The Mets attempt to win their second consecutive series as they take on the Blue Jays this afternoon at Citi Field! Pete Alonso got the team and the crowd going Friday with his third homerun of the season, giving the Mets a 2-0 lead in the first inning. The Mets never looked back as they went on to win 5-0.
Rain is the story for the rest of the weekend. There are chances of showers and thunderstorms for most of the night and that threat increases after 10 PM. If the field and players can handle it, there’s a lot of incentive to play through early bursts of rain so the end of the game doesn’t get called. Tomorrow is a rinse and repeat (pun kind-of intended?) situation with a chance of showers throughout the afternoon, getting worse at night. Hopefully April showers bring a blooming box score for the Mets!
Griffin Canning allowed two runs from four hits and two walks over 5 2/3 innings in his first start of the season. He leaned heavily on his slider in his first start, throwing it over 50% of the time. The slider was his most used pitch in his last spring start as well, but he tossed it only 44.5% of the time. In 2024 his slider made up 24.1% of all pitches. Let’s see what happens with his pitch selection today!
One of Canning’s best 2024 starts was against the Blue Jays. He held them scoreless and allowed only two hits over six innings while striking out six. The Blue Jays have the following career batting lines against Canning:
- Bo Bichette 0-2, K
- Ernie Clement 0-2, K
- Andrés Giménez 2-6, K
- Vladimir Guerrero Jr. 1-6, HR, 3 K
- Alejandro Kirk 1-3, 2B
- Anthony Santander 3-12, 2 2B, 2 K
- George Spring 1-7, 2 BB, K
- Myles Straw 0-3, BB, 2 K
- Will Wagner 0-3
Chris Bassitt was a stabilizing presence in the 2022 Mets rotation. He made 30 starts, pitched 181 2/3 innings with a 3.42 ERA, 3.66 FIP, 1.145 WHIP and a 113 ERA+. He is now in year three of a three year contract with the Blue Jays. In 377 innings for the Jays he has a 3.82 ERA, 4.15 FIP, 1.313 WHIP and a 109 ERA+. In his 2025 debut, he scattered eight hits, allowing only one run to score over six innings.
Bassitt last faced the Mets in September where he allowed only one run from five hits and a walk over six innings while striking out eight. The Mets have the following career numbers against him:
- Pete Alonso 0-5
- Brett Baty 0-3, 2 K
- Francisco Lindor 4-14, HR, BB, 3 K
- Starling Marte 1-8, BB, 2 K
- Brandon Nimmo 1-6, 2 K
- Jose Siri 1-5, HR, K
- Juan Soto 2-9, 2 BB, K
- Tyrone Taylor 0-2
- Luis Torrens 2-4, BB, 2 K
- Mark Vientos 0-6, 4 K
- Jesse Winker 2-4, BB
Three Things To Watch For:
- Pete Alonso. Alonso is fueling this offense right now, getting big hit after big hit. In his last four games he has gone 6-for-15 at the plate with two doubles, three home runs, 10 RBI’s and three walks. This translates into a .500 OBP and a 1.133 SLG. To put the 10 RBI’s in perspective, the Mets have scored only 23 runs in those four games.
- Francisco Lindor. Lindor went 0-for-11 in Houston. Since then he has gone 3-for-11 in three games with two walks. Friday night Lindor had a double (his first of the season), two walks (his first of the season), and a stolen base (his second of the season). He was on base three times, he scored two runs (most he has this season in one game) and the Mets won the ball game. Let’s hope this is a sign things are clicking for him now! Lindor, followed by Juan Soto, followed by this version of Pete Alonso is going to rake!
- Hitters Off To Slow Starts. The Mets have a few hitters that off to slow starts and there’s no day like today to break out! Whether its from a solid start or a pinch hit, sometimes it just takes one hit or one solid at bat to start the avalanche. Mark Veintos is 2-for-27 this season with two walks. In his last three games he has gone 0-for-12 (but only two strikeouts!). Jose Siri is 1-for-12 with a walk. We’ve seen the chaos he he can cause on the base paths, but since his first game when he got on base twice, he has gone 1-for-10 (with only one strikeout!). Brett Baty is 1-for-14 to start the season. After striking out three times in his first two games he has struck out only once in his last three.
Let’s Go Mets!
