Tuesday, September 15, 2026 • 7:10 PM
Citi Field • Flushing, NY
RHP Shane Baz (6-15, 4.05) vs. LHP Sean Manaea (5-7, 4.79)
SNY

Francisco Lindor and Pete Alonso will both try to hit home run No. 300 again tonight at Citi Field. Pete Alonso returned to Citi Field Monday night in front of a crowd that was excited to see him (and less excited for the Mets, for some reason). Alonso and Lindor both had quiet nights, as did most of both lineups as the Orioles beat the Mets 2-1. With the loss the Mets are finally, officially eliminated from postseason play. The Mets are truly, and only, playing for next season now.

Brad Penner-Imagn Images

Mets Lineup

  1. Francisco Lindor – SS
  2. Juan Soto – LF
  3. Bo Bichette – 3B
  4. Carson Benge – RF
  5. Jared Young – 1B
  6. Marcus Semien – 2B
  7. A.J. Ewing – CF
  8. Brett Baty – DH
  9. Francisco Alvarez – C

Starting Pitcher: Sean Manaea

Sean Manaea has pitched in 30 games this season, making 16 starts and totaling 133 1/3 innings with a 4.79 ERA, 4.50 FIP, 1.343 WHIP and an 86 ERA+. Manaea is in a bit of a rough patch. He’s coming off of a start where he allowed four runs over five innings, the fifth consecutive start he allowed at least four runs. Over that five start stretch, Manaea has a 7.22 ERA (5.72 FIP) while allowing seven home runs.

The Orioles have the following career numbers against him:

Opposing Lineup

  1. Rece Hinds – LF
  2. Pete Alonso – 1B
  3. Coby Mayo – DH
  4. Christian Encarnacion-Strand – 3B
  5. Gunnar Henderson – DD
  6. Jeremiah Jackson – 2B
  7. Yohel Pozo – C
  8. Leody Taveras – RF
  9. Colton Cowser – CF

Shane Baz has made 29 starts this season, pitching 169 innings (a career high!) with a 4.05 ERA, 3.54 FIP, 1.331 WHIP and a 102 ERA+. Despite all of the numbers showing that he is almost an exactly average starting pitcher, he’s actually leading the league with 15 losses. Baz is coming off a rough start where he allowed five runs over 5 2/3 innings.

The Mets have the following career stats against Baz:

  • Francisco Alvarez 0-3
  • Brett Baty 0-2, K
  • Bo Bichette 1-9, HR, 2 BB
  • Francisco Lindor 0-2, BB
  • Marcus Semien 2-7, 2B
  • Juan Soto 3-5, 2B, HR, 3 BB

Game Notes

The Mets claimed Christian Cairo from the Phillies. As Mike Mayer points out, Cairo leads the International League (Triple-A) with 90 walks but has the lowest slug (.298) in the league. He’s on the 40-man roster.

The Mets announced their Arizona Fall League players, including Calvin Ziegler and Bruin Agbayani.

Three Things To Watch For

  1. 300. Francisco Lindor is sitting at 299 career home runs. Pete Alonso is sitting at 299 career home runs. Two iconic Mets players (although one is an Oriole now) could reach this monumental plateau on the same night.
  2. Carson Benge. Benge collected two hits in a game for the second time in his last three games played. He’s wrapping up his rookie season with a 3.3 bWAR, slashing .273/.336/.412 only three home runs away from a 20-20 season. He’s currently leading the Mets in bWAR. His 3.3 bWAR is ranked sixth for rookies in the majors for rookies (two players in front of him have bWAR from their 2025 season rolled into the data). What a season for the young outfielder!
  3. Nate Lavender. Nate last pitched on Sunday against the Yankees and held them scoreless, walking a batter and allowing no hits over an inning. It was a nice bounce back outing from his worst outing of the season last Wednesday where he allowed three runs on four hits while recording only one out. Overall this season he has pitched in 16 games totaling 15 1/3 innings with a 1.76 ERA and a 239 ERA+.

Let’s go Mets!