213 Miles From Shea

The entire 2024 season comes down to a doubleheader in Atlanta today. The Mets and Diamondbacks both won on Sunday, while the Braves lost, setting up a doubleheader today where both games need to be played. Win and you’re in. That’s all the Mets and the Braves have to do. If they each win one game, they both celebrate before taking flights to San Diego and Milwaukee.

If either team gets swept, then the Diamondbacks play October baseball. The stage is set. Can the Grimace Mets find just a bit more magic?

The Mets are sending out Tylor Megill who hasn’t faced the Braves yet this season for game one. Over 15 games this season, 72 1/3 innings, Megill has a 3.98 ERA, 3.36 FIP, 1.272 WHIP and a 99 ERA+ (all career bests except for his WHIP). Since returning to the rotation he has pitched 25 1/3 innings with a 1.78 ERA, 2.02 FIP while striking out 28 batters. The Braves have the following career numbers against him:

• Ozzie Albies 5-18, HR, 5 K
• Orlando Arcia 2-9, 2B, BB, K
• Travis d’Arnaud 2-9, 2B, K
• Adam Duvall 2-5
• Michael Harris II 1-5, 2 K
• Jarred Kelenic 0-3, 2 K
• Whit Merrifield 0-3
• Sean Murphy 2-3, 3 BB
• Matt Olson 3-14, HR, 2 BB, 3 K
• Marcell Ozuna 6-12, 2B, 2 HR, 3 K
• Jorge Soler 0-5, K
• Gio Urshela 0-2, K

The Braves will find out this afternoon if the Mets were able to make adjustments to Spencer Schwellenbach. Schwellenbach pitched the first game of the Mets vs Braves series on Tuesday, holding the Mets to just a solo-shot from Mark Vientos over seven innings. In his last three starts he has allowed only four runs over 19 innings. The solo shot that Mark Vientos had on Tuesday night was their only run scored against Schwellenbach this entire season (14 innings). The Mets have the following career numbers against him:

• Luisangel Acuña 0-2
• Pete Alonso 1-5, 2B, BB, 2 K
• Francisco Alvarez 0-3, K
• Jose Iglesias 1-5, K
• Francisco Lindor 0-3
• Starling Marte 0-3
• J.D. Martinez 0-3, 3 K
• Brandon Nimmo 0-6, K
• Tyrone Taylor 0-3, K
• Luis Torrens 0-2, 2 2K
• Mark Vientos 2-5, HR, 3 K
• Jesse Winker 0-6, K

Three Things To Watch For:

1. How do the Mets come out in the top of the first? On Tuesday night in Atlanta, the Mets looked pressed from the start, and it was a feeling that followed them through the first two games in Milwaukee. On Sunday afternoon the Mets came out aggressive and fired up, starting with Lindor getting on base and the immediately stealing a base. The Mets would go on to have 12 hits including multi-hit days from Lindor, Iglesias, Vientos, J.D. Martinez and Francisco Alvarez. The Mets need the same energy today so they don’t fall into the same game script story about the Mets vs Spencer Schwellenbach.
2. Jose Iglesias. Iglesias kept hitting even when the rest of the team went silent over the last week. He now has a 20 game hitting streak where he is slashing .416/.451/.507. He has at least two hits in six of of his last eight games. The difference for the Mets is Iglesias hasn’t scored since September 21st. He also hasn’t had an RBI since the 21st. He’s getting on base, can the Mets take advantage today?
3. Mets Bullpen Usage. The first game today is going to have “Game 7” vibes with both managers doing everything they can to pus their teams into the post-season. The Mets used Díaz yesterday, he had to use 26 pitches to get through the inning but it was his first time pitching in a week, he says he’s good to go today. The only pitcher who is probably not available is Phil Maton who pitched in back-to-back games Saturday and Sunday. There’s also a second game today. If things are going left, for the Mets, will we see Mendoza pivot to put all the effort in game two?

Let’s Go Mets!

Despite everything that has transpired in the last week, the Mets still have the chance to clinch a spot in the post season today. With the Braves winning yesterday and the Diamondbacks losing, the Braves just have to win a game and be in. The Mets are in with a win and a Diamondbacks loss. There are also scenarios where the Mets have to play the Braves tomorrow where the games do not mean anything to the Braves. All the Mets need to do is win (actually, they could lose and still make the playoffs tomorrow, but that’s another story). The Mets are the same team that took three of four from the Phillies last weekend in Citi Field. They went 8-1 without Lindor down the stretch. Now they need to find that fight and rhythm back.

David Peterson looks to do that on the mound this afternoon for the Mets. Over 114 innings Peterson has a 3.08 ERA, 3.76 FIP, 1.333 WHIP and a 128 ERA+ (all career bests except for the WHIP). Peterson has been on / off throughout the month of September. When he’s on, he’s allowed two runs over 13 2/3 innings against the Red Sox and the Phillies. When he’s been off he’s allowed 10 runs, eight earned, over eight innings against the Blue Jays and the Phillies. The Brewers have the following numbers against Peterson:

• Willy Adames 2-7, 2B, 6 BB, 2 K
• William Contreras 2-7, BB, K
• Rhys Hoskins 7-16, 3 2B, 2 HR, 2 BB, 4 K
• Andruw Monasterio 1-2
• Blake Perkins 0-3, K
• Gary Sánchez 1-4, 2B, BB, K

Colin Rea has pitched 162 innings with a 4.17 ERA, 4.72 FIP, 1.228 WHIP and a 101 ERA+. The Brewers have been bouncing Rea a bit this past month between starting an pitching in relief. Since August 4th he has pitched in seven games (five starts) with a 7.43 ERA and a 6.09 FIP. His season got off to a strong start against the Mets where he held them to one run over five innings, scattering five hits. The Mets have the following career numbers against Rea:

• Pete Alonso 2-6
• Francisco Alvarez 1-3, 2B, BB
• Harrison Bader 0-1
• Francisco Lindor 1-6, K
• Starling Marte 1-8, K
• Brandon Nimmo 0-6, 2 K
• Tyrone Taylor 1-1, BB
• Jesse Winker 0-2, K

Three Things To Watch For:

1. Competitive At Bats. The Mets struggled Saturday night with competitive at bats. They were just under balls, getting weak contact, or swinging early. The Mets had only two hits and a walk. The last four relievers the Brewers threw 14, 11, 7 and 14 pitches respectively. Just way, way too fast. The Mets offense has been relentless at points throughout this season. They’ve also been lifeless at points. Here’s hoping the pendulum swings back to relentless this afternoon.
2. A solid start for David Peterson. The Mets starting pitching fueled the push they made throughout September. The starting pitching has disappeared in the last week with the offense. (To be clear, the losses this week fall more on the bats than the arms). Peterson needs to give himself, the team and the bullpen a nice reset today, especially if the Mets need to play two games tomorrow.
3. Scoreboard watching. A lot of avenues for the Mets today rely on the Padres beating the Diamondbacks. Martín Pérez (4.25 ERA) goes against Pfaadt (4.80) who looks to rebound after a difficult month. Pfaadt would love to rewrite his narrative this month and be the reason why the Diamondbacks get into the post season. A Braves win today also immensely helps the Mets. Alec Marsh (4.65 ERA) goes against the Braves. The Braves are countering with the ageless Charlie Morton (4.08 ERA).

Let’s Go Mets!

The Mets will try to put a frustrating, chaotic Friday night behind them as they continue to play for a wild card spot. The Mets played their first game in several days on Friday night and looked a bit rusty. On top of that, they got some unlucky breaks (hard hit balls right at players, balls taking favorable bounces) and they got some truly terrible calls by the home plate umpire.

With the Diamondbacks loss last night, all three teams chasing the last two wild card spots are tied – the Mets magic number is effectively three. It all starts with them winning a game.

It has been a minute since Jose Quintana pitched. Quintana’s last start was on September 18th where he held the Nationals scoreless over seven innings. Over 30 starts this season he has pitched 166 innings with a 3.74 ERA, 4.67 FIP, 1.241 WHIP and a 106 ERA+. In his last five starts he has allowed only two runs, one earned, over 32 innings. His first start of the season was against the Brewers where he allowed two runs from six hits over 4 2/3 innings. The Brewers have the following career numbers against Quintana:

• Willy Adames 4-12, 2 2B, HR, BB, 3 K
• Jake Bauers 1-1
• Jackson Chourio 1-2, BB
• William Contreras 3-6, 2B, HR, 2 K
• Eric Haase 1-2
• Rhys Hoskins 3-14, HR, 5 BB, 3 K
• Joey Ortiz 1-2, K
• Blake Perkins 1-2, K
• Gary Sánchez 0-5, BB, K

The Mets bats will get Jared Koenig tonight who has pitched in 54 games, five starts this season with a 2.51 ERA, 3.35 FIP, 1.246 WHIP and a 168 ERA+. He is definitely more of an opener type, only going more than two innings once this season. Since September 3rd he has allowed six runs, four earned, over nine innings. The Mets have had limited exposure to Koenig over his short career:

• Pete Alonso 1-1, 2B
• Francisco Lindor 1-1
• J.D. Martinez 1-2, HR, BB, K
• Brandon Nimmo 1-1
• Mark Vientos 0-1

Three Things To Watch For:

1. Mark Vientos. Vientos started the Mets offense Friday night. With them down 5-0, he hit a two run homer, the second consecutive game where he has homered, scoring the first runs for the Mets. He also had three strikeouts Friday night. The Mets offense needs their x-factor if they are going to push their way into the playoffs.
2. Stolen bases. The Brewers were annoying Friday night, running all over the Mets. In total they stole six bases which just added to the frustration boiling over from all of the other things happening during the game. How will the Mets adjust?
3. Scoreboard Watching. Five minutes after the Mets game gets started, the Braves will get started against Seth Lugo and the Royals. With the Twins loss last night, the Royals clinched their ticket to the post season and are now just playing for seeding. The Braves are reactivating Reynaldo López from the inured list. At 8:10 the Padres and the Diamondbacks will kick off with Eduardo Rodriguez (5.56 ERA) taking on Randy Vásquez (5.18 ERA).

Let’s Go Mets!

The Mets are gearing up for a wild weekend of baseball. The Mets enter play today tied for the second wild card spot with the Diamondbacks, with two games in hand against the Diamondbacks. The Braves are one game out of the wild card. Both the Mets and Braves are trying to get playoff spots this weekend to avoid the doubleheader on Monday. Every game is vital right now!

Sean Manaea has a 3.29 ERA, 3.75 FIP, 1.056 WHIP and a 120 ERA+ over 178 innings this season. Since the end of July he has a 2.63 ERA, 3.13 FIP over 72 innings with 82 strikeouts. He has pitched at least 6 2/3 innings in his last eight consecutive starts. Since dropping his arm angle Sean Manaea has reestablished himself and the Mets need him to lead the team tonight more than ever. The Brewers have the following career numbers against him:

• Willy Adames 1-8, BB, 3 K
• William Contreras 1-5, 2B, BB, 3 K
• Eric Haase 2-4, 2B, HR, K
• Rhys Hoskins 1-4, HR, K
• Gary Sánchez 3-6, 2 2B, BB, K

The Brewers send out Frankie Montas tonight who has pitched 146 2/3 innings between the Reds and the Brewers this season with a 4.85 ERA, 4.66 FIP, 1.370 WHIP and an 89 ERA+. He’s been better as a Brewer with a 4.56 ERA, 4.20 FIP, 1.256 WHIP and a 93 ERA+ over 53 1/3 innings. Montas is trying to get positive momentum going into the post-season, in his last start he allowed eight runs, seven earned over 2 2/3 innings against the Diamondbacks. He has struck out 10 batters in two of his last four starts. The Mets have the following career numbers against Montas:

• Pete Alonso 1-3, K
• Jose Iglesias 1-7, 2 K
• Francisco Lindor 4-11, 2 2B, 3 BB, 3 K
• Starling Marte 5-8, K
• J.D. Martinez 2-9, 2B, BB, K
• Brandon Nimmo 0-3, K
• Luis Torrens 2-8, HR, 2 K
• Jesse Winker 2-7, 3 BB, 2 K

Three Things To Watch For:

1. Francisco Lindor. Francisco Lindor was slated to return on Wednesday before the game got postponed. (I’m still a little surprised that Wednesday’s game made it all the way to lineup cards before it got rained out). Francisco Lindor injured his back on September 13th in Philadelphia, returned for a moment on September 15th and has been out since. He was ready to take an at-bat on Tuesday night, so hopefully these extra few days of rest have helped Lindor. Lindor has been having an MVP type season for the Mets hitting .271/.342/.494 with a 136 OPS+ and amazing defense.
2. The Vibes. The 2024 Mets are the vibes team. They’re the team that poses for pictures with the OMG sign. The starting pitchers created their own huddle jump thing when of them has a good outing. The team has faced a lot of adversity this season and handled it with smiles and jokes (you might say humor and whimsy). Hopefully the Mets come out tonight as that team, and not tight from the pressure of what this series means for additional games in a different city on Monday. The vibe tone this weekend is set tonight.
3. Scoreboard Watching. The Padres and Diamondbacks start an interesting series tonight. With the Dodgers clinching the west yesterday, the Mets Padres need to win one game this weekend to at least have homefield advantage over the Diamondbacks (if the Diamondbacks end up being the third wild card team). It’s a fantastic pitching matchup with Darvish facing Kelly in a game that the Diamondbacks feel they need to win. The Royals start a series with the Braves where the Royals (Singer, 3.73 ERA) have a magic number of 1 for the post season. The Braves are sticking with Max Fried because he likes to stay in his routine. If the game gets cancelled, and the Orioles beat the Twins, then the Royals won’t have anything to play for the rest of the weekend. It could be a real wild night!

Let’s Go Mets!

Tuesday night was not ideal for the Mets who struggled in their first game of the series against the Braves in Atlanta. Potentially things can get thrown into chaos tonight. Atlanta is expecting quite a bit of rain today from a system that is unrelated to the hurricane that is on the way Thursday night. As of writing, MLB hasn’t released a clear plan of next steps if one or two games get cancelled due to the weather.

The most important thing for the Mets though is to just take this one day at a time and remember what got them to this point – the vibes! This is the vibes team!

David Peterson has pitched 114 innings with a 3.08 ERA, 3.76 FIP, 1.333 WHIP and a 128 ERA+. Peterson is coming off of a rough start against the Phillies where he allowed five runs, four earned, over 3 2/3 innings, his second five run start in his last three. Overall since August 3rd Peterson has pitched 60 1/3 innings with a 2.69 ERA, 2.83 FIP. The last time he faced the Braves was back on July 28th where he allowed four runs over five innings in Queens. The Braves have the following career numbers against Peterson:

• Ozzie Albies 2-12, K
• Orlando Arcia 1-5, 3 BB, 2 K
• Travis d’Arnaud 0-11, 3 BB, 6 K
• Adam Duvall 4-12, 2 2B, HR, BB, 4 K
• Michael Harris II 1-10, 2B, 4 K
• Ramon Laureano 0-2
• Sean Murphy 0-4, K
• Matt Olson 4-16, 4 HR, 3 BB, 8 K
• Marcell Ozuna 3-17, 2 HR, BB, 6 K
• Jorge Soler 3-7, HR, BB, K

Chris Sale has had a dominant year for Atlanta leading the league in ERA (2.38), FIP (2.08) and ERA+ (174). He has a 1.013 WHIP over 177 2/3 innings. Since August 12th he has a 1.44 ERA, 1.68 FIP over 50 innings spread over eight starts. The Mets were able to do some damage against him in July though. The Mets scored two runs over 7 1/3 innings on their way to beating Atlanta 3-2. It has been done, it can be done again! The Mets have the following career numbers against Sale:

• Pete Alonso 0-5, 3 K
• Francisco Alvarez 0-2
• José Iglesias 11-36, 2 2B, HR, BB, 3 K
• Francisco Lindor 14-34, 2 2B, 2 HR, BB, 7 K
• Starling Marte 0-3, 2 K
• J.D. Martinez 9-41, 2 2B, 3 HR, 3 BB, 18 K
• Brandon Nimmo, 1-4 K
• Tyrone Taylor 0-1, BB
• Mark Vientos 0-3, 2 K
• Jesse Winker 2-3

Three Things To Watch For:

1. The Mets X-Factors. The Mets have had two X-Factors in 2024. First is Francisco Lindor, who was the Mets offense for large swaths of the season. In the middle of the game on Tuesday night he got his cleats and ended the game on deck. Then there’s Mark Vientos. Vientos made sure the Mets had something positive to talk about after the game. He went 2-for-4 Tuesday night with his 26th home run of the season. It was his third multi-hit game in his last six, where he is hitting .318/.400/.636.
2. The Vibes. The SNY broadcast on Tuesday night talked about how the 2022 Mets tightened up throughout the last month of the season, and how that negatively impacted them in the final week of the season. The vibes of the 2024 Mets is their identity. They’re the fun team. They’re team that is having too much fun supporting each other to care about what the other team team is doing. On a night where they are facing the possible 2024 Cy Young award winner, the Mets should channel the spirit that brings their success. They are the fun team – and when they have fun, they start to win!
3. Scoreboard Watching. The Giants did the Mets a real solid on Tuesday night. Right after the Mets dropped the game to the Braves, the Giants started their rout of the Diamondbacks. The loss kept the Diamondbacks in the third wild card spot and gives the Mets more avenues to the post-season. Tonight the Diamondbacks counter with one of their best pitchers this season, Zac Gallen (3.74 ERA) against the rookie Mason Black (5.88 ERA).

Let’s Go Mets!

We have finally arrived! When the Grimace-era Mets showed us that the Mets could possibly be the real deal this year, there was a feeling that the entire season could come down to this series against the Braves. When the Mets started to stumble at the end of August, the hope for the post season was the Mets making a comeback throughout this last week of September. Now with the Mets in the driver’s seat, the Mets have an opportunity to exorcise their demons from the 2022 season when they went down to Atlanta up a game and Atlanta swept.

The difference in 2024 – it’s very possible that one of these two teams do not make the play-offs. If the Mets win two of three, they clinch a spot. If the Braves sweep, they control their own destiny. Adding to the chaos is the Arizona Diamondbacks who could fade and create a road for both teams. There’s also a hurricane currently forecasted to impact the Thursday night game. We are finally here!

