The Mets will look for a split of the Toronto portion of their four-game home-and-home series with the Blue Jays tonight at 7:07 PM at Rogers Centre.
Here is tonight’s starting lineup for New York:
Curtis Granderson – RF
Juan Lagares – CF
Lucas Duda – 1B
Michael Cuddyer – DH
Travis d’Arnaud – C
Wilmer Flores – SS
John Mayberry, Jr. – LF
Ruben Tejada – 3B
Dilson Herrera – 2B
Bartolo Colon – RHP
Here is tonight’s pitching matchup:
Bartolo Colon (9-4. 4.41 ERA) will start for the Mets.
Career vs. Blue Jays: 10-5, 4.02 ERA, 25 starts
Career at Rogers Centre: 5-3, 4.60 ERA, 12 starts
Key matchups vs. Colon:
Jose Bautista: 3-for-13, HR, 2 RBI, 4 BB
Edwin Encarnacion: 4-for-19, 2B
Jose Reyes: 4-for-6, RBI
R.A. Dickey (2-6, 5.29 ERA) will start for the Blue Jays.
Career vs. Mets: 1-0, 1.86 ERA, 2 appearances, 1 starts
Season at Rogers Centre: 2-2, 4.63 ERA, 7 starts
Career at Rogers Centre: 20-14, 4.52 ERA, 47 appearances, 45 starts
Key matchups vs. Dickey:
Curtis Granderson: 5-for-25, 2 2B, 8 K
John Mayberry Jr.: 2-for-13, 2 RBI
Here’s what I am looking for from the Mets tonight:
A functional two-seamer from Bart.
As was the case yesterday with Niese, it’s vital Colon has complete command of his two-seamer on the left side of the plate, particularly against guys like Bautista and Colon who will crush him if he’s just the slightest bit off and over the plate. That pitch has been better for him lately and it’s been his puppy in his successful starts this season. But, in this park with this lineup, it needs to be spot on and at the knees if he is to be competitive tonight. Otherwise, the game can get out of hand for him quickly in that stadium.
Hit the friggin’ ball.
The Mets got shutout in Toronto on Wednesday night. Read that again, and let it sink in.
The bats looked slow and tired, and the whole team looked rather lethargic at that. They need to figure out how to consistently hit on the road, as it’s something they just haven’t done most of the time away from Citi Field. That almost seems unbelievable.
Dickey has struggled all year long, so it’s just a matter for these hitters to wait him out, let the ball come to them, and not swing out of their shoes. If the knuckler isn’t dancing for R.A…. well, people in our community are very familiar with what takes place when that happens…
Just Mets 