:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/60580621/usa-today-8474994.0.0.0.jpg)
The Mets have come firing out of the gates in April, posting a 15-5 record to date. A solid third of that win total came at the expense of the Marlins, of whose 12 losses conversely almost half can be blamed on the Mets. As we saw in the past week, things have a tendency to even out in baseball over time, so while the Marlins weren't likely to continue playing so poorly, the Mets aren't likely to continue playing so well. Perhaps today is the day, as far as this rivalry goes, where we see the scales start to tip back in Miami's favor.
Pitching Matchup
| PROJ ERA | FIP | ERA | Marlins | Mets | ERA | FIP | PROJ ERA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.88 | 3.48 | 3.55 | Phelps | Montero | 4.15 | 2.62 | 3.69 |
Rafael Montero has been recalled from AAA where he was being stretched out to spot start for the Mets, largely as a part of their plan to limit Matt Harvey's innings in hopes that he's healthy in time for a potential play-off run. The Marlins have already seen him come out of the pen against them this season. He brings an average two-seam fastball that runs in the low to mid 90's, a decent change-up, and an above average slider that acts more like a curve as it slowly tumbles toward the plate. If he holds command of these pitches tonight, it could be a long day for Marlins hitters.
Making his third start in place of Henderson Alvarez, David Phelps will look to continue the success he's had in the starting rotation thus far. In his last outing against the Philadelphia Phillies he went seven shutout innings, giving up only three hits and two walks while striking out five.
With Jarrod Saltalamacchia having made his departure, no doubt now remains that J.T. Realmuto is the starting catcher of the present. Adeiny Hechavarria's hitting streak came to an end at nine games yesterday, but he remains one of the hottest hitters in all of baseball and was recently named NL player of the week. One player the organization and Marlins fans alike would like to see step it up in the power department is Marcell Ozuna, who has yet to hit a homerun this season.
Notes
-Now that Realmuto is "officially" the starting catcher, what do you expect out of him going forward?
-The Mets presently own baseball's best record. I don't think even Mets fans thought that would be the case at this juncture.
-Will the Marlins finally snag one from New York? Yes. Yes they will.
Bold Prediction: Marlins defeat the Mets 5-2.