Marlins at Mets
The New York Mets have won five in a row and 12 of their last 13 contests to insert themselves as a viable contender in the congested wild-card race in the National League. The red-hot Mets look to complete a four-game sweep of the reeling Miami Marlins on Wednesday afternoon when the NL East rivals reconvene at Citi Field.
Pete Alonso has answered a nine-game homerless drought by going deep for the second straight contest in New York's 5-0 victory on Tuesday. The 24-year-old's team-leading 36 homers are just three shy of Cody Bellinger's NL rookie record, with six of them coming at the expense of Miami. The Mets have won all five of their home games against the cellar-dwelling Marlins, who limped to their fifth straight defeat and 16th shutout loss on Tuesday. Jorge Alfaro grounded into two of his team's four double plays in that contest and enters the series finale in a dismal 1-for-25 slump with nine strikeouts in his last eight games.
TV: 12:10 p.m. ET, FS Florida (Miami), SNY (New York)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Marlins RH Jordan Yamamoto (4-2, 3.94 ERA) vs. Mets LH Steven Matz (6-7, 4.60)
Yamamoto has yielded 15 runs and four homers while posting an 0-2 record in his last three outings after starting his career with a 4-0 mark in his first six trips to the mound. The 23-year-old Hawaiian did not surrender a free pass in his no-decision against Minnesota on Thursday after allowing multiple walks in each of his first eight starts. Yamamoto, who has yet to face the Mets in his brief career, owns a 2-1 record with a 2.86 ERA in his four road starts while limiting the opposition to a .135 batting average.
Matz posted a 1-0 mark with a 1.89 ERA during a three-start stretch before getting gashed for five runs on six hits in 3 2/3 innings of an 8-4 setback at Pittsburgh on Friday. The 28-year-old New York native looks to get back on track Wednesday when he returns to Citi Field, where he boasts a 4-0 record with a 2.06 ERA while limiting the opposition to a .233 batting average. Matz owns a 3-3 mark with a 2.85 ERA in 10 career starts versus Miami after allowing three runs on six hits in six innings of a no-decision on April 1.
WALK-OFFS
1. New York C Wilson Ramos is 9-for-24 with two homers and 13 RBIs in his last six games.
2. Miami SS Miguel Rojas is considered day-to-day after sustaining a right hamstring strain while running out an inning-ending double play on Tuesday.
3. Mets OF Jeff McNeil has four multi-hit performances in his last five games and 43 on the season.