Monday, August 20, 2018 • 7:10 p.m.
Citi Field • Flushing, N.Y.
LHP Derek Holland (6-8, 3.83) vs. RHP Zack Wheeler (8-6, 3.75)
SNY • WOR 710 AM • 104.3 WAXQ-FM HD 2 • ESPN 1050 AM
The Mets finally return home after a trip that in the last eight days alone saw the Mets play nine games in Miami, the Bronx, Baltimore, Philly, and Williamsport. On the latter, it was awesome seeing Mets and Phillies players yesterday interact with Little Leaguers yesterday from the bus ride to the LLWS complex, to Syndergaard talking shop with pitchers, the rotation hanging out in the stands and both teams doing “good-game” handshake to end the game. Yesterday was a great day for baseball and the Mets were lucky to be a part of it.
Speaking of yesterday’s game, who would have guessed that Vargas would be one of the key players on the positive side of the ledger? Not me. Vargas had one of his best starts of the season yesterday and the Mets poured on 14 hits. The heart and hustle award has to go to Jeff McNeil who killed it with some nice defensive plays, flipped over a wall at one point and had a key two-RBI hit.
Mets Lineup
- Amed Rosario SS
- Austin Jackson CF
- Wilmer Flores 1B
- Todd Frazier 3B
- Jose Bautista RF
- Jose Reyes 2B
- Devin Mesoraco C
- Zack Wheeler P
- Jack Reinheimer LF
Giants Lineup
- Andrew McCutchen RF
- Joe Panik 2B
- Buster Posey C
- Brandon Crawford SS
- Brandon Belt 1B
- Evan Longoria 3B
- Steven Duggar CF
- Alen Hanson LF
- Derek Holland P
Zack Wheeler starts for the Mets today and is 8-6 over 23 games and 139.1 innings with a 3.75 ERA, 3.43 FIP, 1.227 WHIP and a 99 ERA+. In Wheeler’s last four starts he has posted a 1.08 ERA over 25 innings. In his last 9 starts and 57.2 innings, he has a 2.18 ERA. Last year Wheeler held the Giants to one run from two hits and four walks over six innings. The Giants have the following numbers against him:
- Pence 0-for-8, 2 BB
- Belt 1-for-6, 3 BB
- Posey 1-for-8, HR
- Crawford 3-for-6, BB
- McCutchen 2-for-2, 2B, HR, BB
- Panik 0-for-3
- Hernandez 0-for-2
The Mets bats will get a look at Derek Holland who is 6-8 over 27 games, 23 starts, pitching 129.1 innings while posting a 3.83 ERA, 3.91 FIP, 1.307 WHIP and a 106 ERA+. Holland is coming off of a good start allowing no runs in 4.2 innings despite allowing six hits and four walks. Since July 7, he’s started six games, appeared in nine and posted a 2.41 ERA. The Mets have the following numbers against him:
- Jackson 7-for-24, 2 2B, 2 HR, 7 BB
- Bautista 5-for-27, 2 2B, HR, 2 BB
- Frazier 2-for-5, BB
- Reyes 3-for-4
Game Notes
New York is 10-13 vs. the NL West this year. Three of the Mets next five series will be against NL West clubs. Following this series and the ones against the Nationals and Cubs, the Mets will travel to San Francisco and Los Angeles.
The Mets are 22-21 since July 1. The Mets have ht 76 doubles, 10 triples and 44 home runs over those 43 games. New York’s pitching staff has posted a 4.24 ERA.
Zack Wheeler Wheeler has allowed three runs over his last 29.0 innings (0.93 ERA). Wheeler’s fastball is averaging 96.4 mph according to Fangraphs, the sixth-fastest in the majors this year and throws the second-fastest slider (91.3 mph).
The Mets pitching staff has not issued a walk in back-to-back games for the first times since June 15-16, 2016. The franchise record is three straight games without allowing a walk, done five times, last, August 9-11, 2015. Mets pitchers have issued 377 walks, tied for the ninth-fewest in the majors.
New York’s bullpen has posted a 2.95 ERA (19 earned runs/58.0 innings) in August, the fourth-lowest mark in the majors.
Jeff McNeil has collected at least one hit in each of his last seven starts, going 11-32 (.344) with six runs scored and four RBI. McNeil has three straight multi-hit games.
Amed Rosario is hitting .367 (18-49) with three doubles, two homers, 12 RBI and 10 runs scored in his last 11 games. Rosario is tied for second in the NL with eight stolen bases since the All-Star break. He has been successful in 13 of his last 15 stolen base attempts. Overall, he is tied for 10th in the majors with six triples.
Let’s Go Mets!
