213 Miles From Shea

If you only play one game in a three game series, and you win that one game, do you get the sweep?

That was a question for the Mets to ponder last night as they flew from New York to Arizona after a rain soaked weekend postponed two games from the Braves/Mets series. The Mets won in a rout on Saturday, flipping their run differential into positive territory and thanks to the rain, the injured Mets got to rest. Now the Mets head into Arizona to face a team that is 1-9 over their last 10 games, their one win coming yesterday, a team the Mets swept earlier in the month. The Mets also expect to activate Pete Alonso tonight and Seth Lugo + Kevin Pillar throughout the week. The band is getting back together!

Jacob deGrom gets the start tonight, off of an extra day of rest. Jacob has pitched 45.0 innings over 7 starts with a 0.80 ERA, 1.17 FIP, 0.600 WHIP and a 478 ERA+. In his first start back from the IL he was limited to 63 pitches over 5.0 innings allowing only 1 run from 3 hits and no walks while striking out 9. Because his season has been so dominant, that start raised his ERA. His only other start in May was against the Diamondbacks where he allowed 1 run over 5.0 innings from 1 hit and 3 walks while striking out 6. The Diamondbacks have the following numbers against him:

• Stephen Vogt 1-5, 2B, 2 K
• David Peralta 1-6, BB, 2 K
• Josh Rojas 1-5, 2 K
• Eduardo Escobar 1-7, BB, 3 K
• Nick Ahmed 1-10, 2B, 3 K
• Carson Kelly 0-3, K
• Christian Walker 0-7, 3 K
• Ketel Marte 0-9, 4 K

Merrill Kelly has made 10 starts and pitched 57.2 innings this year with a 4.84 ERA, 4.00 FIP, 1.318 WHIP and a 85 ERA+. Every start in May (5 so far!) he’s allowed either 3 or 2 runs, so fairly consistent. His worst start though was against the Mets where he allowed 3 runs, 2 earned, over 5.2 innings from 3 hit sand 5 walks and a homer. You probably remember the homer. It was Jeff McNeil and he brought home Francisco Lindor. You know the one. Anyway, the Mets have the following numbers against Kelly:

• Francisco Lindor 1-2, 2B, BB
• Jonathan Villar 0-3, 2 BB
• Jose Peraza 0-2
• Dominic Smith 0-3, 2 K
• James McCann 0-2, K

Let’s Go Mets!

The Mets look to complete the two game sweep of the Braves last night coming off their explosive performance last night. The Mets scored a season high 13 runs last night (previous high was 8 runs, which the Mets did twice) off of a season high 5 homeruns (McCann, Villar, Drury, McKinney, & Lindor). The Mets got a strong start from Walker and were set to use a combination of Castro, Familia, May and Diaz to end the game but as soon as the Mets put up a 7 spot in one inning, plans changed. The Mets were able to end the game between Reid-Foley and Barnes leaving most of the big names in the Mets bullpen available for the series finale tonight!

Also – Happy deGrom day!

The Mets want to keep Jacob deGrom on regular rest, so he’s going tonight and bumping David Peterson to the opener in Arizona. Jacob has pitched 45.0 innings over 7 starts with a 0.80 ERA, 1.17 FIP, 0.600 WHIP and a 478 ERA+. In his first start back from the IL he was limited to 63 pitches over 5.0 innings allowing only 1 run from 3 hits and no walks while striking out 9. Because his season has been so dominant, that start raised his ERA. Last year he faced the Braves twice, shutting them out in 5.0 innings of one hit ball and then allowing 2 runs over 6.0 innings. Overall he struck out 18 Atlanta batters in 11.0 innings of work. The Braves have the following numbers against deGrom:

• Austin Riley 2-7, HR, 4 K
• Freddie Freeman 15-58, 2 2B, 3 HR, 8 BB, 16 K
• Johan Camargo 7-26, 2B, HR, 2 BB, 9 K
• Ronald Acuna Jr. 8-25, 2B, 2 BB, 7 K
• Pablo Sandoval 2-9, 2 2B, 4 K
• Dansby Swanson 4-20, 2 2B, 3 BB, 11 K
• Ender Inciarte 7-40, 2 2B, 3 BB, 9 K
• Ozzie Albies 5-37, 2B, BB, 9 K

The Mets bats draw Max Fried tonight who has pitched 7 starts and 35.0 innings with a 4.63 ERA, 4.12 FIP, 1.486 WHIP and 93 ERA+. In the month of May, since coming back from injury, he has tossed 24.0 innings over 4 starts allowing 4 ER from 15 hits and 9 walks – that’s a 1.50 ERA. He’s allowed exactly 1 run in each start and this includes a start against the Mets where he allowed that 1 run from 5 hits and 2 walks while striking out 8. The Mets have the following numbers against Fried:

• Jonathan Villar 3-8, 2 2B, K
• Tomas Nido 2-5, 2B
• Francisco Lindor 1-7, HR, 2 K
• James McCann 0-1, BB
• Jose Peraza 2-8
• Dominic Smith 0-4, BB, K
• Brandon Drury 0-2

Let’s Go Mets!

