After getting Monday off, the New York Mets make a quick stop in Baltimore to face the Orioles for a short two-game series. The Mets are coming off a series split over the weekend in San Diego while the O’s took two out of three from the Cleveland Indians. The first pitch from Oriole Park is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. ET.
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— New York Mets (@Mets) June 8, 2021
The Mets are still surviving in first place despite their abundance of injuries. Jonathan Villar was limited over the weekend but will return to the leadoff spot and play third base. Villar was red hot in the last nine games he played, batting .393 with a .500 on-base percentage which jumpstarted the Mets in the leadoff spot.
After losing 14 consecutive games, the Orioles have found a way to win four out of their last five games. Trey Mancini and Cedric Mullins continue to be the lone bright spots for the O’s. Mancini leads the team with 11 home runs, and Mullins leads them with a .322 batting average. John Means (2.28 ERA) is the anomaly for an Orioles pitching staff with a 4.84 team ERA, fourth-worst in MLB.
Pitching Matchup
David Peterson looks to rebound after a dreadful start against the Arizona Diamondbacks, where he only recorded one out. Peterson has a 5.89 ERA and has struggled to find consistency at any point this season. Against the D’Backs, he allowed three hits, three walks, and five runs on 35 pitches. With very little quality starting pitching depth, Peterson will get a long leash in the rotation.
Rookie Bruce Zimmermann makes his 10th start of the season and comes off a solid start against the Minnesota Twins. He allowed just one run over 5.2 innings and striking out seven. Zimmermann has faired much better at home, where his ERA at Oriole Park is 4.21 compared to 5.79 on the road.