213 Miles From Shea

The Mets have a chance at a series win this afternoon in Miami after last night’s extra inning winner. Khalil Lee was the hero, getting the first run across in the 12th and Fargas provided the two necessary insurance runs as the Mets beat the Marlins 6-5. Just like how the Mets predicted things would go in Spring.

The extra-innings were the last thing this Mets team needed on game 1 of a stretch where they will will play 17 straight days. Especially heading into the next two days with the Syracuse Mets making more starts in the major league team. The Mets are hoping for some inning magic to happen and it would be nice if they can cash in all of this negative karma they’ve been gaining with injuries for a long spot start tonight.

As of writing the Mets still (2:12 PM!) have not announced who is pitching today, however it is widely assumed that Jordan Yamamoto will get significant game time either today or tomorrow. 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 draw Pablo Lopez today. Lopez has tossed 49.0 innings over 9 starts, posting a 3.12 ERA, 3.44 FIP, 1.245 WHIP and a 129 ERA+. Lopez had a stretch of 4 starts where he pitched 24.0 innings, allowing 3 runs and only 1 earned run from April 18th through May 6th. Since then he has made two starts, allowing 8 runs over 9.1 innings (mostly from one really bad start). He made two starts against the Mets in 2020, allowing 5 runs, 4 earned, over 11.1 innings from 12 hits and 5 walks. The Mets have the following numbers against him:

• Tomas Nido 0-1, BB
• Dominic Smith 1-6, 2B, K
• Francisco Lindor 0-3, K
• Jose Peraza 0-2, K

Let’s Go Mets!

Two of three in Atlanta? We’ll take it. Losing in the 9th always burns, and the sweep was that close, but the Mets really threw a roster out there that had no business winning. In addition to the injury story line, the Mets schedule is about the swing in the other direction. Thanks to scheduled off days, rain, snow, and Covid, the Mets have had a lot of off days since the start of the season. Today they start a stretch of 17 straight games without an off-day.

The Mets are still in first place and the Marlins are coming in to tonight’s game on a two game winning streak after beating the Phillies for consecutive nights. For the Mets, the bullpen has picked each other up, despite being asked to do a lot in the last week (and for the foreseeable future). The offense hasn’t been scary, but has gotten hits in big moments keeping them in the game.

At least tonight the starting pitching is not a question mark for the Mets – Marcus Stroman takes the mound! Stroman has pitched 46.2 innings over 8 games this year with a 2.72 ERA, 4.08 FIP, 1.058 WHIP and a 141 ERA+. Marcus is coming off of a rough start against the Rays where he allowed 5 runs from 6 hits over 6.0 innings while walking 1 batter. That one game took his ERA from a 2.01 to a 2.72. This will be Stro’s first time facing the Marlins this year. They have the following numbers against him:

• Adam Duvall 2-3, HR, K
• Sandy Leon 2-4, 2B
• Corey Dickerson 14-33, 5 2B, 2 HR, BB, 5 K

The Mets bats will get a look at Jordan Holloway‘s third start this season (8th game overall). So far in 16.2 innings he has a 2.70 ERA, 3.37 FIP, 1.260 WHIP and a 151 ERA+. He’s made both of his starts back to back and has allowed 5 earned runs over 6.2 innings – to put that in perspective all of the runs he has allowed this year have been in his last two outings. He is still stretching out his arm, tossing 60+ pitches for three games in a row, hitting 74 last time. This will be his first time facing the Mets.

Let’s Go Mets!

The Mets have a chance at the sweep tonight!

Going into Monday’s game, a series win would have been enough. After Monday’s game, having two more Mets get injuries, surviving the series would have been enough.

The Mets go into tonight’s game after a full bullpen game where the team battled the whole night. The pitching was great. The hitters scratched out enough runs. The team supported each other and even though the Braves were able to tie the game heading into the 9th inning, the Mets were still able to capture the win. Now the Mets look to repeat the magic tonight before a much needed off-day.

David Peterson looks to build off his strong start last Friday in Tampa tonight. Over 7 starts and 33.1 innings he has a 4.86 ERA, 4.36 FIP, 1.260 WHIP and a 79 ERA+. His WHIP is nearing his mark last year and FIP is actually better. His K/9 and BB/9 are also both better than last year. What’s crushing him this year is homers. He gave up 0.9 HR/9 last year and that is up to 1.6 this year and he is facing a homer hitting team tonight. Anyway, in his last start he allowed 2 runs over 7.1 innings from 4 hits and 2 walks while striking out 9. He faced the Braves twice last year. The first time allowing 3 runs over 6.0 innings from 5 hits and a walk. He was much better the second time allowing 1 run off 3 hits in 6.0 innings. The Braves have the following numbers against him:

• Johan Camargo 1-3, HR
• Austin Riley 2-4, 2 2B, 2 K
• Ronald Acuna Jr. 0-3, 3 BB
• Dansby Swanson 1-5, 3 K
• Marcell Ozuna 0-5, BB, 3 K
• Ozzie Albies 0-3
• Freddie Freeman 0-6, 4 K

The Mets bats face Charlie Morton, who got an extra day of rest this time through the rotation – the Braves are hoping the extra rest puts him back on track. Morton made his debut with the Braves back in 2008 and was traded the following January with other prospects for Nate McLouth. He stayed in Pittsburgh for a while, then bounced between Philly, Houston and Tampa Bay before making his homecoming at age 37 this year. Over 8 starts and 39.0 innings he has a 5.08 ERA, 4.07 FIP, 1.436 WHIP, and a 86 ERA+. In his last four starts he has allowed 18 runs, 12 earned, over 16.0 innings. This includes a start where he recorded only two outs and allowed 6 unearned runs from 4 hits and 2 walks. The Mets have the following numbers against him:

• Dominic Smith 1-2, HR, K
• Jose Peraza 1-2
• Jonathan Villar 2-8, 4 K
• Francisco Lindor 2-16, 2 2B, 5 K
• Wilfredo Tovar 0-2, K

Let’s Go Mets!

The Mets continue to rack up the injuries. Early in the game last night Taijuan Walker left with side tightness. Sean Reid-Foley was able to step in for a solid relief outing and is a big reason why the Mets won the game, but Sean was probably going to be a major factor in tonight’s game.

The more worrisome injury happened later in the night when Kevin Pillar was hit by a pitch in the face. He walked off on his own accord but it was scary, for both teams, for everyone watching the sport where pitchers are throwing now with more velocity and less control.

On a tactical side, this means the Mets the are now without Conforto, Nimmo, Almora Jr., Pillar, McNeil, J.D. Davis, all who can play outfield. They are also without Luis Guillorme and have been without Jose Martinez all season. And these are just position player injuries. The Mets are currently in a 40-man roster crunch with so many players on the 10-day IL.

As of writing this, the Mets have not announced a starter for the tonight. This is going to be a bullpen game and looking at the Mets bullpen usage in recent games it is safe to assume that Joey Lucchesi and Tommy Hunter will both see time in today’s game. From the Mets perspective, they are hoping to get 5 innings from them together and then they can patch together the rest of the game from the normal bullpen. Hunter has thrown 6.0 scoreless innings for the Mets over 3 games this season, allowing 4 hits and 2 walks and nothing else. Every outing has been exactly two innings and his longest outing in terms of pitches was 3 days ago where he tossed 38. Joey Lucchesi has a 9.19 ERA over 15.2 innings so far this season. The first time he was used as a bulk pitcher it went well, he allowed 1 unearned run over 3.1 innings. Last time he allowed 4 earned runs over 1.2 innings.

The Mets bats will get a look at Tucker Davidson tonight, who is pitching in the majors for the first time in 2021. His one major league game on record came in late September last year. He pitched against the Red Sox and allowed 7 runs, 2 earned, over 1.2 innings from 3 hits and 4 walks while striking out 2. In the minors this season he has made two starts, pitching 14.0 innings, allowing only 1 run from 7 hits and 3 walks while striking out 14. Neither start was against the Syracuse Mets so no one on the Mets roster has seen Davidson in either a major league game or a minor league game this season.

Let’s Go Mets!

Well, that was a rough weekend in Tampa Bay.

The Mets went to Tampa Bay with a 7 game winning streak. They left on a 3 game losing streak and with several more injuries. Now the Mets are heading to Atlanta to stop the losing side. Atlanta and New York are both happy to be facing each other this week – they are both banged up, and if there was a time to face each other, it would be right now. So the question is, who’s depth is going to hold out in the end?

If there was ever a game needed to win, its tonight. The Mets have Taijuan Walker going out tonight and tomorrow we don’t know the starter yet. So today is the day to make something positive happen.

