213 Miles From Shea

Tonight is a must win game for the Mets if they want to win the NL East. After Saturday’s loss, the Mets are now one game back and in second place. A win tonight would tie the division again and give the Mets the season tie-breaker, ultimately giving the Mets control of their own destiny again.

If the Mets lose and get swept by the Braves, the Braves will be up two games in the division with three games left to play this season, sending the Mets to this season’s version of the Wild Card shenanigans.

So the Mets will turn to Chris Bassitt to right the ship tonight. Over 29 games and 179 innings, Bassitt has a 3.27 ERA, 3.55 FIP, 1.128 WHIP and a 118 ERA+. In his last two starts he has allowed two runs over 14 innings from nine hits and three walks while striking out 10 batters. Bassitt has made two starts against the Braves this season. On May 2nd he allowed three runs from six hits over seven innings. Then on July 13the he allowed one run from five hits and two walks over six innings. The Braves have the following career numbers against Bassitt:

• Robbie Grossman 0-6, 2 BB, 3 K
• Ronald Acuña Jr. 2-5, BB, K
• Matt Olson 1-6, HR, 2 K
• Austin Riley 3-6, HR, K
• Eddie ROsario 3-6, 2B, K
• Dansby Swanson 0-5, BB, 3 K
• Marcell Ozuna 0-5, BB, K
• William Contreras 0-3
• Travis d’Arnaud 2-3, 2B
• Orlando Arcia 2-2

The Mets bats will look to wake up against Charlie Morton. Morton has made 30 starts tossing 167 2/3 innings with a 4.29 ERA, 4.18 FIP, 1.205 WHIP and a 96 ERA+. He is coming off of a rough start where he allowed six runs over 4 2/3 innings from six hit sand three walks. Overall in his last four starts he has pitched 21 2/3 innings allowing 15 runs from 19 hits and 10 walks, including five homers (6.23 ERA, 5.61 FIP).

Morton has pitched against the Mets three times this year. Two of them have been terrible starts and his most recent start was fantastic. In his first two starts he pitched a combined 10 2/3 innings against the Mets allowing 10 runs, 9 earned, from 13 hits and six walks. This is made more impressive when you consider that everyone on the Mets 40-man roster, including players on the injured list and in the minors have a total of 32 hits against Morton over 175 at bats. On August 16th he shut the Mets out over 6 2/3 innings, holding the Mets to just three hits while striking out 12. The Mets have the following career numbers against him:

• Francisco Lindor 5-32, 2 2B, HR, 8 K
• Pete Alonso 5-16, 2B, 3 K
• Eduardo Escobar 3-14, HR, BB, 3 K
• Jeff McNeil 2-12, 7 K
• Luis Guillorme 1-, 4 BB, K
• Daniel Vogelbach 2-11, HR, 2 BB, 6 K
• Brandon Nimmo 2-12, BB, 4 K
• Mark Canha 2-9, HR, 4 K
• Tomás Nido 2-6, BB, K

Let’s Go Mets!

The Braves took game one on Friday night. Despite chances, the Mets couldn’t capitalize and score more runs, especially late in the game. Now the division is tied again, however there are still several positive scenarios left for the Mets. The big scenario still out there for the Mets is winning just one game. One win and the Mets will get the season tie-breaker and will be in control of their destiny for the rest of the season.

Games like this one are the entire reason the Mets signed Max Scherzer. Over 22 starts and 139 2/3 innings, Scherzer has a 2.13 ERA, 2.47 FIP, 0.881 WHIP and a 182 ERA+. In his two starts since returning from the injured list he has allowed only one run on four hits over 12 innings while striking out 16 batters. This includes a start against the Brewers where Scherzer was perfect through six innings.

Scherzer has had two great starts and one not so great starts against the Braves. In his not so great start (August 17th) he allowed four runs from three hits over 6 1/3 innings. In his two great starts (July 11th and August 6th) he allowed one run from seven hits over 14 innings while striking out 20 batters. The Braves have the following career numbers against him:

• Marcell Ozuna 12-47, 6 2B, 2 HR, 4 BB, 15 K
• Dansby Swanson 7-46, 3 2B, HR, 2 BB, 19 K
• Travis d’Arnaud 7-30, 3 2B, 3B, 2 HR, 11 K
• Ronald Acuña Jr. 7-29, 2B, 3B, 2 HR, BB, 9 K
• Austin Riley 2-15, HR, 6 K
• Eddie Rosario 1-10, BB, 5 K
• Matt Olson 1-9, 6 K
• Orlando Arcia 2-3, 2B, K

The Mets bats will get a look at Kyle Wright tonight, who became a 20-game winner in his last start. Over 29 starts and 175 1/3 innings this season, he has a 3.18 ERA, 3.62 FIP, 1.146 WHIP and a 129 ERA+. Wright started of September allowing eight runs over four innings against the Athletics. Since then he has made three starts pitching 16 2/3 innings allowing five runs from 13 hits and six walks (2.70 ERA, 2.93 FIP).

Wright has matched up against the Mets twice this season. In his first outing back on May 3rd, he allowed three runs from nine hits and a walk over seven innings. Then on August 4th he allowed six runs from seven hits and two walks over six innings – a game where the Mets hit four homers off of him. This will be Wright’s first start against the Mets in Atlanta this season. The Mets have the following career numbers against Wright:

• Jeff McNeil 7-15, 2 2B
• Brandon Nimmo 3-13, HR, BB, 3 K
• Pete Alonso 4-11, 2 HR, BB, 2 K
• Francisco Lindor 1-6, HR, 3 BB, 2 K
• James McCann 2-6, K
• Tyler Naquin 3-6, 2 HR, K
• Daniel Vogelbach 1-5, HR, BB
• Luis Guillorme 2-4, 2B
• Mark Canha 1-3
• Darin Ruf 2-3

Let’s Go Mets!

The biggest series of the year is finally here. The Mets head down to Atlanta to start a three game set with the Braves. The division championship is on the line – meaning an easier path in the playoffs is on the line.

If the Mets get swept, they enter the last series of the year two games back with the Braves holding on to the tiebreaker.

If the Mets win one game, both teams will be tied heading into the final series with the Mets holding on to the tiebreaker.

If the Mets win two of three, they will go into the last series of the year with a magic number of one.

If the Mets sweep the Braves, the Mets will celebrate clinching the NL East in Atlanta.

There’s a lot happening for the Mets tonight. In addition to it being the start to the most important series of the regular season, the Mets are calling up their #1 prospect, arguably the #1 prospect in all of baseball – Francisco Álvarez. Álvarez has a .260/.374/.511 slash line this season between Binghamton and Syracuse and has clobbered 27 homers. He did this while being 3.8 and 6.3 years younger than the average player in the Eastern League and the International League.

The most important thing for the Mets to do is to win game one and they have Jacob deGrom on the mound to do that. Jacob has made 10 starts and pitched 58 1/3 innings this season with a 2.93 ERA, 1.74 FIP, 0.737 WHIP and a 132 ERA+. Jacob’s last three starts have been a less deGrom like than we are used to though. Over 15 innings he’s allowed 11 runs from 15 hits and four walks and three homers. He’s still striking out the world with 28 recorded strikeouts. There’s a huge discrepancy between his ERA, 6.60 and his FIP, 2.78. To put that in context, in his first seven starts this season he had a 1.66 ERA and a 1.38 FIP.

Jacob has faced the Braves twice this season. In his first start against the Braves, in Queens, he allowed two runs from one hit over 5 2/3 innings while striking out 12 batters. In his second start he allowed three runs from five hits over 6 2/3 innings. The Braves have the following career numbers against deGrom:

• Marcell Ozuna 10-43, 2 2B, HR, BB, 16 K
• Dansby Swanson 6-31, 3 2B, HR, 3 BB, 15 K
• Ronald Acuña Jr. 8-30, 2B, 2 BB, 10 K
• Austin Riley 5-17, 2 HR, 8 K
• Orlando Arcia 2-6, BB, 2 K
• Eddie Rosario 1-7, HR, 2 K
• Travis d’Arnaud 2-6, HR, 2 K
• Robbie Grossman 1-4, 2 K
• Matt Olson 0-5, K

The Braves shuffled their rotation around so Mets would have to face Max Fried in this series. Fried has made 29 starts and pitched 180 1/3 innings this season with a 2.50 ERA, 2.73 FIP, 1.020 WHIP and a 165 ERA+. In the month of September Fried has made four starts totaling 22 innings allowing five runs from 14 hits and five walks while striking out 24 batters. Fried has also allowed four homers this month (his season total is 12). This leads to a reverse situation when compared to deGrom. Fried’s ERA for the month is 2.05 while his FIP is 4.12.

