Luis Rojas calls team meeting after Mets lose 5 of last 6 games; Edwin Diaz on paternity leave
Be more aggressive. Have fun. Trust the process.
Those are just some of the things Mets manager Luis Rojas told his players when he called a team meeting in Miami on Wednesday. The Mets entered the day having lost five of their last six games, including three consecutive defeats, with their first-place lead diminished to 1.5 games for the first time since May 23. “We have the ability to bounce back in these situations,” Rojas said. “That’s the identity that we started in spring training.”
Rojas, who said he was the only one who spoke in a chat that involved hitters, pitchers and coaches, was sure to mention this wasn’t a “rah-rah meeting or anything.” It was about “getting connected as the family we are,” he said.
The Mets (55-51) have become a club that falls behind early, scores late, and rallies against a starter in his third time through the order or tacks on runs against the bullpen. While not all of those things can be solved in one pregame meeting in a visitor’s clubhouse, Rojas’ intention was to remind his players of the themes that got them to first place on May 8 and why, as of yet, they haven’t let go of that standing since.
Part of the Mets’ identity this season is overcoming adversity. The injury bug has hit the club hard all year, none worse than Jacob deGrom’s current battle with right elbow inflammation. Without their ace on the mound every fifth day, the rotation looked significantly weaker until Carlos Carrasco came back from the injured list. Still, Mets starters have collected just two wins since July 7, deGrom’s most recent start.
The Mets offense has remained locked into scoring the second lowest runs per game in MLB throughout the 2021 season. Regarding the team’s poor power numbers, Rojas said: “We talked about our offense at one point in the season when we changed from thinking we were a home run-hitting team and could drive the ball and said we have to run more and be more aggressive.”
The skipper’s main point to his team on Wednesday was to keep things simple, stay humble and hungry, and remember its identity.
“We’re aware of not winning a couple games in a row,” Rojas said. “But you still want to keep these guys on a day-to-day approach. I think that’s what we did today.”
Diaz on paternity list
Edwin Diaz was placed on the paternity list Wednesday in anticipation of the birth of his second child. He learned his wife, Nashaly, was going into labor and called Rojas to let him know he’d be flying back home for the delivery. The Mets expect Diaz to miss at least the Mets’ games on Wednesday and Thursday in Miami. It’s possible he returns to the bullpen on Friday in Philadelphia. The maximum number of days allowed on MLB’s paternity list is three.
Rojas mentioned Trevor May, Aaron Loup, Jeurys Familia, and Seth Lugo as relievers who could close the game in Diaz’s place at least for the next couple of days. The team called up right-hander Jake Reed from Triple-A Syracuse as the corresponding move.
