Sunday, August 9, 2020 • 1:10 p.m.

Citi Field • Flushing, NY

RHP Pablo López (1-0, 0.00) vs. RHP Jacob deGrom (1-0, 2.12 ERA)

SNY • WCBS 880 AM • WQBU 92.7 FM

The Mets have a chance to take a series win today!

After a lackluster Friday night, the Mets bounced back behind rookie David Peterson last night and the homers of J.D. Davis, Pete Alonso, and Michael Conforto last night!

For Pete Alonso, there are signs that he’s finally shaking off the slump he was in to start the year. For Michael Conforto, his third homer this year and all three have come against lefties, there are even more reasons to believe that he is the answer to all of life’s questions (that Jacob deGrom isn’t already the answer too).

Mets Lineup

  1. Brandon Nimmo – CF
  2. Jeff McNeil – LF
  3. Pete Alonso – 1B
  4. Michael Conforto – RF
  5. J.D. Davis – 3B
  6. Dom Smith – DH
  7. Amed Rosario – SS
  8. Andrés Giménez – 2B
  9. Tomás Nido – C

Marlins Lineup

  1. Jonathan Villar – DH
  2. Jon Berti – SS
  3. Corey Dickerson – LF
  4. Jesús Aguilar – 1B
  5. Brian Anderson – 3B
  6. Matt Joyce – RF
  7. Ryan Lavarnway – C
  8. Eddy Alvarez – 2B
  9. Monte Harrison – CF

Speaking of Jacob deGrom, he starts for the Mets today!

In his first three starts of the year, deGrom has allowed four runs over 17.0 innings from nine hits and three walks while striking out 22. He has a 2.12 ERA, 1.67 FIP, 0.706 WHIP, and 188 ERA+. Jacob made an astounding six starts against the Marlins last season pitching 38.0 innings against them. He allowed 11 runs, 10 earned (2.37 ERA) from 30 hits and seven walks and struck out 46 fish.

The Marlins have the following numbers against him:

Pablo López will become the first Marlins pitcher to make his second start of the season today. That’s how ridiculous this whole situation has been.

His first start of the season was earlier in the week against the Orioles where he shut them out for 5.0 innings, allowing only two hits and no walks while striking out seven. Last season he made 21 starts and pitched 111.1 innings allowing 111 hits with a 5.09 ERA, 4.28 FIP, 1.240 WHIP, and 83 ERA+. In two starts against the Mets last year he allowed 10 runs over 10.0 innings from 11 hits and three homers while striking out 10.

The Mets have the following numbers against him:

  • Jeff McNeil 3-4, 2B, HR, BB
  • Michael Conforto 3-5, HR, K
  • J.D. Davis 2-3
  • Amed Rosario 2-6, HR, BB, 2 K
  • Brian Dozier 1-6, BB
  • Wilson Ramos 1-5, 2 K
  • Pete Alonso 0-4, BB
  • Brandon Nimmo 0-6, BB, 2 K

Game Notes

Among all major league pitchers with at least 50 career starts in day games, Jacob deGrom’s 1.81 ERA in day starts is by far the lowest all-time. The next-best daytime ERA belongs to Eddie Cicotte (2.22). Clayton Kershaw is the next-closest active player (2.40 lifetime ERA in day games). In 27 career day games at Citi Field, he’s 10-7 with a 1.71 ERA (32 earned runs/168.2 innings), 50 walks and 205 strikeouts.

J.D. Davis is on a career-high 12-game hitting streak. He is batting .366 (15-41) with seven runs, a double, three home runs, 11 RBI, five walks, a .438 OBP and a .610 SLG in that span. It is tied for the second longest active streak in the majors. Davis ranked 10th in the NL with a 136 wRC+ (weighted runs created plus) and was 17th in the NL with a .373 wOBA (weighted on-base average) last season.

The Mets bullpen has allowed just two runs in the last five games. They own a 1.00 ERA (two earned runs/18.0 innings) with 11 walks and 23 strikeouts in that span. Overall, the team ranks 23rd in the majors and 10th in the NL with a 4.89 (31 earned runs/57.0 innings) bullpen ERA after 15 games. Last year, the Mets pen ranked 26th in the majors with a 4.99 ERA.

Let’s Go Mets!