We have finally arrived! When the Grimace-era Mets showed us that the Mets could possibly be the real deal this year, there was a feeling that the entire season could come down to this series against the Braves. When the Mets started to stumble at the end of August, the hope for the post season was the Mets making a comeback throughout this last week of September. Now with the Mets in the driver’s seat, the Mets have an opportunity to exorcise their demons from the 2022 season when they went down to Atlanta up a game and Atlanta swept.
The difference in 2024 – it’s very possible that one of these two teams do not make the play-offs. If the Mets win two of three, they clinch a spot. If the Braves sweep, they control their own destiny. Adding to the chaos is the Arizona Diamondbacks who could fade and create a road for both teams. There’s also a hurricane currently forecasted to impact the Thursday night game. We are finally here!
Luis Severino has pitched 178 innings this season with a 3.79 ERA, 4.20 FIP, 1.225 WHIP and a 104 ERA+. Severino is coming off back-to-back starts where he allowed three runs over six innings due in large part to three homers. Since August 17th Severino has a 2.64 ERA, 3.46 FIP striking out 47 batters over 44 1/3 innings. In both starts against the Braves this season he allowed two runs over five innings. The Braves have the following career numbers against Severino:
- Ozzie Albies 0-3
- Orlando Arcia 1-9, K
- Travis d’Arnaud 2-6, K
- Adam Duvall 0-3, K
- Michael Harris II 1-5, K
- Jarred Kelenic 1-5, HR, K
- Whit Merrifield 4-12, 2B, BB, 3 K
- Ramon Laureano 2-5, 2B, BB, 2 K
- Sean Murphy 0-1
- Matt Olson 4-10, 2B, 4 BB, 5 K
- Marcell Ozuna 2-4, HR, 3 BB, K
- Jorge Soler 1-6, 3 K
- Gio Urshela 0-6, K
Spencer Schwellenbach is wrapping up his rookie season where he pitched 109 2/3 innings with a 3.61 ERA, 3.32 FIP, 1.103 WHIP and a 115 ERA+. He’s allowed three total runs in his last two starts over 12 innings. His best start of the season this year was against the Mets where he held the Mets to no runs over seven innings while striking out 11 batters. The Mets have the following career numbers against him:
- Pete Alonso 1-3, 2B, K
- José Iglesias 0-2, K
- Francisco Lindor 0-3
- J.D. Martinez 0-3, 3 K
- Brandon Nimmo 0-3, K
- Luis Torrens 0-2, 2 K
- Mark Vientos 0-2, 2 K
- Jesse Winker 0-3, K
Three Things To Watch For:
- Francisco Lindor or Luisangel Acuña. He’s slowly been getting better over the last couple of days, with heavy emphasis on the slowly. The Mets heart and soul of the team matches up well with Sale, who is slated to go tomorrow, so there is an advantage to keeping him out tonight, or only having him take a pinch hit at bat. Keeping the pressure off pushing Lindor is how well Acuña has played, and how the well the team has played as a whole the last week. Over his first nine games in the majors Acuña is hitting .379/.400/.828 with a 239 OPS+.
- Brandon Nimmo. The Mets needed a player to step up, and Nimmo has answered the call. In his last five games he has gone 5-for-20 with a double and three home runs, and the homers have come in huge moments for the Mets. He asked fans to fill the park for the last series of the season. He was the difference maker on Sunday night. Now he has the power momentum, something we haven’t seen since the first half of the season.
- Scoreboard Watching. The Diamondbacks lost a west coast game to the Giants last night, and now are half a game behind the Mets in the wild card standings. Brandon Pfaadt is on the mound tonight for the Diamondbacks. After a slew of bad starts (23 runs over four games), Pfaadt pitched a gem in his last start holding the Brewers to one run over seven innings. The Giants are counting with Logan Webb. The Mets currently have the tie breaker with the Diamondbacks.
Let’s Go Mets!
