Monday, April 16, 2018 • 7:10 p.m.
Citi Field • Flushing, N.Y.
RHP Jeremy Hellickson (0-0, –) vs. RHP Jacob deGrom (2-0, 3.06)
SNY • WOR 710 AM • 104.3 WAXQ-FM HD 2 • ESPN 1050

For the first time in team history the Mets have won their first five series to open up the year and they start another big one tonight as the Nationals come to town. Yesterday, the Mets won behind a strong, albeit short, start from Noah Syndergaard and a walk-off homer from Wilmer Flores. The Mets swept the Nationals earlier in the season at Nationals Park, so we can assume they are going to come in angry and ready to play.

Mets Lineup

  1. Brandon Nimmo (L) RF
  2. Asdrubal Cabrera (S) 2B
  3. Michael Conforto (L) LF
  4. Todd Frazier (R) 3B
  5. Adrian Gonzalez (L) 1B
  6. Juan Lagares (R) CF
  7. Jose Lobaton (S) C
  8. Jacob deGrom (L) P
  9. Amed Rosario (R) SS

Nationals Lineup

will be updated upon release

The Mets will counter the energy that the Nationals come with by a start from Jacob deGrom who is 2-0 over three starts and 17.2 innings where he has allowed seven runs, six earned, over 17.2 innings with 18 K’s. Over his first three starts he has a 3.06 ERA, 2.78 FIP, 1.132 WHIP and 125 ERA+. His second start of the season was against the Nationals where he held them to two runs, one earned, over four hits and three walks in six innings of work. The Nationals have the following numbers against Jacob:

  • Harper 9-for-26, 2 2B, HR, 6 BB, 7 K
  • Rendon 2-for-21, 2B, 5 BB, 6 K
  • Kendrick 2-for-23, 3 K
  • Taylor 1-for-21, BB, 11 K
  • Zimmerman 5-for-19, 2 HR
  • Turner 5-for-18, 2B, HR, BB, ( K
  • Eaton 4-for-10, 2 2B

The Mets bats will see Jeremy Hellickson make his first start of the season. The long time Tampa Bay Ray found his way to Arizona in 2015, Philly in 2016 and last year he split time between Philly and Baltimore. In a quest to wear the uniform of all major mid-Atlantic cities, he now finds himself in DC. Last year he was 8-11 over 30 starts and 164.0 innings where he posted a 5.43 ERA, 5.77 FIP, 1.262 WHIP and 78 ERA+. He faced the Mets once last year where he allowed four runs off seven hits and two walks in 6.1 innings while striking out four. The Mets have the following numbers against Hellickson:

  • Reyes 12-for-33, 3 2B, HR, BB
  • Gonzalez 5-for-26, 2 2B, 3B, 2 HR, 4 BB
  • Cabera 9-for-23, 2 2B, HR, 2 BB
  • Cespedes 6-for-19, 3 HR
  • Bruce 1-for-14
  • Lobaton 1-for-11
  • Conforto 1-for-5, 2B
  • Lagers 2-for-5, HR
  • Nimmo 2-for-4, 2B (Who also had a tremendous day at the plate yesterday)
  • Flores 1-for-3, 2B

Notes

New York has won its first five series of the year for the first time in team history. The Mets opened the 2006 campaign winning their first four series.

Wilmer Flores slugged his third career walk-off homer yesterday. That is one shy of the franchise record held by Mike Piazza, Kevin McReynolds, Cleon Jones and Chris Jones. Flores has seven career walk-off RBI which is tied for third in team history with Ed Kranepool and Rusty Staub.

Todd Frazier has hit in five straight games (7-for-15, .467) and has reached base safely in eight consecutive games. Frazier has a .559 OBP over the last eight games with two homers, five RBI and six runs scored.

Let’s Go Mets!