213 Miles From Shea

The Mets look to bounce back tonight after dropping two games to Houston as they start a new series in Miami. Thursday was a rough day for the Mets as they took a loss and Carlos Carrasco had to leave the game early with an injury. But it’s a new day and the Mets finally play in Miami for the first time in 2022. Many eyes are on Sunday – the possible return of Max Scherzer – but in the meantime we’ll focus on tonight and Taijuan Walker’s turn to pitch.

Walker has made 11 starts tossing 59 1/3 innings this year with a 2.88 ERA, 3.17 FIP, 1.163 WHIP and a 3.17 FIP. In his last two starts he has allowed two runs from eight hits over 12 2/3 innings while striking out an astounding 19 batters. No other two game stretch this season even comes close to that mark. For context, 19 of his 44 K’s on the season have happened in his last two starts.

Walker’s last start was against the Marlins where he allowed one run on two hits over 6 2/3 innings while striking out 19 batters. The Marlins have the following career numbers against Walker:

• Miguel Rojas 2-16, 2B, 4 K
• Avisail Garcia 2-12, 2B, 6 K
• Brian Anderson 3-10, 3 K
• Jazz Chisholm Jr. 2-7, 2 2B, 4 BB, 2 K
• Bryan De La Cruz 4-10, 2 K
• Jon Berti 2-4, K
• Garrett Cooper 0-3, 2 K
• Jorge Soler 0-3, K

The Mets bats will get the Sandy Alcantara game out of the way early this series. Over 14 starts and 99 1/3 innings (league leading), Sandy has a 1.72 ERA (league leading), 2.84 FIP, 0.956 WHIP and a 241 ERA+ (league leading). He is also leading the league with 6.1 hits per nine innings.

The Mets know all of this well because they just faced him last week. Last week he allowed two runs from six hits over eight innings. In four starts in June, seven innings has been his shortest outing. You have to go all the way back to May 6th to find an outing where he didn’t pitch at least seven innings. Since May 11th he has pitched 63 2/3 innings over eight starts with a 0.99 ERA. The Mets have the following career numbers against him:

• Jeff McNeil 8-25, 2B, HR, 3 BB, K
• Pete Alonso 4-21, 3 2B, HR, BB, 6 K
• Brandon Nimmo 2-20, 2B, 3 BB, 5 K
• Francisco Lindor 5-16, 2B, BB, K
• Eduardo Escobar 1-12, K
• Dominic Smith 1-11, K
• J.D. Davis 4-10, 2 2B
• Starling Marte 1-7, 3B, 3 K

Let’s Go Mets!

The Mets look to avoid being swept in a two game set today as they take on the Astros for a Wednesday afternoon game.

The Astros hit some bombs last night to take an early 3-0 lead against the Mets. The Mets immediately loaded the bases in response but couldn’t get any runs across. The Astros returned the favor loading the bases and hitting a bases clearing double – at that point the Mets were behind by 6-0 and eventually lost 8-2.

Carlos Carrasco looks to put the Mets back on the right path this afternoon. Over 13 games and 75 innings he has a 3.96 ERA, 3.01 FIP, 1.253 WHIP and a 101 ERA+. His last time out he allowed three runs from eight hits and two walks over 6 1/3 innings against the Marlins. His last two starts combined haven’t been the greatest – eight runs from 17 hits over 11 innings but before that he allowed only two runs over 12 innings. The Astros have the following career numbers against Carrasco:

• Jose Altuve 10-26, HR, BB, 2 K
• Alex Bregman 3-13, 5 K
• Yuli Gurriel 5-12, 2 2B, 2 K
• Michael Brantley 1-3

Luis Garcia gets the start for the Astros today. He’s tossed 66 innings over 12 starts this year with a 3.41 ERA, 4.26 FIP, 1.030 WHIP and a 111 ERA+. Luis is coming off of a strong start against the Rangers where he allowed two runs, only one earned, from four hits and no walks over six innings while striking out nine batters. This was a good bounce back from his previous start where he allowed five runs from five hits and two walks over 4 1/3 innings against the Marlins. There is only member of the current New York Mets who has seen Garcia in a major league game – Mark Canha. Canha is 2-4 with ahomer and a walk against Garcia.

Let’s Go Mets!

The Mets took the series from the Marlins yesterday and now head to Houston the play the Astros in a two game set (and then the Marlins again, then the Astros again, what a schedule!)

