NY Mets (18-17) at Philadelphia (22-15)
When: Friday, May 11th 2018
Where: Citizens Bank Park, Philadelphia
Time: 7:05 ET | TV: SNY, NBCS Philly
Opening Odds: Philadelphia -158/8.5
Two NL East teams going in opposite directions will begin a three-game weekend series, as the New York Mets visit the Philadelphia Phillies on Friday night at Citizens Bank Park. New York raced-off to an 11-1 start that including a couple of victories over the Phillies, but the Mets have been in a tailspin since, dropping eight of their last nine overall and falling to fourth place in the division. The Mets dropped two of three at lowly Cincinnati this week, scoring three runs in the last two games, while Philadelphia swept a four-game series at home from the San Francisco Giants. Carlos Santana, who has been hitting below .200 all season after signing a free agent contract in the offseason with Philadelphia, has been heating up with the weather. The first baseman went yard for the third time in the series with a three-run shot in Thursday afternoon’s 6-3 victory. Odubel Herrera recorded three hits for the second time in five games to improve to 10-for-18 with two homers, nine RBIs and six runs scored in that stretch for the Phillies, who are just a half-game behind Atlanta in the NL East standings. The Mets might be missing some offense as the series starts with Yoenis Cespedes nursing a minor right quadriceps injury and OF Jay Bruce expected to miss the entire series as he awaits the birth of his second child.
Pitchers: Mets – Steven Matz (1-3, 4.23 ERA) | Phillies – Jake Arrieta (3-1, 3.15)
Steven Matz will take the hill for New York and is coming off his first quality start of the season after allowing one run on three hits in six innings of Saturday’s 2-0 loss to Colorado. Matz had his start pushed back due to a stiff back and allowed a first-inning homer to Nolan Arenado, marking the sixth time he’s been taken deep this season in 27.2 innings. He pitched well in his lone meeting versus Philadelphia despite allowing two runs on four hits in 5.2 innings of a 3-1 setback last August.
Arrieta was still getting into shape when the Phillies first faced the Mets this season after signing a three-year, $75 million contract in March. Arrieta won three-straight before getting knocked around by the Miami Marlins on April 30th, but bounced back to allow one run on two hits in six innings of a no-decision at Washington on Sunday. The former Cy Young Award winner has posted a 2-2 mark with a 2.30 ERA in seven career appearances versus the Mets.
The Phillies are tough to beat right now with the combination of their starting pitching and surging offense, which scored 32 runs in the four-game sweep of the Giants. Look for Philadelphia to keep the Mets reeling.
Pick: Phillies -135
BETTING TRENDS:
- Mets are 6-1 in their last 7 games following an off day.
- Mets are 13-5 in their last 18 Friday games.
- Mets are 15-37 in their last 52 road games vs. a team with a winning record.
- Mets are 8-23 in their last 31 games vs. a starter with a WHIP less than 1.15.
- Mets are 7-21 in their last 28 road games vs. a team with a home winning % of greater than .600.
- Mets are 14-44 in their last 58 vs. a team with a winning record.
- Mets are 1-6 in their last 7 games vs. a right-handed starter.
- Mets are 1-8 in their last 9 overall.
- Mets are 1-8 in their last 9 games on grass.
- Mets are 0-4 in their last 4 vs. National League East.
- Mets are 7-2 in Matz’s last 9 Friday starts.
- Mets are 3-7 in Matz’s last 10 starts following a Quality Start in his last appearance.
- Mets are 4-11 in Matz’s last 15 starts.
- Mets are 4-11 in Matz’s last 15 starts on grass.
- Mets are 1-4 in Matz’s last 5 road starts vs. a team with a winning record.
- Mets are 2-9 in Matz’s last 11 starts vs. a team with a winning record.
- Mets are 1-6 in Matz’s last 7 road starts.
- Mets are 1-6 in Matz’s last 7 starts following a team loss in their previous game.
- Phillies are 4-0 in their last 4 vs. a team with a winning record.
- Phillies are 5-1 in their last 6 Friday games.
- Phillies are 13-3 in their last 16 home games vs. a left-handed starter.
- Phillies are 4-1 in their last 5 overall.
- Phillies are 4-1 in their last 5 games on grass.
- Phillies are 16-5 in their last 21 games vs. a left-handed starter.
- Phillies are 6-2 in their last 8 home games vs. a team with a road winning % of greater than .600.
- Phillies are 11-4 in their last 15 home games vs. a team with a winning record.
- Phillies are 21-8 in their last 29 home games.
- Phillies are 2-6 in their last 8 vs. National League East.
- Under is 4-1 in Mets last 5 overall.
- Under is 4-1 in Mets last 5 on grass.
- Over is 6-2 in Mets last 8 during game 1 of a series.
- Under is 8-3 in Mets last 11 games vs. a starter with a WHIP less than 1.15.
- Over is 8-3 in Mets last 11 road games vs. a team with a home winning % of greater than .600.
- Over is 9-4-1 in Mets last 14 road games vs. a right-handed starter.
- Over is 33-15-3 in Mets last 51 road games vs. a team with a winning record.
- Under is 5-1 in Matz’s last 6 starts with 5 days of rest.
- Under is 5-1 in Matz’s last 6 starts following a Quality Start in his last appearance.
- Under is 9-2 in Matz’s last 11 road starts vs. a team with a winning record.
- Over is 4-1 in Matz’s last 5 Friday starts.
- Under is 8-2 in Matz’s last 10 starts vs. National League East.
- Under is 6-2 in Matz’s last 8 road starts.
- Under is 6-2 in Matz’s last 8 starts following a team loss in their previous game.
- Under is 7-3 in Matz’s last 10 starts during game 1 of a series.
- Over is 3-0-1 in Phillies last 4 home games vs. a team with a road winning % of greater than .600.
- Over is 5-0-1 in Phillies last 6 during game 1 of a series.
- Over is 7-2 in Phillies last 9 home games vs. a team with a winning record.
- Over is 7-2 in Phillies last 9 home games.
- Over is 3-1-1 in Phillies last 5 home games vs. a left-handed starter.
- Under is 5-2-1 in Phillies last 8 Friday games.
- Over is 5-2-1 in Phillies last 8 games vs. a left-handed starter.
- Over is 7-3 in Phillies last 10 vs. a team with a winning record.
- Over is 4-0-1 in Arrieta’s last 5 starts on grass.
- Over is 5-0-1 in Arrieta’s last 6 starts overall.
- Mets are 41-17 in the last 58 meetings in Philadelphia.
- Mets are 57-25 in the last 82 meetings.
