9/8/19 Game Preview: Philadelphia Phillies at New York Mets

It might be the first full NFL Sunday of the season, but the New York Mets (72-69) still have some work to do. The Mets didn’t have a good night last night, falling 5-0 to the Philadelphia Phillies (73-68), but they didn’t lose any ground in the Wild Card race with the Chicago Cubs falling to the Milwaukee Brewers in walk-off fashion. With every game becoming more precious as we inch closer to the postseason, the Mets and Phillies will look to secure the critical rubber game this afternoon. First pitch for today’s game is scheduled for 1:10 p.m. at Citi Field.

The Mets will send right hander Noah Syndergaard (10-7, 3.97 ERA) to the mound today. Syndergaard was excellent on Labor Day, tossing seven shutout innings to beat the Washington Nationals and pick up his 10th win of the year. The Phillies will counter with right hander Vince Velasquez (6-7, 4.80 ERA). Velasquez didn’t last long in his last start, allowing a run in three innings against the Cincinnati Reds last Tuesday, but the Phillies did go on to win 6-2.

Local Coverage:

Television: SNY

Radio: WCBS

New York Mets Lineup:

Series finale with Philly. #LGM

⌚️ 👉 1:10 p.m.
🏟️ 👉 https://t.co/EdITjKBsL4
💪 👉 @Noahsyndergaard
👀 👉 @SNYtv, @TBSNetwork
👂 👉 @wcbs880, @ESPNDep1050AM
💻 👉 https://t.co/54qc1pAkyi pic.twitter.com/2irUolKEWB

— New York Mets (@Mets) September 8, 2019

Pre-Game Notes:

• Syndergaard is 1-0 with an 8.10 ERA in two starts against the Phillies this season.
• Velasquez is 1-0 with a 1.80 ERA in two starts against the Mets in 2019.
• Robinson Cano, Wilson Ramos, and Brandon Nimmo are back in the Mets’ lineup. Ramos will bat cleanup and catch, Cano will bat fifth and start at second base while Nimmo returns to center field and bats seventh.
• Maikel Franco (8 for 23, 2B, 2 HR, 4 RBI), Bryce Harper (8 for 29, 2B, 4 RBI), Cesar Hernandez (11 for 27, 2 RBI), Rhys Hoskins (5 for 12, 3 2B, 2 HR, 3 RBI) and Jean Segura (6 for 13, 2B) have all done well against Syndergaard in the past.
• Pete Alonso (2 for 3, HR, 2 RBI), Cano (4 for 7), Michael Conforto (6 for 16, 3 HR, 7 RBI) and Jeff McNeil (4 for 9, RBI) have good numbers against Velasquez.
• This is the final game of the season series between the Mets and Phillies. The Phillies have already won the series, picking up wins in 11 of the first 18 meetings between the clubs.