The Mets will look to take the rubber game of their three-game series with the Rays this afternoon at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg at 1:10 PM.
Here is today’s starting lineup for New York:
Curtis Granderson – DH
Daniel Murphy – 2B
Yoenis Cespedes – CF
Lucas Duda – 1B
Juan Uribe – 3B
Michael Conforto – LF
Wilmer Flores – SS
Kelly Johnson – RF
Kevin Plawecki – C
Bartolo Colon – RHP
Here is today’s pitching matchup:
Bartolo Colon (10-10, 4.72 ERA) will start for the Mets.
Chris Archer (10-8, 2.54 ERA) will start for the Rays.
Here’s what I’m looking for from the Mets today:
The little things.
For the first time in a while, the Mets made a mistake in the field on Saturday, and it cost them a ballgame. The Rays are no slouch despite their near-.500 record. They’re facing a tough customer in Archer on Sunday, and if they’re going to go home with a series win, it’s important the Mets make those routine plays behind Colon, run the bases well and execute properly with their situational hitting.
No clunkers from Colon.
The Mets need the Colon which was on display last Tuesday against the Marlins, and not the pitcher which was on display against the Padres on July 29 who allowed ten hits in 2 1/3 innings. The Mets suddenly have a great offense, but they will not be able to withstand a throwaway game from Colon, especially with the Rays throwing Archer against them on Sunday.
Start another winning streak.
The Mets are into the softer portion of their schedule now, even though the Rays are among the tougher teams they’re going to play down the stretch of the season. They have a grand opportunity to go home with an impressive 5-1 road trip, and there’s no reason why that shouldn’t happen with the team they have on the field today. They’ll have to really earn a win today and beat one of the game’s best, but good teams are able to do that when they need to, and today is one of those games the Mets really need to win.
Just Mets 