Friday, June 5, 2026 • 9:40 PM
Petco Park • San Diego, CA
RHP Christian Scott (1-0, 2.97) vs. RHP Michael King (4-4, 3.18)
WPIX

The Mets avoided the sweep on Wednesday, beating the Mariners after two rough games. Now, they head to southern California to take on a recently-struggling San Diego Padres team who has gone 1-9 in their last 10 games, dropping to a 32-29 record. The Mets are still in the cellar of the NL East and have gone 5-5 in their last 10. For the Mets, this is a good time to catch the Padres, while San Diego is hoping the Mets are their “get right” series.

Mandatory Credit: Rhona Wise-Imagn Images

Mets Lineup

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

Starting Pitcher: Christian Scott

Scott has pitched 30 1/3 innings over seven starts this season with a 2.97 ERA, 3.10 FIP, 1.385 WHIP and a 137 ERA+. He’s been hitting his stride in his last two starts, both against the Marlins, holding them to one run on nine hits and four walks over 10 2/3 innings. He’s also tossed over 90 pitches in his last two starts, the first time this season he’s done it this year. If he’s effective tonight, maybe he can push through six innings. Scott has never faced the Padres, and no one on the Padres has faced Scott in a major league game.

Opposing Lineup

  1. Fernando Tatis Jr. – RF
  2. Gavin Sheets – DH
  3. Manny Machado – 3B
  4. Ty France – 1B
  5. Jackson Merrill – CF
  6. Xander Bogaerts – SS
  7. Bryce Johnson – LF
  8. Sung-Mun Song – 2B
  9. Rodolfo Durán – C

Michael King has made 12 starts (68 innings) this season with a 3.18 ERA, 3.84 FIP, 1.132 WHIP and a 127 ERA+. On May 18, King tossed seven shutout innings against the Dodgers. His season ERA was 2.31 at that point. Since then, King has allowed nine runs on ten hits and five walks over 9 2/3 innings. King had a rough start against the Mets last season, allowing eight runs over three innings on 10 hits, including four home runs.

The Mets have the following career numbers against King:

  • Brett Baty 1-3, HR, K
  • Bo Bichette 6-21, 2B, 2 BB, 6 K
  • Vidal Bruján 0-1, K
  • MJ Melendez 2-6, HR
  • Marcus Semien 3-9, 2B, 2 BB, 3 K
  • Juan Soto 1-2, BB
  • Mark Vientos 0-4, BB, K

Game Notes

  • Per the New York Post’s Mike Puma, there had been some discussion that Jorge Polanco would return from his rehab assignment and join the Mets for tonight’s game. Instead, he will remain with Triple-A Syracuse for the time being as he continues to work his way back from a right wrist contusion that landed him on the injured list, as well as Achilles bursitis.
  • Manager Carlos Mendoza told reporters that Francisco Alvarez will play back-to-back games tonight and tomorrow during his rehab assignment, and if everything goes to plan, the goal would then be for him to be back with the Mets during their upcoming homestand.

Three Things To Watch For

  1. King and Soto. As long as King stays on the Padres, he and the Mets will be linked because of Soto. King was a key piece in the trade that sent Juan Soto to the Yankees. King has flourished in San Diego, and Soto is now in his second year with the Mets. While Soto’s time with the Padres and Yankees was brief, he will forever be connected to King. If tonight’s game was a national broadcast, we would probably hear about the trade multiple times.
  2. Bo Bichette? On May 18 and 19, Bichette hit three home runs and went 5-for-10. Over his next seven games, he slashed .250/.250/.250, going 7-for-28 while all of those hits were singles. Over his next six games, Bichette went 1-for-20 with four walks. On Wednesday, though, he went 4-for-4. Taken in total, from May 18 through Wednesday, Bichette is slashing .274/.333/.435. He randomly has these spikes of production. It’s just been an incredibly strange season for Bichette.
  3. Jared Young. It’s June 5, and Young is second on the Mets in OPS and OPS+ (if you don’t count Eric Wagaman). Young is slashing .295/.373/.500 with a 146 OPS+ this season. Since returning from the injured list, Young has gone 6-for-24 with a double, two home runs and four walks (.899 OPS). The only blemish in his game has been 10 strikeouts.

Let’s go Mets!