Thursday, April 30, 2026 • 1:10 PM
Citi Field • Flushing, NY
RHP Miles Mikolas (0-3, 8.49) vs. RHP Freddy Peralta (1-3, 3.90)
SNY

The Mets face a critical rubber game this afternoon in Queens.

The Mets cruised past the Nationals on Tuesday night with an 8-0 victory. The Nationals flipped the tables on the Mets on Wednesday, bashing the Mets 14-2. David Peterson and Sean Manaea put the Mets into a hole that the struggling Mets hitters could not climb out of. The vibes aren’t great as the Mets close out April!

Brad Penner-Imagn Images

Mets Lineup

  1. Bo Bichette, 3B
  2. Juan Soto, DH
  3. MJ Melendez, LF
  4. Mark Vientos, 1B
  5. Brett Baty, RF
  6. Marcus Semien, 2B
  7. Carson Benge, CF
  8. Luis Torrens, C
  9. Ronny Mauricio, SS

Starting Pitcher: Freddy Peralta

Freddy Peralta has pitched 32 1/3 innings with a 3.90 ERA, 3.89 FIP, 1.206 WHIP and a 103 ERA+ over six starts this season. He’s coming off a solid start against the Rockies, where he allowed only two runs over 5 2/3 innings, scattering seven hits and three walks while striking out eight batters. His only start against the Nationals last year was great, holding them to one run over 6 2/3 innings. The Nationals have the following career numbers against Peralta:

Opposing Lineup

  1. James Wood, RF
  2. Luis García Jr., 1B
  3. Daylen Lile, LF
  4. CJ Abrams, SS
  5. Jose Tena, DH
  6. Jorbit Vivas, 3B
  7. Nasim Nuñez, 2B
  8. Drew Millas, C
  9. Jacob Young, CF

Miles Mikolas has had a rough season so far. Over six games, three starts, Mikolas has an 8.49 ERA, 6.93 FIP, 1.843 WHIP and a 48 ERA+. He’s allowed seven home runs over 23 1/3 innings, which is good for a 3.9 HR/9, which is well above his 1.8 career rate. Last season, he allowed two runs over 4 2/3 against the Mets, who have the following career numbers against Mikolas:

Game Notes

  • Before Thursday’s game, the Mets placed Luis Robert Jr. on the 10-Day IL with lumbar spine disc herniation. Read MMO’s coverage here.
  • The team also designated RHP Carl Edwards Jr. for assignment, recalled RHP Austin Warren and INF Eric Wagaman from Triple-A Syracuse.

Three Things To Watch For

  1. Juan Soto. Don’t blame Soto for the Mets’ recent struggles. Soto homered for a second straight game last night, becoming the second Mets hitter to have at least three home runs on the season. Soto was on base three times last night, but the rest of the hitters couldn’t bring him home.
  2. Get the rally going! The Mets are struggling again with runners in scoring position. Last night, the Mets stranded runners on second and third multiple times. Over the weekend, they grounded into a ton of double plays that just prevented anything from getting started. The Mets have grounded into 22 double plays this season, which is tied for ninth in the majors. This is, somehow, an improvement from last year, where they were fourth-worst in the league.
  3. Carlos Mendoza. I’m not weighing in on whether the Mets should or shouldn’t fire Mendoza and shake up the coaching staff. Based on how the Mets are playing right now, there is a possibility that this is Mendoza’s last game managing at Citi Field (or even his last game managing the Mets). Both the struggling Red Sox and Phillies have fired their managers this week. If you’re looking for historical symmetry, Willie Randolph was fired in the middle of the night after a series in Anaheim, a city that the Mets are heading to next.

Let’s go Mets!