Sunday, June 3, 2018• 1:10 p.m.
Citi Field • Flushing, N.Y.
LHP Jon Lester (5-2, 2.71) vs. LHP Steven Matz (2-3, 3.55)
PIX11 • MLBN • WOR 710 AM • 104.3 WAXQ-FM HD 2 • ESPN 1050
The Mets had a heartbreaking loss last night on Todd Frazier BP Pullover Voucher Night. The Mets got a dazzling start from Jacob deGrom allowed one run over seven innings with 13 K’s. While as Mets fans we should be upset that deGrom didn’t get a win, let’s take solace in that he didn’t take the L as Conforto hit a solo homer to knot up the game. The game then went into extras and both offenses went silent until the 14th where the Cubs scored six runs. Ultimately the last thing the depleted Mets pitching staff needed was an extra five innings of work last night.
Mets Lineup
- Brandon Nimmo LF
- Jose Bautista 3B
- Jay Bruce RF
- Kevin Plawecki C
- Michael Conforto CF
- Adrian Gonzalez 1B
- Luis Guillorme 2B
- Amed Rosario SS
- Steven Matz P
Chicago Cubs
- Albert Almora Jr. CF
- Jason Heyward RF
- Javier Baez 3B
- Willson Contreras C
- Ian Happ CF
- Kyle Schwarber LF
- Addison Russell SS
- Tommy La Stella 2B
- Jon Lester P
Steven Matz will look to give the bullpen a little rest today as he returns from an injury-shortened outing where he strained his middle finger. On the season he is 2-3 over ten games and 45.2 innings with a 3.55 ERA, 5.60 FIP, 1.270 WHIP and 107 ERA+. In his last two starts, he has allowed no runs in nine innings from five hits and five walks while striking out five. The last time Matz faced the Cubs was back in 2016 where he allowed three runs off seven hits and three walks in 5 1/3 innings Queens and then allowed four runs from eight hits and one walk over five innings in Chicago. The Cubs have the following numbers against Steven:
- Baez 4-8, HR
- Bryant 2-6, HR
- Rizzo 3-8, 2B, HR
- Contreras 1-5, 2B
- Russell 1-4
- Zobrist 2-6, 2B
- Almora 1-4, 2B
After going silent last night the Mets bats will have a tough order today against Jon Lester. Lester is 5-2 over 11 games and 63.0 innings with a 2.71 ERA, 4.30 FIP, 1.206 WHIP, 151 ERA+. Jon is coming off of his worst start of the season where he allowed four earned runs over six innings from eight hits and no walks against the Pirates. Previous to that he allowed one run in three starts in a row (1.45 ERA over 18.2 innings). He faced the Mets twice last year. In Queens, he allowed one run over seven innings holding the Mets to five hits and a walk while striking out ten. In Chicago he allowed two runs from six hits and four walks over six innings. The Mets have the following numbers against Lester:
- Bautista 14-61, 3 2B, 5 HR, 8 BB
- Cabrera 8-33, 2 2B, BB, 10 K
- Reyes 6-34, 3 BB, 5 K
- Bruce 3-23, 2B, 6 K
- Gonzalez 2-15
Mets on the 10-Day DL Stats vs Lester
- Cespedes 5-23, 2B, 6 K
- Flores 6-16, 3 HR
- Frazier 2-8, 2 2B
Game Notes
The Mets have scored 41 runs in the eighth frame this year (the club’s highest total for any inning). The Mets 41 eighth-inning runs are tied for the second-most in the majors with the Braves. Houston is first with 42.
Jose Bautista is hitting .300 (9-30) with five doubles, two RBI, four runs scored and a .432 on-base percentage. Bautista is one of only three players in the majors with at least 20 homers in each season since 2010, joining Nelson Cruz and Giancarlo Stanton.
Over their last 15 games, New York starters have a 2.48 ERA (22 earned runs/80.0 innings).
Mets pitching combined for 24 strikeouts last night, the most in any game in franchise history. The previous mark was 20 strikeouts on August 1, 1999, against the Cubs at Wrigley Field (13 innings).
Michael Conforto hit a solo homer last night and has three home runs in his last 10 games and four homers in his last 16 contests. Conforto has at least one hit in eight of his 10 starts.
Let’s Go Mets!
