The New York Mets are hosting the Detroit Tigers for a three-game series beginning Tuesday and its ace right-hander is set for battle in the opener.
The New York Mets got May started with two series wins over the Los Angeles Angels and Colorado Rockies but could only take the series opener from the Arizona Diamondbacks over the weekend.
The Mets dropped the middle game and finale against Arizona, 2-1 and 5-1 respectfully, scoring just one run in each of those games to drop the series. New York didn’t really have an answer for Diamondbacks left-hander Eduardo Rodriguez, who pitched into the ninth inning and threw 8.1 innings of one-run ball on four hits and three walks with four strikeouts.
The Mets committed three errors in the contest (two by third baseman Andy Ibanez, one from left-hander David Peterson) and all three runs scored by Arizona in the sixth inning were unearned. The Diamondbacks had a 2-1 lead prior to the big inning thanks to rookie Ryan Waldschmidt’s two-run double in the second.
Reliever Huascar Brazoban opened the game and took the loss after pitching into the second inning. He was tagged for two runs (allowed by right-hander Tobias Myers) after walking three batters.
Peterson got the bulk innings and pitched well outside of the sixth inning. He threw five innings and allowed four hits and struck out three without giving up an earned run. Peterson has pitched nicely since being moved to the bullpen.
The Mets went 5-4 on the road trip and now start a six-game homestand against the Detroit Tigers and New York Yankees beginning Tuesday. New York has been playing better as of late, but can it avoid history repeating itself?
After defeating the Diamondbacks in the series opener last month, the Mets dropped its next 12 games. The good news is that when New York was on its 12-game losing streak, Juan Soto was on the injured list – he’s healthy and at the top of the lineup again.
The Tigers have been scuffling as of late and are without its ace left-hander Tarik Skubal for the next couple of months, so the Mets should be able to take at least one or two from Detroit. The series opener will feature a matchup between Mets ace right-hander Freddy Peralta and Tigers righty Jack Flaherty.
Peralta is in his first and possibly only season with the Mets after being traded by the Milwaukee Brewers during the offseason. The 29-year-old is 2-3 with a 3.12 ERA and 1.20 WHIP through eight starts (43.1 innings). It took a little bit for Peralta to get settled in, but the two-time All-Star has been outstanding over his last five starts.
Flaherty hasn’t been great this season and the Tigers desperately need him to step up in Skubal’s absence. The 30-year-old is 0-3 with a 5.56 ERA and 1.65 WHIP through eight starts (34 innings). While Flaherty has allowed four or more runs in each of his past three starts, he allowed just two earned runs against the Boston Red Sox and struck out 10.
If the Tigers get that version of Flaherty, the Mets could have a tough time generating offense, although some of the Mets hitters have good numbers against Flaherty.
First pitch is at 7:10 p.m. EDT on MLB.TV and regional sports networks.