Is the end nigh for Mets manager Mickey Callaway? On Sunday, his squad suffered the ultimate indignity: being swept by the 2019 Marlins (MIA 3, NYM 0). Miami came into this series on pace for 122 losses and having won only one series this season. The Mets were shutout in the final two games of the series, and on Sunday Sandy Alcantara -- who came in with a 5.11 ERA and 28 strikeouts against 23 walks did this to them in less than two hours (!):
Yep, that's a "Maddux" from Alcantara. That's also dominance from a pitcher who's not accustomed to it.
With that loss, the Mets find themselves at 20-25 -- which scales to a 90-loss season -- with a run differential of minus-23. All of that is despite the Mets' having played one of the weakest schedules in MLB to date. As for Callaway, he's almost certainly on the hot seat. After an active offseason, the Mets were bent on contention this season under first-year GM Brodie Van Wagenen, but that's failed to materialize. Callaway wasn't Van Wagenen's hire, and now Callaway is 97-110 in one full season and change as Mets manager. The most recent Robinson Cano hustle controversy -- understandable or not -- was also an untimely bad look for Callaway's team. And then this happened on Sunday:
Robinson Cano fails to run it out yet again. It's a clubhouse killing move. #LGM (Via SNY) pic.twitter.com/NSiiScVPQ4
— Elite Sports NY (@EliteSportsNY) May 19, 2019
This is a case of Cano's not realizing the ball rolled fair, but it's yet another turn of events that doesn't reflect well on Callaway's Mets.
Speaking of which, here's this from Mike Puma of the New York Post following Sunday's listless defeat:
Van Wagenen, who was with the team for the first five games of the road trip, left town before the series finale. He is expected to speak with Callaway on Monday, before the Mets open a four-game series against the Nationals at Citi Field.
That certainly sounds ominous. On the other hand, Callaway may not be in immediate danger:
For those asking, Mickey Callaway will still be mets manager tomorrow
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) May 19, 2019
That's saying something, but it's not saying much.
As Puma notes, if Callaway does get the ax soon, then bench coach Jim Riggleman will likely be named as his interim replacement.