Taijuan Walker has pitched 7 games and 41.0 innings with a 2.20 ERA, 2.94 FIP, 1.024 WHIP and a 176 ERA+. He also leads the league in HR/9 at 0.2. In his last two starts he has allowed 2 runs, 1 earned over 14.0 innings of work while striking out 12 batters. Despite playing in the AL East for half the season last year he actually missed the Braves but the Braves have the following numbers against him from previous years (and when their batters were with other teams):

• Freddie Freeman 2-5, HR, K
• Marcell Ozuna 1-4, 2B, 2 BB, K
• Pablo Sandoval 2-6, 2B, BB
• Ender Inciarte 1-6, 2B, 2 K
• Jeff Mathis 0-2

The Mets bats match up against Max Fried who will make his 6th start of the season tonight. In his first 5 starts and 22.0 innings of work, he has a 6.55 ERA, 4.95 FIP, 1.727 WHIP and a 68 ERA+. He has been much better in the month of May, allowing 2 runs over 11.0 innings, a 1.64 ERA and tonight will face a Mets lineup with a lot of question marks. The Mets have the following numbers against Max:

• Francisco Lindor 1-4, HR, K
• Jonathan Villar 2-5, 2 2B, 2 SB
• Jose Peraza 2-5
• James McCann 0-1, BB
• Pete Alonso 1-12, HR, 3 BB, 5 K
• Kevin Pillar 1-4
• Jeff McNeil 6-16, 3 2B, 4 K
• Michael Conforto 2-17, 2B, 3 BB, 8 K

Let’s Go Mets!

The Mets are looking to snap a two game losing streak and avoid a sweep by the Rays today with Marcus Stroman on the mound.

There was some good news yesterday. A criticism of the Mets offense this year has been the lack of homers. Jose Peraza hit a three run homer in the first inning, Pete Alonso hit a homer and Francisco Lindor homered. Let’s see if the Mets can keep that part of yesterday going (and forget the part when the bullpen collapsed).

Marcus Stroman is 3-3 over 7 starts and 40.1 innings with a 2.01 ERA, 3.15 FIP, 1.017 WHIP and a 192 ERA+. He’s coming off of a strong start against the Orioles where he allowed 1 run over 6.1 innings from 4 hits and 2 walks while striking out 5. It was also his third start this season where he reached 90 or more pitches and his second start this season where he recorded an out in the 7th inning or later. His last start against the Rays came in April 2019 where he allowed 3 runs, all unearned over 4.0 innings from 3 hits and 4 walks. The Rays have the following numbers against Marcus:

• Kevan Smith 2-4, HR, K
• Mike Zunino 1-2, HR
• Willy Adames 3-4, SB
• Joey Wendle 2-3
• Manuel Margo 1-2
• Brandon Lowe 1-4, BB
• Yandy Diaz 0-3, 2 BB, K
• Ji-Man Choi 1-7, K
• Austin Meadows 0-3, K

The Mets bats draw Ryan Yarbrough for the series finale. Ryan has pitched in 8 games and made 4 starts this year totaling up to 40.2 innings with a 4.20 ERA, 3.10 FIP, 1.279 WHIP and a 91 ERA+. The Mets are among the leaders in the league in being hit by pitches and Ryan is the league leader with 5 hit batsmen this year. He also led the league last year with 7 hit batsmen over 55.2 innings. Anyway he hasn’t started for a couple of weeks and has done much better. In his last two outings he allowed 1 earned run over 7.1 innings from 7 hits and 2 walks. As a reliever he has a 1.00 ERA in 18.0 innings. As a starter he has pitched 22.2 innings allowing 17 earned runs (6.75 ERA). The Mets have the following numbers against Ryan:

• James McCann 1-3, 2 K
• Jonathan Villar 4-13, BB, 5 K
• Kevin Pillar 2-15, 2B, 3 K
• Jose Peraza 0-5, BB
• Francisco Lindor 0-5
• Michael Conforto 0-1, K

Let’s Go Mets!

All streaks come to an end and the Mets winning streak ended in the bottom of the 9th yesterday.

David Peterson and Tyler Glasnow were locked in a pitching duel, where the difference until the 8th inning was a 2-run homer by Jonathan Villar. The Rays were able to tie it in the 8th and score one more in the ninth to win. Sometimes you win games you should lose and sometimes you lose games you should win.

The Mets will look to start a new streak tonight! However as of writing this (5:20 AM) its unclear who the Mets starting pitcher will be. Joey Lucchesi is scheduled to get a good chunk of work – whether he’s the starter or a bulk pitcher today we’ll find out in a few hours. Last time through the rotation the Mets had success throwing Tommy Hunter as the opener and following up with Lucchesi.

Lucchesi has pitched 14.0 innings over 5 games with a 7.71 ERA, 4.11 FIP, 1.429 WHIP and a 50 ERA+. In his last bulk outing he pitched 3.1 innings allowing 1 unearned run from 2 hits and a walk while striking out 3. A few Rays have seen Joey in major league action before:

• Austin Meadows 0-1, BB, K
• Willy Adames 0-2, 2 K
• Mike Zunino 0-3, K
• Mike Brosseau 0-2, K

The Mets bats will get a look at rookie Shane McClanahan. The 24 year old made his major league debut this year and was drafted by the Rays in the first round (31st Pick) in 2018. However, the Mets actually drafted him of Cape Coral High School in the 26th round back in 2015. That’s a fun fact. In three starts this season he has pitched 12.0 innings with a 3.75 ERA, 2.69 FIP, 1.250 WHIP and a 104 ERA+. Each start he has pitched exactly 4.0 innings, however his last start was the first time he touched 80 pitches thrown as he allowed 3 runs from 4 hits and 2 walks to Oakland.

Let’s Go Mets!

The Mets go for 8 in a row!

It’s been a long off-day (thanks to a noon start on Wednesday) – let’s catch up! The Mets have won 7 games in a row including a series split of the first place Cardinals, a sweep of the Diamondbacks and a sweep of the Orioles. This was despite injuries. The Mets have been hit hard by the injury bug the last two weeks but the team is still pushing through and having a ton of fun on the field. The last game, where they tagged Matt Harvey for 7 runs, showed the type of baseball the Mets have shifted too – hits to get on base plus speed. The Mets have also had strong pitching all season.

And the strong pitching is what David Peterson will try to add to tonight. In 6 starts and 26.0 innings this year he has a 5.54 ERA, 4.64 FIP, 1.385 WHIP and a 69 ERA+. Peterson had back to back strong starts before hitting a bump his last time out. He pitched 11.0 innings against the Red Sox and Phillies, allowing 3 runs while striking out 11. Last time out he pitched 1.2 innings, allowed 3 runs from 3 hits and 3 walks while striking out 3. While it made for a fun stat line, it was not the outing he hoped for. He’ll look to bounce back against the Rays, who have never faced him in a major league game.

The Mets bats will get a look at Tyler Glasnow who is having a return to his tremendous season from 2019. For most of Tyler’s career, he’s been a 4+ ERA pitcher. In 2019, over 12 starts and 60.2 innings, he had a 1.78 ERA and a 2.26 FIP. Last year he bounced back to his career numbers posting a 4.08 ERA over 57.1 innings. In 2021, he’s already made 8 starts and pitched 49.1 innings with a 2.37 ERA, 2.80 FIP, 0.892 WHIP and a 160 ERA+. He leads the league in hits at 4.6. So far in May he has been a lot more human, allowing 6 runs over 11.2 innings from 6 hits and 8 walks while allowing 4 homers. The Mets have the following numbers against Tyler:

• Dominic Smith 1-2, HR, K
• James McCann 0-0, BB
• Jeff McNeil 1-3, BB
• Jose Peraza 3-11, 2B, 2 K
• Jonathan Villar 2-12, BB, 4 K
• Francisco Lindor 1-6, K
• Kevin Pillar 1-9, 4 K
• Michael Conforto 0-6, 2 BB, 4 K
• Pete Alonso 0-3, 3 K

Let’s Go Mets!

Can the Mets win seven in a row? We’ll find out today!

The Mets won their 6th game in a row last night in a comeback fashion. After falling 2-0 the Orioles in a pitching duel, the Mets scored once in the 8th and twice in the 9th to win, including Patrick Mazeika‘s 2nd walk-off fielder’s choice in a week. He now has two walk-off’s in his career and 0 hits. Baseball! The game wasn’t all great news for the Mets, who are fairly banged up as of late. Jeff McNeil pulled up lame rounding first after a single trying to stretch it to a double. The Mets described it during the game as full body cramps and after the game as McNeil dodging a bullet. Albert Almora Jr. ran into the wall at full speed trying to make a catch (he actually did make the catch the but the collision with the wall knocked the ball out of his hand). It was a scary moment at Citi Field, on the exact day that Aaron Rowand made a similar catch against the Mets at Citizens Bank Park in 2006. The Mets are going to need every moment of this off-day tomorrow.

