Mets hoping for some home cooking against Rockies

The Mets (16-16) are back in New York for a brief pit stop as they take on the Rockies (12-20) in a three-game series before heading back out on the road. Mercifully, the weather is looking significantly better this weekend than it did last weekend, and no postponements seem to be in the cards. The Mets took five out of seven against the Rockies last season, including three out of four at Citi Field.

The Mets are coming off a disastrous sweep at the hands of the Tigers. After yet another rain out, the Mets played their second consecutive doubleheader on Wednesday. They dropped the first game 6-5, as Joey Lucchesi and Adam Ottavino both struggled on the mound. Lucchesi surrendered a three-run home run to Eric Haase in the first, but the Mets got two back with solo homers from Tommy Pham and Mark Canha in the second. Old friend Javier Báez added a run with a solo homer, and things remained 4-3 until New York put up a three-spot in the fifth, which started with some sloppy play and was punctuated by a Francisco Lindor two-run homer. After Jimmy Yacabonis provided three perfect innings of relief, the team turned to Adam Ottavino, who ended up surrendered a go-ahead two-run single to Haase, which ended up deciding the game.

The Mets lost the nightcap 8-1, making it the first time they’ve been swept in the last 26 doubleheaders they’ve played in. Max Scherzer returned from his suspension and looked rusty, allowing six earned runs over his 3 ¹⁄₃ innings. His fastball routinely sat at 92-93 m.p.h. and he had a difficult time putting opposing batters away. Scherzer fell behind with two runs in the first, and Haase hit a solo shot in the second to extend Detroit’s lead to three. The Mets got their lone run on a Daniel Vogelabach double to plate Alonso, but Matt Vierling’s two-run homer to make it 5-1. The Mets would never come close to making it a game from there.

On Thursday, Justin Verlander finally made his first start as a Met, and things got off to an inauspicious start. Riley Green and Báez hit back-to-back homers to catapult Detroit into an early lead, and one they would not relinquish. The Mets had no answer for Eduardo Rodriguez, who scattered two hits over eight shutout innings. They only managed singles from Pham, Starling Marte, and Brandon Nimmo, and they ended up getting blanked 2-0 on the afternoon.

The pitching will rightfully take a lot of the slack, but the offense should not escape the scorn of the fanbase during this recent stretch. Over the last eleven games, the Mets have gone a pitiful 17-for-75 (.227) with runners in scoring position, leaving 65 batters on base during this stretch of losing nine out of 11. They didn’t record an out with runners in scoring position in yesterday’s loss, but only because they didn’t get a runner into scoring position during the game.

The Rockies are coming off a sweep of their own against the Brewers, though they were on the winning side of their sweep. Colorado earned 3-2 and 7-1 victories on Tuesday and Wednesday, and trailed 4-0 on Thursday before erupting for four runs in the seventh and five in the eighth to secure a 9-6 win. They have triumphed in four straight games.

Despite their winning streak, Colorado come into play dead last in the in the NL in wRC+ (78). They also find themselves twelfth in the NL in OPS (.709), twelfth in runs scored (134) and thirteenth in home runs (26). Their offense has the worst fWAR (-1.1) in the NL as well. Their starting staff hasn’t been much better, producing the second-worst ERA (5.72) and FIP (5.80) in the NL. On that FIP front, only Mets’ starters have produced a worse number than Colorado this season. Their bullpen is eleventh in the NL in ERA (4.50) and seventh in FIP (3.94).

The Rockies are led on offense by catcher Elías Díaz, who is first on the club in wRC+ (124), OPS (.882), and fWAR (0.9) while slashing .337/.382/.500 in 29 games. Kris Bryant has had a solid season after an injury-plagued first go-around with the Rockies in 2022, hitting .309/.382/.464 with four homers, 13 runs scored, a 118 wRC+, and a 0.3 fWAR in 29 games. CJ Cron leads Colorado in home runs (6), runs scored (15), and runs batted in (16) while hitting .250/.296/.481 with a 92 wRC+ and a -0.1 fWAR.

