with Triple-A Buffalo on Tuesday.
–Visual-level media
