Jose Quintana was a weak link a month ago, but has since developed into the Mets’ most effective starting pitcher.
If the change continues, it could boost the team’s playoff hopes or allow the Mets to receive something in return for the veteran left-hander at the trade deadline if they fall out of wild-card contention.
For now, the focus is on playoff scenarios, with Quintana being a valuable asset.
On Tuesday night, he pitched seven scoreless innings for the Mets for the second straight game, a 7-5 victory over the Nationals at Citi Field that kicked off the team’s final homestand before the All-Star break.
Quintana struck out 21 of the 24 batters he faced and his ERA has dropped to 0.89 since June 9. Quintana’s ERA has dropped from 5.29 to 3.91 in five starts, all of which have come since Francisco Alvarez returned from the disabled list as the Mets’ starting catcher.
Brandon Nimmo and Francisco Lindor each hit a home run to lead the Mets’ 11-hit attack.
The Mets are back at .500 and have a chance to get into the black in their next five games, three of which are this weekend against the barely competitive Rockies.
It was the fourth time in Quintana’s past five starts that he has pitched at least six innings and allowed one earned run or less.
Last Thursday at Washington, he pitched seven scoreless innings, but the Mets lost 1-0 on a home run by Jesse Winker against Adrian Houser.
Quintana allowed the only hit of the night when Luis Garcia Jr. hit a leadoff single in the third inning.
The Nationals loaded the bases in that inning when C.J. Abrams was hit by a pitch and Lane Thomas walked, but Quintana escaped. Over the remaining six innings, Quintana struck out 18 batters he faced.
Nimmo’s three-run homer (his second in two games) gave the Mets a 4-0 lead going into the second inning.
The rally began with two outs.
Jeff McNeil walked, Harrison Bader singled, and then Lindor’s RBI single brought in the first run of the game.
Nimmo then hit a fly ball to left field and never left the plate, hitting his 15th home run of the season.
Lindor hit a two-run homer in the sixth inning to extend the Mets’ lead to 6-0. With two outs, Bader singled and then Lindor smashed his 16th homer of the season over the fence in right-center field.
Adam Ottavino struggled in the eighth inning and was booed. The right-hander only got one out and allowed two earned runs on two hit-by-pitch innings. Dedniel Nunez got the final two outs of the inning.
McNeil’s double in the bottom of the eighth gave the Mets a 7-2 lead. Tyrone Taylor tripled to lead off the inning.
Reid Garrett allowed a two-run homer to Kelbert Lewis in the ninth inning to keep the bullpen from scoring.
Edwin Diaz pitched a wild pitch in the ninth inning that resulted in the final run of the game.
