This is it. After 162 games in the regular season, the New York Mets are set to square off with the San Francisco Giants in the winner take all NL Wild Card game for the right to face the Cubs in the NLDS.
- New York Mets (87-75)
- San Francisco Giants (87-75)
- NL Wild Card Game, Oct. 5, 8 p.m. ET
- Citi Field, Flushing, NY
For the Mets:
This morning, the New York Mets announced their starting lineup for tonight’s NL Wild Card game which includes Noah Syndergaard as the starter and James Loney in at first base. Despite the reasons for some fans to want to see Lucas Duda in the lineup, Loney is the guy who helped bring this team to where they are all season and is far more defensively sound than Duda. This is the right call by Collins, but having Eric Campbell on the roster over Duda is what is making fans scratch their heads.
Despite some questionable decisions, Terry Collins is the manager who brought New York to a World Series last season, and to the franchise’s second ever consecutive playoff appearance. Whatever he is doing has worked and should not be told otherwise at this point.
The NL Wild Card Game gets broken down position-by-position. #LGMhttps://t.co/6avSUyFHto
— New York Mets (@Mets) October 4, 2016
Only one moves on tonight. #LGM
[ Preview https://t.co/ndCcoXFDwQ ] pic.twitter.com/y7EfMIxKZf— New York Mets (@Mets) October 5, 2016
The NL #WildCard is tonight at 8pm ET on @espn. pic.twitter.com/PNLzssbKrq
— MLB (@MLB) October 5, 2016
For the Giants:
For the San Francisco Giants, Eduardo Núñez was left off of the 25 man roster due to a strained hamstring. Additionally, manager Bruce Bochy left some notable pitchers off of the roster, electing to continue without the services of Matt Cain, Jake Peavy and Joe Nathan.
It should be noted that the Giants are going with one more pitcher than when they won the 2014 Wild Card game, despite not using a single one when Madison Bumgarner went the distance to blank the Pittsburgh Pirates. Bochy was quoted as saying it’s an “all hands on deck game” according to The Mercury News, so Johnny Cueto will be on the roster as a precaution.
Who’s hot(ter)?
The San Francisco Giants cooled off considerably in the second half of the year despite getting off to a hot start. Regardless of the bats that were firing well in the last several or so games, there’s no denying that they have disappointed this season, finishing in the second wild card spot rather than retaining the division they led for half the year. It is, however, undeniable that the Giants are equipped with the skill and depth, having won three World Series in the past six years.
The Mets are the team with far more momentum. Going on a monsterous tear since the August 19 loss to the Giants. That loss eventually turned into a 27-13 record. With the resurgance of Jose Reyes, surprise leader Asdrubal Cabrera batting consistently, as well as Bruce and Loney getting hot in the last 10 or so games, the Mets will give the Giants more than their fair share of competition. This, coupled with Syndergaard starting and having a fired up Cespedes looking to desperately break a small slump, has the Mets chances looking good to meet the Cubs in a rematch of last year’s NLCS.
.@Mets #WildCard starter @noahsyndergaard fired the fastest four-seam fastballs of any starter in 2016. #Statcast pic.twitter.com/lS1PhVYWcq
— #Statcast (@statcast) October 5, 2016
Madison Bumgarner, no stranger to the #postseason, posted the best regular season numbers of his career. #WildCard pic.twitter.com/liBUNTPI8j
— MLB Stat of the Day (@MLBStatoftheDay) October 5, 2016
New York Mets Roster:
Pitchers
Jerry Blevins – LHP
Bartolo Colon – RHP
Josh Edgin – LHP
Jeurys Familia – RHP
Robert Gsellman – RHP
Addison Reed – RHP
Hansel Robles – RHP
Fernando Salas – RHP
Noah Syndergaard – RHP**
Catchers
Travis d’Arnaud
Kevin Plawecki
Rene Rivera*
Infielders
Asdrubal Cabrera – SS*
James Loney – 1B*
Jose Reyes – 3B*
T.J. Rivera -2B*
Ty Kelly
Eric Campbell
Kelly Johnson
Outfielders
Michael Conforto – LF
Yoenis Cespedes – CF*
Curtis Granderson – RF*
Jay Bruce – RF*
Alejandro De Aza
Juan Lagares
San Francisco Giants Roster:
Pitchers
Madison Bumgarner – LHP**
Santiago Casilla – RHP
Johnny Cueto – RHP
George Kontos – RHP
Derek Law – RHP
Javier Lopez – LHP
Steven Okert – LHP
Sergio Romo – RHP
Jeff Samardzija – RHP
Will Smith – LHP
Hunter Strickland – RHP
Catchers
Buster Posey*
Trevor Brown
Infielders
Brandon Belt – 1B*
Brandon Crawford – SS*
Conor Gillaspie – 3B*
Joe Panik – 2B*
Ehire Adrianza
Kelby Tomlinson
Outfielders
Angel Pagan – LF*
Denard Span – CF*
Hunter Pence – RF*
Gregor Blanco
Gorkys Hernandez
Jarrett Parker
*Projected starters
**Confirmed starter
