The Mets continue their series with the Cardinals tonight at Citi Field at 7:10 PM.
Here is tonight’s starting lineup for New York:
Curtis Granderson – RF
Eric Campbell – 3B
Lucas Duda – 1B
Michael Cuddyer – LF
Daniel Murphy – 2B
Wilmer Flores – SS
Juan Lagares – CF
Kevin Plawecki – C
Bartolo Colon – RHP
Here are tonight’s pitching matchups:
Bartolo Colon (6-2, 3.86 ERA) will start for the Mets.
Key matchups vs Colon:
Kolten Wong: 2-for-6
Jhonny Peralta: 2-for-12, 3 K
Jason Heyward: 2-for-12
Matt Carpenter: 3-for-10, HR
Carlos Martinez (3-2, 4.73 ERA) will start for the Cardinals.
Key matchups vs Martinez:
Lucas Duda: 1-for-3, 2B
Michael Cuddyer: 1-for-2, RBI
Here are two keys to tonight’s game for the Mets:
Bounce back, Bartolo.
The 41-year-old Colon has been pretty spectacular early in this season, but in his last start he was anything but. While the right-handed vet wasn’t helped out by his defense, as Wilmer Flores committed an error and Curtis Granderson misplayed a ball in right field, Colon did not have it last week vs. the Brewers as Milwaukee tabbed him for six runs (five earned) in five innings. As the Mets come off a game in which starter Jon Niese allowed eight earned runs last night, they’ll need Bartolo to get back into the form he was in earlier this season. Command as a whole hasn’t been a problem at all for Colon, as he’s allowed one walk all season and none in each of his last seven starts, but it’s his command within the strike zone that I’ll be keeping an eye on tonight. Because Colon throws so many fastballs in the strike zone, he is more susceptible to the long ball, so he’ll need to replicate what he did all throughout April and keep that tailing fastball out of the center of the plate.
A good opportunity for the Mets offense.
The Mets, who have notably struggled offensively this month, have scored four runs in the first two games of this series against the Cardinals, facing starters John Lackey and Michael Wacha.
Tonight, however, they should get their shots to drive in some runs against St. Louis starter Carlos Martinez. In order to succeed tonight–and any night, really–the Mets will have to be more selective at the plate. While he’s a hard thrower, Martinez has been wild all season long, as he’s walked walked 20 batters in 40 innings–good for a 4.5 walks per 9 innings rate. So far this season, Martinez has a 1.50 WHIP and has thrown four wild pitches this season, the most by any pitcher in the majors. Based on the numbers you’d suspect that the Mets should be able to get themselves in hitters counts tonight, which will give them the opportunity to get on base via the walk, and attack hittable strikes when they get them.
Just Mets 