Friday, September 21, 2018 • 7:05 p.m.
Nationals Park • Washington, D.C.
RHP Jacob deGrom (8-9, 1.78) vs. RHP Joe Ross (0-0, 3.60)
SNY • WOR 710 AM • 104.3 WAXQ-FM HD 2 • ESPN 1050 AM
The Mets beat the Nationals 5-4 in 12 innings tonight, and the Mets look to score runs on the mound today with Jacob deGrom. The Mets were able to raise Scherzer’s ERA from 2.54 to 2.57 yesterday but weren’t able to saddle him with the loss. Conforto also hit his 27th homer of the season as he gets closer to 30.
Mets Lineup
- Amed Rosario – SS
- Jeff McNeil – 2B
- Michael Conforto – LF
- Jay Bruce – RF
- Brandon Nimmo – CF
- Dominic Smith – 1B
- Todd Frazier – 3B
- Devin Mesoraco – C
- Jacob deGrom – RHP
Nationals Lineup
- Victor Robles – CF
- Trea Turner – SS
- Bryce Harper – RF
- Anthony Rendon – 3B
- Juan Soto – LF
- Ryan Zimmerman – 1B
- Wilmer Difo – 2B
- Spencer Kieboom – C
- Joe Ross – RHP
Jacob deGrom is 8-9 over 30 starts and 202 innings with a 1.78 ERA (league leading), 2.05 FIP (league leading), 0.950 WHIP and a 207 ERA+ (league leading). He’s coming off a human start against the Red Sox where he allowed three runs over seven innings. In two starts against the Nationals this year he has allowed five runs, four earned over 13.1 innings while striking out 17. The Nationals have the following numbers against him:
- Harper 1-for-28, 2 2 B, 2 HR, 7 BB
- Rendon 2-for-21, 2B, 5 BB
- Taylor 1-for-24, BB, 13 K
- Zimmerman 5-for-22, 2 HR, 8 K
- Turner 7-for-22, 2B, HR, BB, 9 K
- Reynolds 0-for-15, 3 K
- Wieters 3-for-15, HR
- Difo 2-for-7
The Mets draw Joe Ross making his second start of the season as he continues to come back from Tommy John. Last week against the Cubs he allowed two runs over five innings and 4 hits. Last year he was 5-3 over 13 games and 73.2 innings with a 5.01 ERA, 4.99 FIP, 1.466 WHIP, and 90 ERA+. His two seasons before that he was a mid three’s ERA pitcher. Joe managed to face the Mets three times in 13 games in 2017 racking up 17 innings and a 4.76 ERA. The Mets have the following numbers against him:
- Bruce 3-for-12, HR, 4 K
- Reyes 2-for-11, 3B, HR
- Conforto 3-for-6
- Nimmo 5-for-6
- Jackson 1-for-1, 2 BB
- Frazier 1-for-2, HR
Game Notes
The Mets are 12-7 this month, the eighth-best winning percentage (.632) in the majors. The pitching staff has a 3.42 ERA this month, the seventh-lowest in the majors. The Mets have 27 homers in September, the second-most in the majors, behind the Dodgers (29).
Jacob deGrom has held opponents to three runs or less in 27 straight starts, the longest single-season streak in major league history. Research courtesy of Elias, DeGrom has hurled 22 straight quality starts, tied for the longest single-season streak in major league history with Bob Gibson (1968) and Chris Carpenter (2005), also courtesy of Elias.
DeGrom has a 1.78 ERA and 251 strikeouts and 45 walks this season. Since 1908, only two pitchers have had an ERA of less than 2.00, at least 250 strikeouts and 50 or fewer walks (Christy Mathewson 1908, Pedro Martinez 2000).
Amed Rosario has s 66 hits since the All-Star break, the ninth-most in the NL. He is tied for first in the majors with 26 hits this month. Rosario is hitting .338 (26-77) with four doubles, two triples, two homers, six RBI, 13 runs scored and five stolen bases this month. Rosario has become the 33rd player in team history with 20 or more stolen bases in a season. He’s hitting .333 (54- 162) with a .359 OBP, eight doubles, two triples, five homers, 20 RBI and 29 runs scored in his last 37 games.
DeGrom has faced 601 batters with the score tied or the Mets up or down by one run, the most by any pitcher in the majors this year.
Let’s Go Mets!