But this has been rude of me, I haven’t wished you a Happy Harvey Day yet! Happy Harvey Day!

When Harvey signed a minor league deal with teh Orioles this off-season, eyes fell to this two-game set. Would Harvey make the team and still be on the team in May? Would his rotation spot line up with a start at Citi Field? It’s happening!

Matt Harvey has made 7 starts and pitched 35.0 innings this season with a 3.60 ERA, 3.82 FIP, 1.286 WHIP and a 119 ERA+. Depending on what metric you look at, those are his best numbers since 2015 / 2016. In his last three starts he has allowed 7 runs but only 3 earned, over 15.2 innings with opponents hitting .192/.292/.316 against him. His weakness all year has been the third time through the order, only pitching 6.0 innings once. Only three Mets have seen Harvey in a major league game before (and I highly doubt Almora will be playing today):

• Francisco Lindor 1-4, HR, K
• Jonathan Villar 3-12, 2B, HR, 4 K
• Albert Almora Jr. 1-4, K

The Mets will send out Taijuan Walker to the mound to finish the two-game sweep of the Orioles. Walker has started 6 games and pitched 34.0 innings this year with a 2.38 ERA, 2.84 FIP, 1.029 WHIP and a 161 ERA+. He has a 0.3 HR/9 inning mark, the best in the league. He’s coming off of a strong start against the Cardinals where he allowed one hit and one unearned run over 7.0 innings while walking no one and striking out 8. He faced the Orioles twice last year and kept them scoreless over 9.0 innings, scattering 4 hits and 3 walks while striking out 8. The Orioles have the following numbers against Walker:

• Pat Valaika 1-2
• Cedric Mullins 0-2, BB, 2 K
• Chance Sisco 0-3, BB, 2 K
• Rio Ruiz 0-3, K
• DJ Stewart 0-1
• Ryan Mountcastle 0-4
• Pedro Severino 0-3
• Austin Hays 0-1, K
• Ramon Urias 0-1, K

Let’s Go Mets!

The Mets go for 6th in a row tonight against the Baltimore Orioles!

Nothing is ever easy for the Mets. After winning their 4th in a row, things looked like a lock for Sunday with the best pitcher in baseball on the mound, Jacob deGrom. After 4 perfect innings, he had a uncharacteristic inning where he walked 3 and something just looked off. His side was still tight and the Mets took him out of the game as a precaution and now added him to the IL to get some rest. Adding to the nothing is ever easy pile: the Mets draw one of the best pitchers in baseball tonight as they match up against John Means.

But first, lets start with the Mets. Marcus Stroman will make his 7th start of the season tonight. So far he has pitched 34.0 innings with a 2.12 ERA, 3.25 FIP, 1.029 WHIP and a 181 ERA+, all better than his career numbers. He’s coming off of a start where he allowed 4 runs, 2 earned, over 5.0 innings from 7 hits and a walk while striking out 6. A groundball pitcher, Marcus hasn’t had the best defense behind him his last three starts with 5 unearned runs scored. The Orioles have the following numbers against Stroman:

• Freddy Galvis 1-2, BB
• Trey Mancini 7-16, 2B, 3B, 3 K
• Rio Ruiz 1-8, K
• Cedric Mullins 0-3
• Chase Cisco 0-3, 2 K

John Means will make his first start tonight since tossing a no-hitter in Seattle. In 7 games and 46.0 innings he has a 1.37 ERA, 2.99 FIP, 0.674 WHIP (league leading) and a 311 ERA+. Means also leads the league in H/9 at 4.1. He’s really hit a groove in his last four starts, allowing 3 runs over 29.1 innings, all from solo homers. That’s been the only weak part in his game this year – the long ball. If you don’t hit it out of the park, it could be a long night against Means. The Mets faced him on back to back starts last year with very different outings. The first time they faced him, they tagged him for 4 runs over 5.1 innings, which believe it or not actually lowered his ERA from 8.59 to 8.10. His next start against the Mets kicked off the streak he’s on now. He held the Mets to 1 run over 6.0 innings and from that game on he tossed 23.2 innings with a 1.52 ERA. The Mets have the following numbers against Means:

• James McCann 3-5, 2B, K
• Michael Conforto 2-6, 2B, HR
• Kevin Pillar 1-2
• Pete Alonso 1-5, HR, K
• Jeff McNeil 1-5
• Francisco Lindor 1-5
• Jonathan Villar 0-4

Let’s Go Mets!