Game Chat: Mets vs White Sox, 7:10 PM

Saturday, August 31, 2024 • 7:10 PM
Guaranteed Rate Field • Chicago, IL
LHP Jose Quintana (6-9, 4.36) vs. RHP Davis Martin (0-2, 2.96)
WPIX

The Mets look to stretch their winning streak to three games tonight as they play game two against the White Sox in the Windy City. Friday night the Mets took the lead early and held on in a fairly uneventful game. Jesse Winker and J.D. Martinez stole the show, going a combined 5-for-8 next to each other in the lineup with three runs scored, a double, and a homer.

The Diamondbacks lost again, so the entire wild-card race collapsed a bit more, with only five games separating the Diamondbacks, Padres, Braves, and Mets. The Mets are still three games out of the playoffs as we close out play at the end of August.

Mets Lineup

1. Francisco Lindor – SS
2. Brandon Nimmo – CF
3. Mark Vientos – 3B
4. Pete Alonso – 1B
5. Jesse Winker – LF
6. J.D. Martinez – DH
7. Starling Marte – RF
8. Jeff McNeil– 2B
9. Francisco Alvarez -C

Jose Quintana has pitched 140 1/3 innings over 26 games with a 4.36 ERA, 5.09 FIP, 1.304 WHIP, and a 91 ERA+. August was dreadful for Quintana, allowing 19 runs over 20 2/3 innings over the first four games of the month. The Mets went 0-4 in those four games. He bounced back in a big way his last time out, holding the Padres to no runs, scattering four hits over 6 1/3 innings. Quintana will now look to make it two solid starts in a row against the club he made his major league debut for and was an All-Star for back in 2016. The White Sox have the following career numbers against Quintana:

• Andrew Benintendi 0-3
• Luis Robert Jr. – 1-3, K
• Chuckie Robinson 0-2
• Miguel Vargas 2-5, HR, K

Opposing Lineup

1. Corey Julks – RF
2. Luis Robert Jr. – CF
3. Andrew Benintendi – LF
4. Andrew Vaughn – 1B
5. Gavin Sheets – DH
6. Korey Lee – C
7. Lenyn Sosa – 2B
8. Miguel Vargas – 3B
9. Jacob Amaya – SS

Davis Martin has pitched 27 1/3 innings over six games this year with a 2.96 ERA, 3.76 FIP, 1.427 WHIP, and a 144 ERA+. Martin returned to the majors this year after Tommy John surgery and has been using a faster (high-80s) changeup with success. He’s still building up his pitch count and he hasn’t thrown more than 90 pitches this season. The goal for the Mets here is to get him to work deep into counts, walk batters, and then kick him out of the game early. He is walking batters at a 4.3 BB/9 clip. No one on the Mets roster has faced him in a major league game before.

Game Notes

• Alex Young will be recalled as a September media, according to Carlos Mendoza. Young was claimed earlier in the season and pitched to a 1.29 ERA in 7 innings. The position player the Mets will call-up is TBD.
• Francisco Lindor doubled on Friday in the ninth inning, extending his on-base streak to 27 games. John Olerud holds the Mets record with 47 consecutive games of reaching base.
• Jose Quintana takes the bump for the Mets as the squad looks to take the series. In his last start, Quintana pitched 6 1/3 scoreless innings against the Padres in a 3-2 Mets loss.

Three Things To Watch For

1. Mets bullpen. The Mets had to use four relievers yesterday, including using Edwin Díaz for a third consecutive day. Huascar Brazobán and Danny Young are the most rested relievers for the Mets. Adam Ottavino tossed only three pitches Friday night and had two days off before that.
2. Jesse Winker. Winker has gone 5-for-8 over his last two games with two doubles. His bat is waking up for the Mets at the time when they need him most. From getting key hits to cheering on players in huge moments, it’s finally Winker’s Mets moment!
3. Power from the Mets big hitters. Homeruns from the big Mets hitters can give the Mets some breathing room tonight, especially when the bullpen has been used so much recently. Since August 19th J.D. Martinez has gone 10-for-39 with four homers (.590 SLG). Pete Alonso has hit two homers this week. (Not taking credit for it, but his last homer came on a day when we said, watch for an Alonso homer!).

Let’s go Mets!

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