Flu-like symptoms and all, Yoenis Cespedes’ bloop single in the top of the 12th inning delivered the New York Mets a 6-5 win on Sunday night to complete a three-game sweep of the Washington Nationals.
It was the team’s fifth-straight victory, improving their early-season record to 7-1. That’s the second-best in the majors behind only the Boston Red Sox, who have started the season 8-1.
The hot start is also tied for the best in franchise history, making Mickey Callaway’s big-league managerial debut the most successful the organization has ever seen.
While there has been plenty of timely hitting with a lineup that looks surprisingly complete from top to bottom, New York’s pitching has been the main reason for its success. The Mets’ average of allowing just 2.75 runs per game is second in the majors so far.
Baseball though is a game measured by the ghosts of all that has come before you. So what could this brilliant start mean for the Mets in 2018? We took a look at the two other occasions in which the team began 7-1 — in 1985 and 2006 — to try and get an idea of what could come next:
2018 Mets
Manager: Mickey Callaway (first year)
Runs scored in 7-1 start: 39
Runs allowed: 22
1985 Mets
Manager: Davey Johnson (second year)
Runs scored in 7-1 start: 29
Runs allowed: 18
Record in following eight games after 7-1 start: 3-5
Final Record: 98-64
Finish: 2nd in NL East (missed playoffs)
2006 Mets
Manager: Willie Randolph (second year)
Runs scored in 7-1 start: 57
Runs allowed: 30
Record in following eight games after 7-1 start: 4-4
Final Record: 97-65
Finish: 1st in NL East (lost NLCS in 7 Games)
