The Mets look to snap their five game losing streak tonight against the Phillies. Last week the Mets were flying high, looking to challenge the Marlins for third in the division, now the Mets are back in the cellar, two games behind the Nationals. Thursday night Aaron Nola held the Mets scoreless over seven innings and the Mets batters only mustered four hits. Jared Young had a scary collision with Nolan McLean and Young had to be carted off. After the game Andy Green told reporters that Young was having concussion symptoms. The vibes heading into the Mets final three home games are not good.
Zac Thornton is winding down his successful rookie season. Over 13 starts he pitched 73 1/3 innings with a 3.44 ERA, 4.46 FIP, 1.159 WHIP and a 119 ERA+. Thornton is coming off of a fantastic start against the Yankees where he held them to two runs over seven innings. Thornton faced the Phillies back in June when he held them to one run over six innings, scattering five hits while striking out seven batters. The Phillies have the following career stats against Thornton:
- Alec Bohm 0-3, K
- Bryce Harper 2-3
- Derek Hill 0-2, 2 K
- Brandon Marsh 0-3, 2 K
- J.T. Realmuto 1-2, 2B
- Kyle Schwarber 1-2, BB
- Edmundo Sosa 0-2, K
- Bryson Stott 0-2, K
- Trea Turner 1-3, 2B
José Urquidy was claimed by Phillies on Thursday and is pitching for them today. He won’t be eligible for the postseason roster but the Phillies are hoping he can help give the team some necessary innings between now and then. Between the Pirates and the White Sox this season, Urquidy pitched in 11 games totaling 29 innings with a 5.28 ERA, 4.37 FIP, 1.517 FIP and an 83 ERA+. He last pitched for the White Sox against the Pirates ten days ago where he racked up four innings, holding the Pirates to two runs. His first outing of the season was a relief outing against the Mets where he allowed one unearned run. The Mets have the following career stats against him:
- Marcus Semien 7-for-18, 2 2B, 2 HR, 2 BB, 2 K
- Bo Bichette 4-15, HR, BB, 4 K
- Francisco Lindor 2-6, 2B, BB, 2 K
- Luis Torrens 1-5, BB, K
- Cristian Pache 0-3, K
- Juan Soto 1-2, 2B, BB
Three Things To Watch For:
- Francisco Lindor. Last Saturday Francisco Lindor hit two home runs including a grand slam. Since that game Lindor has gone 2-for-19 with a double and four walks (.105/.261/.158). Is getting his 300th home run becoming a weight? Just a random blip? It’s probably just a blip but it would be great for Lindor to get his 300th home run at home and get this milestone behind him.
- Take Advantage of the Phillies. Tonight is the problem night for the Phillies. They are hoping for bulk innings from Urquidy tonight. Jhoan Duran has pitched in back-to-back games. Tonight is the night to put some pressure on this pitching staff. The Mets bats have been cold over the last couple of days, collecting only 11 singles and no runs in the last two games.
- Nate Lavender. It’s been a few days, so it may be another Nate Lavender day tonight. The last time we saw Lavender was on Tuesday where he pitched 1 2/3 innings while striking out four batters. Over 17 games and 17 innings he has a 1.59 ERA, 1.21 FIP, 0.882 WHIP and a 261 ERA+. He also has a 11.6 K/9.
Let’s Go Mets!
