Wednesday, September 11, 2019 • 7:10 p.m.
Citi Field • Flushing, NY
LRHP Robbie Ray (12-7, 4.03) vs. LHP Steven Matz (9-8, 4.00)
SNY • WCBS 880 AM • ESPN 1050 AM

Three games back feels a whole lot different than four games back and the Mets are now only 3 games out of the first second wild card spot as the Cubs and Nationals both lost last night and the Mets were able to beat the Diamondbacks for a second night in a row. With a win tonight, the Mets will take the series from the Diamondbacks and will leapfrog them in the standings, the ultimate goal of this week.

Last night started out rocky for the Mets as Zack Wheeler allowed a run early and it felt like it might be one of those nights, but he righted the ship and went on to pitch 7.0 great innings. Todd Frazier provided the offensive spark for the night and after Brach made things interesting in the 8th, Justin Wilson recorded a multiple out save. Now the Mets look to do it all again.

Mets Lineup

  1. Amed Rosario SS
  2. Pete Alonso 1B
  3. Jeff McNeil 2B
  4. Wilson Ramos C
  5. J.D. Davis LF
  6. Todd Frazier 3B
  7. Brandon Nimmo RF
  8. Juan Lagares CF
  9. Steven Matz P

Diamondbacks Lineup

  1. Tim Locastro LF
  2. Ketel Marte CF
  3. Eduardo Escobar 3B
  4. Christian Walker 1B
  5. Wilmer Flores 2B
  6. Adam Jones RF
  7. Nick Ahmed SS
  8. Carson Kelly C
  9. Robbie Ray P

Steven Matz is 9-8 over 28 games and 26 starts pitching 139.1 innings with a 4.00 ERA, 4.48 FIP, 1.321 WHIP and 102 ERA+. In his last 6 starts he has pitched 35.2 innings with a 2.27 ERA while opponents are hitting .216/.276/.373 against him. He did face the Diamondbacks earlier this year and it was a night to forget as he allowed 5 runs from 8 hits and 2 walks in 6.0 innings. The Diamondbacks have the following batting lines against him:

The Mets bats will try to wake up and give the pitching staff more breathing room against Robbie Ray tonight who left his last start early due to a blister on his finger. He is 12-7 over 29 starts and 156.1 innings with a 4.03 ERA, 4.10 FIP, 1.318 WHIP and 111 ERA+. In his last two starts he has allowed 7 runs off 11 hits and 6 walks in 9.1 innings of work. He missed the Mets earlier this year and as such doesn’t have a lot of logged encounters with the younger core of the Mets team:

Game Notes

Robinson Cano is batting .486 with a 1.377 OPS over his last 11 games, and has hit safely in each of his last 10 starts. Since returning from the IL, he owns a 1.310 OPS.

Seth Lugo has not allowed a run in his last 13 innings, dating back to August 17. He has allowed only four hits and two walks while striking out 16 over that span. He also owns a 1.54 ERA at Citi Field this season.

Pete Alonso has hit 24 home runs at Cit Field this year, tied for the most home runs in team history with Darryl Strawberry in 1990.

Let’s Go Mets!