PREMIUM
3-Game MLB SWEEPER PASS
(MLB) Atlanta vs. NY Mets,
Money Line: -155.00 NY Mets (Home)
Result: Win
Money Line: -155.00 NY Mets (Home)
Result: Win
The set-up: The Mets have gotten outstanding efforts from starters Syndergaard and deGrom (the duo combined for 13 strikeouts and allowed only seven hits in 12 scoreless innings) but have just split the first two of their season-opening three-game series with the Braves, who have also has received good starting pitching from Julio Teheran and Bartolo Colon (that duo has allowed just one run on six hits in 12 innings with 12 strikeouts!). The Mets did exploded for a six-run 7th in the opener before being held to one run in 12 innings last night. As for the Braves, they were scoreless for the first 15 innings of the season, while going 2-for-17 with runners in scoring position. However, Matt Kemp's two-run double in the 12th inning was enough to give Atlanta a 3-1 victory on Wednesday.
The pitching matchup: Jaime Garcia (10-13 & 4.67 ERA in 2016) goes for the Braves in this rubber match of the series, up against the Mets' Matt Harvey ( 4-10 & 4.86 ERA in 2016). Garcia looks to rebound after his ERA nearly doubled from 2015 (2.43) in his final season with St. Louis. He will be a free agent at season's end and did make 30 starts in 2016 after injuries limited him to just 56 starts in the previous four seasons. Garcia is 2-3 with a 2.66 ERA in seven career starts against the Mets (teams are 3-4). A healthy starting rotation is critical to New York's postseason hopes, so all eyes will be on Matt Harvey. He made only made 17 starts before missing the final three months of the 2016 season following surgery to address thoracic outlet syndrome. His fastball velocity has not returned yet to the mid-90s speed that helped him strike out 188 hitters in 189 1/3 innings in 2015. Harvey was 1-6 in his final 10 games (Mets were 3-7) with a 5.13 ERA and a .308 opponents batting average, before getting shut down for the season. Harvey made four starts against Atlanta last season, going 1-2 with a 4.37 ERA and 17 strikeouts in 22 2/3 innings. He's 2-4 with a 3.61 ERA in seven career starts against the Braves (Mets are 2-5).
The pick: Harvey insists he was healthy during spring training, despite allowing 12 earned runs on 23 hits in 18 1/3 innings over five starts.We'll have to see. If he can't shut down the Braves weak lineup (batting .197 with three runs scored in 21 innings), he's in trouble. I'm backing him here and making the Mets an 8* play
The pitching matchup: Jaime Garcia (10-13 & 4.67 ERA in 2016) goes for the Braves in this rubber match of the series, up against the Mets' Matt Harvey ( 4-10 & 4.86 ERA in 2016). Garcia looks to rebound after his ERA nearly doubled from 2015 (2.43) in his final season with St. Louis. He will be a free agent at season's end and did make 30 starts in 2016 after injuries limited him to just 56 starts in the previous four seasons. Garcia is 2-3 with a 2.66 ERA in seven career starts against the Mets (teams are 3-4). A healthy starting rotation is critical to New York's postseason hopes, so all eyes will be on Matt Harvey. He made only made 17 starts before missing the final three months of the 2016 season following surgery to address thoracic outlet syndrome. His fastball velocity has not returned yet to the mid-90s speed that helped him strike out 188 hitters in 189 1/3 innings in 2015. Harvey was 1-6 in his final 10 games (Mets were 3-7) with a 5.13 ERA and a .308 opponents batting average, before getting shut down for the season. Harvey made four starts against Atlanta last season, going 1-2 with a 4.37 ERA and 17 strikeouts in 22 2/3 innings. He's 2-4 with a 3.61 ERA in seven career starts against the Braves (Mets are 2-5).
The pick: Harvey insists he was healthy during spring training, despite allowing 12 earned runs on 23 hits in 18 1/3 innings over five starts.We'll have to see. If he can't shut down the Braves weak lineup (batting .197 with three runs scored in 21 innings), he's in trouble. I'm backing him here and making the Mets an 8* play
