213 Miles From Shea

The Mets won a game!

The game looked a bit dicey for the New York Mets, but they won! After an on-field ceremony honoring Jerry Koosman, the Mets 2-0 to the Nationals early. Defensively, the Mets were just missing catches. But the Mets clawed back to tie the game thanks to two solo homers by Kevin Pillar who is now third on the Mets with homers at 12. (Caveat: homers hit by players while wearing a Mets uniform). The Nationals took the lead in the 7th on a wild pitch but then Michael Conforto hit a three-run homer in the bottom of the 7th to put the Mets up for good.

Can the Mets build on the power explosion this afternoon? They’re facing Erick Fedde today who has given up 1.2 homers per 9 innings. Over 21 starts and 102.2 innings, Fedde has a 4.91 ERA, 4.31 FIP, 1.412 WHIP and a 79 ERA+. He’s coming off of his best start since July 21st. His last time out he allowed 1 run over 6.1 innings from 6 hits and a walk while striking out 10 against the Marlins. In his 5 starts before that he allowed 17 runs, 16 earned, over 24.1 innings. That includes a start against the Mets where he allowed 2 runs over 4.0 innings. The Mets have the following numbers against him:

• Javier Báez 1-1, 2 BB
• Michael Conforto 5-11, 2B, HR, 3 K
• Jeff McNeil 5-10, 2B, 2 BB, K
• J.D. Davis 2-5, 2B, BB, 2 K
• Pete Alonso 3-9, 2 2B, 3 BB, K
• Jonathan Villar 2-8, 2 K
• Brandon Nimmo 3-16, 2 BB, 3 K
• Francisco Lindor 1-5
• Dominic Smith 1-15, BB, 3 K
• Kevin Pillar 0-2, K

Tylor Megill gets the start for the Mets today. In 12 starts and 59.2 innings he has a 4.07 ERA, 4.24 FIP, 1.274 WHIP and a 98 ERA+. He’s coming off of his worst start in his career against the Giants where he allowed 7 runs over 3.2 innings from 11 hits. The majority of August has been tough for Tylor where his only good start was also against the Giants where he held them to 1 run over 6.0 innings in San Francisco. This will be his first start against the Nationals and no one on the Nationals roster has seen him in a major league game.

Let’s Go Mets!

Stop me if you’ve heard this one – the Mets lost a winnable game last night.

The Nationals beat the Mets 2-1. Rich Hill pitched the best he has in a while for the Mets, allowing only 2 runs over 5.0 innings. Hembree, Castro, Famila and Díaz all pitched scoreless innings of relief. But the Mets bats just couldn’t get it done against the Nationals pitching. Javier Báez hit a solo homer and the Mets scattered three other hits throughout the game. Hopefully the Mets can turn things around today.

Marcus Stroman gets the start for the Mets. In 26 games and 145.1 innings he has a 2.85 ERA, 3.47 FIP, 1.115 WHIP and a 110 ERA+. In his last four starts he has pitched 23.1 innings allowing 8 runs (3.09 ERA) from 17 hits and 7 walks while striking out 28. This includes facing two of the best offenses in the league (the Dodgers and the Giants) where he allowed 5 runs over 13.0 innings. He also started against the Nationals this month and held them to 1 run on 3 hits and 2 walks over 5.1 innings in a 7-inning game. The Nationals have the following numbers against Stroman:

• Juan Soto 2-4, 2B, HR, BB, K
• Victor Robles 2-5, 2B, BB, K
• Carter Kieboom 1-2
• Yadiel Hernandez 2-4, K
• Gerardo Parra 1-3, SB
• Alcides Escobar 2-15, 3B, HR, 5 K
• Riley Adams 0-1, BB, K
• Josh Bell 1-7, 2 BB, 2 K
• Luis Garcia 0-2, K

The Mets bats face off against Sean Nolin today, making his third start this season. In his first two starts he’s allowed 7 runs over 7.0 innings from 14 hits and 3 walks. His first start was the worst of the two, and came against the Mets! The Mets tagged him for 4 runs over 3.0 innings from 8 hits including a homer. The Mets have the following stats against Sean:

• Brandon Nimmo 1-2, HR, K
• J.D. Davis 2-2
• Dominic Smith 2-2
• Jonathan Villar 1-2
• Michael Conforto 1-2
• Jeff McNeil 0-2,, K
• Pete Alonso 0-2
• Tomás Nido 0-1

Let’s Go Mets!

