Kodai Senga. Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports

Sunday, August 13, 2023 • 7:10 PM
Citi Field • Flushing, New York
RHP Yonny Chirinos (5-4, 4.83) vs. RHP Kodai Senga (8-6, 3.42)
ESPN

The New York Mets try to salvage a game from a four-game set with the Atlanta Braves tonight on national television. It was a tough day in Queens yesterday, as the Mets lost the first game 21-3 and then lost the nightcap 6-0.

In the first game, just about everything went wrong for New York. In the second game, they got a solid start from José Quintana but the bats couldn’t come through. Then, the bullpen self-destructed late making the game impossible for the Mets.

Mets Lineup

Kodai Senga has been one of the few bright spots this season for the Mets. Over 21 starts (116 2/3 innings), Senga has a 3.24 ERA, 3.62 FIP, 1.303 WHIP, and a 129 ERA+. In his last six starts (35 innings), he has a 2.57 ERA and 2.78 FIP.

The key change for Senga over the last two months compared to his first two months has been better control and keeping the ball in the park. In his last eight starts, he has allowed only two homers, he had nine homers in the 13 starts before that. His walks have also taken a dramatic drop.

This will be Senga’s first start against the Braves.

Braves Lineup

The Mets’ bats, who have struggled a lot this weekend, will look to get things going tonight against Yonny Chirinos. Chirinos was picked up on waivers by the Braves towards the end of July. Overall, in 2023, he has pitched in 18 games making seven starts totaling 76 1/3 innings with a 4.83 ERA, 5.60 FIP, 1.323 WHIP, and an 87 ERA+.

His three starts as a Brave have been a bit uglier, allowing 13 runs runs via 19 hits over 13 2/3 innings, leading to an 8.56 ERA, 6.04 FIP, 1.683 WHIP, and a 54 ERA+.

The Mets have the following career numbers against Chirinos:

Game Notes

With the Washington Nationals’ win today, the Mets are now tied with them for the sixth-worst record in baseball. They are only a half game back of the St. Louis Cardinals – who they play next week – for fifth.

The Mets are looking to avoid their seventh sweep of the season. The Mets were last swept by the Braves in a four-game series from May 20-22, 2008 in Atlanta. The Braves have never swept the Mets in a four-game series in New York.

Francisco Lindor has safely hit in 11 of his last 13 games, batting .375 (18-48) with 11 runs, three doubles, three home runs, seven RBIs, six walks, with a .455 OBP, a .625 SLG and an 1.080 OPS.

Jeff McNeil is on a six-game hitting streak, batting .318 (7-22) with five runs, one double, one home run, one RBI, two walks with a .400 OBP and a .500 SLG.

Three Things To Watch For

  1. Nimmo and Lindor played last night! Lindor and Nimmo have both been dealing with injuries this weekend. Lindor sat on Friday and the first game on Saturday. Nimmo was taken out of the game Friday night which force Jeff McNeil to play a bit of centerfield. Last night, Lindor went 0-for-4 at the plate while Nimmo went 2-for-2 with two walks. The Mets lineup is definitely rough right now, but without Nimmo and Lindor the lineup looks like a spring training split-squad lineup.
  2. Daniel Vogelbach responded to the boos. After a terrible Friday night where Vogelbach went 0-for-5 with four strikeouts, Vogelbach responded with three hits over the two games, including a three-run homer which is responsible for the only runs the Mets have scored all weekend.
  3. Ozzie Albies. Ozzie had a pretty fantastic day at the plate yesterday. After the game he was quoted saying, “a lot of pleasure, of course, because they always say they’re going to beat us. That’s all I can say. I won’t say much,” when asked how much pleasure the Braves take in beating the Mets.