The Mets avoided the sweep on Wednesday, beating the Mariners after two rough games. Now the Mets head to southern California to take on a recently struggling San Diego Padres team who have gone 1-9 in their last 10 games, dropping to a 32-29 record. The Mets are still in the cellar of the NL East and have gone 5-5 in their last 10. For the Mets, this is a good time to catch the Padres. The Padres are hoping the Mets are their “get right” series.
Christian Scott has pitched 30 1/3 innings over seven starts this season with a 2.97 ERA, 3.10 FIP, 1.385 WHIP and a 137 ERA+. He’s been hitting his stride in his last two starts, both against the Marlins, holding them to one run from nine hits and four walks over 10 2/3 innings. He’s also tossed over nine pitches in his last two starts, the first time this season he’s done it. If he’s effective tonight, maybe he can push through six innings. Scott has never faced the Padres and no one on the Padres has faced Scott in a major league game.
Michael King has made 12 starts (68 innings) this season with a 3.18 ERA, 3.84 FIP, 1.132 WHIP and a 127 ERA+. On May 18th King tossed seven shutout innings against the Dodgers. His season ERA was a 2.31 at that point. Since then King has allowed nine runs from ten hits and five walks over 9 2/3 innings. King had a rough start against the Mets last season allowing eight runs over three innings from 10 hits including four home runs. The Mets have the following career numbers against King:
- Brett Baty 1-3, HR, K
- Bo Bichette 6-21, 2B, 2 BB, 6 K
- Vidal Bruján 0-1, K
- MJ Melendez 2-6, HR
- Marcus Semien 3-9, 2B, 2 BB, 3 K
- Juan Soto 1-2, BB
- Mark Vientos 0-4, BB, K
Three Things To Watch For:
- King and Soto. As long as Michael King stays on the Padres, he and the Mets will be linked because of Juan Soto. King was a key piece in the trade to send Juan Soto to the Yankees. King has flourished in San Diego and Juan Soto is in his second year with the Mets. While Soto’s time with the Padres and Yankees were brief, he will forever be connected to Michael King. If tonight’s game was a national broadcast, we would probably hear about the trade multiple times.
- Bo Bichette? On May 18th and 19th Bo Bichette hit three home runs and went 5-for-10. Over his next seven games Bichette slashed .250/.250/.250 going 7-for-28, all singles. Over his next six games Bichette went 1-for-20 with four walks. On Wednesday Bichette went 4-for-4. Taken in total, from May 18th through Wednesday, Bichette is slashing .274/.333/.435. He randomly has these spikes of production. It’s just been and incredibly strange season for Bichette.
- Jared Young. It’s June 5th and Jared Young is second on the Mets in OPS and OPS+ (if you don’t count Eric Wagaman). Young is slashing .295/.373/.500 with a 146 OPS+ this season. Since returning from the injured list, Young has gone 6-for-24 with a double, two home runs and four walks (.899 OPS). The only blemish in his game has been 10 strikeouts.
Let’s Go Mets!
