Philadelphia @ New York preview
Citi Field
Last Meeting ( Sep 18, 2021 ) Philadelphia 5, NY Mets 3
The Philadelphia Phillies might be playing their way right out of scoreboard watching.
The New York Mets, too, albeit for entirely different and less pleasant reasons.
The Phillies could be playing for a share of first place by the time they take the field Sunday night in New York, when they will try to complete a sweep of the skidding Mets in the finale of a three-game series.
Right-hander Kyle Gibson (10-7, 3.49 ERA) is slated to take the mound for the Phillies against left-hander Rich Hill (6-7, 3.88).
The Phillies moved closer to the top of the National League East Saturday night, when Aaron Nola tossed 5 2/3 innings of one-run ball and Jean Segura homered in his first two at-bats to spark a 5-3 win.
The victory was the fourth straight for the Phillies (76-72), who closed within a game of Atlanta by virtue of the Braves' 2-0 loss later Saturday to the San Francisco Giants. Philadelphia has gained 3 1/2 games since Tuesday on Atlanta, which has dropped four straight and had a game against the Colorado Rockies rained out.
The Phillies are also 2 1/2 games behind the St. Louis Cardinals in the race for the second NL wild card.
"I don't really like to look at all their (opponents) throughout the day," Nola said Saturday night. "We've got to worry about our game and playing the Mets (Sunday). It's the only thing we can control. Can't control anything else besides our game. We keep winning right here, everything will work out how it should."
With their inability to take advantage of the Braves' skid, the Mets (72-77) have all but ensured they'll miss the playoffs for the fifth straight season. New York has lost five in a row and is 16-29 since entering August with a four-game lead in the NL East.
The Mets are 5 1/2 games behind the Braves and seven games behind the Cardinals for the wild card.
"I'm still going to go out there and try to win everyday," said Mets center fielder Brandon Nimmo, who tripled, homered and scored twice Saturday. "That's just how I'm wired. But it is kind of you either make the playoffs or it doesn't really matter."
Gibson lost his most recent start Tuesday, when he gave up four runs over five innings as the Phillies fell to the Chicago Cubs, 6-3. Hill took the defeat Monday after surrendering three runs over five innings in the Mets' 7-0 loss to the Cardinals.
Gibson is 1-2 with a 5.12 ERA in four career starts against the Mets. He earned the win on Aug. 6, when he allowed one run in six innings as Philadelphia recorded a 4-2 victory.
Hill is 2-2 with a 3.48 ERA in eight games (five starts) against the Phillies. He last opposed Philadelphia on June 2, 2019, when, as a member of the Los Angeles Dodgers, he earned the win after tossing seven scoreless innings in a 8-0 victory.
--Field Level Media