NEW YORK METS NOTES:
METSCELLANEOUS: The Mets defeated the Braves, 10-4, last night…The Mets are seeking their third straight series win and their 16th series win of the season…New York improved to 37-15 when scoring firs this season….The Mets continue a seven-game road trip (4-1) to St. Louis (3-1) and Atlanta (1-0)…The Mets are off on Thursday before returning to New York for a 10-day, nine-game homestand against the Angels (three games), Rangers (three games) and Mariners (three games).
REVOLUTION NO. 9: New York has won seven of its last nine games…The Mets are batting .282/.350/.506 and have posted a 3.83 ERA (34 ER/80.0 IP) during the streak…Over the last nine games, the Mets have outscored their opponents 63-34.
I DON’T WANT TO ROCK, DJ: In 29 games this year, DJ Stewart is batting .246 (15-61) with nine runs, two doubles, six home runs, 12 RBI, eight walks, a .388 OBP and a .574 SLG…Over the last six games, Stewart is 8-20 with five home runs and nine RBI…Stewart recorded a career-high 12 home runs in 100 games with Baltimore in 2021.
LINSANITY: Lindor is on an eight-game hitting streak, batting .400 (14-35) in that span with nine runs, three doubles, one home run, eight RBI, one walk and two steals…Over his last 54 games, he is batting .309 (63-204) with 43 runs, 11 doubles, two triples, 11 home runs, 34 RBI, 26 walks, 15 steals with a .391 OBP, a .544 SLG and a .936 OPS…Lindor has stolen 21 bases in 124 games this season, exceeding his total from 2022 (16 steals in 161 games)…His career-best is 25 steals 158 games in 2018.
I DECLARE fWAR: Francisco Lindor ranks fifth in the majors and fourth in the National League with a 5.1 fWAR…Since he joined the Mets, Lindor has posted a 16.2 fWAR…Only Freddie Freeman (17.9) and Mookie Betts (16.8) have posted a higher mark in the Senior Circuit…His 16.2 fWAR since 2021 ranks fifth in the majors in that span.
TO THINE OWN SELF BE TRUIST: Jeff McNeil has hit .385 (40-104) with 16 runs, nine doubles, two home runs, eight RBI, six walks with a .423 OBP and a .523 SLG in 27 career games at the home of the Braves…In 66 career games against Atlanta, McNeil is a .344 (86-250) hitter with 33 runs, 22 doubles, five home runs, 25 RBI, 10 walks with an .874 OPS…He has safely hit is seven straight games against ATL, batting .406 (13-32) with five runs, one double, two RBI, two walks and an .879 OPS in that span.
JEFF McHITS: Jeff McNeil is on a six-game hitting streak, batting .407 (11-27) with six runs, two doubles, one home run, six RBI, one walk and one steal…He has safely hit in 15 of his last 17 games, batting .358 (24-67) with 13 runs, three doubles, three home runs, 13 RBI, and four walks with a .405 OBP and a .537 SLG in that span…In 36 games following the All-Star break, McNeil is batting .296 (42-142) with 22 runs, six doubles, one triple, three home runs, 21 RBI, seven walks with a .348 OBP…He has struck out only 12 times in 155 plate appearances following the All-Star break.
PLAYER GAMES SLASHLINE HOME RUNS RBI
Brandon Nimmo 17 .361/.458/.557 3 4
Francisco Lindor 19 .347/.402/.493 2 13
Jeff McNeil 21 .329/.370/.471 3 13
Pete Alonso 21 .263/.378/.671 9 20
METS NUMBERS IN AUGUST
DINGERS: The Mets have homered in eight straight games, blasting 20 home runs in that span…It is tied for the third-longest streak of the season…Overall, the Mets have hit 164 home runs, which is fourth in the National League.
MONTHLY REPORT: Pete Alonso has recorded nine home runs in 20 games this month…His career-best for any singly month is 11 home runs, which he recorded in 27 games in September of 2019…He has recorded five months with at least 10 home runs in his career…His next home run would mark the second time this year that Alonso has hit 10 homers in a single month…He hit 10 home runs in May…He also hit one home run in March and nine in April.
THIS IS ALMOST 40: Pete Alonso is third in the majors and second in the National League with 39 home runs…Alonso is one home run shy of recording his third season of 40 or more home runs…He socked 53 in 2019 and 40 last season… He is the only player in franchise history with multiple seasons of 40 or more home runs…Since he entered the league in 2019, only two other players have recorded multiple seasons with 40 or more home runs (Shohei Ohtani and Mike Trout)… Only one active player (Nelson Cruz, four) has more than three 40-HR seasons…Alonso’s 185 home runs since he entered the league in 2019 are the most in the major leagues…With one more long ball, he’ll become the fifth player in MLB history with three or more seasons with 40+ home runs in a player’s first five years…He would join Ralph Kiner (4), Ryan Howard (3), Albert Pujols (3) and Eddie Matthews (3).
