Series Preview: Mets Make Final Trip to Miami

After suffering a series loss against the Cincinnati Reds, the New York Mets (69-80) are heading to loanDepot Park for three games against their division rival Miami Marlins (78-72).

On Sunday, the Mets fought off a series sweep, headlined by another solid performance from left-handed pitcher José Quintana. This pitching prowess was matched with an offensive onslaught, as the Mets brought home eight runs with impressive contributions from Mark Vientos and Daniel Vogelbach among others.

While the Mets are largely out of the playoff race, the Marlins are tightly holding on to their Wild Card spot. As of now, they are tied with the Chicago Cubs for the third wild card spot, and they are being pursued by the Reds, who trail by 1/2 of a game. The Giants are also closely lurking, with two games separating them from the third spot. As a result, the Marlins are inclined to put their best foot forward in this upcoming series to thwart off the competition.

Let’s preview the pitching matchups for this important series.

Monday, September 18, 2023: RHP José Butto (1-2, 3.46 ERA) vs. RHP Edward Cabrera (6-7, 4.52 ERA)

José Butto will start for the Mets on Monday. He has been effective since returning to the MLB level earlier this month. Among those two starts, he has tallied 11 1/3 innings with 13 strikeouts while allowing three earned runs. Butto could make his case for entering the 2024 rotation if he can tally a few more effective outings to end the season.

Edward Cabrera will go up against Butto in the first game of the series. While his numbers do not look great on paper, his main issue has been his failure to provide the Marlins with length. Since returning from his injury he suffered in July, he has made two appearances with 8 2/3 innings pitched and 13 strikeouts combined. As Cabrera prepares for a potential postseason workload, he will try to flip the script against the Mets, who he has struggled against with a 6.65 ERA in his career.

Tuesday, September 19, 2023: LHP Joey Lucchesi (3-0, 2.83 ERA) vs. LHP Braxton Garrett (9-6, 3.67 ERA)

Joey Lucchesi will pitch for the Mets on Tuesday. Although he has not received a consistent workload this season, he has been very effective when he has pitched. In fact, he pitched a masterful display of seven shutout innings in his most recent outing against the Diamondbacks. Like Butto, Lucchesi has the potential to crack the 2024 rotation, so these last few starts will be just as important for him. His last appearance against the Marlins was characterized by dominance, as he tossed four shutout innings with eight strikeouts in 2021.

Braxton Garrett will pitch for the Marlins on Tuesday. He is coming off a solid outing in which he tallied six scoreless innings with seven strikeouts. He has had a very good season for Miami, and he looks to maintain that momentum during the Wild Card race. The Mets have seen Garrett a couple times during his career, and he has a 4.03 ERA in his career against them.

Wednesday, September 20, 2023: RHP Kodai Senga (11-7, 2.95 ERA) vs. RHP Johnny Cueto (1-4, 6.20 ERA)

Kodai Senga looks to continue making his case for awards, as he starts against the Marlins on Wednesday. Senga’s last start was yet another example of his dominance, as he tossed six scoreless innings with 10 strikeouts. Senga has pitched twice against the Marlins in his career, and he has excelled in 11 1/3 innings with only two runs allowed and 14 strikeouts.

Johnny Cueto will likely pitch against the Mets on Wednesday. He has struggled this season, including his last start where he pitched four innings while allowing three earned runs. Cueto has made 14 career starts against the Mets with a 3.33 ERA.

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