Before last Thursday’s game the Mets had a player and a coach each test positive for Covid19. As of 6 AM today, the only news we’ve heard about both individuals is that they were symptomatic and are recovering well. We hope this continues to be the case and are keeping them in our thoughts.
Before the Covid19 interruption, the Mets were on a roll while everything around the box score was falling apart. After a weekend of losing three straight to the Phillies, they won the first three games against the Marlins. The rotation was being hampered by injuries and question marks (would Matz return? would Lugo be stretched out?)
The break from baseball has done nothing to settle anything and has actually complicated it more as the Mets will now play 9 games over the next 6 days and 34 games in the next 34 days. Over the next 6 days they will play 3 double-headers. These will also be the first games the Mets play under the new seven inning game rules. The Mets will play six shortened games this week and three full ones.
Game 1:
Rick Porcello gets the first start for the Mets tonight. Over his first five starts he has pitched 25.0 innings with a 5.76 ERA, 3.21 FIP, 1.640 WHIP and 74 ERA+. He started off August with two strong back to back starts, allowing 3 runs over 13.0 innings before facing the Phillies where he allowed 4 runs from 10 hits over 6.0 innings. He hasn’t pitched in 9 days. The Marlins have the following stats against Porcello:
- Jesus Aguilar 2-3
- Jorge Alfaro 0-2
- Corey Dickerson 9-41, 4 2B, HR, 8 K
- Logan Forsythe 8-31, 3B, 2 BB, 6 K
- Matt Joyce 6-20, 2B, 2 HR, 3 BB, 4 K
- Magneuris Sierra 2-3
- Jonathan Villar 3-8, BB, K
The Mets bats will see Daniel Castano again! The Mets saw his major league debut a couple of weeks ago as Castano skipped AAA ball in the roster madness that the Marlins endured after the Covid19 outbreak. Daniel has made three starts this year, totaling 10.2 innings, allowing 8 runs, 7 earned. The Mets scored 5 runs, 4 earned, over 4.1 innings thanks to two homers. Daniel rebounded in his next start against the Braves who only scored one run off a solo homer in 6.0 innings. In his next start, he only recorded one out facing 4 batters, allowing 2 runs. Anyway – Alonso and Conforto were the two Mets who homered against and Smith, Davis and McNeil also collected hits. Rosario, Hamilton and Ramos went a combined 0-7.
Game 2:
Seth Lugo, who has been tremendously successful as a reliever, will be starting the night cap and joining the rotation for the foreseeable future. Seth Lugo made his first mark on the Mets as a starter in 2016 and was a big reason for Puerto Rico’s success in the following World Baseball Classic. But the Mets bullpen feels significantly weaker without him in it. Through 10.1 innings over 9 games this year he he has a 2.61 ERA, 2.85 FIP, 0.968 WHIP and a 168 ERA+. In his career he has a 3.25 ERA and a 1.120 WHIP. As a starter he has a 4.06 ERA with a 1.307 WHIP (of course – this is skewed towards the start of his career). The Marlins have the following numbers against Lugo:
- Jesus Aguilar 2-3
- Jorge Alfaro 2-7
- Brian Anderson 3-13, 3 K
- Jon Berti 0-0, BB
- Lewis Brinson 1-4, 2 K
- Corey Dickerson 0-4, BB, 2 K
- Logan Forsythe 0-3, K
- Matt Joyce 0-4, 2 K
- Miguel Rojas, 1-7, K
The Mets will see yet another pitcher make their major league debut tonight – Trevor Rogers. The 22 year old pitched in high A ball last season making 19 starts and tossing 110.1 innings with an ERA of 2.53, he was almost two years younger than the average player in the league. He was then moved to AA where he made 5 starts and pitched 26.0 innings with a 4.50 ERA.
Let’s Go Mets!
