Things are getting ugly for the New York Mets (16-16), who are just a .500 team with a payroll exceeding $400 million when the luxury tax is factored in. The Mets got swept by the Detroit Tigers yesterday in what feels like a rock bottom moment for a team with playoff hopes as they squandered an opportunity to get some wins with their two aces on the mound in the series. There is still plenty of time to right the ship, however, and the Mets will look to do that as they welcome the Colorado Rockies (12-20) to town to begin a weekend series. First pitch for the opener is scheduled for 7:10 p.m. at Citi Field.
2022 didn’t go as planned for Colorado, which made a big splash by signing Kris Bryant in free agency in order to try and contend for a Wild Card spot. The move didn’t pay off as Bryant spent most of the year on the injured list and the Rockies finished 68-94, good for dead last in the National League West as they landed 43 games back of the first place Los Angeles Dodgers. Perhaps feeling burned by the Bryant contract, the Rockies made very few moves in free agency, adding veterans Mike Moustakas and Jurickson Profar to fill holes on the big league roster while adding a bunch of minor league free agents. The end result leaves the Rockies with a roster that is all but guaranteed to land in last place in the NL West as ownership appears hesitant to commit the necessary resources to build a winner in the immediate future.
Right-hander Kodai Senga (3-1, 4.15 ERA) is set to take the mound for the Mets tonight. Senga had a rough time in his last start, giving up two runs in five taxing innings against the Washington Nationals on April 26, and suffered his first loss of the season as a result. The Rockies will counter with righty Antonio Senzatela (3-7, 5.07 ERA in 2022), who will be making his 2023 debut. Senzatela is making his first start after coming back from a torn ACL suffered last season.
Local Coverage:
Television: SNY
Radio: WCBS
New York Mets Lineup:
Back home for the weekend. #LGM.
🆚 Colorado
💪 @KodaiSenga
📺 @SNYtv
📻@wcbs880 pic.twitter.com/2yYD9Jx8PY— New York Mets (@Mets) May 5, 2023
Pre-Game Notes:
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The Mets went 5-2 against the Rockies last season and won three out of four during Colorado’s last trip to Citi Field in late August.
Senga has never faced the Rockies before.
Senzatela is 2-2 with a 2.88 ERA in five career appearances, including four starts, against the Mets.
Tommy Pham will start again in left field, giving Mark Canha the day off, and bat seventh.
Daniel Vogelback and Brett Baty are back in the Mets’ starting lineup after sitting against lefty Eduardo Rodriguez yesterday. Vogelbach will serve as the designated hitter and bat eighth while Baty plays third base and hits sixth.
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