Series Preview: Mets Make First Trip of Season to Atlanta

After becoming victims of a disappointing series sweep against the Toronto Blue Jays, the New York Mets (30-30) are heading to Truist Park to face off against the Atlanta Braves (35-24) in a premier National League East Division matchup. Although the Mets were able to complete a pivotal series sweep against the Philadelphia Phillies last week, they were unable to acquire a victory against the Blue Jays in a troublesome display. On the other side of things, the Braves were able to pull out a series victory against the Arizona Diamondbacks despite losing in the series opener on Friday.

The Mets will have a key reinforcement for this important series. Prior to the trip, the Mets announced that they have reinstated catcher Omar Narváez from the injured list after he completed his Triple-A rehab assignment. Narváez has the potential to provide the stagnant offense with a dependable left-handed bat that can match up well against the right-handed pitching of the Braves. The results of this upcoming series will have major implications for the divisional race between these two teams, so it is important that the Mets use any advantage they can get.

Tuesday, June 6, 2023: RHP Carlos Carrasco (2-2, 5.74 ERA) vs RHP Bryce Elder (3-0, 1.92 ERA)

The Mets will turn to Carlos Carrasco to open the series, and he is coming off a highly effective outing against the Phillies. He tossed six innings and allowed only one run while he struck out four batters. This was his second consecutive quality start, which indicates an impressive rebound from his difficulties earlier in the season. Carrasco has seen mixed results in his career against the Braves with a 4.30 ERA in 23 innings pitched. He faced them three times in 2022, and he was able to produce two quality starts out of those appearances.

On the other side, the Braves will be opening the series with Bryce Elder on the hill. Elder has burst onto the scene this season as an elite option for the Braves, and his most recent start contributed to his success. In 7 1/3 innings pitched against the Athletics, Elder allowed only one run while striking out five batters. While he has been outstanding to begin the season, Elder struggled in his only career appearance against the Mets with three earned runs allowed in 2 1/3 innings pitched.

Wednesday, June 7, 2023: RHP Max Scherzer (5-2, 3.21 ERA) vs RHP Charlie Morton (5-6, 3.62 ERA)

Max Scherzer will be pitching in the second game of this series. In his last start, he put up a vintage performance that included seven innings pitched with one run allowed and nine strikeouts. Consequently, he seems to have figured things out since his poor start in Detroit following his return from his suspension. While Scherzer has a career 3.77 ERA against the Braves, he struggled in a key October start against them last season when he allowed four earned runs in 5 2/3 innings.

Charlie Morton will be pitching for the Braves on Wednesday. In his previous outing, he tossed a solid seven innings while allowing three runs and striking out nine batters. The Mets have seen a lot of Morton, as he has a career 3.82 ERA against the club in 19 appearances. Earlier this season, the Mets were able to score four runs against Morton in 5 1/3 innings pitched at Citi Field.

Thursday, June 8, 2023: RHP Justin Verlander (2-3, 4.25 ERA) vs RHP Spencer Strider (6-2, 2.97 ERA)

Justin Verlander will be the pitcher of the final game of this series. He was highly effective in his last start against the Blue Jays when he pitched six innings with only one earned run allowed and nine strikeouts. However, his high pitch count of 117 combined with his older age could potentially compromise his fatigue. Verlander has not pitched against the Braves since 2016, so he will have a chance to establish himself against a powerhouse lineup that has not seen him yet for the most part.

For the Braves, Spencer Strider will start on Thursday. He was able to put up a quality start in his previous outing against the Diamondbacks with six innings pitched and two earned runs allowed and seven strikeouts. Strider has a career 5.03 ERA against the Mets, and his struggles are widely known as he made an infamous remark last season that attributed the Mets’ success to luck.