Mets at Phillies
The New York Mets and Philadelphia Phillies got off to vastly different starts this season, as the former defeated the latter on two occasions while bolting out to a sparkling 11-1 record. The fortunes of both clubs have changed dramatically since then, with the Mets (18-17) dropping eight of nine entering Friday's opener of a three-game series at the Phillies (22-15).
The Mets' losing ways added a sliver of the absurd with a baffling lineup card snafu in Wednesday's 2-1 loss to Cincinnati, but manager Mickey Callaway insists the team's work ethic will eventually get it back on track. "We're going to continue to grind. We're going to figure out what's going on, and work on it diligently to right the ship. Because we're better than this, and we're going to start figuring it out," said Callaway, who has seen his team lose 16 of its last 23 games overall heading into Friday's tilt versus 2015 National League Cy Young winner Jake Arrieta. Philadelphia capped a four-game sweep of San Francisco due in large part to the heroics of Carlos Santana, who went deep for the third time in the series with a three-run shot in Thursday afternoon's 6-3 victory. Odubel Herrera collected three hits for the second time in five outings to improve to 10-for-18 with two homers, nine RBIs and six runs scored in that stretch for the Phillies, who have come a long way since their 1-4 start to the season.
TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, SNY (New York), NBCS Philadelphia
PITCHING MATCHUP: Mets LH Steven Matz (1-3, 4.23 ERA) vs. Phillies RH Jake Arrieta (3-1, 3.15)
Matz avenged a disastrous seven-run outing on April 25 by recording his first quality start of the season after allowing one run on three hits in six innings of Saturday's 2-0 setback to Colorado. The 26-year-old had his start pushed back due to a stiff back and allowed a first-inning homer to Nolan Arenado, marking the sixth time he's been taken deep this season (27 2/3 innings). Matz pitched well in his lone encounter versus Philadelphia despite permitting two runs on four hits in 5 2/3 innings of a 3-1 setback on Aug. 12.
Arrieta missed Philadelphia's first series versus New York as he worked himself into shape after signing a three-year, $75 million contract in March. The 32-year-old enjoyed a three-start winning streak before getting blitzed against Miami on April 30, but rebounded to allow one run on two hits in six innings of a no-decision at Washington on Sunday. Asdrubal Cabrera has homered twice while batting .357 against Arrieta, but the right-hander has posted a 2-2 mark with a 2.30 ERA in seven career appearances versus the Mets.
WALK-OFFS
1. New York OF Yoenis Cespedes, who belted a two-run homer in a 4-2 win over Philadelphia on April 4, is expected to play despite nursing a minor right quadriceps injury.
2. Phillies 2B Cesar Hernandez has scored five times in the last four games and also crossed the plate in the last encounter versus the Mets.
3. New York OF Jay Bruce is expected to miss the entire series as he awaits the birth of his second child.