213 Miles From Shea

The Mets return home!

The Mets haven’t been home since the All-Star break. Since then they’ve had a lackluster series in Pittsburgh, a series where they battled severe pitching shortages in Cincy and have now extended their division lead to 4.0 games. The Braves and Phillies, tied for second in the division, play each other this weekend while the Mets take on an old friend tonight (more on that in a bit).

The Mets got a much needed off day yesterday. The pitchers though basically got two days off thanks to Marcus Stroman. Stroman put on a show on Wednesday, holding the Reds scoreless for 8.0 innings, giving the Mets stability.

Tylor Megill will look to make stability from the rotation a multiple game thing as he takes the mound tonight. In his first 5 starts and 24.0 innings this year he has a 2.63 ERA, 3.70 FIP, 1.208 WHIP and a 150 ERA+. He’s coming off of his best start in his career, 6.0 scoreless innings scattering 6 hits while walking none. This will be Megill’s first game against the Blue Jays.

Big night tonight for those who like to see old friends, Steven Matz makes his Citi Field return! Matz, pitcher for the Mets since 2015, was traded this off-season to the Blue Jays for Yennsy Diaz and Sean Reid-Foley (another player, Josh Winckowski who the Mets traded). A beloved Long Island native, Matz enjoyed success and faced obstacles while he was with the Mets. This year he has made 16 starts and pitched 81.1 innings with a 4.43 ERA, 3.97 FIP, 1.328 WHIP and a 101 ERA+. He’s coming off of a solid start where he didn’t allow any runs over 5.0 innings (3 hits, no walks). Before that he allowed 8 runs, 7 earned over 6.2 innings in two starts. Only two Mets have seen Matz before:

• Jonathan Villar 2-7, 3 K
• Kevin Pillar 0-5, BB, K

Let’s Go Mets!

The Mets need tomorrow’s day off.

After back to back days using the entire bullpen to the limit, the Mets were hoping to get at least 3 if not 4 innings from Robert Stock last night. However, the injury bug continued to haunt the Mets and Stock left with an injury after running to first base in the top of the second. The Mets bullpen did an excellent job keeping them in the game to the point that losing 4-3 almost feels like a win. The Yankees beat the Phillies so the Mets maintained their 2.5 game lead in the east.

All of that makes today’s start by Marcus Stroman that much more important. Stroman today will look to save both the series and the Mets bullpen. In 19 starts and 103.1 innings this year Stroman has a 2.79 ERA, 3.61 FIP, 1.142 WHIP and a 140 ERA+. In the month of July he has pitched 15.0 innings allowing 10 runs, 8 earned, from 19 hits and 1 walk. The Reds have the following numbers against him:

• Kyle Farmer 1-2, HR
• Tyler Naquin 8-14, 2B, K
• Eugenio Suarez 2-7, BB
• Joey Votto 1-5, BB
• Nick Castellanos 2-17, HR, BB, 2 K
• Mike Freeman 0-1
• Tucker Barnhart 0-2, K

The Mets bats will look to bounce back from last night against Jeff Hoffman. Hoffman has pitched 41.0 innings over 10 starts with a 4.61 ERA, 4.66 FIP, 1.585 WHIP and a 103 ERA+. This will be his first start since May 26th against the Nationals where he allowed 2 runs from 2 hits and 5 walks in 1.1 innings. He landed on the IL with a right shoulder impingement and will be making this start as a way to give Mahle and Castillo an extra day off. The Mets have the following numbers against Hoffman:

• Jeff McNeil 2-3, HR, K
• Dominic Smith 1-1
• J.D. Davis 1-3, K
• Pete Alonso 1-5, HR, 2 K
• Michael Conforto 2-9, 2B, 3 BB, K
• Jonathan Villar 1-5, BB, K
• Brandon Nimmo 1-3, K
• Tomas Nido 0-1, BB, K
• Kevin Pillar 0-2

Let’s Go Mets!

Who’s going to pitch for the Mets tonight?

Robert Stock will start for the Mets and we’ll break down his numbers later, but after Stock it’s a pretty large question mark. The Mets played a hell of a back and forth game last night eventually winning in the 11th inning. The Mets needed to use 7 pitchers to get to the end of the game and this was after the used 6 pitchers on Sunday. So the Mets bullpen is pretty much as taxed as it has every been right now.

But wins are wins and now the Mets need to figure out how to do it again today. Yesterday the offense broke out in a huge way hitting 7 homers. With the Mets getting a spot start from Robert Stock and facing the most successful 2021 starting pitcher on the Reds, they are going to need the bats to continue yesterday’s momentum.

