Let’s start with, “They’re in San Francisco right now.”
I don’t like the New York Mets. I don’t like them because they just had a prime opportunity to help the San Francisco Giants, when they hosted the Los Angeles Dodgers for a three-game series.
They lost all three games.
They now have another chance to help the Giants, as they’ll spend the next three days in San Francisco. Please help the Giants this time, Mets, and when you’re done, learn how to win some games because you’ve got a four-game series with the Dodgers starting on Thursday and you’d better be ready. And then forget how to win again because the Giants are in town as soon as you’re done with the Dodgers series.
On an unrelated note: what’s going on, schedule makers?
Series details
Who: San Francisco Giants vs. New York Mets
Where: Oracle Park, San Francisco, California
When: Monday (6:45 p.m.), Tuesday (6:45 p.m.), and Wednesday (12:45 p.m.)
National broadcasts: Wednesday (MLB Network, out of market only)
Where they stand
San Francisco Giants
Record: 76-42, 1st in the NL West
Run differential: +144, 2nd in the NL
Postseason standing: 1st seed
Momentum: 1-game winning streak, 8-2 in their last 10 games
New York Mets
Record: 59-58, 3rd in the NL East
Run differential: -25, 10th in the NL
Postseason standing: 2.5 games out of the NL East, 6.5 games out of the Wild Card
Momentum: 3-game losing streak, 3-7 in their last 10 games
Three Giants to watch
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Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images
Evan Longoria: Longoria is finally back after nearly two and a half months on the Injured List, and I’m excited. It’s easy to forget just how good he was before colliding with Brandon Crawford while chasing a grounder. The Giants are easing Longo back in, but it’s unclear if the plan is for him to be an every day player or more of a platoon option. Either way, he’s here, and he helps.
Logan Webb: Webb pitched 6 scoreless innings with 8 strikeouts his last time out, giving him 10 straight starts with 2 or fewer runs allowed. During that time he’s given up 35 hits, 12 walks, and 9 earned runs in 53 innings, with 57 strikeouts. He’s the team’s top pitcher at the moment, and his starts are becoming days worth circling on the calendar.
Brandon Crawford: I just love watching Brandon Crawford play, and he’s playing so well right now, and he recently signed a contract extension to keep him in the Bay Area through 2023, and I’m just really happy about everything Brandon Crawford related so I thought I’d mention him. Especially because … oh wait, never mind, Francisco Lindor is injured so I can’t even segue into how much better Crawford has played this year.
Three Mets to watch
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Photo by Adam Hunger/Getty Images
Rich Hill: The Giants start the series against 41-year old lefty Rich Hill, who was a major thorn in their side while a member of the Dodgers. But he’s not having a good year. Hill started the season with Tampa Bay and was OK, but not particularly good: 3.87 ERA, 4.56 FIP, and 91 strikeouts to 36 walks in 95.1 innings. Since getting traded to the Mets, however, he’s been downright awful. In 4 starts and 18 innings he’s allowed 17 hits, 7 walks, and 10 earned runs, with just 12 strikeouts.
Pete Alonso: The Home Run Derby winner hasn’t quite lived up to the hype he created in 2019 when he led the Majors with 53 home runs as a rookie. But he’s still a guy who can mash a dinger or three. He’s got 25 on the year, with a .487 slugging percentage.
Kevin Pillar: Remember when Giants fans were super upset that the team non-tendered Pillar after he became a fan favorite in 2019 (for reasons I’m still not entirely positive about, but I’m not here to judge)? Well, Pillar’s hitting .209/.244/.362 with an OPS+ of 65 that would rank 22nd on the Giants, nestled betwixt Jason Vosler and Mike Tauchman. Sorry if I sound like I’m player shaming. The Giants are apparently really good and I have an obligation to be arrogant about it.