Carlos Carrasco gave the Mets his best start of the season last night, pitching 7.0 innings allowing 2 runs (that came on a homer in the first inning), yet it wasn’t enough. The Mets offense was still stuck in neutral and despite Alonso’s two run homer, the Mets ended up losing 3-2. Swept by the Giants, in a series where the Mets could have easily won at least two if not all three games, the Mets look to rebound against the Nationals this weekend at Citi Field.

Rich Hill has made 25 appearances this season, totaling 122.0 innings with a 4.13 ERA, 4.79 FIP, 1.205 WHIP and a 95 ERA+. Things have been way worse though with the Mets. In 6 games and 26.2 innings, Hill has a 5.06 ERA, 5.65 FIP, 1.350 WHIP and an 80 ERA+. This includes an outing against the Nationals where Hill restarted a game that was suspended in the 2nd inning. In that outing he allowed 3 runs over 3.0 innings from 4 hits and 3 walks. The Nationals have the following numbers against Hill:

• Juan Soto 2-4, HR, BB, K
• Ryan Zimmerman 7-14, 2B, 2 HR, BB, K
• Luis Garcia 1-2, 2B
• Victor Robles 2-6, 2B, HR, BB, 2 K
• Carter Kieboom 1-2, K
• Yadiel Hernandez 0-2, 2 BB
• Alcides Escobar 2-5, BB, K
• Josh Bell 2-9, 2B, 3 K
• Riley Adams 0-1
• Gerardo Parra 0-2, 2 K

The Mets bats will look to find themselves against Paolo Espino. He’s pitched in 28 games this season, making 12 starts totaling 75.2 innings with a 4.28 ERA, 4.68 FIP, 1.203 WHIP, and a 91 ERA+. In his last four starts he has allowed 15 runs over 14.1 innings. The only start where he allowed less than 3 runs was against the Mets but he only pitched one inning before the game was called for rain and the Mets scored a run anyway. The Mets have the following career numbers against Espino:

• Dominic Smith 2-3
• Pete Alonso 2-4, 2B, K
• Patrick Mazeika 1-2
• Jeff McNeil 1-4, K
• J.D. Davis 0-1, BB
• Kevin Pillar 0-2, K
• Brandon Nimmo 0-2
• Javier Báez 0-3, K
• Francisco Lindor 0-2

Let’s Go Mets!

Last night was a rough one for the Mets. Taijuan Walker gave the Mets a sparkling start while the Mets offense was just being the Mets offense. Then, in the 7th inning, Walker got in a bit of trouble with two runners on (assisted by some poor defense behind him) and Rojas took him out of the game. Walker clearly did not want to be removed. Loup, who has been great of late, came in and immediately allowed two runs to score. At that point the Mets were down 3-2 and despite having multiple opportunities to score later in the game, they couldn’t get it done.

So the Mets will turn to Carlos Carrasco to put them back on the right path. Carrasco has made 5 starts and pitched 16.1 innings with an 8.82 ERA, 5.68 FIP, 1.653 WHIP and a 46 ERA+. He’s coming off of a start against the Dodgers where he allowed 3 runs over 5.0 innings from 3 hits and a walk, it was his best start since August 4th and lowered his ERA down from 10.32. This will be Carrasco’s first start against the Giants this year. The Giants have the following career numbers against Carlos:

• Curt Casali 1-5, 2B, K
• Brandon Crawford 1-8, 2B, K
• Buster Posey 0-2, BB, K
• Kris Bryant 1-6, 2 K
• Brandon Belt 0-5, BB, 4 K

Alex Wood gets the start against the Mets tonight. Over 22 starts and 120.1 innings this year he has a 4.11 ERA, 3.64 FIP, 1.222 WHIP and a 101 ERA+. In his last two starts he has allowed 4 runs over 11.2 innings from 11 hits and 3 walks while striking out 15 batters. This is a tremendous improvement over the three starts before that. In those three starts he has allowed 14 runs, 13 earned, over 15.0 innings. This will be Wood’s first start against the Mets this season who have the following career numbers against him:

• Javier Báez 4-10, 2 2B, BB, 2 K
• Kevin Pillar 1-3, 2 BB
• J.D. Davis 1-3
• Brandon Drury 2-11, 2 K
• Michael Conforto 1-8, 2 K
• Brandon Nimmo 0-2, 2 K
• Jonathan Villar 0-2
• Jeff McNeil 0-2

Let’s Go Mets!

Around 6 PM last night, I was starting to wonder if the Mets were about to start something special. They had a good win on Sunday. They activated Francisco Lindor the first time in a month. The Giants were starting one of their weaker starters in the rotation. Maybe the Mets can get a little magic going in Queens, make a run for it this month.

