2024-10-06 07:45:06
PHILADELPHIA – The Mets shocked the Brewers, the entire state of Wisconsin and probably most of the baseball world on Thursday night, when Pete Alonso clubbed a never-to-be-forgotten three-run home run in the ninth inning at American Family Field to give them a lead they would not relinquish in the NL Wild Card Series.
Alonso offered a chef’s kiss as he rounded first base.
And why not? It was a huge moment in a huge game, and it set up what should be a wild NL Division Series between the Phillies and Mets.
It will be the first time these NL East rivals will face each other in the postseason.
“Philadelphia-Mets playoff baseball is going to be intense,” Mets outfielder Brandon Nimmo said. “And both fan bases, I mean, this is exactly what you want, right? Extremely excited for that.”
When is the game and how can I watch it?
Game 1 is underway at Citizens Bank Park, televised on FOX.
All games are available in the U.S. on MLB.TV (authentication to a participating Pay TV provider is required). Live games are also available in select countries outside the U.S. For full details, click here.
Who are the starting pitchers?
In a dramatic turn for the Mets’ pitching staff, manager Carlos Mendoza announced Friday in Philadelphia that Senga will get the ball in Game 1.
Senga has not pitched in a Major League game since July 26, when he badly strained his left calf during his 2024 season debut. He had missed the entire first half of the season due to shoulder and triceps injuries. Before departing that game, he allowed two runs in 5 1/3 innings while striking out nine against the Braves.
Wheeler just had one of the strongest finishes by any pitcher in Phillies history, and by any pitcher in recent memory. The ex-Met went 6-2 with a 1.89 ERA in his final 11 starts. He pitched six or more innings and allowed two or fewer earned runs in each of those final 11 starts, which was the longest streak by any MLB pitcher this season and the longest by any Phillies starting pitcher since at least 1893.
Wheeler is one of baseball’s best big-game pitchers. He is 4-3 with a 2.42 ERA in 11 career appearances (10 starts) in the playoffs. It is the fifth-lowest ERA of any MLB pitcher with 10 or more starts in the postseason since earned runs became official in 1913.
What are the starting lineups?
Mets: Manager Carlos Mendoza’s only significant daily decision during the Wild Card Series was whether to start J.D. Martinez or Jesse Winker at DH. The former has never faced Wheeler despite long careers for both in the Majors. The latter is 0-for-10 lifetime off Wheeler, but Winker got the nod over Martinez in Game 1.
Phillies: Phillies manager Rob Thomson inserted Brandon Marsh in left since he hits righties better than lefties, as opposed to Austin Hays, who has better numbers against southpaws. Johan Rojas got the start against a righty, so the Phillies are placing value on his world-class defense.
How will the bullpens line up after the starter?
Mets: The Mets have leaned hard on Edwin Díaz over the last week, asking their closer for 26 pitches last Sunday, 40 on Monday and another 39 on Thursday in Wild Card Series Game 3. But with a rest day on Friday, Díaz should be good to go at least for an inning. Beyond Díaz, Mendoza has placed much of his trust in right-handed setup men Phil Maton and Ryne Stanek. Southpaw Danny Young, who didn’t pitch at all in the Wild Card Series, could become more of an option against Philadelphia’s lefty hitters in the NLDS.
Right-hander Tylor Megill and left-hander David Peterson are options to pitch after Senga. Peterson earned his first career save in Game 3 of the Wild Card.
“I’ll be ready tomorrow if they need me,” Peterson said on Friday. “At this point, where we’re at in the season, all hands on deck. So I’m ready whenever they need me in any capacity.”
Phillies: There are probably five relievers in Thomson’s circle of trust: closer Carlos Estévez; right-handers Jeff Hoffman and Orion Kerkering; and left-handers Matt Strahm and José Alvarado. But the Phillies also have right-hander José Ruiz and left-hander Tanner Banks, too. The Phillies enter the postseason feeling better about their bullpen than they felt in each of the previous two postseasons. Thomson hasn’t been shy about going to his bullpen at the first hint of trouble from a starter, so don’t be surprised to see him deploy somebody early.
Mets: Jeff McNeil is out with a fractured right wrist and only just started ramping up activities again, so the Mets would need to advance deeper for him to rejoin the roster.
Phillies: Hays missed the final weekend of the regular season due to a sore back, but the Phillies said Tuesday he is “100 percent” and they expect him to be ready to play in the NLDS. Right-hander Spencer Turnbull has not pitched since late June because of a strained right lat. His recovery has been slow, but he has been on the mound the past few weeks, and there is a chance he could pitch in the postseason.
Who is hot and who is not?
Mets: Lindor continues to show that that back injury he suffered in mid-September is no longer limiting him. He rapped out two hits in Wild Card Series Game 3, drew a crucial walk in the ninth inning off Devin Williams, and has four multi-hit games in seven contests since returning from his injury. … It will also be interesting to see if Alonso’s game-winning home run in Game 3 will spark him going forward. He was in a 5-for-41 dip before that homer.
Phillies: Wheeler is hot enough that he had some NL Cy Young voters considering a first-place vote for him over Atlanta’s Chris Sale. … Schwarber had a 1.013 OPS the final month of the season. … Harper had a .938 OPS, while Castellanos had an .858 OPS. … Stott has struggled, posting a .613 OPS in the final month, which is down from his season mark (.671 OPS).
Anything else fans might want to know?
