6/30/19 Game Preview: Atlanta Braves at New York Mets

The New York Mets (37-47) are trying to party like its 1969 this weekend, but nothing has gone according to plan. After Seth Lugo blew a 4-3 lead last night, the Mets have now lost seven games in a row, with two of those coming to the first place Atlanta Braves (50-34). The Mets will look to avoid getting swept as they wrap up their series with the Braves tonight. First pitch for the contest, which will be nationally televised on ESPN as part of its Sunday Night Baseball package, is scheduled for 7:10 p.m. at Citi Field.

The Mets will send right hander Noah Syndergaard (5-4, 4.55 ERA) to the mound tonight. Syndergaard last pitched on June 15, when he gave up five runs (four earned) in six plus innings against the St. Louis Cardinals before leaving with a hamstring injury that sent him to the injured list. The Mets got a win in that game, but the injury cost Syndergaard two starts. The Braves will counter with lefty Max Fried (9-3, 3.96 ERA). Fried picked up a win in his last start, giving up two runs in six innings against the Chicago Cubs on Tuesday.

Local Coverage:

Television: ESPN

Radio: WCBS

New York Mets Lineup:

Tonight’s starting nine. #LGM pic.twitter.com/4aqE7APAVC

— New York Mets (@Mets) June 30, 2019

Pre-Game Notes:

• Syndergaard is 0-2 with a 3.49 ERA in seven career starts against the Braves.
• Fried faced the Mets in Atlanta on June 19, allowing two runs in six innings to pick up his eighth win of the year.
• Michael Conforto will get the day off today. J.D. Davis will start in left field and bat third.
• Freddie Freeman (8 for 18, 3 2B, 3B, HR, 6 RBI), Nick Markakis (7 for 17, 2B, RBI) and Dansby Swanson (5 for 11, RBI) all have good numbers against Syndergaard.
• Jeff McNeil (3 for 5, 2 2B), Wilson Ramos (2 for 4, 2B) and Juan Lagares (2 for 6) have small sample size success against Fried.
• This is the Mets’ final game for the month of June. The Mets are 9-18 so far over their first 27 games of the month.
• The Mets designated Carlos Gomez for assignment to make room for Syndergaard on the active roster.