Then the game happened. Tylor Megill had a real bump in the road start against hone of the best offenses in the league. The Giants starter had a great start against the Mets offense which seemed stuck. Oh well.

The Mets could always turn it around tonight though as they turn to Taijuan Walker. In 23 starts and 123.2 innings of work, Walker has a 3.86 ERA, 4.28 FIP, 1.181 WHIP and a 104 ERA+. Walker has faced the Dodgers in back to back starts, first holding them to only 1 run over 6.2 innings, in a game the Mets eventually lost 2-1. Then his last time out he allowed 4 runs over 6.0 innings, in a game the Mets eventually lost 4-1. It’s no secret Walker has struggled since the All-Star Break but recently the Mets bats have given him no help, scoring a combined 2 runs overall in the last three games he’s started. The Giants have the following numbers against Walker:

• Brandon Belt 2-7, 3B, HR, 2 BB, 2 K
• Austin Slater 1-2, BB, K
• Kris Bryant 2-4, K
• Tommy La Stella 1-2, K
• Brandon Crawford 4-15, 2 2B, BB, 5 K
• Wilmer Flores 1-3
• Buster Posey 2-8, BB, K
• Curt Casali 0-3, K

The Mets bats will get a look at Johnny Cueto tonight. Cueto has made 19 starts and pitched 104.0 innings with a 3.89 ERA, 3.93 FIP, 1.279 WHIP and a 107 ERA+. August has not been the friendliest month for Cueto. At the start of the month he made two starts allowing 7 runs, 5 earned, over 10.1 innings from 11 hits and 5 walks. He was then placed on the injured list with a right flexor strain and is making his first start of the IL tonight. The Mets have the following numbers against Cueto:

• Kevin Pillar 4-6, HR, K
• Brandon Drury 7-10, 2B, 3 BB, 2 K
• Jonathan Villar 2-11, 2B, 2 BB, 4 K
• Francisco Lindor 0-2, BB
• Javier Baéz 0-12, 5 K

Let’s Go Mets!

The Mets have faced the Dodgers, then the Giants, then the Dodgers and finally the Giants. After this series, the Mets schedule gets a bit more favorable if they want to make an improbable, last month run at the division title. On Sunday the Mets avoided the season and series sweep from the Dodgers. The Mets opened up with three quick runs in the first inning against David Price. The Dodgers eventually got two runs back but then the Mets started tacking on insurance runs. Was it a blip? Was it a start of a run for the Mets? We’ll find out tonight.

Tylor Megill has made 11 starts totaling 56.0 innings with a 3.21 ERA, 3.56 FIP, 1.161 WHIP and a 125 ERA+. He’s coming off of his best start since the end of July, where he held the Giants to 1 run over 6.0 innings from 5 hits and 2 walks while striking out 6 (in a game the Mets won 6-2). The Giants have the following numbers against Tylor:

• Wilmer Flores 1-1
• Darin Ruf 1-1
• LaMonte Wade Jr. 2-3, 2B
• Alex Dickerson 1-2, K
• Mike Yastrzemski 0-1, BB
• Brandon Belt, 0-2, BB, K
• Curt Casali 0-2, K
• Kris Bryant 0-3, 2 K
• Brandon Crawford 0-3
• Tommy La Stella 0-3, K

The Mets bats will get a look at rookie Sammy Long tonight. Over 8 games and 4 starts, Long has pitched 28.1 innings with a 5.72 ERA, 3.63 FIP, 1.271 WHIP and a 74 ERA+. Long saw consistent time in the majors from the start of June to the start July, came back for two games at the end of July and pitched a game in the middle of August. In that start, he pitched 2.0 innings allowing 1 runs from 2 hits and a walk while striking out 4. There was a three start stretch at the end of June where he pitched 15.0 innings allowing 10 runs from 15 hits. This will be Long’s first start against the Mets.

Let’s Go Mets!

The Mets had another tough loss yesterday and now face both the series and season sweep today. Yesterday, Hill and Castro let a combined 4 runs runs score over the first 5.0+ innings of the game (for Hill, it was three solo homers that did the damage) but the rest of the bullpen pitched well enough to keep the Mets in the game. Pete Alonso hit a two-run bomb in the 7th to bring the Mets within one but the Mets couldn’t complete the comeback. The Mets left 9 men on base as their free fall continued.

