3 NY Mets to blame for inexcusable sweep by Braves

Mets to blame: Adam Ottavino, Pitcher

I had a few different names in this second slot I was toying around with.

Brandon Nimmo was briefly considered, considering he went 1-for-11 this series. But his one hit was a grand slam that gave the Mets a two-run lead in the final game of the series, and it was heroic enough for me to conclude he’s not one of the three figures most to blame.

I also considered Brett Baty, but he had a solid enough showing at the plate this series despite grounding into multiple double plays. Daniel Vogelbach was ultimately the player I almost had on here to blame for offensive reasons, he went 0-for-7 in the first two games and didn’t play in game three. He, like Baty, had a GIDP.

Ultimately, though, the offense isn’t what failed the Mets in this series. The Mets scored 19 runs across three games, so including an offensive player here wouldn’t be entirely accurate.

I have to go back to pitching and pull out Adam Ottavino to blame for losses.

Ottavino played in the crucial game one and game two and was to blame for major surrendered runs in each.

He came in in the bottom of the eighth inning in game one and gave up an RBI double that increased the Braves’ lead to two. While that wasn’t the change of the game, it did deflate the energy going into the top of the ninth for the Mets to generate a rally.

At one point, he attempted two pickoffs, balked, and then gave up a stolen third base in quick succession.

In game two, Ottavino came back in for the bottom of the eighth again. The stakes were higher here, with the game tied up at five. Ottavino gave up a home run to the struggling Michael Harris II. With a 7-5 final, that ended up being the difference.

Ottavino and making New York baseball fans pull their hair out. It never ends.