Game Thread: Mets vs. Marlins, 1:10 PM

Sunday, July 14, 2019 • 1:10 p.m.
Marlins Park • Miami, FL
RHP Jacob deGrom (4-7, 3.27) vs. RHP Sandy Alcantara (4-8, 3.82)
SNY • WCBS 880 AM • ESPN 1050 AM

The Mets face a challenge they have only surmounted few times in the last couple of seasons. It’s their Everest. Their albatross. The most difficult type of game for them ever: a Sunday, day game and rubber game. Last night, the Mets beat the Marlins 4-2 thanks to a strong start from Noah Syndergaard and Robinson Cano‘s first homer with a runner on all season (did we win the Cano trade yet?)

Mets Lineup

1. Jeff McNeil (L) RF
2. Michael Conforto (L) CF
3. Pete Alonso (R) 1B
4. Dominic Smith (L) LF
5. Robinson Cano (L) 2B
6. Wilson Ramos (R) C
7. Todd Frazier (R) 3B
8. Adeiny Hechavarria (R) SS
9. Jacob deGrom (L) P

Marlins Lineup

1. Miguel Rojas (R) SS
2. Neil Walker (S) 3B
3. Garrett Cooper (R) 1B
4. Brian Anderson (R) RF
5. Starlin Castro (R) 2B
6. Curtis Granderson (L) LF
7. Cesar Puello (R) CF
8. Bryan Holaday (R) C
9. Sandy Alcantara (R) P

On Sunday, the Mets will try to score runs for Jacob deGrom. Not only is today a Sunday, day game, rubber game, it’s a deGrom start! DeGrom has tossed seven quality starts in a row, yet the Mets as a team are 1-6 in those starts. Amazin’. The righty is 4-7 over 18 stars and 110.0 innings with a 3.27 ERA, 3.14 FIP, 1.091 WHIP and 124 ERA+. In his last nine starts, he has tossed 58.0 innings with a 2.64 ERA while holding batters to getting on base at a .263 clip. He faced the Marlins in back to back starts in May with very different results. In the first start he allowed one run over seven innings (close to his April outing against the fish – seven innings of shutout ball). He then allowed seven runs, six earned on nine hits over five innings. The Marlins have the followings stats against deGrom:

• Starlin Castro 10-for-32, 2B, 2 BB, 4 K
• Miguel Rojas 5-for-26, 3 BB, 3 K
• Brian Anderson 6-for-19, 2B, HR, BB, 3 K
• Neil Walker 3-for-18, BB, 4 K
• Martin Prado 3-for-13, 2B, BB, 5 K
• Garrett Cooper 2-for-6, BB, 3 K
• JT Riddle 1-for-6, 5 K

The Marlins send out their 2019 All-Star, Sandy Alcantara for the rubber game. He is 4-8 over 17 starts and 101.1 innings with a 3.82 ERA, 4.61 FIP, 1.401 WHIP and 107 ERA+. He faced the Mets in back-to-back starts in May and like deGrom, they were very different starts. In the first start he allowed four runs from eight hits and two walks in 5.2 innings in a game the Mets would win 4-1. He then pitched a complete game shutout against the Mets, holding them to just two hits and a walk. The Mets have the following stats against Alcantara:

• Michael Conforto 2-for-11, HR, K
• Jeff McNeil 3-for-10
• Todd Frazier 2-for-7, 2B, BB, K
• Tomas Nido 1-for-7, BB, 4 K
• Amed Rosario 0-for-6, 2 BB, 2 K
• Pete Alonso 1-for-4, HR, BB, K
• Robinson Cano 1-for-6
• Dominic Smith 0-for-5, K
• Wilson Ramos 0-for-2, K

Notes

Pete Alonso leads all rookies in homers (30), RBI (68), extra-base hits (53), OBP (.371), slugging (.623), OPS (.995), total bases (207), runs (57), hits (92), multi-hit games (28), doubles (21) and walks (39).

Todd Frazier is batting .285 (49-for-172) with 27 runs, six doubles, a triple, 10 home runs, 29 RBI, 22 walks and a .891 OPS over his last 50 games since May 16. This compares to a .148/.164/.259 slash line with two extra-base hits and seven RBI over his first 18 games of the season.

Jeff McNeil is batting .410 (34-83) with 17 runs, nine doubles, four home runs, 16 RBI, three walks, a .443 OBP and a 1.106 OPS over his last 20 games. He has 18 multi-hit games over his last 33 games. He is batting .384 (28-for-73) with a .444 on-base percentage against left-handed pitchers this year. His .384 mark is the fourth-highest in the majors. McNeil has made his 56 starts in the leadoff spot this season. He has reached safely in 23 of his 56 leadoff plate appearances. He is hitting .414 (24-for-58) in the first inning this season.

Let’s go Mets!