ATLANTA — If the Braves’ powerful lineup and solid pitching staff isn’t enough, Buck Showalter has another reason the five-time defending NL East champions are legitimate.
“I think what people miss is they have plus defenders at each position,” the Mets manager said Monday at Truist Park, where his team opened a three-game series against the Braves with a 10-4 win. “That’s really hard to find, how well they play defense.”
Max Fried and Dansby Swanson won Gold Gloves for the Braves last season, and the team had finalists in Matt Olson and Travis d’Arnaud.
Swanson signed with the Cubs in the offseason and has been replaced by another strong defender at shortstop in Orlando Arcia, whose six outs above average entering play ranked in MLB’s 94th percentile at the position.
“It’s a team that won the same number of games (101) as we did last year,” Showalter said. “Obviously it hasn’t worked out for us this year, but they are a really good defensive team. They turn a lot of hits into outs.”
Starling Marte received a second opinion on his right groin strain that showed “nothing negative,” according to Showalter, who indicated there was a procedure performed Monday that it’s hoped will “speed up the process.”
The manager said he will provide more specific information Tuesday. Marte has been on the injured list for the last two weeks with the strain. He underwent surgery last offseason in both groins.
Mark Vientos is progressing in his rehab from left wrist tendinitis, according to Showalter, and should be ready for a return from the injured list near the date he is eligible next week.
Pete Alonso is still a villain at Truist Park.
The Mets first baseman was booed in his first plate appearance Monday — a reception similar to what he received in St. Louis over the weekend.
The animosity in Atlanta stems from Alonso saying (as caught on a microphone in the visitors’ dugout) “Throw it again” to Braves pitcher Bryce Elder after blasting a slider for a homer against him in June.
Alonso was booed heavily in St. Louis after he inadvertently tossed the ball from Masyn Winn’s first hit into the stands on Thursday.
The ball was ultimately recovered by the Cardinals and Alonso apologized to the rookie.
Mets minor league infielder Cristopher Larez was suspended 56 games without pay on Monday after testing positive for Boldenone, a performanc-enhancing drug, in violation of the Minor League Drug Prevention and Treatment Program. Larez is on the Mets’ Dominican Summer League roster.
Jeff McNeil has at least one hit in 15 of his last 17 games after going 3-for-5 against the Braves on Monday. He is 24-of-67 (.358) over that stretch with three homers and 13 RBIs.
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