After getting swept again at home, the New York Mets welcome in Pittsburgh Pirates for a three game series. The Mets have been the worst team in baseball since their 11-1 start and there are no signs of any turn around in the future. The Pirates are another team that started the season strong but has underachieved since then. They are also in the midst of a five game losing streak. The Mets and Pirates split their six game season series last season.
Probable Pitching Matchups
(6/25, 7:10 PM) Jameson Taillon (4-6, 4.03 ERA) vs. Seth Lugo (2-2, 2.85 ERA)
(6/26, 7:10 PM) Chad Kuhl (5-5, 4.56 ERA) vs. Steven Matz (3-5, 3.68 ERA)
(6/27, 7:10 PM) Ivan Nova (4-5, 3.98 ERA) vs. Zack Wheeler (2-6, 4.85 ERA)
Mets Cannot Figure it Out
The Mets have looked like a lost cause since their winning streak ended. They have showed flashes of turning their season around but have not been able to put it together consistently. Their combination of injuries, poor pitching out of their bullpen and historically bad hitting has contributed to this disappointing season. The problems have only been inflated by the very questionable moves by manager Mickey Callaway.
The Mets almost lost Brandon Nimmo for an extended period of time after he was hit on his hand yesterday. It is only a pinkie injury that will keep him out for a game or two. With only two healthy outfielders on the roster, Dom Smith will be called on to play the outfield again. The Mets have already lost Juan Lagares, Jay Bruce and Yoenis Cespedes to injuries this season.
Pirates Have Also Struggled
The Pirates seemed like they were in a rebuilding phase after trading Andrew McCutchen and Gerrit Cole in the offseason. They surprised many when they ended April with a 17-12 record. The Pirates fell back to Earth and have a 19-29 record since April concluded. They do not do anything amazing and most of their team stats sit in the middle of the pack. The Pirates certainly are not the contenders they turned into for a while but they are trying to acquire new pieces to make them better in the future.
The Pirates are the only team in baseball who does not have a single player with at least 10 home runs. Francisco Cervelli, Starling Marte and Gregory Polanco are all tied for the team lead with 9. Rookie outfielder Austin Meadows has shined with a .327 average in 31 games and has certainly made a case to be in the everyday lineup. The starting rotation is also average as well, no starter has an ERA lower than 3.50 and no one is above 4.60.
Matchups to Lookout For
Josh Harrison vs. Steven Matz: 3-3 (1.000) Triple
Jose Bautista vs. Ivan Nova: 9-29 (.310) 3 Doubles, Home Run, 8 Walks, 7 Strikeouts
David Freese vs. Steven Matz: 1-3 (.333) Strikeout
Jose Reyes vs. Ivan Nova: 3-10 (.300) Walk
Interesting Stats
Corey Dickerson against LHP in 2018: 18-57 (.316) 4 Doubles, Triple, 2 Walks, 11 Strikeouts
Amed Rosario when swinging at the first pitch in 2018: 8-24 (.333) Double, Triple, Home Run
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For Game 1 of this series we chose:
-New York Mets OVER 3.5 runs
- Pirates UNDER 4.5 runs
-Total runs UNDER 7.5 runs