Luis Severino has pitched 178 innings this season with a 3.79 ERA, 4.20 FIP, 1.225 WHIP and a 104 ERA+. Severino is coming off back-to-back starts where he allowed three runs over six innings due in large part to three homers. Since August 17th Severino has a 2.64 ERA, 3.46 FIP striking out 47 batters over 44 1/3 innings. In both starts against the Braves this season he allowed two runs over five innings. The Braves have the following career numbers against Severino:

• Ozzie Albies 0-3
• Orlando Arcia 1-9, K
• Travis d’Arnaud 2-6, K
• Adam Duvall 0-3, K
• Michael Harris II 1-5, K
• Jarred Kelenic 1-5, HR, K
• Whit Merrifield 4-12, 2B, BB, 3 K
• Ramon Laureano 2-5, 2B, BB, 2 K
• Sean Murphy 0-1
• Matt Olson 4-10, 2B, 4 BB, 5 K
• Marcell Ozuna 2-4, HR, 3 BB, K
• Jorge Soler 1-6, 3 K
• Gio Urshela 0-6, K

Spencer Schwellenbach is wrapping up his rookie season where he pitched 109 2/3 innings with a 3.61 ERA, 3.32 FIP, 1.103 WHIP and a 115 ERA+. He’s allowed three total runs in his last two starts over 12 innings. His best start of the season this year was against the Mets where he held the Mets to no runs over seven innings while striking out 11 batters. The Mets have the following career numbers against him:

• Pete Alonso 1-3, 2B, K
• José Iglesias 0-2, K
• Francisco Lindor 0-3
• J.D. Martinez 0-3, 3 K
• Brandon Nimmo 0-3, K
• Luis Torrens 0-2, 2 K
• Mark Vientos 0-2, 2 K
• Jesse Winker 0-3, K

Three Things To Watch For:

1. Francisco Lindor or Luisangel Acuña. He’s slowly been getting better over the last couple of days, with heavy emphasis on the slowly. The Mets heart and soul of the team matches up well with Sale, who is slated to go tomorrow, so there is an advantage to keeping him out tonight, or only having him take a pinch hit at bat. Keeping the pressure off pushing Lindor is how well Acuña has played, and how the well the team has played as a whole the last week. Over his first nine games in the majors Acuña is hitting .379/.400/.828 with a 239 OPS+.
2. Brandon Nimmo. The Mets needed a player to step up, and Nimmo has answered the call. In his last five games he has gone 5-for-20 with a double and three home runs, and the homers have come in huge moments for the Mets. He asked fans to fill the park for the last series of the season. He was the difference maker on Sunday night. Now he has the power momentum, something we haven’t seen since the first half of the season.
3. Scoreboard Watching. The Diamondbacks lost a west coast game to the Giants last night, and now are half a game behind the Mets in the wild card standings. Brandon Pfaadt is on the mound tonight for the Diamondbacks. After a slew of bad starts (23 runs over four games), Pfaadt pitched a gem in his last start holding the Brewers to one run over seven innings. The Giants are counting with Logan Webb. The Mets currently have the tie breaker with the Diamondbacks.

Let’s Go Mets!

The Mets and Phillies match up for the last time in the regular season tonight, with the Mets looking to take the four game series from the Phillies. It’s been a weekend that has seen the Mets score 10 runs in the series opener, the Phillies with a rout on Friday and a close game Saturday afternoon. The Phillies have their ace on the mound tonight trying to clinch the NL East title – something they would love to celebrate in Queens tonight. The Mets are looking to keep their breathing room in the NL wild card race heading into their three game series with the Braves. It’s practically play-off baseball tonight!

Tylor Megill makes his fifth start of the season tonight since rejoining the rotation after the Paul Blackburn injury. Over 14 games this season he has pitched 68 1/3 innings with a 4.08 ERA, 3.46 FIP (career best), 1.259 WHIP and a 97 ERA+ (also a career best). In his last four games he’s had a 1.69 ERA, 2.09 FIP over 21 1/3 innings. In his last two starts he has allowed only one unearned run, no earned runs from three hits over 12 innings while striking out 13. The Phillies have the following career numbers against Megill:

• Alec Bohm 2-7, 2B, K
• Nick Castellanos 1-7, 2B, K
• Bryce Harper 2-10, BB, 3 K
• Brandon Marsh 2-7, HR, 3 K
• J.T. Realmuto 4-12, 2B, HR, 6 K
• Johan Rojas 0-2
• Kyle Schwarber 1-7, 2B, 3 BB, K
• Edmundo Sosa 1-5, K
• Bryson Stott 0-8, 3 K
• Trea Turner 1-4, BB
• Weston Wilson 1-3, K

