Game Preview: Braves vs Mets

Welcome Back!

The Mets and Braves start the 2017 season this afternoon after a fairly long spring training courtesy of the World Baseball Classic. And no, it’s not deja vu you’re experiencing, the Mets are running out a nearly identical roster to the 2016 club, which is fine because on paper, the 2016 club was built to win.

Most Opening Days, I write about optimism and the joy of not knowing what is going to happen, and that’s what makes baseball great. Those points still hold true but for a second straight season we approach Opening Day more mission based. Winning is an expectation. There’s a swagger and slight arrogance that comes with that feeling which I believe will make baseball this season in Queens a lot of fun to watch.

Noah Syndergaard will be starting for the Mets. Last year he went 14-9 over 31 games, 30 starts, and 183.2 innings with a 2.60 ERA as one of the Mets best pitchers. He walked 43 in that stretch and struck out 218. Surprisingly, he faced the Braves only once last year and it was a game to forget as he allowed 5 ER over 3.2 innings and 8 hits while walking 3 and striking out 5. The Braves have the following numbers on Syndergaard:

Matt Kemp 1-11, RBI, 4 K
Brandon Phillips 3-10, 2 K
Nick Markakis 3-6, BB
Jace Peterson 1-4, RBI, BB
Freddie Freeman 3-6, 2B, HR, 4 RBI, 2K
Swanson 2-2, RBI

The Mets bats will draw the ace of the Atlanta rotation, Julio Teheran. Teheran put together a great 2013 campaign and followed it up with an All-Star year in 2014 before regressing in 2015. He came back to All-Star form last year posting a 7-10 record over 30 starts and 188.0 innings with a 3.21 ERA while walking 41, and striking out 167. The Mets were part of the reason while he an All-Star last year. He went 2-0 over 4 stargs against the Mets pitching 30.0 innings allowing only 3 runs (0.90 ERA) while walking 3 and striking out 18. Beating Julio today will start a nice narrative to the 2017 season. The Mets have the following numbers against Teheran: