In a rematch of the 1973 World Series, the Athletics come to town! We only match up with the AL West every three years so it’s a welcomed change of pace to see Oakland come to town. The MLB Trade Deadline will be a narrative running all weekend as both the Athletics and Mets are to be sellers this year. The cross-town team, the Yankees, has been linked to both the first basemen of the Athletics and Mets (Alonso & Duda). We may be in for a #HugWatch weekend.
The Mets are coming of a series split with the Cardinals. Sometimes luck does come the Mets way as a mental mistake by the Cards in the bottom of the ninth led to a Mets win. Tonight Steven Matz looks to get back on the right track. He is 2-3 over 7 games and 39.1 innings with a 4.58 ERA, 5.35 FIP and 1.347 WHIP. He is coming off the worst start of his career where he allowed 7 runs off 9 hits and a walk in 1.0 innings. In his last two starts he has allowed 12 runs over 5.1 innings. Only two Athletics have seen Matz in a game: Rajai Davis (1-3) and Adam Rosales (0-2).
The Mets get a look at rookie Paul Blackburn making his 4th career start. So far he is 1-0 over 3 games and 19.2 innings with an 1.83 ERA, 4.71 FIP and 1.119 WHIP. He is coming off his first statistically average start of the year where he allowed 3 runs off 5 hits and 4 walks in 6.0 innings. Previously he allowed only 1 run off 8 hits in 7.2 innings (which explains why his FIP and ERA is so different). Before being called up this year he was 5-6 over 79.2 innings with a 3.05 ERA in the minors.
Let’s Go Mets!