Zack Wheeler is wrapping up another dominant season, possibly his best of his career. Over 186 2/3 innings he has a 2.56 ERA (career best), 3.14 FIP, 0.954 WHIP (career best and league leading) and a 158 ERA+ (career best). He’s also leading the league in hits per nine innings at 6.2 (also a career best). In his last four starts he has allowed only four runs from 14 hits and four walks while striking out 29 batters over 26 innings. The Mets have and Wheeler are matching up for the first time in 2024 tonight. The Mets have the following career numbers against him:

• Pete Alonso 10-31, 2 2B, 2 BB, 6 K
• José Iglesias 3-8, 2B
• Francisco Lindor 8-29, 2B, 3B, HR, 6 K
• Starling Marte 7-20, 2B, 3B, BB, 3 K
• Brandon Nimmo 12-41, 3 2B, 3B, HR, BB, 7 K
• Tyrone Taylor 0-3, K
• Mark Vientos 1-3
• Jesse Winker 0-7, 2 BB

Three Things To Watch For:

1. Pete Alonso. There is a possibility that Pete Alonso’s last home game as a Met happens tonight. Pete Alonso has been a home run hitting machine for the Mets, hitting 226 so far in his Mets career. He has four All-Star game appearances. While he’s having a down year, he still has a .808 OPS and 128 OPS+ (which is not actually his lowest career OPS+). Alonso has powered the 2022 Mets with a league leading 131 RBI’s. Tonight the Mets are going to need a slugger in the lineup.
2. Iglesias and Acuña. The Mets have been carrying the team over the last week. Iglesias added to his hitting streak yesterday going 2-for-5 with a double. Over his last 15 games he has gone 24-for-58 slashing .414/.443/.535. More recently he’s been getting extra-base hits on top of just getting on base. Meanwhile, Acuña continued his meteoric rise on Saturday going 2-for-3 with a double and homer. He is hitting .385/.407/.885 over his first eight games of his career with six extra-base hits.
3. The Standings. The Braves won a back-and-forth game with the Marlins today, so the Mets need the win against them to keep their two game lead, critical before heading into a three game series with them. The Diamondbacks had an 8-0 lead today and somehow the Brewers completed a massive comeback. With a win tonight, the Mets would pull back into a tie with the Diamondbacks, which is really a one game lead thanks to the tie-breaker.

Let’s Go Mets!

The Mets try to get back in the win column this afternoon as they play the third game in the four game set against the Phillies. After three straight games of scoring 10 runs, the Mets offense struggled Friday night to get anything going. Coupled with a good night for the Phillies bats, it was an ugly loss for the Mets. But the Braves lost too and going into play today the Mets have sole possession of the third wild card spot by two games.

Sean Manaea has pitched 171 innings this season with a 3.26 ERA, 3.70 FIP, 1.082 WHIP and a 121 ERA+. Over his last two games he has allowed only two runs over 13 2/3 innings while striking striking out 14 batters. Since July 30th he’s had a 2.49 ERA, 2.91 FIP over 65 innings. He’s had two starts against the Phillies this season. In May he held the Phillies to only one run over six innings in Queens. Then in June he allowed six runs from seven hits including two homers over 3 2/3 innings during the London Series. The Phillies have the following career numbers against him:

• Alec Bohm 2-7, HR, 2 K
• Nick Castellanos 5-13, 2B, 2 HR, 4 K
• Kody Clemens 0-1
• Bryce Harper 4-8, 2 2B, HR, K
• Brandon Marsh 0-3, BB, 2 K
• J.T. Realmuto 0-4, BB, 3 K
• Johan Rojas 0-3, K
• Kyle Schwarber 1-3, 2 BB
• Edmundo Sosa 4-6, 2B, 3B, HR, K

Ranger Suárez has pitched 143 2/3 innings this season for the Phillies with a 3.13 ERA, 3.09 FIP, 1.142 WHIP and a 129 ERA+. In his last four games he has a 5.12 ERA, 4.00 FIP from 11 runs over 19 1/3 innings. Ranger faced the Mets twice earlier this season. In Queens he allowed two unearned runs over five innings and then in London he allowed two runs overs over 5 2/3 innings. The Mets have the following career numbers against him:

• Pete Alonso 2-17, 2 2B, 5 BB, 4 K
• Eddy Alvarez 0-2
• Francisco Alvarez 0-5, 3 K
• Harrison Bader 1-5
• José Iglesias 4-5, 2B, K
• Francisco Lindor 5-16, 2B, HR, BB, K
• Starling Marte 6-16, 2B, 2 BB, K
• J.D. Martinez 2-9, 2B, BB, 3 K
• Brandon Nimmo 3-22, 3 BB, 3 K
• Tyrone Taylor 1-5, BB, 2 K
• Luis Torrens 1-5, BB, 2 K
• Mark Vientos 3-12, 2B, HR, 4 K
• Jesse Winker 1-5, 2 K

