New York @ Philadelphia preview

Last Meeting ( Jul 11, 2018 ) Philadelphia 0, NY Mets 3

Wilson Ramos provided the Philadelphia Phillies' ailing offense with a much-needed shot in the arm against the best team in the majors. The Phillies (66-53) aim to ride that momentum into Thursday's doubleheader versus one of the worst in the majors in the visiting New York Mets (51-67), against whom they have dropped five of eight encounters this season with two shutout losses.

Ramos, who was activated from the disabled list prior to Wednesday's contest, highlighted his sixth three-hit performance of the season with a triple, two doubles and three RBIs as Philadelphia remained two games behind National League East-leading Atlanta with a 7-4 triumph over the Boston Red Sox. Fellow in-season trade acquisition Justin Bour had two hits in that contest, but is just 5-for-33 with 12 strikeouts against New York in 2018. While the Phillies mustered just nine runs en route to losing four of their previous five games, the Mets benefited from Brandon Nimmo's first career five-hit performance to record their best scoring output of the season in a 16-5 romp over Baltimore on Wednesday. The energetic 25-year-old is a robust 9-for-12 with four RBIs and seven runs scored in his last three games entering the series versus Philadelphia, which will send right-hander Zach Eflin and left-hander Ranger Suarez to the mound - although manager Gabe Kapler did not announce the starter of the doubleheader.

TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, MLB Network, SNY (New York), NBCS Philadelphia

PITCHING MATCHUP: Mets LH Steven Matz (5-9, 4.35 ERA) vs. Phillies RH Zach Eflin (8-4, 3.57)

Matz is expected to return from a two-week absence due to a strained flexor-pronator muscle to start the opener of a doubleheader. The 27-year-old, who tossed a 56-pitch simulated game Saturday, settled for a no-decision at Philadelphia on May 11 despite yielding one run on five hits over five innings. Matz, who issued a season high-tying four walks in that contest, owns an 0-1 mark with a 2.53 ERA in two career encounters with the Phillies.

Eflin will be added from Triple-A Lehigh Valley as the 26th man prior to Thursday's contest. Shuffling the 24-year-old to the IronPigs could be construed as a controversial move as it cost him approximately $20,000 in pay and big-league service time, although Eflin told Philly.com that "I couldn't care less about the money." Eflin, who is 0-2 with a 4.64 ERA in four career starts against the Mets, settled for a no-decision on July 9 after yielding three runs on five hits in as many innings.

WALK-OFFS

1. Philadelphia 3B Maikel Franco is 6-for-18 in his last five games entering the series versus New York, against which he is just 6-for-25 this season.

2. Mets 3B Todd Frazier has homered twice in his last three contests and is 13-for-34 with nine RBIs during his eight game-hitting streak.

3. The five-game series, which features a makeup contest from May 12, concludes Sunday with the 2018 Little League Classic in Williamsport, Pa.

PREDICTION: Phillies 3, Mets 2