Game Chat: Pirates vs Mets, 7:10 PM

Tuesday, April 16, 2024 • 7:10 PM
Citi Field • Flushing, NY
RHP Jared Jones (1-2, 4.00) vs. LHP Jose Quintana (1-1, 3.45)
SNY

For the first time since Opening Day, the Mets have a chance to end the day with a winning record.

On Monday night, the Mets completed a come-from-behind victory, knocking off the Pirates 6-3 after falling behind 3-0. The Mets are now playing with an energy that was missing from their first week of the season. The dugout looks fun, the vibes are good, and there is a feeling that they are never truly out of the game. The Mets will look to tap into that energy tonight as they try to lock down a fourth consecutive series win.

Mets Lineup

1. Brandon Nimmo – LF
2. Starling Marte – RF
3. Francisco Lindor – SS
4. Pete Alonso – 1B
5. Brett Baty – 3B
6. Francisco Alvarez – DH
7. Jeff McNeil – 2B
8. Harrison Bader – CF
9. Omar Narváez – C

Jose Quintana will make his fourth start today, this one against a recent former team. Quintana signed with the Pirates in 2022 and made 20 starts before being traded to the Cardinals. This season, Quintana has made three starts (15 2/3 innings) with a 3.45 ERA, 4.88 FIP, 1.532 WHIP and a 121 ERA+. His last start was the least inspiring of the three, where he allowed three runs from five hits and two walks over 5 1/3 innings. One thing Quintana has not been able to do yet this season is finish the sixth inning.

The Pirates have the following numbers against Quintana:

• Oneil Cruz 0-4, K
• Ke’Bryan Hayes 1-5
• Connor Joe 1-5, BB
• Andrew McCutchen 7-24, 2B, HR, 3 BB, 8 K
• Edward Olivares 1-3
• Bryan Reynolds 3-16, 2B, 3 K
• Jack Suwinksi 0-2, BB, K
• Michael A. Taylor 1-2, K
• Rowdy Tellez 0-8, 5 K

Opposing Lineup

Updated lineup (Ke;Bryan Hayes scratched late with a sore back):

1. Connor Joe – 1B
2. Bryan Reynolds – LF
3. Jared Triolo – 3B
4. Edward Olivares – RF
5. Andrew McCutchen – DH
6. Michael A. Taylor – CF
7. Oneil Cruz – SS (originally had the day off vs. a lefty)
8. Henry Davis – 1B
9. Alika Williams – 2B

The Mets bats will get a look at Jared Jones, who is making the fourth start of his debut season. Over the first three games, he has allowed eight runs from 15 hits over 18 innings while striking out 25 (4.00 ERA, 3.84 FIP, 0.944 WHIP, 107 ERA+). Jones has a high strikeout rate at 12.5 K/9 and doesn’t walk guys (just one per nine innings). On the other hand, he has allowed four homers already this season.

Game Notes

A couple notes from David Stearns’ presser before the game:

• J.D. Martinez likely won’t join the Mets on their West Coast trip but they expect him to be ready when the Mets come back to Citi Field on April 26.
• Kodai Senga is “on schedule” with his recovery and could come back soon after he’s eligible to return off the 60-day injured list in late May.
• He commended Brett Baty for “solidifying” third base and manager Carlos Mendoza for being a “steady” presence for the team.
• Christian Scott has been “great” in the minors, but the results have been “expected.” He didn’t seem too inclined to call Scott up any time soon. He has to show those results consistently in the minors.

Whitey Herzog passed away earlier on Tuesday.

Three Things To Watch For

1. Francisco Lindor is coming around. Lindor recorded his second consecutive two-hit game Monday Night. Over his last two games, he is 4-for-8 with a double and a run scored. One of the signs that he’d come around—outside of just having an awesome skill set—is his strikeout numbers. Lindor struck out six times over the first six games of the season. In the last ten games, he has struck out only once.
2. Extra-base hits. A key part of the Mets scoring their runs in two sets of three Monday night was their extra-base hits. The Mets had four doubles, one each from Lindor, Marte, Stewart and Bader. For everyone except Bader, it was their second double of the year. For Bader, it was his first extra-base hit period this year.
3. Getting into Chapman’s head. Jeff McNeil struck out against Pirates setup man Aroldis Chapman Monday night, but the ball got by catcher Henry Davis. The Mets then played one of their better innings this year. DJ Stewart worked a walk, and McNeil and Stewart pulled off a double steal. Harrison Bader crushed a two-run double. Chapman then got tossed for arguing balls and strikes. Pirates closer David Bednar is having a rough stretch too. The back of the Pirates bullpen will be a story for the rest of this series.

Let’s go Mets!

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