The Mets (9-11) and coming off a 4-3 homestead that included a four-game split with the defending champion Nationals, travel down the New Jersey Turnpike to take on Joe Girardi‘s Philadelphia Phillies (5-9) in a three-game series beginning Friday night at 7:05 pm. The teams will clash Saturday night at 6:05 pm, then wrap up the series Sunday afternoon at 1:05 pm.
Mets’ ace Jacob deGrom will take the mound Friday night. Spencer Howard (1-1, 7.71 ERA, 7.57 FIP) will make the start for the Phillies. DeGrom is 2-0 on the season, with a 2.45 ERA and a 0.95 WHIP. DeGrom has struck out 28 in 22 innings pitched. In his last start on Sunday against the Marlins, deGrom recorded the win, though it was not a vintage deGrom effort, tossing five innings allowing two earned runs on seven hits while striking out six.
On Saturday night, Steven Matz will face Aaron Nola. Matz was not effective in his start on Monday night against Washington at Citi Field, lasting just 4.1 innings, allowing eight earned runs and eight hits. Matz took the loss, as the Mets fell by a score of 16-4.
Matz was victimized by the long ball, surrendering three home runs. On the season, Matz, who has said that he feels he has good stuff but is missing his locations, is 0-3 with an ERA of 8.20 and a FIP of 7.19. Nola has been good this year, posting a record of 1-1, pitching to an ERA of 2.79 and a FIP of 2.40.
On Sunday, the Mets will close the series with Rick Porcello on the mound. Ex-Met Zack Wheeler (2-0, 2.89 ERA, 3.71 FIP) will take on his old team for the Phillies.
Porcello has been up-and-down so far, getting shelled by the Braves in the first start, then rebounding with a somewhat better effort against Atlanta, before throwing his best game of the season on August 4th at Washington. In that game, Porcello pitched seven innings, allowing one run on five hits. The Mets went on to win the game by the score of 3-1.
Most recently, Porcello faced Washington on Tuesday, pitching six effective innings, allowing two runs and eight hits. The Mets lost the game by a 2-1 score.
Things to Watch
The Mets enter the series with Jeff McNeil listed day-to-day after crashing into the wall at Citi Field while making an outstanding catch on Thursday.
Amed Rosario has missed three games in a row with a stomach bug and dehydration. In that time, the double play combination of Andres Gimenez and Luis Guillorme has been nothing short of stellar. Gimenez is now hitting .286/.327/.388 on the season, and Gullorme is batting .375/.421/.438 after going 2-for-4 on Thursday.
Pete Alonso seems to be coming out of his funk, he has five extra base hits and seven RBIs in his last seven games.
Dominic Smith leads the Mets with four home runs and 12 RBIs.
For the Phillies, Bryce Harper has been very good, entering play on Thursday with a .341 BA, along with four home runs, 10 RBIs, and an OPS of 1.149.
The Phillies’ bullpen has been bad. Collectively, they have a 9.63 ERA and have allowed 11 home runs going into Thursday’s action. Their starters have fared much better. They have an ERA of 3.57 before Thursday’s game with the Orioles.
After the series with the Phillies, the Mets will travel to Miami for four games with the Marlins.
