MLB released their updated Power Rankings yesterday. The Mets jumped from 12 in the league to 5. The Giants jumped from 9 in the league to 7. I don’t put a ton of stock into rankings like this however, this is a good barometer for excitement around an early season matchup between the Giants and the Mets.
And if there was one game to watch this series, for the matchup on paper, it’s tonight’s! Two aces – Logan Webb and Max Scherzer – will go head to head for the nightcap of a single admission double header.
Max Scherzer has allowed four runs from eight hits and four walks over 11 innings in two starts this year leading to an early season 3.27 ERA, 3.28 FIP, 1.091 WHIP and 126 ERA+. He has also struck out 13 batters, a 10.6 K/9, which is right around his career mark at 10.7. Shockingly, despite being traded to the Dodgers last year Scherzer only faced the Giants once and that was while he was still with the Nationals. Max threw 12 pitches against the Giants on June 11th before he left the game with a groin injury (he then skipped one start and threw five innings on June 22nd). The Giants have the following numbers against Scherzer:
- Evan Longoria 2-19, HR, 2 BB, 7 K
- Joc Pederson 2-16, 2B, 3 BB, 7 K
- Wilmer Flores 0-17, BB, 8 K
- Brandon Crawford 6-15, 3 2B, 2 HR, BB, 7 K
- Brandon Belt 3-12, 2B, 3B, K
- Tommy La Stella 4-10, 2 2B, 3B, HR, 2 K
- Darin Ruf 2-9, 2B
Logan Webb will make his third start of the year for the Giants this evening. Over his first two games he has tossed 14 innings allowing two runs from nine hits and a walk while striking out 10. He has a small-sample size 1.29 ERA, 1.88 FIP, 0.714 WHIP and 305 ERA+. In his one start against the Mets last year he allowed two runs from seven hits and a walk while pitching 7 1/3 innings. The Mets have the following numbers against him:
- Mark Canha 3-7, 2 HR, 2 BB, 3 K
- Eduardo Escobar 1-9, 3 K
- Pete Alonso 1-4, HR, K
- Brandon Nimmo 0-4, K
- J.D. Davis 1-3, K
- Starling Marte 2-3
- Jeff McNeil 0-3
Let’s Go Mets!
