Series Preview: Pirates at Mets

You remember the Mets, the punchless, struggling team that creamed the Pirates in two of three games last weekend.

New York returned home and split a four-game series with the National League Central-leading Brewers, winning the first two and dropping the following pair.

While the Pirates (24-30) had an off day Thursday, the Mets had an afternoon game. The Buccos went 1-2 in three dramatic games against the Diamondbacks this week, the last being a 14-inning, rain-interrupted 6-5 loss on Wednesday. The Pirates are set to recall Max Moroff and Phil Gosselin after waiving Alen Hanson and demoting Gift Ngoepe.

Season Series (2-1 Mets)

May 26: Mets 8, Pirates 1

May 27: Pirates 5, Mets 4, 10 innings

May 28: Mets 7, Pirates 2

Schedule

Friday, 7:10 p.m. - Gerrit Cole (2-5, 3.65 ERA) vs. Matt Harvey (4-3, 4.95), TV: Root

Saturday, 7:15 p.m. - Tyler Glasnow (2-4, 6.95) vs. Robert Gsellman (3-3, 5.75), TV: Fox

Sunday, 1:10 p.m. - Trevor Williams (2-3, 5.20) vs. Tyler Pill (0-1, 3.00), TV: Root

Mets

23-29 (25-27 Pythag, 4.94 RS/G, 5.25 RA/G)

Offense

Jay Bruce, who did a number on the Pirates last weekend, went 1-15 in the Milwaukee series this week. Neil Walker went 2-12. Wilmer Flores hit a home run in Thursday’s loss, one of just four Mets hits. Yoenis Cespedes has resumed his rehab assignment, but will not be back this weekend.

Pitching

Matt Harvey had a good outing against the Pirates on Sunday night. Robert Gsellman is neither striking out many batters, nor walking them, and has been a little above average getting ground balls. Tyler Pill made his major-league debut out of the bullpen and took the loss on Saturday, giving up a single and a walk and hitting a batter in two thirds of an inning in the 10th before leaving for Josh Edgin to give up John Jaso’s walk-off single. He was solid in his first MLB start Tuesday, giving up one run on six hits, striking out four and walking three in 5 1-3 innings against the Brewers. Terry Collins’ bullpen management has confounded.

Mascot

Mr. Met is a bit distressed. (Some NSFW language and, of course, imagery in the original video.)