The Mets will continue their three-game series with the Rays on Friday night at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg at 6:10 PM.
Here is tonight’s starting lineup for New York:
Curtis Granderson — RF
Daniel Murphy — 3B
Yoenis Cespedes — CF
Lucas Duda — 1B
Juan Uribe — DH
Michael Conforto — LF
Travis d’Arnaud — C
Kelly Johnson — 2B
Ruben Tejada — SS
Noah Syndergaard — RHP
Here is tonight’s pitching matchup:
Noah Syndergaard (6-5, 2.66 ERA) will start for the Mets.
Nathan Karns (6-5, 3.37 ERA) will start for the Rays.
Here’s what I’m looking for from the Mets tonight:
The reign of Thor.
The Mets may very well have another Rookie of the Year candidate this season as Noah Syndergaard has been flat-out spectacular this season. His numbers overall are impressive, as he’s posted a 2.66 ERA in the first 15 starts of his career, but he’s been even better of late. In his last nine starts, the man known as Thor is 4-1 with a 1.80 ERA, 66 strikeouts and just 14 walks in 66 innings pitched. In that span, he’s pitched eight innings four times. The 22-year-old flame throwing right-hander takes the mound once again tonight in St. Pete and at this point, he’s making Mets fans expect greatness every time he steps out there. The way he’s pitched lately, he’s earned that expectation.
Offense!
All of a sudden, it’s not so easy to keep this Mets team down. In their last seven games, this team has scored 39 runs, an average of 5.57 runs per game. The additions of Michael Conforto, Juan Uribe, Kelly Johnson and Yoenis Cespedes cannot be understated, as this run has occurred since they’ve all been added to this roster. Games like Friday night’s, where the team trailed 1-0 late in the contest, were essentially automatic losses at one point. Not anymore. Let’s see if this offensive renaissance can keep up tonight.
Eight is great.
This team is red hot right now. They’ve won seven straight games–it’s the 11th time in franchise history the Mets have had two separate winning streaks of seven or more games in the same season–all since trading for Yoenis Cespedes and have subsequently flown up the standings in the National League East. Just eight days ago, prior to their first game of a three-game series with the Nationals, the Mets trailed Washington by three games in the standings; today they have a 2.5 game lead over D.C. This team is good–legitimately good. Here’s hoping they keep their foot on the gas pedal, continue to build a cushion in the division and claim their eighth consecutive victory tonight.
Just Mets 