The Mets have the opportunity tonight to take the series from the first-place Braves! The Mets took an early three-run lead against the Braves last night which the Braves eventually clawed back. As soon as the Braves took the lead, that familiar, 2023 sense of “it’s over / it’s inevitable” started to take over. But these are the new 2023 Mets! The Mets would go on to score seven more runs, capped by a three-run homer from Francisco Lindor to win 10-4! Can that momentum spill into Tylor Megill tonight?
Tylor Megill has pitched 86 1/3 innings over 18 starts with a 5.53 ERA, 5.15 FIP, 1.703 WHIP and a 76 ERA+. He’s coming off of his best start in a while where he held the Pirates to only two runs over five innings from five hits and four walks. Before that he allowed 11 runs over 10 innings in two starts since returning to the majors. One of those starts was against the Braves who scored six runs over 5 1/3 innings. That was however the only start since he returned to the majors that he didn’t allow a home run (against the league leading home run team no less!). The Braves have the following career numbers against him:
- Austin Riley 5-18, 2B, HR, 7 K
- Matt Olson 2-8, K, 2 BB
- Ronald Acuña Jr. 1-7, 3 K, 2 BB
- Eddie Rosario 3-7, 2 2B, K, BB
- Orlando Arcia 1-5, 2B
- Marcell Ozuna 2-6
- Travis d’Arnaud 2-6, 2B, K
- Sean Murphy 2-2, BB
- Luke Williams 0-2, K
- Michael Harris II 1-2, K
- Kevin Pillar 0-2
Bryce Elder makes his 25th start for the Braves tonight. Over 138 innings he has a 3.46 ERA, 4.27 FIP, 1.210 WHIP and a 130 ERA+. After a rough start to the month of August (12 runs, 10 earned, 9 1/3 innings) Elder rebounded in his last start allowing one hit, three walks and no runs over seven innings of work against the Yankees last week. He missed the Mets last weekend but did face them back in June where he allowed four runs from four hits, including two homers, over six innings. The Mets have the following career numbers against him:
- Jeff McNeil 0-4, K, BB
- Brandon Nimmo 1-4, 2 K
- Francisco Lindor 1-2, HR, BB
- Daniel Vogelbach 0-3, 3 K
- Pete Alonso 1-4, HR
- Omar Narváez 1-2
Three Things To Watch For:
- DJ Stewart. Stewart hit another homer last night. In his last six games, five starts, eh has gone 8-for-20 with five homers (1.150 SLG). He would have had a seventh homer if the Cardinals didn’t rob him on Sunday afternoon. Stewart is making the most of his extended audition with the Mets. The longer he keeps this up, the easier it is to start to wonder if the Mets found lightning in a bottle. I did not have DJ Stewart trying a Hail Mary save of the Mets season on my 2023 bingo card.
- The Mets bullpen bounced back! The Mets bullpen had a rough Sunday. It was rough enough to make the hope and optimism that was emerging throughout the week disappear. Last night the bullpen pitched 4 1/3 scoreless innings, allowing only two hits and a walk. Is momentum building?
- Jeff McHits. From March 30th to August 4th McNeil hit .251/.324/.324. From August 5th to last night night McNeil is hitting .358/.405/.537. McNeil recorded three hits last night for the second time in three games, it was also his third multi-hit game in his last four. The Mets have desperately needed another veteran hitter to step up with Alonso, Lindor and Nimmo all season to keep this offense going. We’re just glad to see McNeil start to drag his season numbers closer to his career marks.
Let’s Go Mets!