Fried has pitched against the Mets four times this year, posting a 3.00 ERA across 24 innings of work. The Mets have scored 10 runs, eight earned, from 19 hits and six walks while also smacking two homers. The Mets have the following career numbers against Fried:

• Pete Alonso 8-30, 2B, 2 HR, 5 BB, 11 K
• Brandon Nimmo 3-21, 2 2B, 4 BB, 8 K
• Jeff McNeil 9-25, 3 2B, 5 K
• Francisco Lindor 3-21, HR, 4 BB
• Eduardo Escobar 3-14, 3 K
• Darin Ruf 2-14, BB, 4 K
• Mark Canha 4-10, 2B, 2 HR, 2 BB, 3 K
• James McCann 0-9, 2 BB, K
• Tomás Nido 3-10, 2 2B, K
• Daniel Vogelbach 0-3, K
• Tyler Naquin 0-3, 2 K

Let’s Go Mets!

There’s nothing quite like the Marlins in the month of September.

Yesterday the Marlins jumped all over Carlos Carrasco and got an early 4-0 lead against the Mets. The Mets would claw back on a three run bomb from Pete Alonso but it wasn’t enough as the Mets ultimately lost 6-4. Meanwhile the Braves steamrolled through the Nationals and now the division is tied heading into the final game before the Braves and the Mets play each other this weekend.

Today is a must win game.

The Mets will turn to Taijuan Walker tonight. Over 27 games and 148 innings this season, Walker has a 3.53 ERA, 3.80 FIP, 1.189 WHIP and a 110 ERA+. Walker is coming off of a rough start against the Brewers where he allowed four runs from six hits and three walks over six innings. However he has been fantastic against the Marlins this year. Over five starts and 32 1/3 innings, Walker has allowed eight runs (2.23 ERA) while scattering 25 hits and 6 walks. He’s struck out 35 batters over this stretch. The Marlins have the following career numbers against Walker:

• Miguel Rojas 3-23, 2B, BB, 5 K
• Brian Anderson 4-16, HR, 6 K
• Bryan De La Cruz 5-14, 2B, BB, 3 K
• Jon Berti 7-13, 3 K
• Garrett Cooper 2-11, BB, 4 K
• Joey Wendle 3-11, 3 2B, K
• Lewin Diaz 1-10, 2B, 3 K
• Jacob Stallings 2-7, K

The Mets bats will get a look at Jesús Luzardo tonight. Over 16 games and 88 1/3 innings, Luzardo has a 3.57 ERA, 3.29 FIP, 1.053 WHIP and a 114 ERA+. Over his last two starts he has allowed three runs from eight hits and two walks in 12 2/3 innings of work. Before that he made his only start of the season against the Mets where he allowed five runs from six hits and three walks over 3 1/2 innings. The Mets have the following career numbers against him:

• Pete Alonso 2-8, HR, 2 K
• Eduardo Escobar 1-6, BB
• Darin Ruf 0-6, BB, K
• Francisco Lindor 1-5, K
• Jeff McNeil 2-5, K
• James McCann 0-3, BB, 2 K
• Mark Canha 0-2, K
• Brandon Nimmo 2-2, 2B, HR, BB
• Tyler Naquin 0-2, K

Let’s Go Mets!

The Mets head into their final eight games of the season with a division lead of one game. The Mets did what they needed to do on Sunday and crushed the Athletics with a 13-4 victory. The Braves however had a come from behind win in extra innings on Sunday and then got a complete game shutout from their starter last night.

