The Mets have won all but one series they’ve played this year, including one against the Giants in April.
The Mets (28-15) look to continue building momentum as they travel to the Bay Area to play three games with the Giants (22-18). These two teams squared off at Citi Field in a four-game set earlier this year, with the Mets taking three out of four, including a doubleheader sweep to kick things off. Last year, New York dropped two of three at Oracle Park.
The Mets took two of three from the Rockies at Coors Field, and did a couple of noteworthy things along the way. Colorado had scored at least two runs in 84 consecutive home games heading into this series, but the Mets held them to one run in Game 1 of Saturday’s doubleheader and shut them on Sunday. On the latter, it was only the second time the Mets shut out the Rockies at Coors Field since the park opened in 1995.
After snow delayed the start of this series, the two teams split a doubleheader on Saturday, with the Mets winning Game 1. In his first game back spending a few days away from the club following the passing of his grandmother, Startling Marte hit a home run on the first pitch he saw in the first inning off Germán Márquez. New York added two more runs in the second, and that was more than enough for Carlos Carrasco, who held Colorado to one run on 5.1 innings as New York cruised to a victory. The nightcap was a different story, as the Mets were routed 11-3. Trevor Williams was ineffective, as Adonis Medina had his worst outing as a Met. There’s not much else to say about this one.
The Mets recovered with a 2-0 win behind seven shutout innings from Taijuan Walker. The Mets did all their scoring in the sixth off Austin Gomber to back up their starter. Francisco Lindor singled home Brandon Nimmo, and Pete Alonso brought home an insurance run on a ground out to bring Lindor home. Adam Ottavino and Joely Rodríguez combined for a scoreless eighth, and Edwin Díaz picked up the save. It was the team’s 13th consecutive win following a loss, which is both a franchise record and the longest such streak in the majors in the past 11 years.
The Giants are on a bit of a downward trend as of late and come into this series as losers of four in a row. Most recently, they were swept at home by the Padres.
Mike Yastrzemski, who was hitting just .167/.262/.208 with a 57 wRC+ when he came to Citi Field on April 18, has been raging hot since then, slashing .342/.422/.553 with three home runs and a 177 wRC+ over his past 23 games, which is good for a 1.1 fWAR. On the season, Yastrzemski leads his club with a 148 wRC+ while hitting .300/.390/.470 with a 1.0 fWAR. Joc Pederson leads San Francisco with seven home runs while hitting .234/.302/.489 with a 124 wRC+, which is good for a 0.2 fWAR.
Meanwhile, Brandon Crawford continues to struggle at the plate, slashing .210/.301/.326 with an 86 wRC+, though he has a 1.0 fWAR overall. And what would a series preview against the Giants be without a Wilmer Flores update? It just wouldn’t be right! The former Met and walk-off king is hitting .260/.320/.412 with four home runs, a 111 wRC+, and a 0.3 fWAR in 36 games this season.
Monday, May 23: David Peterson vs. Alex Cobb, 9:45 p.m. on SNY
Peterson (2022): 19.0 IP, 16 K, 8 BB, 1 HR, 1.89 ERA, 3.36 FIP, 1.11 WHIP, 0.5 bWAR
Peterson is back with the latest round of injuries to the club’s rotation. He’s had a much better go of it at the major league level this year and has become a solid option to replace his injured teammates. His last time out, he pitched five innings and allowed four runs (three earned), which was good enough to earn him a win against the Braves in Game 1 of a doubleheader on May 3. At the Triple-A level this year, he owns a 4.02 ERA with 19 strikeouts in 15.2 innings for Syracuse.
Cobb (2022): 25.2 IP, 32 K, 9 BB, 2 HR, 5.61 ERA, 2.67 FIP, 1.52 WHIP, -0.5 bWAR
Cobb earned his second straight victory in his last outing, despite allowing a season-high seven earned runs and a season-high 10 hits against the Rockies. He struck out four and walked one over his 5.1 innings against Colorado. His ERA ballooned to 5.61 as a result, but he has a much more palatable 2.67 FIP so far. He faced the Mets earlier this year at Citi Field, allowing four runs (three earned) on six hits over 4.1 innings as he settled for a no decision.
Tuesday, May 24: Chris Bassitt vs. Logan Webb, 9:45 p.m. on SNY
Bassitt (2022): 48.2 IP, 49 K, 13 BB, 6 HR, 2.77 ERA, 3.79 FIP, 1.09 WHIP, 1.3 bWAR
With the recent injury to Max Scherzer, as well as the continued mystery as to when Jacob deGrom will return to the rotation, Bassitt has been thrust into the position of Mets’ ace. This is not a place the Mets, or Bassitt, expected him to be at any point of the season, but it is one he is well equipped to handle, if his performance this year is any indication. While he’s hardly as flashy as either of the former Cy Young winners, he’s a dependable presence on the mound every fifth day, and has typically given New York solid performances. His last time out, he allowed four earned runs over 6.1 innings. He allowed a season-high nine hits while walking one and striking out two Cardinals batters.
Webb (2022): 48.1 IP, 34 K, 13 BB, 2 HR, 3.54 ERA, 3.09 FIP, 1.26 WHIP, 1.3 bWAR
Webb is having another terrific season for San Francisco, as he currently leads the NL in wins (5) and HR/9 (0.4). In his last outing, he lasted into the eighth and allowed three earned runs on four hits, with two walks and six strikeouts over seven-plus frames. Prior to that, he had a terrific game against the Cardinals, tossing six innings of one-run ball, though he did walk a season-high three in that one. The Mets handed Webb his only loss of the year on April 19, as he lasted a season-low 3.2 innings and allowed three earned runs on six hits.
Wednesday, May 25: TBD vs. Jacob Junis, 3:45 p.m. on SNY
TBD
The Mets have not yet named a starting pitcher for Wednesday’s series finale, although all signs point to it being Thomas Szapucki, who is flying to meet the team in San Francisco. In 22.0 innings for Syracuse this year, Szapucki has allowed eight runs (seven earned)—good for a 2.86 ERA—while striking out 30 and walking nine.
Junis (2022): 26.2 IP, 20 K, 4 BB, 3 HR, 2.70 ERA, 3.62 FIP, 1.01 WHIP, 1.0 bWAR
After spending the entirety of his early career with the Royals, Junis signed a one-year deal with San Francisco over the winter and has gotten off to a great start with his new club. The right-hander, who owned a 4.82 ERA over five years with Kansas City, has pitched to a 2.70 ERA in 26.2 innings with San Francisco so far. His best work so far has been out of the pen, making two appearances out of the pen in April and tossing five scoreless innings in each of those instances. As a starter, he has allowed eight earned runs in 16.2 innings in three starts. His last time out, he allowed four earned runs on seven hits, with no walks and two strikeouts in six innings against the Padres.
Prediction: The Mets win the middle game but drop two out of three overall.