The Mets have scored three runs in each of their last four games. They have won one of those games by a shutout, lost one close game and have been blown out twice. Taking a larger step back, the Mets have now lost 12 of their last 14 games. They entered this series against an Atlanta team that had lost eight of their last ten games. The Mets still have a chance to split this series, but that requires winning this afternoon’s game.
Nolan McLean has made 17 starts this season totaling 95 1/3 innings with a 3.78 ERA, 3.58 FIP, 1.122 WHIP and a 110 ERA+. He’s coming off of a solid start where he held the Blue Jays scoreless over six innings, scattering five hits while striking out nine. It was his fifth solid start in his last six as he has been finding his groove again recently. In his last four starts he has struck out 31 batters over 23 innings. Earlier in June he allowed two runs over four innings against the Braves who have the following career stats against him:
- Ozzie Albies 1-4, BB
- Drake Baldwin 1-3
- Mauricio Dubon 0-2
- Michael Harris II 0-5
- Matt Olson 0-5, 4 K
- Austin Riley 0-0, 2 BB
- Dominic Smith 1-2
- Mike Yastrzemski 1-2, K
Martín Pérez has pitched in 17 games this season making 13 starts totaling 77 innings with a 3.27 ERA, 4.29 FIP, 1.156 WHIP and a 126 ERA+. In his last two starts he has allowed seven runs from seven hits, including three home runs, over nine innings of work. In the two starts before that he allowed only two runs over 11 1/3 innings, including 5 1/3 innings of one run ball against the Mets. The Mets have the following career numbers against Pérez:
- Francisco Alvarez 0-4, 2 BB, K
- Brett Baty 1-2
- Carson Benge 0-2, K
- Bo Bichette 5-10, 2 2B, BB, K
- Francisco Lindor 8-19, 2B, 5 BB, K
- Juan Soto 4-10, HR, BB
- Tyrone Taylor2-3, BB
- Luis Torrens 0-6, BB, 3 K
- Mark Vientos 1-6, K
- Eric Wagaman 0-2, 2 K
Three Things To Watch For:
- Mets Moral. The last several weeks have been real rough for the Mets. The Mets played .500 baseball for the couple of weeks in June, not gaining ground but not really losing ground. Now they have entered another tailspin where they have lost 12 of 14 games and fired their manager. On top of that over the last couple of days the team has had to answer questions about the relationship between their two top stars during last year’s end of the season collapse. The only thing that can disrupt this is to win games. We have seen this team when times are tough allow things to pile on, turning into lifeless play on the field. Hopefully last night was rock bottom for the Mets and they can start to turn it around.
- Another game, the same problem. The Mets have been struggling massively with runners in scoring position over the last week. Last night the Mets went 1-for-9 with RISP, leaving 11 runners on base. Overall the Mets had 10 hits and two walks but were only able to turn that into three runs. All three runs the Mets scored came on home runs, which matches a trend we have seen this past week.
- Juan Soto. Before last night’s game, Juan Soto was named the National League’s All-Star starting roster. It is his first time being an All-Star with the Mets after getting snubbed last season, a season where he ended with 6.1 bWAR, leading the league in stolen bases, walks and OBP. Soto has been having another All-Star quality season entering yesterday’s games leading the league in OBP, OPS, and OPS+.
Let’s Go Mets!
