Mets at Marlins
Signed to a three-year, $39 million contract in January, Jay Bruce has paid immediate dividends to begin the young season with a seven-game hitting streak. The three-time All-Star aims to continue his good fortune as the New York Mets vie for their seventh straight victory in Tuesday's middle contest of a three-game road series versus the Miami Marlins.
Bruce has followed his career-high 36-homer performance in 2017 by going 9-for-28 with five RBIs during his hitting streak, including a run-scoring single in the third inning of Monday's 4-2 triumph. Asdrubal Cabrera has done Bruce one better with an eight-game hitting streak, collecting 12 hits and six runs scored in that span. While National League-East leading New York (8-1) has matched its best start in team history and owns a perfect 4-0 mark on the road, cellar-dwelling Miami (3-7) is just 2-5 at home and has been outscored 43-14 en route to losing five of its last six overall. Derek Dietrich has hit safely in nine of 10 outings and extended his hitting streak to five games with an RBI single in the series opener, but he is just 3-for-16 with nine strikeouts versus Tuesday starter Jacob deGrom.
TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, SNY (New York), FS Florida (Miami)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Mets RH Jacob deGrom (2-0, 1.54 ERA) vs. Marlins LH Caleb Smith (0-1, 4.32)
DeGrom allowed one earned run on four hits for the second straight start on Thursday in an 8-2 victory at Washington. The 29-year-old Florida native has split eight decisions with a 3.77 ERA in 12 career meetings with Marlins, although he authored a 13-strikeout performance in his lone start at Marlins Park last season. While Justin Bour (6-for-12, one homer) has fared well versus deGrom, the right-hander has flustered the remainder of the Marlins' roster (15-for-76, 24 strikeouts).
Smith's control was erratic at best as he issued six walks (one intentionally) to drive up his pitch count in Thursday's 5-0 setback to Philadelphia. The 26-year-old, who has issued 19 free passes in 27 innings during his career, allowed three runs on just two hits over 77 pitches before departing after three innings against the Phillies. Smith has struck out 12 in 8 1/3 frames heading into his first career start versus the Mets.
WALK-OFFS
1. Miami rookie 3B Brian Anderson has hit safely in nine of 10 games this season.
2. New York LF Yoenis Cespedes is 3-for-26 with 14 strikeouts in his last six contests.
3. Marlins CF Lewis Brinson, who is mired in an 0-for-18 slump, is expected to return to the starting lineup on Tuesday.