MMO Game Thread: Mets vs Braves, 7:10 PM

Monday, August 3, 2020 • 7:10 p.m.
Truist Park • Atlanta, GA
RHP Jacob deGrom (0-0, 1.64) vs. RHP Mike Soroka (0-0, 1.59)
SNY • FS1 • WCBS 880 AM • WQBU 92.7 FM

If you are Mets fan, you are dealing with three different baseball related emergencies right now. There’s the overall crisis – can (or should) continue playing baseball in a pandemic. The continued stories of Cardinals players testing positive, the Marlins having half of their roster test positive seem to be glaring, flashing stop signs. Manfred has seemingly walked back from “competitive integrity” to intending to play the games.

Then, almost as always with the Mets, there’s the “how does this organization even function” emergency. The team now has traded away three arms this week and has received money and an outfielder they could have signed as a free agent in the off-season. The team may have led a shame campaign against Cespedes yesterday as he was opting out – leading the fan base to be worried about his well being for a significant chunk of time. This is the same organization that forced him to play hurt, and forced Devin Mesoraco into early retirement.

Mets Lineup

1. Brandon Nimmo – CF
2. Jeff McNeil – LF
3. Pete Alonso – 1B
4. Michael Conforto – RF
5. Robinson Cano – 2B
6. Wilson Ramos – C
7. Dominic Smith
8. Andres Gimenez – 3B
9. Amed Rosario – SS

Braves Lineup

1. Ronald Acuna Jr. – RF
2. Ozzie Albies – 2B
3. Freddie Freeman – 1B
4. Marcell Ozuna – LF
5. Matt Adams – DH
6. Travis d’Arnaud – C
7. Dansby Swanson – SS
8. Johan Camargo – 3B
9. Ender Inciarte – CF

Finally, there’s the play on the field. Yesterday the Mets were an abysmal 1-15 with RISP, capping off a trend for the last four games where they can’t seem to push runners across the plate. The Mets have scored 38 runs over 10 games so far this season with 10 of those runs coming in one game that they lost 11-10. Something needs to turn around.

And what better day to turn it around than Jacob deGrom day. In two starts and 11.0 innings this year, Jacob has allowed 2 runs off 4 hits and 2 walks while striking out 12. This will be his second start against the Braves. On Opening Day he pitched 5.0 innings of shutout ball against them, allowing one hit and one walk while striking out eight. In his first outing he tossed 72 pitches and last time he pitched 88 as he continues to get back into normal rhythm. The Braves have the following numbers against deGrom:

• Austin Riley 2-7, HR, 4 K
• Freddie Freeman 15-55, 2 2B, 3 HR, 8 BB, 15 K
• Tyler Flowers 4-16, HR, 3 BB, 7 K
• Johan Camargo 7-24, 2B, HR, 2 BB, 8 K
• Dansby Swanson 4-18, 2 2B, 3 BB, 9 K
• Ronald Acuna Jr.6-22, 2B, 2 BB, 6 K
• Marcell Ozuna 9-38, 2 2B, HR, BB, 13 K
• Mat Adams 5-20, 3B, 10 K
• Ender Inciarte 7-39, 2 2B, 2 BB, 9 K
• Ozzie Albies 5-34, 2B, BB, 7 K

The Mets bats will get their second look at Mike Soroka this season. Over the last two days the Mets have faced pitchers that struggled against the Rays but saw bounce back performances (at least in terms of runs scored) against the Mets. Soroka has allowed 3 runs, 2 earned over 11.1 innings from 8 hits and 3 walks while striking out 8. Most of the damage was done in his last start against the Rays. In his first start of the season he allowed 4 hits but no runs against the Mets in 6.0 innings. The Mets have the following numbers against him:

• J.D. Davis 1-4, HR, 2 K
• Tomas Nido 3-6, 2B, BB, 2 K
• Pete Alonso 4-12, HR, 4 K
• Robinson Cano 3-10, HR
• Amed Rosario 4-13, 2B, 2 K
• Brandon Nimmo 2-8, K
• Michael Conforto 3-15, BB, K
• Brian Dozier 1-5, 2 K
• Dominic Smith 1-5, 2 K
• Jeff McNeil 1-9, 2B, K
• Wilson Ramos 0-5, K

Game Notes

J.D. Davis is out of the lineup after showing up to the ballpark with an upset stomach.

Before the game, the Mets recalled catcher Ali Sanchez, placed Yoenis Cespedes on the restricted list, and announced that reliever Hunter Strickland cleared waivers and was outrighted to the teams alternative training camp site.

New York is batting .172 (10-58) with RISP during the five-game losing streak and is hitting .176 (6-34) with RISP during this series.

Let’s Go Mets!