Game Thread: Rangers vs. Mets, 1:40 P.M.

Sunday, September 14, 2025 • 1:40 PM
Citi Field • Flushing, NY
LHP Jacob Latz (2-0, 2.91) vs. RHP Nolan McLean (4-1, 1.42)
WPIX • MLBN

The Los Angeles Dodgers did the New York Mets a solid last night beating the San Francisco Giants. Despite losing their eighth-straight game on Saturday, the Mets wake up this morning still in control of their own destiny. With a day off Monday, and a series against the San Diego Padres looming on Tuesday, the Mets need to get a win Sunday afternoon and salvage something from their series against the Rangers.

Mets Lineup

1. Francisco Lindor – SS
2. Juan Soto – RF
3. Pete Alonso – 1B
4. Brandon Nimmo – LF
5. Mark Vientos – 3B
6. Jeff McNeil – 2B
7. Starling Marte – DH
8. Cedric Mullins – CF
9. Francisco Alvarez – C

McLean did not record a win for the first time in his short major-league career last time out. He allowed only one run, scattering seven hits while striking out five over 5 1/3 in Philadelphia. The Mets just couldn’t back him up and ended up losing the game 1-0.

McLean has been the pitcher the Mets need. Over his first five career games, he has pitched 31 2/3 innings with a 1.42 ERA, 2.51 FIP, 0.947 WHIP, and a 288 ERA+. The Mets are going to need more of that Sunday afternoon.

Rangers Lineup: 

1. Josh H. Smith – SS
2. Wyatt Langford – CF
3. Joc Pederson – DH
4. Adolis Garcia – RF
5. Rowdy Tellez – 1B
6. Josh Jung – 3B
7. Alejandro Osuna – LF
8. Kyle Higashioka – C
9. Cody Freeman – 2B

Jacob Latz has pitched 74 1/3 innings this season over 29 games, including six starts, with a 2.91 ERA, 3.71 FIP, 1.238 WHIP, and a 126 ERA+. He’s been fantastic in the rotation in September, allowing only two runs on eight hits over 11 innings. He’s been more effective as a starting pitcher with a 2.73 ERA, 1.079 WHIP over 29 2/3 innings compared to a 3.02 ERA, 1.343 WHIP over 44 2/3 innings.

Only two players on the Mets have faced Latz in a major league game:

• Cedric Mullins 0-5, 2 K
• Jose Siri 0-1

Game Notes

Both the San Francisco Giants and Cincinnati Reds lost Saturday night, meaning the Mets have kept their wild card lead at a half-game over San Francisco and 1.5 games over Cincinnati. The Arizona Diamondbacks are two games back.

Three Things To Watch For

1. Hitting with runners in scoring position. Friday night, the Mets brough both runners in scoring position home on sacrifice flies, making a rare situation where the team went 0-0 with runners in scoring position but converted 100% of their chances into runs. It also wasn’t enough. Saturday, however, the Mets went 1-for-10 with runners in scoring position, spoiling the 11 hits they had as a team.
2. Juan Soto. Soto continues to be the best hitter in the Mets lineup. Saturday he went 2-for-5 with his 40th home run of the season. He still leads the league in walks (118) and on-base percentage (.398) and is now only two home runs away from a career high.
3. Wild Card race. As mentioned, the Giants and Reds both lost yesterday, and sit 0.5 and 1.5 games, respectively, behind the Mets. The Diamondbacks are only 2.0 games behind the Mets now too. The Dodgers and Giants have another fantastic pitching matchup this afternoon with Tyler Glasnow (3.21 ERA) against Robbie Ray (3.32 ERA). The Reds have Nick Lodolo (3.10 ERA) trying avoid being swept by the Athletics this afternoon. Former Met Nabil Crismatt (3.24 ERA) on the Diamondbacks goes up against the Twins.

The post Game Thread: Rangers vs. Mets, 1:40 P.M. appeared first on Metsmerized Online.