The season is just 35 games old but the New York Mets (17-18) are officially in a massive funk. The Mets’ loss to the Colorado Rockies on Sunday was their 11th in their past 14 games, a stretch that has included a lot of losses to bad teams that the Mets could regret down the line. The Mets will look to get back on track as they kick off a seven-game road trip tonight against the Cincinnati Reds (14-20). First pitch for the opener of this three-game series is scheduled for 6:40 p.m. at Great American Ball Park.
Cincinnati had a poor 2022 campaign after a massive fire sale, going 62-100 to finish in a tie for fourth place in the National League Central and landing 31 games back of the first-place St. Louis Cardinals. The offseason didn’t bring a ton of action for the Reds, adding a quartet of low-cost veterans to fill holes on the active roster while they wait for their prospects to develop. The highlight of the season for Cincinnati should be how they say farewell to franchise icon Joey Votto, whose long-term contract expires after this season. Votto has yet to make his season debut after undergoing offseason shoulder surgery but the Reds are still hoping to continue the Mets’ misery in this series.
Left-hander David Peterson (1-4, 7.34 ERA) will take the ball for the Mets tonight in place of Max Scherzer, who was scratched with neck spasms. Peterson’s last big league start came on April 28 when he allowed four runs in five innings to suffer a loss to the Atlanta Braves in a rain-shortened game. The Reds will counter with righty Luke Weaver (0-2, 7.88 ERA). Weaver suffered a loss in his last start, giving up four runs in 4.1 innings against the San Diego Padres on May 1 to suffer his second defeat of the season.
Local Coverage:
Television: SNY
Radio: WCBS
New York Mets Lineup:
Tonight’s starters in Cincy. #LGM
🆚 Cincinnati
💪 @_David_Peterson
📺 @SNYtv
📻 @wcbs880 pic.twitter.com/wDZlrpiIJO— New York Mets (@Mets) May 9, 2023
Pre-Game Notes:
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The Mets went 5-1 against the Reds in 2022 and won two out of three against them during their last trip to Cincinnati in July.
Peterson has made one career start against the Reds, giving up three runs in 3.2 innings against them on July 6, 2022 in a game the Mets went on to win 8-3.
Weaver is 1-0 with a 4.66 ERA in two career starts against the Mets.
RHP Jimmy Yacabonis was placed on the 15-day injured list with a left quad strain to make room for Peterson on the active roster.
Starling Marte is back in the Mets’ starting lineup after getting the day off on Sunday. He will play right field and drop to sixth in the batting order.
Marte (5 for 12, 2B) and Tommy Pham (2 for 6, 2B, 2 RBI) are the only active Mets with any notable success against Weaver.
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