Friday, August 7, 2026 • 1:10 PM
PNC Park • Pittsburgh, PA
LHP Zac Thornton (2-2, 2.88) vs. RHP Carmen Mlodzinski (6-3, 3.15)
WPIX

The New York Metropolitans are on a three game winning streak! The Mets slugged nine homeruns in Cleveland this week. Thursday they beat the Guardians so thoroughly that they had a position player pitching to end the game! The Guardians were buyers at the deadline and were hoping to get some momentum against the Mets, and were denied. The Pirates were also buyers at the deadline. They have won two of their last ten games and are currently on a three-game losing streak. Here come the care-free Mets!

Zac Thornton vs. Brewers

Mets Lineup

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

Starting Pitcher: Zac Thornton

Thornton has made six starts this season totaling 34 1/3 innings with a 2.88 ERA, 3.79 FIP, 1.049 WHIP and a 145 ERA+. Thornton has looked a bit more human in his last two starts, allowing seven runs (six earned) over 11 innings while striking out seven batters. He has also allowed a home run in two consecutive starts. In his three starts before that, he allowed only one run over 19 innings. This will be his first time facing the Pirates or any one on the Pirates’ roster in Major League game.

Opposing Lineup

  1. Jake Mangum – CF
  2. Brandon Lowe – 2B
  3. Bryan Reynolds – LF
  4. Esmerlyn Valdez – RF
  5. Spencer Horwitz – 1B
  6. Nick Gonzales  – 3B
  7. Ronny Simon – DH
  8. Jared Triolo – SS
  9. Rafael Flores Jr. – C

Mlodzinski has pitched in 25 games this season making nine starts with 94 1/3 innings of work. He has a 3.15 ERA, 3.50 FIP, 1.314 WHIP and a 138 ERA+. As a starter he has pitched 44 innings with a 4.30 ERA and 1.523 WHIP. Tonight will be his first start since the end of May. His first start of the season this year was against the Mets where he allowed two runs from six hits over 4 1/3 innings. The Mets have the following career numbers against him:

  • Francisco Alvarez 1-1, 2B
  • Brett Baty 2-4, K
  • Carson Benge 0-2
  • Bo Bichette 0-3, BB, 2 K
  • Francisco Lindor 1-4, 3B
  • Jorge Polanco 0-3
  • Luis Robert Jr. 2-4, 2 BB
  • Marcus Semien 0-1, BB, K
  • Luis Torrens 1-3, K

Game Notes

  • The Mets announced that they claimed Gabriel Arias off waivers from the Guardians. He has a .669 OPS over 134 plate appearances this season.
  • Interim manager Andy Green stated that Juan Soto is doing “slow baseball activity” as he recovers from a calf strain while Mark Vientos is set to begin hitting with two hands off of a tee as he recovers from a fracture in his hand.

Three Things To Watch For

  1. They needed that. On Thursday, Lindor went 2-for-6 with a three-run home run. Robert Jr. went 3-for-6. Semien went 3-for-4 with a double and a home run. On Wednesday, Polanco went 2-for-4 with a double and a home run (and for some reason didn’t play on Thursday). All four needed a big day at the plate to get back on track. It’s bitter-sweet. It’s good to get everyone going but it’s also a look at what could have been if everyone started off healthy and closer to their career stats.
  2. Carson Benge. What a series for Benge. In his last three games he has gone 5-for-15 with two home runs, a triple, three RBIs and five runs scored. He homered in the first two games of the series and for the final game he collected three hits. Let’s keep the good times going in Pittsburgh!
  3. Flashing Power. The Mets put on a show in Cleveland, smashing home runs. Even Torrens had two home runs in Cleveland and he has only four on the season! Early on in the season the Mets were struggling to hit homers, after a few seasons of being a top homer hitting club. Now the Mets have 140 on the season, which is good for 12th in the league and are only three behind the Pirates for 11th.

Let’s go Mets!