Cincinnati @ New York preview

Last Meeting ( May 9, 2018 ) NY Mets 1, Cincinnati 2

The New York Mets and Cincinnati Reds' upcoming three-game series lost any semblance of luster it hoped to have with Matt Harvey not slated to pitch at Citi Field. With the one-time Dark Knight of Gotham reduced to a spectator's role in the Big Apple, the Mets (45-64) and visiting Reds (49-63) will vie for their respective second win in seven outings at the other's expense on Monday.

Devin Mesoarco, who was acquired in the Harvey deal in May, belted the tying homer in the ninth before New York fell for the 12th time in 16 outings against Atlanta with a 5-4 setback in 10 innings. Michael Conforto recorded back-to-back multi-hit performances versus the Braves, although he went 3-for-13 as the Mets dropped two of three in Cincinnati on May 7-9. That series featured New York batting out of order in perhaps a sign of things to come as its season went south in a hurry while Cincinnati was mired in its worst start since the Great Depression. Joey Votto had an RBI single for his lone hit in that series (1-for-10) and is 0-for-11 with five strikeouts in his career against Monday starter Noah Syndergaard.

TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, FS Ohio (Cincinnati), SNY (New York)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Reds RH Homer Bailey (1-8, 5.87 ERA) vs. Mets RH Noah Syndergaard (6-2, 2.98)

Bailey has answered a disastrous stretch in which he posted a 1-7 mark with a 6.68 ERA with two solid starts since coming off the disabled list. The 32-year-old allowed two runs in both of his most recent outings and scattered three hits over eight innings in a hard-luck 2-1 setback at Detroit on Tuesday. Bailey fell to 1-5 with a 7.22 ERA in seven career starts versus New York after getting tattooed for six runs on eight hits - including three homers - in four innings of a 7-6 loss on May 7.

Syndergaard, who returned from an absence due to hand, foot and mouth disease, tasted defeat for the first time in three months on Wednesday after permitting three runs on six hits over seven innings of a 5-3 setback at Washington. "Considering where I was two months ago and where I'm at now, I kind of went through a roller coaster of emotions and events," the 25-year-old told reporters. "It's going to take a while to knock a little bit of rust off." Eugenio Suarez is 4-for-12 in his career versus Syndergaard, who owns a 3-0 mark with a 1.98 ERA and 0.99 WHIP in four career starts against Cincinnati.

WALK-OFFS

1. Suarez has two homers, five RBIs and three runs scored during his six-game hitting streak.

2. Mets OF-INF Jose Bautista is mired in an 0-for-23 stretch.

3. Reds 2B Scooter Gennett is just 3-for-21 with seven strikeouts in his last six games.

PREDICTION: Reds 4, Mets 3