Mets lose to Royals on brutal walk-off balk in extras after commerce deadline sell-off

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — If this can be a glimpse of what life goes to resemble for the Mets now that the commerce deadline has handed, the following two months might seem to be 4.

The Mets took a lead into the underside of the tenth inning Tuesday evening after Francisco Alvarez hit a two-run homer — however they misplaced on a balk-off: Josh Walker entered the sport in reduction and balked earlier than even throwing a pitch in a 7-6 loss to the Royals at Kauffman Stadium.

The lefty Walker, who got here in with the bases loaded and two out, mentioned he was making an attempt to alert his catcher, Alvarez that he didn’t have a PitchCom system in his ear.

As Walker tried to step off the mound, he positioned his foot in a footprint and his knee buckled whereas his foot was nonetheless on the rubber.

The balk allowed MJ Melendez to attain the profitable run from third.

“You get misplaced within the second simply desirous about the hitter and attacking him and a mistake was made, plain and easy,” Walker mentioned, including that he was imagined to get a PitchCom when he got here into the sport.

Within the Mets’ first bullpen meltdown since David Robertson was traded to the Marlins final week, Brooks Raley was charged with three runs, solely one in every of which was earned, on two hits within the tenth inning.

Bobby Witt Jr.’s leadoff double scored the automated runner and Melendez’s single drove in Witt to tie the rating.

Brett Baty’s throwing error allowed Dairon Blanco to achieve in opposition to Grant Hartwig and Drew Waters’ ensuing stroll loaded the bases earlier than Walker’s balk.

“You all the time really feel unhealthy when video games will not be determined by the gamers,” supervisor Buck Showalter mentioned. “However you may say that it was, as a result of he balked. It’s very technical. You’ve got to step off there.”

The skeleton lineup fielded by the Mets of their first recreation after the commerce deadline included Rafael Ortega in his membership debut, DJ Stewart and Danny Mendick.

After Josh Walker and Francisco Alvarez had bother with PitchCom, Walker was known as for a balk and the Royals stroll off with the victory in 10 innings. pic.twitter.com/qoq3B1QwKJ

— SNY (@SNYtv) August 2, 2023

However regardless of being removed from Murderers’ Row (Brandon Nimmo reported tightness in his quadriceps following batting follow and was rested for precautionary causes), the lineup nonetheless had the Mets in place to win following Alvarez’s homer over the center-field fence within the tenth.

The loss got here hours after the Mets traded Justin Verlander, Tommy Pham and Dominic Leone as a part of their retooling for the longer term.

Jose Quintana, who drew curiosity earlier than the deadline, allowed three earned runs on six hits and two walks over 6 ²/₃ innings.

Adam Ottavino flushed a 4-3 lead within the eighth by strolling Melendez, who stole second after which scored on Freddy Fermin’s sacrifice fly.

Pete Alonso blasted homer No. 31 of the season to provide the Mets a 1-0 lead within the second inning. It was the fifth homer in seven video games for Alonso, who indicated he was unaware if the Mets shopped him earlier than the commerce deadline.

Earlier than the sport, normal supervisor Billy Eppler declined to say if he considered Alonso, who can head to free company after subsequent season, as a part of the group’s future.

“We love having Pete right here,” Eppler mentioned. “So far as what goes past his final yr of management I’m going to maintain these conversations inner, however he’s such a powerful participant for this group and he means a lot to the group and our identification. Between him and Francisco [Lindor] and Brandon [Nimmo], these are guys we depend on, they’re large folks and nice gamers, nice teammates.”

The Royals tied it 1-1 within the fifth on Maikel Garcia’s sacrifice fly. Alonso acquired hit within the face by the ball on a sliding try and catch a pop up close to the first-base dugout through the at-bat. He was examined by the coach and remained within the recreation.

Blanco stole third and raced residence on Alvarez’s throwing error on the play to provide the Royals a 2-1 lead within the seventh. A 3rd run was charged to Quintana on Garcia’s single in opposition to Trevor Gott within the inning.

The Mets rallied for 3 runs within the eighth to go forward 4-3. Alonso delivered a bloop RBI single and Baty walked with the bases loaded earlier than Mark Vientos hit a sacrifice fly.