NEW YORK METS NOTES:
THE STORY OF US: Last night, the Mets completed a sweep of the Diamondbacks with a 9-0 shutout victory, as they continue their final road trip (3-0) before the All-Star Break…New York is a major league-best 5-0 in July after posting a 7-19 record in June… Tonight, the team begins its final series first half, a three-game set in San Diego.
SWEEP NOW: With last night’s victory, the Mets picked up their fourth series sweep of the season and first series sweep since May 30-June 1 vs. Philadelphia…It was the Mets second sweep on the road this year (also, April 14-16 at Oakland)…The last time the Mets swept the D-backs in a three-game series was May 7-9, 2021 in New York…The last time it happened in Arizona was April 14-16, 2014.
HITS DIFFERENT: According to sportradar, the Mets have won their first five games in July for only the third time in club history, also going 5-0 to begin the month in 1990 and 1991…New York ended up winning its first 10 games in July of 1991, its longest win streak ever to begin the month.
BETTER THAN REVENGE: New York has won a season-high-tying five straight games for the first time since winning five straight games from May 17-May 21…The Mets last win streak longer than five games was a six-game run from September 15-20 last season… Prior to this stretch, the Mets had won consecutive games one time since the start of June, a two-game win streak June 14 vs. New York-AL and June 16 vs. St. Louis.
STREAK NOW: New York’s pitching staff has posted a 2.00 ERA during their five-game winning streak, the third-best mark in the majors since July 1…Opponents have
managed just a .185 batting average over those five games, second-best in MLB since July 1…New York is the last remaining unbeaten team in July.
CROWDS IN STANDS WENT WILD: The Mets have won back-to-back series for the first time since taking two out three from the Rays (May 16-18) and sweeping the Guardians (May 19-21)…New York last won more than two consecutive series back in April, when they won four straight series against Miami, San Diego, Oakland and Los Angeles-NL.
SPARKS FLY: The Mets hit seven home runs in their series sweep at Arizona, tied for their most in a single series this season…The team has hit 47 home runs in 28 games since June 4 (1.7 HR/game), the third-highest rate and fourth-most homers overall in the majors in that span.
LONG LIVE: Kodai Senga’s 8.0-inning effort Wednesday was followed up by Carlos Carrasco’s 8.0 shutout innings last night…It is the first time the Mets have received at least 8.0 innings from their starter in back-to-back games since August 2-3, 2015, when Noah Syndergaard and Bartolo Colon turned the trick…Courtesy of Sarah Langs… The Mets are 26-4 when the starting pitcher throws at least 6.0 innings…New York has gone 11-1 when its starter pitches 7.0+ innings and are a perfect 4-0 when the starter completes 8.0 innings.
DEATH BY A THOUSAND CUTS: The Mets had a season-high 17 hits last night, their most in a game since a 19-hit outburst September 25, 2022 at Oakland…New York is slashing .275/.374/.569 as a team in July…They pace the majors with a .943 OPS this month and rank among MLB leaders for July in home runs (12, second), SLG (second), runs per game (6.2, fourth) OBP (fifth), extra-base hits (22, sixth), walks (22, sixth) and average (10th).
i’VE GOT A BLANK SPACE, BABY: Last night, the Mets earned their fifth shutout win of the season and first since May 30…Yesterday’s 9-0 victory was New York’s largest margin of victory in a shutout since a 10-0 win on September 7, 2022 at Pittsburgh… Carlos Carrasco pitched at least 8.0 scoreless innings for the 12th time in his career and first time since May 3, 2022 vs. Atlanta…The last time a Mets starter tossed 8.0 shutout frames was June 14, 2022 (Chris Bassitt 8.0 scoreless innings vs. Milwaukee).
YOU KNOW I LOVE SOCAL: The Mets are playing their fifth series in a time zone three hours behind Eastern Time this season…New York is 10-3 those 13 games…The Mets went 3-0 in Oakland, 2-1 at Dodger Stadium, 2-2 in San Francisco in April and went 3-0 in Arizona…New York’s West Coast portion of the schedule wraps up this weekend with a three-game set at San Diego.
ELECTRIC TOUCH: Pete Alonso blasted his 26th home run of the season last night, a 371-foot line drive that had a maximum height of 39 feet, the lowest of any of the
3,048 home runs hit in the majors this year…It was also the lowest max height on any of Alonso’s 172 career home runs…Alonso ranks second in the NL and third in the majors with 26 home runs…He is tied for sixth in the majors and ranks third in the NL with 61 RBI…He has recorded 60+ RBI in the first half for the third time in his career (also, 2019, 2022)…He and David Wright (2006, 2008, 2010) are the only Mets to do that three times.
MR. SMILE, PERFECTLY FINE: Last night, Francisco Lindor had his first career five-hit game, going 5-5 with two triples and a solo homer…He is the second Met with two triples and a home run in the same game, joining Joe Christopher (August 18, 1964)… He became just the seventh player in the modern era (since 1901) with five or more hits, including two triples and at least one home run, in a single game…The last player to do so was Dmitri Young on May 6, 2003, with the others being Willie Mays (1958), Hoot Evers (1950), Rogers Hornsby (1916), Cy Seymour (1907) and Harry Davis (1901)….Over his last 17 games, Francisco Lindor is batting .328 (20-61) with 16 runs, three doubles, six home runs, 13 RBI, 10 walks and five steals with a 1.157 OPS…He had a seven-RBI game earlier this season…Only two other Mets have accomplished both feats in the same season: Yoenis Cespedes (2015 – in the same game) and Carlos Delgado (2008 – separate games).
NEVER GROW UP: Francisco Alvarez has homered in three straight games for the first time in his career…He has four long balls in his last five appearances…His 16 homers this season are the most by any catcher in the majors and the third-most among rookies… Alvarez has eclipsed Travis d’Arnaud’s previous franchise record for home runs by a rookie catcher…Alvarez’s 16 home runs are tied for the second-most in a season by a catcher in his age-21 season or younger with Darrell Porter (16, age 21, 1973) behind Johnny Bench (26, age 21, 1969)…Courtesy of Sarah Langs.
I BET YOU THINK ABOUT SD: Jeff McNeil made his major league debut against the Padres on July 24, 2018 and singled in his first career at-bat that day…McNeil leads
all current Mets with a .333 average (15-45) and .909 OPS against San Diego in 16 career games against the club…Tommy Pham has hit .301 (34-113) with a .924 OPS in 32 appearances against the Friars…Max Scherzer, Sunday’s scheduled starter against San Diego, is 7-3 with a 2.76 ERA (35 ER/114.1 IP) and 156 strikeouts in 18 regular-season starts against the club…His 12.28 K/9 rate vs. the Padres is the best all-time (min. 100.0 IP).
GETAWAY CAR: New York has been successful in all eight of their stolen base attempts in July, bringing their season tally to 69 steals in 76 attempts…Their 69 steals are tied for eighth in the majors and tied for fifth in the NL…The team’s 90.8 percent success rate is the best in the majors…The Mets had a franchise-record run of 35 consecutive stolen bases without being caught from May 14-June 29…Overall, New York has been successful in 43 of their last 44 stolen base attempts…Starling Marte has swiped 23 bags this year, sixth in the majors and third in the National League…His 337 career stolen bases rank second among active players…Elvis Andrus is the active leader with 341 steals.
REMEMBER THIS MOMENT: Brandon Nimmo is tied for fourth in the majors with nine home runs since June 8…Nimmo now has 13 home runs, tied for his most before the All-Star break in his career (also, 2018)…Seven of his 13 homers have tied the game or given New York the lead…He has a .899 OPS over his last 25 games with three doubles, nine homers, 20 RBI and 14 runs…He is tied for third in the majors and shares the NL lead with nine game-winning RBI this season and tied for fourth in the NL and tied for seventh in the majors with 16 go-ahead RBI.
CALL YOUR OWN SHOTS: Mark Canha’s go-ahead RBI triple in the ninth inning on July 5 represented his fourth game-winning RBI since May 31…Canha has been responsible for driving in the game-winning run in four of the last eight Mets wins he has appeared in… Over that span (since May 31), he is slashing .283/.405/.517 with three doubles, a triple, three homers, 14 RBI and six runs.
SHINING LIKE FIREWORKS: On July 4-5, David Robertson recorded a save on back-to-back days for the third time this season (also, April 15-16 and May 30-31)…He recorded his 13th save of the year Wednesday night…The veteran right-hander has posted a 2-2 record with 13 saves and a 1.88 ERA (8 ER/38.1 IP) in 35 appearances this season…He has walked 11, while striking out 45…He ranks seventh in ERA among NL relievers…He is tied for 17th in the NL with 45 punchouts as a reliever…He is holding left-handed hitters to a .189 (13-74) average this year.
