MMO Game Thread: Mets vs Tigers, Game 2, 6:40 PM

Wednesday, May 3, 2023 • 6:40 PM
Comerica Park • Detroit, Michigan
RHP Max Scherzer (2-1, 3.72) vs. RHP Michael Lorenzen (0-1, 7.07)
SNY

We have been waiting all season for the next two games. The Mets will finally send out their dual aces – Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander – in back-to-back contests.

Starting pitching has been the main weak point for the 2023 Mets. Between injuries to Verlander, José Quintana and Carlos Carrasco and David Peterson’s surprising struggles, the Mets have been in a tough spot the last five or so weeks. Scherzer wasn’t Scherzer-like at the start of the year and it looked like he was finally coming back in his last start against the Dodgers but then he got suspended for sweat and rosin (and for what happens to that mixture when you use alcohol to clean it off, which he was directed to do). Anyway, Mad Max finally returns to the mound tonight!

Mets Lineup

Max takes the mound for Game Two! #LGM pic.twitter.com/Uo3twVXlYV

— Metsmerized Online (@Metsmerized) May 3, 2023

Scherzer has made four starts this season tossing 19 1/3 innings with a 3.72 ERA, 5.70 FIP, 1.190 WHIP, and a 113 ERA+. In his first two starts of the season,  he allowed eight runs over 11 1/3 innings from 12 hits including four homers. In his last two starts, he allowed two hits and no runs, over eight innings while striking out nine. The Tigers have the following career numbers against him:

• Javier Báez 1-12, 2B, 8 K
• Matt Vierling 1-5, K

Tigers Lineup

Back at it under the lights. pic.twitter.com/ZjviraZkXn

— Detroit Tigers (@tigers) May 3, 2023

The Mets’ bats will look to stay hot against Michael Lorenzen tonight after hitting three homers in the opener. Lorenzen has made three starts and pitched 14 innings with a 7.07 ERA, 5.31 FIP, 1.643 WHIP and a 62 ERA+. Two of his starts have been terrible (six runs over four innings, five runs over five innings). Sandwiched between those starts were five shutout innings against the Orioles where he scattered three hits. The Mets have the following numbers against Lorenzen:

• Francisco Lindor 2-9, K
• Brandon Nimmo 1-7, 2B
• Pete Alonso 1-5
• Jeff McNeil 0-3, 2 BB
• Luis Guillorme 2-4
• Mark Canha 0-2, BB, 2 K

Game Notes

The Mets dropped the opener of Wednesday’s doubleheader 6-5 thanks to the heroics of Detroit’s Eric Haase who had a three-run homer in the first and a go-ahead single in the eighth.  Adam Ottavino couldn’t hold a one-run lead in the eighth, and, despite homers from Tommy Pham, Mark Canha, and Francisco Lindor, the Mets once again lost a series opener, their third in a row.

Joey Luchessi didn’t pitch great in game one of the doubleheader, giving up four runs in four innings. However, it was still semi-surprising that Luchessi was pulled after four innings and only 46 pitches. After the game, Buck Showalter noted that part of the reason Luchessi was pulled early was so that he would have the potential to pitch Sunday against the Rockies if needed. The Mets will need a spot starter in that matchup, but Luchessi would be only on three days’ rest.

Three Things To Watch For

1. Max’s Velocity: In the first two games Scherzer’s velocity was down and the Exit Velocity against him was fairly up (23rd percentile this season). His fastball is averaging at 93 mph this year compared to 94 last year, but if you look at his Baseball Savant page, you’ll see the overall distribution is skewed, with less higher velocity pitches. We know that Scherzer was working through an injury prior to the Dodgers start,  and now he has had a lot of time to rest up. This is going to be an over-analyzed start for Scherzer.
2. Bullpen Usage: The Mets had rely heavily on their bullpen on Monday, essentially starting the day with a bullpen game and then closing out the final three or so innings for Megill Monday night. The good news for the Mets is that prior to the afternoon game today, everyone in the bullpen was off Friday, Saturday and Sunday and then again yesterday. Ottavino and Jimmy Yacabonis were the only two relievers who pitched in the opener, so the rest of the ‘pen should be available. The deepest Scherzer has gone this year is six innings. In his last full start, he tossed 97 pitches to get through fives, working himself into a high amount of 3-2 counts.
3. The Mets’ energy in general: The Mets are playing four games over three days, but in intense fashion. Monday they had two back-to-back games before traveling to Detroit. Then they geared themselves up to play last night, only for the game to be called about an hour or so into the delay. Now they have two games today, with an afternoon game tomorrow. After a disappointing loss in the opener, it’s important for the Mets to set the tone early to give themselves a chance to salvage a sweep against a team they should expect to win the series from.

Let’s go Mets!

The post MMO Game Thread: Mets vs Tigers, Game 2, 6:40 PM first appeared on Metsmerized Online.