Robert Stock has made one start as a Met and the Mets got exactly what they needed from it – he allowed 2 runs from 4 hits and 2 walks over 4.0 innings. Not incredibly deep into the game, but better than his 2021 start against the Mets where he allowed 5 runs over 4.0 innings. A few Reds have seen him in major league action before:

• Joey Votto 0-0, BB
• Eugenio Suarez 0-1
• Tucker Barnhart 0-2

Wade Miley is having a bounce back season with the Reds this year. Last year he had a 5.65 ERA over 14.1 innings and 6 games. This year in 16 starts and 96.1 innings he has a 2.80 ERA, 3.24 FIP, 1.163 WHIP and 168 ERA+. In July he has pitched 14.2 innings over two games and allowed only 2 runs from 17 hits and 4 walks. There are only a handful of Mets players who have seen Miley in a major league game:

• James McCann 4-10, 2B, 2 K
• Kevin Pillar 7-24, 2B, HR, BB, 6 K
• Jonathan Villar 1-9, BB, 5 K
• Jose Peraza 2-14, 3 K

Let’s Go Mets!

The Mets head to Ohio looking for two wins in a row!

The Pirates got a 6-0 lead yesterday in the first inning. The inning was bizarre with a fair dribbler being swiped off the line by Walker, allowing 3 runs to score. It was just a hair fair and Luis Rojas got tossed for arguing the call. The rest of the game was a reverse of the game from the Sunday before the All-Star break – an exorcism of a terrible day if you will. The Mets clawed back scoring a run, then getting three from Blankenhorn’s first career homer. Michael Conforto had his biggest hit of the year with a two-run, go-ahead homer in the ninth inning, finally giving the Mets the lead. What. A. Day.

So the Mets maintain their two game lead in the division as Jerad Eickhoff returns to pitch for the Mets. In three games and two starts this year, Eickhoff has pitched 12.2 innings with a 4.97 ERA, 9.33 FIP, 1.658 WHIP and an 80 ERA+. If you watched any Eickhoff starts you know the main concern – hitters are making hard contact. Hard contact is a way to eventually get into trouble. The Reds have the following numbers against Eickhoff:

• Tyler Naquin 2-3, 3B, K
• Joey Votto 1-4, HR, BB
• Tucker Barnhart 1-4, 2B
• Euegnio Suarez 1-6, 2 K

The Mets bats will get a look at rookie Vladimir Gutierrez tonight, who is making his 10th career start. In his first 9 starts and 50.1 innings he has a 4.29 ERA, 5.30 FIP, 1.351 WHIP and a 109 ERA+. He’s had a good July, allowing 3 ER over 12.0 innings from 10 hits and 4 walks. Before this stretch he allowed 14 runs over 15.1 innings (3 starts). This will be his first start against the Mets and it will be the first time anyone on the Mets have seen Vladimir in a major league game.

Let’s Go Mets!

The Mets lost in historic fashion last night and now try to avoid being swept by the Pittsburgh Pirates. Tylor Megill gave the Mets exactly what they needed yesterday but the bullpen fell apart and blew a 6-0 lead as the Pirates were able to score 5 runs in the 8th inning and 4 runs in the ninth to take the game. Between the loss, the Lindor injury and the deGrom injury – yesterday was a really bad day in Mets land.

But today is a new day and a new chance to start a winning streak. Fresh off the All-Star game Taijuan Walker makes the start today for the Mets. Walker has made 16 starts and pitched 90.0 innings this year with a 2.50 ERA, 3.16 FIP, 1.033 WHIP and a 155 ERA+. He faced the Pirates before the All-Star break and allowed 2 runs over 5.0 innings from 4 hits and 3 walks in a game the Mets won 13-4. The Pirates have the following numbers against Walker:

• Ben Gamel 1-1, BB
• Jared Oliva 1-2, 2B, K
• John Nogowski 1-2, 2B
• Gregory Polanco 1-3
• Adam Frazier 2-7
• Michael Perez 0-1
• Kevin Newman 0-1
• Bryan Reynolds 0-3
• Ke’Bryan Hayes 0-3, K

The Mets draw JT Brubaker for the series concluder today. Brubaker has made 16 starts and tossed 88.2 innings this year with a 4.47 ERA, 4.71 FIP, 1.150 WHIP and a 92 ERA+. His last start was against the Mets who scored 6 runs over 5.0 innings against from 6 hits including 2 homers. He’s allowed 11 earned runs in his last 11 innings of work. The Mets have the following numbers against him:

• James McCann 3-4, 2 HR, K
• Jonathan Villar 1-2, HR
• Brandon Nimmo 2-3, 2B, K
• Pete Alonso 1-3, HR
• Dominic Smith 1-3, K
• Jeff McNeil 0-2, K
• Michael Conforto 0-2, K

Let’s Go Mets!