Carlos Carrasco gets the start for the Mets. Over 27 games and 145 innings, Carrasco has a 3.79 ERA, 3.39 FIP, 1.303 WHIP and a 102 ERA+. After back to back starts allowing a total of two runs over 12 innings of work, Carrasco allowed three runs over four innings in his last start against the Brewers, a game the Mets won 7-5. Carlos has already faced the Marlins four times this year, pitching a total of 25 2/3 innings with a 2.10 ERA against them. He’s even recorded 25 strikeouts over that stretch. The Marlins have the following career numbers against him:

• Avisail Garcia 12-45, 2B, HR, BB, 13 K
• Joey Wendle 2-15, 2B, K
• Bryan De La Cruz 3-15, HR, 5 K
• Miguel Rojas 5-14, HR, K
• Jesus Sanchez 1-10, BB, 3 K
• Brian Anderson 2-10, 2B, K
• Jon Berti 3-10, 2 2B, 2 K
• Garrett Cooper 3-8, 2B, BB, 2 K
• Jacob Stallings 1-9, 3 K

The Mets bats will get a look at a familiar opponent tonight in Pablo López. López has made 30 starts this season totaling 167 innings with a 3.88 ERA, 3.78 FIP, 1.198 WHIP and a 104 ERA+. Over his last two starts he has allowed three runs from nine hits and a walk while pitching 13 1/3 innings. Before that start he faced the Mets and allowed eight runs from 10 hits and three walks over 3 2/3 innings.

López has faced the Mets a lot this year. In four starts he has pitched 16 2/3 innings against the Amazin’s allowing 22 runs, 21 earned, from 34 hits and five walks. The Mets have the following career numbers against him:

• Brandon Nimmo 7-22, 2B, HR, 3 BB, 3 K
• Pete Alonso 4-18, 2B, 3 BB, 3 K
• Jeff McNeil 9-16, 3 2B, HR, BB, K
• Francisco Lindor 6-17, 2 2B, HR, 3 K
• Tomás Nido 1-8, BB, 4 K
• Mark Canha 4-6, 2B, BB
• Eduardo Escobar 4-9, 2B, HR, 3 K
• Tyler Naquin 1-8, 3B, 2 K
• Luis Guillorme 4-8, 2B, K
• Daniel Vogelbach 2-6, 2 K

Let’s Go Mets!

Well, yesterday was rough. Jacob deGrom struggled for the first time in forever and the Braves beat the Phillies. The Mets enter play today with the Braves 1.5 games out and with one game in hand.

But the Mets have Max Scherzer on the mound. Over 21 starts and 133 2/3 innings this year, Max has a 2.15 ERA, 2.42 FIP, 0.883 WHIP and a 180 ERA+. Over his last three starts he has allowed two runs from seven hits and two walks in 18 innings of work while striking out an absurd 25 batters (1.00 ERA, 1.56 FIP).

Following the trend for basically every pitcher this weekend, Scherzer has not faced many members of this Athletics squad. Stephen Vogt is 1-6 with a strikeout against him and Cristian Pache is 0-2 with a strikeout. Max is a mystery to everyone else.

The Mets bats were able to make some noise early in the game yesterday and hopefully they can do that again today. Pete Alonso hit his 38th homer on the year, and now is knocking at the door of setting a Mets single season RBI record.

JP Sears will try to keep the Mets offense in check today. Sears, like yesterday’s starter Waldichuk, was traded from the Yankees to the Athletics at the deadline this year. Sears has pitched in 15 games, making 10 starts throwing 60 1/3 innings this season. He has a 3.58 ERA, 4.45 FIP, 1.260 WHIP and a 107 ERA+. As an Athletic, he has made eight starts tossing 38 1/3 innings with a 4.46 ERA, 5.20 FIP, 1.487 WHIP and a 85 ERA+.

Sears is coming off of a good start against the Mariners where he held them to one unearned run from one hit over five innings of work. In his two previous starts he allowed 11 earned runs from 15 hits over six innings. The only person the Mets roster who has seen Sears in a major league game is Tyler Naquin, who is 0-2 against him.

Let’s Go Mets!

What a night for the Mets! The Mets won! The Braves lost! The Mets enter play today with a 2.5 game lead in the division, which feels a lot better than the one game lead they’ve been nursing for the better part of the last couple of weeks.

