New York Mets at Boston Red Sox
When and Where: Friday, September 14 at 7:10 p.m. ET at Fenway Park in Boston, MA
Both teams enter this game playing well. One team, however, is playing for nothing, while the other is the best team in baseball. The Mets send out their second best pitcher. The Red Sox are starting a normal reliever. The Mets have won five of their last six games. Boston has won seven of its last nine games.
Impressive Stretch
Noah Syndergaard is 11-3 with a 3.44 ERA in 21 starts this season. He’s scheduled to make another appearance Friday night. The righty hasn’t exactly been on his A-game as he’s allowed four earned runs in two of his past three starts. He has, however, won consecutive starts. In early September, he allowed an earned run over nine innings in an impressive win over the Giants. He’ll, of course, have his work cut out for him against the Red Sox, but he’s one of the finest pitchers in baseball for a reason.
The Mets have won three straight games as they sit 10 games under .500. New York has been miserable for most of the season, but the Mets have played relatively strong lately. On Thursday, in the first part of a doubleheader, the Mets hit back-to-back homers in the ninth to win it. Michael Conforto hit the first followed by Todd Frazier. In the second part, the Mets secured the 5-2 win thanks to Conforto’s two-run double.
Win 102?
Boston has won three straight games as the Red Sox have 101 wins with still a handful of games remaining. The offense has been special all season, ranking first in runs scored, batting average, on-base percentage and slugging percentage. The Red Sox managed only a run in Wednesday’s win over the Blue Jays, and they only scored four in Thursday’s win over Toronto. But it’s obviously the best offense in baseball. JD Martinez homered for the 41st time Thursday. Rafael Devers hit a pinch-hit home run. He’s batting nearly .240 with 56 RBIs on the season at age 21. The Red Sox can beat teams with the long ball, but they are also capable of beating teams methodically.
Hector Velazquez is 7-2 with a 3.29 ERA in seven starts and 41 appearances. The righty hasn’t pitched more than four innings in an appearance in over a month now. He allowed eight hits and three earned runs in only 2.2 innings in a recent outing against the Rays, which resulted in his second loss of the season. It’s hard to gauge what type of success he’ll have as a start since he’s been primarily used a long or short reliever.
Notable Trends
No negative trends.
- Mets are 4-0 in their last 4 road games vs. a right-handed starter.
- Mets are 4-1 in their last 5 road games.
- Mets are 5-1 in Syndergaard’s last 6 starts with 5 days of rest.
- Mets are 5-1 in Syndergaard’s last 6 interleague starts.
The Bottom Line What to bet on this game.
Full-Game Side Bet
The Mets might have an advantage Friday night, especially with how much better their starter is. New York should be able to score some runs against the Red Sox seldom used starter.
Prediction: New York +137
Full-Game Total Pick
Syndergaard has quite the challenge Friday night, but he’s proven himself time and time again. The righty should have some success after allowing four earned runs in his last appearance. It should be a low-scoring affair.
Prediction: Under 9
