Sunday, September 30, 2018 • 3:10 p.m.
Citi Field • Flushing, N.Y.
RHP Sandy Alcantara (2-2, 4.00) vs. RHP Noah Syndergaard (12-4, 3.22)
SNY • WOR 710 AM • 104.3 WAXQ-FM HD 2 • ESPN 1050 AM

One last game for 2018.

We all knew last night was going to be emotional, but being prepared for it didn’t matter. One of the greatest players ever to suit up for the Mets worked his way back and it was perfect. David Wright, you’re the best. Thank you for everything. Also, sorry the Mets bats are so inept that you had to wait 13 innings to address the fans.

Mets Lineup

  1. Jose Reyes  SS
  2. Jeff McNeil  2B
  3. Michael Conforto  RF
  4. Jay Bruce  1B
  5. Todd Frazier  3B
  6. Dominic Smith  LF
  7. Austin Jackson  CF
  8. Tomas Nido  C
  9. Noah Syndergaard  P

Marlins Lineup

  1. JT Riddle  SS
  2. Starlin Castro  2B
  3. Derek Dietrich  3B
  4. Peter O’Brien  1B
  5. Lewis Brinson  CF
  6. Isaac Galloway  LF
  7. Chad Wallach  C
  8. Sandy Alcantara  P
  9. Magneuris Sierra  RF

The Mets going 13 last night may make today look a little different. Sometimes there’s a mentality, not all the time, to get a lot of pitchers in the game to close out the season. We’ll see what happens today. Syndergaard is starting the last game for a second year in a row (although last time it was more of a rehab start). He is 12-4 over 24 games and 145.1 innings with a 3.22 ERA, 2.87 FIP, 1.252 WHIP and a 114 ERA+. He tossed 6 scoreless innings his last time out holding the Braves to three hits (the bullpen collapsed behind him). It was his second time in three starts he held opponents scoreless and three amazing starts in his last five. If that pattern holds, today should be rough, let’s hope it doesn’t hold. He is 2-0 in as many starts against the Marlins this year allowing five runs, four earned over 13 innings. The Marlins have the following numbers against him:

  • Dietrich 6-for-18, 2 2B
  • Castro 3-for-11, 2B, BB
  • Rojas 4-for-11
  • Realmuto 1-for-9
  • Anderson 2-for-7, 2B
  • Holaday 2-for-4, BB
  • Lee 1-for-3

The Mets bats draw Sandy Alcantara again who is 2-2 over his first five starts as a Marlin pitching 27 innings posting a 4.00 ERA, 5.68 FIP, 1.556 WHIP and a 91 ERA+. Two of his first three starts were against the Mets and they were good allowing three runs total over 12 innings. Since then he has pitched eight innings over two starts against the Nationals allowing nine runs. The Mets have the following numbers against Sandy:

  • Nimmo 1-for-5, 2B, BB
  • Conforto 0-for-5
  • Flores 0-for-4, BB
  • Frazier 1-for-4
  • Bruce 0-for-3
  • Jackson 0-for-3
  • Plawecki 0-for-1
  • Mesoraco 1-for-2, 2B

Game Notes

Met’s starting pitchers are 10-4 with a 2.50 ERA (44 earned runs/158.2 innings), the lowest ERA in the majors this month.

Noah Syndergaard is 10-3 in his last 16 starts. He is 3-1 with a 2.20 ERA (eight earned runs/32.2 innings) and 32 strikeouts in September. He is 7-1 in 12 starts at Citi Field this year.

The Mets are 17-10 this month, the seventh-best winning percentage (.630) in the majors. The pitching staff has a 3.26 ERA this month, the third-lowest in the majors.

Michael Conforto has 17 homers (tied for the seventh-most in the majors) and 52 RBI (fourth in the majors) since the All-Star break. He is third in the majors with 43 RBI since August 1 and tied for sixth in homers (14) during that span. Conforto has 82 RBI, extending his career-high (had 68 RBI last season). He also has a career-high 28 homers (one more than last year).

Amed Rosario has 72 hits since the All-Star break, tied for the 11th-most in the NL. Rosario is tied for fifth in the NL with 32 hits in September. Overall, ranks as tied for seventh in the NL with 24 stolen bases. He is tied for fourth in the NL with eight triples.

Let’s Go Mets!