THE BEST THING THAT’S EVER BEEN MINE: On Sunday, Major League Baseball announced that Pete Alonso was selected to the National League All-Star team…He will join the NL All-Star squad as they square off against the AL All-Stars on July 11 at T-Mobile Park in Seattle…This is Alonso’s third career All-Star nod, tied with Keith Hernandez for the most by a Mets first baseman…Alonso is the 13th Met in club history to make at least three All-Star rosters.
THIS IS LOOKING LIKE A CONTEST: Alonso also announced Sunday night that he will participate in the 2023 Home Run Derby…A two-time Derby winner, Alonso will attempt to become the second player to win the event three times (also, Ken Griffey Jr.)…He will be the 10th player to compete in the HR Derby at least four times, joining Griffey Jr. (eight), Mark McGwire (seven), Barry Bonds (six), Sammy Sosa (six), Albert Pujols (five), Lance Berkman (four), Robinson Canó (four) and David Ortiz (four).
LET’S HEAR THE APPLAUSE: Congrats to Head Performance Coach Dustin Clarke who will manage the NL’s strength and conditioning at the 2023 All-Star Game in Seattle, WA…Clarke is in his ninth season as the head performance coach and his 13th season in the organization.
NEXT CHAPTER: RHP Mike Vasil was named to the National League 2023 SiriusXM Futures Game roster…The 23-year-old has made 12 starts between Double-A Binghamton and
Triple-A Syracuse where he has combined to go 1-3 with a 4.37 ERA (28 ER/57.2 IP) with 13 walks and 66 strikeouts…He was selected by the Mets in the eighth round of the 2021 First-Year Player Draft out of the University of Virginia.
STARTING PITCHER – JUSTIN VERLANDER RHP #35
2023 STATS: 3-4, 3.66 E R A
LAST TIME OUT: Earned his third win of the season after allowing one unearned run over 7.0 innings on July 1 vs. San Francisco…Allowed five hits, one walks and struck out six batters… Was his fifth quality start of the season and his third over his last four starts.
INNINGS EATER: Verlander has gone at least 6.0 innings in six of his 11 starts this season… In those starts, Verlander has a 1.76 ERA (8 ER/41.0 IP) and a 0.78 WHIP…Verlander has allowed one or zero runs in five of those starts.
GO WEST YOUNG MAN: In 20 career starts against NL West opponents, Verlander is 14-2 with a 2.50 ERA (37 ER/133.1 IP), a 0.99 WHIP, a 10.67 SO/9 rate and a .580 opponent’s OPS…16 of those starts have been quality starts and Verlander has recorded eight or more strikeouts in 10 of those starts.
SAN DIEGO PADRES NOTES:
Padres win 3 straight and claim their 1st sweep at Petco this year
- San Diego’s 3-game sweep of the Angels this week was their 1st sweep in a series longer than 2 games so far this year (prior sweep was their 2-games vs. San Francisco in Mexico City from April 29-30).
- On Wednesday, Fernando Tatis Jr. went 3-for-4 with a walk and a double, and Manny Machado hit a solo home run in the 6th inning…Seth Lugo went 6.0 innings with 2 runs (1 earned) allowed on 5 hits…he punched out 6 Angel batters with 1 walk allowed.
- The Padres held Shohei Ohtani hitless (0-for-10) in the 3-game set, and in his start vs. San Diego on July 4, they tapped him for 5 earned runs and had 7 hits against him. Roster Move
- Today, the Padres selected the contract of RHP Alek Jacob from Double-A San Antonio and optioned LHP Jose Castillo to Triple-A El Paso…Jacob will wear No. 58. Final 1st-half series: Mets and Friars meet with identical records
- The Padres and Mets are both 41-46 entering tonight’s game, and since 2021, the clubs have split 16 meetings (8-8) with just two total runs separating them over that time (Padres have scored 60 runs against the Mets and the Mets have scored 58 vs. the Padres).
Padres look for a season-high 4-game win streak
- The Padres are riding a season-high-tying 3-game winning streak (now done 5x, and this is their 1st time since June 7-10)…a win tonight would be their 1st streak of 4+ wins since winning 5 consecutive games from Sept. 16-21 last year.
- In the 3 game sweep, the Padres out-scored the Angels 23 to 11, plated 7.7 runs per game, and logged 9 extra-base hits (4 doubles, a triple, and 4 homers).
Manny Machado, Petco Park home run king
- Manny Machado, who celebrated his 31st birthday yesterday, hit his 66th career home run at Petco Park, surpassing Adrian Gonzalez as the all-time Petco Park home run leader.
Hader goes 3 straight days
- 2023 NL All-Star closer Josh Hader pitched in 3 straight games against the Angels from June 3-5 to secure the sweep…it was his 1st time going in 3 straight days as a Padre and his 1st time since September 24-26, 2021 vs. the Mets (with Milwaukee)…yesterday’s off day helps with his recovery, but he’ll likely be unavailable today out of the ‘pen.
San Diego starters
- In the Padres last 8 games, their starters have posted a 1.43 ERA with 51 SO against 13 BB allowed…5 of those 8 games have been quality starts, and 7 of those 8.0 were games in which the Padres’ starter went at least 5.0 innings.
- Both Blake Snell and Michael Wacha tie for the team lead this year in quality starts (9), and the Padres’ 40 quality starts overall lead all National League teams…the Padres are 24-16 this year when their starters are quality.
Who’s back? Yu’s back
- Yu Darvish makes his return to the rotation for the 1st time since his last start on June 21 @ SF due to flu-like symptoms…he’ll look to avoid the loss in 3+ consecutive outings for the 8th time in his career.
STARTING PITCHER – YU DARVISH #11
Darvish looks to avoid 3rd consecutive loss
Yu Darvish takes the mound for his 15th start of the season and the 11th of his career vs. NYM (including Postseason)…he’s been out of the rotation since making his last start on June 21 @ SF due to flu-like symptoms… he’ll look to avoid the loss in 3+ consecutive outings for the 8th time in his career…3 of the 8 three-loss streaks have come as a member of the Padres (most recently: Aug 7-18, 2022)… and his only streak losing 4 in a row came from Aug 30-Sept 14, 2013…among all active hurlers who have made at least 10 career starts vs. the Mets, Darvish’s opponent AVG ranks (.178), WHIP (0.79) and baserunners/per 9 all rank 1st, while his 2.86 ERA ranks 6th.
Giants top Darvish Wednesday, June 21 at Oracle Park
Darvish returned to Oracle Park for the first time since turning in the shortest outing of his career (1.2 IP) and allowing the 2nd-most ER of his career (9) on April 12, 2022…he allowed 4 ER across 6.0 innings for the 2nd straight start, but 3 of the 4 runs allowed in the 5th inning came around to score after a controversial blocking of the plate ruling on Gary Sanchez was overturned in the Giants favor.
Limit the long balls
After not allowing any HRs through his first 4 starts of the season, he has allowed 10 across his last 10 starts since April 30 vs. SF in Mexico City…among the 46 ML hurlers who have tossed at least 55.0 IP since April 30, his 1.61 HR/9 IP ratio is 6th-highest in the Majors and 3rd-highest in the NL…he allowed 2 HR in his first career start at PNC Park, but hasn’t allowed a long ball in the other 2 starts and 13.0 IP as a member of the Padres.
Darvish hits the century mark with 100 career wins
On Fri, June 9 @ COL, Darvish became the 7th player to win their 100th career game in a SD uniform, and the first since Shawn Estes in 2008…the others are Rollie Fingers in 1980, Goose Gossage in 1986, Ed Whitson in 1989, Bruce Hurst in 1989 and Eric Show in 1990.
5.0+ IP streak snapped at 37 straight starts
Darvish has tossed at least 5.0 innings in 41 of his last 42 starts dating back to April 17, 2022…the streak was snapped in his first start vs. the Yankees since 2017 on Sunday, May 28, with his 2.2 IP tying for the 2nd-shortest outing of his career…the 37 consecutive starts tossing at least 5.0 IP is the 2nd-longest streak in Padres history behind only Bruce Hurst’s 43 straight games across the 1990-91 seasons…it’s tied for the 3rd-longest such streak in the Majors since 2020 with Gerrit Cole, who had his streak snapped on June 20 this season, Darvish and Cole’s streak trail only Max Fried’s 50 straight starts (June 6, 2021-Sept. 30, 2022) and Alek Manoah’s 39 straight starts (August 23, 2021-Sept. 30, 2022).