The Mets started their west coast road trip with a big win on Thursday, beating the Padres for the fourth time this season. Overall the team had 17 hits and had a massive ninth inning where they scored five runs.
The Braves still won though, so the Mets stay 1.5 games out of the wild card. Every game this series is huge and hopefully the Mets can bring Thursday’s energy back to Petco tonight.
Paul Blackburn has pitched in 13 games this season totaling 73 innings with a 4.19 ERA, 4.34 FIP, 1.192 WHIP and a 95 ERA+. As a member of the Mets he pitched 22 innings spread across four starts with a 3.68 ERA, 3.75 FIP, 1.273 WHIP and a 108 ERA+. In three of those four starts Blackburn has allowed exactly one earned run. The Padres have the following career numbers against Blackburn:
- Luis Arráez 1-3
- Xander Bogaerts 0-4, BB
- Manny Machado 2-4, 2B
- Jurickson Profar 1-3
- Donovan Solano 2-2
- Tyler Wade 1-4
The Mets bats will get to face an old foe in Joe Musgrove tonight. Over 12 starts (58 innings) he has a 4.97 ERA, 5.04 FIP, 1.397 WHIP and an 82 ERA+. Musgrove has been battling elbow and triceps injuries this season that knocked him out from the end of the May until mid-August. Since returning to the rotation he has allowed one run from five hits and three walks over 8 2/3 innings. The Mets have the following career numbers against Musgrove:
- Pete Alonso 4-13, HR, BB, 2 K
- Francisco Alvarez 0-2, K
- Harrison Bader 1-11, HR, 2 BB, 6 K
- José Iglesias 6-15, 2 2B, HR, 2 K
- Francisco Lindor 7-23, 2 2B, 2 HR, BB, 11 K
- Starling Marte 3-11, BB, K
- J.D. Martinez 1-3, HR, K
- Jeff McNeil 2-12, 2B, 2 K
- Brandon Nimmo 0-12, K
- Tyrone Taylor 0-3, K
- Jesse Winker 2-13, BB, 3 K
Three Things To Watch For:
- Hit Parade. The Mets offense can be frustrating. The team has talent up and down the lineup and they can go weeks struggling to get hits with runners in scoring position. There are also nights like Thursday where the team can put up 17 hits and go 6-for-14 with runners in scoring position. Five different Mets hit doubles on Thursday. Seven Mets had two hits on Thursday. Pete Alonso and Jeff McNeil each had three hits.
- Francisco Lindor. Lindor continued to make his MVP case on Thursday going 2-for-4 at the plate with a leadoff double. In his last three games he has gone 6-for-12 with four runs scored, three doubles and a homer. Since August 7th he has hit .381/.427/.651 raising his season line from .253/.329/.455 to .268/.341/.479. Going into Thursday’s game he had a 6.2 fWAR, best in the National League over Ohtani and De La Cruz (both at 6.0).
- Mets Bullpen. The Mets were able to win Thursday night without using their best relievers (Díaz and Buttó) giving them both the night off. Adam Ottavino has only through eight pitches in the last five calendar days (Tuesday) and Ryne Staneck has tossed only 16 (also Tuesday).
Let’s Go Mets!
