What a series so far! Monday night the Mets had an extra-inning win. Tuesday night the Dodgers had an extra-inning win. The four game series is tied at 1-1 and the Mets currently lead the season series at 3-2.
This particular seven game series with the Dodgers is the first time I can recall that all seven games had some sort of national broadcast. The three game series in Queens were true national broadcasts (Apple TV+, FOX, ESPN). The four games in LA have been also available on MLB Network and TBS, in addition to the local broadcasts for the both clubs. The Mets and Dodgers have made the series worth it so far, with three extra-inning games in the five games so far.
Griffin Canning has a 3.23 ERA, 4.07 FIP, 1.396 WHIP and a 118 ERA+ over 53 innings so far this season. His last start was a rough one, allowing five runs, three earned, over three innings from four hits and four walks against the White Sox. This was the game the Mets moved up significantly in order to avoid rain and both starting pitchers really struggled with command. His start before that against the Dodgers has a massive asterisk over it. He was charged with three runs from one hit and four walks over 2 2/3 innings, but it started to rain heavily during the inning where the Dodgers scored the bulk of their runs against him, and it was the pitcher who relieved him 90+ minutes later, inheriting a 3-1 count that allowed the runs to score. No one will be happier than Griffin Canning for a normal weather night tonight. Anyway the Dodgers have the following career numbers against Canning:
- Mookie Betts 3-8, 2B, HR, 2 BB, K
- Michael Conforto 1-1
- Tommy Edman 1-5, HR, BB, K
- Freddie Freeman 1-6, HR, BB, 2 K
- Kiké Hernández 1-4, 2B, BB
- Teoscar Hernández 4-10, 2B, HR, 3 K
- Max Muncy 0-9, 3 BB, 5 K
- Shohei Ohtani 0-4, BB, K
- Andy Pages 1-2
- Miguel Rojas 0-2, BB
- Will Smith 2-5, 2B, BB
Tony Gonsolin has pitched 31 innings over six games with a 5.23 ERA, 6.01 FIP, 1.452 WHIP and a 75 ERA+. The last three starts have been rough for Gonsolin, allowing 13 earned runs over 15 innings including a start against the Mets where he allowed four runs from seven hits and four walks over five innings. His last start was incredibly rough, allowing four home runs against the Yankees (leading to five runs) over six innings. In addition to his home run troubles, he’s walked 11 batters over his last 15 innings. The Mets have the following numbers against him:
- Pete Alonso 2-7, 4 K
- Francisco Alvarez 0-2
- Brett Baty 1-2, BB, K
- Francisco Lindor 0-3, 2 BB
- Starling Marte 1-9, BB
- Jeff McNeil 0-6, BB
- Brandon Nimmo 1-5, HR, K
- Juan Soto 6-15, 2 2B, 3B, 2 K
- Tyrone Taylor 3-6, 2 K
- Luis Torrens 1-3, 2 K
- Jared Young 0-1
Three Things To Watch For:
- Juan Soto. Soto has a five game extra-base streak going on right now. Over his last five games he has gone 6-for-18 at the plate with two doubles, three home runs, three walks and has scored five times (.333/.455/.944). Juan Soto’s results are starting to match the under-the-hood Statcast numbers he’s had all season. Eventually the narratives around Juan Soto will start to melt away too.
- Ronny Mauricio. You can’t really keep a roster move under wraps when one of the players has to travel across the country. It was announced by reporters fairly early in the day yesterday that Mauricio was on his way to Los Angeles to fill in for Mark Vientos. Tuesday night he went 0-for-4 with a strikeout. In his 2023 rookie season he slashed .248/.296/.347 with a 78 OPS+. In nine games with Syracuse before getting called up, he was slashing .515/.564/.818 with three home runs and four stolen bases.
- José Castillo. The Mets bullpen has been in high use over the first two games of this series, with Castillo getting the night off on Tuesday there’s a good chance we’ll see him tonight. Castillo allowed eight runs on 10 hits and three walks over 6 1/3 innings with the Diamondbacks. Since joining the Mets he has allowed one unearned run from three hits and three walks over four innings while striking out six batters. the walks are still concerning, but in a limited sample, he’s having more success with the Mets. Part of that may be how the Mets are using him. He pitched in five games with the Diamondbacks leading to 6 1/3 innings. With the Mets he has also pitched in five games, but only four innings.
Let’s Go Mets!