So far the Mets have played 44 games this season and have had 10 games postponed due to weather and Covid. In April, this was a big reason why the Mets couldn’t keep their (hitting) momentum from Spring going. It was frustrating. Now with all of the injuries with the team, its a bit of a relief. Theoretically/hypothetically/supposedly the Mets will be healthier when some of these games are made up in the future. The Mets are also in a ridiculous stretch of games right now, having some off-nights and innings shaved off games in the future is welcomed.

(Of course – this means the schedule will be even more packed in the future but again maybe the Mets will be healthier by then)

The Mets come into tonight’s game on a three game winning streak after beating the Rockies twice yesterday, first 1-0 and then 4-2. It’s pretty much been the same story for the Mets for the last couple two weeks (at least), the pitching is there, the offense isn’t, but the Mets have been able to scratch out more runs then their opponents despite having a lineup and bench on loan from Syracuse. Now the Mets welcome the Braves who have also been bit by the injury bug (not at the Mets level, but the Mets are dealing with a historic amount of injuries). The Braves are 5-5 over their last 10 and the Mets are 6-4. It’s also worth noting that there is a significant chance of tonight’s game being postponed due to weather as well.

Taijuan Walker is set to return to the lineup after hitting the IL with a side issue. He has made 8 starts this season and pitched 44.0 innings with a 2.05 ERA, 2.86 FIP, 0.977 WHIP and a 185 ERA+. His last start was against the Braves where he left early due to injury. He tossed 3.0 innings allowing a hit while striking out 2. The Braves have the following numbers against Walker:

• Freddie Freeman 2-6, K
• Pablo Sandoval 2-6, 2B, BB
• Ender Inciarte 1-6, 2B, 2 K
• Ozzie Albies 0-1
• Dansby Swanson 0-2, K
• Austin Riley 0-1
• Ronald Acuna Jr. 0-2, K

The Mets get a look at Ian Anderson tonight who is picking up where he left off in 2020. Last year in 6 starts and 32.1 innings he had a 1.95 ERA, 2.54 FIP, 1.082 WHIP and a 251 ERA+. In 9 starts and 51.0 innings this year he has a 2.82 ERA, 3.31 FIP, 1.196 WHIP and a 152 ERA+. He got off to a rough start in May, allowing 7 runs over 10.0 innings in two starts, but since then he has allowed 1 run over 12.0 innings. Only two Mets on the active roster have seen him in a game before. Dominic Smith went 0-3 with a strikeout and new Met, Billy McKinney is 0-1.

Let’s Go Mets!

The Mets find a way! The Mets come into tonight’s game on a three game winning streak after beating the Rockies twice yesterday, first 1-0 and then 4-2. It’s pretty much been the same story for the Mets for the last couple two weeks (at least), the pitching is there, the offense isn’t, but the Mets have been able to scratch out more runs then their opponents despite having a lineup and bench on loan from Syracuse.

Now the Mets welcome the Braves who have also been bit by the injury bug (not at the Mets level, but the Mets are dealing with a historic amount of injuries). The Braves are 5-5 over their last 10 and the Mets are 6-4.

Taijuan Walker is set to return to the lineup after hitting the IL with a side issue. He has made 8 starts this season and pitched 44.0 innings with a 2.05 ERA, 2.86 FIP, 0.977 WHIP and a 185 ERA+. His last start was against the Braves where he left early due to injury. He tossed 3.0 innings allowing a hit while striking out 2. The Braves have the following numbers against Walker:

• Freddie Freeman 2-6, K
• Pablo Sandoval 2-6, 2B, BB
• Ender Inciarte 1-6, 2B, 2 K
• Ozzie Albies 0-1
• Dansby Swanson 0-2, K
• Austin Riley 0-1
• Ronald Acuna Jr. 0-2, K

The Mets get a look at Ian Anderson tonight who is picking up where he left off in 2020. Last year in 6 starts and 32.1 innings he had a 1.95 ERA, 2.54 FIP, 1.082 WHIP and a 251 ERA+. In 9 starts and 51.0 innings this year he has a 2.82 ERA, 3.31 FIP, 1.196 WHIP and a 152 ERA+. He got off to a rough start in May, allowing 7 runs over 10.0 innings in two starts, but since then he has allowed 1 run over 12.0 innings. Only two Mets on the active roster have seen him in a game before. Dominic Smith went 0-3 with a strikeout and new Met, Billy McKinney is 0-1.

Let’s Go Mets!

If you’re at Citi Field today, you’re getting a lot of free baseball. With the Mets and Rockies playing the last game of a series on a Thursday, originally as a 12 noon getaway game, the make up game for last night needed to be a single-admission doubleheader.

This also marks the last time the Mets and Rockies play each other in 2021 (unless they surprisingly meet up in the playoffs). Over the two series, they’ve had games snowed out, rained out, played 7-inning double headers, had to fight the general cold in Colorado to a drastic drop in temperatures in Queens. Fairly eventful series from a meteorological perspective.

Joey Lucchesi will get the start for the Mets today. Over 7 games and 4 starts he has pitched 19.2 innings with a 7.32 ERA, 2.99 FIP, 1.271 WHIP and 52 ERA+. He is coming off of his best start of the of the season where he held the Marlins scoreless over 4.0 innings allowing 1 hit and striking out 8. He was also announced as the start for that game barely 80 minutes before the start of the game. His first start of the season was against the Rockies in the second game of a double header in Colorado where he allowed 3 runs over 3.0 innings from 4 hits and no walks. It was also his first time pitching in 10 days (more absurd, it was April 17th and it was his second time pitching in April). The Rockies have the following numbers against him:

• C.J. Cron 1-2, 2B, K
• Trevor Story 7-23, 2 2B, 2 HR, 2 BB, 7 K
• Garrett Hampson 5-15, 2B, HR, 3 K
• Charlie Blackmon 6-20, BB, 3 K
• Ryan McMahon 1-6, BB, 3 K
• Yonathan Daza 0-4, K
• Elias Diaz 0-8, 2 K

The Mets bats will close out their season against the Rockies facing Antonio Senzatela. Over 9 starts and 46.2 innings, Antonio has a 5.01 ERA, 4.77 FIP, 1.457 WHIP and a 92 ERA+. He’s coming off of an average start against the Diamondbacks where he allowed 3 runs, 2 earned over 5.0 innings from 7 hits and a walk. His start before that, May 16th, was his second best of the season where he allowed only 1 run over 7.0 innings. His third best start of the season came on April 18th against the Mets where he allowed 2 runs, 1 earned, over 6.0 innings in a game the Mets won 2-1. The Mets have the following numbers on Antonio:

• Tomas Nido 1-1, BB
• James McCann 1-4, 2B, 2 K
• Jose Peraza 1-3, K
• Francisco Lindor 1-9, HR, 2 K
• Dominic Smith 1-5, BB
• Cameron Maybin 0-1, BB
• Brandon Drury 0-2, BB
• Jonathan Villar 0-3, K

Let’s Go Mets!

The Mets got an unexpected break yesterday! The threat of severe thunderstorms caused the Mets (and Yankees) to cancel last night, giving the Mets a night off in the midst of their 17 game stretch in 17 days. This is a big deal for the second game today with Lucchesi starting.

The Mets today will try to score enough runs in both games to win. Since the entire lineup went down with injuries they have been getting runs here and there but need to get at least 4 runs per game to have a decent shot at winning the game. On Tuesday’s game the Mets scored only 3 runs, but won 3-1. On Monday’s game the Mets hit two homers, which has been a weak point for them this year, but they were both solo shots and they lost 3-2.

Marcus Stroman will take the mound for the Mets. In his first 9 starts and 52.1 innings this year he has a 2.75 ERA, 3.74 FIP, 1.070 WHIP and a 141 ERA+. He bounced back in his last start, going 6.0 innings, allowing 2 runs while striking out 8. It’s also a sign how good his season has been that his ERA actually went up 0.03 runs from that start. His best start of the season was against the Rockies where he pitched 8.0 innings allowing 1 run off 3 hits. The Rockies have the following numbers against him:

• Charlie Blackmon 2-5, BB, K
• Trevor Story 3-9, 2B
• Raimel Tapia 2-9, 2B, 2 K
• C.J. Cron 3-13, 3 K
• Dom Nunez 0-2, BB, K
• Brendan Rodgers 0-3
• Ryan McMahon 0-6, K

