The Mets look to end the first half of the season on a strong note against the Royals. After beating the Brewers and Yankees in consecutive series, the Mets dropped a doubleheader (and the series) to the Orioles yesterday. Right now it feels like the Mets are bit depleted. But there’s good news for the Mets! Tonight they get Kodai Senga back! Sunday they get Sean Manaea back!
Kodai Senga returns to the Mets tonight! Senga was having a tremendous season for the Mets, pitching 73 2/3 innings over 13 starts with a 1.47 ERA, 3.19 FIP, 1.113 WHIP and a 261 ERA+. He injured his hamstring in early June and was diagnosed with a grade 1 hamstring strain. He allowed four runs, three earned over 3 2/3 in his rehab start last week. The Royals have the following career stats against him:
- Maikel Garcia 3-4
- Jonathan India 2-3, 2B, K
- Kyle Isbel 2-3
- Salvador Perez 1-3, 2B, 2 K
- Bobby Witt Jr. 2-3
The Mets batters will face off against one-time friend Michael Wacha tonight. Wacha had a 6.62 ERA over eight games and 34 innings for the 2020 New York Mets. He’s become a very consistent pitcher over the last four years, consisting putting up an ERA in the 3’s. This season he has pitched 101 innings over 18 starts with a 3.83 ERA, 3.92 FIP, 1.287 WHIP and a 108 ERA+. He’s coming off of a rough stretch where he he has allowed 12 earned runs over his last three starts (15 IP, 7.20 ERA, 4.55 FIP). The Mets have the following career numbers against him:
- Pete Alonso 3-6, HR
- Brett Baty 2-3, 2B
- Francisco Lindor, 1-2, BB
- Jeff McNeil 2-5
- Brandon Nimmo 1-2, 2B, BB
- Juan Soto 4-9, 2B, 2 K
- Tyrone Taylor 0-2
- Luis Torrens 2-4, K
- Jesse Winker 5-15, 5 K
Three Things To Watch For:
- Hitting with RISP. The Mets have just struggled with RISP this season. Yesterday the Mets went a combined 2-for-19 with RISP. Although the bullpen couldn’t finish the first game or keep the Mets in the second game, the bats just gave the team nothing to work with leaving 14 runners on base. Having at least one inning with a crooked number will go a long way for moral and setting the tone this weekend.
- The Bullpen. The Mets used five relievers yesterday. That number is low because newly named All-Star David Peterson pitched seven innings. Waddell and Hagenman on bulk duty were able to complete five innings in the second game. The bullpen yesterday just didn’t get the job done, and it’s safe to assume they may have extra work with Kodai still ramping up to full strength today.
- Juan Soto. Soto stole his 11th base of the season yesterday. He’s now only one stolen base away from matching his career high of 12 stolen bases set in 2019 and 2023. Soto still currently leads the league with 75 walks (five ahead of Devers) and is ninth in OPS at .901. Sounds like an All-Star to me.
Let’s Go Mets!
