Padres at Mets
If Jacob deGrom was receiving any kind of offensive support from the slumping New York Mets, he could be on the verge of establishing a career high for victories. Instead, deGrom looks to continue his stellar stretch of pitching when he goes for his eighth win Saturday night against the visiting San Diego Padres.
The Mets have provided two runs or fewer in seven of the last 12 outings for deGrom, who has allowed one run over his last three turns but has been forced to settle for a pair of no-decisions. New York needs another big performance from deGrom after tumbling to its fourth straight defeat in Friday's 8-6 setback to drop below .500 for the first time since April 17. Catcher Travis d'Arnaud broke an 0-for-10 skid by going 3-for-4 with a two-run homer for the Mets, who are three games behind Miami for the second wild card in the National League. San Diego's Ryan Schimpf, the NL Rookie of the Month in July, belted two of his team's four home runs and had a career-high six RBIs in the series opener.
TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, FSN San Diego, WPIX (New York)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Padres RH Jarred Cosart (0-1, 5.79 ERA) vs. Mets RH Jacob deGrom (7-5, 2.35)
Cosart has not made much of an impression since his acquisition from Miami at the trade deadline. He lasted only 3 1/3 innings in his first start with the Padres, permitting only one hit while yielding a staggering six walks in a no-decision versus Milwaukee. Cosart, who gave up three runs over 4 2/3 frames versus New York in his season debut, went five innings versus Philadelphia on Sunday and was tagged for five runs and 10 hits.
DeGrom had his scoreless innings streak halted at 20 in his last start, when he was saddled with a no-decision despite limiting Detroit to one run and seven hits over 6 2/3 frames. In his previous two turns, both at Citi Field, he blanked the New York Yankees and Colorado on four and five hits respectively. DeGrom took the loss at San Diego in his fourth start of the season, giving up three runs on eight hits while lasting only five innings.
WALK-OFFS
1. The Mets are 67-3 since the start of 2015 when scoring at least three runs -- and two of the losses have been to San Diego.
2. Schimpf has 31 hits on the season and 24 have been for extra bases.
3. Mets RHP Zack Wheeler has an appointment with Dr. James Andrews after feeling discomfort in his surgically repaired elbow.