A week ago at this time, media chatter debated the future of Mets manager Mickey Callaway. A 6-1 stretch against the struggling Washington Nationals and Detroit Tigers helped erase the damage done by five straight losses against the Nats and Miami Marlins.
Now, the Mets will run a gauntlet that won’t show much respite until the All-Star break.
Monday night, the Mets began a seven-game road trip visiting the Los Angeles Dodgers (four games) and Arizona Diamondbacks (three games). The Dodgers are current favorites to win the National League on global futures boards. Arizona has a winning record. The Mets haven’t faced a team with a winning record since visiting San Diego on May 8.
Market prices against the top Dodgers arms and Zack Greinke of the Diamondbacks will show you what oddsmakers and sharps think about the Mets right now. Steep odds will mean the Mets are perceived as just another doormat.
After a week at home against San Francisco (three games) and Colorado (three games) — which will feel like seven days at a spa compared to the rest of this upcoming stretch — the Mets will play two games at the Stadium against the Yankees (current betting favorites to win the AL East), four games at home against potential wild-card contender St. Louis, three games at resurgent Atlanta, four games at Wrigley against current NL Central favorite Cubs, and four games at current NL East favorite Philadelphia.
That might be 17 straight games against opponents with a winning record, and 24-of-30. And we’re not to the All-Star break yet!
After those visits to Chicago and Philadelphia, it’s two more games against the Yanks, three more against the Braves, and three more against the Phillies. Possibly 25 straight games against winning teams, and 32-of-38.
Maybe the Cardinals will slump, and not be a winning team at the time of those meetings. Maybe Atlanta won’t be as good in mid-June as it was in mid-May. But, results against current division leaders — Phillies, Cubs, Dodgers, Yankees — will tell bettors a lot about the investment potential of the Mets through this gauntlet and in the second half of the season.
While sharps took note of the Mets’ rally last week after seemingly throwing in the towel in Miami, there are still these concerns from pro bettors:
- Very disappointing performances from the starting rotation, which ranks in the bottom third of the National League in ERA.
- A double-digit mark in blown saves by the bullpen, among the worst in the NL.
- Below-average offensive stats on the road, and indicator that takes park effects out of the mix. This was a hidden strength last season and a glaring weakness in 2019.
- All this happening against a soft early schedule by league standards. According to Baseball Reference, in the NL only the Phillies have played more games against teams below .500.
Callaway is safe for now. Would you bet he’ll still be safe in a month?
