Series Preview: Mets Return Home for Series Against Marlins

After suffering a deflating four-game series sweep to the Philadelphia Phillies, the New York Mets (71-85) will trudge back home to Citi Field to embark on a three-game series against the Miami Marlins (81-75). This will be their penultimate series of the year as they begin a six-game homestand allowing them to play in front of their fans for the final stretch of this dismal season.

While many Mets fans are already focused on their offseason plans, the Marlins still hold on tightly to their chance at cracking a wild card spot. They are currently one game out of the third spot, closely trailing the Diamondbacks and Cubs, who each have one game over the Marlins.

The Marlins are fresh in the minds of Mets fans, as the Mets just recently scored a series victory over them in Miami last week. This development did not help the Marlins’ playoff chances, as they were in the picture before their losing effort.

That said, the Mets have a chance to seek revenge on the Marlins for playing a large part in their tragic collapse in the 2007 season. Better late than never.

Let’s preview the pitching matchups for this upcoming series.

Tuesday, September 26, 2023: LHP Braxton Garrett (9-6, 3.53 ERA) vs. LHP Joey Lucchesi (3-0, 2.88 ERA)

Braxton Garrett will begin the series for Miami. He is amid a breakout season that has involved him starting 29 games, the most in his youthful career. His last outing came against the Mets last week, and he tossed six innings with one unearned run allowed and seven strikeouts. These numbers speak to a larger trend of effectiveness against the Mets, as he has accumulated a 3.18 ERA among five career starts.

Joey Lucchesi will be the starter on Tuesday for the Mets. Despite his lack of volume, Lucchesi has been highly effective in his outings this season. Like Garrett, his last start also came last week, and he limited the Marlins to three runs (two earned) over 5 2/3 innings of work with five strikeouts. He has only started in three games against the Marlins in his career and has excelled with a 1.69 ERA between them.

Wednesday, September 27, 2023: RHP Bryan Hoeing (2-2, 5.17 ERA) vs. RHP Kodai Senga (12-7, 2.96 ERA)

It is unclear which direction the Marlins will go for Wednesday’s game. Five days prior, they opted to go with a bullpen game that warranted disastrous results, as they suffered a resounding loss to the Brewers. While right-handed pitcher J.T. Chargois started that game for them, their starter for this game against the Mets will likely be dependent on their desired matchups. That being said, Bryan Hoeing pitched a bulk of the innings in that game, so it is probable that he will do the same on Wednesday. However, those innings were largely ineffective, as he allowed an astounding nine runs in the short sample.

Kodai Senga will start for the Mets on Wednesday. He continued his impressive rookie campaign in his last start against the Marlins, where he allowed two runs over six innings with three strikeouts. While he did not have his best stuff that day, he still persevered and produced a solid outing. These qualities are what separate the good pitchers from their great counterparts, and Senga appears to be headed in the right direction. Although it may be a stretch for him to take home any awards this season, a stellar outing certainly would not hurt his chances. He has seen many of the Marlins in his short career and has dominated them with a 2.08 ERA among four starts.

Thursday, September 28, 2023: LHP Jesús Luzardo (10-9, 3.73 ERA) vs. LHP David Peterson (3-8, 5.37 ERA)

Jesús Luzardo will start the final game of the series for the Marlins. He continued his solid season in his last start, when he allowed three runs over five innings against the Brewers. In the start prior, he put up six shutout innings with eight strikeouts against the potent offense of the Braves. He owns a 4.21 ERA in five career starts against the Mets.

David Peterson will close out this series for the Mets. Inconsistency has plagued Peterson this season; his last start was no different. In four innings against the Phillies, he allowed four runs with seven strikeouts. While he has not eclipsed four earned runs in a start since mid-May, he has not been able to put together a stretch of consistently good outings. He has displayed flashes of effectiveness, but that is not good enough to be a mainstay in a high-caliber rotation. The Mets could use one of Peterson’s good outings on Thursday, and his 2.57 ERA against the Marlins could point him in the right direction to produce one.