MMO Game Thread: Braves vs Mets, 4:10 PM

Friday, July 24, 2020 • 4:10 p.m.

Citi Field • Flushing, NY

RHP Mike Soroka (2019: 13-4, 2.68) vs. RHP Jacob deGrom (2019: 11-8, 2.43)

SNY • ESPN • WCBS 880 AM • WQBU 92.7 FM

Opening Day is all about optimism. Every team has the same record. Every team has a mathematical chance to make the playoffs. Teams are coming out of spring training, still boasting about how individual players are in the best shape of their lives. Anything is possible.

And this year, it seemed like today was impossible. In some ways, today feels irresponsible. Optimism has been replaced with trepidation.

But we made it. For better or worse baseball is happening tonight. 60 players and dozens of coaches between two teams tonight will risk their health at Citi Field so we can escape from reality for a few hours.

Mets Lineup

1. Brandon Nimmo – CF
2. Jeff McNeil – 3B
3. Pete Alonso – 1B
4. Michael Conforto – RF
5. Yoenis Cespedes – DH
6. Robinson Cano – 2B
7. J.D. Davis – LF
8. Wilson Ramos – C
9. Amed Rosario – SS

Braves Lineup

1. Ronald Acuna Jr. – RF
2. Ozzie Albies – 2B
3. Freddie Freeman – 1B
4. Marcell Ozuna – LF
5. Matt Adams – DH
6. Austin Riley – 3B
7. Dansby Swanson – SS
8. Ender Inciarte – CF
9. Alex Jackson – C

And we are so lucky. We’ll get to escape the pandemic tonight with another Opening Day start by Jacob deGrom, fresh off back to back Cy Young awards. Last year deGrom posted a 2.43 ERA, 0.971 WHIP, 2.67 FIP and 167 ERA+ over 32 starts and 204.0 innings. He struck out a league leading 255 batters in 2019. He faced the Braves 4 times, pitching 26.1 innings allowing 9 runs (3.08 ERA) from 20 hits and 7 walks while striking out 39 batters. The only team that he struck out more batters from last year was the Marlins (46) but he also made 6 starts against the Marlins. The Braves have the following numbers against deGrom:

• Austin Riley 2-5, HR
• Freddie Freeman 15-64, 2 2B, 3 HR, 7 BB, 14 K
• Tyler Flowers 4-16, HR, 3 BB, 7 K
• Johan Camargo 7-24, 2B, HR, 2 BB, 8 K
• Dansby Swanson 4-16, 2 2B, 3 BB, 8 K
• Matt Adams 5-18, 3B, 9 K
• Marcell Ozuna 9-36, 2 2B, HR, BB, 12 K
• Ronald Acuna Jr.5-20, 2B, 2 BB, 5 K
• Ozzie Albies 5-32, 2B, BB, 7 K
• Charlie Culberson 0-8, 5 K

The Mets bats will get their first look at Mike Soroka today. Soroka is coming off his first full season of baseball where he pitched in 29 games and 174.2 innings with a 2.68 ERA, 3.45 FIP, 1.111 WHIP and 169 ERA+. The 2019 All-Star led the league in homers per 9 innings at 0.7 (for comparison deGrom was at 0.8 and in 2018 deGrom was at 0.4). Soroka finished 6th in Cy Young voting and second in rookie of the year (behind you know who!). He faced the Mets three times last year, pitching 17.1 innings allowing 8 runs (4.15 ERA) from 20 hits and 3 walks while striking out 13. The Mets have the following numbers against Soroka:

• Yoenis Cespedes 3-3, HR
• J.D. Davis 1-2, HR
• Tomas Nido 3-6, 2B, BB, 2 K
• Pete Alonso 4-9, HR, 3 K
• Robinson Cano 2-8, HR
• Amed Rosario 3-11, 2B, 2 K
• Michael Conforto 3-14, BB, K
• Brandon Nimmo 1-5, K
• Dominic Smith 1-5, 2 K
• Jeff McNeil 0-6, K
• Wilson Ramos 0-3

Game Notes

After losing their first eight Opening Day contests, the Mets have won 38 of their last 50 Opening Day games (.760). New York took nine straight openers from 1975-1983 to tie a major league record. The Mets have won 11 of their last 14 openers.

Over the final 60 games of the 2019 season, the Mets’ 39-21 mark tied for the second-best in the majors and co-led the NL. Only one team, the Astros (42-18), had a better record in the season’s last 60 games.

Jacob deGrom ended the year with a 23.0 scoreless inning streak, the longest by a Met to end a season in franchise history. It is also the majors’ longest active scoreless streak. 

Three Mets are taking part in their first career Opening Day, INF Andrés Giménez, RHP Corey Oswalt and RHP Drew Smith.

Let’s Go Mets! Check 213 Miles From Shea!