213 Miles From Shea

If the Mets blew the lead in the ninth, but it happened on the West Coast and sizable percentage of Mets fans missed the whole game, did they really blow the lead in a crushing, demoralizing loss? Or is it just a loss?

Last night the Mets built up an impressive lead on the strength of Alonso, Rosario and Dominic Smith but saw the whole thing come crashing down as the bullpen allowed 6 runs including 4 runs by Edwin Diaz. Winning last night would have put the Mets above .500 and put them in a position to win the series, now they will have to hope to just split the series tonight.

Tonight is a serious test for Jason Vargas. He is 1-2 over 8 games and 7 starts in 29.1 innings with a 5.22 ERA, 5.40 FIP, 1.568 WHIP and 77 ERA+. In 4 of his last 5 starts he has allowed 1 run over 4-5 innings of work. In that stretch he has a 2.74 ERA and opponents are batting .205 against him. Can he replicate these numbers though against a team with the hitting ability like the Dodgers? Last year he allowed 5 runs, 4 earned over 3.1 innings against the Dodgers who have the following numbers against him:

• David Freese 9-16, 2B, 4 HR, BB, 3 K
• Russell Martin 1-9, K
• Austin Barnes 1-2, HR
• Enrique Hernandez 1-2
• Chris Taylor 1-1, 2B
• Justin Turner 0-2

The Mets draw Hyun-Jin Ryu who is arguably the best pitcher in baseball right now. He is 7-1 over 10 games and 65.1 innings with a 1.65 ERA (league leading), 2.60 FIP, 0.827 WHIP (league leading) and a 252 ERA+ (league leading). He also leads the league in walks per 9 (0.6) and K/BB (15.50). He’s coming off a “mere mortal” start in Pittsburg where he allowed 2 runs off 10 hits in 6.0 innings, the most hits per inning he has allowed this season. He was good but the defense behind him was not in his one start against the Mets last year where he allowed 5 runs, 1 earned over 6.0 innings allowing 10 hits but striking out 8. The Mets have the following numbers against him:

• Todd Frazier 1-11, 2B, BB, 5 K
• Juan Lagares 2-7, HR, K
• Michael Conforto 1-6, 2 K
• Adeiny Hechavarria 1-5, BB
• Amed Rosario 1-5
• Robinson Cano 0-2, BB
• Carlos Gomez 1-3, K
• Jeff McNeil 1-3, 2B
• Brandon Nimmo 2-3, K
• Aaron Altherr 0-2

Let’s Go Mets!

The Mets did it! They beat a team on paper they weren’t better then!

The Mets beat the Dodgers last night 7-3 thanks to a strong outing by Steven Matz who tossed 6 innings of 2 run ball and to a timely grand slam by Michael Conforto reminding us all why we missed him so much when he was on the injured list.

In what has become an interesting story line this season, which is a nicer way of saying, a surprising story line: the Mets will see which Noah Syndergaard arrives at the game tonight. He is 3-4 over 11 starts and 69.1 innings with a 4.93 ERA, 3.69 FIP, 1.255 WHIP and 81 ERA+. After tossing two good starts, allowing a combined 4 runs over 15.0 innings, he stumbled in his last outing, allowing 6 runs over 5.1 innings. He hasn’t faced the Dodgers since 2016 where he allowed 2 runs over 10.1 innings. The Dodgers have the following numbers against him:

• Corey Seager 3-9, HR, 4 K
• Justin Turner 2-7, 2 2B, BB, 3 K
• Joc Pederson 0-6, BB, 4 K
• Enrique Hernandez 1-1, 2 BB

The Mets bats will get a look at Walker Buehler who is 5-1 over 10 starts and 55.1 innings with a 3.58 ERA, 3.06 FIP, 1.048 WHIP and 116 ERA+. He has been on a tear in his last three starts allowing 5 runs, only 2 earned over 19.0 innings, a 0.95 ERA. He has never faced the Mets before in a major league game and only two members of the team have seen him before. Robinson Cano went 0-2 with a walk and a strikeout and J.D. Davis went 0-2 with two strikeouts.

Let’s Go Mets!

Last night’s Mets / Dodgers bout was back and forth for a while, until the Mets bullpen came in and promptly gave up 6 runs. It was the first difficult outing for the pen in a while, and if you take that inning out of the game, the Mets won! Except all the innings count and the Mets lost. So they look to get back in the win column tonight with Steven Matz.

