steven matz

Thursday, June 30, 2016 • 7:10 p.m.
Citi Field • Flushing, N.Y.
RHP John Lackey (7-4, 3.29) vs. LHP Steven Matz (7-3, 3.29)
SNY • MLBN • WOR 710 AM • ESPN 1050 AM

The Mets return home after a disappointing trip to DC where they were swept by the Nationals. Now they need to figure out a way to win ball games against the Cubs who are rivaling history books for the pace they are moving at.

New York begins a season-high 11-game homestand tonight. After the Cubs, the Marlins come in for three games followed by a four-game series vs. Washington (July 8-10). The Mets are 19-16 at Citi Field this season.

Mets Lineup

  1. Brandon Nimmo – RF
  2. Neil Walker – 2B
  3. Yoenis Cespedes – CF
  4. James Loney – 1B
  5. Asdrubal Cabrera – SS
  6. Kelly Johnson – LF
  7. Wilmer Flores – 3B
  8. Travis d’Arnaud – C
  9. Steven Matz – LHP

Cubs Lineup

  1. Ben Zobrist – RF
  2. Kris Bryant – 3B
  3. Anthony Rizzo – 1B
  4. W. Contreras – C
  5. Javier Baez – 2B
  6. Matt Szczur – LF
  7. Addison Russell – SS
  8. John Lackey – RHP
  9. Albert Almora – CF

Starting for the Mets will be Steven Matz who is slated (at least while I’m writing this) to pitch again through elbow tightness. He’s 7-3 this season over 13 starts and 76.2 innings with a 3.29 ERA. The month of June has not been kind to Matz. He’s allowed 14 ER over 21.1 innings with an ERA of 5.91. Basically, he has made two good to average starts, and two terrible starts. The only time has faced the Cubs was in the NLCS last year where he held them to 1 ER over 4.2 innings allowing 4 hits and 2 walks while striking out 4. The Cubs have the following numbers against Matz:

  • Zobrist 1-3, 2B
  • Baez 0-2
  • Bryant 0-1
  • Rizzo 1-2
  • Ross 0-1

The Mets bats will try to find themselves against John Lackey who is in his first season with the Cubs. The 37 year old is 7-4 this year with a 3.29 ERA over 15 starts and 98.1 innings. In his last three starts he has allowed 12 ER over 18 hits and 16.1 innings, an ERA of 6.61, which is heavily skewed due to his last start where he allowed 7 ER over 4.1 innings. In two starts against the Mets last year he allowed 2 ER over 14.0 innings. The Mets have the following numbers against Lackey:

  • Granderson 10-41, 2 2B, 2 3B, HR
  • Cabrera 7-31, 2 2B, HR
  • Loney 8-29, 3 2B, HR
  • K Johnson 6-26, 2 2B
  • Walker 3-11
  • Cespedes 1-4, 2B

Let’s Go Mets!