While Sunday’s finale didn’t go as planned, the Mets technically got themselves back on track at Citi Field this weekend. After getting swept out of Milwaukee, they took two of three from the Marlins.
So, through the first three series of 2023, the Mets have established one thing: they can beat Miami. They’re 5-2 against them across seven games. Now it’s time to show they can beat teams that don’t play in Miami. First up is a Wild Card Round rematch from last October as the San Diego Padres return to Flushing.
The last time these two squads went head-to-head, the Padres couldn’t stop hitting homers and New York’s offense went ice cold. The stakes are admittedly a lot lower now than they were a few months ago, but it’s going to feel a little like deja vu all over again.
Here’s what the probable pitchers look like for each side at the moment.
Monday at 7:10 p.m. ET: Max Scherzer vs. Yu Darvish
Monday night at Citi Field will feel like stepping into a time capsule for a hot minute, as Scherzer and Darvish recreate last October’s Game 1 pitching matchup.
Mad Max’s first postseason appearance as a Met didn’t go well, allowing seven runs on seven hits in 4.2 innings, with four of those hits being homers. His last start in Milwaukee gave off shades of that, allowing five runs on eight hits in 5.1 innings. Scherzer’s night was punctuated by surrendering back-to-back-to-back homers for just the second time in his career.
Darvish will be making his second start of the year. His first included three hits and four walks, but just one run was allowed in five innings. Not counting his postseason experience, Darvish loves pitching at Citi Field. Across 27 innings, he’s 3-0 with a 2.00 ERA, 0.82 WHIP, and 32 strikeouts.
Tuesday at 7:10 p.m. ET: David Peterson vs. Ryan Weathers
Like most Mets pitchers, David Peterson had a tough time in Milwaukee against the Brewers. Five was his magic number (but for the wrong reasons). In four innings, he allowed five runs on five hits, five walks, and five strikeouts. He does like pitching at home, though. Peterson owns a 10-4 record with a 3.86 ERA and 1.27 WHIP in 102.2 career innings at Citi Field.
Ryan Weathers got a no-decision in his 2023 debut, which ended up being a win over the Diamondbacks for the Padres. He allowed two runs on five hits, one walk, and two strikeouts across five innings. Tuesday night’s start will be his first career appearance against the Mets.
Wednesday at 1:10 p.m. ET: Tylor Megill vs. Blake Snell
Big Drip left camp as the Opening Day starter for Triple-A Syracuse. He never made that start and now has a 1.64 ERA with a 1.18 WHIP and two wins through 11 innings in the big leagues. Baseball can be a funny game that way, right? This matinee finale will be Megill’s first career appearance against the Padres.
Blake Snell isn’t listed yet as a starter on MLB.com, but he is on ESPN, so we’re going to run with it. The former Cy Young winner does have 11 strikeouts through his first eight innings of the year, but not much else has gone right. He’s paired that with five walks, 12 hits, and seven earned runs, leading to a 7.88 ERA. The southpaw does own a 2.73 ERA against the Mets, including a 2.33 mark at Citi Field. So, he’ll look to get right in what has been a good position for him in the past.
MORE ON ESNY:
• Mets fan spends actual money to troll Jacob deGrom with custom jersey
• Justin Verlander gives loose (and encouraging) timeline for Mets debut
• Mets must view Francisco Alvarez as the solution … not the ‘backup QB’
• Do you already hate MLB’s pitch clock? Then this definitely won’t help
• Former Mets pitcher electrifies crowd in Japan by hitting RBI double
You can reach Matt Musico at matt.musico@xlmedia.com. You can follow him on Twitter: @mmusico8.