Matz is 3-3 over 9 starts and 44.2 innings posting a 3.63 ERA, 4.65 FIP, 1.366 WHIP and 110 ERA+. He’s coming off a strong start allowing 1 run over 6.0 innings against the Nationals and overall in his last 5 starts he has a 2.86 ERA over 28.1 innings. The only disturbing trend over those starts: opponents are batting .288 against him. The last time he faced the Dodgers was back in 2017 where he saw them twice allowing 8 runs over 11.1 innings. The Dodgers have the following numbers against him:

• Justin Turner 4-14, 2B, 2 HR, BB, 3 K
• Enrique Hernandez 4-14, HR, 7 K
• David Freese 3-8, HR, BB, 3 K
• Cody Bellinger 1-4, 2B, 2 BB, 2 K
• Chris Taylor 0-6, 3 K
• Austin Barnes 1-3, 2B, 2 BB
• Joc Pederson 0-2, K

The Mets draw Rich Hill who is having his best season since 2016. In 5 starts he has a 2.67 ERA, 4.48 FIP, 1.074 WHIP and 157 ERA+. In his last two starts he has allowed 1 run over 12.0 innings. His numbers against the Mets last year are similar to Matz’s numbers against the Dodgers in 2017. In 2018, Hill allowed 8 runs off 12 hits and 2 walks in 11.0 innings against the Mets. The Mets have the following individual lines against him:

• Robinson Cano 6-15, 2B, HR, BB, 3 K
• Todd Frazier 2-8, 2B, 4 K
• Michael Conforto 2-6, 2 HR, 2 K
• Carlos Gomez 1-6, 2 K
• Amed Rosario 1-4, 2B, BB, 2 K
• Dominic Smith 0-2
• Adeiny Hachavarria 0-2, 2 K

Let’s Go Mets!

Two weeks ago the Mets played terribly losing 5 games in a row to sub-500 teams. This past week the Mets won 6 of 7 games against sub-500 teams. The result? The Mets are back to .500. The reward? They get to play the best team in the National League – the Dodgers who boast a .660 winning percentage (next best is the Cubs with .588). The Dodgers have the league best run differential at +79 (the Mets are at -12) and are Kings at home with a 19-6 record.

But the Mets have Jacob deGrom. Jacob is 3-5 over 10 games and 58.0 innings with a 3.72 ERA, 3.35 FIP, 1.138 WHIP and 107 ERA+. He struggled back on May 17th, allowing 7 runs, 6 earned to the Marlins but rebounded in his last start holding the Nationals to 1 run over 6.0 innings. In two starts against the Dodgers last year, deGrom held them to 4 runs over 12.0 innings from 7 hits and 4 walks while striking out 12. The Dodgers have the following numbers against deGrom:

• Justin Turner 6-25, 3 2B, HR, 3 K
• Joc Pederson 2-17, 2B, 6 BB, 5 K
• Corey Seager 6-14, 3 2B, BB, 5 K
• Enrique Hernandez 0-6, BB, 2 K
• Max Muncy 1-5, HR

Clayton Kershaw is 4-0 over 7 games and 46.0 innings this year with a 3.33 ERA, 3.69 FIP, 0.978 WHIP and 125 ERA+. The month of May has been a bit rougher on Kershaw, despite going 3-0, he has allowed 12 runs over 26.0 innings, a 4.15 ERA. He had a limited start against the Mets last year allowing 2 runs off 5 hits and a walk in 3.0 innings. The Mets have the following numbers against him:

• Carlos Gomez 7-24, 2 2B, HR, BB, 4 K
• Todd Frazier 4-15, 2 2B, 5 K
• Juan Lagares 1-15, 4 K
• Wilson Ramos 2-12, 4 K
• Adeiny Hechavarria 1-10, 2 K
• Robinson Cano 0-9, K
• Michael Conforto 1-6, 2B, 2 K
• Aaron Altherr 1-5, HR

Let’s Go Mets!

The Mets and Tigers play the rubber game of their three game set before the Mets go off to LA to play the Dodgers tomorrow. Yesterday, shockingly, was a low scoring affair for both starting pitchers and didn’t get interesting until the bullpens got involved. For the Mets, Jason Vargas has now pitched well in 4 of his 5 starts, starting to change his narrative. Anyway the Mets and Tigers changed leads several times until Edwin Diaz allowed an inherited runner to score in the 8th which propelled both teams all the way to the 13th inning where Nido hit a walk off homer! (Also, we can’t pivot a turn to talking about today’s game without mentioning Wilson Ramos who was the Mets offense with two homers and an RBI single).

