Mets Struggle in Recent Game Against Reds
This season has seen the Mets fighting through many frustrating performances, and Ron Darling, the former pitcher and commentator, seemed particularly exasperated during the game broadcast on SNY.
During a tough matchup against the Reds on Tuesday night, which ended in a 7-2 defeat at Citi Field, Darling voiced his concerns after pitcher David Peterson faltered in the sixth inning. He felt the coaching staff’s response to Peterson’s struggles might not have been as harsh as it should have been, given the circumstances.
After a wild pitch by Bo Bichette and a scoring play by J.J. Breday, a misthrow allowed Tyler Stephenson to advance, effectively putting more pressure on the Mets. Darling didn’t hold back, asking on-air, “I don’t understand. It really shows that coaches don’t have as much influence over their players as they think they do.” He noted that the coaches seem hesitant to be critical, presumably to avoid upsetting anyone.
This candid assessment caught play-by-play announcer Gary Cohen a bit off guard. He pressed Darling on whether he truly believed these issues would be addressed post-game.
Darling didn’t shy away from voicing his opinion. “Maybe they will, but if they were addressing it properly, this kind of thing wouldn’t happen,” he stated. “It’s like a recurring theme, and we just don’t call it out every time.”
After the game, Mets manager Carlos Mendoza mentioned that he would discuss Peterson’s misstep with Sean Manaea, who’s been performing better and might even shift to a bullpen role. Manaea allowed just one run but had given up six runs in three innings previously.
“That can’t happen, and obviously, he knows that,” Mendoza said regarding Peterson’s error. He indicated that although he hadn’t yet spoken to Peterson about it, discussions were certainly in order.
On the night, Peterson struggled significantly, surrendering 11 hits and six runs, which left him with a 5.57 ERA, contributing to the Mets’ fifth consecutive loss. With a record of 22-33, they now find themselves 15 games behind the first-place team.
