Sunday, July 30, 2017 • 4:10 p.m. (ET)
Safeco Field • Seattle, WA
RHP Seth Lugo (5-2, 4.10) vs LHP James Paxton (10-3, 2.84)
PIX11• WOR 710 AM • ESPN 1050 AM

After taking the opener in Seattle on Friday, the Mets were unable to clinch a series win yesterday, forcing a rubber game today. The Mets were close the entire game on Saturday, but they just couldn’t get hits to fall in a row, and deGrom uncharacteristically allowed several hits in a row giving the Mariners an early lead. He still had a good game yesterday as he was hurt by a bad throw from Walker and a misplayed relay throw.

Newly acquired reliever, AJ Ramos, did not make it to the Mets in time to be activated yesterday. However, he is expected to be available for today’s game.

Michael Conforto is hitting .313 (20-64) with five doubles, seven homers, 14 RBI and 12 runs scored since the All-Star break (16 games). He is eighth in the NL with a .398 on-base percentage, eighth with a .581 slugging percentage and sixth with a .980 OPS.

METS LINEUP

  1. Michael Conforto (L) LF
  2. Jose Reyes (S) SS
  3. Yoenis Cespedes (R) LF
  4. Jay Bruce (L) DH
  5. Wilmer Flores (R) 1B
  6. Neil Walker (S) 2B
  7. Curtis Granderson (L) CF
  8.  Travis d’Arnaud (R) C
  9.  Matt Reynolds (R) 3B

MARINERS LINEUP

  1. Ben Gamel (L) LF
  2. Jean Segura (R) SS
  3. Robinson Cano (L) 2B
  4. Nelson Cruz (R) DH
  5. Kyle Seager (L) 3B
  6. Danny Valencia (R) 1B
  7. Jarrod Dyson (L) CF
  8. Mike Zunino (R) C
  9. Leonys Martin (L) RF

Seth Lugo looks to send the Mets off to Denver happy today. He is 5-2 over 9 games and 8 starts over 52.2 innings with a 4.10 ERA, 4.25 FIP and 1.348 WHIP. In his last start against the Padres, Lugo was hurt by base runners. He allowed 8 hits over 6 innings which turned into 4 runs, but only 3 earned. Lugo has never faced the Mariners or anyone on the Mariners roster.

The Mets bats will get a look at James Paxton who is 10-3 over 17 starts and 101.1 innings with a 2.84 ERA, 2.43 FIP and 1.105 WHIP. His winning percentage is the best in the majors, which as a stat is rather silly because those numbers are not always in his control, his FIP and WHIP highlight his season. Another important note is his wild pitch count. He has already thrown 11 this year, more than he has in any other season. In his last two starts he has tossed 14.0 innings allowing 10 hits and a walk leading to only one run while striking out 17. The only member of the Mets who has seen him in a game is Jose Reyes who is 1-3 against him.

Let’s Go Mets!