Kodai Senga. Photo by Ed Delany of Metsmerized

Wednesday, April 26, 2023 • 7:10 PM
Citi Field • Flushing, New York
LHP MacKenzie Gore (2-1, 3.43) vs. RHP Kodai Senga (3-0, 4.29)
SNY

The Mets will try to snap a three-game losing streak tonight as they take on the Nationals for game two of the series. Last night the Mets looked flat and un-Mets-like, losing to the Nats 5-0. They were swinging at pitches way out of the zone, not working counts, and made several defensive mistakes (like big mistakes) in the field. The whole night felt off.

Hopefully, the Mets got a full night of sleep and are fully adjusted to being back home so they can get back on the winning path today against MacKenzie Gore, Dominic Smith, and the Nats.

Mets Lineup

Kodai Senga makes his fifth start tonight. The hope is that the extra rest he got with the off day brings back the Senga we saw over his first two starts. Over his four starts and 21 innings this season, Senga has a 4.29 ERA, 6.04 FIP, 1.524 WHIP and a 97 ERA+. In his last two starts he has allowed eight runs over 9 2/3 innings from 12 hits and eight walks while striking out 11 batters. Further, the home run ball has been hitting him a bit more recently as he has allowed five in his previous three starts, with two per game in his last two.

Nationals Lineup

The Mets’ bats will go from one highly touted young pitcher in Josiah Gray to another in MacKenzie Gore. In four starts and 21 innings this season, Gore has a 3.43 ERA, 4.18 FIP, 1.381 WHIP and a 121 ERA+. His last two starts were a bit rougher than his first two, allowing five runs from seven hits and five walks over 9 2/3 innings (4.66 ERA). Gore did not face the Mets last season, and the only Met who has seen him in a major league game is Tommy Pham who is 2-for-5 with three strikeouts against him.

Game Notes

The Mets have lost three games in a row for the second time this season (they were previously swept by the Brewers). They did not lose three games in a row in 2022 until the end of June.

José Quintana is set to have a six-week follow-up appointment with doctors on Friday, according to MLB.com’s Anthony DiComo. He’s hoping to be cleared to begin throwing for the first time since March.

Justin Verlander is set to have a rehab start on Friday, but it has not yet been announced where he will be making that start.

Jeff McNeil is back at second base for the Mets on Wednesday night. He had made five of his last six starts as an outfielder.

Three Things To Watch For

  1. How do the Mets look out of the gate? It was apparent in the bottom of the first inning that something looked off about the Mets yesterday. Brandon Nimmo, who usually works a long first at bat, struck out swinging. Starling Marte and Francisco Lindor quickly followed. The Mets added two more strikeouts in the bottom of the second. By the end of the game they struck out a combined 13 times. I personally will feel a giant wave of relief in the bottom of the first today if the Mets are able to work counts and make Gore toss a few extra pitches.
  2. Let the kids play! Brett Baty is 5-for-16 in his last four games with a double (.313/.313/.375). Francisco Álvarez is 4-for-15 in his last four games with a homer (.267/.267/.467). These aren’t batting lines that are going to blow anyone away however there have been signs over the last four games they each played that both players are starting to turn a corner. However, Buck Showalter has taken them both out of Thursday’s lineup in favor of veterans off to slow starts in Eduardo Escobar and Tomás Nido.
  3. The Mets are no longer HBP leaders! For the first time in what feels like forever, the Mets are no longer hit by pitch leaders. The Mets are tied with the Rays with 17 plunks. Both teams trail the Angels who have been hit 18 times. This is not a category the Mets want to lead in, although their roster is constructed to get hit with a lot of pitches and maximize getting on base.

Let’s go Mets!