Friday, May 5: Antonio Senzatela vs. Kodai Senga, 7:10 p.m. on SNY

Senzatela (2022): 92.1 IP, 54 K, 23 BB, 9 HR, 5.07 ERA, 4.05 FIP, 1.69 WHIP, 0.4 bWAR

Senzatela will make his season debut for the Rockies on Friday after tearing his ACL last August. The return comes at the perfect time for the Rockies, as they just lost starter Germán Márquez for the year (and longer) after undergoing Tommy John Surgery. The right-handed Senzatela made 19 starts last year and posted a 5.07 ERA and a 4.05 FIP in 92 ¹⁄₃ innings. He didn’t do well in his rehab starts, allowing seven earned runs on 13 hits over 6 ¹⁄₃ innings, but nevertheless, that was enough for the Rockies to make the decision that he is ready to return to action.

Senga (2023): 26.0 IP, 32 K, 18 BB, 5 HR, 4.15 ERA, 5.50 FIP, 1.58 WHIP, 0.2 bWAR

The Mets have continued to favor giving Senga extra time in between starts, and the rain outs are a big reason that it’s been nine days since he pitched. His last outing was one of his better ones, though he ended up with his first major league loss. The right-hander allowed two earned runs on five hits over five innings against the Nationals. He struck out seven, but he also issued four free passes for the third straight start. He has now walked at least three in each of his five outings for the Mets. He did go the entire start without surrendering a homer, which is the first time he’s done that since his debut against the Marlins on April 2.

Saturday, May 6: Austin Gomber vs. Tylor Megill, 4:10 p.m. on SNY

Gomber (2023): 27.1 IP, 19 K, 14 BB, 6 HR, 7.07 ERA, 6.37 FIP, 1.68 WHIP, -0.4 bWAR

Gomber has gotten off to a dreadful start in his fifth big league season. The left-hander, who has been with the Rockies since 2021, has only struck out 19 while walking 14, and has surrendered six homers in his six starts. However, there is reason for Colorado to be optimistic about the 29-year-old South Paw. He has picked up victories in each of his last two starts against the Guardians and the Diamondbacks while allowing one earned run on six hits, with seven strikeouts and five walks over 11 innings pitched. This comes after he was tattooed for nine earned runs over two innings by the Pirates back on April 19.

Megill (2023): 30.2 IP, 23 K, 15 BB, 5 HR, 4.11 ERA, 5.65 FIP, 1.44 WHIP, 0.3 bWAR

Megill was cruising in his last start before hitting a wall in the later innings against the Braves. He was efficient through four, facing the minimum while allowing just one single to lead off the second inning. He got into trouble int he fifth after allowing the first two Atlanta runners to reach base, but he danced around it to keep his opponent off the board. He then loaded the bases with two outs in the sixth thanks to a double and two walks, and Eddie Rosario made him pay with a bases-clearing double. His final line ended up being three earned runs on four hits, with four strikeouts and three walks over 5 ²⁄₃ innings pitched. He settled for the no decision in a game the Mets ended up winning.

Sunday, May 7: Ryan Feltner vs. TBD, 1:40 p.m. on SNY

Feltner (2023): 30.1 IP, 30 K, 15 BB, 2 HR, 4.45 ERA, 3.72 FIP, 1.45 WHIP, 0.6 bWAR

Feltner has been on a roll over his last three starts after a tough start to his season. Over his first three outings, he surrendered 13 earned runs on 15 hits over 13 ¹⁄₃ innings. During that stretch, he walked 11 while striking out 15. Over his last three starts, he has pitched 17 innings and allowed three runs (two earned) on 14 hits. He’s walked four and strick out 15 over the three starts, and Colorado has picked up the victory in each of those games. Feltner has made one start in his career against the Mets last year at Citi Field. He finished his outing allowing three earned runs on six hits over 4 ²⁄₃ innings.

TBD

The Mets have not named a starting pitcher for Sunday’s series finale, and likely will not until after Saturday’s game. Buck Showalter revealed that Joey Lucchesi, who was pulled after just 46 pitches in his Wednesday start, is in play to pitch on short rest.

Prediction: The Mets bounce back by taking two out of three against the Rockies.