The Mets try to move beyond last night’s game with the Pirates and avoid the series/season loss to the Pirates with today’s game! Not much positive with yesterday’s game – the Mets bats were flat, they left a ton of runners in scoring position and lost Francisco Lindor to a right side injury. With the way the Mets were working counts and getting on base early, the game felt like it should have been a blowout.

Alas, the Mets will turn to Tylor Megill to put the team back on the right track. In four starts and 18.0 innings this year, the rookie pitcher has a 3.50 ERA, 4.12 FIP, 1.278 WHIP and a 114 ERA+. He’s allowed 2 runs over 8.2 innings in his last two starts including one against the Pirates where he allowed 1 run over 3.2 innings. The Pirates got on base a lot in that game, 4 hits and 3 walks, but Megill was able to keep them to one run. An interesting note, in his four starts this year he has thrown 92, 85, 92 and 85 pitches. The Pirates have the following numbers against Megill:

• Wilmer Difo 1-1
• Ke’Bryan Hayes 1-2, K
• Bryan Reynolds 1-2
• Kevin Newman 1-2, K
• Jared Oliva 0-1, BB
• Jacob Stallings 0-1, BB, K
• Ben Gamel 0-1, BB
• John Nogowski 0-2, 2 K
• Rodolfo Castro 0-2, 2 K

The Mets bats will try to move on from last night against Wil Crowe who has pitched in 13 games and made 12 starts this season. Over 55.0 innings he has a 6.05 ERA, 5.83 FIP, 1.618 WHIP and a 68 ERA+. Good news for Wil, he’s allowed 2 runs in four of his last 5 starts. But he also has left the game with 4.2 innings of work in three of those starts because of his pitch count. He’s still allowing a lot of people on base (10 hits and 5 walks in his last two starts) but they aren’t scoring. The only Met who has seen him in a game is Jonathan Villar who is 2-2 against him.

Let’s Go Mets!

Second half baseball baby!

The Mets enter the 2nd half of the year holding onto first place in the division! The Mets survived a first half filled with injuries, players stepping up, improbable wins and surprise cancellations. The season has been a roller coaster and defined by a team that genuinely likes each other and has fun on the field.

On a smaller scale – the Mets return exactly where they left off, playing the Pirates! The Mets and Pirates split a four game series before the All-Star break with the Mets having one of their worst losses of the season last Sunday.

Marcus Stroman will start the Mets revenge tour against the Pirates. In 18 starts and 98.1 innings this season, Stroman has a 2.75 ERA, 3.65 FIP, 1.119 WHIP and a 142 ERA+. His last three starts have been rough – allowing 12 runs, 8 earned, from 16 hits and 4 walks over 13.0 innings. This includes a start against Pittsburgh where he allowed 3 runs over 5.0 innings from 5 hits, including a homer from the opposing starting pitcher. The Pirates have the following numbers against him:

• Bryan Reynolds 4-5, 2B
• John Nogowski 1-2, 2B, K
• Michael Perez 3-5, 2B, BB
• Ben Gamel 4-10, 2B, BB, 2 K
• Adam Frazier 4-10
• Cole Tucker 0-2
• Jacob Stallings 0-2
• Wilmer Difo 0-2
• Kevin Newman 0-2

The Mets bats will kick off the second half against Chad Kuhl. Over 11 starts and 51.1 innings this year Chad has a 4.73 ERA, 5.35 FIP, 1.364 WHIP and an 87 ERA+. Chad missed the Mets before the All-Star break and is making his first start since July 6th where he allowed 1 run over 6.0 innings from 4 hits and no walks against the Braves. In his last four starts he has a 2.42 ERA over 22.1 innings allowing exactly one run in three of those four starts. The Mets have the following numbers against him:

• Jose Peraza 4-10, 2 BB, K
• James McCann 1-4, BB
• Kevin Pillar 0-1, BB
• Jonathan Villar 2-11, BB, 4 K
• Michael Conforto 0-4, BB, K
• Billy McKinney 0-2
• Dominic Smith 0-2, 2 K

Let’s Go Mets!

Yesterday was an odd one for the Mets – splitting a double header. The “how” the Mets split the double header was the strange part. The Mets should have been more dominant in the first game but Stroman and the bullpen struggled and the Mets allowed 6 runs and could only score 2 runs against Tyler Anderson.

But the night cap was a different story! Megill was great and the Mets offense got a couple of big hits to hold onto the game by the score of 4-2. Highlights include an Alonso homer and a 10 pitch inning with three strikeouts from Edwin Diaz to close out the game. Now the Mets will try to take the series this afternoon before heading into the All-Star break.

