A six game road trip may be a blessing in disguise for the seriously slumping New York Mets (17-15). The Mets got swept in a six game home stand for the first time since 2012, scoring only 11 runs while getting shut out three times in the process. The pitching has certainly had its issues, but the more pressing concern has been a complete brown out from the lineup. This trip could be the remedy as the Mets will visit two very hitter friendly parks, beginning with Great American Ball Park tonight. The Mets will open up a series with one of the worst teams in baseball, the Cincinnati Reds (8-26), with first pitch for the opener scheduled for 7:10 pm.
No one expected much from the Reds in 2018 after a 68 win campaign landed them in dead last in the National League Central a year ago. Cincinnati is in the midst of a full rebuild, but they have been easily the worst team in the National League this season, which isn’t an easy task when the Miami Marlins conducted a pretty full fire sale this winter. Manager Bryan Price paid with his job after a 3-15 start, and interim skipper Jim Riggleman hasn’t done much better, going 5-11 since taking over. The Reds still have all world first baseman Joey Votto, who continues to produce on an offense capable of scoring runs, but the very young pitching staff has been pretty bad. Cincinnati enters play today with a team ERA of 5.27, the worst in the majors. The Reds’ poor pitching combined with the launching pad that is Great American Ball Park could be exactly what the Mets need to wake up their slumping offense.
The Mets will send rookie left hander P.J. Conlon to the mound for his major league debut tonight. Conlon, who is 1-2 with a 6.75 ERA in five starts for Triple-A Las Vegas this season, is taking the rotation spot of Jacob deGrom. deGrom was originally penciled in to pitch this game after an MRI on his hyperextended right elbow revealed no structural damage, but the Mets finally decided yesterday to play it safe and skip his start. With several viable options for the start not on turn, the Mets added Conlon to their 40 man roster since he will be on regular rest. The Reds will counter with veteran right hander Homer Bailey (0-4, 4.81 ERA). Bailey has been hit hard all season, including his last start, when he gave up five runs in five innings to lose to the Milwaukee Brewers last Tuesday.
Local Coverage:
Television: SNY
Radio: WOR
New York Mets Lineup:
- CF Michael Conforto
- LF Yoenis Cespedes
- RF Jay Bruce
- 2B Asdrubal Cabrera
- 3B Todd Frazier
- 1B Adrian Gonzalez
- C Jose Lobaton
- SP P.J. Conlon
- SS Amed Rosario
Pre-Game Notes:
- The Mets went 4-3 against the Reds in 2017, but dropped two out of three in Cincinnati, losing a series there for the first time since 2012.
- Bailey is 1-4 with a 6.49 ERA in six career starts against the Mets.
- Conlon is set to become the first Irish-born big league player since 1945.
- Yoenis Cespedes is in the lineup tonight despite exiting yesterday’s game with a right quad injury. Cespedes will play left field and bat second.
- Michael Conforto is back in the lineup after sitting out the past two days. Conforto will bat leadoff and play center field.
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