Zack Wheeler makes his 11th start of the season today. He is 3-3 over 10 games and 62.2 innings with a 4.74 ERA, 3.21 FIP, 1.372 WHIP and an 83 ERA+. He rebounded a bit in his last start allowing only 3 runs over 7.0 innings meaning that he has had three good starts in May, allowing a total of 7 runs over 21.0 innings. He also has one start where he allowed 6 runs over 6.0 innings. We are only a few hours away from finding out which Wheeler we got today. The Tigers have the following numbers against him:

• Josh Harrison 1-6, 2B, 2 K
• Jordy Mercer 0-5
• Gordon Beckham 1-2
• Tyson Ross 1-2

Unlike the last two days, the Mets face a starter this afternoon who has actually been in the rotation all season and has been successful. Spencer Turnbull pitched in 4 games, 3 starts in 2018 logging 16.1 innings posting a 6.06 ERA, 2.85 FIP, 1.286 WHIP and 75 ERA+. Over 10 starts and 53.2 innings this year he has a 2.68 ERA, 3.86 FIP, 1.304 WHIP and 173 ERA+. In his last 7 games he has pitched 38.2 innings with a 1.86 ERA and opponents are batting .208 against him. That being said, his last two lines are interesting. On May 16th he lasted only 4.0 innings giving up 6 runs but only 1 was earned and in his last start he lasted only 5, giving up 3 runs. No one on the Mets has seen him in a major league game.

Let’s Go Mets!

The Mets ended their 4 game winning streak yesterday with a 9-8 loss to the Tigers. Noah Syndergaard struggled and allowed 6 runs and Gagnon had his first bad outing in a while allowing 3, so despite the Mets offense getting surprising homers and support that went missing for large stretches this month, they just fell short.

Jason Vargas will look to get the Mets back on track today as he returns from the injured list. On the season he is 1-2 over 7 games and 6 starts pitching 24.1 innings with a 5.92 ERA, 5.72 FIP, 1.562 WHIP and 67 ERA+. Before his last start in May where he allowed 3 runs over 4.0 innings, he had a nice streak of starts where he allowed 3 runs over 14.0 innings (but three starts) posting a 1.93 ERA and opponents hit .180 against him. The Tigers have the following numbers against him:

• Miguel Cabrera 6-20, 4 2B, HR, 8 BB, 2 K
• Nicholas Castellanos 5-20, 2 HR, 4 K
• Gordon Becham 6-15, 2B, 2 BB, K
• Josh Harrison 0-2
• Jordy Mercer 0-2

The Mets bats will get a look at Ryan Carpenter who hasn’t had a good first two starts of the season, lasting 9.0 innings allowing 14 runs, 13 earned. His last time out was on May 14th and he allowed 8 runs in 4.0 innings from 9 hits and 3 walks. Before getting called up this year he had a 4.15 ERA over 7 games and 39.0 innings in Toledo, the AAA home of the Tigers. The only Met who has seen Carpenter, who made his debut in 2018, is Rajai Davis who is 1-3.

Let’s Go Mets!

Last week the Mets lost twice to the Nationals and then got swept by the Marlins. Against the Nationals they didn’t even face the two anchors of their staff. It was a low point in the Mets season that led to open thinking about Callaway getting fired.

This past week the Mets swept the Nationals in a four game set, with both Scherzer and Strasburg pitching. The Mets won these four games despite a good chunk of their Opening Day lineup falling to injury in the last two weeks. They got timely hitting in unexpected places like Hechavarria, Lagares and Rajai Davis Wednesday and Carlos Gomez Thursday. Now this team has another three games on the calendar they should win this weekend against the Tigers. Let’s see what happens!

