Braves at Mets
The New York Mets had an eight-game winning streak come to an end on Sunday but are in a strong position to start another with the major league-worst Atlanta Braves coming to town for the start of a three-game series on Monday. The Braves are on what constitutes as a hot streak for the team right now with wins in two of the last three games.
Atlanta snapped an eight-game slide that included three home losses to the Mets with a 5-3 win at Boston on Thursday and managed a 4-3 victory in 10 innings at Chicago on Sunday in the rain-shortened series. The punchless Braves have hit a league-low five home runs – six fewer than Colorado Rockies slugger Nolan Arenado has hit by himself – and are last in the National League in runs scored. The Mets pounded out 19 runs in taking the first two of a series from the San Francisco Giants over the weekend but could not offer the same support to Noah Syndergaard in Sunday’s 6-1 setback. New York is trying to keep pace with the Washington Nationals in the NL East and is trying to finish up its nine-game homestand strong before hitting the road for 11 straight beginning on Thursday.
TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, FSN Southeast (Atlanta), SNY (New York)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Braves RH Mike Foltynewicz (2015: 4-6, 5.71 ERA) vs. Mets RH Bartolo Colon (1-1, 3.42)
Foltynewicz is being recalled to take over a rotation spot from Bud Norris, who posted an 8.74 ERA in May. Foltynewicz failed to earn a rotation spot in spring training but posted at 2.05 ERA in four starts for Triple-A Gwinnett despite issuing 14 walks in 22 total innings. The 24-year-old has made two career appearances – one start – against the Mets and allowed a total of nine runs – eight earned – and 12 hits in 6 2/3 innings.
Colon is trying to earn his 220th career win to move past Pedro Martinez and into second place among Dominican-born pitchers. The hefty veteran did not earn a decision in either of his last two outings while yielding a combined six earned runs in 11 innings against the Philadelphia Phillies and Cincinnati Reds. Colon is 8-2 with a 2.69 ERA in 11 career starts against Atlanta.
WALK-OFFS
1. Atlanta is expected to add a player on Monday after playing with a 24-man roster Sunday due to a procedural error.
2. Mets LF Michael Conforto went 0-for-5 with three strikeouts on Sunday, ending a streak of six straight games with at least one extra-base hit.
3. New York has taken eight of the last 10 in the series.