Mets pack no punch, swept by Brewers in emotionally-charged season-opening series
NEW YORK — The Mets were all bark and no bite in their season-opening series against the Brewers.
It began with Jeff McNeil's contempt toward Rhys Hoskins after a late slate during Friday's Opening Day loss when the Mets could only muster one hit. It continued when Yohan Ramirez's seventh-inning wayward pitch drifted behind the head of Hoskins on Saturday.
Both Ramirez and Mets manager Carlos Mendoza were issued suspensions. In his third game Sunday, Mendoza served his suspension while Ramirez filed an appeal.
The Mets could not come through for their skipper, and the empty threats continued on Sunday afternoon. The offense provided little punch and the Mets were swept away on their home field with a 4-1 loss to the Brewers in front of 22,222 fans at Citi Field.
"We just got beat," Mets bench coach John Gibbons said. "We've got a good ballclub. We like our ballclub. Yeah, if we're going to take these three games and worry about them, we're better than that. We'll just move on to tomorrow."
The Brewers' dominance of the Mets continued, with the National League Central Division foes winning 10 of the last 11 matchups between the two sides dating back to Sept. 21, 2022. The Mets were also swept in Milwaukee in their second series of the 2023 season as they would go on to post a 75-87 record.
Sunday's loss was the second time the Mets were held to one run in the series. The top of the Mets' lineup stumbled out of the gate. Brandon Nimmo opened the season 1-for-12 with five strikeouts from the leadoff spot, Lindor was 1-for-12 with a walk and a strikeout in the No. 2 spot, while McNeil was 1-for-11 in the three games.
"We put good swings (on). They played really good defense," Lindor said. "Nimmo had a couple of good swings, I had a couple good swings today, it's one of those where you hit the ball and they're right there. Their scouting report was really good. With that being said, it's tough to win games if your No. 2 guy doesn't get on base."
With the Mets already trailing by two runs in the second inning, Tyrone Taylor provided the lone offense with an RBI single to plate Francisco Alvarez.
Tylor Megill pulled with discomfort following command struggles
After a spot opened up in the Mets rotation during spring training, Megill won the job with his advanced preparation and a renewed command of the strike zone.
Now, his future in the rotation is in question after he was pulled following 78 pitches after experiencing tenderness in his shoulder. Megill finished with two runs (one earned) allowed on three hits and three walks while striking out four across four innings.
"I thought he was really good at times and he struggled at times with command things. The stuff's always been good. He bailed himself a couple of times, there's no doubt about it because we needed some innings.
"We had to take him out after four, he was a little bit tender in his shoulder area, so he's getting a precautionary MRI."
Megill was thrown out of whack in the top of the third inning but was able to reel it back in. With one out in the frame, the Mets 28-year-old right-hander walked Christian Yelich and Willy Adams and hit Oliver Dunn to load the bases.
Rhys Hoskins, who entered with three hits and four RBI in the opening two games, stepped to the plate. He lined a pitch just wide of the left-field line before knocking a swinging bunt in front of the mound, which Megill converted for an inning-ending 1-2-3 double play.
In the first inning, a catcher's interference during the eighth pitch of an at-bat allowed Yelich to reach and eventually score. Then, in the second, Brewers rookie Jackson Chourio knocked an RBI double into right field that sliced away from Starling Marte.
Yohan Ramirez's rematch with Rhys Hoskins
Before Sunday's game, it was announced that Yohan Ramirez would be suspended for three games after he threw a pitch behind Hoskins in the seventh inning of Saturday's game. Mendoza was also suspended one game, which he served on Sunday, and fined.
Ramirez, meanwhile, filed an appeal, making him available to pitch on Sunday, less than 24 hours after he threw seven pitches and struck out one.
"Yeah, I was really surprised when I got here to the ballpark and they gave me that news right before I went out to go practice, and that's why I decided to appeal it."
The Mets received the most they could get out of Ramirez in his second appearance of the season. Ramirez allowed two earned runs on four hits and two walks in three innings on Sunday afternoon.
Ramirez squared off against Hoskins twice during his outing, picking up a strikeout with the bases and a line-drive out at third base.
"It's a little bit uncomfortable with the situation that happened yesterday," Ramirez said. "I was trying to explain my case but they just weren't having it. Today it was a little bit uncomfortable, but at the same time, I can't give up. I need to go out there and continue to battle.
"Even in some cases, like in the game today, I was trying to throw my sinker outside and it would still run a little bit on the inside, so that's just how it goes."
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: NY Mets: Mets could not back up anger, swept by Brewers
