On paper Lester vs Syndergaard last night looked like a pitcher’s duel but it ended up becoming a back and forth affair with the bats as the Cubs squeezed by the Mets in the series opener. Syndergaard struggled early and settled down towards the end retiring 9 of his last 10 faced but it just wasn’t enough. Michael Conforto crushed a 472-ft homer to straight away center as well.
Jacob deGrom looks to put the Mets back on the winning path today. He is 8-8 over 26 games and 174.0 innings with a 1.71 ERA (league leading), 2.07 FIP (league leading), 0.971 WHIP and a 216 ERA+ (league leading). In the month of August deGrom has pitched 5 games and 35.2 innings with a 1.26 ERA while striking out 50. At the start of June against hte Cubs deGrom allowed 1 run over 7.0 inning despite allowing 7 hits and two walks (the 13 K’s probably helped a lot). The Cubs have the following numbers against deGrom:
- Rizzo 7-19, 2B, HR, 2 BB
- Heyward 7-18, 2B, 3 K
- Bryant 4-14, 2 HR, 2 BB, 7 K
- Murphy 4-15, 3B
- Zobrist 1-13
- Russell 2-11, HR, BB
The Mets bats will see one of the newest Cubs tonight, Cole Hamels. As a Cub Hamels is 4-0 over 5 start sand 34.0 innings with a 0.79 ERA, 2.36 FIP, 0.941 WHIP and 550 ERA+ (really). As a Ranger before the trade he was 5-9 over 20 games and 114.1 innings with a 4.72 ERA, 5.19 FIP, 1.373 WHIP and a 101 ERA+. So, Hamels probably loves being a Cub. I guess. The Mets have the following numbers against Cole:
- Reyes 22-59, 6 2B, 5 BB, 10 K
- Bruce 8-35, 2B, 2 HR, BB, 9 K
- Frazier 5-20, 2B, HR, 6 K
- Bautista 6-17, 2 2B, 2 BB
- Jackson 4-17, 2B, BB, 7 K
- Flores 2-11, BB
- Plawecki 1-3
- Mesoraco 0-1
Let’s Go Mets!
