Monday, September 9, 2019 • 7:10 p.m.
Citi Field • Flushing, NY
RHP Merrill Kelly (10-13, 4.69) vs. RHP Jacob deGrom (8-8, 2.76)
SNY • WCBS 880 AM • ESPN 1050 AM

The Mets haven’t been mathematically eliminated yet, but dropping the series to the Phillies this weekend made things much tougher on a team that consistently finds ways to lose despite their starting pitching and their hitting. They now welcome the Diamondbacks into Citi Field for a critical 4-game set. The Diamondbacks have been surging and are knocking on the door for the 2nd Wild Card spot, also like latter-half of September Mets, they have a fairly easy schedule. This week is probably the only the sure way to stop them.

Mets Lineup 

  1. Jeff McNeil – 3B
  2. Pete Alonso – 1B
  3. Michael Conforto – RF
  4. Wilson Ramos – C
  5. Robinson Cano – 2B
  6. J.D. Davis – LF
  7. Brandon Nimmo – CF
  8. Amed Rosario – SS
  9. Jacob deGrom – RHP

Diamondbacks Lineup

  1. Ketel Marte – CF
  2. Josh Rojas – LF
  3. Eduardo Escobar – 3B
  4. Christian Walker – 1B
  5. Wilmer Flores – 2B
  6. Carson Kelly – C
  7. Nick Ahmed – SS
  8. Jarrod Dyson – RF
  9. Merrill Kelly – RHP

Jacob deGrom will look to do just that on the mound tonight. He is 8-8 over 28 starts and 176.0 innings with a 2.76 ERA, 2.86 FIP, 1.045 WHIP and 148 ERA+. He’s coming off back to back average starts against the Cubs and the Nationals where he allowed a combined 8 runs over 15.0 innings while striking out 13. In Arizona earlier this season eh allowed 1 run over 6.2 innings from 5 hits and a walk while striking out 7. The Diamondbacks have the following batting lines against Jacob:

Merrill Kelly is wrapping up his rookie season. So far he is 10-13 over 28 starts and 157.1 innings with a 4.69 ERA, 4.62 FIP, 1.347 WHIP and 96 ERA+. He’s coming off of one of his best starts of the season where he held the Padres scoreless over 7.0 innings, scattering 3 hits and two walks. It was much needed for Kelly who had a 6.84 ERA over 5 starts and 25.0 innings in August. One of the few starts he’s had this year that was better than his last one was against the Mets back in June where he held the Mets to 1 run over 7.2 innings while scattering 6 hits and no walks while striking out 10 (his only double digit strikeout game this season). The Mets have the following batting lines against him:

Game Notes

Pete Alonso by reached base safely in 33-straight games since August 2, setting a Mets rookie record. His 33-game streak is tied for the third-longest in franchise history and is now tied for the Mets single-season record of 33 straight games by Darryl Strawberry (1987) and José Reyes ( 2008).

Tonight, the Mets Wives will be hosting a Mets Players’ Favorite Things Raffle to raise money for the NY Police and Fire Widows and Children Benefit Fund. The raffle features autographed memorabilia by 12 players and some of their favorite items handpicked by the wives. The raffle will be located at the Amazin’ Memorabilia shop on the field level behind home plate. Raffle tickets are $5 each and the fundraiser will begin at 6 p.m. and conclude in the middle of the sixth
inning.

Overall in 59 home games this year, J.D. Davis is batting .354 (58-164) with 32 runs, 10 doubles, a triple, 13 homers, 26 RBI, 19 walks, two steals, a .419 OBP, a .665 SLG and a 1.084 OPS.

Let’s Go Mets!