Tylor Megill. Photo by: Jim Rassol-USA TODAY Sports

Sunday, September 3, 2023 • 1:40 PM
Citi Field • Flushing, New York
RHP George Kirby (10-8, 3.28) vs. RHP Tylor Megill (7-7, 5.29)
SNY

The Seattle Mariners and the New York Mets play the rubber game this afternoon in Queens. The Mariners are in a tight playoff race and need every win they can get. The Mets are just trying to see where players fit in their 2024 and 2025 plans.

Mets Lineup

  1. Brandon Nimmo, CF
  2. Francisco Lindor, SS
  3. Jeff McNeil, LF
  4. Pete Alonso, 1B
  5. Daniel Vogelbach, DH
  6. D.J. Stewart, RF
  7. Ronny Mauricio, 2B
  8. Brett Baty, 3B
  9. Francisco Álvarez, C

Tylor Megill looks to build on one of his best starts of the season this afternoon. Over 20 starts and 97 innings, Megill has posted a 5.29 ERA, 5.02 FIP, 1.680 WHIP, and a 79 ERA+. In his last start he has allowed only one run via five hits over six innings while striking out eight batters, a season high for Megill.

Before that, he had allowed 21 runs (19 earned) over his previous 22 innings and five starts while striking out 18.

The only Mariner that has faced Megill before is Teoscar Hernández (0-for-2, K).

Mariners Lineup

  1. J.P. Crawford, SS
  2. Julio Rodríguez, CF
  3. Teoscar Hernández, RF
  4. Cal Raleigh, C
  5. Eugenio Suárez, 3B
  6. Dominic Canzone, DH
  7. Mike Ford, 1B
  8. Cade Marlowe, LF
  9. Josh Rojas, 2B

The Mets’ bats will look to pick up where they left off last night against George Kirby. Kirby has pitched 156 1/3 innings over 25 starts this season with a 3.28 ERA, 3.20 FIP, 1.030 WHIP, and a 125 ERA+. New York faced the league-leader last night in H/9 (Castillo), tonight, in Kirby, they face the league leader in BB/9 (0.8) and K/BB (10.14).

He’s looked a lot more human in his last two starts though allowing seven runs via 16 hits over 11 2/3 innings. During stretch (5.40 ERA), he has struck out 11 batters while walking zero.

The Mets have the following career numbers against him:

  • Brandon Nimmo 0-2
  • Pete Alonso 0-1, BB
  • Jonathan Araúz 1-2
  • Francisco Lindor 1-1
  • Jeff McNeil 0-1

Game Notes

Mark Vientos is not in the lineup after leaving Saturday’s game with a “sore foot.” According to Buck Showalter, it is expected Vientos will be in the lineup Tuesday.

According to Tim Healey of Newsday, Starling Marte said his week of special physical therapy in Philadelphia was productive. If he doesn’t continue to progress, he said, he might need another surgery. It would be the same as he had last offseason.

Three Things To Watch For

  1. Megill is nearing several career milestones. If Megill pitches three innings today he’ll cross 100 innings in a season for the first time in his career. He struck out eight batters in his last outing, which was unusually high for him this season. He now sits at 82 in 2023, and 100 is within striking distance if he has a good rest of the month. It would be a double milestone for Megill as reaching 100 in the season would also give him 250 in his career.
  2. Mark Vientos and Brett Baty. Last night, it was Vientos’ turn to get the start at third base and he took full advantage of it, going 2-for-3 at the plate with his fourth homer on the season. In his last three games, he has gone 5-for-10 at the plate with two homers and three runs scored. He also had to leave the game early due to foot soreness.
  3. DJ Stewart does it again! Last night, Stewart went 2-for-5 at the plate with a homer and three RBI’s. Since August 15, Stewart has hit nine homers and has gone 19-for-53 at the plate hitting .359/.414/.925. He has as many strikeouts as RBIs during this stretch (18). Last night hit the double digit homer plateau for the season.