213 Miles From Shea

With yesterday’s loss against the Phillies the Mets clinched another losing season. Now with the winning record dream gone, not that there was much of a chance anyway, they head down 95 to play for pride against the Nationals.

And nothing says, “Hey! Let’s go out there and have some fun” quite like Jason Vargas. Yay Vargas. Vargas is 6-9 over 18 starts and 79.1 innings with a 6.47 ERA, 5.42 FIP, 1.538 WHIP and 57 ERA+. He’s coming off an average to good start where he allowed 2 runs over 6.0 innings and in his last 6 games he is 4-1 allowing 12 runs, 11 earned, over 32.0 innings which is a 3.09 ERA (made even better when you recall one of those starts was 5 runs, 4 earned over 3.1 innings). He shut out the Nationals in one start this year over 6.0 innings. The Nationals have the following numbers against him:

• Wieters 6-21, 2B, BB
• Reynolds 3-8, 2 2B, BB
• Zimmerman 3-7, 2B
• Eaton 1-5
• Harper 0-3
• Randon 0-3
• Turner 0-3

The Mets could do deGrom a huge favor tonight and tag Scherzer for a bunch of runs and get him a loss. He is 17-7, leading the league in wins over 31 games and 206.2 innings (league leading, but deGrom is close despite missing starts). Over that time he has posted a 2.53 ERA, 2.66 FIP, 0.915 WHIP (league leading) and a 168 ERA+. In his last 6 starts he has pitched 43.0 innings allowing 9 runs while posting a 1.88 ERA. In one start against the Mets this year he allowed 3 runs off 5 hits in 7.0 innings. The Mets have the following numbers against him:

• Reyes 10-31, 2B, HR, 2 BB
• Conforto 7-21, 3 HR, 2 BB
• Bruce 5-16, 2B, 3B, HR, 2 BB
• Flores 0-17, BB, 8 K
• Plawecki 3-15, HR, 5 K
• Nimmo 2-11, HR, BB, 6 K
• Frazier 0-8, 3 K
• Rosario 1-2, 2B

Let’s Go Mets!

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Everything went south for the Mets last night after Matz left the game. Matz left with a 2-0 lead, partially thanks to a homer himself but the bullpen let up 5 runs immediately and the Mets bats without the slugger Matz in the lineup fell apart.

Noah Syndergaard will take the mound today for the Mets. He is 12-3 leading the league in the useless stat of winning percentage over 22 starts and 135.1 innings with a 3.26 ERA, 2.69 FIP, 1.256 WHIP and 113 ERA+. Two starts ago he performed poorly against the Phillies allowing 4 runs and 12 hits over 6.2 innings. He rebounded his last time out allowing no runs over 7.0 innings. The Phillies have the following numbers against him:

• Hernandez 8-20, 3 BB, 5 K
• Bour 6-21, 2B
• Herrera 1-19, 2 BB
• Franco 5-19, 2B
• Ramos 7-18, 2 2B, BB
• Hoskins 2-6, 2B, HR, 4 BB
• Williams 1-10, 4 K
• Cabrera 4-7, 2 2B, 2 BB

The Mets see Zach Eflin, again. Zach is 10-7 over 22 starts and 120.1 innings with a 4.26 ERA, 3.88 FIP, 1.271 WHIP and 99 ERA+. After a bad start against the Mets on the 8th, he rebounded in his last start allowing only 1 run over 6.1 innings against the Marlins. In three games against the Mets this year he has allowed 13 runs off 16 hits in 14.2 innings. The Mets have the following numbers against him:

• Conforto 3-13, 2B, HR, BB
• Reyes 3-10, 3 2B, 2 K
• Rosario 3-8, 3 2B
• Nimmo 1-6, BB
• Smith 1-6, BB
• Flores 1-6
• McNeil 2-6, 2B, 3B
• Bruce 2-3
• Frazier 1-2, HR

Let’s Go Mets!

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The Mets offense came back last night as they tagged the Phillies for 9 runs in a game that was quite back and forth until the end. Conforto was the star of the night recording 6 RBIs including a homer to bring him to 26 on the season. The Mets failed to get Jacob deGrom a win on Sunday but they can help him by tagging Aaron Nola tonight.

