The Mets and Pirates play the rubber game of the series this afternoon at Citi Field. After winning the first game fairly convincingly, the Mets struggled last night and lost 7-4. Brandon Nimmo led the game with a homer, the Pirates responded right away with a run of their own and then the bats fell silent after that until the seventh inning. The Pirates tagged the Mets struggling and overworked bullpen for six runs, the Mets responded with three of their own. Now the Mets and Pirates have identical records heading into the last game of the series.
The Mets bullpen needs a respectable start from Tylor Megill today. Over 17 starts (81 1/3 innings), Megill has a 5.64 ERA, 5.08 FIP, 1.697 WHIP and a 74 ERA+. In his first two starts back with the Mets he has allowed 11 runs, 10 earned, over 10 innings of work (9.00 ERA, 4.97 FIP). The good news is his arm is stretched out. He’s tossed 102 and 84 pitches in both starts, so if he can limit the hits (exactly nine in each start so far), he can give the bullpen the break it needs. Tylor had a disastrous start against the Pirates back when they were in first place in June where he allowed nine runs, seven earned from eight hits and three walks over 3 2/3 innings. The Pirates have the following career numbers against him:
- Bryan Reynolds 2-8
- Ke’Bryan Hayes 5-7, K
- Andrew McCutchen 1-3, 2 K, 2 BB
- Jack Suwinski 0-1, BB
- Josh Palacios 1-3
Johan Oviedo has pitched 136 1/3 innings this year over 24 starts with a 4.42 ERA, 4.28 FIP, 1.306 WHIP and a 102 ERA+. He’s coming off of a rough start against the Reds where he allowed six runs over five innings from five hits and two walks. Before that start he had a stretch of three starts in a row where he posted a 0.90 ERA, 3.02 FIP in 20 innings of work. He was effective against the Mets back in June, holding the Mets to two runs from four hits over 6 1/3 innings. The Mets have the following career numbers against him:
- Brandon Nimmo 4-6, 2 BB
- Daniel Vogelbach 1-8, K, BB
- Jeff McNeil 1-6, K, 2 BB
- Francisco Lindor 1-5, K, BB
- Pete Alonso 0-4, 2 K, BB
- Rafael Ortega 2-4, 2 2B, K BB
- Francisco Álvarez 0-3
- Tim Locastro 0-2
- Omar Narváez 0-2
Three Things To Watch For:
- Mets bullpen use. We talked about this yesterday that the Mets would probably need to make a move before the game to get a fresh arm into the pen. Before yesterday’s game Tyson Miller was sent down Butto was brought up. Butto had to put in serious work, tossing 63 pitches. At least Adam Ottavine, Trevor Gott and Phil Bickford were all avoided yesterday, but they each have pitched twice since Saturday. If the Mets don’t make another move before gametime they are really going to need Megill to go deep.
- Jonathan Araúz. Araúz has gone deep two days in a row now. This season he has gone 4-for-27 at the plate, scoring two runs with five RBI. That means in his last two days he has had 50% of the hits he’s had this season, scored all of the runs he’s scored this season, recorded 60% of his season total of RBI’s. Araúz hot streak?
- Brandon Nimmo. Brandon Nimmo lead of the game yesterday with his 17th homer of the season, tying his season best. He is now one homer away from a person record and has a very good chance of recording at least 20 on the season. Further Nimmo has now had four games in a row where he has recorded at least two hits. In his last five games he has gone 9-for-18 with a double, two homers and four walks leading to a .500/.591/.889 slash line.
Let’s Go Mets!
