PITTSBURGH — No outside help would come — at least not now, not in any really important way. When the Mets lost Pete Alonso to a left wrist injury that could cost him most of the next month, they knew they had to turn inside for help.
Broadly speaking, that meant asking for more from Mark Canha and Mark Vientos, two of the other first basemen in their roster. What these two achieved – or didn’t – in the first part of the season hardly mattered. What they’re doing now, especially in Alonso’s absence, could go a long way in changing the course of this season.
So it was heartening for the Mets to see Canha double three runs, including the go-ahead, in a 5-1 win over the Pirates on Saturday, ending a seven-game losing streak – the team’s longest in almost four years . The win included a strong starting throw from Kodai Senga, another home run from Francisco Alvarez and an outstanding all-around game from Brandon Nimmo. But it was Canha’s contributions that stood out the most.
Canha fell to the ninth hole of the lineup, in part due to a lull in the season, coming to the plate in the seventh inning after the Pirates footed left-handed infielder Luis Guillorme on purpose with an easy hit. Canha found a Dauri Moreta slider that caught a whisper on the outside edge of the strike zone, then threw it to right center to set up a pair.
The hit, Canha’s first double in nearly a month, gave the Mets the lead for good. He later added another RBI double in the ninth run to score Tommy Pham, who contributed a two-hit game of his own.
“Honestly, I haven’t felt like I’ve had a hot streak this year,” Canha said. “I’m just trying to be present and have the right attitude about it all. …Don’t ever say die.”
Things weren’t going smoothly for Canha, he hit right on his first shot, landed in a fielder’s choice in the top half of the fifth round and made a fielding error in the bottom half of the frame. At this point, Canha “just had to shake, dig deeper, and find out,” he said
Importantly, it doesn’t have to be Canha who keeps the Mets up on a daily basis, even if he plays the same position as Alonso. It can be anyone, any batsman, any number of names. Nimmo definitely played his part on Saturday, hitting base three times, making the team’s first run and making two highlight reel catches – including a jumping grab to give Connor Joe a potential three-run hit rob after Senga entered the bases loaded the third.
But aside from Nimmo and Alvarez, few Mets regulars hit with great consistency. So it would certainly help if Canha could become at least one of those someones.
“He did it very quietly [improved] a little bit,” said manager Buck Showalter. “You see a number of averages creeping up when they do [Starling] Marte or Mark or Pham – people we know have a track record in the past. Hopefully they will come back there one by one.”
Even after a 2-on-4 afternoon, Canha’s totals — a .244/.327/.398 slash with five home runs and 21 RBIs — remain well below his career norms. But he’s been significantly better over the past three weeks, with a reduced strikeout rate and an OPS hovering towards .900. It’s not really a hot phase, as Canha herself noted. But it’s a hint that he may be in the process of shaking off his early-season jitters.
The fact that Canha’s improvement coincides with Alonso’s absence only underscores how important it is.
“I always want to step in and do a good job wherever that may be,” Canha said. “One of the things I’ve been proud of throughout my career is my versatility and ability to do a good job. … Every shot, every inning, every situation is an opportunity to redeem yourself.”