213 Miles From Shea

The Mets head on their first road trip to a different time zone tonight as they take on the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Deja vu? The Mets just won two of three games against the Diamondbacks last weekend. At the conclusion of this weekend’s series the two teams won’t matchup again for the rest of the regular season .

Since the two teams last played, the Mets went on to win three of four games from Diamondback’s divisional rival, the Giants. It was a statement series for the Mets who now have baseball’s best record and got there by beating one of baseball’s best teams. The Diamondbacks split a four-game series with Nationals this past week.

David Peterson will make second start and pitch in his third game this season tonight. So far he has allowed no runs from six hits and four walks while striking out seven in 8 1/3 innings of work. This includes a start against the Diamondbacks where he tossed 4 1/3 innings of shutout baseball. His outing last time against the Diamondbacks was a significant improvement over his two games last year against them where pitched two innings between both starts allowing eight earned runs. The Diamondbacks have the following numbers against Peterson:

• Carson Kelly 1-2, 2B, 3 BB, K
• Christian Walker 2-4, BB
• Pavin Smith 2-3, BB, K
• Ketel Marte 1-3, HR, K
• Nick Ahmed 0-1, BB, K
• Sergio Alcantara 0-1, BB
• Yonny Hernandez 0-2, K
• Cooper Hummel 0-2
• Jake McCarthy 0-2

The Mets bats draw Zac Gallen again who has only pitched against the Mets this season. In his only start last weekend he allowed two hits and a walk with no runs in four innings of work. The Diamondbacks would score three runs late in that game and the Mets would come close but could not overcome to win. The Mets have the following numbers against Zac Gallen:

• Pete Alonso 1-9, 2 BB, 5 K
• Jeff McNeil 2-11, 3 K
• Robinson Canó 3-8, 2B, 2 K
• Dominic Smith 0-5, 2 BB, K
• Mark Canha 0-4, BB, 2 K
• Francisco Lindor 1-5
• James McCann 0-5, 3 K
• Tomas Nido 1-3, BB, K
• Travis Jankowski 1-3, 3B, K
• Brandon Nimmo 0-2, BB, K
• Eduardo Escobar 0-2, K
• Starling Marte 0-1, BB

Francisco Lindor has been off to a hot start, adding three hits including a homerun yesterday. He now has four homers on the season and through 62 PA’s he’s hitting .308/.419/.615 (career line .279/.344/.480). Lindor is also leading the league in runs scored at 12. We love to see it!

Let’s Go Mets!

On Tuesday the Mets swept the Giants in a single-admission doubleheader.

Yesterday the Giants struck back with a 5-2 win. The Giants struck early and were able to hold the lead despite the Mets mounting a couple of come back attempts late in the game.

Carlos Carrasco will look to lead the Mets back into the win column tonight. In his first two starts of the season he has allowed one run on five hits and two walks in 10 2/3 innings, leading to a small-sample size 0.84 ERA, 2.42 FIP, 0.656 WHIP and a 459 ERA+. One of his best starts last season was against the Giants. Carrasco held them to two runs from three hits and no walks over seven winnings while striking out 5. The Giants have the following numbers against him:

• Brandon Crawford 1-11, 2B, 2 K
• Curt Casali 1-7, 2B, K
• Brandon Belt 0-5, BB, 4 K
• Wilmer Flores 0-3
• Tommy La Stella 1-3, 2B
• Joc Pederson 1-3, HR, K
• Mike Yatrzemski 0-2, K

The Mets bats draw long time Reds pitcher Anthony DeSclafani with his second season with the Giants. Over two starts this season he has allowed four runs from 13 hits and a walk over 8 1/3 innings leading to a 4.32 ERA, 1.63 FIP, 1.680 WHIP and a 92 ERA+. Last season for the Giants he made 31 starts and pitched 167 2/3 innings with a 3.17 ERA, 3.62 FIP, 1.091 WHIP and a 130 ERA+. This includes two complete game shutouts. Last year he only tossed 1.1 innings against the Mets before he had to leave the game with an injury, he returned to the mound 11 days later. The Mets have the following numbers against him:

• Starling Marte 3-23, 2 BB, 6 K
• Eduardo Escobar 1-11, 2B, 2 BB, 3 K
• Francisco Lindor 5-12, 2B, 2 HR, K
• Pete Alonso 2-7, 2 K
• Jeff McNeil 1-6, 2B, 2 K
• Travis Jankowski 1-6, K
• Brandon Nimmo 0-5

Let’s Go Mets!

The Giants and Mets return to action tonight after the Mets swept the double header yesterday! The Mets took the first two games of the highly anticipated series behind resilience in the first game and a strong start by Scherzer in the second game. The Mets are now the only team in baseball with 9 wins and have the highest run differential in baseball at +29.

The Dodgers also last night, so the NL West got even tighter. The Padres, Dodgers and Rockies each have 8 wins on the season and the Giants are only one game out of first place with seven. The Giants have one of their big off-season signings, Carlos Rodón, on the mound tonight and he’ll look to reverse the course for the Giants.

Carlos Rodón has made two strong starts with his new club. Over 12 innings he has allowed only two runs from five hits and four walks while striking out an astounding 21 batters. He has a small-sample size 1.50 ERA, 0.80 FIP (league leading), 0.750 WHIP and 261 ERA+. He was an All-Star last season for the White Sox where he pitched 132 2/3 innings over 24 starts with a 2.37 ERA, 2.65 FIP, 0.957 WHIP and an 181 ERA+. The Mets have the following numbers against him:

• Francisco Lindor 10-32, 3 2B, 2 HR, 2 BB, 4 K
• Eduardo Escobar 5-20, 2B, 2 BB, 7 K
• James McCann 2-11, HR, BB, 3 K
• Robinson Canó 2-7, HR, 2 BB
• Mark Canha 2-7, 2 HR, K
• J.D. Davis 0-3, K
• Starling Marte 1-2

The Mets will counter with Chris Bassitt who is making his third start of the season. Over his first two games and 12 innings he has allowed one run from five hits and three walks while striking out 14. He has a small-sample size 0.75 ERA (league leading), 2.80 FIP, 0.667 WHIP and an ERA+ that barely makes sense at 511. Bassitt didn’t pitch against the Giants last season and the Giants have the following numbers against him:

• Tommy La Stella 3-12, 2B, BB, 2 K
• Evan Longoria 1-8, 3 K
• Brandon Belt 1-6, BB, 2 K
• Brandon Crawford 3-6, 2B, HR, BB
• Joey Bart 1-3, K
• Curt Casali 1-2, 2B, BB
• Wilmer Flores 0-3, K
• Darin Ruf 1-3, K
• Mike Yastrzemski 0-3, 3 K
• Mauricio Dubon 0-2

Let’s Go Mets!

MLB released their updated Power Rankings yesterday. The Mets jumped from 12 in the league to 5. The Giants jumped from 9 in the league to 7. I don’t put a ton of stock into rankings like this however, this is a good barometer for excitement around an early season matchup between the Giants and the Mets.

And if there was one game to watch this series, for the matchup on paper, it’s tonight’s! Two aces – Logan Webb and Max Scherzer – will go head to head for the nightcap of a single admission double header.

Max Scherzer has allowed four runs from eight hits and four walks over 11 innings in two starts this year leading to an early season 3.27 ERA, 3.28 FIP, 1.091 WHIP and 126 ERA+. He has also struck out 13 batters, a 10.6 K/9, which is right around his career mark at 10.7. Shockingly, despite being traded to the Dodgers last year Scherzer only faced the Giants once and that was while he was still with the Nationals. Max threw 12 pitches against the Giants on June 11th before he left the game with a groin injury (he then skipped one start and threw five innings on June 22nd). The Giants have the following numbers against Scherzer:

• Evan Longoria 2-19, HR, 2 BB, 7 K
• Joc Pederson 2-16, 2B, 3 BB, 7 K
• Wilmer Flores 0-17, BB, 8 K
• Brandon Crawford 6-15, 3 2B, 2 HR, BB, 7 K
• Brandon Belt 3-12, 2B, 3B, K
• Tommy La Stella 4-10, 2 2B, 3B, HR, 2 K
• Darin Ruf 2-9, 2B

Logan Webb will make his third start of the year for the Giants this evening. Over his first two games he has tossed 14 innings allowing two runs from nine hits and a walk while striking out 10. He has a small-sample size 1.29 ERA, 1.88 FIP, 0.714 WHIP and 305 ERA+. In his one start against the Mets last year he allowed two runs from seven hits and a walk while pitching 7 1/3 innings. The Mets have the following numbers against him:

• Mark Canha 3-7, 2 HR, 2 BB, 3 K
• Eduardo Escobar 1-9, 3 K
• Pete Alonso 1-4, HR, K
• Brandon Nimmo 0-4, K
• J.D. Davis 1-3, K
• Starling Marte 2-3
• Jeff McNeil 0-3

Let’s Go Mets!

The Mets demonstrated in another, subtle, way that it’s a new era. The Mets called off last night’s game at 3 PM, hours before the game arrived. In more recent years the Mets have made announcements like that fairly late. Maybe it’s because it was the first game of a three game set. Whatever the reason, it was appreciated to know hours beforehand.

There are five teams in baseball with at least seven wins so far. Four of those teams are in the NL West, the odd team out is our very own New York Mets. (Technically the Padres are also the odd team out here too, the Mets and Rockies are each 7-3, the Giants 7-2 and the Dodgers 8-2. The Padres have somehow played 12 games already and are 7-5). There are also only three teams with a run differential over +20: the Dodgers, the Giants and the New York Mets. The Dodgers lead the pack with a +30, followed by the Mets at +26 and the Giants at +23.

Tonight the Mets will start a four game set with the Giants in one of the marquee matchups on the young season. The Mets enter the series coming off of their third consecutive series win. The Giants come to New York after sweeping the Guardians in Cleveland.

Tylor Megill takes the mound for the Mets tonight. In his first two starts this season and 10 1/3 innings of work he has allowed zero runs from six hits and zero walks while striking out 11. Megill made two, very different, starts against the Giants. In San Francisco he allowed only one run from five hits and two walks over six innings. In the very next start back in New York, he allowed seven runs from 11 hits over 3 2/3 innings. The Giants have the following numbers against Megill:

• Brandon Belt 3-5, 2 HR, BB, K
• LaMonte Wade Jr. 3-6, 2B, HR
• Brandon Crawford 0-5, 2 K
• Tommy La Stella 1-5, K
• Joc Pederson 0-4, BB, K
• Mike Yastrzemski 1-3, HR, BB
• Wilmer Flores 2-3, 2B, K

The Mets bats will get their first look at the veteran Alex Cobb tonight who is pitching in his first season with the Giants. In his first start this year he allowed two runs from four hits and two walks over five innings while striking out 10. Last season he made 18 starts for the Angels and pitched 93 1/3 innings with a 3.76 ERA, 2.92 FIP, 1.264 WHIP and a 118 ERA+. The Mets have the following numbers on Alex Cobb:

• Robinson Canó 10-28, 2B, 4 HR, 2 BB, 4 K
• Eduardo Escobar 3-11, HR, BB, 4 K
• Francisco Lindor 3-8, 3 K
• Mark Canha 1-6, 2 K
• Starling Marte 1-2, 2B
• Brandon Nimmo 0-3, 3 K
• James McCann 0-2

Let’s Go Mets!

There are three teams in baseball with 7 wins on the young season: the Dodgers, Giants and New York Mets. There are also only three teams with a run differential over +20: the Dodgers, the Giants and the New York Mets. The Dodgers lead the pack with a +27, followed by the Mets at +26 and the Giants at +23.

Tonight the Mets will start a four game set with the Giants in one of the marquee matchups on the young season. The Mets enter the series coming off of their third consecutive series win. The Giants come to New York after sweeping the Guardians in Cleveland.

Tylor Megill takes the mound for the Mets tonight. In his first two starts this season and 10 1/3 innings of work he has allowed zero runs from six hits and zero walks while striking out 11. Megill made two, very different, starts against the Giants. In San Francisco he allowed only one run from five hits and two walks over six innings. In the very next start back in New York, he allowed seven runs from 11 hits over 3 2/3 innings. The Giants have the following numbers against Megill:

• Brandon Belt 3-5, 2 HR, BB, K
• LaMonte Wade Jr. 3-6, 2B, HR
• Brandon Crawford 0-5, 2 K
• Tommy La Stella 1-5, K
• Joc Pederson 0-4, BB, K
• Mike Yastrzemski 1-3, HR, BB
• Wilmer Flores 2-3, 2B, K

The Mets bats will get their first look at the veteran Alex Cobb tonight who is pitching in his first season with the Giants. In his first start this year he allowed two runs from four hits and two walks over five innings while striking out 10. Last season he made 18 starts for the Angels and pitched 93 1/3 innings with a 3.76 ERA, 2.92 FIP, 1.264 WHIP and a 118 ERA+. The Mets have the following numbers on Alex Cobb:

• Robinson Canó 10-28, 2B, 4 HR, 2 BB, 4 K
• Eduardo Escobar 3-11, HR, BB, 4 K
• Francisco Lindor 3-8, 3 K
• Mark Canha 1-6, 2 K
• Starling Marte 1-2, 2B
• Brandon Nimmo 0-3, 3 K
• James McCann 0-2

Let’s Go Mets!

The Mets lost a close one yesterday and now have a rubber game today to get a series win against the Diamondbacks.

