Players of the Week: Manaea Dazzles, Lindor Finishes Strong

The Mets came out on the positive side of this week, finishing with a 4-3 record on the road against the Washington Nationals and Pittsburgh Pirates. The team had a bit of a rollercoaster week, which included two late-game, go-ahead hits with two outs that secured victories, while also getting blown out 14-2 on Friday in Pittsburgh. Although they managed to have a solid week, they now trail the San Diego Padres and St. Louis Cardinals by 2.5 games for the third Wild Card spot in the National League.

Offensive Player of the Week: Francisco Lindor

Lindor may have been snubbed from this year’s All-Star team, but he has continued to impress on both sides of the ball, especially when hitting out of the leadoff spot. He capped off the week for the Mets by lining a two-run go-ahead single into left field in the top of the ninth inning with the bases loaded and two outs off Aroldis Chapman. It was one of the more clutch moments Lindor has experienced in a Mets uniform and comes at a time when the team is knocking on the door for a playoff spot in a wide-open National League Wild Card race. With the All-Star break and trade deadline quickly approaching, games like these can turn around the outlook on the season.

This week, Lindor collected eight hits in 29 at-bats, good for a .275 batting average, while slugging two home runs and two doubles. He accounted for six runs and five RBIs throughout his seven games. He also made a spectacular play on Saturday when he stretched out to make a diving stop while securing the force out at first base.

Pitcher of the Week: Sean Manaea

Manaea enjoyed two strong performances this week, and if it weren’t for his seven shutout innings on Sunday, Lindor might not have had the opportunity to play the hero. The veteran left-hander matched zeroes with Luis Ortiz as both pitchers held the opposing lineup in check. Despite their stellar performances, neither pitcher picked up a win to their name, only earning a no-decision apiece.

Across 13 innings in two starts, Manaea allowed just one earned run, seven hits and five walks while striking out 11 and giving up one earned run. His earned run average on the season is down to 3.43, making his $14.5 million base salary well worth it. One of the reasons he’s seen success in a Mets uniform has been his ability to keep opposing hitters in the ballpark, only allowing seven home runs through 89 and 1/3 innings in 2024. In his last two seasons, where he has pitched 150+ innings, he allowed 29 long balls in 2022 with the San Diego Padres and 25 in 2021 with the Oakland A’s.

Honorable Mention: Jose Quintana

Quintana pitched a gem in Thursday’s 1-0 loss to the Washington Nationals, tossing seven shutout innings and picking up the no-decision. Across his seven innings of work, he allowed four hits and three walks while striking out only one Nationals hitter. While the modern-day game has seen strikeouts increase at an alarmingly high rate, Quintana has been able to shut down opposing offenses lately via pitching to contact and staying ahead in the count. It’s a craft that is sparingly seen in these times and should be appreciated when done.

Quintana hasn’t been perfect this season but has been very reliable recently. He’s allowed only three earned runs over his last four starts, stretching across 23 1/3 innings, solidifying himself into this current Mets rotation.

Up Next

The Mets play one more game in Pittsburgh on Monday afternoon before returning home to Citi Field to host the Nationals and Colorado Rockies before the league dives into the All-Star weekend festivities. Christian Scott will make his second start since rejoining the big league club, facing off against Mitch Keller, who has pitched well this season. Sitting at 44-44, the Mets can get above .500 on the season right before the break with a win.

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