THE ROAD TO 100: Pete Alonso is second in the majors and in the NL with 95 RBI… He has previously recorded two seasons with 100 RBI (120 in 2019 and 131 in 2022)…He is seeking to become the fourth player in Mets history to record three or more seasons with 100 or more RBI…David Wright is the franchise leader with
five such seasons…Carlos Beltrán and Darryl Strawberry recorded three seasons each.
RANK PLAYER HR
- Darryl Strawberry 252
- David Wright 242
- Mike Piazza 220
- Howard Johnson 192
- Pete Alonso 185
RANK PLAYER RBI
- Carlos Beltrán 559
- Edgardo Alfonzo 538
T8. Cleon Jones 521
T8. Jose Reyes 521 - Pete Alonso 475
METS CAREER LEADERS, HOME RUNS AND RBI
GIMME A BREAK: Alonso is hitting .263 (34-130) with 20 extra-base hits, 34 RBI, 23 runs, 17 walks and a .983 OPS in 36 games following the All-Star break…He batted .211 (64-304) with 50 runs, seven one triple, 26 home runs and 61 RBI in the 82 games before the break.
INVADER NIM: Over the last 13 games, Brandon Nimmo is batting .400 (20-50) with eight runs, two doubles, three home runs, four RBI, nine walks, a .492 OBP and a .620 SLG…He is batting .299 (46-154) with 11 doubles, one triple, two home runs, 13 RBI, 12 walks with a .368 OBP and a .422 SLG against left-handed pitchers this year…His .299 average is the eighth best in the majors by a left-handed hitter against fellow lefties.
ON THE ROAD AGAIN: The Mets are 28-39 on the road this year…They have posted a 4.81 ERA in away games…New York has played 67 games on the road this year…That is tied for the most in the majors.
150: Kodai Senga now has 154 strikeouts on the season…He became the seventh pitcher in franchise history to record at least 150 strikeouts in his rookie season…
Senga is tied with Gary Gentry for sixth place among rookie pitchers in team history (Gentry had 154 in 1969)…His is the fifth pitcher of Japanese origin to post at least 150 strikeouts as a rookie, joining Hideo Nomo (236 in 1995), Yu Darvish (221 in 2012), Daisuke Matsuzaka (201 in 2007), and Kenta Maeda (179 in 2016)…
Courtesy of sportsradar.
DOING THE SPLITS: Brandon Nimmo is batting .297 (73-246) with 37 runs, 11 doubles, three triples, seven home runs, 30 RBI, 35 walks, a .385 OBP and a .451 SLG on the road this season…This compares to a .238/.345/.444 slashline with 21 extra-base hits at home…Francisco Lindor is a .278 (73-263) hitter with 49 runs, 19 doubles, two triples, 14 home runs, 53 RBI, 24 walks, a .346 OBP, and a .525 SLG on the road in 2023…He is slashing .223/.322/.398 with 18 extra-base hits at Citi
Field this year.
IF YOU START ME UP: The Mets are 37-10 when the starting pitcher throws at least 6.0 innings…New York has gone 15-1 when its starter pitches 7.0+ innings and are a perfect 5-0 when the starter completes 8.0 innings.
STARTING PITCHER – TYLOR MEGILL RHP #38
2023 STATS: 7-6, 5.53 ERA
LAST TIME OUT: Earned his seventh win of the season on August 16 against the Pirates at Citi Field…Allowed two runs over 5.0 innings, issued four walks and struck out five batters.
BRINING THE HEAT AGAINST HOTLANTA: Tonight, Megill will make his ninth career appearance, eighth start against the Braves, his most against any single one opponent in his career…For his career against Atlanta, Megill is 1-2 with a 4.66 ERA (19 ER/36.2 IP) and a 9.82 SO/9 rate…Megill has faced the Braves twice this season, both times at Citi Field and is 0-1 with a 6.55 ERA (8 ER/11.0 IP) in those outings…In three career outings (two starts) at Truist Park, Megill has a 4.22 ERA (5 ER/10.2 IP)…The righty’s lone win against the Braves came at Truist Park on October 1, 2021 when Megill allowed one hit over 5.0 scoreless innings.