Steven Matz takes the mound for the Mets. He is 5-11 over 27 games and 140.0 innings with a 4.18 ERA, 4.68 FIP, 1.236 WHIP and 88 ERA+. In his last five starts he has pitched 30.1 innings with a 2.67 ERA including a start against the Phillies where he allowed 2 runs over 5.0 innings, which was way better than his start coming back to the rotation on August 16th against the Phillies where he allowed 6 runs, 4 earned over 2.0 innings. The Phillies have the following numbers against him:

• Hoskins 1-8, HR, BB
• Ramos 3-11
• Santana 1-11, HR
• Hernandez 3-8
• Bour 0-6
• Herrera 1-5, HR
• Altherr 1-4, 2B
• Franco 2-5
• Alfaro 1-3

Aaron Nola is 16-5 over 30 games and 193.2 innings for the Phillies posting a 2.42 ERA, 2.97 FIP, 0.971 WHIP and a 174 ERA+. In the month of September though he has allowed 11 runs and 14 hits over 17.2 innings which is a 5.60 ERA raising his year ERA from 2.10 to 2.42. One of those starts was against the Mets where he allowed 3 runs over 7.0 innings (besides that he has been very good against the Mets allowing 4 runs over 25.0 innings in 4 starts). The Mets have the following numbers against Nola:

• Conforto 3-18, HR, 2 BB, 6 K
• Bruce 4-14, HR, BB, 4 K
• Nimmo 1-10, 5 BB, 5 K
• Rosario 3-12, 2B
• Plawecki 0-7
• Reyes 1-10, 3 K
• Frazier 0-7, BB
• Smith 1-9, HR
• McNeil 2-6, 2B

Let’s Go Mets!

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The Mets dropped their last two games in Boston by slim margins. Yesterday, the Mets burned another deGrom start, at least this time deGrom wasn’t saddled with the loss. The Mets will head down I-95 past home and all the way to Philly.

Wheeler is 11-7 over 28 games and 175.1 innings with a 3.23 ERA, 3.19 FIP, 1.135 WHIP and 114 ERA+. His last start was spectacular against the Marlins where he shut them out over 8.0 innings allowing only 4 hits and nothing else. In his last 9 games he has pitched 61.0 innings with a 1.18 ERA. One of his last poor starts was against the Phillies where he allowed 3 runs from 7 hits in 4.2 innings (July 14th). The Phillies have the following numbers against him:

• Ramos 3-12, 2B
• Cabrera 1-10, BB
• Hernandez 7-11
• Herrera 1-9, HR
• Bour 1-7, 2 BB
• Fanco 1-7, HR, 2 BB
• Santana 1-1, 4 BB

The Mets bats draw Jake Arrieta who is 10-9 over 28 games and 159.2 innings with a 3.66 ERA, 4.22 FIP, 1.240 WHIP and 115 ERA+. In his last four starts he has allowed 15 runs off 21 hits in 21.1 innings leading to a 6.33 ERA. His last good start was against the Mets where he allowed 1 run over 6.0 innings. The Mets have the following numbers against him:

• Frazier 6-20, 2B, 2 HR, 7 K
• Flores 4-19, 2B
• Bruce 3-16, 2B, BB, 8 K
• Confortio 1-9, 2 BB
• Jackson 4-9
• Reyes 3-7, 2B
• Nimmo 1-5

Let’s Go Mets!

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The Mets close out their series with the Red Sox today with a marquee match up. Jacob deGrom vs Chris Sale. Jacob deGrom is still trying to prove people who believe in wins as a stat that he should be the Cy Young. Chris Sale is about to get the bump that is “pitcher facing Jacob deGrom”. Yesterday the Red Sox were able to snap the Mets winning streak after the Mrets went up 3-0 early. Lets hope the Mets can get back on the winning track today.

