Just Mets

The Mets will look to get back on track in Game 3 of their four-game series with the Cubs tonight at Wrigley Field at 8:05 PM ET.

Here is tonight’s starting lineup for New York:

Here is tonight’s pitching matchup:

Matt Harvey (5-1, 2.72 ERA) will start for the Mets.

Key matchups vs. Harvey:

Starlin Castro: 2-for-3
Chris Coughlan: 3-for-5, 2B, 2 RBI
Dexter Fowler: 1-for-6, K

Jason Hammel (3-1, 3.52 ERA) will start for the Cubs.

Key matchups vs. Hammel:

Curtis Granderson: 6-for-17, 2 2B, 2 HR, 3 RBI, 2 BB, 4 K
Daniel Murphy: 4-for-8, 2B, K
Michael Cuddyer: 0-for-3, K

Here’s what I’m looking for from the Mets:

Matt Harvey the stopper.

No matter how the Mets are performing, every five days is a holiday for the Flushing Faithful as we’ve made it to another Harvey Day. Well, right now, the Mets aren’t performing particularly well. After appearing to get things back on track with a 4-1 stretch vs. the Orioles and Phillies, the Mets have dropped the first two games of this four-game set in lackluster fashion, scoring a combined four runs.

Yet again this team is relying on their ace Matt Harvey, who is 3-0 when the Mets are coming off of a loss this season, to be that stopper and end this mini losing streak. I expect Harvey to be fired up, as always, and do everything he can to put this team on his back.

Support Harvey.

The Mets starting rotation has been brilliant this season, and lately they have gotten little-to-no support from the every day players. All season this team has struggled defensively–other than the human highlight reel that is Juan Lagares–but now they’re struggling offensively and as we saw last night with Curtis Granderson are trying to do too much and making mistakes in the basepaths.

Harvey is on the mound tonight, and while we always expect him to put together a sterling performance, he can only do so much. If the Mets don’t play at least adequate defense and start putting some runs on the board, it doesn’t matter how good their pitching is. The team is really starting to miss David Wright and Travis d’Arnaud, but while their gone it’s the guys that are here that need to step up to the plate and get it done.