Mandatory Credit: Andy Marlin-USA TODAY Sports

Saturday, September 11, 2021 • 7:45 P.M.
Citi Field • Flushing, NY
RHP Corey Kluber (4-3,  3.69) vs. RHP Taijuan Walker (7-9, 4.15)
FOX • WCBS 880 AM • WQBU 92.7 FM

The Mets and Yankees continue their series together tonight on the 20th anniversary of 9/11. The Mets will hold a remembrance ceremony before the game starts with members of the 2001 team in attendance and the Mets will also wear first responder hats (along with an altered white top) on the field.

The game tonight is important to both squads. For the Mets to have a chance at the playoffs, they need to sweep the Yankees this weekend. The Yankees are on a seven game slide and the Blue Jays are now only half a game back in the Wild Card race.

Last night the Mets won 10-3, and pretty much fired on all cylinders. Lindor hit his 14th homer of the season, the Mets had 11 hits overall, Megill looked excellent through 7 innings and the Mets decreased their run differential on the season to -3.

Mets Lineup

  1. Jonathan Villar – 3B
  2. Francisco Lindor – SS
  3. Michael Conforto – RF
  4. Pete Alonso – 1B
  5. Javier Baez – 2B
  6. Jeff McNeil – LF
  7. Kevin Pillar – CF
  8. James McCann – C
  9. Taijuan Walker – RHP

Yankees Lineup

  1. DJ LeMahieu – 2B
  2. Brett Gardner – CF
  3. Aaron Judge – RF
  4. Giancarlo Stanton – LF
  5. Anthony Rizzo – 1B
  6. Gleyber Torres – SS
  7. Gio Urshela – 3B
  8. Kylle Higashioka – C
  9. Corey Kluber – RHP

Taijuan Walker takes the mound for the Mets tonight. Over 26 starts and 138.2 innings with a 4.15 ERA, 4.32 FIP, 1.190 WHIP and a 96 ERA+. After a good start against the Giants where Walker held one of the best offenses in the league to three runs, two earned, over 6.0 innings, Walker struggled his last time out against the Nationals. He allowed six runs on six hits with three walks over 4.1 innings, allowing two homers. Home runs has been his weakness of late. He’s allowed 20 on the season and 14 of them since July 24th (6.39 ERA, 43.2 innings). Walker faced the Yankees at the start of July and allowed two runs from two hits and two walks over 5.2 innings. The Yankees have the following career numbers against him:

  • Tyler Wade 1-1, 2 BB
  • Giancarlo Stanton 3-7, 2B, HR, 2 K
  • Aaron Judge 1-5, HR, BB
  • Rougned Odor 6-13, HR, 2 K
  • Gio Urshela 1-3, 2B, K
  • Luke Voit 2-7, HR
  • DJ LeMahieu 6-23, 2B, 4 BB, 5 K
  • Joey Gallo 1-4, K
  • Gleyber Torres 0-2, 2 BB
  • Brett Gardner 1-7, K
  • Anthony Rizzo 0-7, BB, 2 K
  • Gary Sanchez 0-8, BB, 2 K

The Mets bats will get a look at Corey Kluber tonight. Kluber has made 12 starts and pitched 61.0 innings this year with a 3.69 ERA, 4.06 FIP, 1.279 WHIP and a 115 ERA+. He’s recently rejoined the rotation after missing significant time with a shoulder injury from the end of May to the end of July. Since returning, Kluber has allowed seven runs on nine hits over 7.2 innings. The Mets have the following career numbers against Kluber:

  • Michael Conforto 2-3, 2 2B
  • Kevin Pillar 2-8, 2B, HR, 3 K
  • Jonathan Villar 1-7, K
  • James McCann 0-17, 2 BB, 8 K

Let’s Go Mets!