Sunday, September 8, 2019 • 1:10 p.m.
Citi Field • Flushing, NY
RHP Vince Velasquez (6-7, 4.80) vs. RHP Noah Syndergaard (10-7, 3.97)
SNY • TBS • WCBS 880 AM • ESPN 1050 AM
Luckily for the Mets yesterday, the Cubs and the Nationals lost so the Mets are still only four games out of the Wild Card. But the Diamondbacks, Brewers and (obviously) the Phillies all won. This makes today essentially a must win game for the Mets so at the very least they leave this series with a win and put the Phillies back in a loss column tie.
Mets Lineup
- Jeff McNeil (L) 3B
- Pete Alonso (R) 1B
- Michael Conforto (L) RF
- Wilson Ramos (R) C
- Robinson Cano (L) 2B
- J.D. Davis (R) LF
- Brandon Nimmo (L) CF
- Amed Rosario (R) SS
- Noah Syndergaard (L) P
Phillies Lineup
- Cesar Hernandez (S) 2B
- Jean Segura (R) SS
- Corey Dickerson (L) LF
- Rhys Hoskins (R) 1B
- Scott Kingery (R) CF
- Adam Haseley (L) RF
- Maikel Franco (R) 3B
- Andrew Knapp (S) C
- Vince Velasquez (R) P
Noah Syndergaard looks to put things on the right the path for the Mets. He is 10-7 over 27 games and 170.0 innings with a 3.97 ERA, 3.44 FIP, 1.182 WHIP and 103 ERA+. After a terrible start on August 28 where he allowed 10 runs, nine earned over three innings, Syndergaard had a great start his last time out against the Nationals tossing seven scoreless innings, allowing three hits and no walks while striking out 10. In two starts against the Phillies this year he has allowed nine runs off 16 hits and six walks in 10.0 innings so he’ll be looking for some regression to season average stats against the Phils today. The Phillies have the following batting lines against him:
- Bryce Harper 8-for-29, 2B, 5 BB, 8 K
- Cesar Hernandez 11-for-27, 4 BB, 6 K
- Rhys Hoskins 5-for-12, 3 2B, 2 HR, 7 BB, 4 K
- J.T. Realmuto 2-for-13, 2 BB, 2 K
- Jean Segura 6-for-13, 2B, 3 K
- Scott Kingery 0-for-3, 2 K
The Mets offense couldn’t do anything last night. They’ll look to reverse that today against Vince Velasquez who is 6-7 over 29 games and 19 starts with 99.1 innings posting a 4.80 ERA, 5.22 FIP, 1.349 WHIP and 96 ERA+. He’s coming off of a short start against the Reds where he allowed four hits over three innings leading to one run because he felt something and was pulled out of the game. In two starts so far against the Mets he has held them to two runs over 10.0 innings, his best performance against any team this year (longer than 5.1 innings). The Mets have the following numbers against him:
- Michael Conforto 6-for-16, 3 HR, 4 BB, 4 K
- Robinson Cano 4-for-7, 3 BB, K
- Jeff McNeil 4-for-9
- Amed Rosario 2-for-8, 3B
- Joe Panik 3-for-7, 2 2B
- Wilson Ramos 0-for-7, 3 K
- Todd Frazier 1-for-3
- Pete Alonso 2-for-3, 2B, HR
- Brandon Nimmo 1-for-1, 2B, BB
Notes
Since the All-Star break, Noah Syndergaard has a quality start in nine of his 10 outings, the lone exception being a 3.0-inning, 10-run start on August 28 vs. the Cubs. Even with that start, he still owns a 2.80 ERA (20 earned runs/64.1 innings) in the second half with 70 strikeouts and just 13 walks. That’s the ninth-best ERA in the NL since the break (min. 50.0 innings)…His 5.38 K/BB ratio in the second half is the third-best in the NL.
Pete Alonso has hit 22 home runs at Citi Field this year. That is the second-most home runs at home in team history. Darryl Strawberry holds the record with 24 home runs at Shea in 1990.
Overall in 58 home games this year, J.D. Davis is batting .356 (57-for-160) with 32 runs, 10 doubles, a triple, 13 homers, 26 RBI, 18 walks, two steals, a .420 OBP, a .675 SLG and a 1.095 OPS. His 1.095 OPS at home ranks sixth in the majors and fourth in the NL among players with at least 100 plate appearances.
Mets starters are 21-9 with a 3.17 ERA (107 earned runs/304.0 innings) in the second half. That is the best mark in the majors. The staff’s 21 wins are tied for sixth in the majors and are the third-most in the National League. The staff has struck out 301 in that span, which ranks third in the NL.
Michael Conforto has hit 105 home runs and is now in sole possession of 13th place on the Mets all-time homer list. José Reyes is 12th with 108. Conforto has 29 homers, setting a career-high. Conforto previously set it with 28 last year. He is the fourth Met to have three-straight seasons of 27 or more home runs, joining only Darryl Strawberry (six straight – 1985-1990), Mike Piazza (four straight, 1999-2002) and Carlos Beltran (three straight, 2006-2008). Conforto has hit 19 career home runs against the Phillies, including five this year. It’s his highest total against any single opponent in his career.
Let’s go Mets!