Yesterday the Mets got amazing pitching from Carlos Carrasco but couldn’t support him at the plate. The Diamondbacks were able to put up a three spot against the Mets late and Starling Marte did his best, responding with a two run homer, but the rest of the offense just couldn’t push the Mets over the line.

David Peterson will look to get the Mets back into the win column tonight. He pitched in long relief after Taijuan Walker’s injury early in the season. Peterson was able to pitch four innings allowing three hits, two walks and nothing else. Last season he made 15 starts pitching 66 2/3 innings with a 5.54 ERA, 4.78 FIP, 1.395 WHIP and a 73 ERA+. In 2020 Peterson pitched in 10 games, 9 starts, totaling 49 2/3 innings with a 3.44 ERA, 4.52 FIP, 1.208 WHIP and a 125 ERA+. The drop in performance last year was reflected in a jump in H/9 (6.5 to 8.6) and HR/9 (0.9 to 1.5).

Peterson pitched against Arizona twice last year and let’s just say he’ll be looking for revenge today. In his first start he allowed three runs from three hits and three walks over 1 2/3 innings of work. In his second start, in Arizona, he allowed five runs from three hits and three walks while recording only one out. The Diamondbacks have the following numbers against him:

• Carson Kelly 0-1, 2 BB, K
• Christian Walker 2-2, BB
• Nick Ahmed 0-1, BB, K
• Sergio Alcantara 0-1, BB
• Pavin Smith 1-1, BB
• Ketel Marte 1-1, HR
• Josh Rojas 1-1

The Mets bats will get a look at Humberto Castellanos this afternoon. Humberto was originally signed by the Astros in 2015 and made his major league debut in 2020. The Diamondbacks picked him up on waivers the following year. This will be his first start this year but he’s already pitched in relief twice allowing three runs, two earned from 5 hits and a walk in three innings. Humberto is starting because the Diamondbacks are switching things up one week into the season. Originally Caleb Smith had a spot in the rotation, he faltered in the first start and the Diamondbacks sent him into the bullpen.

Humberto last year split time between being a starter and a reliever. Overall he pitched in 14 games and made 7 starts totaling 45 2/3 innings with a 4.93 ERA, 5.01 FIP, 1.380 WHIP and a 86 ERA+. As a starter only he pitched 34 innings with a 5.56 ERA and a 1.441 WHIP. He has never faced the Mets and the only Met who has faced him, Mark Canha (0-2, 2 K), is currently on the Covid IL list.

Let’s Go Mets!

The Mets fired on all cylinders yesterday for the series opener and they will look to keep it going this afternoon in Flushing!

Carlos Carrasco is on the mound for the Mets today. In his first start of the season last week he allowed one run from two hits over 5 2/3 innings. Last year the most difficult inning for him was the first inning, and last week that’s where he allowed a solo homer. After that though he fell back into a rhythm and it was one of his best starts as a New York Met. Carrasco missed the Diamondbacks when the Mets played them last year. Between playing in the American League for a long time and the way the Diamondbacks have constructed their roster in recent years, only two players on the current team have seen Carrasco in a major league game:

• Ketel Marte 2-4, BB, K
• David Peralta 0-1

Zac Gallen will make his 2022 debut this afternoon after his first start of the season last week was scratched due a cut on his thumb. Last season he made 23 starts and pitched 121 1/3 innings with a 4.30 ERA, 4.25 FIP, 1.294 WHIP and a 98 ERA+. This was a significant jump from 2019 (split between the Marlins and Diamondbacks) and 2020. Those seasons Gallen had a 2.81 and 2.75 ERA, respectively. He also had an ERA+ of 156 and 164. One of his better starts last year was against the Mets where he allowed two runs, one earned, over siz innings of work from two hits and four walks while striking out 5. The Mets have the following numbers against him:

• Pete Alonso 1-7, 2 BB, 5 K
• Jeff McNeil 1-9, 2B, 3 K
• Robinson Canó 2-5, 2B, 2 K
• Dominic Smith 0-4, 2 BB, K
• Mark Canha 0-4, BB, 2 K
• James McCann 0-5, 3 K
• Francisco Lindor 1-3
• Brandon Nimmo 0-2, BB, K
• Travis Jankowski 1-2, 3B, K

Gallen will have to compete with a Mets lineup that smacked the ball a lot yesterday. Francisco Lindor hit two home runs and now has a 1.161 OPS on the early season. Starling Marte collected three hits including his first homer on the season. Joining Marte with three hits was Travis Jankowski who has a small-sample size 1.292 OPS.

Let’s Go Mets!

