Game Preview: Mets @ Phillies

The Mets try to avoid the sweep today in Philadelphia. On Friday the Mets lost the division lead, yesterday, the offense couldn’t get anything going until the 9th inning, scored 3 runs but couldn’t overcome the 5-0 hole they started the inning in. Now the Phillies have Zack Wheeler, competing for a Cy Young, up against the Mets. The Mets need a spark, they need something to get going again!

Taijuan Walker gets the start for the Mets. In 20 games and 105.0 innings this year he has a 3.86 ERA, 4.08 FIP, 1.229 WHIP, and a 102 ERA+. Since the All-Star break, baseball has been a struggle for Walker. He has allowed 21 runs, 20 earned, over 15.0 innings from 26 hits and 10 walks. Seven of the 13 homers he’s allowed this year have been in his last 4 starts. Walker has started against the Phillies three times allowing a run over 4.1 innings, then 4 runs over 6.0 innings (his first bad start of the year on May 1st) and then 1 run over 5.0 innings. Here’s hoping he can channel the good starts against the Phillies today who have the following career numbers against him:

Nick maton 2-3, 2B, 2 BB
Ronald Torreyes 3-5, 2 2B, K
Alec Bohm 4-8, 2B, HR, 2 BB, K
J.T. Realmuto 1-3,K
Jean Segura 2-5, K
Didi Gregorius 4-14, 2B, 2 K
Brad Miller 0-4, 2 BB, 2 K
Bryce Harper 1-9, BB, K
Rhys Hoskins 1-7, 4 K
Odubel Herrera 0-6, K
Andrew Knapp 0-4

The Mets draw Zack Wheeler in the series finale today. In 22 starts he’s pitched 147.0 innings (league leading) and recorded 170 strikeouts (league leading) with a 2.57 ERA, 2.49 FIP, 1.034 WHIP and a 155 ERA+. He’s been a bit more human in his last two starts, allowing 7 runs over 14.1 innings from 15 hits and 3 walks. The first two times the Mets faced him this year they did fine, scoring 7 runs against him in 13.1 innings from 17 hits. The last time the Mets faced Wheeler, Wheeler was able to hold the Mets to 4 hits and no runs over 7.0 innings. The Mets have the following career numbers against Wheeler: