Reds at Mets
The 1-2 punch at the top of the New York Mets' starting rotation fizzled in April as Jacob deGrom hit a puzzling three-start slump while Noah Syndergaard has yet to generate any semblance of consistency. Syndergaard hopes to get well against one of his favorite foes when the Mets wrap up a four-game set versus the visiting Cincinnati Reds on Thursday afternoon.
Syndergaard is 4-0 in five career starts against Cincinnati but he has allowed at least four runs in five of his six trips to the mound this season and carries an ERA north of six. New York wasted a gem by deGrom in Wednesday's 1-0 setback after closer Edwin Diaz served up a tiebreaking home run in the top of the ninth inning for the second time in the series as the Mets lost for the fifth time in seven games. Reds shortstop Jose Iglesias delivered the decisive blow with his third straight two-hit game to improve to 6-for-12 in the series. Cincinnati has won 12 of 21 since a dreadful 1-8 start to the year and looks to wrap up a winning road trip in the finale of a seven-game trek.
TV: 12:10 p.m. ET, MLB Network, FS Ohio (Cincinnati), SNY (New York)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Reds RH Tyler Mahle (0-3, 4.50 ERA) vs. Mets RH Noah Syndergaard (1-3, 6.35)
Mahle lost his third consecutive start -- all on the road -- last time out, giving up five runs on seven hits over five innings at St. Louis while surrendering a home run for the fourth outing in a row. He was done in by one big inning in his previous turn at San Diego, striking out nine in six innings of four-run ball, and also gave up four runs and 11 hits over six frames at the Los Angeles Dodgers on April 16. Mahle lost his lone career start against the Mets, permitting three runs in four innings.
Syndergaard lasted only five innings for the third straight outing versus Milwaukee on Saturday and was tagged for five runs on a season-high 10 hits, including a pair of homers in an 8-6 loss. During his three-start winless drought, he has been charged with 16 runs and 27 hits over 15 innings and has only one quality start -- a loss in which he gave up two runs over six innings against Washington on April 4. Syndergaard has shut down Joey Votto, limiting him to two singles with six strikeouts in 14 at-bats.
WALK-OFFS
1. Iglesias is 10-for-24 during a six-game hitting and run-scoring streak.
2. Mets 2B Robinson Cano doubled in four at-bats Wednesday in his return to the lineup after sitting out two games with a swollen hand.
3. Reds OF Jesse Winker has hit safely in eight of nine games.