The New York Mets are in the Rock and Roll Capital of the world to take on the Guardians.
The Cleveland Guardians are an impressive 30-17, winning 6 of their last 10 as they sit at the top of the American League Central with a game and a half lead over the Kansas City Royals.
Biggest reason for the Guardians early success, pitching. Across all 30 teams in the league the Guardians rank 6th in team ERA, 4th in strikeouts, and are tied 8th in opponent batting average.
Even with Shane Bieber suffering a season-ending injury the Guardians pitching staff is at the top of the league. Also, the bullpen ranks 7th in the league in ERA with a 3.30 and a 8.96 K/9.
Ben Lively will get the start for the Guardians this evening after a 5 strikeout performance against the Texas Rangers. In the six games Lively has started his ERA stands at 3.06, with 31 strikeouts through 32 and a 1/3 innings pitched.
A sinker ball pitcher who keeps the ball in the park has found success this year getting batters to hit underneath the baseball. According to Baseball Savant, 37.1% of his outs recorded have been balls hit under.
Lively will face Tylor Megill who is fresh off of the injured list after battling a shoulder strain.
Megill was sharp in his rehab assignments giving up only one earned run in his four starts striking out 23 through 14 innings pitched.
Megill’s career with the Mets has been up and down. His career ERA is a 4.68 striking out 259 and an even 17-17 record. He has shown flashes of what he can be, but it has to be consistent.
He tends to go to his fastball too often, as in 2023 threw it 59% of the time. He has a below average fastball run value, but has been able to get hitters out with the breaking pitches.
Speaking of returns, Francisco Lindor is back in Cleveland for the first time the blockbuster trade back in 2021.
In the 777 games that Lindor played with Cleveland he hit .285 with 896 hits, 138 homers, 411 RBIs and 508 runs. No moment as big for Lindor as the Game 2 ALDS grandslam against the New York Yankees.
Since being traded Lindor has played his former team once and had his own signature moment with a walk-off single back in May of 2023.
Lindor and the Mets will look to bounce back after a disappointing series against the Miami Marlins tonight.