Game Preview: Braves vs Mets

Yesterday Pete Alonso tied Aaron Judge for the rookie home run record at 52 bombs. Now Pete has two more games this season to break the record. Besides that, 2019 continues to wind down at Citi Field as Marcus Stroman made his last start last night, capping off a successful month of September after a lack luster month of August. Tonight Steven Matz makes his last start of 2019 as we continue to say good bye to Mets baseball.

Steven Matz is 101-10 over 31 game sand 21 starts logging 154.1 innings with a 4.37 ERA, 4.64 FIP, 1.348 WHIP and a 93 ERA+. Last year he finished at exactly 154 innings, so its already the first time in his career that the has had back to back years of 150+ innings of work. Although his season ERA jumped (4.37 this year compared to 3.97 last year) some of his peripherals stayed practically the same (94 vs 93 ERA+, 4.62 vs 4.64 FIP). His WHIP did jump a full tenth of a point. Anyway the last two starts tanked his ability to finish the season at a sub 4.00 ERA, he’s allowed 13 runs over 9.0 innings so it would be nice if he can finish on a high note. He is 1-2 in 5 starts against the Braves this year allowing 11 runs in 25.0 innings, a 3.96 ERA. The Braves have the following numbers against him:

Freddie Freeman 7-28, 2 2B, HR, BB, 4 K
Tyler Flowers 2-17, 2B, 3 BB, 6 K
Nick Markakis 3-18, 2B, BB, 4 K
Ozzie Albies 3-15, 2B, 3 K
Ronald Acuna Jr. 3-12, 3B, BB, 3 K
Josh Donaldson 3-9, 2 HR
Adeiny Hechavarria 2-11, K
Dansby Swanson 3-9, 2B, BB, K

The Mets bats will get another look at Mike Folynewicz who is 8-5 over 20 starts and 113.0 innings with a 4.46 ERA, 4.88 FIP, 1.257 WHIP and 102 ERA+. In his last 6 starts and 37.2 innings he has allowed only 6 runs, 5 earned, which translates into a 1.19 ERA as opponents have batted .167/ .220/.258 against him. That stretch started against the Mets where he held them to 1 run over 7.0 innings from 2 hits and 2 walks. The Mets have the following numbers against him: