The New York Mets (68-78) went out and won two for their captain yesterday, sweeping a doubleheader with the Miami Marlins. While a lot of the headlines surrounding the Mets will focus on David Wright’s farewell home stand in a week and a half, the Mets still have business to attend to. That includes the Mets’ final road trip of the season, a 10 gamer beginning with a trip to see the team with baseball’s best record, the Boston Red Sox (101-46). First pitch for the opener of this weekend series is scheduled for 7:10 pm at Fenway Park.
The Red Sox are already in the postseason, having clinched a playoff berth just days ago, and are not too far away from winning the American League East for a second straight year. The key to Boston’s success has been an explosive offense headlined by MVP candidates J.D. Martinez (.330/41/122) and Mookie Betts (.340/29/71 with 28 stolen bases). The Red Sox also have a dynamic pitching staff headlined by lefties Chris Sale (12-4, 1.96 ERA) and David Price (15-6, 3.42 ERA) while closer Craig Kimbrel (40 saves, 2.33 ERA) has been lights out in the back of the bullpen. The tremendous season has raised the pressure on the Red Sox to win a World Series title for the first time since 2013, a task that won’t be easy in the loaded American League, but it should be a challenging environment for some of the Mets’ young hitters.
The Mets will send right hander Noah Syndergaard (11-3, 3.44 ERA) to the mound today. Syndergaard was a bit shaky in his last start, giving up four runs in 6.2 innings to the Philadelphia Phillies last Saturday, but ended up with a win anyway thanks to a ton of run support from the Mets’ offense. The Red Sox will counter with righty Hector Velazquez (7-2, 3.29 ERA). Velazquez last appeared on Tuesday, tossing one third of an inning of scoreless relief in a 7-2 win over the Toronto Blue Jays.
Local Coverage:
Television: SNY
Radio: WOR
New York Mets Lineup:
- SS Amed Rosario
- 2B Jeff McNeil
- LF Michael Conforto
- 1B Jay Bruce
- 3B Todd Frazier
- RF Brandon Nimmo
- DH Dominic Smith
- CF Austin Jackson
- C Tomas Nido
Pre-Game Notes:
- The Mets and Red Sox last met in 2015, when the Red Sox won two out of three at Citi Field.
- The Mets have not been to Fenway Park since 2009, when they won two out of three against Boston in May.
- Syndergaard faced the Red Sox at Citi Field in 2015, giving up four runs in 6.2 innings of work, but did not factor in the decision of a game the Mets went on to win 5-4.
- Velazquez has never faced the Mets before.
- Dominic Smith will serve as the designated hitter tonight for the Mets and bat seventh.
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