Game Preview: Mets @ Phillies

The Mets season is in crisis mode now. The Braves swept the Mets last weekend and the Cubs finished off a sweep of the Mets last night. Luckily for the Mets, they still play a few of the teams they are directly competing against like the Nationals and the Phillies, before the season is over. But the Mets are getting to the point that taking 2 of 3 this weekend may not be enough. Baseball is still played one game at a time and right now the Mets just need to win tonight to get back on track.

Zack Wheeler looks to do that for the Mets. He is 9-7 over 25 games and 155.1 innings with a 4.46 ERA, 3.71 FIP, 1.275 WHIP and 93 ERA+. In his last three games he has allowed 14 runs, 12 earned over 16.0 innings which is a 6.75 ERA, so he also needs tonight to get himself back on track. Zack is 1-2 over 4 starts and 25.0 innings against the Phillies this year, allowed 10 runs off 20 hits and 7 walks while striking out 30 (a 3.60 ERA). The Phillies have the following numbers against him:

Bryce Harper 8-37, 2 HR, 4 BB, 14 K
Cesar Hernandez 9-23, HR, BB, 5 K
Maikel Franco 3-15, 2B, 3 BB, K
Rhys Hoskins 2-17, 2 BB, 8 K
J.T. Realmuto 8-16, 2 2B, BB, 4 K
Jean Segura 2-12
Jay Bruce 2-9, HR, K

The Mets will get a look at Aaron Nola who has somehow already started 28 games this year. He is 12-4 over 168.1 innings with a 3.53 ERA, 3.95 FIP, 1.218 WHIP and 129 ERA+. He has allowed 6 runs in his last three starts of 21.0 innings but you gotta look at the patterns in his last three starts, its cosmically entertaining:

7.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 7 K
7.0 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 7 K
7.0 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 7 K

So if the pattern continues he throws 7.0 innings against the Mets tonight allowing 6 hits and 4 runs while striking out 7. He has made three starts against the Mets this year totaling 17.2 innings allowing 7 runs, 6 earned, from 11 hits and 7 walks. The Mets have the following battling lines against Nola: