The Mets are having a mini-break right now that might get extended by another day. On Wednesday the Mets were primed to sweep the Cardinals over three games coming off of a game where their bats were firing on all cylinders. Then the severe weather started. The Mets and Cardinals couldn’t get the final game of the series in after three hours of rain delays. The game got punted all the way to August 5th, sandwiched for the Mets between a series in Anaheim and one in Denver.
Now the Mets come home to soggy Queens. As of writing, Queens has been subjected to rain for most of the day with more periods of rain tonight. Tomorrow during the day looks nice but rain is supposed to come back Saturday night and Sunday. (Is it really the weekend in the tri-state area if it doesn’t rain?) There’s potential for a bit of a chaotic weekend with delays, postponements and pitchers’ schedules collapsing.
Jose Quintana has made seven starts this season totaling 36 1/3 innings with a 5.20 ERA, 4.16 FIP, 1.541 WHIP and a 76 ERA+. His last start in Tampa Bay was terrible – he allowed eight runs over 2 2/3 innings from 10 hits and a walk. His start before that though was his best of the season where he held the Cardinals to only one run over eight innings. In his one start against the Braves this season, the Braves scored three runs over five hits in 5 1/3 innings. The Braves have the following career numbers against him:
- Ronald Acuña Jr. 2-16, 2 BB, 4 K
- Ozzie Albies 7-13, 2 2B, 2 HR, BB, K
- Orlando Arcia 4-33, 2B, 7 BB, 6 K
- Travis d’Arnaud 1-6, BB, 2 K
- Adam Duvall 4-10, 2 HR, 5 BB, K
- Michael Harris II 3-11, 2B, 2 K
- Jarred Kelenic 1-2, K
- Matt Olson 5-21, 2B, 3B, 2 BB, 9 K
- Marcell Ozuna 11-24, 2 2B, HR, 3 BB, 3 K
- Austin Riley 2-12, 3 BB, 2 K
Charlie Morton has made six starts this season totaling 36 innings with a 3.50 ERA, 3.75 FIP, 1.139 WHIP and a 119 ERA+. Over his last three starts he has allowed only four runs from 13 hits and five walks over 19 innings (1.89 ERA, 3.37 FIP). Against the Mets this year he allowed four runs from five hits and five walks over 5 2/3 innings. The Mets have the following career numbers against Morton:
- Pete Alonso 6-27, 2B, 4 BB, 7 K
- Harrison Bader 0-2, K
- Brett Baty 3-6, 2B, BB, 2 K
- Francisco Lindor 6-44, 3 2B, HR< 2 BB, 12 K
- Starling Marte 5-24, 2 BB, 8 K
- J.D. Martinez 13-36, 2 2B, HR, BB, 13 K
- Jeff McNeil 6-26, 3 BB, 7 K
- Omar Narváez 5-16, 2B, hR< BB, 3 K
- Tomás Nido 2-6, BB, K
- Brandon Nimmo 6-26, HR, 5 BB, 10 K
- DJ Stewart 2-7, 2 2B, 3 BB, 2 K
- Tyrone Taylor 1-4, BB, K
- Joey Wendle 6-17, 2B, BB, 5 K
Three Things To Watch For:
- Brandon Nimmo’s power is back! Brandon Nimmo has always been an on-base machine, last year he added power to the mix. On Tuesday night he homered for the fifth time this season, his second in his last two games. Since April 29th, in his last nine games, he has hit 10-for-32 with three doubles, three homers and eight RBI’s (.313/.436/.688). Both of his homers in the last two games have either tied the game for the Mets or gave them a lead.
- Vintage Jeff McNeil: The Mets have missed the 2022, batting champion version of Jeff McNeil. Tuesday night he Mets got a glimpse of that version of McNeil as he went 3-for-4 at the plate including a run scored. If the Mets can get Jeff McNeil going consistently the whole lineup will improve!
- The return of Zack Short. When the Mets went to Atlanta in early April, they were greeted by an old Mets hero, Luis Guillorme. Thursday the Braves made a couple of moves, sending Luis Guillorme to Anaheim, and acquiring Zack Short from the Red Sox. As a member of the Mets this year Short went 1-for-9 over 12 plate appearances hitting .111/.273/.111 over 10 games. Short played in two games for the Red Sox going 0-for-7. Does he get a revenge bump against the Mets this weekend?
Let’s Go Mets!