Chris Bassitt pitched eight fantastic innings yesterday in his old stadium, giving everyone except Drew Smith the night off. The Mets offense was on fire collecting 13 hits including a grand slam by Eduardo Escobar.

Jacob deGrom is hoping the Mets offense saved some runs for his start tonight. Over nine games and 54 1/3 innings this year, deGrom has a 2.32 ERA, 1.36 FIP, 0.607 WHIP and a 168 ERA+. He’s coming off back to back starts of allowing three runs but his strikeout numbers have been through the roof – 23 over 11 innings. He’s allowed a homer in four of his last five starts, which has been his only weak point so far this season. Unsurprisingly, there are only two batters who have seen deGrom in an official game before. Stephen Vogt is 1-5 with a double and two strikeouts against deGrom and Tony Kemp is hitless in three at bats with a strikeout.

The Mets bats will get a look at Ken Waldichuk tonight, who was part of the package of prospects the Yankees sent to the Athletics this season for Frankie Montas. Waldichuk has made four starts in the majors this year, totaling 17 2/3 innings with a 7.13 ERA, 4.75 FIP, 1.585 WHIP and a 54 ERA+.

Waldichuk’s first start was fine – he allowed one run from five hits and four walks over 4 2/3 innings. Since then he has allowed 13 runs from 16 hits and three walks over 13 innings including three homers. His last outing was his shortest one, last 2 2/3 innings, and only 52 pitches (82-93 pitches in his other starts).

Let’s Go Mets!

The Mets head out to Oakland tonight to start a three game series with the Athletics!

The Mets are coming off of a four game sweep of the Pirates and a series win against the Brewers in Milwaukee. They also enter tonight’s game with a 1.5 game lead in the division, thanks to the Phillies beating the Braves last night 1-0.

Tonight is a homecoming game for Chris Bassitt. Chris was a member of the Athletics from 2015 through last season. On the Mets this season, Bassitt has made 28 starts and tossed 171 innings. His inning total is already a career high in a season for him, and tonight he’ll set a career high for game appearances in a season.

Chris has a 3.32 ERA, 3.49 FIP, 1.140 WHIP and a 117 ERA+. He had a rough start back on September 12th, allowing five runs from five hits over 3 2/3 against the Cubs and he rebounded nicely his time out holding the Pirates scoreless over six innings of work. There are only two batters on the Athletics who have actually faced off against Chris in a major league game (Stephen Vogt 0-8, K and Tony Kemp 1-4, BB).

The Mets bats will get a look at Cole Irvin tonight. Over 27 starts and 166 1/3 innings he has a 3.79 ERA, 4.14 FIP, 1.100 WHIP and a 99 ERA+. The thing about Cole is he gives up a lot of hits. This season he’s given up 150, which translates into 8.1 H/9. Least season he gave up a league high 195 hits, or a 9.8 H/9.

Cole is also in a rough stretch right now. In his last four games he has pitched 24 innings, allowing 21 runs, 20 earned, from 29 hits and seven walks (7.50 ERA, 5.73 FIP). Only two Mets on the current roster have seen Cole in a major league game (Darin Ruf 2-3, K and Jeff McNeil 1-1).

Let’s Go Mets!

The Mets go for their second consecutive series sweep this afternoon as they take on the Brewers one last time during the regular season. The Brewers got ahead early last night but then the Mets struck back. In the 6th inning Alonso hit a three run bomb to cut the deficit to one run. In the 7th Lindor hit a grand slam to take the lead.

Meanwhile, the Braves were able to suppress a comeback from the Nationals so the Mets division lead heading into today remains at one game. The Braves will go to Philly next to play a four game set while the Mets get a day off before traveling to Oakland to take on the Athletics.

