MILWAUKEE — The Mets dominated the Milwaukee Brewers on Tuesday night, showing no signs of an emotional hangover after Monday’s highly charged win in Atlanta, and put themselves on the precipice of winning a postseason series.
As if that wasn’t enough good news, the Mets now stand a strong chance of having a bullpen that is whole again as they try to clinch on Wednesday.
Manager Carlos Mendoza had to navigate the crucial series opener without two of his best relievers, closer Edwin Diaz and setup man Phil Maton. Diaz threw 66 pitches over two days on Sunday and Monday; Maton pitched on three consecutive days to end the regular season. Mendoza had neither on Tuesday.
When Diaz arrived at the ballpark late Tuesday morning, he was sore — in an expected, not alarming way. Before the game, there was optimism among team brass that the Mets would have him back for Game 2 on Wednesday.
After the game, team sources believed that Diaz would indeed be available Wednesday. They just have to make sure that remains the case after he wakes up and reports to work.
As for Maton, he said, “Oh yeah, of course,” when asked if he would be available for Game 2.
It was far from ideal for the Mets to enter a borderline must-win game with a depleted pitching staff. Since the expansion of the wild card round into a best-of-three series in 2022, the team that has captured the first game has advanced every time.
Luis Severino’s gritty six-inning start, during which he managed to repair issues with his fastball command, was a significant factor. Jose Butto’s two lockdown innings, and Ryne Stanek’s breezy ninth, sealed it.
An energetic, offensive effort created a four-run cushion for the bullpen and prevented Mendoza from having to confront a save situation.
Speaking of Mendoza, multiple members of his coaching staff marveled on Tuesday at the guts (they used a different word) that the manager had shown in sending Diaz back out for the ninth after his eighth-inning meltdown in the first game of Monday’s doubleheader, but he left him in after a mound visit.
If Diaz had blown it again, Mendoza would have worn the decision this winter and beyond. That did not stop him, because he knew that he needed a confident Diaz in order to accomplish anything this October.
Mendoza won the gamble not only when Diaz closed out the Braves, but on Tuesday, when the Mets won without both Diaz and Maton.
Now, with one victory standing between the Mets and a weekend date with the Phillies in Philadelphia on Saturday, they should be able to meet the moment with their frontline relievers back in place.
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