Mets at Braves
One of the biggest storylines in baseball last season was the lack of run support the New York Mets provided Jacob deGrom during his Cy Young winning campaign, but so far in 2019 they have produced plenty of offense for their ace entering Sunday’s series finale at the Atlanta Braves. New York has scored 16 runs in deGrom’s first three starts, after scoring three runs or fewer in 21 of his 32 starts a season ago - producing one run or fewer on nine occasions.
The Mets aim to win the four-game series despite the Braves matching a season high with 13 hits in Saturday’s 11-7 victory, snapping New York’s three-game winning streak. Six different Atlanta batters recorded multiple hits, including the first homers of the season from third baseman Josh Donaldson and right fielder Nick Markakis. Shortstop Dansby Swanson drove in three runs to move into fourth place in the majors with 18 RBIs in the victory as Atlanta beat a National League East rival for just the third time in nine tries. New York infielder Jeff McNeil contributed two hits and an RBI in the loss, extending his hitting streak to four games (7-for-18 in that span).
TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, ESPN
PITCHING MATCHUP: Mets RH Jacob deGrom (2-1, 3.18 ERA) vs. Braves RH Julio Teheran (1-1, 6.00)
The 30-year-old deGrom and his streak of consecutive quality starts ended at 26 on Tuesday against Minnesota, as he allowed six runs on eight hits with only three strikeouts in four innings. He looked like his dominant self in his first two outings, striking out 24 hitters in 13 scoreless innings with two walks, eight hits and no walks in victories over Washington and Miami. The Stetson product pitched outstanding against the Braves last season but received no support, posting a 0.88 ERA but going 1-2 in six starts.
The forgotten man in Atlanta’s young rotation, the 28-year-old Teheran has started the season strong with one bad inning in his last start Monday at Colorado skewing his numbers. Teheran gave up six runs in the fifth against the Rockies and finished with five hits allowed in five frames, earning his first victory in an 8-6 Atlanta triumph. Teheran, who struck out 14 with just four runs yielded in his first two starts, went 1-2 with a 1.65 ERA and a 0.92 WHIP in five starts against New York in 2018.
WALK-OFFS
1. Donaldson recorded his second straight multi-hit game and extended his hitting streak to six games (8-for-23 in that stretch) after beginning the season 4-for-27.
2. New York CF Juan Lagares, who began Saturday 4-for-22 to start the season, went 2-for-4 with two RBIs and one run scored Saturday.
3. Atlanta RHP Touki Toussaint, recalled from Triple-A Gwinnett earlier Saturday, gave up one unearned run with seven strikeouts in six innings of relief Saturday.