The Mets bats get to see German Marquez, the 2020 innings leader at 81.2. This season he is leading the league in starts at 10, but has tossed only 52.1 innings with a 4.82 ERA, 3.97 FIP, 1.586 WHIP and a 96 ERA+. Walks have wrecked his pitch count this year as he leads the league with 30 walks (he had 25 over 81.2 innings last year). He’s coming off of a great start against the Diamondbacks where he shut them out over 7.0 innings allowing 4 hits while striking out 8. He pitched a 7.0 inning complete game against the Mets this year where he allowed 2 runs from 2 hits and 2 walks while striking out 6. The Mets have the following numbers against him:

• Francisco Lindor 1-4, 2B, 2 BB
• Jonathan Villar 4-10, 2 2B, K
• Brandon Drury 3-16, 2 2B, HR, 2 K
• Jose Peraza 1-3
• Dominic Smith 0-3, BB, K
• Tomas Nido 0-2
• James McCann 0-3, 2 K

Let’s Go Mets!

Jacob deGrom came back and the Mets won – how about that?

The last couple of days have been more of the same for the Mets – learning about injuries. In the last several days Fargas got injured, Yamamoto was moved to the 10 Day then the 60 Day IL, Davis dealt with a stiff neck and Syndergaard had a setback. The roster cruch has continued with at least 4 players DFA’d and picked up by other teams.

But, the Mets won yesterday! And if they win today they can at least guarantee a split of the four game set with the Rockies. Jacob deGrom gave the Mets a good start last night as he made only his second start in the month of May. Miguel Castro, Trevor May and Edwin DIaz behind him all pitched great. The Mets got some pop from Tomas Nido and Jonathan Villar got on base 3 times. The Mets only scored three runs but that was one run more than enough to win.

Marcus Stroman will take the mound for the Mets. In his first 9 starts and 52.1 innings this year he has a 2.75 ERA, 3.74 FIP, 1.070 WHIP and a 141 ERA+. He bounced back in his last start, going 6.0 innings, allowing 2 runs while striking out 8. It’s also a sign how good his season has been that his ERA actually went up 0.03 runs from that start. His best start of the season was against the Rockies where he pitched 8.0 innings allowing 1 run off 3 hits. The Rockies have the following numbers against him:

• Charlie Blackmon 2-5, BB, K
• Trevor Story 3-9, 2B
• Raimel Tapia 2-9, 2B, 2 K
• C.J. Cron 3-13, 3 K
• Dom Nunez 0-2, BB, K
• Brendan Rodgers 0-3
• Ryan McMahon 0-6, K

The Mets bats get to see German Marquez, the 2020 innings leader at 81.2. This season he is leading the league in starts at 10, but has tossed only 52.1 innings with a 4.82 ERA, 3.97 FIP, 1.586 WHIP and a 96 ERA+. Walks have wrecked his pitch count this year as he leads the league with 30 walks (he had 25 over 81.2 innings last year). He’s coming off of a great start against the Diamondbacks where he shut them out over 7.0 innings allowing 4 hits while striking out 8. He pitched a 7.0 inning complete game against the Mets this year where he allowed 2 runs from 2 hits and 2 walks while striking out 6. The Mets have the following numbers against him:

• Francisco Lindor 1-4, 2B, 2 BB
• Jonathan Villar 4-10, 2 2B, K
• Brandon Drury 3-16, 2 2B, HR, 2 K
• Jose Peraza 1-3
• Dominic Smith 0-3, BB, K
• Tomas Nido 0-2
• James McCann 0-3, 2 K

Let’s Go Mets!

The Mets losing streak hit three games last night as the Mets dropped the first game of the series to the Rockies. Similar to pretty much every day the last week the problem is a lack of bats in the lineup. The pitching was great again, holding the Rockies to only 3 runs, but the pitching can only do so much when the offense scores only twice. Eventually the pressure on the pitching staff to be perfect will start to erode their performance. The Mets need some major league bats immediately and need the starters they have left to start performing at career levels.

There were some positive signs though – one area the Mets have struggled in this season is homers and both runs were scored on solo shots. James McCann, starting at 1st base to get his bat back in the lineup, hit a solo shot and Brandon Drury added one in late in the game, it just wasn’t enough.

