Four days off did little to cool off Curtis Granderson’s hot bat.
After missing the previous four games with a mild calf strain, the Mets outfielder was back in the lineup Sunday and had two hits, including a first-inning, opposite-field home run off Cubs starter Jon Lester, in the Mets’ 14-3 rout of the Cubs to seal a four-game sweep at Citi Field.
“I think it was the biggest hit we had,” manager Terry Collins said after the Mets recorded 22, equaling a franchise-record for hits in a home game. “Noah [Syndergaard] is throwing good, they jump on us in the first inning, and Curtis walks up there and answers right away, off Jon Lester. That really got everything going. With Curtis getting us out of the gate, guys caught onto it.”
Granderson now has a four-game hitting streak during which he is 6-for-11. Most importantly, he said his calf felt fine after playing right field.
“I was just trying to go ahead and put good swings on the pitches when you get them,” Granderson said.
Jose Reyes continued his stint in the minor leagues with Double-A Binghamton on Sunday, going 1-for-2 with two walks and his first stolen base, and it remains uncertain when he will join the Mets. Collins said he would be “surprised” if Reyes was back in Queens on Monday, when the Mets open a three-game series with the Marlins.
So far, in seven games, Reyes is hitting .206 (6-for-29) with six runs scored and two RBIs playing third base. On Thursday, general manager Sandy Alderson said it would be three-to-six more days before Reyes was brought up.
“The last report I had was [Friday]. He just didn’t think he was ready just yet,” Collins said. “They tell me he’s moving good. I’ve heard that he’s handled third base very, very well. He’s just not real comfortable at the plate right now.”
The eighth inning featured an odd matchup only seen in blowouts: Catcher Miguel Montero pitching for the Cubs against pitcher Jacob deGrom, pinch hitting for the Mets. DeGrom flew out to left field.
“I could’ve hit anybody there,” Collins said. “Jake said he wanted to hit, so I let him go hit.”
The Mets have now hit 19 first-inning home runs, tied with the Astros for the most in baseball. …. Asdrubal Cabrera was given the day off to rest his aching knee, but Collins said the shortstop will be back in the lineup Monday against the Marlins.