NEW YORK – The New York Mets’ relationship with the Cincinnati Reds has officially picked up where it left off after eight months of absence that appears to have only made the Reds’ hearts grow fonder of the Mets’ lovable, losing dysfunction.
Since the Mets cleared a path for the Reds to take the final National League playoff berth last season with an epic second-half collapse, they’ve opened this season by taking up full-time residence in last place in the National League East.
And that made this week’s trip to New York a soft spot on the schedule for the Reds, despite the $200 million more in salaries the Mets are spending on their banged-up, fundamentals-bereft club this season.
Starting pitchers Nick Lodolo and Chase Burns played bullies for 11 1/3 combined innings of victories to open the series, allowing three combined runs as the Reds clinched a third consecutive series victory over the Mets since Terry Francona was hired as manager before last season.
In the second game of the series, Burns took a one-hit shutout and 6-0 lead into the bottom of the sixth before allowing three one-out hits – including $765 million Juan Soto’s two-run homer – and exiting.
Even with his first sub-6-inning start since April 21, Burns has been almost automatic as the season has progressed, the Reds winning eight of his 11 starts, including the last four straight, and creating the expectation of his start day as “win day” for the Reds.
“That’s probably not fair to the kid,” manager Terry Francona said. “But he’s really good. And he’s getting better. That’s exciting for us.”
Better? After an exceptional April (3-1, 2.65), Burns finished his five-start May with a 4-0 record and 1.19 ERA for the month.
“Just attacking hitters, really,” said the power-pitching right-hander in his first full season in the majors. “Trusting my stuff, trying to limit walks, and letting them get themselves out.”
During his first career start in New York, with the conclusion of every scoreless inning through the five Burns twirled, growing choruses of boos competed to be heard over the occasional roar of airplanes over CitiField.
As the Reds stacked on another run in a sixth inning that included a Mets throwing error and failure by the pitcher to back up the plate, one disgusted fan within earshot of the press box declared, “We can’t take it anymore. It’s too hard.” And left the ballpark.
On the way to back-to-back 7-2 victories over the Mets in the first two games of the series, the Reds reached the one-third mark in the season, which offered an easy math way to look at Burns’ way-too-early Cy Young candidacy (never mind his case for an All-Star selection).
Burns (7-1, 1.96 ERA), is on pace for a 21-3 record in 33 starts with 216 strikeouts and 193 innings.
But, wait, there’s more.
Check out the fun with numbers for some of the rest of the team at the exact one-third mark of the year if the pace holds:
Regardless of math, pace, the crappy Mets or the fact that two-thirds of the season remains to be played, players say they consider themselves in strong position at this point – especially with Eugenio Suárez (4-for-8 vs. Mets) back in the lineup and a couple of key pitchers back in the rotation and pen.
“There’s still a lot of ball left,” said catcher Tyler Stephenson (3-for-8 with two doubles and a home run vs. the Mets). “You go through waves during the season. We know what we’re capable of. We’re going to continue to get better.”
Said Lodolo: “I feel like we haven’t played our best ball yet.”
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Check out Reds season projections after reaching 1/3 mark with Mets win
Reporting by Gordon Wittenmyer, Cincinnati Enquirer / Cincinnati Enquirer
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
