Thursday, June 20, 2019 • 8:05 p.m. (ET)
Wrigley Field • Chicago, IL
RHP Walker Lockett (0-0, —) vs. RHP Tyler Chatwood (3-1, 3.60)
SNY • MLBN • WCBS 880 AM • ESPN 1050 AM

The Mets were able to keep things close last night against the Braves until the 6th inning where the bats on the Mets failed to score with two on and one out and then Matz allowed a 2 run homer to put the Braves in the lead. The Braves never looked back. Now the Mets try to reset themselves with a four game set in Chicago.

Mets Lineup

  1. Jeff McNeil – LF
  2. Pete Alonso – 1B
  3. Robinson Cano – 2B
  4. Michael Conforto – RF
  5. Todd Frazier – 3B
  6. Wilson Ramos – C
  7. Amed Rosario – SS
  8. Carlos Gomez – CF
  9. Walker Lockett – RHP

Cubs Lineup

  1. Kyle Schwarber – LF
  2. Kris Bryant – 3B
  3. Anthony Rizzo – 1B
  4. Javier Baez – SS
  5. Willson Contreras – C
  6. Jason Heyward – CF
  7. Carlos Gonzalez – RF
  8. Tyler Chatwood – RHP
  9. Daniel Descalso – 2B

During the off-season when the Mets decided to bet on Travis d’Arnaud as the back up catcher solution, they traded Kevin Plawecki for rotation/bullpen depth: Walker Lockett. Lockett was injured for most of spring and this season, but will now make his season debut in the windy city. Will he lock down the strike zone and walk it like he locks it? (Reference). Last year he got a taste of big league action and pitched 15 innings over 4 games and 3 starts with a 9.60 ERA, 7.03 FIP, 2.133 WHIP and a 41 ERA+. Before getting the call up this season he tossed 24.2 innings in Syracuse posting a 3.28 ERA.

The Mets bats draw Tyler Chatwood tonight. He has pitched in 17 games this season but only made one start. In 35.0 innings he has a 3.60 ERA, 5.17 FIP, 1.457 WHIP and 125 ERA+. His only start came way back on April 21st where he allowed no runs over 6.0 innings against the Diamondbacks. In June Tyler has allowed 5 runs in 5.2 innings over 3 games. He made one start against the Mets last year and held them to 2 runs from 4 hits and 4 walks in 5.1 innings. The Mets have the following numbers against Chatwood:

Game Notes

Mets have fired pitching coach Dave Eiland and bullpen coach Chuck Hernandez. They will be replaced by Phil Regan and Ricky Bones on an interim basis respectively. The Mets have created a new position called pitching strategist, which will be taken by minor league pitching coordinator Jeremy Accardo.

Left-handed reliever Daniel Zamora was optioned to Triple-A Syracuse to make room for starter Walker Lockett on the active roster.

Let’s Go Mets!