MMO Game Thread: Braves vs. Mets, Game 1, 5:10 PM

Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

Monday, July 26, 2021 • 5:10 P.M.
Citi Field • Flushing, NY
LHP Kyle Muller (1-3, 3.20) vs. RHP Marcus Stroman (7-8, 2.59)
SNY • WCBS 880 AM • WQBU 92.7 FM

It was a pretty good weekend in Mets land. They took the three-game series from the Blue Jays, their second consecutive series win (against a winning team), the Braves and Phillies split a four-game set and the Nationals got swept. The Mets head into the last week of July with a four-game lead over the Phillies and a five-game lead over the Braves.

Earlier this month, Atlanta traded for Joc Pederson to help fill the void left by Ronald Acuna Jr., one of the most exciting players in baseball. The knee-jerk reaction among many with the trade was something like this: the Braves are between being buyers and sellers, there’s enough time left in the month to trade Pederson away if the Braves fall further away. This week will determine their status at the deadline with five games at Citi Field.

Mets Lineup

Jonathan Villar — SS
Pete Alonso — 1B
Michael Conforto — RF
J.D. Davis — 3B
Dominic Smith — LF
Kevin Pillar — CF
Tomas Nido — C
Luis Guillorme — 2B
Marcus Stroman — SP

Braves Lineup

Joc Pederson — RF
Ozzie Albies — 2B
Freddie Freeman — 1B
Austin Riley — 3B
Dansby Swanson — SS
Stephen Vogt — C
Orlando Arcia — LF
Guillermo Heredia — CF
Kyle Muller — SP

Marcus Stroman starts game 1 for the Mets on Monday. In 20 starts and 111 1/3 innings this year, he has a 2.59 ERA, 3.49 FIP, 1.08 WHIP and a 151 ERA+. Stroman is coming off a start where he allowed one hit and no runs in eight innings against the Reds, ending a streak of four lackluster starts. On top of that, the Mets really needed Stroman to go deep his last time out to give the bullpen a rest, and he did that. The right-hander will also be making his sixth start on a day where a double header is getting played (which is absurd). He’s been fantastic in two, average in one, and not good in the most recent two. His only start against Atlanta this season was his injury-shortened one. The Braves have the following career numbers against Stroman:

Pablo Sandoval 1-1, BB
Kevan Smith 2-4, HR, K
Stephen Vogt 4-9, HR, K
Dansby Swanson 4-8, BB, 2 K
Joc Pederson 2-6, 2 2B, 2 K
Ozzie Albies 4-10, K
Freddie Freeman 0-6, K
Guillermo Heredia 1-6, K
Orlando Arcia 0-3
Abraham Almonte 0-9, 3 K

The Mets’ bats look to keep their July 2021 offense going against rookie Kyle Muller. In five games (four starts), Muller has pitched 19 2/3 innings with a 3.20 ERA, 3.15 FIP, 1.12 WHIP, and a 141 ERA+. He’s coming off a good, if not short, start against the Padres where he allowed one run over four innings from two hits and three walks. His last start before that was back on July 3rd, his longest of the year, where he pitched 5 2/3 innings and allowed three runs against the Marlins. His stat line against the Mets is one of the stranger ones you’ll see: four innings of work, no hits, one run, two walks, and three strikeouts. New York has the following numbers against Muller: