September 6, 2024; New York Metropolis, NY, USA; New York Mets beginning pitcher Sean Manaea (59) pitches through the third inning in opposition to the Cincinnati Reds at Citi Area . Necessary Credit score: Brad Penner-Imagn Photographs New York Mets bench coach John Gibbons is worked up to return to Toronto this week to face the Blue Jays, a crew he has coached for 11 years and twice.
He’ll be even happier if he can win in Wednesday afternoon’s three-game set.
The 2 groups break up the primary two video games of the collection after the Blue Jays defeated the Mets 6-2 on Tuesday night time.
The loss left the Mets (79-66) tied with the Braves for the Nationwide League’s third wild-card spot. It was New York’s second loss in 12 video games. Atlanta defeated the Washington Nationals 12-0 on Tuesday.
It was a welcome win for the Blue Jays (69-77), who had misplaced six of their earlier seven video games and had been final within the AL East.
Gibbons met a number of outdated associates when he returned to the town, having coached the Blue Jays from 2004-08 and 2013-18 and remaining a preferred determine. This was his first season as a bench coach with the Mets, by whom he was drafted in 1980.
The Mets have struggled on the plate and had been overwhelmed 12-6 by the Blue Jays on Tuesday, however Gibbons stays assured within the New York baseball crew.
“From one to 9, this lineup is pretty much as good as any lineup I’ve ever seen,” Gibbons mentioned.
Gibbons sees similarities between this yr’s Mets crew and the Blue Jays groups he coached in 2015 and 2016, each of which reached the American League Championship Sequence.
The Blue Jays had an awesome season in 2015 below Josh Donaldson. New York is at present coming off a giant yr for Francisco Lindor .
“Lindo is unbelievable, he performs each inning day-after-day,” Gibbons mentioned. “Once I noticed him in Cleveland, I knew he was good, however I did not count on him to be this nice.”
The 2016 Blue Jays did not safe an AL wild-card berth till the autumn, and the Mets look like coming right down to the wire this season.
New York is scheduled to begin left-hander Sean Manaea (11-5, 3.43 ERA) on Wednesday. In six profession video games (5 begins) in opposition to the Toronto Raptors, he’s 2-0 with a 3.50 ERA. He wasn’t serious about Friday’s determination, when he allowed 4 runs in 6 2/3 innings because the Mets beat the Cincinnati Reds 6-4.
Toronto will begin right-hander Bowden Francis (8-4, 3.72), who will face the Mets for the primary time. In his previous eight video games (seven begins), Francis is 5-2 with a 1.96 ERA.
The Mets misplaced Tuesday to former teammate right-hander Chris Bassett, who struck out eight and allowed one run in six innings.
“As loopy as it’s, I hope they make the playoffs,” Bassett mentioned of the Mets. “I do know I did not do an awesome job for them (Tuesday), however I’ve lots of associates there. There’s lots of people there that I respect rather a lot. I hope I get to see them within the playoffs.
Toronto’s Spencer Horwitz went 2-for-3 with a stroll and an RBI double on Tuesday. Over his previous 10 video games, he is hitting .444 (16-for-36) with 4 doubles, 4 residence runs and 9 RBIs.
–Scene-level media
