MMO Game Thread: Mets vs Nationals, 4:05 PM

Saturday, May 13, 2023 • 4:05 PM
Nationals Park • Washington, DC
LHP Joey Lucchesi (1-0, 4.43) vs. RHP Trevor Williams (1-1, 4.25)
SNY

Just like that the New York Mets have won two of their last three games.

The Mets left seven runners on base over the first three innings on Friday night and the game started to feel like more of the same. The Mets were getting hits, working walks and not doing anything with it. They were hitting the ball hard straight into outs. The Nationals were getting soft hits and timely hits and built up a 2-0 lead that felt like a 20-0 lead. Then Francisco Lindor came up with the bases loaded and cleared them with a double. The Mets bullpen took it from there and we were all finally able to put it in the books.

Now the Mets look to do that again for the second day in a row for the first time in 73 years (or three weeks).

Mets Lineup

Saturday in the nation’s capital. #LGM

Washington
@JoeyFuego44
@SNYtv
@wcbs880 pic.twitter.com/5gHuZO1Q21

— New York Mets (@Mets) May 13, 2023

Joey Lucchesi makes his fifth start of the season on Saturday. Over 20 1/3 innings he has a 4.43 ERA, 5.21 FIP, 1.230 WHIP and a 95 ERA+. Since his amazing 2023 debut, he has allowed 10 runs from 14 hits and five walks over 13 1/3 innings (6.75 ERA). He’s already faced Washington this season, allowing three runs from five hits and two walks over 5 1/3 innings. These numbers are a bit skewed though. Lucchesi was pulled in the 6th inning with two runners on and both of those runners scored, taking him from one run to three on the day. The Nationals have the following numbers against Joey:

• Alex Call 2-2, HR, BB
• Jeimer Candelario 0-3, K
• Corey Dickerson 0-3
• Joey Meneses 1-3
• Keibert Ruiz 1-3
• Lane Thomas 1-2, BB, K
• CJ Abrams 0-2
• Michael Chavis 0-2
• Carter Kieboom 1-2

Opposing Lineup

Bloom Day Pt. II#BloomDay pic.twitter.com/tqmeuUcuBO

— Washington Nationals (@Nationals) May 13, 2023

The Mets bats will get to face an old friend in Trevor Williams this afternoon. Across seven starts (36 innings) Williams has a 4.25 ERA, 4.85 FIP, 1.33 WHIP and a 97 ERA+. Williams is coming off of a rough start where he allowed five runs from seven hits and two walks over 4 1/3 innings. Williams was also the opposing pitcher last time Lucchesi started against the Nationals. Williams in that game allowed four runs over five innings from nine hits and two walks. The Mets have the following career numbers against Williams:

• Tommy Pham 3-16, 2 2B, HR, 2 BB, 3 K
• Jeff McNeil 3-10, 2B, 2 BB, 2 K
• Francisco Lindor 2-11, 2B, 3 K
• Pete Alonso 2-10, 2B, HR, BB, 2 K
• Brandon Nimmo 1-7, 3 K
• Eduardo Escobar 2-6, 2B
• Daniel Vogelbach 1-3, BB, 2 K
• Starling Marte 0-2, BB
• Luis Guillorme 0-3
• Mark Canha 1-2, K
• Brett Baty 3-3, HR
• Francisco Álvarez 1-2, BB, K

Game Notes

Max Scherzer (2-2, 5.56 ERA) will be on the mound for the Mets on Sunday against his former team. David Peterson (1-5, 7.68 ERA) will then get the start in the series finale in Washington on Monday.

It was a milestone night for David Robertson on Friday as he struck out four batters to record his 1,000th career strikeout. He became just the 14th pitcher in MLB history to record 1,000 strikeouts solely in relief.

Three Things To Watch For

1. Brett Baty Bounce Back: Brett Baty immediately made his bat known in the Mets lineup. He’s cooled off a bit over the last four games going 0-for-11 at the plate with two walks and two runs scored. He’s only struck out once though in this stretch, so it’s not like he’s lost out there. The last time he faced Trevor Williams he went 3-for-3 with a homer.
2. Who’s closing the door today? The Mets put Ottavino in for the 7th inning on Friday and asked Robertson to get six outs. Robertson looked great in the 8th but tired in the 9th and eventually Drew Smith had to come get the last out. In the last three days Robertson has thrown 53 pitches, including 40 on Friday. Ottavino has thrown in three of the last four games, but has only thrown 27 pitches (he’s gone 12, 13 and then 14 pitches which is kind-of neat to look at). Drew Smith the most fresh, only throwing once in the last three games, with that game being only four pitches on Friday night.
3. Brandon Nimmo broke his strikeout streak! Going into Friday’s game, Brandon Nimmo had at least one strikeout in each of his last 12 games, making for 16 strikeouts total. He went 2-for-4 at the plate with a walk and has now gone 6-for-12 in his last three games. He has a ridiculous .571 OBP in that stretch.

Let’s go Mets!

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