At least the Mets get a key player back from injury today – Jacob deGrom! As of now it is unclear how deep deGrom can go into the game but at least the Mets got another starter back – their best one at that! In 6 starts and 40.0 innings this year, deGrom has a 0.68 ERA, 1.07 FIP, 0.600 WHIP and a 574 ERA+. He’s coming off a rehab start where he struck out 8 minor leaguers in 3.0 innings. His only “bad” start this season came against the Rockies who scored 3 runs, none of them earned, over 6.0 innings while striking out 14 batters. The Rockies have the following numbers against deGrom:

• Dom Nunez 1-2, 3B, K
• Raimel Tapia 2-7, 2B, HR, 2 K
• C.J. Cron 1-4, 3 BB, 2 K
• Charlie Blackmon 3-22, 2 2B, BB, 5 K
• Trevor Story 2-16, 2B, BB, 7 K
• Joshua Fuentes 0-2, K
• Brendan Rodgers 0-2, K
• Ryan McMahon 0-3, 2 K

The Mets bats today will get a look at Kyle Freeland. This will be Freeland’s first start in 2021 as he continues to work his back from a spring shoulder injury. Last year he started 13 games and pitched 70.2 innings with a 4.33 ERA, 4.65 FIP, 1.415 WHIP and a 120 ERA+. There are a handful of Mets who have seen Freeland while members of other teams:

• Jonathan Villar 5-6, 2B, HR, BB
• Jose Peraza 6-10, 2 3B, HR, BB
• Francisco Lindor 2-3, 2B
• Brandon Drury 2-5, BB, K

Let’s Go Mets!

Yesterday was the end of a tough weekend, after a tough week for the Mets. Nothing about baseball, especially when it comes to injuries, is supposed to be fair, but right now things feel really unfair. The Mets offense is stuck and overmatched while a crazy amount of players are on the IL. The good news though – the Mets pitching, although overworked during a crazy stretch of games, has kept the Mets in every game. At some points the Mets bats will have to breakout. Could tonight be the night?

David Peterson will be the first true starter in a couple of days to take the mound for the Mets. He has made 8 starts this year and pitched 38.0 innings with a 4.97 ERA, 4.12 FIP, 1.263 WHIP and a 78 ERA+. He’s coming off of an average start in Atlanta where he allowed 3 runs over 4.2 innings from 5 hits and a walk while striking out 5. Generally this year he’s followed a pattern of following an average to bad start with a good start, so hopefully the pattern holds again. He missed the Rockies earlier in the year when the Mets made a cold trip out west and no one on the Rockies roster has faced him in a major league game.

The Mets bats will try to breakout against Austin Gomber in Queens tonight. In 9 starts this year he has tossed 45.1 innings with a 4.96 ERA, 3.97 FIP, 1.301 WHIP and a 92 ERA+. He has had two strong starts in a row, allowing 2 runs, 1 earned, over 11.1 innings while striking out 13 batters. Before that stretch, over three games he pitched 12.2 innings allowing 18 runs, 16 earned, from 18 hits and 5 walks. For a Rockies pitcher, it seems important to note that all three of his bad starts were on the road. He has one road and one home start on this current good streak. Gomber missed the Mets a few weeks ago and a few Mets have seen him while members of other teams:

• Francisco Lindor 1-2
• Cameron Maybin 0-0, BB
• Jose Peraza 1-7
• James McCann 0-3, 2 K

Let’s Go Mets!

The Mets lost another heartbreaker last night on a walk-off Cooper homer. The Mets didn’t announce a starter yesterday until a bit over an hour before the start of the game. I was personally convinced it was going to be Jordan Yamamoto but it ended up being Joey Lucchesi. Lucchesi and Sean Reid-Foley really held it down for the Mets, going 6.1 innings allowing 1 run. The offense struggled, but that’s been the story for the Mets most of the season, even more so with just about every starter injured.

Winning 2 of every 3 games is the ultimate goal of the season and the Mets can still make that happen this afternoon!

Jordan Yamamoto will make his second start with the Mets today! In his only major league outing this year, Jordan Yamamoto pitched 2.2 innings, allowing 1 run off 4 hits and no walks while striking out 1. In Syracuse this season he has made three starts, pitching 9.2 innings with a 3.72 ERA and 1.655 WHIP. This will be a revenge outing of sorts for him as he goes against his former team.

The Mets bats will get a look at Cody Poteet today who will be making his third career start. He’s been great over his first two starts tossing 10.0 innings allowing 2 runs from 7 hits and 2 walks while striking out 9. He’s also made one start in AAA this year where he was 1.2 years younger than the average player and allowed only one run over 5.2 innings from 3 hits. Overall in the minors he has pitched over 6 seasons and 510.2 innings (99 games) with a 3.84 ERA and a 1.287 WHIP.