Sunday, May 6, 2018• 1:10 p.m.
Citi Field • Flushing, N.Y.
LHP Kyle Freeland (1-4, 4.24) vs. RHP Noah Syndergaard (2-1, 3.10)
SNY• WOR 710 AM • 104.3 WAXQ-FM HD 2 • ESPN 1050

The Mets need some good news today in the worst way. On Friday, after a horrible first inning by Wheeler, the Mets almost came back, but fell short. Yesterday the Mets got one of the best starts of the season from Steven Matz, but the bats couldn’t string hits together and the Mets ended up scattering six hits and some walks but didn’t score at all, falling 2-0.

Mets Lineup

  1. Juan Lagares  CF
  2. Yoenis Cespedes  LF
  3. Asdrubal Cabrera  2B
  4. Todd Frazier  3B
  5. Wilmer Flores  1B
  6. Jay Bruce  RF
  7. Jose Lobaton  C
  8. Noah Syndergaard  P
  9. Amed Rosario  SS

Rockies Lineup

  1. Charlie Blackmon  CF
  2. David Dahl  RF
  3. Nolan Arenado  3B
  4. Gerardo Parra  LF
  5. Trevor Story  SS
  6. Ian Desmond  1B
  7. Daniel Castro  2B
  8. Tony Wolters  C
  9. Kyle Freeland  P

Today Noah Syndergaard looks to put the Mets back on track. He’s 2-1 over seven games and 40.2 innings with a 3.10 ERA, 2.30 FIP (which is close to his 2.29 mark which led the league in 2016), 1.131 WHIP and 124 ERA+. He’s coming off a not Thor-like start against the Braves where he allowed ten hits and a walk leading to three runs over six innings with only three K’s. The last time he faced the Rockies was the last game in July of 2016, where he allowed three runs (two earned), over six innings. The Rockies got six hits and two walks that day and struck out six times. It was also Mike Piazza bobblehead day. The Rockies have the following numbers against Syndergaard:

  • Desmond 2-7, BB, 4 K
  • Blackmon 1-5, 2B, BB
  • Gonzalez 1-6, 2B
  • LeMahieu 1-5, HR
  • Arenado 1-3, HR
  • Dahl 2-3, 2B
  • Parra 1-3

The Mets bats will try to wake up against Kyle Freeland today who is 1-4 over six games and 34.0 innings with a 4.24 ERA, 4.37 FIP, 1.265 WHIP and 108 ERA+. He faced the Mets in Queens last year where he pitched three innings of almost perfect, clean relief walking one batter and that’s it. The Mets have the following numbers against Freeland:

  • Frazier 0-2, BB
  • Gonzalez 2-2
  • Lobaton 0-2
  • Bruce 0-1
  • Cabera 0-1
  • Cespedes 0-1
  • Conforto 0-1
  • Reyes 0-1

 Game Notes

The Mets are one of three teams in the National League with three players with 20 or more RBI. Yoenis Cespedes has 26 while Todd Frazier and Asdrúbal Cabrera both have 20 RBI. The Rockies and the Braves are the other two clubs.

Yoenis Cespedes is fourth in the NL and tied for 10th in the majors with 26 RBI. He is tied for eighth in the NL with seven homers. Cespedes is hitting .290 (18-62) with a .338 OBP, three doubles, four home runs and 14 RBI in his last 16 games.

Juan Lagares is hitting .326 (14-43), the seventh-best mark in the NL (min. 40 at-bats). Lagares also has a .375 OBP. He is batting .355 (11-31) when he is in the starting lineup.

Jay Bruce is batting .313 (15-48) over his last 12 games dating to April 20. Bruce has hit safely in 20 of his last 23 games vs. the Rockies dating to August 17, 2014. Is hitting .340 (34-100) in that time with 10 doubles, two triples, eight homers, 23 RBI and 16 runs scored.

Among active pitchers with at least 60 career starts, Noah Syndergaard’s 2.91 ERA (131 earned runs/404.2 innings) trails only Clayton Kershaw‘s 2.37 career ERA and teammate Jacob deGrom‘s 2.91 ERA (by percentage points).

The Mets are 13-4 in their last 17 games when Syndergaard starts following a team loss. In those 17 starts, Syndergaard is 7-3 with a 2.35 ERA (28 earned runs/107.1 innings) with 129 strikeouts.

Let’s Go Mets!