Saturday, August 31, 2019 • 4:05 p.m.
Citizens Bank Park • Philadelphia, PA
LHP Steven Matz (8-8, 4.06) vs. LHP Jason Vargas (6-6, 4.09)
SNY • FS1 • WCBS 880 AM • ESPN 1050 AM

It finally happened! The Mets won a ball game! Last night the Mets and Phillies were locked in a pitching duel with each team allowing one run through the first seven innings. Then the floodgates opened.

The Mets scored 10 runs across the eighth and ninth inning and the Phillies staged a mini-comeback in the ninth scoring four runs, but ultimately fell 11-5. Both Alonso and Conforto hand three-hit nights while Panik and Frazier had two hits each. Frazier, who has been slumping for the better portion of the summer, had two homers and knocked in six runs. Ramos also extended his hitting streak! Even Edwin Diaz had a clean inning of work!

Mets Lineup

  1. Amed Rosario – SS
  2. Pete Alonso – 1B
  3.  J.D. Davis – LF
  4. Wilson Ramos – C
  5. Michael Conforto – RF
  6. Todd Frazier – 3B
  7. Joe Panik – 2B
  8. Juan Lagares – CF
  9. Steven Matz – P

Phillies Lineup

  1. Jean Segura – SS
  2. J.T. Realmuto – C
  3. Bryce Harper -RF
  4. Rhys Hoskins – 1B
  5. Chris Dickerson – LF
  6. Scott Kingery – CF
  7. Cesar Hernandez – 2B
  8. Sean Rodriguez – 3B
  9. Jason Vargas – P

So the Mets look to get back at this afternoon behind Steven Matz who is fighting a blister on his finger. He is 8-8 over 26 games and 24 starts totaling 128.1 innings with a 4.06 ERA, 4.52 FIP, 1.298 WHIP, and 101 ERA+. Over his last four starts, he has pitched 25 innings allowing six runs, five earned, which is a 1.80 ERA.

This will be his fifth game against the Phillies and so far this year he has allowed 16 runs, 14 earned in 11 innings against them, so he’ll be looking to get his stats closer to mean today. The Phillies have the following batting lines against Matz:

The Mets get to make their first start against Jason Vargas tonight. With the Mets, he posted a 4.01 ERA over 94.1 innings with a 4.70 FIP, 1.272 WHIP, and 103 ERA+. In fives starts with the Phillies, he has allowed 14 runs over 29 innings, which is a 4.34 ERA, 4.76 FIP, 1.276 WHIP, and 106 ERA+.

So averaging all his starts for both teams together, he is essentially the same pitcher (which ignores his strong stretch of starts with the Mets for a period of time this year). He is coming off a rough start against the Pittsburgh Pirates who tagged him for four runs over six innings. As a member of the Phillies, he has allowed either four runs or two runs in each of his starts. The Mets have the following batting lines against him:

Game Notes 

Matz carried a 4.95 ERA into July this season before he was assigned to the bullpen for the remainder of the first half. Since making a pair of scoreless relief appearances before the break, he’s posted a 2.64 ERA (14 earned runs/47.2 innings) in eight second-half starts.

Mets starters are 18-9 with a 3.13 ERA (90 earned runs/264.1 innings) in the second half. That is the third-best mark in the majors and the second-best in the NL. The staff’s 18 wins are tied for fifth in the majors and are tied for the most in the National League. The staff has struck out 256 in that span, which ranks third in the NL.

Edwin Diaz struck out two of the three batters he faced last night. He has not allowed a run in six of his last seven appearances, surrendering only two hits, three walks and striking out 12 in that span.

Let’s Go Mets!