Game Preview: Marlins vs Mets

At least the Mets were eliminated because the Brewers won, not because the Mets lost. The Mets came out swinging last night like it was their final shot at a postseason bid – scoring 9 runs in the first three innings including Alonso’s 51st homer of the year. Jacob deGrom tossed another amazing start, going 7.0 scoreless innings padding his resume for a second consecutive Cy Young award. But, the Brewers won and now as Mets fans we have to switch gears and root for either them or the Cardinals against the Nationals in a Wild Card game at the end of the season.

The Mets still have a few story lines to play out. First, the Mets lost Jeff McNeil to a fractured wrist in last night’s game. Alonso still has a chance to tie and overtake the rookie home run record. Tonight is potentially Wheeler’s last start. Michael Conforto and Amed Rosario have excellent seasons to wrap up. With the pressure being off for winnings (and a winning season already wrapped up), it’s probably a good time to tinker with Edwin Diaz. Still a lot of things to look at in this final week of the season, even if they are the smallest of silver linings.

Zack Wheeler, rumored in trades in both the 2018 and 2019 deadlines, acquired in a trade deadline deal for Carlos Beltran in 2011 could be making his last Mets start tonight. He is 11-7 over 30 starts and 187.0 innings with a 3.99 ERA, 3.47 FIP, 1.286 WHIP and 102 ERA+. In his last five starts he has pitched 32.0 innings with a 1.41 ERA. He is 2-0 against the Marlins this year over 15.0 innings allowing only 2 runs on 17 hits and 2 walks while striking out 16. The Marlins have the following numbers against him:

Starlin Castro 6-25, 7 K
Martin Prado 6-19, 4 K
Miguel Rojas 4-13, BB, 2 K
Curtis Granderson 4-10, 2 2B, 2 BB, 4 K
Lewis Brinson 1-11, 3 K
Jorge Alfaro 0-6, 3 K
Neil Walker 1-4, K

The Mets bats will close our their last game in 2019 against the Marlins facing rookie pitcher Jordan Yamamoto. Yamamoto is 4-5 over 14 starts and 72.2 innings with a 4.83 ERA, 4.78 FIP, 1.183 WHIP and 88 ERA+. In his last 8 starts he is 0-5, pitching 38.2 innings with a 7.68 ERA. This includes a start on August 7th against the Mets where he allowed 4 runs from 5 hits and a walk in 6.0 innings of work. The Mets have the following numbers against him: