Brewers at Mets
Reigning National League Cy Young Award winner Jacob deGrom is expected to return to the mound after a brief stint on the injured list when the New York Mets host the slumping Milwaukee Brewers for the opener of a three-game series Friday night. The 30-year-old deGrom missed his last start due to mild elbow soreness, but after an MRI came back negative and a successful bullpen session on Wednesday the right-hander appears ready to go.
The Mets hope to welcome deGrom back to the party after winning their first series since the opening two of the season, taking the first two from Philadelphia before dropping a 6-0 decision in Wednesday’s finale. Robinson Cano went 5-for-7 with a walk in that series while fellow infielder Jeff McNeil (.363 batting average, 11 RBIs) leads New York’s offense, which will go against Milwaukee right-hander Chase Anderson in Friday’s series opener. The Brewers have fallen to the .500 mark (13-13) after losing four straight contests and seven of the last eight, including a 5-2 setback on Wednesday to complete a three-game sweep by St. Louis in which Milwaukee permitted 22 runs. Reigning NL MVP Christian Yelich cooled off the last four games while going 0-for-9, but the Brewers outfielder led the majors with 13 homers and 31 RBIs entering Thursday’s contests.
TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, MLB Network, FS Wisconsin (Milwaukee), SNY (New York)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Brewers RH Chase Anderson (2-0, 3.00 ERA) vs. Mets RH Jacob deGrom (2-2, 3.68)
Anderson made his first start of 2019 a good one Saturday, limiting the Los Angeles Dodgers to one hit with five strikeouts over five scoreless innings in a 5-0 win. The 31-year-old Texan appeared in five games out of the bullpen to open the season, allowing five runs on 10 hits with 13 strikeouts across 10 total innings. Juan Lagares is 3-for-5 with a homer versus Anderson, who was 1-0 with a 5.40 ERA in two starts against the Mets last year.
New York breathed a sigh of relief with deGrom’s quick recovery and now the Floridian will try to find the form from his first two starts of the season when he struck out 24 in 13 scoreless innings. The two-time All Star was not as good in his two starts before the injury, allowing nine runs and 13 hits across nine innings in losses to Minnesota and Atlanta. Yelich is 14-for-32 against deGrom, who is 3-2 in seven career starts versus Milwaukee.
WALK-OFFS
1. Milwaukee INF Mike Moustakas (six homers, 10 RBIs) is questionable after missing the last four games with a finger injury.
2. New York SS Amed Rosario has hit safely in nine straight contests, going 10-for-37 with three RBIs and six walks in that stretch.
3. The Brewers reportedly agreed to a one-year contract with LHP Gio Gonzalez on Wednesday after he was released by the New York Yankees.