Miami @ New York preview
Citi Field
Last Meeting ( Apr 10, 2021 ) Miami 3, NY Mets 0
Jacob deGrom is either baseball's most patient man or the owner of its best poker face. Either way, perhaps the New York Mets can do Sunday for Marcus Stroman what they've yet to do for their two-time Cy Young Award winner.
The Mets will look to snap out of their early season offensive doldrums and win a series against the visiting Miami Marlins Sunday afternoon, when the National League East rivals are scheduled to play the rubber game of a three-game set.
Stroman (1-0, 1.50 ERA) is slated to make his second start of the season. The Marlins had not announced a starter as of late Saturday.
Another brilliant outing by deGrom didn't result in a win for the ace right-hander Saturday, when he tied a career high with 14 strikeouts but took the loss after giving up a homer to Jazz Chisholm in the second inning of the Marlins' 3-0 win.
DeGrom, who allowed five hits and walked none over eight innings, has thrown at least seven innings, allowed two runs or fewer and not earned a win a major league-high 34 times since he debuted in 2014.
"This is something that we're definitely familiar with and we want to try and stop this from happening in the future," Mets center fielder Brandon Nimmo said.
So far this season, it's been more of the same for deGrom, who is 0-1 despite an 0.64 ERA with 21 strikeouts and two walks in 14 innings. He exited with a two-run lead Monday night against the Philadelphia Phillies, who came back against the Mets' bullpen to earn a 5-3 win in New York's season opener.
DeGrom said Saturday he thinks the Mets' offensive struggles -- they've scored five runs in the last three games and are batting .146 (6-for-41) with runners in scoring position this season -- might be a result of the delay they experienced when a series against the Washington Nationals scheduled to begin April 1 was postponed due to the Nationals' coronavirus outbreak.
"I think it definitely didn't help us, having that little bit of time off," deGrom said. "These guys ramped up and then didn't really get to see live pitching for a number of days. I think that has a lot to do with it. Hopefully we get going here soon and start a winning streak."
The Marlins are hoping Saturday's win serves as a much-needed spark. Miami has lost five of its first seven and has scored 24 runs, which includes a 12-run outburst against the Tampa Bay Rays on April 3.
But Taylor Rogers struck out 10 over six innings Saturday before a trio of relievers set down the final nine Mets batters. The Marlins added a pair of ninth-inning insurance runs to seal Rogers' second big league win -- and his second against the Mets and deGrom at Citi Field. He also earned the victory in Miami's 5-3 win last Aug. 31.
"He's the best in baseball," Rogers said. "You always have to bring your best and then some. Just to see that not only me but our whole team can go out and compete with the best just shows you how good we all are."
Stroman earned the win Tuesday, when he allowed one run over six innings as the Mets beat the Phillies, 8-4. He has never opposed the Marlins.
--Field Level Media