The streak is over. Long live the streak. The Mets look to get back on the horse in Pittsburgh tonight at PNC Park for a 7:10 start. It’s Italian Night!
Join us for Italian Night on Saturday, August 3!
🎟: https://t.co/jFqIbTMAGe pic.twitter.com/GV5qPJs9an
— Pittsburgh Pirates (@Pirates) July 11, 2019
There will also be fireworks after the game in addition to the fireworks the Mets hope to provide against Chris Archer.
How To Enjoy
The Mets will be on SNY on the television side, and WCBS 880 and ESPN Deportes 1050 on the radio side. If you’re in Pittsburgh, AT&T Sportsnet is your place to watch, and KDKA 93.7 is your place to listen if you have the terrestrial radio attached to your ears while in the ballpark.
The Pitchers
It’s ‘Stro Day! Marcus Stroman makes his Mets debut, and from the looks of his numbers he’ll fit right in. A 2.96 ERA is paired with a 6-11 record. I could see Marcus and Jacob deGrom pounding down a lot of beers in commiseration together. (Now now, it’s 2019. These athletes are fine tuned. They’ll be pounding down spiked kale.) Stroman is coming off his first ever All-Star Game appearance this season.
Archer was pounded by the Mets in their series last week. giving up six runs (five earned) in the first inning before settling in but still taking the loss. We mentioned the Archer trade from Tampa last week and Ben Lindbergh of The Ringer had a great write up on it.
The Lineups
Okay, so there’s a lot to take in here:
Roster moves: We have recalled RHP Jacob Rhame and optioned Tyler Bashlor to Triple-A Syracuse. Additionally, we have claimed LHP Donnie Hart off waivers from Milwaukee and optioned him to Triple-A Syracuse.
Here is tonight's lineup. 👇 #LGM pic.twitter.com/I7HVe9MmuA
— New York Mets (@Mets) August 3, 2019
Got all that?
First off, one day after I write “no more Juan Lagares to give Michael Conforto a spell”, Mickey Callaway gets me on a technicality and puts Juan Lagares in the lineup to give Jeff McNeil a spell. (This isn’t over, Mickey.) Amed Rosario is in the leadoff spot as a result. Truth be told, McNeil could use a couple of days off here and there to make up for a busy All-Star Game week … but just a couple. The guy that really should have a day off is Pete Alonso. But Dom Smith is out until mid-September so here we are. (The good news is that Alonso drove an outside pitch the other way for a double last night so perhaps he’s back on the beam.)
As for Donnie Hart, he’s a lefty reliever who has 16 walks in his last 26 innings for the Orioles and Brewers … and that encompasses his last two seasons. In the minors, he’s walked 23 in the last two seasons for Baltimore and Milwaukee … and that’s in 78 and 1/3 innings which is a much better ratio. He was designated for assignment by the Brewers on Wedensday.
Now for the Pirates:
Tonight's lineup, presented by @Honda.#LetsGoBucs pic.twitter.com/dxNBP5CyHM
— Pittsburgh Pirates (@Pirates) August 3, 2019
Adam Frazier and Kevin Newman flip-flop in the lineup against the righty Stroman, Jacob Stallings is at catcher to replace Elias Diaz, and Colin Moran also enters the lineup while Melky Cabrera gets a day off. Read our game notes below to find out why that doesn’t make a lot of sense.
Game Notes
- Stroman, with Jeff McNeil having number 6, will stick with the single digit motif and cozy up to the number 7 (Jose Reyes approves). Seven has been worn by Ed Kranepool, Hubie Brooks, Kevin Mitchell, Travis d’Arnaud, and some guy named Charlie Greene (among others.)
- Stroman, who will now bat more regularly in the National League, is a .176 career hitter in 17 career at-bats. His one career home run came against Julio Teheran, which is obviously why they acquired him.
- Cabrera has the most career at-bats against Stroman on the Pirates (12), and Melky is hitting .417 off him (five singles). Cabrera isn’t in the lineup tonight so draw your own conclusions.
- Stroman has only pitched in PNC Park once, and oddly enough it was his major league debut. Stroman came in for relief in the 8th inning and gave up a triple to Josh Harrison and a sac fly to Andrew McCutchen.
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