It’s going to be a bullpen day for the Mets! There was some talk, mostly just hope from fans, that deGrom would get a start on short rest today but that’s not happening. The Mets are going to start with Aaron Loup who has been fantastic this year. In 30 games and 26.0 innings he has a 1.73 ERA, 1.52 FIP, 1.000 WHIP and a 226 ERA+. He faced the Pirates yesterday and allowed only a walk in an inning of work. The most he has thrown was 3.0 innings on June 22nd against the Braves, but given that he just did an inning yesterday, I find it doubtful we’ll see Loup for longer than two innings, if that.

The Pirates are sending out Chase De Jong to close the series. Over 7 starts and and 33.2 innings this year he has a 5.08 ERA, 5.04 FIP, 1.545 WHIP and an 81 ERA+. He’s coming off of one of his better starts of season where he allowed 1 run from 4 hits and 3 walks from 5.0 innings. Before that he allowed 9 runs in 9.2 innings of work from two starts. The Mets have the following numbers against Chase:

• Pete Alonso 1-1, HR
• Francisco Lindor 1-2, HR
• Kevin Pillar 1-2, BB
• Brandon Nimmo 0-0, BB
• Jeff McNeil 0-0, BB
• Michael Conforto 0-0, BB

Let’s Go Mets!

Thanks to the rain on Thursday that flooded New York, the Mets and Pirates are playing two games today! The Mets handled Thursdays game very differently than Tuesday’s rain out. The Mets didn’t make the call for that game until 2.5 hours after the scheduled first pitch with fans in the ball park the entire time. The hope then was to squeeze in another deGrom start before the All-Star break which is easier today if deGrom made his scheduled start. On Thursday the Mets cancelled the game hours before first pitch and unlike the Brewers series, made the double header single admission rather than split admission (which feels very cheap when double headers aren’t full games).

So here we are at the second Pirates vs Mets game of the day, this one being led by Tylor Megill. (We could have had a Tyler vs Tylor match up today). In his first three major league starts Megill has pitched 14.1 innings with a 3.77 ERA, 4.71 FIP, 1.116 WHIP and a 105 ERA+. His start against the Brewers was the best of his three starts this year where he allowed 1 run from 2 hits and 2 walks over 5.0 innings. It was also the second time he reached 92 pitches as a major leaguer. The goal today will be similar, with 5.0 innings in a shortened game holding more value than in a full game.

The Pirates are calling Max Kranick up to make his second career start. Since his first start at the end of June against the Cardinals, the Pirates have been using a 6-man rotation. Kranick was immediately sent down after his last start and since he’s the 27th man today heading into the All-Star break, probably the same thing will happen again. The Pirates prospect had a strong start against the Cardinals in his first start, allowing no hits and no walks in 5.0 innings while striking out 3. Across Double A Altoona and Triple A Indianapolis he has made 8 starts in the minors this year totaling 38.0 innings with a 5.21 ERA.

Let’s Go Mets!

Pile it on!

In one inning last night the game went from nerve wracking to wildly lopsided. The Mets and Pirates were trading single runs for the first 5 innings of the game, going into the 6th inning with a score of 2-2. The Mets then exploded in that inning scoring 10 runs, including another hit by pitch with the bases loaded, another walk with the bases loaded and the first grand slam of the season (Francisco Lindor). The Mets offense was overdue for an explosive day and hopefully it carries over in their two ball games today.

Marcus Stroman starts off the busy afternoon for the Mets. In 17 starts and 93.1 innings he has a 2.60 ERA, 3.66 FIP, 1.125 WHIP and a 148 ERA+. He’s coming off of a rough start against the Yankees where he allowed 5 runs, only 3 earned, over 5.0 innings from 6 hits and a walk. The start before that he ran into some control troubles and the start before that he only pitched one inning due to injury. It would be great for Stroman to have a solid, normal start today to launch into the All-Star break with. The Pirates have the following numbers against him:

• Bryan Reynolds 3-3, 2B
• Michael Perez 2-3, 2B, BB
• Ben Gamel 4-8, 2B, BB, K
• Adam Frazier 3-7
• Jacob Stallings 0-2
• Kevin Newman 0-2

The Mets bats look to keep last night’s offense going against Tyler Anderson. Anderson has made 16 starts and pitched 92.1 innings this year with a 4.39 ERA, 4.41 FIP, 1.191 WHIP and a 94 ERA+. He is coming off of his best start of the season where he allowed 3 hits and no runs over 7.0 innings against the Brewers. In his last 7 starts he has and a 3.95 ERA, so he’s pitching better than his season average for the last month or so. The Mets have the following career stats vs Anderson:

• Brandon Nimmo 2-3, HR, K
• Michael Conforto 2-3
• Jonathan Villar 2-6, 2B, 3 K
• Kevin Pillar 1-3
• Jose Peraza 0-6, BB

Let’s Go Mets!