Taijuan Walker looks to lead the Mets to victory this afternoon. Over 26 starts and 142 innings this season Walker has a 3.42 ERA, 3.71 FIP, 1.176 WHIP and a 114 ERA+. He’s coming off of a deep outing against Pittsburgh where he pitched 7 1/3 innings, allowing three runs, two earned, from five hits and no walks. Overall in his last two starts he’s allowed four runs, three earned in 14 1/3 innings of work while striking out 15 batters. The Brewers have the following career numbers against him:

• Andrew McCutchen 2-11, 2B, 5 K
• Alex Jackson 2-6, HR, 2 K
• Hunter Renfroe 1-6, 2B, 3 K
• Kolten Wong 1-5, K
• Christian Yelich 1-2, BB, K

The Mets bats will closeout their time in Milwaukee against Adrian Houser. Houser has pitched in 20 games (19 starts) this season with 94 2/3 innings of work, posting a 4.85 ERA, 4.18 FIP, 1.489 WHIP and an 82 ERA+. September started off great for Houser, allowing four runs but only two earned across two starts and 11 innings of work, dipping his season ERA from 5.02 to 4.61. Then he faced the Yankees his last time out. The Yankees scored five runs, four earned, off seven hits (no homers!) while recording four walks in three innings of work.

The Brewers will need Houser to go deeper into this game as the Mets have gotten into the Brewers bullpen earlier than expected each of the last two nights. Back in June when Houser started against the Mets, the Mets scored four runs off eight hits and a walk in 4 2/3 innings. The Mets have the following career numbers against him:

• Tyler Naquin 6-9, 2B, 3B, HR, BB, 2 K
• Pete Alonso 2-3, BB
• Tomás Nido 0-4, K
• Brandon Nimmo 2-4, 2B, K
• Daniel Vogelbach 0-2, 2 BB
• Luis Guillorme 1-3
• Francisco Lindor 1-3
• James McCann 0-3, K
• Mark Canha 0-2, K
• Eduardo Escobar 0-1
• Jeff McNeil 1-2, 2B

Let’s Go Mets!

What a night for the New York Mets!

The Mets clinched their first playoff berth since 2016 last night behind a masterful performance by Max Scherzer. Max was perfect over his six innings of work and recorded his 200th win of his career. Milwaukee was packed with Mets fans and it was a special night watching the team have a subdued celebration locking in their playoff spot.

The Braves are still lurking right behind them though. Still only one game behind the Mets, putting the Mets into a “need to win” mode for another night.

Carlos Carrasco will look to lead the Mets to their sixth straight victory. He has started 26 games and pitched 141 innings with a 3.70 ERA, 3.40 FIP, 1.291 WHIP and a 105 ERA+ this season. In his last two starts he has pitched 12 innings allowing two runs (1.50 ERA, 0.77 FIP) from eight hits and two walks while striking out 17. The Brewers have the following career numbers against him:

• Omar Narvaez 3-13, 2B, 3 BB, 4 K
• Christian Yelich 3-15, 2B, BB, 9 K
• Willy Adames 5-7, HR, BB, K
• Kolten Wong 0-5, 2 BB, K
• Andrew McCutchen 1-6, 2B, 2 K
• Rowdy Tellez 3-5, 2 2B, BB, 2 K

The Mets bats look to continue their current run against lefty Aaron Ashby tonight. Ashby has pitched in 23 games, starting 17 of them this season, totaling 96 1/3 innings of work. Overall he has a 4.58 ERA, 4.05 FIP, 1.433 WHIP and an 87 ERA+. As a starter only he has pitched 81 2/3 innings with a 4.96 ERA and 1.494 WHIP.

This is Ashby’s first start since August 19th. In his last four starts he allowed 17 runs, 12 earned, over 20 1/3 innings (5.31 ERA, 4.93 FIP) from 19 hits and 10 walks while striking out 24. The Brewers placed him on the injured list in late July due to shoulder inflammation. It’s probable that he is on some sort of pitch count tonight which is important considering the Mets got to the Brewers bullpen earlier than expected in last night night’s game.

Ashby faced the Mets back in June and allowed four runs from four hits and three walks over 4 1/3 innings. The Mets have the following numbers against him:

• Daniel Vogelbach 0-3, 2 BB, 2 K
• Brandon Nimmo 0-2, K
• Pete Alonso 0-3, K
• Mark Canha 1-2, HR, BB, K
• Francisco Lindor 0-3, K
• Luis Guillorme 1-2
• Jeff McNeil 1-1, BB
• Tomás Nido 1-2, K

Let’s Go Mets!