Friday, September 14, 2018 • 7:10 p.m.
Fenway Park • Boston, MA
RHP Noah Syndergaard (11-3, 3.44) vs. RHP William Cuevas (0-0, 3.68)
SNY • MLBN • WOR 710 AM • 104.3 WAXQ-FM HD 2 • ESPN 1050 AM

I’m not 100% where to start with yesterday because a lot happened. The Mets held a press conference with David Wright announcing that he would suit up at Citi Field on 9/29 for the final time. Then the Mets had to play two games and won both! Matz was average but the bullpen was able to keep it together behind him, and the team got bailed out by some back to back power. Then in the night cap, Vargas was good again and Nido provided the power. In what seemed like a pipe dream, then a far reaching dream, is now possible: Conforto only has 5 homers left to get to 30 before the end of the season.

Mets Lineup

  1. Amed Rosario – SS
  2. Jeff McNeil – 2B
  3. Michael Conforto – LF
  4. Jay Bruce – 1B
  5. Todd Frazier – 3B
  6. Brandon Nimmo – RF
  7. Dominic Smith – DH
  8. Austin Jackson – CF
  9. Tomas Nido – C

Red Sox Lineup

  1. Mookie Betts – RF
  2. Andrew Benintendi – LF
  3. Mitch Moreland – 1B
  4. J.D. Martinez – DH
  5. Xander Bogaerts – SS
  6. Rafael Devers – 3B
  7. Ian Kinsler – 2B
  8. Jackie Bradley Jr. – CF
  9. Blake Swihart – C

Noah Syndergaard takes the mound after his outing ended abruptly when he got hit by a come backer. He is 11-3 over 21 starts and 128.1 innings with a 3.44 ERA, 2.70 FIP, 1.278 WHIP, and a 107 ERA+. In his last start he allowed 4 runs over 6.2 innings and it was the second start in his last three where he allowed 4 runs (also his 3rd in his last 5). Noah Syndergaard has the following numbers against the Red Sox:

  • Phillips 4-12
  • Betts 0-3, K
  • Bogaerts 2-3
  • Holt 1-3
  • Kinsler 2-3
  • Martinez 2-3, 2B
  • Nunez 1-3
  • Swihart 1-3
  • Bradley Jr. 1-1, 2B

The Mets were originally scheduled to get a look at Hector Velazquez who is in his second season with the Red Sox. However, he has been scratchjed because of illness and will instead face righty William Cuevas. This will be his first major league start.

Game Notes

New York is 35-36 on the road this year.  The Mets rank fourth in the majors with a .333 road on-base percentage, sixth with 360 runs scored and sixth in the majors with a .760 OPS on the road.

Jeff McNeil has hit safely in 23 of his last 25 starts. His .335 (54-161) batting average since his debut on July 24 is fifth in the majors (min. 160 PA)…Has 54 hits through his first 48 career games with the Mets. Only José Reyes (56), Alex Ochoa (56) and David Wright (55) had more. McNeil has five triples since August 18, the most in the majors.

Conforto has back-to-back seasons of 25 or more home runs prior to turning 26. Only Darryl Strawberry (five years of 25 or more homers before turning 26) and David Wright (four years of 25 or more homers before turning 26) had more.

Let’s Go Mets!