Noah Syndergaard gets the start today. Over 10 games and 64.0 innings he has a 4.50 ERA, 3.53 FIP, 1.188 WHIP and 86 ERA+. In his last two starts he has pitched 15.0 innings allowing 4 runs (2.40 ERA) holding opponents to a .184 batting average. The Tigers have the following numbers against him:

• Josh Harrison 2-9, 2B
• Miguel Cabrera 1-3
• Nicholas Castellanos 0-2, BB, 2 K
• Jordy Mercer 0-3

The Mets bats will get a look at rookie Gregory Soto making his 4th major league start tonight. In his first 3 games he has pitched 10.0 innings allowing 12 runs off 16 hits and 6 walks. Most of this happened in his first start where he allowed 7 runs over 4.0 innings. In his next two games he pitched a total of 6.0 innings allowing 5 runs. Before getting called up this year he had a 3.12 ERA across 4 games and 17. 1 innings in Double A and Advanced A. Shockingly, his 3 games this year in Double A (2.03 ERA) are his only three games in Double A in his career.

Let’s Go Mets!

In the most improbable way, the Mets have won three games in a row! This afternoon they look to sweep the Nationals. Last night the Mets were trailing 1-0 until the 8th inning. They got the exact start they needed from deGrom and another strong outing in relief from Gagnon but the offense was falling flat. Then Adeiny Hechavarria hit a double which eventually led to a bases loaded situation with Juan Lagares up at the plate (and two outs), hitting below .200. Juan cleared the bases with a double and then later in his first game as a Met, Rajai Davis hit a 3 run homer and the Mets would go on to win 6-1, their first win this season that happened after trailing 7 innings.

This afternoon we are treated to the battle of the Stevens. Or the Stephens. The Stev(ph)ens? As Matz and Strasburg square up.

Steven Matz is 3-3 over 8 games and 38.2 innings with a 3.96 ERA, 5.08 FIP, 1.267 WHIP and 98 ERA+. He had a short outing his last time out, coming back from the IL, only lasting 3.2 innings allowing 2 runs off 5 hits and 2 walks. Against the Nationals earlier this year he pitched 5.0 scoreless innings. The Nationals have the following numbers against Matz:

• Anthony Rendon 8-25, 3 HR, BB, 10 K
• Michael A Taylor 4-23, HR, 2 BB, 13 K
• Juan Soto 3-10, 4 K
• Wilmer Difo 1-8, BB, K
• Adam Eaton 2-8, BB, K
• Victor Robles 1-4, HR

The Mets bats get the second straight strong pitcher from the Nationals today, Stephen Strasburg. He is 4-3 over 10 games and 65.0 innings with a 3.32 ERA, 2.75 FIP, 0.985 WHIP and 131 ERA+. He has been his normal dominant self his last two starts allowing 3 runs over 14.0 innings while striking out 14 batters. The Mets haven’t seen him since the start of the season where he me made back to back starts against them. In the first start he allowed 4 runs over 6.0 innings from 7 hits and 2 walks. In his second start he shut out the Mets over 6.2 innings holding them to 2 hits and a walk. Between the two starts he struck out 17 Mets who have the following numbers against him:

• Adeiny Hechavarria 5-32, 3B, BB, 10 K
• Michael Conforto 4-24, 2 HR, 11 K
• Juan Lagares 2-18, 8 K
• Todd Frazier 2-8, 8 K
• Wilson Ramos 3-9, 2B, 2 K
• Amed Rosario 3-8, 3 K
• Pete Alonso 2-6, 2B
• Jeff McNeil 3-6, 3B
• Carlos Gomez 3-6, 3B

Let’s Go Mets!

The Mets came back multiple times last night and won! Now Max Scherzer stands in the way for the Mets making a three game winning streak!

Last night the Mets fell early 1-0 and then several innings later tied it up 1-1. In Syndergaard’s last inning, he would allowing a 2 run homer to make it 3-1 going into the bottom of the 7th. This is where things got crazy. In that frame, J.D. Davis hit a three run bomb to put the Mets up 4-3. Then the Mets put together their worst defensive alignment ever in the outfield and ball took a bizarre carom and the game was tied. One more run would come in and the Nationals took a 5-4 lead. The Mets tied it in the bottom of the 8th thanks to a bomb by Alonso and then walked it off in the 9th by Rosario beating out a ground ball for an infield hit.

It was a crazy night, lets see if the Mets have the magic for another one.

