After a disappointing homestand, the New York Mets go on the road to face the last-place Miami Marlins. These are the first games between the two division rivals since May, and the Marlins have a 3-2 advantage in the season series. The first pitch from loanDepot Park is scheduled for 7:10 p.m. ET.
.@JeffMcNeil805 crushed this one. #LGM pic.twitter.com/a4qOmN6alZ
— New York Mets (@Mets) August 1, 2021
Usually, when a team has a 3.5 game lead in the division heading into August, they are confident about how the rest of the season will play out. The Mets are one of those rare outliers who have injury issues and front office issues. Luis Guillorme was the newest Mets added to the 10-day IL to join the likes of Jacob deGrom and Francisco Lindor. The underwhelming trade deadline and refusal to sign Kumar Rocker also disappointed the fan base as well. August’s schedule is jam-packed with tough opponents, and the Mets will learn how legitimate they are throughout the month.
The Marlins have lost four in a row and come off a weekend series sweep against the Yankees. Jesus Aguilar is the only bright spot on offense left after Adam Duvall was shipped back to the Atlanta Braves. Aguilar is hitting .267 with 18 home runs and 75 RBIs on the season. The Marlins starting pitching has kept them from falling deeper into the cellar of baseball’s worst teams. Trevor Rogers (2.45 ERA), Pablo Lopez (3.03 ERA), and Sandy Alcantara (3.12 ERA) form a formidable trio for the Marlins.
Pitching Matchup
Tylor Megill looks to build on his impressive rookie season after a great month of July. He had a 1.04 ERA, 27 strikeouts, and allowed just two home runs in five starts. Megill pitched 5.1 innings, allowing just one run against the Braves during his last start. The Mets need Megill to continue getting deep into the game while their rotation deals with injuries.
The Marlins still have not announced a starter for tonight’s matchup.