Credit: Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports

Wednesday, May 3, 2023 • 1:40 PM
Comerica Park • Detroit, Michigan
LHP Joey Lucchesi (1-0, 2.19) vs. LHP Joey Wentz (0-3, 6.45)
SNY

The Mets look to build some momentum this week as they swing into Detroit for a three-game set. On Monday the Mets finally got to play baseball, splitting a doubleheader with the Braves. The Mets battled back multiple times in the first game but still fell short 9-8. In the second game they went up early, lost the lead, but rallied back and beat the Braves 5-3. The momentum from their win in the second game was supposed to carry directly into yesterday’s game but the weather had other plans and now the Mets play two today!

Mets Lineup

In two games this season, Joey Lucchesi has pitched 12 1/3 innings allowing three runs from nine hits and four walks while striking out 12 batters. After allowing no runs in his first start of the season, Lucchsi struggled a bit against the Washington Nationals last week, allowing three runs over 5 1/3 innings. There are only two batters in the Tigers lineup who have seen Lucchesi before. Former Met Javier Báez is a whopping 5-for-7 with two doubles and two homers. Austin Meadows is the other, but he just got transferred to the 60-day injured list.

Tigers Lineup

The Tigers are using the doubleheader to change pitching matchups, and, rather than sending Michael Lorenzen against Lucchesi, they’re sending out Joey Wentz. Maybe they just wanted a Joey vs Joey game. Anyway, Wentz has pitched 22 1/3 innings this season over five games with a 6.45 ERA, 4.53 FIP, 1.343 WHIP and a 67 ERA+. He’s coming off of an average start against the Orioles where he allowed two runs from four hits over 5 2/3 innings. There are no current Mets who have faced Joey Wentz in a major league game before.

Game Notes

Carlos Carrasco is set to make a rehab start either Friday or Saturday before re-joining the rotation next week, according to Buck Showalter. The Mets will still need a starter for Sunday’s matchup against the Rockies.

Thanks to the rainout on Tuesday, the Mets should have a fully-rested bullpen for Wednesday’s two-game set. They’ll also will have an extra arm available with José Butto being called up to be the double-header’s 27th man.

With Wednesday’s doubleheader, the Mets begin a stretch of 13 straight games against teams under .500 on the season. After three in Detroit, the Mets will face the Rockies for three at home before traveling to Cincinnati for three and Washington for a four-game set before they return home for three against the team with MLB’s best record, the Tampa Bay Rays.

Thanks to the rainout on Tuesday, the Mets should have a fully-rested bullpen for Wednesday’s two-game set. They’ll also will have an extra arm available with José Butto being called up to be the double-header’s 27th man.

Bartolo Colon will make his return to Citi Field on Sunday to throw out the first pitch before the Mets’ matchup with the Rockies. The return will come on the anniversary of Colon’s famous home run in San Diego in 2016.

Three Things To Watch For

  1. Another day, another comment about Brett Baty. Brett Baty is fully in a groove now. The rookie is now hitting .333/.381/.538 on the season and in his last seven games he’s hitting .409/.458/.773. He had three batted balls on Monday that were over 100 mph, bringing him to double digits for the season. We’ve been talking about how the Mets needed another player to step up in the offense. Monday, that player was Brett Baty.
  2. Four Homers in one day? The Mets have been desperate for the big hit and, on Monday, they got a handful. Pete Alonso, Brett Baty, Eduardo Escobar and Jeff McNeil all homered in the double-header. Comerica Park is notoriously a pitcher’s ballpark, but the Tigers made some changes before this season. The fence was moved in ten feet in centerfield. The wall from center to right was also lowered. Can the Mets ride this power wave, even into a (slightly less) pitcher-friendly park?
  3. Can the Mets take advantage of the Tigers’ recent struggles? From April 13th to 18th the Tigers went on a five-game winning streak. This brought them to only two games below .500. Since then the Tigers are 3-8. This is the time for the Mets to get on a bit of a run.

Let’s go Mets!