Justin Wrobleski recorded only two strikeouts. He generated just four swings-and-misses.
And yet, during the Dodgers’ series-opener against an ice-cold Mets lineup Monday night, he flirted with a shutout in a 4-0 win.
The night might’ve said more about the scuffling state of the Mets’ high-priced offense, which entered this series with just nine runs scored during a five-game losing streak.
Still, for the 25-year-old Wrobleski, it easily went down as a career-best outing, marking the first time he’d pitched past six innings in his MLB career and the first time he’d gotten into the eighth at any level in the pro ranks.
Quite simply, he filled up the strike zone, and let the Mets get themselves out.
Wrobleski didn’t allow his first hit until the fifth inning, retiring his first 13 with the help of stellar Dodgers defense –– highlighted by a diving play at shortstop from Miguel Rojas in the second.
He then immediately erased the knock, a one-out single from Jorge Polanco, by dialing up a double-play in the next at-bat.
From there, Wrobleski kept on rolling, mowing down nine more consecutive batters to face the minimum into the eighth inning.
His night ended there, after stranding a Francisco Alvarez two-out single.
Of his 90 pitches, 64 found the strike zone. Of the 23 balls the Mets put in play, only 10 were “hard hit” (recording an exit velocity of more than 95 mph), and six of those were pounded for grounders.
What it means
In this #BillionDollarBattle –– between two teams who, when counting for luxury tax penalties, are projected to eclipse a combined $1 billion of spending this season –– it’s clear whose money looks more well-spent right now.
While the Mets (7-10) were thought to be perhaps the toughest competition in the National League for the Dodgers (12-4) entering the season, they’ve looked little like it during a woeful start to the season.
Who’s hot
Through the season’s first 15 games, Freddie Freeman was the Dodgers’ unluckiest hitter. But on Monday, that fortune started to turn.
Freeman went 2-for-4, lining a 100 mph single in the fifth inning and a 102 mph double in the seventh. His biggest break, however, came in the third. On what should have been an inning-ending double-play, Freeman instead reached safely after Mets second baseman Marcus Semien bobbled the ball on the turn to first.
It proved to be a critical miscue. Andy Pages came up next and whacked a three-run homer –– marking his fifth in a scorching-hot start to the season, and making him the first player in the majors this year to reach 20 RBIs.
Who’s not
It was a tough night at the plate for Max Muncy, who has failed to build upon his three-homer game earlier in this homestand.
The slugger went 0-for-4 with three inning-ending strikeouts, two of which came in high-leverage situations: Bases loaded in the first, two on in the fifth.
Still, Muncy made a couple nice plays at third base to contribute to one of the Dodgers’ best defensive performances all year.
Up next
Dodger Stadium will get a highly-anticipated pitchers’ duel on Tuesday, with Yoshinobu Yamamoto (2-1, 2.50 ERA) set to start for the Dodgers and talented rookie right-hander Nolan McLean (1-1, 2.70 ERA) going for the Mets.
