MMO Game Thread: Padres vs Mets: 1:10 PM

Wednesday, April 12, 2023 • 1:10 PM
Citi Field • Flushing, New York
LHP Blake Snell (0-1, 7.88) vs. RHP Tylor Megill (2-0, 1.64)
SNY

For the second straight day the Mets will try to do something they failed to last season – win a series against the Padres. Last night the Mets were able to load the bases in the first inning but couldn’t score any runs in the frame. After that, it became a tightly pitched game with the Padres eventually winning 4-2. Can the Mets string some hits together and score runs against lefty Blake Snell this afternoon? Can the Mets’ get through the San Diego albatross?

Mets Lineup

Afternoon baseball in Queens as the Mets look to take the rubber game against the Padres! #LGM pic.twitter.com/gEZXbhmIUo

— Metsmerized Online (@Metsmerized) April 12, 2023

Tylor Megill has a 1.64 ERA, 3.86 FIP, 1.182 WHIP and a 273 ERA+  in 11 innings over his first two starts this season. Megill played the role of stopper his last time out, righting the Mets ship after being swept by the Marlins and providing the Mets with their first shutout outing by a starting pitcher this season. This will be the first time this season that Megill has faced a team not named the Miami Marlins, and he didn’t face the Padres at all last season. The Padres have the following career numbers against Megill:

• Juan Soto 1-for-6, HR, 3 BB, 2 K
• Rougned Odor 0-for-1, K

Padres Lineup

Series finale in NY.#BringTheGold pic.twitter.com/mYhdyoR4KO

— San Diego Padres (@Padres) April 12, 2023

The Mets bats close out the series against Blake Snell this afternoon. Over two starts so far in 2023, Snell has allowed seven runs from 12 hits and five walks (7.88 ERA). In his first start, he was able to rack up 9 strikeouts against the Rockies, but only tossed 4 1/3 innings after allowing three runs from six hits. His last start against the Braves was a mess where he allowed four runs from six hits and four walks in 3 2/3 innings.

Snell’s two regular season starts against the Mets last year were opposite experiences for the Mets. In June he allowed five runs, four earned, from three walks and seven hits. In July, he held the Mets scoreless over five innings. Snell was the only pitcher the Mets were able to get to in the Wild Card Series last year, scoring twice in 3 1/3 innings. The Mets have the following career numbers against Snell:

• Francisco Lindor 3-for-25, 2B, 5 K
• Starling Marte 5-for15, 2B, HR, 5 K
• Mark Canha 4-for-11, 2B, 3 BB, 2 K
• Pete Alonso 3-for-9, 2B, HR, 3 BB, K
• Eduardo Escobar 2-for-12, 2B, 3 K
• Brandon Nimmo 3-for-9, 2B, BB, K
• Jeff McNeil 2-for-5, K
• Tomás Nido 0-for-3
• Tommy Pham 0-for-2, BB

Game Notes

As the Mets were struggling to score on Tuesday, three of their top prospects were tearing it up in Triple-A, as Ronny Mauricio, Brett Baty, and Mark Vientos all launched home runs.

Wednesday marks the conclusion of the Mets’ first homestand of the season, where they will finish either 4-2 or 3-3. They will make their first trip out West starting on Friday night after an off day tomorrow as they face off with the Oakland Athletics before traveling to Los Angeles to take on the Dodgers, and then to San Francisco to face a few old friends on the Giants.

Francisco Álvarez is not in the Mets’ lineup on Wednesday after getting the start on Tuesday night. The team’s top prospect has looked a little overzealous in his maj0r-league opportunities thus far, and he struck out with the potential tying runs on base against Josh Hader to end last night’s game.

Three Things To Watch For

1. Multi-Inning Bullpen Heroes: On Tuesday, Denyi Reyes tossed 1 1/3 scoreless innings. A few days ago Stephen Nogosek tossed 3 1/3 innings allowing one run and scattering three hits. While the Mets starters haven’t been able to go terribly deep into games, the Mets are getting multi-inning outings from some surprising sources.
2. Please cash in on free passes: We’ve already discussed this a few times this season and it is still relevant today – the Mets aren’t capitalizing on walks and hit by pitches. The Mets have already been walked 52 times this year, the fourth-highest amount in the majors. They’ve been hit by 10 pitches, the most in the majors. The Mets have scored only 46 runs, which ranks 23rd. It’s also not like the Mets are striking out a ton, they have 87 K’s on the season, good for 24th in the league. At some point putting the ball in play will begin work for the Mets. Today would be a great day for that to start.
3. Power Up: Related to not cashing in on free passes, the Mets as a team have only hit 10 homers (23rd in the league). Pete Alonso is one four players in the majors with five homers this season. The remaining five homers on the Mets roster are spread between Canha, Escobar, Lindor, Marte and Pham who have hit one each. The Mets could really use a player outside of Pete Alonso to get hot.

Let’s go Mets!

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