Verlander to begin 2nd half with key series vs. Dodgers
NEW YORK — Coming into the 2023 season, Mets fans likely circled the Dodgers series to open the second half as a potential NLCS preview between two of baseball’s most talented teams.
While Los Angeles sits in a familiar position atop the NL West, the disappointing Mets enter this weekend’s three-game set at Citi Field desperate for wins to keep their playoff hopes alive.
The Mets (42-48) begin the second half 18.5 games behind the NL East-leading Braves and seven games out of the third and final NL Wild Card spot. Baseball’s most-expensive roster needs to pass five teams to find itself back in the playoff picture.
That mission resumes Friday night, with Mets co-ace Justin Verlander scheduled to pitch against the Dodgers’ Julio Urias.
The 40-year-old Verlander — who is in the first season of a two-year, $86.7 million contract — ended his uneven first half on a high note, allowing two runs over 18 innings across his last three starts.
He’ll look to continue his hot streak against a loaded Dodgers lineup boasting the secondmost home runs among MLB teams, the thirdbest OPS and the fourth-most runs scored. Lineup regulars Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman,
Will Smith and J.D. Martinez made the All-star team for the Dodgers.
Fortunately for the Mets, the typically tough Urias is in the midst of a difficult season. His career-worst 4.76 ERA is more than two times higher than last year’s Mlb-best 2.16.
The lefty, a former 20-game winner who finished third in Cy Young voting last season, is coming off one of his better starts of the year — eight strikeouts and two runs allowed against the Pirates — after back-to-back bad outings in which he only lasted three innings apiece.
Right-handed batters are hitting .259 with 10 home runs against Urias this season, meaning Pete Alonso and Francisco Lindor should have opportunities to do damage. A win would help set the tone against a Dodgers team the Mets took two out of three in L.A. in April.
Kodai Senga is expected to start Saturday for the Mets after being named an All-star but not pitching in Tuesday’s game. Max Scherzer is scheduled to go Sunday, while the Dodgers haven’t announced the rest of this weekend’s starters.
Mookie Betts, pictured in a July 8 game, and the Dodgers are headed to Citi Field. (Kyusung Gong/ap) Scherzer, whose 4.31 ERA is the second-worst of his career, ended the first half with a loss by allowing five runs to the Padres. The Mets finished the first half on a two-game losing streak after winning six straight to begin July.