Doubleheader Game Chat 2: Mets vs Orioles, 5:05 PM

Thursday, July 10, 2025 • 5:05 PM
Oriole Park at Camden Yards • Baltimore, MD
LHP Brandon Waddell (0-0, 3.10) vs. RHP Tomoyuki Sugano (6-5, 4.44)
SNY

After a disheartening loss in Game 1, the Orioles are making things just slightly tougher for the Mets tonight, scheduling a split doubleheader rather than a day/afternoon doubleheader on a getaway day for the Mets. After tonight’s game, the Mets will need to speed out of Baltimore and head to Kansas City. The Mets are getting reinforcements in Kansas City, with Kodai Senga and Sean Manaea rejoining the rotation. Both pitchers, though, will probably be on pitch counts, so the Mets need to be careful tonight with their bulk pitchers, even though this game is a bullpen game.

Mets Lineup

1. Brandon Nimmo, LF
2. Francisco Lindor, SS
3. Juan Soto, RF
4. Pete Alonso, 1B
5. Jeff McNeil, CF
6. Mark Vientos, DH
7. Brett Baty, 3B
8. Luisangel Acuña, 2B
9. Hayden Senger, C

Justin Hagenman looks to get the bulk of the work in the nightcap for the Mets after Waddell opens. Over three games this season for the Mets, Hagenman has pitched 10 1/3 innings with a 4.35 ERA, 4.92 FIP, 0.968 WHIP and a 91 ERA+. His last time out was a bit of a rough appearance, allowing four runs from three home runs against the Yankees over 4 1/3 innings. In his previous six innings, he allowed only one run while striking out five batters.

Opposing Lineup

1. Jackson Holliday, DH
2. Jordan Westburg, 2B
3. Gunnar Henderson, SS
4. Ryan O’Hearn, 1B
5. Ramón Laureano, RF
6. Colton Cowser, LF
7. Ramón Urías, 3B
8. Cedric Mullins, CF
9. Alex Jackson, C

Mets batters will get their first look at Tomoyuki Sugano, the long-time NPB pitcher who made the jump to MLB this season. Sugano has pitched 93 1/3 innings over 17 starts this season with a 4.44 ERA, 5.25 FIP, 1.307 WHIP and an 87 ERA+. Sugano had a 3.04 ERA and 4.70 FIP through his first 12 starts this season. Since then, he has pitched 22 1/3 innings over five games with an 8.87 ERA and a 6.98 FIP. He’s given up 13 runs from 19 hits and two walks over his last two starts.

Game Notes

ICYMI, Jesse Winker exited the first game of the doubleheader with back tightness. He will head back to New York for an MRI and it’s possible another IL stint is possible. Read more here.

Three Things To Watch For

1. Pete Alonso’s home run watch. Alonso is nearing Strawberry’s franchise record of 252 home runs. Alonso is sitting at 247 home runs, and he loves hitting bombs at Camden Yards with five of them so far over nine games. Maybe he’ll provide some fireworks for all the Mets fans who traveled down 95 today to catch the Mets playing two!
2. Sugano’s bizarre under-the-hood stats. Sugano has had an odd season so far, getting positive results over his first 12 games and struggling over his last five. Part of the reason for the discrepancy is what’s happening per at-bat. He’s in the 93rd percentile for walks (4.8%), which is very good! But he’s near the bottom of the league in striking out batters (third percentile, 14.4%). He’s only getting groundballs 42% of the time (50th percentile), and while he’spreventing batters from getting hard contact against him (38.8% of time, 67th percentile), hitters are barreling the ball at a high rate (12%, 8th percentile).
3. Justin Hagenman and pitch selection. Hagenman has used his sinker 32.1% of the time this season, mixing in a cutter, changeup, and a slider to round out his pitch mix. He’s getting groundouts around 42% of the time, which is slightly below the 50th percentile mark for the league. His sinker has also been his most hitable pitch so far over 10 1/3 innings, with a xBA of .299 and xSLG of .826. Some of this is noise from his last outing against the Yankees. Let’s see if the Mets’ pitching lab has him doing slightly different things today!

Let’s go Mets!

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