After an instant classic on Friday, the New York Mets and Los Angeles Dodgers play the middle game of their three-game series at Citi Field. Both teams will need their starting pitchers to pitch deep into the game after the 10 inning game last night. The first pitch from Citi Field is scheduled for 7:10 p.m. ET.
.@JeffMcNeil805 comes through!! #LGM pic.twitter.com/cdbGUfcYv0
— New York Mets (@Mets) August 14, 2021
After being in an ugly offensive slump, the Mets lineup is starting to come around. While they are not putting up groundbreaking numbers, they are finally scoring enough to give themselves an opportunity to win. Michael Conforto is leading the way in August as he is slashing .324/.425/.529 and has the same amount of strikeouts and walks (6). Conforto is vital to the Mets success, in wins he slashes .281/.415/.430 but in losses he hits .146.
The Dodgers are a well oiled machine and they still contain a menacing lineup even without the presence of Mookie Betts. With Walker Buehler on the mound, the Dodgers tend to score plenty of runs for their ace. There have only been four starts where they scored two runs or less for Buehler.
Pitching Matchup
Taijuan Walker starts for the Mets and continues to search for the magic he had during the first half of the season. While Walker did have his first quality start since the All-Star break, the home run ball continued to plague him. Walker has allowed 10 home runs in his last four starts after allowing just six all season. This start could be another rough one if the home run issues continue to linger.
Walker Buehler starts for the Dodgers and is as good as it gets right now. Buehler leads baseball with a 2.13 ERA and is 12-2 which is the best winning percentage this season. He has been untouchable since July started with a 1.62 ERA and has now allowed a single home run in that span. In his last start he held the Los Angeles Angels to one run over six innings with eight strikeouts. Buehler will struggle with control from time to time and has not had a walkless start since May 5.
Matchup To Lookout For
Taijuan Walker vs. Corey Seager: 4-for-13 (.308), Home Run, 3 Strikeouts