Mets at Phillies
After dominating the Phillies last season, Noah Syndergaard takes aim at Philadelphia again Monday when his New York Mets visit for the first of three games. Syndergaard not only owned the Phillies in 2015 but has been New York's best starter to this point in the current campaign.
Syndergaard started twice against Philadelphia last year, posting a 1.46 ERA with a 15-to-2 strikeout-to-walk ratio in two victories. He has a 0.69 ERA to start this season and will be looking to lead New York to its fourth win in five games following the team's successful weekend series against Cleveland. The Phillies dropped two straight against the Nationals over the weekend before avoiding a sweep with a 3-2 comeback victory on Sunday. Philadelphia will turn to Jerad Eickhoff, who allowed three runs (two earned) in five innings against New York on April 8.
TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, SNY (New York), TCN (Philadelphia)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Mets RH Noah Syndergaard (1-0, 0.69 ERA) vs. Phillies RH Jerad Eickhoff (1-1, 1.50)
Syndergaard's two starts against the Phillies last season were highlighted by a 7 1/3-inning scoreless performance on May 27. Freddy Galvis and Ryan Howard homered against him in 2015, but Odubel Herrera was 0-for-6 and Cesar Hernandez was 0-for-3 with two strikeouts. Syndergaard has begun 2016 by holding Kansas City and Miami to a combined one run in 13 innings with 21 strikeouts and only two walks.
Eickhoff bounced back nicely from his decent start against the Mets by holding the Padres to four hits over seven scoreless innings. He struck out nine without a walk in that performance and continued to shine against right-handed batters, who are 3-for-23 against him this season. New York certainly is getting familiar with Eickhoff, who has made 10 career starts - four against the Mets - and is 1-3 in those outings despite a respectable 2.88 ERA.
WALK-OFFS
1. The Phillies have scored three runs or fewer in 11 of their 13 games, including seven straight.
2. Philadelphia won two of three at New York from April 8-10 with Jacob deGrom outdueling Eickhoff in the Mets' only victory.
3. Mets OF Michael Conforto went 5-for-12 with three doubles and a home run in the series at Cleveland.