Series Preview: Mets Take On Marlins For Final Time in 2022

The Mets returned from their final time-zone-crossing road trip of the season with a 4-2 record, taking two-of-three from each of the Brewers and A’s. They clinched a playoff spot while in Milwaukee, and Pete Alonso shattered the team RBI record for a single season. And while they won’t be able to clinch the division during this next series, the Mets will look to keep chugging along toward that goal against the Miami Marlins.

So far, the Mets are 12-5 against the Fish this season, a slight improvement on previous seasons when the pesky Don Mattingly-led team would find a way to be a thorn in the team’s side. While Mattingly, who is coaching his last few games with the Marlins this week, may look to prod once more, the Mets are looking to remain at least one game ahead of the Braves before the two teams face off this weekend.

First, though, let’s preview the two-game set with the Marlins.

Tuesday, September 27, 2022: RHP Pablo López (9-10, 3,88 ERA) vs. RHP Carlos Carrasco (15-6, 3.79)

Carlos Carrasco will get his 28th start of the season on Tuesday. The 35-year-old, who sports a 3.79 ERA (3.39 FIP), has pitched extremely well against poorly performing teams, including the Marlins.

Over four starts this season against Miami, Carrasco has tossed 27 2/3 innings and allowed six runs (1.95 ERA). One of his best performances of the year came against the Marlins on July 30, when he went 7 2/3 innings and allowed no runs on four hits and seven strikeouts.

On the other hand, Pablo López cannot wait for the offseason, because it means he won’t have to pitch against the Mets until at least 2023.

In four starts against the Mets, he’s only gotten through 16 2/3 innings, over which he’s allowed 42 baserunners–34 hits, five walks and three hit batsmen. That is reflected in his ERA, which is a hefty 11.34 against the Mets this year. Against everyone else? He’s pitching to a 3.03 ERA. Four starts against the Mets have raised his ERA over three-quarters of a point.

Wednesday, September 28, 2022: LHP Jesus Luzardo (3-7, 2.57 ERA) vs. RHP Taijuan Walker (12-5, 3.53)

This is a repeat of a matchup from the teams’ series earlier in September. Taijuan Walker got the best of Jesus Luzardo last time, allowing just one run over seven innings while Luzardo was roughed up for five runs in 3 1/3 innings.

After the game, Luzardo talked about how the Mets force starters to “grind” out innings “They really make you work,” he said. “They kind of foul off all the pitches that you feel like are good pitches and [aren’t] really chasing much and just kind of hitting the pitch that they want to see.”

They’ll look to do the same in the season finale, during which Mark Vientos and/or Darin Ruf will likely get a start. They two went a combined 0-for-9 in the last game Luzardo started. They were the only two in the starting lineup to not get a hit that day.

Prediction

There’s the possibility of this becoming a bit of a trap series ahead of the massive matchup with Atlanta this weekend, but the team hasn’t been caught looking ahead really at all this season.

That being said, this should be a quick sweep, so long as the bats continue to perform as they have. They’ve consistently been able to make contact against Lopez, and the bats showed the ability to knock around lefties this past weekend in Oakland. The series will also be preceded with a day of rest, which is crucial in coming home from the West Coast.