Game Chat: Mets vs. Yankees, 7:05 PM

Tuesday, July 23, 2024 • 7:05 PM
Yankee Stadium • Bronx, NY
LHP Jose Quintana (4-6, 4.13) vs. RHP Luis Gil (10-5, 3.17)
WPIX • TBS

The Mets survived Miami! The sole holders of the third Wild Card in the National League by 0.5 games play their cross-town rivals, the sole holders of the top Wild Card seed in the American League. The Mets need to keep the momentum going. They did it in June as the soaring Mets swept the Yankees in a two-game set.

Mets Lineup

1. Francisco Lindor, SS
2. Brandon Nimmo, LF
3. J.D. Martinez, DH
4. Pete Alonso, 1B
5. Mark Vientos, 3B
6. Jeff McNeil, 2B
7. Luis Torrens, C
8. Tyrone Taylor, RF
9. Harrison Bader, CF

Jose Quintana returns to the rotation after a brief fever that sidelined him returning from the All-Star break. Over 102 1/3 innings and 19 starts, Quintana has a 4.13 ERA, 4.99 FIP, 1.261 WHIP and a 94 ERA+. From June 15 to July 9, Quintana went on a series run, pitching 30 1/3 innings with a 0.89 ERA, and 3.51 FIP, striking out 27 batters. Things caught up to him in his last start against the Rockies, where he allowed five runs from six hits and a walk over 5 2/3 innings. The Yankees have the following numbers against Quintana:

• J.D. Davis 1-3
• Trent Grisham 1-3, HR
• Jahmai Jones 0-1
• Aaron Judge 2-6, 2B, BB
• DJ LeMahieu 1-10, 3 BB, K
• Juan Soto 1-7, 2 BB, 2 K
• Gleyber Torres 3-6, 2B
• Anthony Volpe 1-2, BB

Opposing Lineup

1. Jahmai Jones, DH
2. Juan Soto, RF
3. Aaron Judge, CF
4. J.D. Davis, 1B
5. Anthony Volpe, SS
6. Gleyber Torres, 2B
7. Alex Verdugo, LF
8. Carlos Narvaez, C
9. DJ LeMahieu, 3B

The Yankees will have their breakout pitcher, Luis Gil, start the two-game set. In a cosmic coincidence, just like Jose Quintana, Gil has also tossed 102 1/3 innings over 19 starts. He has a 3.17 ERA, 3.60 FIP, 1.085 WHIP and a 130 ERA+. He currently leads the league in H/9 at 5.5 and total walks with 49. He’s looked good in his last two starts, allowing only two runs on nine hits and a walk over 12 2/3 innings. Before that, he had a three-game stretch where he allowed 16 runs over 9 2/3 innings, which included a start against the Mets where the Mets got him for five runs over 4 1/3 innings. The Mets have the following career numbers against him:

• Pete Alonso 0-2, BB
• Francisco Alvarez 1-1, HR, BB
• Harrison Bader 0-2
• Francisco Lindor 2-3, 2 2B
• J.D. Martinez 2-4
• Jeff McNeil 0-2
• Brandon Nimmo 0-1, 2 BB
• DJ Stewart 0-2
• Tyrone Taylor 0-1
• Mark Vientos 0-2, 2 K

Game Notes

• The Mets placed RHP Christian Scott on the IL with a UCL sprain. In a corresponding move, they recalled LHP Alex Young from Triple-A Syracuse.
• Prior to Tuesday’s game, it was reported the Mets signed OF Jackie Bradley Jr. to a Minor League contract. He will report to Triple-A Syracuse.
• Carlos Mendoza noted that Sean Reid-Foley would start a rehab assignment in Brooklyn on Thursday.

Three Things To Watch For

1. I’m walking here! During the three-game stretch that Luis Gil struggled, he allowed nine walks. The Mets are currently ninth in MLB with 325 walks. The Mets lineup looks best when they are working counts. This is the bellwether of what to watch for tonight for the tone setting.
2. The conductors of both teams. Francisco Lindor reminded everyone on Monday night why he is the leader of the Mets. He had a huge night with two home runs, keeping him on track for another 30-30 season. On the other side of the diamond, the Yankees live and die with how Aaron Judge and Juan Soto perform. Both teams need their stars tonight.
3. Welcome to New York. I can’t hear Taylor Swift’s hit without thinking of Jeff McNeil. McNeil hit his third home run of the second half on Monday night. He only had five home runs in the first half. He looks much more like himself in the last few games. The return of a vintage Jeff McNeil pushes the entire lineup to another level.

Let’s go Mets!

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