The Mets’ 2023 season is only six games old. While being 3-3 is not what they were hoping for, there’s still a long way to go in this six-month marathon of a regular season. But still, the offense has gone ice cold. That’ll happen after getting shut out in two straight games. How does manager Buck Showalter feel about it?
Well, he’s worried. But also, he’s not worried.
The Mets have been outscored 19-0 through two games in Milwaukee against the Brewers. They’ve also lost each contest by at least nine runs, which is the first time that’s happened in franchise history.
When asked about Max Scherzer’s performance on the mound (which ended with him allowing back-to-back-to-back homers), this is what he said:
Buck Showalter on Max Scherzer's performance tonight vs. the Brewers:
"He's human. It all gets magnified because we're not scoring any runs. That's been the thing that's caught my eye right now more than anything. Max, I'm not too concerned about that" pic.twitter.com/Bt5CsWYydB
— SNY (@SNYtv) April 5, 2023
He didn’t just come out and say it, but in typical Buck fashion, he found a way to gently say the offense is something he’s more concerned with. While the Mets have surrendered a lot of runs in the past two games, there’s no chance of winning if they don’t score at all.
But then, Showalter brought some reasoning to the table for anyone freaking out about what they’ve seen the past two days:
"It's a well-seasoned group. That's gonna be something that will work its way out. I've got a lot of confidence. We're 6 games into the season, got a lot of guys with a good track record that will continue to do that"
– Buck Showalter on the Mets' offense pic.twitter.com/MeE2DixfFt
— SNY (@SNYtv) April 5, 2023
He’s obviously right. This is still a club that won 101 games last year, and it’s virtually the same offense that was one of baseball’s best units in 2022. Heck, you could even say it’s slightly better with the subtraction of James McCann and the addition of Omar Narvaez.
These guys have to find a way to get going, though. Heading into Wednesday’s finale, the Mets’ .295 slugging percentage is the worst in baseball. Meanwhile, their three homers as a team are tied with the Phillies for the league’s third-worst mark.
If Pete Alonso and Francisco Lindor aren’t hitting homers, who else is going to do it? The general lack of power to start the season brings up an issue people wanted New York to address all winter.
But then again, the new season isn’t even a week old yet. These guys have proven they can produce at a high level in the big leagues. They just need to get in a groove. Showalter is a stickler for details, though. While he’s confident in his group, you know he’s definitely concerned about what he’s seen the last couple of days.
It won’t get any easier in their series finale, either. The Brewers are sending Corbin Burnes, their ace and 2021 NL Cy Young Award winner, to the mound in Milwaukee.
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You can reach Matt Musico at matt.musico@xlmedia.com. You can follow him on Twitter: @mmusico8.