Three Things To Watch For:

1. José Iglesias. Iglesias continued his hot streak last night going 2-for-4 with a lead off homer. During his 14 game hitting streak he has gone 22-for-53 slashing .415/.446/.528. In his last eight games he has gone 15-for-39 with six multi-hit games. Iglesias had a .310 batting average before this streak started and is now hitting .333.
2. Keep runners for stealing. There was a period of time this season where runners ran all over the Mets. Last night the Phillies had 17 hits and stole five bases.
3. Scoreboard watching. The Braves behind Max Fried are going to get started with the Marlins at the same time as the Mets this afternoon. The Braves lost to the Marlins Friday night and failed to pick up a game against the Mets. The Diamondbacks behind Merrill Kelly look to pick up third consecutive win against the Brewers. Meanwhile the Padres will try to give the White Sox their 119th loss of the season.

Let’s Go Mets!

The Mets opened the series against the Phillies with thunder on Thursday night! The Mets scored 10 runs for a third consecutive game from 11 hits including four home runs. The Phillies also showed why they are one of the best teams in baseball, taking what should have been a rout and making it close late. This is going to be a hard fought series all weekend as the Mets need to win every game to keep pace in the wild card race and the Phillies need to win one more game to clinch a spot in the playoffs.

David Peterson has pitched 110 1/3 innings over 19 starts with a 2.85 ERA, 3.86 FIP, 1.305 WHIP and a 139 ERA+. Peterson is only one inning pitched away from a new career high. He’s coming off of a phenomenal start against the Phillies where he held them to one run over 7 2/3 innings, scattering four hits. Since the start of August, Peterson has been on a tear with a 2.22 ERA, 2.96 FIP over 56 2/3 innings. His challenge tonight will be dealing with the Phillies adjustments who saw Peterson last weekend. The Phillies have the following career numbers against him:

• Alec Bohm 5-19, 2 2B, 2 HR, BB, 6 K
• Nick Castellanos 3-8, 3 K
• Bryce Harper 7-17, 2B, HR, 3 BB, 4 K
• Brandon Marsh 1-1, HR
• J.T. Realmuto 3-15, 2B, 3 BB, 4 K
• Johan Rojas 0-4, 2 K
• Kyle Schwarber 1-13, 2B, 2 BB, 8 K
• Edmundo Sosa 0-1
• Bryson Stott 0-2, K
• Trea Turner 3-14, 2 2B, 2 BB, 5 K
• Weston Wilson 1-3, 2B, K

Cristopher Sánchez has pitched 172 innings this season with 3.24 ERA, 2.86 FIP, 1.233 WHIP and a 126 ERA+. If this feels like déjà vu, it’s because Sánchez beat Peterson in a pitching duel last weekend. Sánchez allowed one run against the Mets over seven innings. In September he has allowed three runs over 20 innings. This will be his third start against the Mets this season, in his first start the Mets were able score three runs over 5 2/3 innings. The Mets have the following numbers against Sánchez:

• Luisangel Acuña 0-2
• Pete Alonso 4-15, 2B, HR, 5 K
• Eddy Alvarez 0-1
• Francisco Alvarez 0-4, 2 K
• Harrison Bader 2-5, BB, K
• José Iglesias 1-3
• Francisco Lindor 3-9, 2 BB
• Starling Marte 3-9, 2B, HR, K
• J.D. Martinez 2-6, 2 2B, BB, 2 K
• Brandon Nimmo 4-11, BB, 2 K
• Tyrone Taylor 1-5, HR, K
• Luis Torrens 0-2, BB
• Mark Vientos 0-6, 5 K
• Jesse Winker 0-6, 2 K

Three Things To Watch For:

1. Brandon Nimmo. On Wednesday Nimmo went 1-for-3 with a home run and two runs scored. During his post game interview he asked Mets fans to pack the stadium. Fans responded with packing the stadium on Thursday night. Nimmo responded with a 2-for-5 night at the plate with a double, another home run and two runs scored. He’s had six RBI’s between both games. Nimmo was a huge part of the Mets June run and was playing at the next level until the All-Star break. Could he be the x-factor this weekend against the Phillies?
2. Francisco Alvarez. Alvarez homered on August 19th and then didn’t homer again until September 11th. Since that game on the 11th, Alvarez has gone 6-for-24 at the plate, with four of his six hits being home runs. He has 10 RBI’s over that stretch. For context he has only 10 home runs and 41 RBI’s for the season.
3. Scoreboard Watching. There are only nine games left in the season! The Padres have a two game lead for the first wild card spot, the Mets and Diamondbacks are tied for the second spot (with the Mets having the tie breaker). The Braves are two games out, looking in. The ageless Charlie Morton takes on the Marlins rookie Valente Bellozo (123 ERA+). Zac Gallen looks to lead the Diamondbacks against Colin Rea. The Padres start a weekend series against the lowly White Sox, who would tie the Mets record for losses in a season if the Padres sweep them.

