Thursday, October 17, 2024 • 8:08 PM
Citi Field • Flushing, NY
RHP Yoshinobu Yamamoto (7-2, 3.00) vs. LHP Jose Quintana (10-10, 3.75)
FS1

The Mets look to bounce back tonight and even the series at two games apiece as they take on the Dodgers in game four of the NLCS. Wednesday night was a tough night for the Mets just got tougher as the night went on. The Dodgers scored early off of a couple of walks and soft hits. Then the Mets squandered a bases loaded with one-out situation. Things more or less stayed the same (Mets pitchers working out of jams, Mets hitters leaving runners on base) through the sixth inning when the Dodgers started to blow the game open on hard hits and home runs.

The Mets lost game one 9-0 and then responded back immediately the next day. They have been a resilient team all season. The Mets are going to need another moment of resilience tonight!

Brad Penner-Imagn Images

Mets Lineup

  1. Francisco Lindor – SS
  2. Mark Vientos – 3B
  3. Pete Alonso – 1B
  4. Brandon Nimmo – LF
  5. Starling Marte – RF
  6. J.D. Martinez – DH
  7. Jose Iglesias – 2B
  8. Harrison Bader – CF
  9. Francisco Alvarez – C

Jose Quintana pitched 170 1/3 innings over the regular season with a 3.75 ERA, 4.56 FIP, 1.250 WHIP, and 105 ERA+. He’s allowed one unearned run, and no earned runs over 11 innings across two games in the postseason striking out 11. Quintana had a solid start against the Dodgers at the end of May, allowing three runs over six innings scattering eight hits and no walks. The Dodgers have the following career numbers against him:

Opposing Lineup

 

The Mets made a huge push this offseason to sign Yoshinobu Yamamoto before he ultimately signed with the Dodgers. He could have been the co-ace to Kodai Senga in the rotation. A lot of the Mets roster as constructed in April was a result of Yamamoto’s decision. Now he starts against the Mets in the NLCS.

Over 18 starts in the regular season Yamamoto pitched 90 innings with a 3.00 ERA, 2.61 FIP, 1.111 WHIP, and 129 ERA+. He’s had two very different outings in the postseason. In game one of the NLDS, he allowed five runs over three innings. In his second start, he allowed two hits and no runs. Yamamoto started against the Mets this season back in April allowing four runs, three earned over six innings. He had a 4.50 season ERA at that point and then pitched with a 2.51 ERA the rest of the way. The Mets have the following career numbers against Yamamoto:

  • Pete Alonso 1-3, K
  • Francisco Alvarez 0-1
  • Harrison Bader 3-3, 2B
  • Francisco Lindor 0-3, K
  • Starling Marte 1-3, 2B, K
  • Jeff McNeil 0-3, K
  • Brandon Nimmo 0-2, BB, 2 K
  • Jesse Winker 0-3, K

Game Notes

  • Check out our breakdown of tonight’s starting pitching matchup, as well as four storylines for the game!
  • Dave Roberts said Wednesday night that he expected Freddie Freeman to be in tonight’s lineup, but called the first baseman last night to inform him he would be getting the night off. Roberts said the decision was mostly about having Freeman play three consecutive games. Roberts added that Freeman will be available off the bench in a “big spot.” Freeman has been playing through with a sprained ankle that would normally sideline him between four and six weeks.
  • Francisco Alvarez struck out looking in all three of his plate appearances in Game 3 and is now just 5-for-36 with 14 strikeouts this postseason. Alvarez said Starling Marte gave him a pep talk after the game, which he said meant a lot because Marte normally doesn’t say much. Carlos Mendoza said he spoke to Alvarez too, encouraging him to keep things simple and slow the game down.
  • On the 25th anniversary of his “grand slam single”, Robin Ventura will throw out the ceremonial first pitch to Edgardo Alfonzo.
  • The Temptations will perform the National Anthem before Game 5 of the NLCS, then will immediately follow with “My Girl”, which is Francisco Lindor’s walk-up song.

Three Things To Watch For

  1. Walks. The Mets have been walking way too many batters throughout the NLCS. They walked seven batters in the first game, eight in the next followed by seven on Wednesday night. There are a lot of dangerous hitters in the Dodgers lineup and they could be working around some hitters, but the problem is you create opportunities for other players to get a massive hit.
  2. Leaving runners on. The Mets left eight batters on base Wednesday night including the bases loaded in the second inning right after the Dodgers scored two runs. Part of the problem was strikeouts. The Mets recorded 13 strikeouts including five batters with multiple strikeouts. We’ve seen the Mets lineup go cold and then get hot again. It’s happened in this series! Look for the Mets to try to flip the narrative tonight.
  3. Lineup and pinch-hitting decisions for Mendoza. Mendoza has a slew of decisions to weigh tonight, no matter who is in the lineup. J.D. Martinez got a start on Wednesday night and went 0-for-2 with two walks and two strikeouts while Jesse Winker was on the bench. Brandon Nimmo is clearly in pain playing baseball right now (1-for-3 with a walk and a strikeout). Francisco Alvarez went 0-for-3 with three strikeouts and the Mets have a day game tomorrow. Which buttons does Mendoza push tonight and when?

Let’s go Mets!