Mets at Padres
Jacob deGrom has been near the top of his game but he has been let down by the bullpen in each of his last two starts for the New York Mets, who will wrap up a lengthy road trip with the first of three games at the San Diego Padres on Friday night. DeGrom looks to remain unbeaten and prevent New York's first three-game losing streak in the series opener.
New York's bullpen was unable to hold leads in the eighth and 10th innings before eventually falling 4-3 in the 13th to St. Louis for its second consecutive series loss. Yoenis Cespedes homered and had five RBIs in the three-game set against the Cardinals and is 10-for-29 with four homers and 10 RBIs lifetime against San Diego's pitching staff. The Padres collected only eight hits in dropping the final two games of their series in Colorado to fall to 2-7 in their last nine games. Veteran left-hander Clayton Richard will get the nod for San Diego, which won four of seven meetings against New York in 2017.
TV: 10:10 p.m. ET, SNY (New York), FS San Diego
PITCHING MATCHUP: Mets RH Jacob deGrom (2-0, 2.53 ERA) vs. Padres LH Clayton Richard (1-2, 5.67)
DeGrom was overpowering last time out in Atlanta but came away with a no-decision despite striking out 10 and yielding four hits over seven scoreless innings. He had a similar fate in his previous turn against Washington, fanning 12 and giving up three runs over 7 1/3 innings in another no-decision. In four career starts against the Padres, deGrom is 2-1 with a 1.93 ERA and has limited Wil Myers to a homer in nine at-bats.
Richard was stellar in his season-opening start with seven innings of one-run ball in a no-decision against Milwaukee, but he has pitched five innings in each of his four subsequent outings. The 34-year-old has been reached for 16 runs over his last 20 innings and has been victimized by the long ball, giving up five homers in his past three starts. Adrian Gonzalez (11-for-20) and Asdrubal Cabrera (7-for-13) have tormented Richard.
WALK-OFFS
1. Cabrera was hitless in six at-bats Thursday after missing the previous two games with a tight hamstring.
2. Myers is 8-for-21 in five games since coming off the disabled list.
3. Mets RF Jay Bruce has hit safely in five games in a row.