Game Preview: Phillies vs Mets

The Mets picked up two wins yesterday! What a day!

After a frustrating loss on Saturday, the Mets had to sit out Sunday and Monday due to rain, bringing on a a doubleheader yesterday. The first game looked like it was going to be more the same – good starting pitching plus an offense that couldn’t find a hit with RISP. This became especially true when the Phillies scratched out a run in the 6th and in the 8th. But the Mets in the bottom on the 8th pushed through. Luis Rojas took advantage of a quirk in the in the extra innings rule that allowed him to put Lindor and not a pinch runner on 2nd, the Mets got the tying run run across, eventually loaded the bases and Jonathan Villar, who came in to pinch run earlier in the game got the winning hit.

The Mets took the momentum into the night cap behind an electric Marcus Stroman who pitched 6.0 scoreless innings in what is probably one of his best starts to date as a Met. The offense scored 4 runs again, and while that doesn’t seem like a lot, after several games of barely getting 2 runs, 4 runs feels like a blowout.

So the Mets have already guaranteed a series split with the Phillies and they go for the win tonight. There is still a chance of rain tonight but it looks like the Mets can get the game in (the rain looks easier to deal with than Sunday or Monday). However as the night goes on the risk for rain will get worse and tomorrow’s game is jeopardy.

David Peterson gets the start for the Mets tonight as he looks for redemption from his first start of the year. In his first start, he allowed 6 runs off of 7 hits and 2 walks in 4.0 innings. The line is a little confusing though. He had a terrible first inning. He allowed a short homer early on in the inning and then the wheels came off and he ended up allowing a total of 4 runs. Then he settled down and did quite well for the next several innings. He got off to a rough start in the 5th, was pulled and Barnes allowed a 3-run homer immediately in relief, tagging Peterson for an extra two runs. The Phillies have the following numbers against Peterson:

Rhys Hoskins 4-5, 2 2B, 2 HR, K
Alec Bohm 1-3, HR, K
Bryce Harper 3-5, 2B, K
Jean Segura 1-3, 2B, BB, 2 K
Matt Joyce 0-1
J.T. Realmuto 0-1, 3 BB
Didi Gregorius 1-3, 2 K
Andrew McCutchen 0-3, BB
Adam Haseley 0-2

The Mets bats will see an old friend who has flourished since leaving Queens – Zack Wheeler. Over two starts this year he has allowed 3 runs over 11.2 innings from 8 hits and 4 walks while striking out an amazing 14 batters. In his first start he shut out Atlanta over 7.0 innings, allowing 1 hit and striking out 10, which means most of the damage against him came in his second start, also against Atlanta, where he pitched 4.2 innings. Last season, his first with the Phillies, he pitched 11 games and 71.0 innings with a 2.92 ERA, 3.22 FIP, 1.169 WHIP and a 151 ERA+. It was his best season for ERA, FIP and ERA+. In three starts against the Mets he allowed 8 runs from 21 hits and a walk over 20.1 innings, a 3.54 ERA. The Mets have the following numbers against him: