Lon Horwedel-USA TODAY Sports

Thursday June 8, 2023 • 7:20 PM
Truist Park • Atlanta, Georgia
RHP Justin Verlander (2-3, 4.25) vs. RHP Spencer Strider (6-2, 2.97)
SNY

The Mets will try to snap their five-game losing streak and avoid getting swept for a second consecutive series tonight against the Atlanta Braves. Last night, for the second game in a row, the Mets blew a 4-1 lead. At least last night, they eventually tied the game again but would later lose as the offense and the bullpen fell short.

In the first inning last night, Pete Alonso got hit on the hand/wrist by a Charlie Morton pitch. X-Rays came back negative, and it’s been diagnosed as a contusion. Some Braves fans started to cheer after Alonso went down in a disgusting display of behavior. The Mets pitchers wisely and correctly did not retaliate. Alonso is out of the lineup on Thursday.

Mets Lineup

Justin Verlander looks to put the Mets back on track tonight in the battle of the aces as he goes up against Spencer Strider. Over six starts (36 innings), Verlander has a 4.25 ERA, 4.53 FIP, 1.139 WHIP, and a 98 ERA+. He’s coming off of a good start where he held the Blue Jays to one run over six innings, scattering five hits and three walks. The Mets eventually lost that game because the offense disappeared. The Braves have the following career numbers against him:

  • Matt Olson 5-21, 2B, 2 HR, 7 K
  • Eddie Rosario 3-20, 2B, 4 K
  • Ehire Adrianza 2-7, HR, 4 K
  • Kevin Pillar 2-7, K
  • Sean Murphy 1-5, 3 K
  • Marcell Ozuna 1-3, K
  • Travis d’Arnaud 1-2, K

Opposing Lineup

The Mets bats have to deal with the ace of the Atlanta staff tonight – Spencer Strider. Over 12 starts (69 2/3 innings) this season, Strider has a 2.97 ERA, 2.60 FIP, 1.005 WHIP, and a 150 ERA+. He is currently leading the league with 113 strikeouts, a 14.6 K/9 rate, and a 5.7 H/9 rate. That being said, Strider has been a bit more human recently, allowing 12 runs, 10 earned, over his last four starts and 23 innings (3.91 ERA, 4.59 FIP). During this stretch, he has still struck out the world (34 batters), but also allowed five of the seven homers he’s given up this season. In three starts against the Mets last season, he had a 4.38 ERA from allowing six runs from 14 hits over 12 1/3 innings. The Mets have the following numbers against him:

  • Brandon Nimmo 5-12, 3B, HR, BB, 2 K
  • Francisco Lindor 5-11, 3B, BB, 2 K
  • Pete Alonso 2-9, 2B, HR, 2 BB, 6 K
  • Daniel Vogelbach 1-8, 2 BB, 4 K
  • Jeff McNeil 2-7, 2B
  • Mark Canha 2-6, 2B, BB, 2 K
  • Starling Marte 1-5, 2 BB, 2 K
  • Eduardo Escobar 1-3, 2B, BB
  • Tommy Pham 0-4, 3 K
  • Brett Baty 0-2, K

Game Notes

Alonso is missing his first game of the 2023 season tonight after missing only two games last season.

Over his last 12 games, Tommy Pham is batting .357 (10- 28) with five runs, two doubles, one triple, three home runs, 10 RBI, four walks with a .424 OBP, a .821 SLG and a 1.246 OPS.

Three Things To Watch For

  1. Tommy Pham hot streak loading. In his last six games, Pham has gone 6-for-12 at the plate with a double, a triple and three homers. Buck Showalter, from spring training through rough patches this season, has always defended Tommy Pham, specifically how hard he hits the ball. He is currently sitting in the 91st percentile for maximum exit velocity. The Mets need anyone on a hot streak to step right now, can it be Tommy?
  2. The Baby Mets got hits last night. While Vientos has been inexplicably on the bench recently while Vogelbach struggles, the other baby Mets got a few hits and hard-hit balls last night. Brett Baty had a single that drove in a run in the first inning. Francisco Álvarez crushed a solo shot right after Alonso got hit by a pitch. Can they continue to deliver tonight?
  3. Working Counts. The Mets worked six walks last night and struck out only seven times. It was the first time during this losing streak they didn’t have double-digit strikeouts. It was also the first time in a while we’ve seen the Mets make a starting pitcher work, which is a hallmark of the Mets offense when things are going well. Leading the pack was Brandon Nimmo, who had two strikeouts and now has 31 on the season (tied for 18th in the league). Spencer Strider has a high strikeout rate, and a low hit rate, but he does walk more batters than you think he would. His 3.4 BB/9 means the Mets can afford to be patient and make him work a little.

Let’s go Mets!