Mets can't capitalize as NL East race grows closer

August 19th, 2022

ATLANTA -- In the moments following the Mets’ 3-2 loss to the Braves on Thursday, which slimmed New York’s NL East lead back to 3 1/2 games ahead of a key series in Philadelphia, it was difficult not to harp on the “what ifs.” What if Brandon Nimmo had charged Michael Harris II’s ground ball more aggressively in the seventh? What if Nimmo had unleashed a stronger throw to the plate? What if he or anyone else had provided a little more thump at the plate?

None of those things happened, which is why the Mets left town having squandered an opportunity to put significant distance between themselves and the rest of the NL East. Instead, the Braves took three of four from the Mets at Truist Park to ensure a more drawn-out division race, which could last until the final days of the season.

“We wanted to come in here and win all four games,” starting pitcher Jacob deGrom said. “Once they won a couple, the goal was for the split, and we weren’t able to get it.”

It didn’t have to be that way. Things could have unfolded differently in the seventh, after Vaughn Grissom hit a two-out single that rookie third baseman Brett Baty kept in front of him despite not gloving it cleanly. The next batter was Harris, who pulled a ground ball just to the right of the second-base bag, where it somehow evaded two Mets infielders despite a defensive overshift.

In the outfield, Nimmo was shaded well to the left of center, giving him a long way to run. As he approached the ball, Nimmo slowed in an effort to field it cleanly, prompting Braves third-base coach Ron Washington -- well-known as one of the league’s most aggressive windmillers -- to wave Grissom around third. Nimmo’s throw came in strong, at 91 mph, but short, sinking to the turf near the pitcher’s mound. By the time first baseman Darin Ruf could cut it off and send a relay home, Vaughn had scored.

“That ball was hit in the right spot,” Nimmo said. “Kudos to him for putting it in play. Good things happen when you put the ball in play. The only thing I wish I would have done maybe is let it rip to home plate.”

Two innings later, the Mets’ third loss in four games in Atlanta was complete.

“I mean, we won four when we were back at our place,” Nimmo said. “They won three when we were here. I’m not that disappointed. I’m just more disappointed in that I feel like there were some things in this game that, if we could have slightly done a little bit better, maybe we pull away with this one. But that’s baseball.”

Another of the moments that could have unfolded differently occurred the top of the third inning, when Mark Canha doubled and Baty singled with no outs. James McCann struck out to follow, then Nimmo waved and missed as well.

It was part of an 0-for-4 night with three strikeouts for Nimmo, who has recently made a concerted effort to change his plate approach. Late last month, Nimmo met in Miami with members of the Mets’ analytics team, who told him he had a choice: He could remain the same, patient hitter he had always been, working deep counts, drawing loads of walks and striking out with some regularity. Or, given how deep the Mets’ lineup is, he could try to take advantage of that by putting the ball in play more often.

Nimmo chose the latter route and, while it has helped him hit .295/.403/.361 in August entering Thursday’s play, it didn’t aid him against a pitcher as strong as Braves lefty Max Fried.

That, in Nimmo’s mind, is not the end of days. There’s no reason to panic. Plenty of good happened in Atlanta for the Mets, including deGrom continuing to stretch out with 6 2/3 effective innings and 95 pitches. The Mets won’t see the Braves again until the end of September, by which point they hope -- thanks to one of the easiest September schedules in baseball -- they’ll have already sewn up the NL East.

Brighter days, in other words, could be in the offing.

“Nobody’s going to sit around and feel sorry for us right now,” Nimmo said. “It’s good baseball that we’re playing. We knew this was going to be a tough two weeks. When the other team wants to win, too, you’re going to lose some.”

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Senior Reporter Anthony DiComo has covered the Mets for MLB.com since 2007.