The Mets have gone from free-falling to sputtering over the weekend as the split a series with the Washington Nationals. During the series the Mets saw some brilliant pitching and hitting. They also saw the bats disappear and the pitching fall apart. Sometimes you need a challenge to get things going and the Mets will get that this week as the Rays (31-11) come to Queens.
The Mets turn to their ace Justin Verlander this evening to put the team back on track. In two starts this season he has allowed three runs from seven hits and three walks over 12 innings, leading to a small-sample size 2.25 ERA, 4.22 FIP, 0.833 WHIP and a 190 ERA+. In his last start he held the Reds to one run over seven innings. It was only the second time this season that a Mets starting pitcher went seven innings. The Rays have the following career numbers against him:
- Yandy Díaz 2-4, 2B, BB
- Christian Bethancourt 1-3, HR, K
- Brandon Lowe 0-3, K
The Mets bats will look to find positive consistency against Jalen Beeks who is making his fourth start of the season in his 16th game. Overall this year he has pitched 20 innings with a 5.40 ERA, 4.66 FIP, 1.250 WHIP and a 77 ERA+. He has been much more effective as a starter, totaling seven innings in three games and allowing only one earned run. His other 11 runs have come in his 13 innings in relief. He has mostly been in relief in the month of May and has been solid allowing one run over 6 2/3 innings from four hits and two walks while striking out eight. The most pitches he has thrown in an outing this year is 41 and he has tossed 28 and 31 pitches in his last two starts. The Mets have the following career numbers against him:
- Francisco Lindor 2-3, 2 BB, K
- Tommy Pham 2-3, HR, K
- Daniel Vogelbach 1-2, 2B, BB, K
- Eduardo Escobar 0-2
- Michael Pérez 0-1
Three Things To Watch For:
- The Rays offense is on another level. The Rays lead the league in Runs (260), hits (395) and homers (81). The Mets pitching is the Mets pitching. We’ve experienced it for the past month and it hasn’t been that much fun. The Mets need Verlander to set the tone for the pitchers this series. The Mets bats are going to need to do their part as well.
- First inning woes for the Mets. This tweet from Mike Mayer says it best. The Mets have been outscored 37-9 to in the first inning. It’s demoralizing. The Mets offense is immediately playing catch-up. The starting pitcher’s chance of a quality start is already in jeopardy. The bullpen starts to worry about how much work they will have to put in.
- Starling Marte is coming around now! In his last seven games Marte has gone 10-for-28 at the plate (.357), raising his batting average from .213 to .243. We just haven’t seen Marte work a walk or get an extra base hit in that stretch.
Let’s Go Mets!
