5/29/21 Game Preview: Atlanta Braves at New York Mets

The Mets, despite being held together with spit and sunscreen, are in first place after winning 3 of 4 from the Colorado Rockies. After a Friday night rainout, they welcome the division rival Atlanta Braves for a quick two before they hit the road. The weather looks dicey all weekend, so maybe their exclusive meteorologist will invent a window where they can play tonight.

How To Enjoy

It’s a 7:15 PM start at Citi Field, and it’s a FOX game which is probably why last night’s rainout isn’t being made up today. It’s riduculous, but that’s baseball, right? (Besides, we’ll have some players back when this game is eventually made up … I hope.) You can also catch Howie and Wayne on WCBS 880, or you can tune in WQBU 92.7 FM (Que Buena!)

If you’re in Atlanta, well it’s still on FOX. But if you can’t stomach whoever FOX trots out there, you can find them on 680 AM/93.7 FM The Fan, or WNNX 100.5 (Atlanta’s Rock Station!)

The Pitchers

Finally, some reinforcements. Taijuan Walker is due to return for the Mets tonight as he returns from an injury to his side. Walker is 3-1 this season with a 2.05 ERA and a WHIP of 0.98, and had two straight starts of seven innings before having his last start against Atlanta cut short due to the injury being aggravated. Though he left early, he still pitched three scoreless innings.

Ian Anderson goes for Atlanta, and it’s safe to say he’s been their ace this season. Anderson is 4-1 with a 2.82 ERA, a 1.19 WHIP, and a 1.7 WAR in nine games this season. Anderson’s only game against the Mets was a 7-2 loss at Citi Field in September of 2010. The two players that drove in runs against Anderson last season were two players he won’t have to worry about tonight: Robinson Cano and Robinson Chrinos.

Anderson’s last game was a 20-1 victory over the Pirates, which is more run support than Jacob deGrom has gotten in seven years. (At this moment somebody is looking at deGrom’s game log saying “Hey, that’s not true! I’m going to send a nasty tweet!” Direct your complaints to @Dolmet.)

The Lineups

Let’s start with the visitors since they posted their lineup on Twitter first:

Here's how the #Braves will line up tonight vs. the Mets!

Presented by @TruistNews | #ForTheA pic.twitter.com/FtiULvXSk6

— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) May 29, 2021

With Marcell Ozuna’s injury, Ozzie Albies moves into the third slot in the order. This past Wednesday against Boston was the first time in Albies’ career that he batted third.

And for the home nine:

Tonight’s lineup. #LGM pic.twitter.com/IKvM8wF7q5

— New York Mets (@Mets) May 29, 2021

James McCann: Professional number 3 hitter. Billy McKinney drops down to the six hole. Cameron Maybin continues his search for his first hit as a Met from the 8th hole.

Game Notes

• The Mets will miss Marcell Ozuna this series as he was put on the IL with two fractured fingers, suffered on a slide into third base. Johan Camargo has been brought up in his place.
• The Braves are batting .246 with an .819 OPS at 27 games in Atlanta, but are batting .223 with a 691 OPS on the road in 22 games this season.
• Possible context for a late game matchup: Freddie Freeman is a lifetime ,286 hitter with two home runs and a 1.019 OPS against Jeurys Familia in 21 career at bats.
• I don’t know what this means, but I’m going to throw it out there anyway: Braves pitchers who are 25 or younger have a 10-5 record with a 3.31 ERA and a WHIP of 1.18 in 2021. These numbers are largely driving by Anderson and Huascar Ynoa, who is hurt. Every other age demarkation group has ERAs over 4.50 and WHIPs over 1.30. Take this information as you will.
• The Mets are 374-425-1 all time against the Braves. The tie came on September 2nd, 1968, interrupted in the top of the 7th due to rain with the score tied 2-2. It was the second game of a doubleheader, and I actually had to do research to make sure that 7 inning doubleheaders didn’t exist in 1968. This is what Rob Manfred has reduced me to.