The Astros sit on top of the AL West at 41-25, going 5-5 over their last ten games with a +53 run differential. They are one of two teams in the AL West with a positive run differential. The Astros are also only 8-7 this season against teams above .500 (and have only played 15 games against teams above .500. For comparison the Mets are 25-15, which is 40 games).

Trevor Williams steps back into the rotation for the Mets. He’s pitched in 12 games and made five starts for the Mets totaling 35 2/3 innings with a 3.53 ERA, 3.49 FIP, 1.262 WHIP and a 113 ERA+. As a starter only he has tossed 20 innings with a 4.50 ERA and a 1.300 WHIP. Since May 25th he has pitched 16 2/3 innings allowing only three runs from 14 hits and six walks (1.62 ERA, 3.07 FIP) while striking out 16 batters. The Astros have the following numbers against Williams:

• Michael Brantley 1-6
• Niko Goodrum 1-6, 2B, K
• Jose Altuve 1-3, 2B, K
• Yordan Álvarez 0-3, K
• Alex Bregman 2-3, 2B, HR
• Yuli Gurriel 2-3, HR

The Mets bats will get a look at José Urquidy tonight. Over 12 games and 61 1/3 innings this season, Urquidy has a 4.99 ERA, 4.82 FIP, 1.516 WHIP and a 76 ERA+. In his last four starts he has tossed 21 innings, allowing 17 runs, 15 earned, from 29 hits and 7 walks. That’s a 6.43 ERA and 5.75 FIP with opponents slashing .319/.366/.571. Very few Mets have faced Urquidy in a major league game before:

• Mark Canha 4-11, 2B, 3B, BB, 2 K
• Eduardo Escobar 1-3
• Francisco Lindor 2-3, 2B

Let’s Go Mets!

The Mets go for the series victory this afternoon while the Marlins go for a series split! The Mets and Marlins were locked in a pitcher’s duel for most of the afternoon yesterday. The Mets squeaked out a run in the bottom of the sixth and then disaster struck. Bassitt went back out to the mound in the 7th and loaded the bases. Lugo came in and promptly gave up a go-ahead homer. The Mets would score a few more times in the later innings but it wasn’t enough to beat the Marlins.

Now the Mets turn to David Peterson to lock down the series finale. Peterson has pitched in nine games, making seven starts this season tossing 40 innings. He has a 3.60 ERA, 4.15 FIP, 1.325 WHIP and a 112 ERA+. He’s coming off of a rough start against the Brewers where he allowed four runs over four innings from six hits and two walks. Prior to that in June he allowed only two earned runs over 6 1/3 innings from five hits and five walks. Very few Marlins have seen Peterson in a major league game:

• Jon Berti 0-3
• Brian Anderson 1-2, K
• Luke Williams 0-2
• Jesus Aguilar 1-3 (On the IL)

The Mets bats draw Trevor Rogers who is in the midst of a tough season after last year’s All-Star year. Last season over 25 starts and 133 innings, Rogers had a 2.64 ERA, 2.55 FIP, 1.150 WHIP and a 158 ERA+. This season (12 starts, 53 2/3 innings) he has a 5.87 ERA, 5.22 FIP, 1.640 WHIP and a 70 ERA+. His homers per nine inning has ballooned from 0.4 last year to 1.5 this year. On a smaller scale, in the month of June he has allowed 11 runs from 16 hits and 12 walks over 12 1/3 innings (8.03 ERA, 6.70 FIP).

Last season Rogers was very effective against the Mets. In April he shut the Mets out over six innings, scattering three hits and two walks while striking out 10. He didn’t face the Mets again until the end of September where he held the Mets to one run from three hits and no walks over five innings while striking out 6. The Mets have the following numbers against him:

• Pete Alonso 0-10, 4 K
• Jeff McNeil 2-7, 2 2B, 2 BB,2 K
• Brandon Nimmo 1-7, 2B, 2 BB, K
• Francisco Lindor 0-4, K
• Luis Guillorme 1-3, BB, 2 K
• Eduardo Escobar 0-3, K
• J.D. Davis 0-1, BB, K

Let’s Go Mets!

The Mets look to secure the series win against the Marlins today as they play the third game in the four game set in Queens! Yesterday Francisco Lindor and Jeff McNeil gave the Mets an early 3-0 lead and the Mets held on to win 3-2. Meanwhile the Braves, who got within 4.5 games of the Mets, lost again pushing them back to 6.5 games behind the Mets.

