steven matz

Saturday, June 18, 2016 • 8:15 p.m.
Citi Field • Flushing, N.Y.
RHP Aaron Blair (0-4, 7.59) vs. LHP Steven Matz (7-3, 2.71)
FOX • WOR 710 AM • ESPN 1050 AM

The Mets dropped the first game of the series against the Braves 5-1 on Friday, and they look to put it back together with Steven Matz on the mound for tonight’s FOX broadcast.

Steven Matz is tied for the major league lead for rookies with seven wins with Michael Fulmer. He leads the NL and ranks third among rookies in ERA (2.71) and ranks third in among major league rookies in strikeouts (66). He was named the NL Rookie of the Month for May, going 4-0 with a 1.31 ERA (five earned runs/34.1 innings) and 31 strikeouts.

Six of New York’s next eight games are against the Braves…The Mets are 5-2 vs. Atlanta this year and 10-4 vs. the Braves in their last 14 match-ups dating to September 10, 2015, including 3-4 at Citi Field.

Mets Lineup

  1. Curtis Granderson – RF
  2. Asdrubal Cabrera – SS
  3. Yoenis Cespedes – CF
  4. Neil Walker – 2B
  5. Michael Conforto – LF
  6. Wilmer Flores – 3B
  7. James Loney – 1B
  8. Rene Rivera – C
  9. Steven Matz – LHP

Braves Lineup

  1. Chase d’Arnaud – 2B
  2. Ender Inciarte – CF
  3. Freddie Freeman – 1B
  4. Jeff Francoeur – LF
  5. Nick Markakis – RF
  6. Tyler Flowers – C
  7. Brandon Snyder – 3B
  8. Erick Aybar – SS
  9. Aaron Blair – RHP

Matz is 7-3 on the year over 11 starts and 66.1 innings with a 2.71 ERA. His last start wasn’t the best, but the defense wasn’t the best behind him. He pitched 6.0 innings allowing 5 runs and 4 earned.

Matz has two good starts against the Braves this year first holding them to 2 ER over 6.1 innings and then in his second start he held them scoreless over 7.2 innings while striking out 8. The Braves have the following numbers against Matz:

  • Freeman 3-7, 2B
  • Garcia 2-9
  • Markakis 2-6
  • Aybar 1-6
  • Flowers 0-6
  • Francoeur 2-6
  • d’Arnaud 0-3

Aaron Blair continues his rookie season. He’s 0-4 over 9 starts and 40.1 innings so far this year with an ERA of 7.59 to match. In the month of June he’s allowed 14 ER over 13.1 innings over three starts. He made his major league debut against the Mets back on April 24th where he allowed 3 ER over 5.1 innings. The Mets have the following numbers against Blair:

  • Cabrera 2-3
  • Conforto 1-2, 2B
  • Granderson 1-2
  • Walker 1-2
  • Flores 0-2
  • Plawecki 0-2

Let’s Go Mets!