Sunday, April 23, 2017 • 8:08 p.m.
Citi Field • Flushing, N.Y.
RHP Max Scherzer (2-1, 1.37) vs. RHP Zack Wheeler (1-1, 5.52)
ESPN • WOR 710 AM • ESPN 1050 AM

The Mets need a win in the worst way. Yesterday the pitching staff gave the Mets what they needed, holding the Nationals to only 3 runs, but with the bats the Mets ran out on the field, it felt like 10 runs and the Mets could only muster one run in the game. If you think the Mets can’t buy a hit, you’re right.

For the second time this season there was a concern about the Mets being no hit (despite a 30 pitch opening frame by Gio Gonzalez) and the Mets had multiple players in the lineups hitting below .150.

After dropping the first two games of this series, New York is now 2-6 in their last eight series vs. Washington. The Mets are 10-26 in their last 36 games at Citi Field against the Nationals.

When Zack Wheeler delivered a pinch-hit double on Friday vs. the Nationals, it was the third extra-base hit by a Mets pitcher as a pinch hitter in team history.

Mets Lineup

  1. Michael Conforto – LF
  2. Asdrubal Cabrera – SS
  3. Jay Bruce – 1B
  4. Neil Walker – 2B
  5. Curtis Granderson – RF
  6. Jose Reyes – 3B
  7. Kevin Plawecki – C
  8. Juan Lagares – CF
  9. Zack Wheeler – RHP

Nationals Lineup

  1. Adam Eaton – CF
  2. Trea Turner – SS
  3. Bryce Harper – RF
  4. Ryan Zimmerman – 1B
  5. Daniel Murphy – 2B
  6. Anthony Rendon – 3B
  7. Jayson Werth – LF
  8. Matt Wieters – C
  9. Max Scherzer – RHP

The Mets will rely on Zack Wheeler tonight who is 1-1 over 3 starts and 14.2 innings and 9 earned runs. He is coming off his best outing of the season where he allowed only 1 ER over 4 hits in 5.0 innings while walking 2 and striking out 7. He hasn’t faced the Nationals since 2014 and in 2014 Washington was his kryptonite. He went 1-4 over as many starts in 27.2 innings with a 5.86 ERA. The Nationals have the following numbers against Zack:

  • Werth 7-21, 2 2B, HR
  • Eaton 0-3
  • Harper 3-13, HR
  • Lobaton 3-5
  • Rendon 5-16
  • Zimmerman 5-13, 2 HR

The Mets bats will get the tall task of breaking out against Max Scherzer who is 2-1 over 3 games and 19.2 innings with a 1.37 ERA. He was 2-1 in as many games against the Mets last year allowing 3 runs, 2 earned over 20.2 innings with a 0.87 ERA and 29 K’s. The Mets have the following numbers against Max:

  • Cabrera 13-54, 4 2B, HR
  • Granderson 9-30, 3 2B, 2 HR
  • Cespedes 7-20, 2 2B, 3B, 2 HR
  • Walker 3-17, 2 HR
  • Reyes 5-17, 2B
  • Bruce 3-7, 3B, HR
  • Conforto 2-8, 2 HR
  • d’Arnaud 1-8, 3B
  • Lagares 1-8
  • Plawecki 2-9
  • R Rivera 1-9

Let’s Go Mets!