- When: Wednesday, August 21st at 1:10 PM ET
- Who: Baltimore Orioles vs New York Mets
- Starting Pitchers: Cole Irvin and Sean Manea
- Where: Citi Field in Queens, NY
Sean Manaea has been sharp over the last month, and the New York Mets are still battling for a National League Wild Card spot down the stretch.
Manaea holds an above-average strikeout rate but does not necessarily keep the ball on the ground.
His opponent will be the Baltimore Orioles, who can hammer the ball throughout the batting order with Cole Irvin at the helm.
Irvin has some awful peripherals, so the Mets could be primed for a big offensive game, too.
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Game Preview
The Orioles are a top offensive team this season, ranking third in the majors in runs scored.
They also hold strong positions in other key categories, sitting seventh in batting average, 11th in on-base percentage, and leading the league in slugging.
Anthony Santander has been a standout performer, batting .240 with a .307 on-base percentage, along with 36 home runs, 80 RBIs, and 74 runs scored.
Gunnar Henderson has also had an impressive year, hitting .287 with a .373 on-base percentage, 33 home runs, 77 RBIs, 14 stolen bases, and 98 runs scored.
New York Mess pic.twitter.com/Uv0ODUxMTP
— Baltimore Orioles (@Orioles) August 21, 2024
Adley Rutschman has been another key contributor, batting .263 with a .328 on-base percentage, 18 home runs, 70 RBIs, and 59 runs scored.
In the past week, Gunnar Henderson has been particularly hot, hitting .222 with four home runs, eight RBIs, and four runs scored.
Ramon Urias has also been strong, posting a .368 average with two home runs, six RBIs, and four runs scored in the same period.
Jackson Holliday has also contributed, batting .269 with three RBIs and three runs scored.
Overall, the Orioles have hit .246 over the last seven games, tallying nine home runs and 30 runs scored.
Against Sean Manaea, current Orioles players have a combined 34 career at-bats, with a batting average of just .176. Austin Slater has the most experience, going 4-for-22 with a double and an RBI.
James McCann has also driven in a run, going 1-for-5, while Ryan Mountcastle has the only other hit against Manaea, going 1-for-2.
The Mets rank tenth in the majors in runs scored while placing 12th in batting average, eighth in on-base percentage, and ninth in slugging.
Francisco Lindor has been a standout, batting .263 with a .336 on-base percentage, hitting 24 home runs, driving in 72 RBIs, and scoring 83 runs. He has also swiped 25 bases this season.
Brandon Nimmo is also having a solid year despite a .229 batting average, boasting a .343 on-base percentage with 18 home runs, 71 RBIs, 70 runs scored, and 11 stolen bases.
J.D. 👀 pic.twitter.com/6GakrGv4D5
— New York Mets (@Mets) August 21, 2024
Pete Alonso rounds out the Mets’ top hitters, batting .244 with a .330 on-base percentage, hitting 27 home runs, driving in 69 RBIs, and scoring 72 runs.
In recent games, Alonso has been hot at the plate, batting .308 with two home runs, six RBIs, and five runs scored in the past week.
Francisco Lindor has also been impressive, hitting .310 with two home runs, five RBIs, and seven runs scored over the same span.
Mark Vientos joins the top performers, batting .346 with two home runs, five RBIs, and five runs scored. The Mets as a team have hit .263 over the last week, tallying 11 home runs and 36 runs scored.
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Total Runs
Manaea is the better starter, but neither starter is spectacular.
Both bullpens have a few arms that can be reliable, but walks could be an issue for Manaea and the Mets.
The Orioles just may not have enough artillery in relief to back up a sour Irvin start.
Fade the pitching and bet over 8.5 runs in this one.