Marcus Stroman will look to put a stop to the fall this afternoon. In 25 starts and 139.1 innings he has a 2.84 ERA, 3.53 FIP, 1.120 WHIP and a 141 ERA+. His last time out he pitched 7.0 innings, only his 2nd time he’s pitched beyond the 6th inning since June 22nd. In that game he allowed 3 runs from 5 hits while striking out 9, but the Mets bats could only score two runs, so the Mets lost 3-2 (which honestly feels like the theme of the Mets for the last couple of weeks). This will be his first and only start against the Dodgers this season who have the following numbers against him:

• Justin Turner 2-3, K
• Trea Turner 2-5, 2 BB, 2 K
• Albert Pujols 5-14, 2B, BB, 2 K
• Corey Seager 0-3, BB, K

The Mets draw David Price in the series finale. This year he has pitched in 31 games and made 10 starts totaling 59.2 innings with a 3.62 ERA, 4.03 FIP, 1.341 WHIP and a 109 ERA+. As a starter this year he has pitched 37.1 innings with a 3.62 ERA and a 1.152 WHIP. It’s a bit surprising that his WHIP is lower as a starter and his ERA is nearly the same (his ERA as a reliever is 3.63). In Price’s last three starts he has pitched a total of 14.0 innings with a 3.86 ERA. This will be his first and only time facing the Mets this season who have the following numbers against him:

• Kevin Pillar 3-33, 2B, HR, BB, 8 K
• Brandon Drury 1-7, 2 BB, 2 K
• Jonathan Villar 4-21, 4 K, 3 SB
• Chance Sisco 0-2

Let’s Go Mets!

A win this afternoon will mean the Mets will have at least a shot of splitting the series tomorrow. A loss means the Dodgers will go for the rare season sweep tomorrow.

Mets took a tough loss yesterday 3-2 against the Dodgers and they look to bounce back today. The game was punctuated by a terrible strikeout call in the 8th inning, the first inning the Mets got anything going, when McNeil was called out on an inside pitch with two runners on. He lost his cool and was tossed. The Mets could only scratch one run in that inning. Hopefully the Mets come back angry today.

Rich Hill will pitch in his 6th game for the Mets today. Over 21.2 innings he has a 4.98 ERA, 4.60 FIP, 1.385 WHIP and an 81 ERA+. He had a short outing his last time out, allowing 2 runs from 6 hits over 3.2 innings against the Giants, in a game the Mets ultimately lost 7-5. Not too many members of the current Dodgers roster have seen Hill in a major league, which is surprising given how long Hill has been pitching:

• AJ Pollock 3-18, 3 HR, 2 K
• Albert Pujols 2-11, HR, BB, K
• Chris Taylor 1-3, 2 K
• Trea Turner 1-5, 2 K

I remember being very excited the day before the trade deadline when it looked like Max Scherzer was going to the Padres. I naively thought that was it for facing him this season – the Mets are already done with the Padres! When it got announced he was heading to the Dodgers I thought, fine, we’ll face him most one more time, not realizing how the Dodgers games were placed in the Mets schedule.

Anyway that’s all to say the Mets are facing Max Scherzer again. Suprisingly they have only faced him this year since the deadline. On the season he has pitched 22 games and 127.1 innings with a 2.69 ERA, 3.36 FIP, 0.895 WHIP (league leading) and a 145 ERA+. In three starts as a Dodger he has pitched 16.1 innings with a 2.20 ERA, 1.70 FIP, 0.918 WHIP and a 181 ERA+. His last start was against the Mets and he allowed 2 runs from 4 hits and 2 walks over 6.0 innings while striking out 6. The Mets have the following numbers against Max:

• Kevin Pillar 3-8, 2 HR, 4 K
• Michael Conforto 12-37, 2B, 4 BB, 15 K
• Chance Sisco 2-8, HR, 3 K
• Jonathan Villar 8-22, 8 K
• Brandon Nimmo 5-26, 2B, HR, 7 BB, 14 K
• J.D. Davis 4-15, 2B, 6 K
• Pete Alonso 4-18, 2 2B, BB, 9 K
• Jeff McNeil 4-19, 2B, BB, 3 K
• Brandon Drury 1-8, BB, 3 K
• Dominic Smith 0-14, 2 BB, 6 K
• Travis Blankenhorn 0-1, K

Let’s Go Mets!

The Mets had an opportunity to steal a game from the Dodgers yesterday. The Dodgers for the second straight game had to go with an opener/bullpen game model and yesterday they used their entire bullpen. But the Mets couldn’t get through the bullpen, scattering 6 hits and scoring only 1 run in a 4-1 loss. Now the the Mets have to face the big pitchers again in the Dodgers rotation.

