Game Thread: Mets vs White Sox, 8:10 PM

Wednesday, July 31, 2019 • 8:10 p.m. ET
Guaranteed Rate Field • Chicago, IL
RHP Jacob deGrom (6-7, 2.86) vs. RHP Lucas Giolito (11-5, 3.52)
SNY • WCBS 880 AM • ESPN 1050 AM

There was still an open debate among Mets fans last night if Syndergaard was even going to start last night’s game with his name on the trading block. Noah Syndergaard ended up pitching one of the best games of his career carrying a no-hitter through about half the game and locking down hitters last night. But of course, this is 2019, and the Mets bullpen (Diaz this time) blew the save and the game went to extras. Unlike last week where the Mets lost three extra-inning games against the Giants, the Mets bats were able to put a three spot on the scoreboard in the 11th inning and hold on for the win.

Mets Lineup

1. Jeff McNeil  RF
2. Michael Conforto  CF
3. Pete Alonso  1B
4. Robinson Cano  2B
5. Wilson Ramos  C
6. J.D. Davis  LF
7. Todd Frazier  DH
8. Amed Rosario  SS
9. Adeiny Hechavarria  3B

White Sox Lineup

1. Leury Garcia  CF
2. Ryan Goins  3B
3. Jose Abreu  1B
4. AJ Reed  DH
5. Eloy Jimenez  LF
6. Jon Jay  RF
7. Tim Anderson  SS
8. James McCann  C
9. Yolmer Sanchez  2B

Tonight’s match-up would have been a regular match-up in an alternate universe. A couple of seasons ago the Nationals traded Lucas Giolito, their top pitching prospect and one of the top prospects in the league, to the White Sox for Adam Eaton. If that trade doesn’t happen, a Jacob deGrom vs. Giolito game would be a regular occurrence.

Giolito is having a massive bounce-back year from his first full season of major league baseball. Last year he went 10-13 over 32 starts and 173.1 innings with a 6.13 ERA, 5.56 FIP, 1.477 WHIP, and 70 ERA+. He leads the league in both earned runs at 118 and walks at 90. This season he has pitched 20 starts and 117.1 innings with a 3.52 ERA, 3.52 FIP, 1.122 WHIP, and 132 ERA+, enough to earn an All-Star roster spot.

That being said, he is coming off of his worst start of the season against the Twins where he allowed seven runs from seven hits and two walks (four homers) in five innings of work, raising his ERA from 3.12 to 3.52. The only Mets on the active roster who have faced him are Wilson Ramos (0-3, 2 K) and Adeiny Hechavarria (2-2, 3B).

Jacob deGrom is 6-7 over 21 starts and 129.0 innings with a 2.86 ERA, 2.95 FIP, 1.085 WHIP, and 144 ERA+. In deGrom’s last 12 starts (77 innings) he has a 2.10 ERA with opponents getting on base at a .266 clip and hitting with a .593 OPS. In his last three starts, he has allowed only one run over 19 innings from 13 hits and seven walks while striking out 25. Only three players on the White Sox Roster have seen deGrom in a game before:

• Jon Jay 2-9, 2B, BB, K
• Jose Abreu 0-2, BB, 2 K
• James McCann 0-2, BB, K

Game Notes 

The Mets are 23-35 on the road this season. The team’s .397 winning percentage on the road ranks 25th in the majors and 14th in the National League.

Pete Alonso has 77 RBI, three more than Darryl Strawberry had in 1983. Alonso extended the club rookie record for extra-base hits in a season. He has 57 extra-base hits. Ty Wigginton (2003) and Ike Davis (2010) held the previous mark with 53. Alonso has hit 34 homers. Darryl Strawberry had the old mark with 26.

Mets starters are 9-2 with a 2.45 ERA (27 earned runs/99.1 innings) in the second half. The team’s 2.45 mark leads the majors. The staff’s nine wins are third in the majors and lead the National League. Mets starting pitchers have allowed three or fewer earned runs in 15 straight games, the longest such streak since they also went 15 games (May 25-June 10, 2016). The last longer such streak was 17 games from June 25-July 17, 2015.

Michael Conforto has 97 home runs for his career. He is now in sole possession for 15th on the Mets all-time home run list. George Foster is 14th with 99 home runs. Conforto is looking to become the 14th player in franchise history to hit at least 100 home runs for the club.

The Mets have eight players with double-digit home runs this season, tied for the most in the National League with the Cubs and Phillies. The eight players with double-digit homers is tied for the second-most in franchise history. The 2017 Mets had 10 players with 10 or more homers.

Let’s Go Mets!