Tuesday, August 7, 2018 • 7:10 p.m.
Citi Field • Flushing, N.Y.
RHP Sal Romano (6-9, 5.12) vs. LHP Jason Vargas (2-7, 8.23)
SNY • WOR 710 AM • 104.3 WAXQ-FM HD 2 • ESPN 1050
The Mets look to make it two in a row tonight against the Reds! If you forget about the seventh inning last night, the Mets looked great building six runs mostly from hit after hit after and then later two solo shots from Plawecki and McNeil. Syndergaard shut the Reds down for six innings allowing no runs but the wheels came off in the seventh as he allowed a run and left with the bases loaded (and all of those runners eventually scored) but the Mets didn’t lose the game completely and now look to Vargas to keep it going.
Mets Lineup
- Amed Rosario (R) SS
- Jeff McNeil (L) 2B
- Wilmer Flores (R) 1B
- Michael Conforto (L) LF
- Todd Frazier (R) 3B
- Brandon Nimmo (L) CF
- Jose Bautista (R) RF
- Kevin Plawecki (R) C
- Jason Vargas (L) P
Reds Lineup
- Jose Peraza (R) SS
- Brandon Dixon (R) 1B
- Scooter Gennett (L) 2B
- Eugenio Suarez (R) 3B
- Phillip Ervin (R) LF
- Tucker Barnhart (S) C
- Mason Williams (L) RF
- Sal Romano (L) P
- Billy Hamilton (S) CF
Jason Vargas is 2-7 over 11 games and 47.0 innings with a 8.23 ERA, 6.16 FIP, 1.787 WHIP and 46 ERA+. His first start back from the DL was bad but wasn’t 2018 bad for Vargas as he allowed four runs over five innings against the Braves and tied a season high for strikeouts at seven. He actually lowered his ERA with that outing. In May he allowed four runs over four innings from six hits and two walks. The Reds have the following numbers against Vargas:
- Suarez 3-for-6, 2B
- Peraza 1-for-3
- Barnhart 2-for-2, 3B
- Castillo 0-for-2
- Gennett 0-for-2
- Hamilton 0-for-2
- Votto 0-for-0, BB, HBP
The Mets will send Sal Romano out to the mound tonight. He is 6-9 over 23 games and 21 starts over 116.0 innings with a 5.12 ERA, 5.24 FIP, 1.422 WHIP, 81 ERA+. He’s coming off a rough start in Detroit where he allowed four runs over 5.1 innings off eight hits. Earlier this season he allowed only one run against the Mets in six innings. The Mets have the following numbers against Sal:
- Nimmo 2-for-8, 3B
- Rosario 2-for-7
- Flores 0-for-6, 2 K
- Bruce 0-for-3
- Mesoraco 0-for-3
- Conforto 1-for-2, 2B
- Jackson 0-for-1, BB
Notes
Mets relievers have posted a 1.23 ERA (two earned runs/14.2 innings) with two saves and 12 strikeouts this month. Overall, New York ranks 26th in the majors with a 4.93 bullpen ERA.
Brandon Nimmo will be presented with his 2018 Heart & Hustle Award prior to tonight’s game. The Award is given out annually by the Major League Baseball Players Alumni Association to a player who not only excels on the field, but also best embodies the values, spirits and traditions of baseball. The Heart and Hustle Award is the only MLB award voted on by former players. Former players from each of the 30 clubs select one player from each team. The final winner will be announced on November 8, 2018 at the 19th Annual Legends for Youth Dinner in New York City.
The Mets are 10th in the majors with 385 walks. Michael Conforto is 10th in the NL with 58 walks.
Austin Jackson has gone 11-for-26 (.423) with two homers and five RBI since joining the Mets on July 27 with a .483 OBP and a .654 slugging percentage (nine games). Jackson has reached base safely in seven of those nine games.
Jeff McNeil is eight-for-his-last-12 (.667) with two doubles, one homer and two RBI. McNeil is hitting .364 (12-for-33) with a .462 on-base percentage and a .606 slugging percentage in his first 12 major league games. He has two homers in his last four games and is the 11th player in team history to have three or more hits in two or more games within the first 12 games of his career. At the time of his promotion, McNeil’s 1.028 OPS was the fifth highest among all full-season minor league players while his .617 slugging percentage was third-best among full-season minor leaguers. His 71 RBI were the 15th-most in the minors.
Let’s Go Mets!