Jacob deGrom is 8-9 over 29 starts and 195.0 innings with a 1.71 ERA, 2.06 FIP, 0.954 WHIP and a 216 ERA+. Since the start of August deGrom has pitched 8 games going 3-3 over 56.2 innings with an even smaller ERA at 1.43. He has struck out 75 during this stretch. The Red Sox have the following numbers against him:

• Nunez 3-6, 3B
• Phillips 0-5
• Betts 1-3
• Bogaerts 0-3
• Bradley Jr 0-3, 2K
• Holt 1-3
• Martinez 1-3

Chris Sale has been as advertised this year going 12-4 over 24 starts and 147.0 innings with a 1.96 ERA, 1.95 FIP, 0.850 WHIP and a 222 ERA+. Now he’s coming back from a stint on the DL for the second time in the last two months. Last time he pitched 1.0 inning allowing a hit and 2 K’s. On August 12th he allowed 1 hit over 5.0 innings while striking out 12. The Mets strategy today, and it’s a tough one against a strikeout master like Sale, is to work counts and get him out of the game quickly. The Mets have the following numbers against him:

• Jackson 2-37, 2B, 2 BB, 17 K
• Frazier 3-10, 3 HR, 3 K
• Reyes 2-8
• Bruce 1-2

Let’s Go Mets!

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The Mets and Noah Syndergaard had a resounding victory against the Red Sox last night and Corey Oswalt will look to keep it going today. Syndergaard shut the Red Sox out for 7.0 innings last night and the Mets hit 4 homers leading to 8 runs in a rout at Fenway.

Oswalt is starting today thanks to mother nature. Ever since Monday’s rainout, today was became a question mark as who could go with a double header scheduled for Tuesday, which then really happened on Wednesday. At least Oswalt got more of a heads up for this start. On Sunday he found out pretty close to game time as the Mets didn’t want to send out deGrom after the rain delay with a threat of more rain. On the season Oswalt is 3-2 over 14 games and 9 starts with 53.0 innings with a 6.62 ERA, 6.02 FIP, 1.358 WHIP and a 56 ERA+. As a starter (43.2 innings), he has posted a 5.36 ERA and a 1.282 WHIP.

The Mets bats will get a look at long time Tiger and now long time Red Sex, Rick Porcello today. He is 16-7 over 30 game sand 179.1 innings with a 4.27 ERA, 4.00 FIP, 1.177 WHIP and a 102 ERA+. In his last five starts he has pitched 27.2 innings with a 5.53 ERA. The Mets have the following numbers against Rick:

• Reyes 6-12, 3B
• Lobaton 3-8, BB
• Frazier 0-3, BB
• Bruce 0-2, BB
• Jackson 0-3

Let’s Go Mets!

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I’m not 100% where to start with yesterday because a lot happened. The Mets held a press conference with David Wright announcing that he would suit up at Citi Field on 9/29 for the final time. Then the Mets had to play two games and won both! Matz was average but the bullpen was able to keep it together behind him, and the team got bailed out by some back to back power. Then in the night cap, Vargas was good again and Nido provided the power. In what seemed like a pipe dream, then a far reaching dream, is now possible: Conforto only has 5 homers left to get to 30 before the end of the season.

Noah Syndergaard takes the mound after his outing ended abruptly when he got hit by a come backer. He is 11-3 over 21 starts and 128.1 innings with a 3.44 ERA, 2.70 FIP, 1.278 WHIP, and a 107 ERA+. In his last start he allowed 4 runs over 6.2 innings and it was the second start in his last three where he allowed 4 runs (also his 3rd in his last 5). Noah Syndergaard has the following numbers against the Red Sox:

• Phillips 4-12
• Betts 0-3, K
• Bogaerts 2-3
• Holt 1-3
• Kinsler 2-3
• Martinez 2-3, 2B
• Nunez 1-3
• Swihart 1-3
• Bradley Jr. 1-1, 2B

The Mets bats will get a look at Hector Velazquez who is in his second season with the Red Sox. The 29 year old is 7-2 over 41 games and 7 starts logging 76.2 innings posting a 3.29 ERA, 4.34 FIP, 1.500 WHIP and 132 ERA+. In his last start in September he allowed 2 runs over 4.0 innings. He made back to back starts against the Rays in the middle of August where he allowed 1 run over 4.0 innings and then 8 runs over 2.2 innings. Even if he is dealing, it will be surprising if he is able to go deep in this game. No one on the Mets has seen him in a major league game.

Let’s Go Mets!

