Game Preview: Mets @ Dodgers

If the Mets blew the lead in the ninth, but it happened on the West Coast and sizable percentage of Mets fans missed the whole game, did they really blow the lead in a crushing, demoralizing loss? Or is it just a loss?

Last night the Mets built up an impressive lead on the strength of Alonso, Rosario and Dominic Smith but saw the whole thing come crashing down as the bullpen allowed 6 runs including 4 runs by Edwin Diaz. Winning last night would have put the Mets above .500 and put them in a position to win the series, now they will have to hope to just split the series tonight.

Tonight is a serious test for Jason Vargas. He is 1-2 over 8 games and 7 starts in 29.1 innings with a 5.22 ERA, 5.40 FIP, 1.568 WHIP and 77 ERA+. In 4 of his last 5 starts he has allowed 1 run over 4-5 innings of work. In that stretch he has a 2.74 ERA and opponents are batting .205 against him. Can he replicate these numbers though against a team with the hitting ability like the Dodgers? Last year he allowed 5 runs, 4 earned over 3.1 innings against the Dodgers who have the following numbers against him:

David Freese 9-16, 2B, 4 HR, BB, 3 K
Russell Martin 1-9, K
Austin Barnes 1-2, HR
Enrique Hernandez 1-2
Chris Taylor 1-1, 2B
Justin Turner 0-2

The Mets draw Hyun-Jin Ryu who is arguably the best pitcher in baseball right now. He is 7-1 over 10 games and 65.1 innings with a 1.65 ERA (league leading), 2.60 FIP, 0.827 WHIP (league leading) and a 252 ERA+ (league leading). He also leads the league in walks per 9 (0.6) and K/BB (15.50). He’s coming off a “mere mortal” start in Pittsburg where he allowed 2 runs off 10 hits in 6.0 innings, the most hits per inning he has allowed this season. He was good but the defense behind him was not in his one start against the Mets last year where he allowed 5 runs, 1 earned over 6.0 innings allowing 10 hits but striking out 8. The Mets have the following numbers against him: