Saturday, July 1, 2017 • 4:10 p.m.
Citi Field • Flushing, N.Y.
RHP Jeremy Hellickson (5-5, 4.40) vs. RHP Zack Wheeler (3-5, 5.29)
SNY • WOR 710 AM • 104.3 WAXQ-FM HD 2 • ESPN 1050 AM

The Mets took the series opener last night against Philly and have now won six of its last seven games.

Jacob deGrom had his fourth strong start in a row on Friday night and the bullpen shut the door behind him.

The Mets are 6-4 in their last 10 games and are 18-23 at home. New York is 10-11 in one-run games after last night’s 2-1 win, 5-5 in such games at home. The Mets are 8-12 in day games, including 3-8 at home.

METS LINEUP

  1. Curtis Granderson – CF
  2. Asdrubal Cabrera – 2B
  3. Yoenis Cespedes – LF
  4. Jay Bruce – RF
  5. Lucas Duda – 1B
  6. T.J. Rivera – 3B
  7. Jose Reyes – SS
  8. Travis d’Arnaud – C
  9. Zack Wheeler – RHP

PHILLIES LINEUP

  1. Odubel Herrera – CF
  2. Freddy Galvis – SS
  3. Aaron Altherr – RF
  4. Tommy Joseph – 1B
  5. Nick Williams – LF
  6. Maikel Franco – 3B
  7. Ty Kelly – 2B
  8. Cameron Rupp – C
  9. Jeremy Hellickson – RHP

Zack Wheeler will return from the disabled list Saturday afternoon. On the season, the right-hander is 3-5 over 13 games and 66 1/3 innings with a 5.29 ERA, 4.86 FIP and 1.538 WHIP.

He had two very poor starts in a row where he allowed 15 runs over 3 2/3 innings and looked like he just needed a pause on the season. He faced the Phillies all the way back in April. His first time against them he allowed three runs over 5 2/3 innings. Then he allowed one run in five innings. The Phillies have the following numbers against Zack:

  • Herrera 1-for-4, HR, 2 BB
  • Franco 0-for-4, BB
  • Galvis 0-for-4
  • Joseph 1-for-4, 2B
  • Rupp 0-for-4
  • Blanco 1-for-2, BB

The Mets bats will get a look at Jeremy Hellickson tonight who is 5-5 over 16 games and 90 innings with a 4.40 ERA, 5.48 FIP and 1.256 WHIP.

Hellickson is coming off back to back strong starts where he allowed two runs over 13 innings. This will be his first start against the Mets this year.

Last year he was 1-3 over 5 starts and 24 1/3 innings against the Mets allowing a whopping 34 hits with eight walks, leading to 21 runs.

The Mets have the following numbers against Jeremy:

  • Granderson 6-for-30, 2 2B, HR, 2 BB
  • Reyes 10-for-30, 2B, HR, BB
  • Cabrera 8-for-20, 2B, HR, 2 BB
  • Cespedes 6-for-16, 3 HR, 3 BB (1.411 OPS)
  • Duda 5-for-11, 3 2B, HR, BB (1.462 OPS)
  • Bruce 1-for-8
  • Conforto 1-for-5, 2B, 2 BB
  • d’Arnaud 2-for-7, 2 2B
  • Flores 1-for3, 2B

NOTES:

The Mets have won 15 of their last 18 series vs. the Phillies. New York is 31-14 vs. Philadelphia since the start of the 2015 campaign. The Mets are 19-8 vs. the Phillies at Citi Field since July 30, 2014. New York has out-homered the Phillies, 82-36 since the start of the 2015 season. The Mets have out homered Philadelphia 35-18 over the last three years at home.

The Mets hit 50 home runs in June, the most the club has ever hit in any calendar month. The previous mark for any month was 45 home runs set in August, 2015 and matched in August, 2016. The previous club record for home runs in June was 40, established in 2006. Prior to the Mets, the last National League team to hit 50 or more home runs in a calendar month was the Atlanta Braves in July, 2006 when they hit exactly 50. The Dodgers finished with 53 homers in June. Curtis Granderson and Jay Bruce were tied for fifth in the NL with eight home runs in June.

Granderson has hit in nine straight games, his longest hitting streak as a member of the Mets and longest since April 14-25, 2011. The last longer streak by Granderson was a 14- game hitting streak from July 21-August 5, 2008. He is 14-for-37 (.378) with 12 runs scored, three doubles, five homers and 10 RBI during this current streak.

The Mets have scored a run in the first inning in seven of their last nine games. The Mets have scored 59 first inning runs, tied for the third-most in the majors.

Yoenis Cespedes is hitting .323 (21-for-65) with four doubles, three home runs and nine RBI in 18 games since returning from the DL on June 10. Céspedes has 12 homers and 29 RBI in 31 career games vs. the Phillies. He has three homers and six RBI in 16 career at-bats vs. Jeremy Hellickson.

Over his last 14 games, T.J. Rivera is batting .340 (17-for-50) with three doubles, four runs scored and four RBI.

Asdrubal Cabrera has a .455 on-base percentage and a .379 (11-for-29) batting average with two doubles, a homer, and four walks since returning from the Disabled List on June 23.

Let’s Go Mets!