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The Marlins have not announced the afternoon starter as I write this game preview this morning, but it looks like Jeff Brigham will finally get his second big league start. He was supposed to start game one of the series, then game two of yesterday’s doubleheader and now game two of today’s doubleheader.

Jason Vargas, rained out last night, will be his counterpart today. Vargas is 5-9 on the year over 17 starts and 73.1 innings with a 6.75 ERA, 5.50 FIP, 1.595 WHIP and a 55 ERA+. After a stretch of good starts, everything had to come to an end for Vargas who in his last start against the Dodgers on the 4th he allowed 5 runs, 4 earned from 6 hits in 3.1 innings. Before that game he allowed only 5 runs in 22.2 innings through 4 games, his best 4 games of the season. His last start against the Marlins was all the way back on May 21st where he allowed no runs over 5.0 innings, his first good start of the year. The Marlins have the following numbers against him:

• Castro 3-10, 3 2B, 2 BB
• Anderson 0-2
• Brinson 0-2
• Hernandez 0-2, 2 K
• Realmuto 0-2
• Rojas 1-2

In Jeff Brigham first start on the 2nd he allowed 3 runs off 4 hits and 4 walks in 3.0 innings against the Blue Jays in Miami. Across several levels of minor league ball this year he started 17 games totaling 95.1 innings with a 2.36 ERA. Last season he made 11 starts in high A and this year he made the jump to AA and then AAA.

Let’s Go Mets!

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The rain is trying its best to make sure this Mets Marlins series doesn’t happen. The first game was rained out on Tuesday. On Wednesday there was a 5 and half hour rain delay that forced game one of the doubleheader to start after 9 and game two never happened. The Mets ended up winning by a lot in the first game, 13-0, as Wheeler was just dominated the Marlins. The Mets look to repeat that feat twice today.

Steven Matz is 5-11 over 26 games and 133.2 innings with a 4.17 ERA, 4.58 FIP, 1.257 WHIP, 89 ERA+. In his last three starts he has pitched 19.0 innings posting an ERA of 1.89. In his one start against the Marlins this season he allowed 1 run, no earned, over 5.1 innings. The Marlins have the following numbers against Matz:

• Rojas 1-10, 2B
• Castro 0-8, 5 K
• Realmuto 3-7, 3 K
• Anderson 0-3
• Chen 0-3, 3 K
• Dietrich 0-2
• Riddle 1-3

The Mets bats will get a look at Sandy Alcantara making his third start this season. Over his first two he allowed only 1 run over 6 hits in 12.0 innings. He got called up for a start in June where he made his Marlins debut against the Mets allowing only 1 run over 5.0 innings. He returned with expanded rosters when he shut out the Phillies over 7.0 innings. The Mets have the following numbers against him:

• Nimmo 0-2, BB
• Conforto 0-2
• Flores 0-1, BB
• Frazier 1-2
• Rosario 0-2
• Smith 0-1

Lets Go Mets!

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The Mets play two today against the Marlins thanks to the rain on Monday. In the nightcap Jason Vargas will square off against Jeff Brigham who was supposed to make his second big league start and somehow ended up getting pushed back all the way to today.

Jason Vargas is 5-9 over 17 starts and 73.1 innings this year with a 6.75 ERA, 5.51 FIP, 1.595 WHIP and 55 ERA+. After a stretch of good starts, everything had to come to an end for Vargas who in his last start against the Dodgers on the 4th he allowed 5 runs, 4 earned from 6 hits in 3.1 innings. Before that game he allowed only 5 runs in 22.2 innings through 4 games, his best 4 games of the season. His last start against the Marlins was all the way back on May 21st where he allowed no runs over 5.0 innings, his first good start of the year. The Marlins have the following numbers against him:

• Castro 3-10, 3 2B, 2 BB
• Anderson 0-2
• Brinson 0-2
• Hernandez 0-2, 2 K
• Realmuto 0-2
• Rojas 1-2

The Mets bats will get to see Jeff Brigham in his second big league start. In his first start on the 2nd he allowed 3 runs off 4 hits and 4 walks in 3.0 innings against the Blue Jays in Miami. Across several levels of minor league ball this year he started 17 games totaling 95.1 innings with a 2.36 ERA. Last season he made 11 starts in high A and this year he made the jump to AA and then AAA.

Let’s Go Mets!

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