Mets at Pirates
The acquisition of All-Star right-hander Marcus Stroman by the New York Mets was among the more surprising moves in advance of the trade deadline and it is shaping up as one of the shrewdest deals by any team. Stroman will make his National League debut when the Mets resume their three-game road trip at the Pittsburgh Pirates on Saturday night.
“I feel like it’s like a dream rotation," Stroman said of joining New York's starting staff, which had not allowed more than three runs in 17 straight outings until the Pirates halted that streak in Friday's 8-4 victory. Slumping Pete Alonso broke out of a 2-for-20 funk with an RBI double among two hits, but the Mets frittered away an early three-run lead and had their seven-game winning streak snapped. Starling Marte, who was 2-for-13 in a sweep by New York last weekend, swatted a three-run homer to help Pittsburgh win for only the second time in 12 games. Jose Osuna collected a pair of hits to extend his hitting streak to five games for the Pirates, who are bidding to end a string of six straight series losses.
TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, SNY (New York), AT&T SportsNet Pittsburgh
PITCHING MATCHUP: Mets RH Marcus Stroman (6-11, 2.96 ERA) vs. Pirates RH Chris Archer (3-8, 5.58)
Even though his final start with Toronto resulted in a loss, Stroman went seven innings for the second straight start while allowing one run and five hits to absorb his career-worst 11th defeat. He won his previous turn by blanking Detroit on six hits over seven frames and has not permitted more than three runs in each of his last seven outings. Melky Cabrera is 5-for-12 against Stroman, who pitched well on the road for the Blue Jays with a 4-4 record and 2.60 ERA in nine starts.
Archer came out of the All-Star break by registering back-to-back quality starts, but he was hit hard in two subsequent starts to remain winless over his last nine trips to the mound. He continues to struggle to keep the ball in the park, allowing at least one homer in 15 of his last 16 starts and 25 on the season. Robinson Cano is hitless in 19 at-bats versus Archer, who was knocked around for six runs (five earned) over five innings in a loss at the Mets on Sunday.
WALK-OFFS
1. Pittsburgh designated 3B Jung Ho Kang for assignment on Friday.
2. Mets LF J.D. Davis is 5-for-9 with four RBIs against Pittsburgh this year.
3. Pirates RHP Jameson Taillon will undergo season-ending surgery to repair a tendon in his right elbow.