MMO Game Thread: Padres vs Mets, 1:10 PM

Sunday, August 14, 2016 • 1:10 p.m.
Citi Field • Flushing, N.Y.
LHP Clayton Richard (0-1, 6.46) vs. LHP Steven Matz (8-8, 3.60)
PIX11 • WOR 710 AM • ESPN 1050 AM

If the Mets are going to make the playoffs, they need to go on a run. Last night was a good first step as they beat the Padres 3-2 in extra innings. Jacob deGrom had an excellent start and Gabriel Ynoa in his major league debut, picked up the win in relief.

The Mets snapped their season high-tying four-game losing streak with last night’s win. New York is 3-7 in its last 10 games and are 11-17 since the All Star break. The Mets are 30-30 at home this season, including going 4-13 in their last 17 games at Citi Field.

Following today’s game the Mets head out on the road for a three-city, 10-game road trip to Arizona, San Francisco and St. Louis…New York is 28-28 on the road this year.

Mets Lineup

Jose Reyes – SS
Ty Kelly – LF
Neil Walker – 2B
Jay Bruce – RF
Wilmer Flores – 1B
T.J. Rivera – 3B
Alejandro De Aza – CF
Rene Rivera – C
Steven Matz – LHP

Padres Lineup

T. Jankowski – CF
Wil Myers – 1B
Y. Solarte – 3B
Alex Dickerson – LF
Jabari Blash – RF
Alexei Ramirez – SS
Derek Norris – C
Ryan Schimpf – 2B
Clayton Richard – LHP

The Mets will turn to Matz today who is 8-8 on the season over 21 starts and 125.0 innings with a 3.60 ERA. After a torrid start against the Yankees to start off August, he bounced back in his last start allowing 2 ER over 6.0 innings against the Diamondbacks while striking out 9 batters. It was his third in his last four starts where he allowed 2 runs or less while pitching 6.0 innings. He missed the Padres earlier this season and this afternoon will be his first time facing them in his career. The only two Padres who have seen him in a major league game are Bethancourt (0-2) and pitcher Cosart (0-1).

The Mets bats will get a look at Clayton Richard. Richard started his career off with the White Sox before being traded to the Padres for Jake Peavy. He stayed with the Padres until 2013 when he was granted Free Agency, bounced around in the Pirates and Diamondbacks systems in 2015, became a Cub in 2015, released and picked up again by the Padres. Overall this year he has pitched in 27 games, no starts, and 15.1 innings with a 6.46 ERA. The Mets have the following numbers on Richard: