The New York Mets (52-62) have struggled since the conclusion of the trade deadline, falling even further out of the playoff race in the National League. Buck Showalter‘s team is coming off a series victory over the Chicago Cubs, a team that is pushing for the third Wild Card spot. The Mets will look to continue playing spoilers against a team they are quite familiar in the Atlanta Braves (72-41), who own the best record in baseball. Here are some important notes to look for in each of the three pitching matchups.

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Friday, August 11, 2023: RHP Charlie Morton (10-10, 3.86 ERA) vs. RHP Tylor Megill (6-5, 5.45 ERA)

Charlie Morton is right in the middle of the difficult stretch, earning a loss in four consecutive starts. The right-hander has seen his ERA go from 3.20 to 3.86 during that period of time. Failing to pitch deep into games is what has really held Morton back as of late, as he has only completed six innings in one of his last four starts. The Braves would love to give the bullpen some rest to open the series, so it will be important for the veteran to fight through six or maybe even seven innings. Morton will make his third start of the season against the Mets, going 0-1 with a 7.20 ERA in the previous two.

Tylor Megill was given a second chance at the big league level when the Mets decided to trade Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander at the deadline. The final seven weeks will almost act as a trial period to see if he can play a role for the team in 2024. Megill’s return from Triple-A Syracuse did not get off to a good start, as he gave up five runs on nine hits in 4 2/3 innings against the Baltimore Orioles back on Aug. 5. One positive takeaway from that individual performance was that for just the second time in 16 starts this season, the right-hander did not allow a walk. Megill will look for much better results against the Braves, who he has a 4.o2 ERA against in seven appearances throughout his career.

Saturday, August 12, 2023 (Game 1): TBD vs. TBD

Neither team has yet to announce a starter for either game of Saturday’s doubleheader, although Spencer Strider is lined up to pitch on normal rest. Like Morton, he [Strider] has experienced some struggles over the last four to six weeks. The young right-hander is coming off his shortest start of the year, going 2 2/3 innings against the Pirates on Aug. 7. Strider gave up six runs on five hits while striking out three hitters. For a guy that has a league-leading 211 strikeouts, it was surprising to see him fail to execute in quite a few two-strike situations. Strider has looked better on the road in 2023, going 7-2 with a 3.69 ERA in 61 innings.

José Quintana last pitched on Aug. 6 against the Orioles, so it is more than likely that he will return to the mound on Saturday. The left-hander has been a calming presence in the Mets rotation, giving them a chance to win in each of his first four starts. While Quintana has yet to record a win, the veteran should be happy with his progress, especially with how much time he missed to begin the season. His first start at Citi Field came all the way back on Jul. 20 against the Chicago White Sox, when he gave up two runs on six hits in five innings. Quintana has had little to no success against the Braves throughout his career, owning a 2-3 record with a 7.53 ERA in six starts.

Saturday, August 12, 2023 (Game 2): TBD vs. TBD

The likeliest option for the Braves in game two of the doubleheader is Michael Soroka, who last pitched for Triple-A Gwinnett on Aug. 4. He gave up one run on four hits in five innings against the Indianapolis Indians (Triple-A affiliate for the Pirates). Soroka has overcome a lot to get back to this point, even throwing 29 1/3 innings in the big leagues earlier this year. The 26-year-old last pitched in the majors on Jul. 21 against the Milwaukee Brewers, earning his second victory of the season. Soroka has great career numbers against the Mets, owning a 3.08 ERA in 38 innings.

The Mets have more than a few options for this game, including José Butto and newly-acquired Justin Jarvis. Joey Lucchesi would have been in contention for a spot start, but he pitched on Aug. 8 for High-A Brooklyn. With the team looking more toward the 2024 season, it may be a good time to see what Jarvis can do against one of the most potent lineups in all of baseball. Yes, the former Milwaukee Brewer gave up five runs in three innings in his first start for Syracuse, but it may not hurt to see what he can do at the big league level. Otherwise, Butto could return to make his fourth career start in the majors.

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Sunday, August 13, 2023: RHP Yonny Chirinos (5-4, 4.83 ERA) vs. Kodai Senga (8-6, 3.24 ERA)

Yonny Chirinos has become a stalemate in the Braves rotation over the last two weeks. The right-hander began to season as a member of the Tampa Bay Rays, working mostly as a long reliever. The Braves decided to claim him off waivers in order to fill a hole at the backend of their rotation. He has not performed well in his first three outings, pitching to an 8.56 ERA through 13 2/3 innings. Chirinos earned a victory in his only appearance against the Mets, giving up three runs on three hits in 4 2/3 innings.
While it has yet to be confirmed, the Mets will more than likely send Kodai Senga to the mound in the series finale. He last threw on Aug. 7 against the Cubs, so the right-hander would be pitching on an additional day of rest, something he has done throughout this season. Senga has been the best pitcher in the Mets rotation, and he continued to show that earlier this week. He earned his eighth victory of the season against Chicago, allowing two runs on seven hits in six innings. Senga has yet to face the Braves in his rookie season, so that will be an interesting test for him.