ON THE ROAD AGAIN: This season, Megill is 2-4 with a 8.20 ERA (34 ER/37.1 IP) in nine road starts this season…In nine home starts this season, Megill is 5-2 with a 3.49 ERA (19 ER/49.0 IP)…Megill’s 4.71 home/road ERA differential is the fourth-highest in the majors this season (Min. 7 GS)…Courtesy of Elias…In 26 career road games (22 starts), Megill is 6-9 with a 6.08 ERA (70 ER/103.0 IP) and in 25 career home games (23 starts), Megill is 9-5 with a 4.14 ERA (55 ER/119.2 IP).
THE FRANCHISE HAS COMPANY: On April 7, the Mets home opener vs. Miami, Megill threw 6.0 scoreless innings and allowed three hits…Megill joined Tom Seaver (April 5, 1983) as the only other pitcher in franchise history to throw 6.0 shutout innings and allow three hits or fewer in a home opener…Courtesy of Elias.
ATLANTA BRAVES NOTES:
TONIGHT’S GAME: The Braves and Mets tonight continue a three-game series with what is the 12th of 13 games between the teams this season…The two last met just nine days ago in the conclusion of a four-game set at Citi Field.
- New York topped Atlanta, 10-4, last night to take the opening game of the series, and has won back-to-back games versus the Braves for the first time since three straight wins, August 6-7 of last season.
- Atlanta is 8-3 in 11 games with New York this season…The Braves have won 14 of the last 18 games with New York dating to last season, outscoring the Mets 128-71 (+57) over the stretch.
- The Braves went 10-9 against the Mets last season, taking the season set from their N.L. East rivals for the fifth consecutive season…They also went 10-9 in 2021, 7-3 in 2020, 11-8 in 2019 and 13-6 in 2018…Since the start of the 2018 season, Atlanta is 59-38 (.608) against New York overall.
- Last night’s loss snapped a seven-game winning streak for Atlanta over New York here at Truist Park…The Braves swept the first three games between the teams at Truist Park this season, June 6-8…Since Truist Park opened in 2017, the Braves are 33-23 (.589) against the Mets here.
- RH Bryce Elder has made one start and two total appearances against the Mets in his career, compiling a 1-0 record with a 7.56 ERA (7 ER/ 8.1 IP) against them…The 6-foot-2, 220-pound right-hander started against New York earlier this season, June 6 here at Truist Park, and earned the win after allowing four hits and four runs over 6.0 innings.
- RH Tylor Megill is 1-2 with a 4.66 ERA (19 ER/36.2 IP) in eight career games against Atlanta, including seven starts…In two turns this season, the 6-foot-7, 230-pound native of Long Beach, CA, is 0-1 with a 6.55 ERA, allowing eight earned runs in 11.0 total innings…In 18 total starts for the Mets this season, Megill is 7-6 with a 5.53 ERA (53 ER/86.1 IP).
LOSS: The Braves fell to the Mets, 10-4, last night, and have lost back-to-back home games for the first time since a four-game skid to the White Sox and D-backs, July 15-19.
- Last night was the Braves’ first defeat by more than three runs since falling, 7-1, at Boston on July 25…Beginning on July 26, the club had gone 16-8, outscoring its opponents, 165-101 (+64)… On the season, Atlanta has just 10 losses by more than three runs – six fewer than the next closest team, Tampa Bay.
- Atlanta allowed 10 runs for the first time since July 18, when the Braves lost to the D-backs, 16-13… The Braves have allowed 10 runs in a game just six times this season, fourth fewest in the majors.
- The Braves lost for just the sixth time this season opening a series at home, and are 15-6 (.714) in such games overall.
ROSTER MOVE: The Braves today recalled LHP Jared Shuster to Atlanta after optioning RHP Allan Winans to Triple-A Gwinnett following last night’s game.
- Shuster has made nine starts for Atlanta this season, going 4-2 with a 5.00 ERA (25 ER/45.0 IP)…He is currently riding a four-game winning streak that spans six total starts and dates to May 21, during which he is 4-0 with a 4.02 ERA (14 ER/31.1 IP).
- In 13 games for Triple-A Gwinnett this season, all starts, he is 4-5 with a 5.77 ERA (41 ER/64.0 IP).
MULTIPLE HOMERS: Marcell Ozuna connected on a pair of home runs last night, his 17th career multihomer game and third this season…Atlanta batters have combined for 23 multi-homer games this season, most in the majors.
- Just one other team, the Dodgers, has even 20 such games this year.
- Ten different Braves players have collected a multihomer game this year, also most in the majors… Matt Olson (7 times), Ozuna (3), Ronald Acuña Jr. (2), Ozzie Albies (2), Michael Harris II (2), Austin Riley (2), Eddie Rosario (2), Travis d’Arnaud (1), Sam Hilliard (1) and Sean Murphy (1) have all done so at least once.
- Olson’s seven such games are the most by a single player in baseball this season.
- The single-season franchise record for multi-homer games is 24, set in 1966…Atlanta’s next pair of homers this season will match that record.
SCORELESS STREAKS: Spencer Strider (14.0 innings), Raisel Iglesias (12.0), Jesse Chavez (11.0, IL), Charlie Morton (11.0) and Pierce Johnson (10.2) each carry scoreless streaks into tonight’s game.
- Prior to these streaks, Atlanta had never had five pitchers with concurrent 10.0-plus-inning scoreless streaks in the Expansion Era (since 1961).
- The last club with at least five players with active 10.0-plus-inning scoreless streaks was Cleveland, which matched that criteria on August 13, 2022… Cal Quantrill, Sam Hentges, Triston McKenzie, James Karinchak and Nick Sandlin combined to do it for the Guardians.
- Research courtesy of the Elias Sports Bureau. ACUÑA JR. RUNS: Ronald Acuña Jr. went 2-for-5 with a run scored last night, his majors-most 113th run of the season…The run was the 507th of his career.
- With his next run scored, Acuña Jr. will move into the Top 10 in Atlanta franchise history (since 1966), tying Javy López…Hall-of-Famer Chipper Jones has the most runs since the team moved to Atlanta, scoring 1,619 times.
- The single-season Atlanta record is 131 runs, set by Dale Murphy in 1983…Acuña Jr. is on pace for 148 runs this season.
Tonight’s Starting Pitcher – #55 Bryce Elder RHP
2023 Record: 9-5, 3.46 ERA • 2022 Record: 2-4, 3.17 ERA
vs. RHB: .233 (62-266), 7 HR • vs. LHB: .244 (60-246), 7 HR
Home: 5-1, 3.12 ERA (26 ER/75.0 IP) • Away: 4-3, 3.86 ERA (27 ER/63.0 IP)
Today’s Game
- Set to make his second career start against New York (NL) and 25th on the season.
- Held the Yankees to one hit over 7.0 shutout innings in his last start.
- Became the 10th pitcher in Atlanta franchise history to spin 7.0 scoreless innings while limiting an opponent to one hit or less at the age of 24 or younger.
- Teammate Spencer Strider also did it earlier this season.
- Elder has pitched to a 4.85 ERA since the beginning of June.
- Sported a 1.92 ERA in 11 starts prior to June 1.
- Elder’s 6.44 ERA with ROB is the seventh lowest in the NL among qualifiers.
- Opponents are hitting .216 against him with runners on base, the fourth lowest rate in the National League and seventh lowest in the majors (among QS).
- Owns a 23.8 left-on-base percentage.
- His groundball rate of 53.0% of balls put in play is the fifth highest in the majors among qualified starters.
- Has recorded an out on 59.9% of those grounders put in play.
- The average launch angle of balls put in play against Elder is 7.60; seventh lowest in the National League.
- Elder is pitching to a 2.79 ERA while holding opponents to a .230/.294/.358 line the first two times through the lineup.
- Conversely, owns a 6.03 ERA and hitters have a line of .262/.338/.413 the third time through the order and on.
- Is 10-5 with a 3.24 ERA over his last 29 games started after being recalled from Triple-A Gwinnett, dating to August 14, 2022.
- He has six starts in his career of at least 6.0 innings without allowing a run, the most such games in Braves franchise history (since 1900) in a player’s first 25 starts…Irv Young (1905), Clif Curtis (1909-’10) and Ian Anderson (’20-21) each had five such starts.
2023 Recap
- Named to the 2023 National League All-Star Team, his first selection.
- Joined Hall-of-Famer John Smoltz and Michael Soroka as the only starters in Atlanta-franchise history to make the All-Star team in their second year playing.
- Joined Hall-of-Famer John Smoltz, Shelby Miller and Julio Teheran as the only Atlanta-era pitchers, age 24 or younger to post a 2.40 ERA or lower through their first 15 starts to a season.
- Elder has 20 games of at least 5.1 innings pitched in 25 career starts; the most in Atlanta franchise history through as many games started.
- Elder’s 2.30 ERA through 20 career starts is the lowest in Atlanta franchise history to begin a career.
- His 117.1 innings pitched through his first 20 games started were the most by an Atlanta player to begin their career since Julio Teheran in 2011-13.
- His 30 earned runs allwed are also the fewest during that span.
- Elder has held opponents to one run or less in nine games this season while pitching at least 5.0 frames in every outing.
- His 13 appearances of at least 5.0 innings pitched while holding opponents to one run or less are the most through a player’s first 25 outings in Atlanta franchise history
