Saturday, August 26, 2017 • 4:05 p.m.
Nationals Park • Washington, D.C.
RHP Robert Gsellman (5-5, 5.65) vs. LHP Gio Gonzalez (12-5, 2.39)
SNY • FS1 • WOR 710 AM • 104.3 WAXQ-FM HD 2 • ESPN 1050 AM
The Mets beat the Nationals last night! New York looks to at the very least split the series today, assuming they lose both games on Sunday. For a second straight game yesterday the Mets lost a key player of their offense early to injury, this time it was Yoenis Cespedes. The Mets rode out a stellar start by Jacob deGrom. This afternoon Robert Gsellman will look to feed off that magic as he faces Gio Gonzalez.
METS LINEUP
- Jose Reyes – 2B
- Juan Lagares – CF
- Asdrubal Cabrera – 3B
- Wilmer Flores – 1B
- Amed Rosario – SS
- Kevin Plawecki – C
- Travis Taijeron – RF
- Brandon Nimmo – LF
- Robert Gsellman – RHP
NATIONALS LINEUP
- Howie Kendrick – LF
- Wilmer Difo – SS
- Anthony Rendon – 3B
- Adam Lind – 1B
- Matt Wieters – C
- Michael A. Taylor – CF
- Andrew Stevenson – RF
- Adrian Sanchez – 2B
- Gio Gonzalez – LHP
Gsellman is 5-5 over 19 games (16 started) and 87.2 innings with a 5.65 ERA, 5.02 FIP and 1.551 WHIP. Gsellman is coming off his best start since June 10. Last time out he held the Diamondbacks to one run on five hits and a walk in 6.1 innings of work. His last start against the Nationals was pretty terrible as he allowed seven runs on 11 hits and two walks in five innings. The Nationals have the following numbers against Robert:
- Murphy 5-for-8, 3B
- Rendon 3-for-7, 2 2B
- Zimmerman 4-for-7, BB
- Taylor 1-for-3, HR
- Wieters 1-for-3, 2B
The Mets bats draw Gio Gonzalez in the midst of his best season (by ERA) of his career. He is 12-5 over 25 starts and 162.0 innings with a 2.39 ERA, 3.80 FIP and 1.117 WHIP. It’s actually amazing that his FIP is higher than it has been since his third season pitching yet his ERA is so low. In his last four starts he has allowed two runs, (one earned) over 27.2 innings with 15 hits and seven walks while striking out 23. His ERA is a 0.33 and opponents are getting on base at a .229 clip. He is at his best right now. He has also been successful against the Mets this year allowing three runs over 13.1 innings from only seven hits and three walks. The Mets have the following numbers against him:
- Lagares 15-for-40, 3 2B, 3B, HR, BB
- Cabrera 7-for-29, BB
- Flores 2-for-20, 2 BB
- d’Arnaud 3-for-16, 3 2B, BB
- Plawecki 0-for-5
- Gsellman 0-for-1
NOTES:
Since August 11, Rosario is batting .296 (16-for-54) with one double, one triple, three homers, six RBI and five runs scored. Rosario is the sixth-youngest player in the majors.
Mets relievers have allowed four earned runs over their last 31.0 innings (1.16 ERA) over their last nine games. Since August 8, the Mets bullpen has posted a 1.83 ERA (12 earned runs/59.0 innings). The pen ranks fifth in the majors with a 2.76 ERA this month.
David Wright played 5.0 innings at third base last night for St. Lucie (A) at Palm Beach. He went 1-for-3 with a single. Wright had one assist, one putout and one error (fielding) in the field. He has been on the DL since the beginning of the year with cervical disc herniation.
Let’s Go Mets!
