Series Preview: Mets Continue Homestand Against Rangers

After losing two out of three games against the Los Angeles Angels, the New York Mets (60-71) are preparing to go up against the Texas Rangers (73-57) at Citi Field for three games.

Despite winning in walk-off fashion on Sunday, the Mets had trouble producing on the offensive side over the weekend. Scoring only seven runs among the three games made it difficult for the Mets to string together meaningful victories.

While the Rangers are in the midst of an excellent season, they struggled over the weekend against the Minnesota Twins, losing two out of three games. Newly acquired starting pitcher Max Scherzer will not be pitching in this series against his former team. That said, pitching has been a strong suit for the Rangers, so the Mets will be in for some tough matchups this week.

Monday, August 28, 2023: RHP Jon Gray (8-7, 3.76 ERA) vs. RHP Tylor Megill (7-7, 5.54 ERA)

Jon Gray will pitch for the Rangers on Monday. His season has been solid so far, but he did not fare so well last time around, allowing five earned runs in four innings. Last season, he pitched against the Mets at Citi Field as a member of the Rangers, and allowed three earned runs over 5 2/3 innings.

Tylor Megill will open the series for the Mets. Although he has been very inconsistent this season, his last two outings have been a small step in the right direction. Over his last 9 2/3 innings, he has struck out 10 batters while allowing five earned runs. He will look to continue building up his stock for a role in the 2024 rotation as he goes up against the Rangers for the first time in his career.

Tuesday, August 29, 2023: LHP Andrew Heaney (9-6, 4.34 ERA) vs. LHP José Quintana (1-5, 3.73 ERA)

Andrew Heaney will pitch for the Rangers on Tuesday. He has not been providing the Rangers with much length as of late, only pitching 9 1/3 innings over his last three starts. Last time around, he allowed three earned runs over 4 1/3 innings with five strikeouts. He pitched against the Mets last year at Citi Field as a member of the Dodgers, and he allowed two earned runs over five innings.

José Quintana will pitch for the Mets in the second game of the series. His record is very misleading, as he has been excellent since returning from his rib injury, with the exception of his most recent outing. Although he allowed five earned runs in his last start, he had not allowed more than three prior to that. Quintana has not pitched against the Rangers since 2021, and he has a 3.81 ERA in 10 appearances against them.

Wednesday, August 30, 2023: RHP Dane Dunning (9-6, 3.36 ERA) vs. RHP Kodai Senga (10-7, 3.17 ERA)

Dane Dunning will close out the series for the Rangers. The former White Sox prospect has posted an excellent season so far, but he did struggle in his most recent start by allowing four runs in as many innings. His success this season can be attributed to better command, as his walk and hit rate have both decreased from last season.

Kodai Senga will pitch for the Mets on Wednesday as he continues his spectacular rookie campaign. Last time around, he put on a good show for Japanese Heritage Night at Citi Field, striking out 10 hitters over 6 2/3 innings while allowing only two earned runs. Senga has established himself as a premier rotation arm who has a lot of room for growth going forward. The five-year agreement that pays Senga $15 million annually is starting to look like a bargain for the Mets, as Senga continues to put up impressive numbers.

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