The Mets offense was on fire last Wednesday. It was on fire Saturday and Sunday over the weekend. It seems the Mets have returned home without their offense. The Mets dropped their second game in a row to the Cubs last night, behind lackluster hitting. The Braves won last night, bringing them to only half a game out of first place.
Today the Braves will play before the Mets game even happens. There’s a possibility the Mets and Braves will be tied for the division lead again by first pitch (or the possibility the Braves will be back to a full game back).
Whatever happens with the Braves, the Mets need to win tonight’s game. For several days there was a debate about whether Trevor Williams or David Peterson should start tonight’s game. The argument was that Peterson could use an opportunity to be added to the bullpen and pitch against lefties. It seems like that plan will have to wait as he has been penciled in as tonight’s starter.
David Peterson has pitched in 22 games this season, making 18 starts and totaling 98 2/3 innings. He has posted a 3.47 ERA, 3.58 FIP, 1.328 WHIP and a 113 ERA+. He’s coming off of a not so great start against the Marlins, where he allowed three runs from five hits and two walks over 3 2/3 innings. He held the Cubs back in July to one unearned run from three hits and tree walks over five innings. The Cubs have the following career numbers against him:
- Wilson Contreras 1-8, 3 K
- Ian Happ 1-6, 4 K
- Yan Gomes 1-5
- Patrick Wisdom 0-2, 2 BB, K
- Christopher Morel 0-2, BB
- Jason Heyward 0-2
- Seiya Suzuki 0-1, BB
The Mets bats will get a look at Drew Smyly tonight. Over 20 starts and 98 1/3 innings this season, Smyly has a 3.57 ERA, 4.30 FIP, 1.200 WHIP and a 118 ERA+. His two starts in August have been very different. He kicked off the month with a 2 1/3 inning outing against the Cardinals where he allowed seven run from five hits. Last time out he allowed only one unearned run over seven innings against the Giants. Since August he has allowed 10 earned runs over 39 1/3 innings, seven of those runs happened in one game.
He faced the Mets back in July and allowed two runs, one earned over 4 1/3 innings from five hits and a walk. The Mets have the following career numbers against him:
- Starling Marte 4-15, 2 2B, 3 K
- Eduardo Escobar 7-12, 2B, 4 HR, 2 BB, 2 K
- Francisco Lindor 4-13, 2B, BB, 2 K
- James McCann 6-12, 2 HR, BB, 3 K
- Mark Canha 1-9, BB, 3 K
- Pete Alonso 3-9, 2B, HR, BB, 2 K
- Daniel Vogelbach 2-8
- Brandon Nimmo 3-7, 2B, BB, K
- Jeff McNeil 0-4, BB, K
- Darin Ruf 0-2, BB
Let’s Go Mets!
