MMO Game Thread: Blue Jays vs. Mets, 1:40 P.M.
Kodai Senga. Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports
Sunday, June 4, 2023 • 1:40 PM
Citi Field • Flushing New York
LHP Yusei Kikuchi (6-2, 4.47) vs. RHP Kodai Senga (5-3, 3.44)
SNY
For a second straight game, the Mets’ offense was non-existent and despite excellent pitching the Mets fell 2-1 on Saturday. Now, the Mets will try to salvage the series and sneak out with a win. Can the Mets get the hitting and the pitching to get hot at the same time?
Mets Lineup
Series finale. #LGM
???? Toronto
???? @KodaiSenga
???? @SNYtv, @MLBNetwork
???? @wcbs880 pic.twitter.com/DoucmMxCWq— New York Mets (@Mets) June 4, 2023
Kodai Senga takes the mound today for the Mets. Over 10 starts and 55 innings, Senga has a 3.44 ERA, 3.85 FIP, 1.345 WHIP and a 121 ERA+. He is coming off of his best start of the season where he held the Philadelphia Phillies to one run and no walks over seven innings while striking out nine.
Previously, he was being hurt by high walk totals. Hopefully, he will build off his last start by keeping the walk total down and efficiency high.
Blue Jays Lineup
The brooms are out! #NextLevel pic.twitter.com/OSImu5VG75
— Toronto Blue Jays (@BlueJays) June 4, 2023
Senga will face off today against Yusei Kikuchi who is having a better season than last year. Over 11 starts (56 1/3 innings) this season, he has a 4.47 ERA, 5.97 FIP, 1.402 WHIP and a 92 ERA+. His WHIP has dropped about 100 points from last season (1.500) because his walks have dropped (3.0 BB/9 vs 5.2 last season).
That being said, his last four starts have been rough. He’s allowed 15 runs (14 earned) from 23 hits and 11 walks over 18 2/3 innings. He’s been hurt by the long ball in this stretch allowing seven. The Mets have the following career numbers against him:
- Mark Canha 5-17, 2 2B, 2 HR, 4 BB, 4 K
- Tommy Pham 1-2, 2 BB
- Eduardo Escobar 1-2, 2B, K
- Francisco Lindor 0-3, K
- Starling Marte 0-2
Game Notes
The Mets are looking to avoid their fourth sweep of the season and their second at home.
Over the last 16 games, Mark Canha is 14-for-42 (.333) with seven runs, two doubles, two home runs, eight RBIs, six walks with a .440 OBP, .524 SLG, and a .964 OPS.
New York is 16-1 when their starter goes at least 6.0 innings. The Mets are still 6-0 when the starter goes at least 7.0 innings.
Three Things To Watch For
- Kodai Senga starts on regular rest. For the first time season Kodai Senga will start on regular rest. Pitchers in Japan have about a week between starts. Pitchers in MLB usually start every five days. The Mets have been easing Senga into the rotation this season, which has been a bit easier to do so far with the Mets off-days and rainouts. Today, Senga will get his first start on regular rest.
- Alonso has gone cold. This is not the first time this season that Alonso has gone cold. Over his last five games, he is 2-for-19 with one run scored. Though, he has only struck out three times. Alonso has emerged from similar stretches with hot streaks where he hits a home run every other night. Kikuchi’s weakness is home runs. He’s given them up at a rate of 2.4 per nine innings (and his career mark is 1.8).
- Stikeouts crushed the Mets yesterday. The Mets struck out 11 times yesterday. Brandon Nimmo had two, Lindor had three and Baty had three. Let’s see early on in the game if the Mets can reverse this trend.
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