For the first time in 2022, the Mets are coming home!

The Mets have a lot to celebrate today during their home opener. Before the game there will be a ceremony revealing the statue of Tom Seaver in front of the ball park. Today is also the 75th anniversary of Jackie Robinson’s historic major league debut, breaking the color barrier.

The Mets are returning home after taking three games in a four game set from the Nationals and two games in a three game set from the Phillies. They currently have a +15 run differential and they will look to expand that differential today as they take on the Diamondbacks.

On the hill for the Mets is Chris Bassitt who is coming off of a great Mets debut. In his first game of the season he held the Nationals to three hits and one walk while striking out eight batters of six innings of work. Chis faced the Diamondbacks twice last year. In April he allowed two runs from two hits and five walks over five innings of work. In June he also allowed two runs, but this time over seven innings. The Diamondbacks have the following numbers against him:

• Ketel Marte 2-13, 2 BB
• David Peralta 3-8, 2B, HR, BB, 2 K
• Christian Walker 3-6, HR
• Nick Ahmed 0-3, BB, K
• Madison Bumgarner 1-2, HR, BB, K
• Carson Kelly 1-3, K
• Josh Rojas 0-3, K

The Mets draw the veteran Zach Davies in the series opener. Davies, a long time pitcher with the Brewers is now on the Diamondbacks after stints with the Padres and the Cubs the last couple of years. In his first start this season he allowed two runs from four hits and three walks over five innings. Last year he posted a 5.78 ERA, 5.45 FIP, 1.601 WHIP and a 74 ERA+ over 148 innings. This includes 75 walks which led the league. In his only start against the Mets last season he allowed two runs on five hits and two walks over four innings. The Mets have the following numbers against him:

• Starling Marte 10-28, 2 2B, 3 BB
• Eduardo Escobar 3-14, HR, 2 BB, 2 K
• Travis Jankowski 3-10, 3B, 5 K
• Brandon Nimmo 3-6, 2 2B, 3B, K
• Pete Alonso 0-4, BB
• Jeff McNeil 1-4
• James McCann 2-3, BB
• Mark Canha 1-3
• Francisco Lindor 1-2, HR, K
• J.D. Davis 2-2, 2B

Let’s Go Mets!

The Mets and Phillies wrap up their three game series afternoon with a rubber game! On Monday, the Mets blew a 4-run lead in 8th inning and lost the game 5-4. Last night, Edwin Díaz returned from the bereavement list and locked down the ninth inning for a 2-0 Mets win.

Max Scherzer will be on the mound for the Mets. In his first game as a Met he allowed three runs over six innings from three hits and a walk while striking out 6. The only blemish on the day was a long homer hit by Josh Bell. Scherzer faced the Phillies four times last year pitching 22 innings allowing three runs from 13 innings (1.23 ERA) and struck out 28 batters. In an odd twist – all four starts where in Philly! The Phillies have the following numbers against Max Scherzer:

• Odubel Herrera 16-54, 4 2B, 3B, 2 HR, 6 BB, 10 K
• J.T. Realmuto 5-50, 2B, 2 HR, 3 BB, 15 K
• Jean Segura 8-25, HR, BB, 5 K
• Rhys Hoskins 1-23, 2B, BB, 12 K
• Bryce Harper 3-12, 2 2B, HR, 4 BB, 8 K
• Alec Bohm 2-10, 5 K
• Nick Castellanos 1-9, 2B, 4 K
• Didi Gregorius 1-8, 2 K
• Johan Camargo 2-7, 2 K
• Kyle Schwarber 1-4, 3 BB, 2 K

The Mets will get a look at Aaron Nola today. In his first start of 2022 he allowed four runs from four hits (including two homers) over six innings. Last season he made 32 starts and pitched 180 2/3 innings with a 4.63 ERA, 3.37 FIP, 1.129 WHIP and a 90 ERA+. This includes four starts against the Mets where he pitched 20 innings allowing only 5 runs runs off 19 hits and 5 walks while striking out 33 batters. The Mets have the following numbers against Nola:

• Brandon Nimmo 9-29, 3B, 10 BB, 12 K (.487 OBP)
• Dominic Smith 9-34, 6 2B, HR, 13 K
• Jeff McNeil 8-29, 2B, HR, 3 BB, 8 K
• Pete Alonso 10-29, 2 2B, 3 HR, 3 BB, 8 K (1.130 OPS)
• Francisco Lindor 3-9, 2 2B, BB, 2 K
• Starling Marte 3-10, 5 K
• Eduardo Escobar 1-3, 2B, K

Let’s Go Mets!