Friday, September 18, 2026 • 7:15 PM
Citi Field • Flushing, NY
LHP Tim Mayza (2-2, 5.28) vs. LHP Zac Thornton (4-5, 3.44)
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The Mets look to snap their five-game losing streak tonight against the Phillies. Last week the Mets were flying high, looking to challenge the Marlins for third in the division. Now, they are back in the cellar, two games behind the Nationals. On Thursday night, Aaron Nola held the Mets scoreless over seven innings and the Mets’ batters only mustered four hits. Jared Young had a scary collision with Nolan McLean and Young had to be carted off. He was placed on the 7-day concussion injured list on Friday, but CT scans were negative and interim manager Andy Green told reporters that he is doing, “as good as could be expected, or hoped for.” The vibes heading into the Mets final three home games are not good.

Jun 26, 2026; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets starting pitcher Zach Thornton (49) pitches against the Philadelphia Phillies during the third inning at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images

Mets Lineup

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

Starting Pitcher: Zac Thornton

Thornton is winding down his successful rookie season. Over 13 starts he has thrown 73 1/3 innings with a 3.44 ERA, 4.46 FIP, 1.159 WHIP and a 119 ERA+. Thornton is coming off of a fantastic start against the Yankees where he held them to two runs over seven innings. Thornton faced the Phillies back in June, when he held them to one run over six innings, scattering five hits while striking out seven batters.

The Phillies have the following career stats against Thornton:

Opposing Lineup

  1. Kyle Schwarber – DH
  2. Trea Turner – SS
  3. Bryce Harper – RF
  4. Luis Arraez – 2B
  5. Alec Bohm – 1B
  6. Edmundo Sosa – LF
  7. Bryson Stott – 3B
  8. J.T. Realmuto – C
  9. Derek Hill – CF

José Urquidy was claimed off waivers by the Phillies from the White Sox on Thursday and is set to pitch for them today in relief behind Tim Mayza, who will serve as the opener. Urquidy won’t be eligible for the postseason roster, but the Phillies are hoping he can help give the team some necessary innings between now and then. Between the Pirates and the White Sox this season, Urquidy has pitched in 11 games totaling 29 innings with a 5.28 ERA, 4.37 FIP, 1.517 FIP and an 83 ERA+. He last pitched for the White Sox against the Pirates ten days ago, where he went four innings, holding his former club to two runs. His first outing of the season was a relief outing against the Mets where he allowed one unearned run.

The Mets have the following career stats against him:

  • Marcus Semien 7-for-18, 2 2B, 2 HR, 2 BB, 2 K
  • Bo Bichette 4-15, HR, BB, 4 K
  • Francisco Lindor 2-6, 2B, BB, 2 K
  • Luis Torrens 1-5, BB, K
  • Cristian Pache 0-3, K
  • Juan Soto 1-2, 2B, BB

Game Notes

  • Ronny Mauricio was recalled from Triple-A Syracuse to take Young’s place on the 28-man roster.
  • Green stated that Young is currently dealing with short-term memory loss and headaches, but that his “sense of humor is intact.”

Three Things To Watch For

  1. Francisco Lindor. Last Saturday, Lindor hit two home runs, including a grand slam. Since that game, he has gone 2-for-19 with a double and four walks (.105/.261/.158). Is getting his 300th home run becoming a weight? Just a random blip? It’s probably just the latter, but it would be great for Lindor to get his 300th home run at home and get this milestone behind him.
  2. Take Advantage of the Phillies. Tonight is the problem night for the Phillies. They are hoping for bulk innings from Urquidy tonight. Jhoan Duran has pitched in back-to-back games. Tonight is the night to put some pressure on this pitching staff. The Mets’ bats have been cold over the last couple of days, collecting only 11 singles and no runs in the last two games.
  3. Nate Lavender. It’s been a few days, so it may be another Nate Lavender day tonight. The last time we saw Lavender was on Tuesday, where he pitched 1 2/3 innings while striking out four batters. Over 17 games and 17 innings, he has a 1.59 ERA, 1.21 FIP, 0.882 WHIP and a 261 ERA+. He also has 11.6 K/9.

Let’s go Mets!