Braves at Mets
The New York Mets wondered if this was the season they would return to contention in the National League East, while the Atlanta Braves wondered if this was the year they would start emerging from a four-year rebuild. The Mets begin May in first place in the division and open a three-game home series on Tuesday against the Braves, who sit just 1 ½ games back after a surprisingly strong start to the season.
New York is 17-9 and pounded out season highs in runs (14) and hits (19) in a blowout victory Sunday at San Diego, wrapping up a 4-5 road trip as first baseman Adrian Gonzalez finished 3-for-6 with a homer and five RBIs. “The process is there, and even my outs were hard hits,” the veteran told reporters after the game. Atlanta, which began the week 16-11 and in the top five in the majors in runs (second), on-base percentage (second), batting average (third) and slugging percentage (fifth), blasted Philadelphia 10-1 on Sunday as center fielder Ender Inciarte - who was moved from leadoff to ninth in a revamped lineup - fell a homer shy of the cycle. “It’s the same guys, we just moved them around a little bit,” Atlanta manager Brian Snitker told the media afterward, as new leadoff hitter Ozzie Albies homered and scored three times.
TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, FS Southeast (Atlanta), SNY (New York)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Braves LH Sean Newcomb (1-1, 4.23 ERA) vs. Mets RH Noah Syndergaard (2-0, 2.86)
Newcomb looks to rebound after one bad inning, including two walks and a homer, cost him four runs and a potential victory Thursday at Cincinnati. The 24-year-old struck out seven - the third time in his past four starts he has recorded that many - and in three of his five outings has surrendered two earned runs or fewer. One of those efforts came against the Mets on April 20 in Atlanta, when Newcomb held New York to two earned runs (three total) with five strikeouts in six innings.
Syndergaard pitches on full rest despite bumping up a day after Steven Matz experienced back tightness during a Saturday throwing session. Syndergaard squared off against Newcomb April 20 in Atlanta, earning a no-decision while allowing three runs on seven hits with six strikeouts in six innings. The 25-year-old gave up one earned run in 7 1/3 innings Thursday at St. Louis in a no-decision, and has walked just five hitters in 34 2/3 innings this season while striking out 46.
WALK-OFFS
1. New York likely will not have LF Yoenis Cespedes for the first two games of the series after he jammed his left thumb on a head-first slide Sunday in San Diego.
2. Inciarte is 6-for-6 in stolen bases in his past five games and entered Monday leading the majors with 13 on the season - nine away from his career high of 22 set last year.
3. The Braves captured two of three from the Mets in Atlanta in April and will host a four-game series with New York at the end of May.