The Mets look to take the series against the Pirates tonight while the ball club celebrates the 50th anniversary of humankind walking on the moon. On the baseball side, the Mets will try the astronomical feat of focusing on a baseball game while plethora of trade rumors rockets past Citi-Field. Will the Mets trade Syndergaard? Will they trade Wheeler? Does anyone actually want Frazier? Has Vargas’ mouth torpedoed his trade chances?
We don’t have to worry about our starting pitcher being pulled early today for #HugWatch! Steven Matz is 5-6 over 20 games and 18 starts logging 91.0 innings with a 4.75 ERA, 5.20 FIP, 1.462 WHIP and 86 ERA+. Since returning to the rotation he has pitched 10.0 innings allowing 4 runs from 11 hits and 2 walks and only one homer. He faced the Pirates twice last year and slightly above average in one start and slightly below average in the other leading to 7 ER overall between 13.0 innings of work from 9 hits and 2 walks. The Pirates have the following numbers against Matz:
- Gregory Polanco 2-7, HR, BB, 2 K
- Starling Marte 0-6, K
- Josh Bell 0-4, K
- Melky Cabrera 2-3
- Elias Diaz 1-3, 2B
- Jung Ho Kang 2-3
The Mets bats draw Trevor Williams who has started 14 games and pitched 81.2 innings this year with a 4.96 ERA, 4.47 FIP, 1.359 WHIP and 88 ERA+. Williams is coming off of a strong 2018 campaign where he posted a 3.11 ERA, 3.86 FIP, 1.178 WHIP and 127 ERA+ over 31 starts and his last time out he showed that version of himself, allowing 2 runs, 1 earned over 5.0 innings. He missed some time this year due to injury and since returning has allowing 26 runs, 25 earned, over 27.2 innings (and that includes his good start his last time out). His one start against the Mets last year was a good one, holding the Mets scoreless from 5 hits and 3 walks in 6.0 innings. The Mets have the following numbers against him:
- Michael Conforto 3-6, 2B, K
- Adeiny Hechavarria 1-3
- Jeff McNeil 1-2, BB
- Brandon Nimmo 0-3, 2 K
- Wilson Ramos 0-2
- Amed Rosario 0-2, BB, K
Let’s Go Mets!
