PHILADELPHIA – The Mets shocked the Brewers, the whole state of Wisconsin and possibly a lot of the baseball world on Thursday evening, when Pete Alonso clubbed a never-to-be-forgotten three-run residence run within the ninth inning at American Household Discipline to offer them a lead they might not relinquish within the NL Wild Card Sequence.
Alonso provided a chef’s kiss as he rounded first base.
And why not? It was an enormous second in an enormous sport, and it arrange what must be a wild NL Division Sequence between the Phillies and Mets.
It is going to be the primary time these NL East rivals will face one another within the postseason.
“Philadelphia-Mets playoff baseball goes to be intense,” Mets outfielder Brandon Nimmo mentioned. “And each fan bases, I imply, that is precisely what you need, proper? Extraordinarily excited for that.”
When is the sport and the way can I watch it?
Sport 1 is underway at Residents Financial institution Park, televised on FOX.
All video games can be found within the U.S. on MLB.TV (authentication to a taking part Pay TV supplier is required). Reside video games are additionally obtainable in choose international locations outdoors the U.S. For full particulars, click on right here.
Who’re the beginning pitchers?
In a dramatic flip for the Mets’ pitching employees, supervisor Carlos Mendoza introduced Friday in Philadelphia that Senga will get the ball in Sport 1.
Senga has not pitched in a Main League sport since July 26, when he badly strained his left calf throughout his 2024 season debut. He had missed the whole first half of the season as a consequence of shoulder and triceps accidents. Earlier than departing that sport, he allowed two runs in 5 1/3 innings whereas hanging out 9 in opposition to the Braves.
Wheeler simply had one of many strongest finishes by any pitcher in Phillies historical past, and by any pitcher in latest reminiscence. The ex-Met went 6-2 with a 1.89 ERA in his ultimate 11 begins. He pitched six or extra innings and allowed two or fewer earned runs in every of these ultimate 11 begins, which was the longest streak by any MLB pitcher this season and the longest by any Phillies beginning pitcher since at the very least 1893.
Wheeler is one in every of baseball’s greatest big-game pitchers. He’s 4-3 with a 2.42 ERA in 11 profession appearances (10 begins) within the playoffs. It’s the fifth-lowest ERA of any MLB pitcher with 10 or extra begins within the postseason since earned runs grew to become official in 1913.
What are the beginning lineups?
Mets: Supervisor Carlos Mendoza’s solely important every day resolution through the Wild Card Sequence was whether or not to begin J.D. Martinez or Jesse Winker at DH. The previous has by no means confronted Wheeler regardless of lengthy careers for each within the Majors. The latter is 0-for-10 lifetime off Wheeler, however Winker obtained the nod over Martinez in Sport 1.
Phillies: Phillies supervisor Rob Thomson inserted Brandon Marsh in left since he hits righties higher than lefties, versus Austin Hays, who has higher numbers in opposition to southpaws. Johan Rojas obtained the beginning in opposition to a righty, so the Phillies are inserting worth on his world-class protection.
How will the bullpens line up after the starter?
Mets: The Mets have leaned laborious on Edwin Díaz over the past week, asking their nearer for 26 pitches final Sunday, 40 on Monday and one other 39 on Thursday in Wild Card Sequence Sport 3. However with a relaxation day on Friday, Díaz must be good to go at the very least for an inning. Past Díaz, Mendoza has positioned a lot of his belief in right-handed setup males Phil Maton and Ryne Stanek. Southpaw Danny Younger, who didn’t pitch in any respect within the Wild Card Sequence, may grow to be extra of an possibility in opposition to Philadelphia’s lefty hitters within the NLDS.
Proper-hander Tylor Megill and left-hander David Peterson are choices to pitch after Senga. Peterson earned his first profession save in Sport 3 of the Wild Card.
“I will be prepared tomorrow in the event that they want me,” Peterson mentioned on Friday. “At this level, the place we’re at within the season, all fingers on deck. So I am prepared every time they want me in any capability.”
Phillies: There are most likely 5 relievers in Thomson’s circle of belief: nearer Carlos Estévez; right-handers Jeff Hoffman and Orion Kerkering; and left-handers Matt Strahm and José Alvarado. However the Phillies even have right-hander José Ruiz and left-hander Tanner Banks, too. The Phillies enter the postseason feeling higher about their bullpen than they felt in every of the earlier two postseasons. Thomson hasn’t been shy about going to his bullpen on the first trace of bother from a starter, so don’t be shocked to see him deploy any person early.
Mets: Jeff McNeil is out with a fractured proper wrist and solely simply began ramping up actions once more, so the Mets would want to advance deeper for him to rejoin the roster.
Phillies: Hays missed the ultimate weekend of the common season as a consequence of a sore again, however the Phillies mentioned Tuesday he’s “one hundred pc” they usually count on him to be able to play within the NLDS. Proper-hander Spencer Turnbull has not pitched since late June due to a strained proper lat. His restoration has been gradual, however he has been on the mound the previous few weeks, and there’s a likelihood he may pitch within the postseason.
Who’s scorching and who just isn’t?
Mets: Lindor continues to point out that that again harm he suffered in mid-September is not limiting him. He rapped out two hits in Wild Card Sequence Sport 3, drew a vital stroll within the ninth inning off Devin Williams, and has 4 multi-hit video games in seven contests since coming back from his harm. … It should even be fascinating to see if Alonso’s game-winning residence run in Sport 3 will spark him going ahead. He was in a 5-for-41 dip earlier than that homer.
Phillies: Wheeler is scorching sufficient that he had some NL Cy Younger voters contemplating a first-place vote for him over Atlanta’s Chris Sale. … Schwarber had a 1.013 OPS the ultimate month of the season. … Harper had a .938 OPS, whereas Castellanos had an .858 OPS. … Stott has struggled, posting a .613 OPS within the ultimate month, which is down from his season mark (.671 OPS).
The rest followers may need to know?