Wednesday, September 2, 2020 • 4:05 p.m.
Oriole Park at Camden Yards • Baltimore, MD
RHP Michael Wacha (1-2, 7.41) vs. LHP John Means (0-2, 8.59)
SNY • WCBS 880 AM • WQBU 92.7 FM
Last night wasn’t great.
The Mets scored five runs, which should be enough to win the ball game, but struggled with pitching between Ariel Jurado’s Mets debut and Franklyn Kilome’s relief outing. The good news: Jurado and Kilome ate up a combined seven innings, so Jared Hughes was the only bullpen regular that had to pitch, giving most of the team the day off.
Now the Mets will try to rebound as they are six games under .500. This article is being written at 6:00 AM, I’m sure the Mets roster is going to look completely different by game time as they still have to make roster moves for all their “buzzer beater” trade deals.
Mets Lineup
- Jeff McNeil – LF
- J.D. Davis – DH
- Michael Conforto – RF
- Todd Frazier – 3B
- Robinson Cano – 2B
- Pete Alonso – 1B
- Wilson Ramos – C
- Jake Marisnick – CF
- Amed Rosario – SS
Orioles Lineup
- Cedric Mullins – CF
- Anthony Santander – RF
- Jose Iglesias – DH
- Renato Nunez – 1B
- Pedro Severino – C
- Ryan Mountcastle – LF
- Rio Ruiz – 3B
- Pat Valaika – 2B
- Andrew Velazquez – SS
Michael Wacha tries to get back on the right track tonight. In four starts and 17 innings pitched, Wacha has a 7.41 ERA, 4.49 FIP, 1.765 WHIP and 58 ERA+. In his first start back off the injured list, Wacha allowed four runs over three innings off of 6 hits including a homer. It was a game the Mets eventually bailed him out of and one of the few bright spots in the last seven days of Mets baseball.
Since his first start of the season, Wacha has allowed 13 runs in 12 innings.
John Means is looking to make like J.A. Happ tonight. As a quick refresher, Happ was struggling this season until the start he made before the Mets, which was pretty good, then he started against the Mets and was excellent. Means is in a similar position.
On the season, over five starts and 14 2/3 innings, he has a 8.59 ERA, 7.97 FIP, 1.295 WHIP and 54 ERA+. Homers have hurt him – he’s giving up 3.7 per nine innings, his career numbers are 1.6.
In his last start he took some steps forward, allowing two runs over four innings (although both runs were solo homers). Complicating his homer numbers – four of his five starts have been in hitter-friendly Camden Yards. His last start was in Buffalo.
Game Notes
To make room for Todd Frazier, Robinson Chirinos and Miguel Castro on the active roster, the Mets optioned pitchers Ariel Jurado and Franklyn Kilome to the alternate site, along with catcher Ali Sanchez.
Castro, who was just traded to the Mets from Baltimore, will be available out of the bullpen against his former club.
This year, Frazier is hitting .343/.425/.514, with a home run and three doubles in his 35 at-bats against left-handed pitching.
The Mets announced that Robert Gsellman will start Thursday’s game against the New York Yankees. Rookie David Peterson will be available to pitch out of the bullpen.
Let’s Go Mets!
