Series Preview: Mets Look For Rocky Mountain High

The Mets (26-14) are heading to Denver to face the Rockies (18-19) in a three-game weekend series. It seems like every time the Mets visit Denver, especially early in the season, the weather is terrible. Back in 2013, there was so much snow when the Mets visited Colorado, that then-general manager Sandy Alderson helped shovel snow off the field. This time, things are still looking unfortunate weather-wise in Denver, as the city is under a winter storm warning from noon on Friday until noon MDT on Saturday.

The game scheduled for Friday night has been postponed. They’ll play a split-admission doubleheader Saturday at 3:10 p.m. and 8:40 p.m.

The Mets are heading to Denver after receiving some terrible news. Ace Max Scherzer has a moderate to high grade oblique strain and is going to miss considerable time. With Jacob deGrom out with his shoulder injury, and not yet throwing off the mound, the loss of Scherzer really weakens the Mets’ starting rotation. Tylor Megill is set to start throwing again Friday, so hopefully he returns soon to help shore up the rotation.

After losing to the Mariners 2-1 in their first series loss of the year, the Mets bounced back to beat the Cardinals 4-1 in the final match up of the year between the two teams. Pete Alonso was great in the final two games of the series, going five for eight with two home runs, including a walk-off, game winner on Thursday. Jeff McNeil continued his hot start to the season, with seven RBIs against the Cardinals. The Mets were without Starling Marte, as his grandmother who raised him passed away suddenly and he had to return home to the Dominican Republic. But he’s returning to the roster on Friday and will be available against the Rockies.

The Rockies have not won a series since they faced the Nationals at the beginning of the month. They lost to the Giants in their most recent series and avoided a sweep by beating the Giants in the final game 5-3. That win ended the Rockies’ 12-game losing streak against the Giants. The Rockies’ pitching has struggled, and their team 5.96 ERA has them ranked 29 out of 30 teams, ahead of only the Reds.

On the offensive side of things, first baseman C.J. Cron has been the Rockies’ best hitter, with a .319/.365/.604 slash line, 10 home runs, and 30 RBIs so far this season. The Rockies’ top off-season acquisition, Kris Bryant, was signed to help the offense, but he was placed on the injured list on April 29 due to back soreness. He is likely going to be activated off the injured list on Friday, in time to face the Mets. Bryant has historically hit well against the Mets, and he has 10 home runs and 24 RBIs in 39 games against them.

Saturday, May 21, 2022: RHP Carlos Carrasco (3-1, 3.73 ERA) vs. RHP Germán Márquez (1-3, 6.16 ERA)

Carrasco has never faced the Rockies in his career, and so he has never pitched at Coors Field. Of the players on the current Rockies squad, only Cron, Randal Grichuk, and Jose Iglesias have faced Carrasco. Iglesias has faced Carrasco the most, with a .333/.421/.515 slash line in 33 at bats. Carrasco struggled a bit in his last outing against the Mariners. He gave up four runs in 4 1/3 innings. In general, though, Carrasco has been great for the Mets this season, and the Mets will need the solid Carrasco to show up in this series, especially in light of Scherzer’s injury.

Márquez was an All Star for the Rockies in 2021, the first time in his career he received that honor. He had a 3.36 ERA in the first half of 2021. But things have not gone well for Márquez since that All Star game, as his ERA increased to 6.12 in the second half of 2021, and things have not improved in 2022. Márquez has faced the Mets five times in his career- he has a 3.48 ERA in 31 innings. He has also pitched acceptably at Coors Field, with a 4.81 ERA in 74 games.

Saturday, May 21, 2022: RHP Trevor Williams (0-2, 4.20 ERA) vs. LHP Austin Gomber (2-3, 4.38 ERA)

Williams pitched well for the Mets his last time out, in the first game of the double header against the Cardinals on May 17. He pitched four scoreless innings and helped put the team in a position to win the game. He is starting Saturday in what would have been Megill’s spot in the rotation. Williams has started two games at Coors Field in his career. He has a 5.27 ERA in 13 2/3 innings.

Gomber has only faced the Mets once in his career, but it was a great start. He got the win for the Rockies, going eight innings, and giving up only two runs. Gomber’s most recent start this year was against the Royals. He went six innings, giving up three runs in a game that the Rockies would go on to lose 8-7, thanks to a bullpen implosion.

Sunday, May 22, 2022: RHP Taijuan Walker (1-0, 3.52 ERA) vs. RHP Chad Kuhl (3-2, 3.86 ERA)

Walker has pitched before at Coors Field, and he has pitched well- in four starts in Denver, Walker has a 2.63 ERA. Walker has mostly pitched well for the Mets this year. His season got off to a slow start, as he suffered a bout of shoulder bursitis during his first start of the season and wound up on the injured list until April 30. His last start against the Cardinals was okay- he gave up three runs in five innings of work. With the injury to Scherzer, Walker is another starter that will be counted on to step up.

Kuhl struggled in his most recent outing against the Giants. He only made it through three innings, and he gave up six runs, five of them earned. Kuhl has faced the Mets three times in his career- he has a 4.73 ERA in 13 1/3 innings. However, most of the current Mets’ squad have not faced Kuhl much- Dominic Smith and Travis Jankowski have the most at-bats against Kuhl. Smith has not recorded a hit against Kuhl in five at-bats, but Jankowski has two hits in four at-bats.

Prediction:

Based on how the Mets and Rockies are trending in opposite directions this season, the Mets should be able to get their first series sweep of the year this weekend. Fingers crossed the weather and the high-altitude of Coors Field don’t cause any issues.