The New York Mets (61-73) are preparing to face off against the Seattle Mariners (76-57), who are coming off a historic month of August. While both teams push towards different goals, these next four weeks will be critical for each organization. With the rosters expanding, the Mets will get their first chance to see Ronny Mauricio at the big-league level. Brett Baty will also be returning from Triple-A Syracuse after being optioned back on Aug. 7. Conversely, the Mariners are tied with the Houston Astros for the top spot in the AL West. Seattle last won the division in 2001, so a good September may help them end that streak. Here are some important notes to look for in each of the three pitching matchups.

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Friday, September 1, 2023: RHP Logan Gilbert (12-5, 3.66 ERA) vs. RHP Kodai Senga (10-7, 3.17)

Logan Gilbert has developed into one of the best young starters in all of baseball since he made his big league debut in 2021, owning an impressive 3.74 ERA through 460 innings in his career. The right-hander is known for his ability to provide length each and every time he takes the mound. He ranks 20th in innings pitched among all starters going into this weekend. Gilbert had a fantastic month of August, going 3-0 with a 2.97 ERA in 30 1/3 innings. He will look to continue his strong campaign, particularly on the road, where he is 8-1 with a 3.47 ERA in 14 starts. Friday’s outing will be Gilbert’s first against the Mets all-time.

The Mets fanbase is running out of superlatives to describe what Kodai Senga has accomplished in his first major league season. His 3.17 ERA ranks third among qualified starters in the National League, only trailing Justin Steele (2.69 ERA) of the Chicago Cubs and Blake Snell (2.60 ERA) of the San Diego Padres. With the team out of the playoff race, the expectation is that Senga’s innings will be monitored over the final month of the season. The rookie right-hander threw 162 innings for the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks last season, so he is approaching that number (136 1/3 innings) as September begins. Senga has fantastic numbers at Citi Field, going 5-3 with a 2.64 ERA in 13 starts at home.

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Saturday, September 2, 2023: RHP Luis Castillo (11-7, 3.01 ERA) vs. David Peterson (3-7, 5.23 ERA)

Luis Castillo has delivered ever since the Mariners acquired him at the 2022 trade deadline, owning a 15-9 record with a 3.06 ERA  in 229 2/3 innings. The three-time All-Star is having a season that has gone a bit unnoticed, but he should be close to the top in AL Cy Young voting. Like so many in the Mariners rotation, August was a very successful stretch for Castillo. The right-hander won four of his five starts, pitching to a 3.55 ERA in 33 innings. Castillo will be making his fourth career start against the Mets, going 1-1 with a 3.26 ERA in 19 1/3 innings. He last pitched against them as a member of the Cincinnati Reds back in 2019.

Right before the game on Friday, the Mets announced that David Peterson will make the start on Saturday.

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Sunday, September 3, 2023: RHP Bryan Woo (2-3, 4.15 ERA) vs. RHP Tylor Megill (7-7, 5.29 ERA)

Bryan Woo has gone through some ups and downs in his rookie season, but his progress in recent weeks could earn him a spot on the postseason roster next month. The right-hander had two quality starts in the month of August, going 1-0 with a 1.69 ERA in 16 innings. Woo did not surrender a home run during that stretch, which plagued him earlier this season. He has better numbers on the road (1-1, 3.92 ERA), which will be tested on Sunday’s series finale. Woo is averaging 8.3 SO/9 on the road, down from his 11.1 SO/9 at home.

Tylor Megill has not had the kind of season he wished for, but his last outing could point towards a strong upcoming stretch for the right-hander. He gave up one run on five hits while striking out eight in six innings against the Texas Rangers on Aug. 28. Megill will look to use that as motivation to limit another potent offense in the Mariners, whom he has never faced in his career. The 28-year-old made five starts in the month of August, going 1-3 with a 5.61 ERA in 25 2/3 innings.