Game Chat: Mets vs Braves

Tuesday, September 24, 2024 • 7:20 PM
Truist Park • Atlanta, GA
RHP Luis Severino (11-6, 3.79) vs. RHP Spencer Schwellenbach (7-7, 3.61)
SNY

We have finally arrived! When the Grimace-era Mets showed us that the Mets could be the real deal this year, there was a feeling that the entire season could come down to this series against the Braves. When the Mets started to stumble at the end of August, the hope for the postseason was the Mets making a comeback throughout this last week of September. Now with the Mets in the driver’s seat, the Mets have an opportunity to exorcise their demons from the 2022 season when they went down to Atlanta up a game in the division and were swept by Atlanta.

The difference in 2024 though is it’s very possible that one of these two teams do not make the playoffs. If the Mets win two of three, they clinch a spot. If the Braves sweep, they control their own destiny. Adding to the chaos is the Arizona Diamondbacks who could fade and create a road for both teams. There’s also a hurricane currently forecasted to impact the Thursday night game. Baseball!

Mets Lineup

1. José Iglesias – 2B
2. Brandon Nimmo – LF
3. Starling Marte – RF
4. Pete Alonso – 1B
5. Jesse Winker – DH
6. Mark Vientos – 3B
7. Tyrone Taylor – CF
8. Francisco Alvarez – C
9. Luisangel Acuña – SS

Luis Severino has pitched 178 innings this season with a 3.79 ERA, 4.20 FIP, 1.225 WHIP and a 104 ERA+. Severino is coming off back-to-back starts where he allowed three runs over six innings due in large part to three homers. Since August 17, Severino has a 2.64 ERA (3.46 FIP) striking out 47 batters over 44 1/3 innings. In both starts against the Braves this season, he allowed two runs over five innings.

The Braves have the following career numbers against Severino:

• Ozzie Albies 0-3
• Orlando Arcia 1-9, K
• Travis d’Arnaud 2-6, K
• Adam Duvall 0-3, K
• Michael Harris II 1-5, K
• Jarred Kelenic 1-5, HR, K
• Whit Merrifield 4-12, 2B, BB, 3 K
• Ramon Laureano 2-5, 2B, BB, 2 K
• Sean Murphy 0-1
• Matt Olson 4-10, 2B, 4 BB, 5 K
• Marcell Ozuna 2-4, HR, 3 BB, K
• Jorge Soler 1-6, 3 K
• Gio Urshela 0-6, K

Opposing Lineup

1. Michael Harris II – CF
2. Ozzie Albeis – 2B
3. Marcell Ozuna – DH
4. Matt Olson – 1B
5. Jorge Soler – RF
6. Ramón Laureano – LF
7. Travis d’Arnaud
8. Gio Urshela – 3B
9. Orlando Arcia – SS

Spencer Schwellenbach is wrapping up his rookie season where he pitched 109 2/3 innings with a 3.61 ERA, 3.32 FIP, 1.103 WHIP and a 115 ERA+. He’s allowed three total runs in his last two starts over 12 innings. His best start of the season this year was against the Mets where he held the Mets to no runs over seven innings while striking out 11 batters.

The Mets have the following career numbers against him:

• Pete Alonso 1-3, 2B, K
• José Iglesias 0-2, K
• Francisco Lindor 0-3
• J.D. Martinez 0-3, 3 K
• Brandon Nimmo 0-3, K
• Luis Torrens 0-2, 2 K
• Mark Vientos 0-2, 2 K
• Jesse Winker 0-3, K

Game Notes

Francisco Lindor got a bone scan of his back and confirmed there’s no structural damage. It is basically a pain management thing at this point. He could pinch hit tonight. It remains day by day.

Austin Riley‘s season is over, according to the Braves. He won’t return after breaking a bone in his hand. He wasn’t going to return in the regular season, but there was hope he could return if they made the playoffs.

Luisangel Acuña is playing his brother Ronald Jr.’s team for the first time. He has family in town, and he says they’re rooting for the Mets this time around.

Three Things To Watch For

1. Francisco Lindor or Luisangel Acuña. He’s slowly been getting better over the last couple of days, with heavy emphasis on the slowly. The Mets heart and soul of the team matches up well with Sale, who is slated to go tomorrow, so there is an advantage to keeping him out tonight, or only having him take a pinch hit at bat. Keeping the pressure off pushing Lindor is how well Acuña has played and how the well the team has played as a whole the last week. Over his first nine games in the majors, Acuña is hitting .379/.400/.828 with a 239 OPS+.
2. Brandon Nimmo. The Mets needed a player to step up, and Nimmo has answered the call. In his last five games, he has gone 5-for-20 with a double and three home runs, and the homers have come in huge moments for the Mets. He asked fans to fill the park for the last series of the season. He was the difference maker on Sunday night. Now he has the power momentum, something we haven’t seen since the first half of the season.
3. Scoreboard Watching. The Diamondbacks lost a West Coast game to the Giants last night and now are half a game behind the Mets in the Wild Card standings. Brandon Pfaadt is on the mound tonight for the Diamondbacks. After a slew of bad starts (23 runs over four games), Pfaadt pitched a gem in his last start holding the Brewers to one run over seven innings. The Giants are counting with Logan Webb. The Mets currently have the tie breaker with the Diamondbacks.

Let’s go Mets!

The post Game Chat: Mets vs Braves appeared first on Metsmerized Online.