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PAYBACK’S A PITCH

Six hurlers blank Braves in nightcap after Mets shut out in the opener

By MIKE PUMA

Edwin Diaz celebrates after striking out the side in the seventh to finish off the Mets’ 1-0 win in Game 2 of their doubleheader against the Braves. The Mets went with a bullpen game after Marcus Stroman delivered five strong innings but the bats went quiet in a 2-0 loss in the opener.

Rich Hill was a solid veteran addition to the Mets’ rotation last weekend, but the team isn’t necessarily finished adding starting pitching before Friday’s trade deadline.

Acting general manager Zack Scott accentuated that point Monday during a pregame session with reporters at Citi Field.

“I still think we need to improve and have more depth there,” Scott said before the Mets split the doubleheader against the Braves. “We have some guys that we think are on the cusp of returning to the team that can make an impact, a positive impact on the club, but … we don’t have the August waiver period before so we need to make sure we put our best foot forward in terms of getting the most pitching depth that we can.”

The sexiest name potentially on the market might be Max Scherzer, but Jose Berrios, Luis Castillo, Tyler Anderson and Zach Davies are among the other starting pitchers who could be finding new teams in the coming days.

Carlos Carrasco will likely return from the injured list this weekend and the Mets are hopeful Jacob deGrom returns in early August, but the team has endured enough bullpen games or starts by Quadruple-A pitchers this season to understand the fragility of the situation.

“The fastest way for things to fall apart is to have your starting rotation not pitch to their capabilities or to have a lot of injuries that lead to that falling apart,” Scott said. “Unfortunately, I’ve experienced that in the past, where it feels like you’re always down 3-0 coming to bat the first time or early in the game and it’s hard to dig out of those holes.”

Scott reiterated the Mets’ pursuit of starting pitching won’t keep them from trying to upgrade in the bullpen or with another bat.

Chemistry factors into the equation when deciding on additions.

“That’s been an important part of this team,” Scott said. “Putting together this team in the offseason, that was a big focus. Obviously we’re trying to put the best players on the field but the clubhouse culture is an important focus. So that remains the case and I’ve already had plenty of conversations with Luis [Rojas] about, if we did certain things, how we think that would be received by the clubhouse more broadly rather than a specific player?

“But we always have to do our due diligence so that we understand not just kind of the player that we’re bringing in but the kind of person, because I do think it’s important and what we do have in the clubhouse has been pretty special and we want to keep that going or even add to it.”

The Mets expect Francisco Lindor back in the lineup by the end of August, if nor before, but still could seek a short-term answer at shortstop.

Trevor Story and Javier Baez are among the shortstops the Mets could pursue heading to Friday’s trade deadline, with the idea either could shift to third base once Lindor returns from a strained right oblique.

METS NOTES

“We’re open minded if there are other options that could also have versatility to help us when Francisco does come back,” acting general manager Zack Scott said before the Mets split a doubleheader Monday against the Braves.

“Those are things we’d explore as well.”

Lindor’s oblique strain carries a time frame of four-to-six weeks’ recovery, according to Scott. The Mets lost the shortstop to a Grade 2 strain on July 16.

Scott added that he still likes in-house options Luis Guillorme and Jonathan Villar at shortstop.

Manager Luis Rojas all but confirmed that Carlos Carrasco’s season debut for the Mets will occur this weekend against the Reds at Citi Field.

The right-hander pitched three scoreless innings for Triple-A Syracuse on Sunday in a third rehab start.

Carrasco has been on the injured list since tearing his right hamstring in spring training.

Jacob deGrom will throw another “light side” session in the next day or two, according to Rojas. The Mets ace threw from a mound Sunday for the first time since he was placed on the IL with right forearm tightness.

Scott said he is still expecting Noah Syndergaard to return this season from his Tommy John surgery rehab. The righthander isn’t projected back before early September.

“Whether that’s as a reliever, that’s a starter, I’d be thrilled with just having him and having that arm available to get important outs,” Scott said.

The Mets announced the return of Banner Day, a longtime popular tradition. With field access limited due to the safety protocols, this year’s Virtual Banner Day will be a month-long digital fan celebration that began Monday, with the Mets announcing a winner on Aug. 26. Fans can submit their banners in the form of a photo or video at Mets.com/bannerday. Submissions are open until Aug. 9.

The Mets were sifting through internal options to start Tuesday night’s game against the Braves.

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2021-07-27T07:00:00.0000000Z

2021-07-27T07:00:00.0000000Z

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