Jacob deGrom gets the start tonight. On the season heis is 3-5 over 9 games and 52.0 innings with a 3.98 ERA, 3.24 FIP, 1.173 WHIP and 98 ERA+. He started May off with three amazing starts allowing 3 runs over 21.0 innings but swung the other way in his last start against the Marlins allowing 7 runs, 6 earned over 5.0 innings. He’s faced the Nationals once this year (on Opening Day against Max Scherzer) where he allowed no runs over 6.0 innings and 10 strikeouts. The Nationals have the following numbers against him:

• Anthony Rendon 2-26, 2B, 6 BB, 7 K
• Ryan Zimmerman 5-27, 2 HR, 9 K
• Trea Turner 9-28, 2B, HR, BB, 11 K
• Howie Kendrick 2-26, 6 K
• Adam Eaton 5-13, 2 2B,2 BB, 4 K
• Wilmer Difo 2-9, 2 K
• Victor Robles 2-7, 2B, 4 K
• Juan Soto 1-5, 2 K
• Brian Dozier 0-2, K

The Mets bats have deal with Max Scherzer who leads the league in games and innings pitched at 10 and 65.1. He’s 2-5 with a 3.72 ERA, 2.45 FIP (league leading), 1.194 WHIP and 118 ERA+. He’s coming off an average start against the Cubs, allowing 3 runs over 6.0 innings. His two starts against the Mets this year were quite different. On Opening Day he shut the Mets down over 7.2 innings allowing only 2 runs, both created by Robinson Cano (times have changed) a week later he allowed 4 runs over 6.1 innings from 8 hits and no walks. The Mets have the following numbers against him:

• Robinson Cano 4-24, 2 HR,2 BB, 7 K
• Adeiny Hechavarria 2-22, 8 K
• Brandon Nimmo 3-18, 2B, HR, 3 BB, 11 K
• Juan Lagares 1-16, BB, 11 K
• Wilson Ramos 3-14
• Amed Rosario 3-12, 2B
• Todd Frazier 0-8, 3 K
• Jeff McNeil 2-7, 2B, BB, 2 K
• Carlos Gomez 2-7, 4 K
• Pete Alonso 1-6, 2B

Let’s Go Mets!

In a shocking deviation from the recent narrative, the Mets actually won a ball game last night against a team on paper they should win against! The Mets opened the game with two solo homers from Amed Rosario and Pete Alonso and for rest of the game kept the Nationals just far enough away to win. This was despite all the injury news yesterday and changing course for a starting pitcher pretty close to game time (Drew Gagnon still came in and still was effective).

Zack Wheeler today looks to lead the Mets consecutive wins for the first time in what feels like 7 years but in reality is closer to the first time in 1 to 2 weeks. In 9 starts and 55.2 innings this year he has a 4.85 ERA, 2.86 FIP, 1.437 WHIP and 81 ERA+. After back to back strong starts where he allowed 4 runs over 14.0 innings while striking out 21 batters, he took a step back in his last start which was also against the Nationals allowing 6 runs over 6.0 innings. In total against the Nationals he has pitched 15.2 innings allowing 17 runs in 2019. The Nationals have the following numbers against Wheeler:

• Anthony Rendon 11-34, 6 BB, 4 K
• Ryan Zimmerman 8-27, 2 HR, 3 BB, 5 K
• Adam Eaton 10-19, 2 2B, 3 BB, 2 K
• Trea Turner 6-16, 2B, HR, 2 BB, K
• Gerardo Parra 8-15, 2B, HR, BB
• Juan Soto 2-13, 3 BB, 5 K
• Wilmer Difo 1-10, 2 BB, 2 K
• Howie Kendrick 2-10, 2B, BB, 2 K
• Victor Robles 3-8, 2B, 2 K

Erick Fedde is scheduled to make his first start of the season today for the Nationals. As a reliever in 2019 he has pitched in 5 games tossing 10.2 innings allowing 4 runs off 7 hits, a 3.38 ERA. In 2018 he was only a starter, logging 50.1 innings over 11 games with a 5.54 ERA, 4.71 FIP, 1.530 WHIP and 76 ERA+. All four runs he’s allowed this year have been against the Mets in 4.2 innings of work. He made one start against the Mets last year where he allowed 3 runs over 3.1 innings off 5 hits and 3 walks. The Mets have the following numbers against him:

• Brandon Nimmo 1-7, BB, 3 K
• Amed ROsario 2-8, K
• Dominic Smith 0-6, 2 K
• Michael Conforto 2-4, HR
• Juan Lagares 1-2
• Jeff McNeil 3-3
• Robinson Cano 1-2, 2B
• Todd Frazier 1-1, 2B
• Zack Wheeler 1-2

Let’s Go Mets!