Mets at Giants
Madison Bumgarner picked up his lone victory since the All-Star break in
his last turn and looks to outduel Jacob deGrom when the San Francisco
Giants host the New York Mets on Thursday in the opener of a four-game
set. The left-hander was 0-3 in his first five starts after the break
before tossing seven innings of three-hit shutout ball to defeat
Baltimore in his last start.
Bumgarner has been superb against the Mets in his career by going 4-0 with a 1.03 ERA and 0.91 WHIP in five career outings. The right-handed deGrom also has a perfect mark against San Francisco, going 3-0 with an 0.84 ERA and 0.66 WHIP in three career starts. New York could use another big outing by deGrom after allowing 28 runs while losing two of three at Arizona to fall four games behind the St. Louis Cardinals for the National League's second wild-card spot. The Giants are experiencing their own woes with four straight defeats and a major league-worst 9-21 record since the All-Star break to fall 1 1/2 games behind the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NL West.
TV: 10:15 p.m. ET, MLB Network, SNY (New York), CSN Bay Area (San Francisco)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Mets RH Jacob deGrom (7-5, 2.30 ERA) vs. Giants LH Madison Bumgarner (11-7, 2.11)
DeGrom dominated the Giants in his lone career outing at AT&T Park as he pitched eight innings of two-hit shutout ball July 8, 2015. He enters this turn on the heels of a stellar 0.65 ERA over his past four starts but has only one victory to show for it. DeGrom, who ranks fifth in the majors in ERA, is 2-3 with a 2.83 ERA in nine road outings this season.
Bumgarner has allowed just one run and five hits in 15 innings over his last two starts and he ranks second in the majors in ERA. He has a stellar 1.47 ERA in 13 home starts but his record is just 6-3 due to San Francisco's offensive issues. Bumgarner has enjoyed success against Jay Bruce (3-for-18, one homer) and James Loney (2-for-13).
WALK-OFFS
1. Mets 2B Neil Walker (back) has missed the past two games and is also on call to leave the team when his wife gives birth (she was due Tuesday).
2. San Francisco LF Angel Pagan went 3-for-4 in Wednesday's 6-5 loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates to extend his hitting streak to 15 games.
3. New York LF Yoenis Cespedes (quadriceps) is expected to be activated Friday when he is eligible to come of the 15-day disabled list.