Chris Bassitt gets the start for the Mets today. He’s pitched 76 1/3 innings over 13 starts this year with a 4.01 ERA, 4.03 FIP, 1.179 WHIP and a 100 ERA+. Between May 19th and June 8th, Bassitt had a terrible set of games where he allowed 24 runs, 23 earned, over 26 innings from 32 hits and 11 walks. He had a stellar rebound his last time out against the Brewers, shutting them out over eight innings while scattering three hits and a walk. Very few Marlins have seen Bassitt in a major league game:

• Jorge Soler 1-5, HR
• Joey Wendle 1-4, 2B, BB
• Wilians Astudillo 0-3
• Avisail Garcia 0-3

The Mets bats have their toughest assignment of the series this afternoon against Sandy Alcantara. Sandy has pitched 91 1/3 innings (league leading) over 13 starts with a 1.68 ERA, 2.96FIP, 0.964 WHIP and a 246 ERA+ (league leading). He is also leading the leading the league in hits per nine innings at 6. Since May 11th, he has made seven starts, pitching 55 2/3 innings, with a 0.81 ERA. He allowed two runs over 7 2/3 innings in his last start. That was the first time since May 6th he allowed two or more earned runs in a start. Last year he made two starts against the Mets, allowing five runs from 12 hits and a walk over 15 1/3 innings. The Mets have the following numbers against him:

• Jeff McNeil 7-23, HR, 2 BB
• Pete Alonso 3-18, 2 2B, HR, BB, 6 K
• Brandon Nimmo 2-16, 2B, 3 BB, 5 K
• Francisco Lindor 4-12, 2B, BB< K
• J.D. Davis 4-10, 2 2B
• Eduardo Escobar 1-9, K
• Starling Marte 0-3, K

Let’s Go Mets!

The Mets made a strong statement last night, beating the Marlins 10-4 in their first game against each other this season. Francisco Lindor got the runs started early for the Mets with a three-run bomb in the first inning. The sixth inning was one of the strangest the Mets have played all season. Guillorme hit a ball 401-ft deep to center that the Marlins trapped against the wall. The initial ruling was a catch causing a triple play. When reviewed it turned into a single, denying the Mets a run. The Mets would go on to score seven runs in the inning anyway, capped off by a grand slam by Pete Alonso.

Now the Mets look to keep the good vibes in Queens going with Taijuan Walker on the mound. Over his first ten starts and 52 2/3 innings of work this year, Walker has a 3.08 ERA, 3.46 FIP, 1.253 WHIP and a 131 ERA+. Walker is coming off of his first double digit strikeout game of the season. Last time out he allowed one run from six hits and a walk over six innings against the Angels while striking out 10.

Walker pitched in four games, three starts, against the Marlins last season totaling 23 2/3 innings with a 4.18 ERA. He allowed 11 runs from 21 hits and seven walks while striking out 19 batters. The Marlins have the following career numbers against Walker:

• Miguel Rojas 2-14, 2B, 2 K
• Brian Anderson 3-10, 3 K
• Jesus Aguilar 2-8, 2B, BB, K
• Jazz Chisholm Jr. 2-5, 2 2B, 3 BB, K
• Bryan De La Cruz 4-8, 2 K
• Jesus Sanchez 1-6, 2 K
• Jon Berti 1-1

The Marlins sound out their first pick of the 2016 draft, Braxton Garrett! In two starts this season Garrett has allowed five runs, four earned, from 11 hits and a two walks over nine innings while striking out 10 batters. In the minors this season he has made six starts, totaling 28 2/3 innings with a 3.45 ERA and 1.081 WHIP.

Last season he pitched in eight games (seven starts) pitching 34 innings with a 5.03 ERA, 4.38 FIP, 1.824 WHIP and an 84 ERA+. This includes a start against the Mets where he allowed no runs from five hits and four walks over five innings, in a game the Marlins eventually won 4-2. The only current Mets on the roster who have seen Garrett are Pete Alonso (0-1, 2 BB) and J.D. Davis (0-2, BB, 2 K). For what it’s worth, Dominic Smith has two hits against Garrett in three trips to the plate.

Let’s Go Mets!

It’s June 17th and the Mets are finally playing the Marlins! The Mets and Marlins have yet to face each other at all this season. Now the Mets welcome Miami into New York for a four game set.