Let’s Go Mets!

The Mets head into the most important seven games of their season starting tonight. Four games at home against the Phillies. Three games on the road against the Braves. The Mets are coming off of a three game sweep against the Nationals where the Mets bats finally came to life over the last two nights, scoring 20 runs. Everyone in the wild card race won yesterday so entering play today the Braves are still two games out, the Diamondbacks and the Mets are still tied, and the Padres are still 2.5 games on top.

The Phillies are coming off of a loss against the Brewers on Wednesday. Before the game started the Brewers clinched the NL Central due to a Cubs loss. The Phillies had an playoff elimination number of one, so if the Phillies won on Wednesday, both teams would have been been celebrating on the field. So Phillies, searching for one more win and a place to celebrate, come to Queens.

Luis Severino has pitched 172 innings with a 3.77 ERA, 4.21 FIP, 1.227 WHIP and a 104 ERA+. Severino is coming off of an average start against the Phillies where the scored three runs over six innings thanks to two home runs. In his last six games he has pitched 38 1/3 innings with a 2.35 ERA, 3.38 FIP. The Phillies have the following career numbers against Severino:

• Nick Castellanos 6-18, BB, 3 K
• Kody Clemens 0-4, K
• Bryce Harper 2-3, 2 HR, K
• Brandon Marsh 0-2
• J.T. Realmuto 0-2, K
• Kyle Schwarber 2-7, 2 2B, 2 K
• Cal Stevenson 1-2
• Bryson Stott 0-2
• Trea Turner 0-2, BB, K

Taijuan Walker returns to the Phillies rotation tonight to take on his old team. Walker has had a rough season battling injuries. On top of that he has a 6.29 ERA, 6.34 FIP, 1.627 WHIP and a 65 ERA+. His only scoreless outing of the season happened his last time out – which was against the Mets. In relief he held the Mets to three hits and nothing else over three innings. Since returning to the Mets on August 13th he has pitched 25 2/3 innings with a 7.71 ERA, 7.46 FIP (including his scoreless outing against the Mets).

Walker has pitched in three games against the Mets this season allowing only four runs over 12 innings. The Mets have the following career numbers against Walker:

• Luisangel Acuña 1-2
• Pete Alonso 3-15, 2 2B, HR, 2 BB, 3 K
• Eddy Alvarez 0-2, BB, K
• Francisco Alvarez 0-5, 2 K
• Harrison Bader 0-7, 2 K
• José Iglesias 4-12, 2B, BB
• Francisco Lindor 2-20, 2 BB, 4 K
• Starling Marte 3-9, BB
• J.D. Martinez 7-18, 2B, HR, BB, 5 K
• Brandon Nimmo 3-12, 2B, HR, 2 BB, 3 K
• Tyrone Taylor 1-7, 4 K
• Luis Torrens 1-4
• Mark Vientos 1-3

Three Things To Watch For:

1. Luisangel Acuña. Acuña continued his amazing first week of baseball Wednesday night going 2-for-4 at the plate with a home run. It was his second multi-hit game and his second straight game with a home run (5-for-8, 2B, 2 HR, 5 R). He’s getting on base, he’s scoring runs, he’s hitting with power. What a time for Acuña to make his major league debut! Tonight he will face Walker again, so for the first time we’ll see how a team makes adjustments in their approach to Acuña.
2. Big Innings. The last two games the Mets have had several big innings. On Tuesday they had a four run and a three run inning. Wednesday night they had a nine run inning. Hopefully the Mets can have a big inning or two tonight to set the tone for the entire series.
3. Scoreboard Watching. UPDATE WITH THE 1pm BRAVES GAME. The Diamondbacks start a series with the Brewers tonight, the day after the Brewers celebrated their back-to-back AL Central titles. The Brewers are keeping up with their regularly scheduled starting pitcher tonight, Tobias Myers, who has a 135 ERA+ over 23 starts. Brandon Pfaadt gets the start for the Diamondbacks. Pfaadt has a 10.23 ERA over his last five starts but who knows what the state of the Brewers lineup will be today.

Let’s Go Mets!