With the trade deadline and an off day looming on Thursday, the Mets gave an empty effort and were swept by the Padres at Petco Park.
SAN DIEGO — The Mets front office announced its intentions to build a championship caliber bullpen with the club in the midst of their series finale with the Padres on Wednesday afternoon.
As Mets leadership bolstered that unit with a trade with the Giants to acquire Tyler Rogers, Jose Butto made an emotional exit as one of the departees, along with prospects Drew Gilbert and Blade Tidwell.
On the diamond, the Mets put forth the type of performance that could inspire even further investment toward that goal before Tuesday's 6 p.m. trade deadline.
The Mets offense was completely shut down by Yu Darvish over seven innings and Clay Holmes could not get through four innings as they suffered as a lopsided 5-0 loss in front of 42,627 fans on Wednesday afternoon at Petco Park.
The Mets entered San Diego riding high on a seven-game win streak, which matched a season-best, but they exited with a dispiriting three-game sweep after being outscored 11-1 over the last two games.
Mets offense fades with Juan Soto, Francisco Alvarez sidelined
For only the second game all season, Juan Soto was out of the lineup for Wednesday's finale after fouling a pitch off his left foot and departing prematurely one night earlier.
While the Mets are optimistic Soto will not miss serious time, they are taking his injury day by day.
Without the superstar outfielder in the lineup, the Mets looked overmatched against Padres starter Yu Darvish, who needed only 76 pitches to work through seven scoreless innings. He struck out seven Mets batters and only allowed singles to Mark Vientos and Ronny Mauricio.
In the midst of an empty offensive performance, the Mets suffered another injury scare when Francisco Alvarez also departed early before the bottom of the sixth inning after he took a foul ball off the left side of his catching helmet.
Clay Holmes tagged in incomplete outing
On the heels of a victory last time out, Holmes could never find his footing in San Diego.
The Padres poured the pressure on early and often against the Mets right-hander. In the bottom of the first inning, they loaded the bases but Holmes wiggled free by striking out Jake Cronenworth.
Holmes did not have as much luck in the second inning. With the bases loaded following a single, hit by pitch and walk, Manny Machado laced a two-run single into left field to put the Padres ahead 2-0..
One inning later after Francisco Lindor committed a throwing error, Holmes hung a sweeper to Gavin Sheets, who belted a two-run home run to right-center field.
The Mets veteran left the game after allowing a single and hitting his second batter with two outs in the fourth inning. Holmes' 3⅔ innings of work were his fewest in 22 starts this season while he scattered eight hits, two walks and two hit batters on 79 pitches.
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: NY Mets swept by Padres as MLB trade deadline shakeup looms
Category: Baseball
