Game chat: Mets vs. Phillies, 6:40 p.m.

Friday, September 13, 2024 • 6:40 p.m.
Citizens Bank Park • Philadelphia, PA
Left-hander Jose Quintana (8-9, 4.09) against right-hander Aaron Nola (12-7, 3.41)
SNY • MLBN

The Mets have finally reached their final stretch, which includes two series against the Philadelphia Phillies and one each against the Atlanta Braves, Milwaukee Brewers and Washington Nationals. The Mets have one of the most difficult, if not the most difficult, schedule to end the season. For the Mets, it's just one game at a time, they still have their destiny in their own hands.

After struggling to get hits against the Toronto Blue Jays for several days in a row, the Mets failed to get a single hit in the first eight innings of Wednesday's series finale. The offense exploded in the ninth inning, however, when Francisco Lindor tied the game with a solo hit, while the Mets then scored another five runs in a 6:2 victoryLet's hope they keep that momentum going tonight.

Wendell Cruz-Images

Mets lineup

1. Francisco Lindor – SS
2. Mark Vientos – 3B
3. Brandon Nimmo – LF
4. Pete Alonso – 1B
5. Jesse Winker – DH
6. Jose Iglesias – 2B
7. Thomas B. – HF
8. Francisco Alvarez – C
9. Harrison Bader – CF

Jose Quintana has thrown 152 innings in 28 starts this season, compiling a 4.09 ERA, 4.88 FIP, 1.309 WHIP and 95 ERA+. He's off to a great start against the Cincinnati Reds, holding them to zero runs and five hits in 6 2/3 wins to earn his 100th career win. In Quintana's last three appearances, he's allowed just one earned run in 18 innings (0.50 ERA, 3.01 FIP).

The Phillies have faced Quintana twice so far this year, allowing five runs on ten hits in nine innings. They have the following career numbers against him:

• Nick Castellanos 13-50, 3B, 2 HR, 2 BB, 9 K
• Aramis Garcia 0:2, 1:0
• Bryce Harper 3-18, HR, BB, 7 K
• Brandon Marsh 0:2, 1:0
• JT Realmuto 4-16, HR, 3 BB
• Johan Rojas 4-7, 2K
• Kyle Schwarber 6-21, 2B, HF, 7 K
• Bryson Stott 0-1, BB
• Garrett Stubbs 0-2
• Trea Turner 6-21, 2B, 3K
• Weston Wilson 0-4, 2K

Opponent formation

1. Kyle Schwarber – DH
2. Trea Turner – SS
3. Bryce Harper – 1B
4. Nick Castellanos – HF
5. JT Realmuto – C
6. Weston Wilson – LF
7. Bryson Stott – 2B
8. Buddy Kennedy – 3B
9. Johan Rojas – CF

The Mets hitters will face an old foe tonight in Aaron Nola. In 29 games and 177 innings in 2024, Nola has a 3.41 ERA, 4.01 FIP, 1.181 WHIP and 119 ERA+. He's coming off a rocky start against the Miami Marlins, allowing four earned runs in 4 2/3 innings. In his four games prior to that, however, Nola allowed just four runs in 25 innings (1.44 ERA, 3.13 FIP).

His only start against the Mets this season was his best of the year, when he pitched a complete game scoreless game at Citi Field on May 14. New York has the following career numbers against Nola:

• Pete Alonso 16-49, 3 2B, 5 HR, 3 BB, 13 K
• Harrison Bader 0-2, 2 K
• Jose Iglesias 3-7, 2B
• Francisco Lindor 6-30, 2 2B, 6 K
• Starling Marte 11-31, 2B, HF, 9 K
• JD Martinez 3-19, 2BB, 10K
• Brandon Nimmo 12-50, 3B, HR, 11 BB, 19 K
• DJ Stewart 0:1, 1:0
• Tyrone Taylor 3-8, 2 2B, BB
• Luis Torrens 2-3
• Jesse Winker 4-22, HR, 2 BB, 2 K

Game Notes

The Mets announced that they Pablo Reyes to Triple-A Syracuse after being designated for assignment on September 9 to make room on the active roster for Eddy Alvarez. Reyes remains qualified for the postseason after you have granted the waivers and remain in the organization.

manager Carlos Mendoza announced that the right-handed relief Dedniel Nunez will miss the rest of the season with a flexion injury in the right arm.

Three things to look out for

1. Pete Alonso vs. Aaron Nola. Pete and Nola have been with their respective teams for a long time. It's pretty unusual for the Mets to have two players on the roster, Nimmo being the other, who have around 50 at-bats against a starting pitcher from a division rival. There's a chance Alonso signs a long-term deal with the Mets in the offseason and this matchup becomes a regular occurrence, but this could also be Alonso and Nola's last meeting in their current uniforms, as the former is about to enter free agency. Alonso has a career OPS of 1.059 against Nola – it would be great if he could take it far one more time.
2. Race for the MVP of the National League. Lindor looked like the NL MVP in the ninth inning on Wednesday when he hit a solo home run that could save the Mets' season. He is at 7.3 fWAR after sagging a bit in recent days. Meanwhile, Shohei Ohtani has really stepped it up lately and is now at 7.0 fWAR. Aside from racking up stats, the Mets need Lindor at his best to survive this series in Philly.
3. A lot has changed since these teams last met. The Mets and Phillies first faced each other in May, when New York was in the midst of a downward spiral. As a result, the Phillies won three of four games in that series. The two teams then met for a two-game series in London, which the teams split just days before the Mets turned the tables.

Let's go, Mets!