It is last weekend all over again for the New York Mets as they face Walker Buehler tonight. In 24 games and 154.2 innings this year, Buehler has a 2.09 ERA (league leading), 3.13 FIP, 0.938 WHIP and a 187 ERA+. In his last five starts he has pitched 33.1 innings allowing 4 runs (1.09 ERA) from 21 hits plus 13 walks and striking out absurd 40 batters. The Mets helped his numbers in his last start – only managing a run on 4 hits while striking out 10 times over 7.0 innings. The Mets have the following numbers against Walker:

• Pete Alonso 2-8, 2 HR
• Jonathan Villar 2-4, 2 BB, 2 K
• Dominic Smith 3-6, 2 K
• Brandon Nimmo 1-5, BB
• Michael Conforto 1-7, BB, 3 K
• Kevin Pillar 2-6, BB, K
• J.D. Davis 2-7, 3 K
• Jeff McNeil 0-4, BB, K
• Brandon Drury 0-3
• Chance Sisco 0-2, K
• Travis Blankenhorn 0-1, K

The Mets will send out Carlos Carrasco tonight who has a 10.32 ERA in his first 4 starts as a Met (11.1 IP, 13 ER, 18 H, 3 BB, 12 K, 7.59 FIP, 1.853 WHIP, 40 ERA+). His last start against the Dodgers was his worst start of the season where he allowed 6 runs from 6 hits over 2.0 innings. The home run ball absolutely killed him, allowing 3 homers in that outing. Carrasco showed us who he normally is in his first two starts of the season, and hopefully his performance tonight is closer to that version. The Dodgers have the following numbers against him:

• Will Smith 1-1, HR
• Cody Bellinger 1-1, 2B
• Justin Turner 1-2, HR, BB
• Trea Turner 4-5, 2 2B
• Max Muncy 1-5, K
• Billy McKinney 1-7, 4 K
• Albert Pujols 1-11, BB, 2 K
• Chris Taylor 0-1, K
• Corey Seager 0-2, K

Let’s Go Mets!

The Mets finally won a game yesterday!

It was another chaotic day in Metsville – Steve Cohen made comments about the Mets hitting (specifically their lack of hitting) which turned on the outrage machine in all directions among Mets fans. And for a while, it looked like the same old Mets – they got a great start from Tylor Megill but the offense wasn’t doing anything! The Mets finally took a 2-1 lead in the 11th but the Giants tied the game immediately. The Mets broke out in the top half of the 12th and eventually won 6-2.

Yesterday’s win was much needed but the Mets really blew through their bullpen. Castro, May, Díaz, Familia and Reed all got work yesterday. Díaz will almost definitely be unavailable today since he tossed two scoreless innings yesterday.

So a lot will fall on Taijuan Walker today. Over 22 starts and 117.2 innings this year, Walker has a 3.75 ERA, 4.38 FIP, 1.181 WHIP and a 107 ERA+. He’s coming off of his best start in a while where he held the Dodgers to 1 run from 2 hits over 6.2 innings. The Mets need that exact performance again from Walker (against the same team). The Dodgers have the following numbers against Walker:

• Will Smith 1-3, HR, K
• Corey Seager 5-16, 2B, HR, 4 K
• Max Muncy 1-5, HR, 2 K
• Cody Bellinger 3-12, HR, 3 K
• Albert Pujols 3-13, HR, 2 K
• Trea Turner 2-10, 2B, BB, 2 K
• Justin Turner 2-10, 2B, BB, 3 K
• Billy McKinney 0-1, BB, K
• Chris Taylor 1-9, 2B, 2 BB, 4 K
• AJ Pollock 0-6, 2 K

The Dodgers have their own pitching issues today. Dave Roberts, after last night’s game, was committing to a bullpen game today without a planned bulk pitcher. Yesterday the Dodgers used Bruihl as a starter, going 1.2 innings and followed him with Mitch White in the bulk role, who took that title to heart and pitched 7.1 innings. On the 17th the bullpen needed to provide 4.1 innings which was pitched by Knebel, Bickford, Treinen and Jansen. In that game the bullpen allowed only 2 hits and 1 run. If the Mets can get to the Dodgers bullpen early today they can cause a stress effect on the starters for the rest of the weekend (assuming they force Roberts to use a ton of pitchers, and get those pitchers to put a lot of work in). After last weekend against the Dodgers, the Mets need every advantage they can get.

Let’s Go Mets!