Ready or Nat
Mets confident for rivals’ visit to Citi
Here come the Nationals again.
Though it has been just a week since the Mets were swept in a three-game series by the Nationals, plenty has changed as the NL East rivals prepare for four games beginning Thursday at Citi Field to close the first half. The Mets trail the Nationals by four games in the division.
“We’re swinging the bats way better than we did last week,” Neil Walker said after the Mets’ 4-2 victory over the Marlins. “We’re definitely pitching better than we did in that series, too, so I think we are more confident than we were a week ago.”
Daniel Murphy remains Public Enemy No. 1. The second baseman is hitting .429 against the Mets this season with four homers, but he’s hardly a one-man show: Bryce Harper, Anthony Rendon and Jayson Werth, among others, add to a formidable lineup.
But the Mets have averaged 6.6 runs in seven games since last facing the Nationals.
“Travis [d’Arnaud] getting back and being more comfortable and confident, Jose [Reyes] at the top of the lineup, he can create some problems for other teams,” Walker said. “So the same recipe is going to be needed these next four days as what we’ve been doing these last six days or seven days.”
Jacob deGrom, who threw a season-high 117 pitches Wednesday, improved to 2-3 with a 2.40 ERA over his last seven starts. Giancarlo Stanton’s two home runs accounted for the Marlins’ only scoring against the righty.
“Things are starting to come back,” deGrom said. “I am definitely happy with the day, just two pitches. I made a couple of mistakes over the middle and Stanton hit the ball pretty far. They weren’t hit soft, so he made me pay for those mistakes.”
DeGrom’s velocity has increased recently, after it hovered in the low 90s ear- lier in the season, but his secondary pitches have also improved.
“I wasn’t throwing my changeup as much early in the year because I really didn’t have a feel for it,” deGrom said. “But I threw it quite a bit today. I am just showing that I have a little more confidence in it right now.”
Jeurys Familia pitched a scoreless ninth to become the 15th pitcher in major league history to record 30 saves before the All-Star break. Jim Johnson, Joe
Nathan and Mariano Rivera last accomplished the feat in 2013. Familia has converted 46 straight saves in the regular season dating to last Aug. 1. The streak is the longest in the major leagues.