Since the Mets collapse in 2007, the Marlins have centered themselves as a spoiler team in collective Mets fan psyche. The Marlins this year are much better than their 28-33 record suggests. They are 6-4 in their last ten games, coming off a series where they lost three of four games against the Phillies. They have a +22 run differential this season and have an expected win/loss record of 33-28. This is all to say, these should be competitive games this weekend.

The Mets turn to Carlos Carrasco to kick things off this weekend. Over 12 games and 68 2/3 innings this year, Carrasco has posted a 3.93 ERA, 2.93 FIP, 1.223 WHIP and a 102 ERA+. Carrasco started June off with two starts where he allowed only two runs over 12 innings from nine hits and five walks while striking out 15. His last time out he allowed five runs over 4 2/3 innings from nine hits and a walk against the Angels. Last year he faced the Marlins three times, totaling 14 2/3 innings, allowing nine runs, six earned (3.68 ERA) from 16 hits while striking out 14. The Marlins have the following career numbers against Carlos:

• Avisail Garcia 9-39, 2B, HR, BB, 12 K
• Jesus Aguilar 3-9, 2B, 2 BB, K
• Joey Wendle 1-9, 2B, K
• Jazz Chisholm Jr. 2-8, 2B, 2 K
• Jorge Soler 0-5, BB, 3 K
• Brian Anderson 1-4

Pablo López returns to the Marlins rotation tonight after being day-to-day with a wrist injury earlier in the week. As of writing this, he has still not officially been named the starter tonight (it’s only three hours until first pitch! Come on Miami!) but he is listed as the starter in the Mets game notes. López is currently in the midst of a career year, pitching 70 1/3 innings over 12 games with a 2.30 ERA, 3.19 FIP, 1.024 WHIP and a 180 ERA+. For comparison, his career numbers are a 3.73 ERA, 3.70 FIP, 1.167 WHIP and a 113 ERA+. He has been more human over his last five starts, allowing 13 runs over 27 1/3 innings (4.28 ERA) from 26 hits and 11 walks. Five of the seven homers he’s allowed this season have also come in his last five starts. López made one start against the Mets last season where he held the Mets to four hits over seven innings while striking out eight. The Mets have the following numbers against him:

• Brandon Nimmo 2-11, 2B, 2 BB, 3 K
• Pete Alonso 1-0, 2 BB, 2 K
• J.D. Davis 4-7, 2 BB
• Jeff McNeil 3-7, 2B, HR, BB, K
• Francisco Lindor 1-6, 2 K
• Luis Guillorme 2-3, 2B

Let’s Go Mets!

The Brewers got the best of the Mets last night, setting up a rubber game tonight!

Tylor Megill looks to lead the Mets past the Brewers tonight as he makes his ninth start of the season. Over his first eight starts and 38 innings, Megill has a 4.50 ERA, 3.56 FIP, 1.184 WHIP and a 90 ERA+. His last start against the Angels was his first start back from the IL. He allowed two runs from five hits and a walk over 3 1/3 innings while tossing 64 pitches. In his rehab start he tossed 53 pitches. Hopefully today he can go a bit beyond 65 pitches.

Megill faced the Brewers twice last year. At home in July he allowed only one run over five innings from two hits and two walks while striking out 7. In Milwaukee in September he allowed four runs from five hits and four walks over four innings. The Brewers have the following numbers against him:

• Willy Adames 2-5, 2B, HR, K
• Omar Narvaez 1-3, HR, K
• Christian Yelich 1-3, HR, BB, 2 K
• Lorenzo Cain 0-1, BB
• Jace Peterson 0-1, BB

The Mets will get a look at Ashley Ashby today. Over 13 games this year, seven starts, Ashby has tossed 50 2/3 innings with a 3.91 ERA, 3.40 FIP, 1.441 WHIP and a 107 ERA+. As a starter only, he has pitched 36 innings with a 4.50 ERA and 1.583 WHIP. Ashby made some noise at the end of May when he rejoined the rotation and allowed two runs, one earned over two starts totaling 11 2/3 innings against the Padres and the Cubs. In his two starts since, he has allowed 10 earned runs (out of 22 for the season) in 10 2/3 innings against the Padres and the Nationals.

He has only pitched an inning of relief against the Mets in his career. Alonso and Lindor both struck out against him in their only plate appearances. Brandon Nimmo was hit by a pitch.

Let’s Go Mets!

The Mets returned to the East Coast last night, picked up a win, and we were all able to watch it without ruining our sleep cycles for the week – Baseball is back!

