DETROIT – For a season debut after five weeks on the injured list, the Mets had to like what they saw from Justin Verlander on Thursday.
But the ultimate outcome was utterly unacceptable.
The Mets are reeling, in need of an energy infusion, a fact that was underscored in their 2-0 loss at Comerica Park that gave the underwhelming Tigers a three-game sweep.
On this day the Mets (16-16) managed only three hits while losing for the ninth time in 11 games.
Left-hander Eduardo Rodriguez fired eight shutout innings with nine strikeouts to frustrate manager Buck Showalter’s beleaguered crew.
The Mets were shut out for the sixth time this season.
Verlander’s debut after spending over a month rehabbing from a strained teres major muscle near his right armpit started rough, with two home runs allowed in the first inning.
But the right-hander survived, lasting through the fifth with only the two earned runs allowed on five hits with five strikeouts and one walk.
He threw 79 pitches.
The former Tigers star received a standing ovation from the crowd as he walked to the mound in the first inning. Verlander spent 13 seasons with the Tigers before he was traded to the Astros in 2017.
He arrived to the Mets last offseason on a two-year contract worth $86.6 million.
Verlander’s start appeared heading in the same direction as Max Scherzer’s a night earlier following consecutive homers by Riley Greene and Javier Baez in the first inning.
But Verlander retired the final two batters in the inning and avoided trouble for the remainder of his start.
In the nightcap of Wednesday’s doubleheader, Scherzer returned from a 10-game suspension and allowed six earned runs on eight hits, including two homers, over 3 1/3 innings.
Unlike Scherzer – whose velocity lagged – Verlander had his normal heat, averaging 95 mph with his four-seam fastball.
Verlander topped out at 96.6 mph with the four-seamer.
The Mets’ chances were scarce.
Tommy Pham singled in the second inning and was thrown out attempting to steal second.
Eduardo Escobar walked in the third and was left stranded, and Starling Marte’s leadoff single was wasted in the fourth.
Brandon Nimmo’s single in the ninth snapped a streak of 16 straight batters retired by the Tigers.
But Nimmo was thrown out attempting to steal second, and Marte struck out to end the game.
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