Seattle Mariners at New York Mets – My Blog

The Mariners face the Mets this weekend for the one and solely time this 12 months, enjoying three in Queens. On the one hand, the M’s come into the sequence in first place within the AL West, having simply set the franchise information for wins in a single month with 21. However, George Kirby missed a begin with an undisclosed sickness, Julio is experiencing ongoing foot ache from a pinched nerve, and Ty France sustained a wrist contusion from successful by pitch earlier this week. Buckle up, for September has arrived and each deal is an enormous deal!

At a Look

FanGraphs

Workforce Overview

The Mets began 2023 with a recordbreaking payroll and excessive hopes. That they had added to their thrilling core, bringing in starters Justin Verlander and Kodai Senga, and had an opportunity to be among the best groups within the recreation. A crushing blow knocked them sideways earlier than the season began, nevertheless, when star nearer and former Mariner Edwin Diaz suffered a torn patellar tendon throughout a postgame celebration on the World Baseball Basic. I really can’t extremely sufficient suggest NOT watching a video of that second; it was devastating. Since then, the Mets have disenchanted by being mediocre. They’re beneath .500, final within the NL East, and eight.5 video games out of the NL Wild Card spots. Verlander was traded on the deadline for the Astros’ greatest prospect Drew Gilbert, now with the Mets’ doubleA affiliate. By late July it was clear that the Mets weren’t making the playoffs, so additionally they dealt future Corridor of Famer Max Scherzer, reliever David Robertson, Tommy Pham, Mark Canha, Dominic Leone, and Eduardo Escobar.

The Mets had been 1118 in August, and it’s due to them that the Rangers are one recreation behind the Mariners within the West; that one recreation is the one the Mets managed to win of their sequence in opposition to Texas this week.

Mets Lineup

The Mets have lots of recognizable names of their lineup. Some are allMLB stars, like Francisco Lindor, who leads the group with 5.2 fWAR. Some have nationallyrecognized lore, like Pete Alonso and his thirdinMLB 39 dwelling runs. Some are beloved former Mariners, like Daniel Vogelbach and Omar Narváez . Lindor, Alonso, and Brandon Nimmo are bats to be cautious of any day of the 12 months. DJ Stewart is on a sizzling sizzling streak currently specifically; he’s solely performed in 36 video games this 12 months, however has a 172 wRC+ and is getting extra play since Canha was traded and Starling Marte went on the IL with a groin pressure. New York is reportedly calling up their quantity 4 prospect for this sequence, so preserve an eye fixed out for the potential main league debut of infielder Ronnie Mauricio.

Possible Pitchers

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Brad PennerUSA TODAY Sports activities

RHP Kodai Senga

Kodai Senga’s profitable transition to the key leagues has been one of many only a few issues that’s gone proper for the Mets this 12 months. An 11year veteran of the NPB, he’s been New York’s greatest beginning pitcher this season, surpassing each Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander after they had been rotationmates. His signature pitch is a forkball that possesses the one highest whiff charge of any pitch thrown within the majors this 12 months, only a hair over 60%. He doesn’t actually have a superb breaking pitch in his arsenal, however he’s managed to get by with a strong fastball and his elite ghost fork. Walks have been a little bit of a priority, like they had been in Japan, however he’s managed to keep away from vital harm regardless of the added site visitors on the bases.

LHP David Peterson

David Peterson has been a strong upanddown starter for the Mets over the previous few years even when his total outcomes have been fairly inconsistent. Final 12 months, he posted a 3.83 ERA backed by a 3.64 FIP, each careerbests, due to a 27.8% strikeout charge and a low dwelling run charge. Each of these metrics have regressed again in direction of the place they had been in 2021 which has sabotaged any progress he had made final 12 months. The offender is perhaps a brand new reliance on his sinker as an alternative of his fourseam fastball. That’s elevated his groundball charge however it’s additionally include an enormous improve in onerous hit batted balls. His slider is legitimately a plusplus pitch however poor command and his contact points have prevented him from actually turning into a fulltime starter within the majors.

RHP Tylor Megill

It appeared like Tylor Megill was within the midst of an early season breakout final 12 months — he had compiled a 2.43 ERA backed by a 2.45 FIP by means of his first six begins due to a big improve in fastball velocity. Sadly, a critical again damage derailed his promising season and he’s misplaced all the rate beneficial properties he had loved final 12 months. His fastball has misplaced a bunch of carry and it’s form is now fairly hittable. His slider and changeup each had new seems to be final 12 months they usually’re nonetheless efficient pitches, however he depends so closely on his heater that he’s merely getting hit too onerous too early within the rely.

The Large Image:

The AL West

The Wild Card Race

The Mariners and Houston are tied for first within the AL West after Houston swept the Crimson Sox earlier this week. Houston hosts the Yankees this weekend whereas Boston, now 6.5 video games out of the Wild Card, takes on the Royals. The Rangers, only a recreation again of the Astros and Mariners, host the Twins this weekend. The Rays twogame sweep of the Marlins this week solidifies their maintain on the primary Wild Card spot, they usually can additional that lead as they play the Guardians. Toronto has an opportunity to combat their manner again right into a Wild Card spot in the event that they’re in a position to beat up on the Rockies beginning as we speak.

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