NEW YORK METS NOTES:
METSCELLANEOUS: The Mets returned to action last night and fell to the Phillies, 5-1…New York has lost three straight and five of their last six games… The Mets continue their seven-day, six-game road trip (1-3) to Houston (1-2) and Philadelphia (0-1)…Following this series, the Mets return to New York for the start of a seven-game homestand against the Brewers (four games) and Giants (three games).
FIRST IS THE WORST: The Mets have been outscored 56-21 in the first inning this year…New York has posted a 6.12 ERA (51 ER/75.0 IP) in the first inning this season…That is the fifth-highest first inning ERA in the majors…Last year, the Mets posted a 4.39 ERA (79 ER/162.0 IP) in the first frame.
TRADING PLACES: Yesterday, the Mets acquired minor league RHPs Coleman Crow and Landon Marceaux from the Angels in exchange for INF Eduardo Escobar and cash considerations…Crow, 22, ranked as the Angels No. 17 prospect, according to Baseball America, while Marceaux, 23, was the Angels No. 20-ranked prospect…Crow has made four starts for Double-A Rocket City in 2023, going 2-0 with a 1.88 ERA (5 ER/24.0 IP), six walks and 31 strikeouts…In three seasons in the Angels organization, he has gone 15-6 with a 4.33 ERA (103 ER/214.1 IP)…Marceaux was a third-round pick out of LSU in the 2021 First-Year Player Draft, he has made 32 starts over the last three seasons in the Los Angeles-AL organization, going 7-13 with a 3.99 ERA (68 ER/153.1 IP), 35 walks and 124 strikeouts.
DAY MAN: Max Scherzer is set to make his sixth daytime start of the season …In 2023, Scherzer is 3-0 with a 1.67 ERA (5 ER/27.0 IP) with eight walks and 29 strikeouts…For his career, Scherzer is 71-42 with a 2.94 ERA with 254 walks and 1,210 strikeouts.
I’M PHIL-IN IT: Scherzer owns a 17-5 lifetime record with a 2.56 ERA (54 ER/189.2 IP) in 30 career starts against the Phillies…He has walked 44 and struck out 239…He has made 14 career starts at Citizens Bank Park and has not allowed more than three runs in any appearance…The righty has posted a 9-2 record with a 2.36 ERA (23 ER/87.2 IP) with 21 walks and 104 strikeouts at the yard…His nine wins are the most by any visiting pitcher since the ballpark opened in 2004…He owns the the second-lowest ERA among pitchers with at least 10 starts…Stephen Strasburg is first with a 2.11 mark…Scherzer has gone 4-1 with a 1.91 ERA (7 ER/33.0 IP) with 10 walks and 42 punchouts in his last six starts at the ballpark.
ROAD WARRIOR: Brandon Nimmo recorded his eighth home run yesterday and his fourth on the road…The Wyoming native has recorded at least eight home runs in each of the last six seasons…Nimmo hit a career-best 16 in 2022…He is batting .310 (52-168) with 23 runs, eight doubles, three triples, four home runs, 23 RBI, 23 walks with a .396 OBP and a .464 SLG OPS in 43 road games this year…That compares to a .233/.336/.388 slashline with nine extra-base hits and 10 RBI in 30 games at Citi Field in 2023.
STEAL THIS BASE: The Mets have stole a franchise-record 31 consecutive bases without being caught…The last time a Mets player was thrown out attempting a stolen base was on May 10 (Francisco Lindor at second)…The Mets are first in the major leagues with a 90.5% stolen base success rate this season…Starling Marte has swiped 20 bags this year, tied for sixth in the majors and tied for third in the National League…His 334 career stolen bases rank second among active Players…Elvis Andrus is the active leader with 341 steals.
FOR PETE’S SAKE: Despite missing 10 games, Pete Alonso’s 23 home runs this year, are tied for the lead in the National League and rank second in the majors to Shohei Ohtani (24)…Matt Olson has also hit 23 home runs… Alonso has 51 RBI, tying for him with Francisco Lindor for third in the National League.
TAKE IT TO THE BANK: Starling Marte has appeared in 36 career games at Citizens Bank Park and has hit .387 (55-142) with 28 runs, 17 doubles, five home runs, 18 RBI with a .442 OBP and a .613 SLG…Prior to last night, he had reached base safely in 15 straight games at the ballpark, batting .452 (28-62) with 17 runs, eight doubles, two home runs, nine RBI, three walks with a 1.170 OPS in the streak that dated to June 30, 2021.
KEEP THE CAR RUNNING: The Mets are 5-10 when both teams score six or more runs this year…They are 3-6 when both score seven or more runs and 2-3 when they both score 8 or more runs.
NIFTY FIFTY: Pete Alonso and Francisco Lindor have each recorded 51 RBI this year, which is tied for the third most in the National League…The Mets are one of four teams in the majors with two players who have each recorded at least 50 RBI…They join the Braves (Ozzie Albies – 53 and Matt Olson – 55) as the only other team in the National League.
CANHA I GET AN AMEN?: Mark Canha is hitting .296/.435/.463 over his last 21 games, going 16-54 with three doubles, two homers, 12 RBI, eight runs scored and 11 walks…Canha’s .435 OBP ranks fifth among the 259 players with 65 or more PA since May 21.
IF YOU START ME OFF: New York is 20-2 when their starter goes at least 6.0 innings…The Mets are 8-1 when the starter goes at least 7.0 innings.
THE EAST IS A BEAST: The Mets are 12-12 against the NL East this season…. They have posted a 4.22 ERA and are hitting .235/.318/.378.
GIRL DAD POWER: Over the last 16 games, Francisco Lindor has posted a .962 OPS, going 12-49 with 11 runs, four doubles, four home runs, 11 RBI, 12 walks, five steals with a .391 OBP and a .571 SLG…He has posted a 2.3 fWAR this year, which ranks 13th in the National League…His 33 extra-base hits are tied for the ninth most in the National League.
ON THE ROAD AGAIN: The team has played 43 games on the road this year, the second-most in the majors and the second-most in the National League…New York is 17-26 away from Citi Field in 2023…After starting the year 10-5 on the road, the Mets have gone 7-21.
PHAM-TASTIC: Tommy Pham has safely hit in 12 of his last 14 games…Over the last 14 games, Pham is batting .296 (16-54) with nine runs, six doubles, two home runs, 12 RBI, five walks, three steals with an .869 OPS…Since May 17, Pham is batting .313 (25-80) with 13 runs, eight doubles, one triple, four home runs, 19 RBI, nine walks, six steals with a .965 OPS in 25 games.
WHEN YOU’RE IN SCORING POSITION, YOU’RE PHAMILY: Tommy Pham leads the Mets with a .324 (12-37) average with runners in scoring position…Since May 18, has 10 hits in 19 at-bats with RISP…He leads the NL in average (.476), slugging percentage (1.000) and OPS (1.538) with RISP over that timeframe.
FIRST IS THE BEST: The Mets are 21-8 (.724) when scoring first this season… On the other hand, the Mets are 13-33 (.282) when their opponent scores first.
DR. ROBERTSON: David Robertson has posted a 2-1 record with a 1.72 ERA (6 ER/31.1 IP) in 28 appearances this season…He has walked eight, while striking out 40…He ranks fifth in the NL in ERA among relievers and tied for 16th with 40 punchouts…He is holding left-handed hitters to a .161 (10-62) average this year.
STARTING PITCHER – MAX SCHERZER RHP #21
2023 STATS: 6-2, 4.04 E R A
SCHERZER’S PITCH ARSENAL
Pitch Type Usage Rate vs. LHB vs. RHB Avg. Velocity
Four-Seam Fastball 46.7% 49.0% 44.6% 93.4 mph
Slider 19.9% 0.2% 37.8% 83.6 mph
Changeup 14.2% 18.0% 10.8% 83.5 mph
Curveball 10.8% 15.8% 6.2% 75.2 mph
Cutter 8.4% 17.0% 0.5% 88.3 mph
LAST TIME OUT: Pitched a season-high 8.0 innings against Houston at Minute Maid Park on June 19…Allowed one run on four hits…Struck out eight and walked just one to earn the win in the Mets’ 11-1 victory.
PHILADELPHIA FREEDOM: Scherzer has made 30 starts against the Phillies in his career… In those starts, he is 17-5 with a 2.56 ERA (54 ER/189.2 IP)…When facing the Phillies on the road, Scherzer has pitched to a 2.36 ERA (23 ER/87.2 IP) in 14 starts, with a 9-2 record…His last win against the Phillies came earlier this month on June 1, during which he threw 7.0 innings, allowed one earned run on five hits and one walk while striking out nine…His 2.56 ERA (54 earned runs/189.2 innings) against the Phillies is the third-best mark in the divisional era (1969-present, min. 140.0 innings)…His 17 wins and 239 strikeouts against the Phils since his debut in 2008 are the most in the majors.
EIGHT IS GREAT: Scherzer pitched 8.0 innings for the first time this season in his last outing, June 19 at Houston…The last time Scherzer pitched 8.0 innings or more was September 12, 2021 with the Los Angeles Dodgers…This was Scherzer’s first time accomplishing this feat as a Met…Scherzer holds a career record of 47-3 and has a 1.25 ERA (66 ER/475.2 IP) in games where he pitches 8.0 innings or more.
TURNING THINGS AROUND: After pitching to a 5.56 ERA (14 ER/22.2 IP) in his first five starts this season, Scherzer has picked up four wins over his last seven starts (since May 14 at Washington) and has pitched to a 3.21 ERA (15 ER/42.0 IP) during that span…In that time frame, he has tallied 48 strikeouts compared to five walks, holding opponents to a .238 average and pitching to a 1.02 WHIP.
PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES NOTES:
GAME #75 RECAP: The Phillies defeated the New York Mets, 5-1, in the first game of a three-game series in South Philly … Starter Taijuan Walker (W, 8-3) went 6.0 innings against his former club and allowed 1 run on 3 hits with 1 walk and 5 strikeouts … Facing New York starter Kodai Senga for the second time this season, the Phillies had 10 whiffs on 50 swings (20% whiff rate) after fanning on 38% of their swings against him in their first meeting on May 30 (58 swings/22 whiffs) … Brandon Marsh had 3 hits and Trea Turner had a crucial 2-run single in the 6th … Gregory Soto, Jose Alvarado and Craig Kimbrel made scoreless appearances in relief of Walker.
STAFF NOTES: Over their last 106.0 innings pitched (18 G, since 6/3), Philadelphia’s starting staff has combined to post a 1.61 ERA (19 ER, 106.0 IP) with 110 strikeouts to 27 walks … The rotation has faced 409 batters in this stretch (since 6/3) and limited them to a .176 AVG and .506 OPS … Phillies starters have gone at least 7.0 innings in six of those 18 games and at least 6.0 innings in 14 of 18 – further, they have allowed 1 run or none in 14 of those 18 games and 0 runs in seven of those 18 … Among all starting staffs in MLB since June 3 when this stretch began, the Phillies rank 1st in ERA (next: MIA, 3.06), OPP AVG (next: LAD, .206), OPP OPS (next: MIA, .592) and WHIP at 0.88 (next: MIA, 0.93) … Philadelphia’s 1.61 ERA by the starters is their lowest in a span of 18 games since May 15-June 3, 1964 (1.53 ERA)… The Phils rotation leads the National League in fWAR this season at 8.8 (next: MIA, 7.6) and ranks 2nd in MLB behind only MIN (8.9).
LONDON BOUND: Yesterday, MLB announced that the Phillies will face off against the Mets at London Stadium from June 8-9, 2024 … This will mark the first ever international trip for the Phillies … “Major League Baseball has done an excellent job of expanding its footprint internationally and we are honored to play a role in that effort as part of the 2024 London Series,” said Phillies Managing Partner and CEO John Middleton … “This will be a wonderful opportunity to showcase our players’ talents and highlight the excitement that comes with a Phillies-Mets matchup for our fans in the UK and for those who have never attended a baseball game” … Phillies icon Chase Utley currently serves as MLB’s Ambassador to Europe.
THE VIBES ARE BACK: This season, the Phillies were seven games under .500 at 25-32 (.439 win %) when they entered play on June 3, which was also the one-year anniversary of Rob Thomson’s first game as Phillies manager … Since then, they have gone 14-4 (.778 win %) with a +31-run differential (91-60) and sit three games over .500 at 39-36 … When Thomson took over last year on June 3, the Phillies were also seven games under .500 at 22-29 (.431 win %), and in their first 18 games with him as manager (6/3-21/22), they also went 14-4 (.778 win %) with a +28-run differential (102-74) … Since Thomson was hired on June 3, 2022, the Phillies are 104-82 and their .559 winning percentage is 3rdbest in the National League, behind only ATL (.670) and LAD (.640) and 7th-best in MLB.
I’M GIVING IT MY ALL: The Phillies have won five of their last six series (since 6/3: 2-1 at WSH, 3-0 vs DET, 2-1 vs LAD, 3-1 at ARI, 3-0 at OAK, 0-2 vs ATL) … Over the last three seasons (2021-23), the Phillies are 45-26 in the month of June and their .634 winning percentage ranks 3rd among all MLB clubs behind only ATL (.662) and BOS (.658) … Over the last two seasons (since 2022), the Phillies are 33-14 in June and their .702 winning % ranks 2nd in MLB, trailing only ATL (.783).
BEDLAM AT THE BANK: The Phils are 20-13 in 33 games at Citizens Bank Park this year and their .606 winning percentage at home ranks 6th in MLB and 3rd in the NL, behind LAD (.622) and ATL (.615) … Philadelphia’s 33 games at home this year are tied for the 2nd fewest in MLB, with TOR (most: MIN, NYY & TB, 42 G played at home) … Through 33 games at CBP, the Phillies are averaging 39,069 in attendance per game which ranks 5th among all clubs in MLB behind only the Dodgers (48,073), Yankees (40,582), Cardinals (40,324) and Padres (39,800) … Of Philadelphia’s first 33 games at home, 16 have been sellouts (49%) and 24 have been over 35,000 (73%) … Among all clubs in MLB, the Phillies have the largest year-to-year increase in attendance per game this season at +10,580 (up from 28,488 per game through 33 home games in 2022) … The Blue Jays rank 2nd behind the Phillies with a +5,771 jump in attendance per game and the Pirates are the closest NL club with a +5,504 spike in attendance per game.
I’VE GOT YOU UNDER MY SKIN: With a win today, the Phillies would secure back-to-back wins against the Mets for the first time since Sept. 17-18, 2021 – since the last time the Phillies won consecutive games against the Mets, they are 6-18 … A win today or tomorrow would clinch the Phils their first series win against New York since Sept. 17-19, 2021, at Citi Field (2-1) and their first series win at CBP since a three-game sweep, Aug. 6-8, 2021.
SAVING GRACE: Right-hander Craig Kimbrel is 10-for-10 in save opportunities this season and he has struck out 48 of the 122 batters he has faced (39.3%) … Kimbrel (1,146 SO) is in sole possession of 8th place in strikeouts among relievers since at least 1893 – Next up is Lindy McDaniel who is in 7th place with 1,164 … On May 26, Kimbrel earned the 400th save of his ML career and became only the eighth player in the history of MLB to reach 400 saves.
TODAY’S STARTER – CRISTOPHER SÁNCHEZ • LHP #61
2023: 0-0, 3.24 ERA Career: 3-2, 5.16 ERA
LAST START: 6/17 at OAK: ND, 4.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 5 SO …
Sánchez vs Kaprielian … The Phillies defeated the A’s, 3-2 in 12 innings in Oakland … 7 different Philadelphia relievers combined to allow 2 runs (1 ER) on 7 hits with 1 BB (IBB) and 9 SO over 8.0 innings … Bryson Stott drove in a pair of runs … In the 12th inning, Kyle Schwarber’s RBI single put the Phils ahead for good … Jeff Hoffman worked a perfect 12th inning for his 1st save … Andrew Vasquez (2-0) earned the win … The win gave the Phils their 5th straight series win and improved their record in extra innings to 4-1.
TODAY’S START:
- Pitch Usage: Sinker (56.0%), Slider (22.4%), Changeup (21.6%).
- Tonight: Will be making his 3rd start of the year, matching his single-season career-high from 2022 (made 1 start in 2021). Will be his second career start against the Mets, tied with the Nationals for his most against any opponent.
- Comeback: Was recalled from Lehigh Valley (AAA) prior to his start on 6/17 at OAK. Sánchez is in his 2nd stint with the Phillies this season. He was reinstated from the 15-day IL (left triceps strain) prior to his start on 4/22 and was optioned postgame.
- Trust: Sánchez has thrown more than 2.0 IP in 16 of his 24 career ML appearances, with all but 5 of the multi-inning appearances in relief … He has a 3.93 ERA (23 ER, 52.2 IP) in appearances of 2.0 IP or more.
- Underdog: In 8 games (6 starts) for the IronPigs since 4/30, Sánchez has gone 3-2 while posting a 5.05 ERA (23 ER, 41.0 IP) with 26 walks and 33 strikeouts.
- Games: Made 2 rehab starts for Lehigh Valley (AAA) in Durham from 4/11-16 and combined to allow 1 run on 3 hits with 11 strikeouts against 3 walks in 8.2 IP.
- vs NL East: 1-1, 1 SV, 5.53 ERA (17 ER, 27.2 IP) in 11 games (3 starts).
HOME:
- 2023: 0-0, 6.23 ERA (3 ER, 4.1 IP) in 1 start.
- Career: 2-1, 4.67 ERA (18 ER, 34.2 IP) in 14 games (5 starts).