There were two stories going into last night’s game. First, Chris Bassitt needed a bounce back start. He did that! Bassitt went eight innings, giving the bullpen another day of rest, and didn’t allow any runs. Second, the Braves were on a run and closing the gap in the rear view mirror behind the Mets. The Braves continued their winning streak last night, but since the Mets won too they are still five games back. The Mets look to keep the lead, or possibly even extend it, tonight as they take on the Brewers in game two of their three game set.

David Peterson will pitch in his ninth game of the season for the Mets tonight. Over his first eight games and six starts, Peterson has pitched 36.0 innings with a 3.00 ERA, 4.11 FIP, 1.250 WHIP and a 134 ERA+. His last start was on June 4th where he allowed four runs, only one earned, over 3 2/3 innings against the Dodgers. He then went back to the bullpen with the return of Tylor Megill and pitched 2 2/3 innings on June 10th, allowing a run from three hits and a walk. Only a few members of the Brewers have seen Peterson in a major league game:

• Andrew McCutchen 1-11, HR, 2 BB, 3 K
• Willy Adames 0-2, BB
• Mike Brosseau 0-3, 2 K
• Hunter Renfroe 0-1, BB

The Mets bats will get a look at Corbin Burnes tonight. The 2021 Cy Young winner led the league in ERA (2.43), FIP (1.63), ERA+ (174), HR/9 (0.4), K/9 (12.6) and K/BB (6.88) last season. He is having another terrific season, making 12 starts and pitching 72 2/3 innings so far with a 2.48 ERA, 3.08 FIP, 0.963 WHIP, and 168 ERA+. He is also the current league leader in strikeouts at 92. The month of June hasn’t been so kind to him though In two starts against the Padres and Phillies, he has allowed eight runs, six earned, over eight innings from 11 hits and six walks while striking out 14.

Burnes made two great starts against the Mets last year. In July he held the Mets to one run over 5 2/3 innings, scattering six hits and no walks. In September he held the Mets to one run again, this time over seven innings, scattering five hits and a walk. Overall he struck out 17 Mets last year. The Mets have the following numbers against him:

• Francisco Lindor 1-9, 6 K
• Pete Alonso 3-6, 2B, BB
• Jeff McNeil 1-7, K
• Brandon Nimmo 3-6, 2B, K
• Starling Marte 1-3, K
• Luis Guillorme 0-2, K

Let’s Go Mets!

The Mets return home after 10-game, 12-day road trip where they went 5-5 against three tough teams on the west coast. The Mets are still in first place, and are still a commanding 18 games above .500. However, while the Mets were out west, the Braves won 12 consecutive games, scratching away at what used to be a 9.5 game lead in the division down to 5 games.

The Mets now welcome the Brewers to the ballpark who have been struggling of late. When the Mets started their road trip (and the when the Braves started their winning streak) the Brewers had a strong lead in the NL Central. They have won only two games in their last 10 and now trail the Cardinals by a game.

Chris Bassitt takes the mound for the Mets, looking to keep the Brewers down a bit longer. Over 12 starts and 68 1/3 innings this year, Bassitt has a 4.35 ERA, 4.30 FIP, 1.244 WHIP and a 92 ERA+. He is in the midst of a rough five game stretch where he has allowed 24 runs, 22 earned, in his last 26 innings of work (7.62 ERA, 5.76 FIP). His last start was his second worst of the season where he allowed seven runs from seven hit sand two walks over 3 1/3 innings. The Brewers have the following career numbers against him:

• Lorenzo Cain 1-8, 3 BB, K
• Omar Narvaez 5-7, BB, K
• Willy Adames 0-3, 3 K
• Rowdy Tellez 0-3, K
• Christian Yelich 0-3, 2 K

The Mets Bats draw Adrian Houser for the series opener. Over 11 games and 57 1/3 innings this year Houser has a 3.92 ERA, 4.16 FIP, 1.395 WHIP and a 106 ERA+. His two worst starts of this season have both happened within the last two weeks. At the end of May he allowed eight runs, five earned, over four innings against the Cardinals and last week he allowed five runs, all earned, over six innings against the Phillies. Overall these two starts make up 13 of the total 34 runs he has allowed this year. The Mets don’t have a ton of experience seeing Houser in games over their respective careers:

• Starling Marte 1-5, K
• Mark Canha 0-2, K
• Tomás Nido 0-2, K
• Pete Alonso 0-1
• Luis Guillorme 0-1
• Brandon Nimmo 0-1

Let’s Go Mets!