Game Preview: Mets @ Diamondbacks

The Mets and Diamondbacks play a rubber game today to close out the series after the Mets dropped the bullpen game last night. The Mets will be looking their fifth consecutive series win to start the season. The Diamondbacks will be looking to split the season series with the Mets.

Tylor Megill has made three starts and pitched 16 1/3 innings this season. Over that stretch he has allowed four runs from 13 hits and two walks while striking out 15 leading to a 2.20 ERA, 2.36 FIP, 0.918 WHIP and a 170 ERA+. Megill labored through his last start, giving up four runs early but still pushed through to give the Mets six innings (which they desperately needed since it was the first game of a doubleheader). This will be Tylor’s first start against the Diamondbacks in his career and he has not faced anyone on the Diamondback’s roster in a major league game before.

The Mets draw Madison Bumgarner who is pitching in his third season for the Diamondbacks. The long time San Francisco Giant is having a bit of a resurgence this season. So far, over three starts, he has tossed 13.0 innings allowing four runs, only two earned, from eight hits and a ten walks while striking out nine. He has a 1.38 ERA, 4.96 FIP, 1.385 WHIP and 286 ERA+. His WHIP and FIP suggest that his ERA is quite below his expected performance and getting walks are the Mets thing, so it’s interesting to see how this will all play out today.

Last season he made 26 starts and pitched 146 1/3 innings with a 4.67 ERA, 4.63 FIP, 1.182 WHIP and a 91 ERA+. Bumgarner faced the Mets one last season and allowed five runs from eight hits over two innings. He revealed after that game that he was experiencing discomfort and he didn’t make another start until July 16th. The Mets have the following numbers against him: