Here are five things to watch and predictions as the Mets and Rangers play a three-game series at Citi Field starting on Friday at 7:10 p.m. on SNY.
5 things to watch
Jacob deGrom's return
For the first time since leaving via free agency after the 2022 season, deGrom will face the Mets.
The 37-year-old, who had Tommy John surgery during the 2023 campaign, has been terrific this year — but he's not quite at the same heights he was at in New York.
In 27 starts over 155.2 innings this season, deGrom has a 2.78 ERA (3.54 FIP) and 0.93 WHIP with 169 strikeouts (a rate of 9.8 per nine).
Before leaving via free agency, deGrom was coming off a pair of injury-riddled seasons, and the Mets seemingly didn't make much of an effort to bring him back. That decision felt prudent when deGrom threw just 41.0 innings combined during his first two years in Texas.
During his time in New York, deGrom wasn't just the best pitcher in baseball. He was an almost unbelievable force. From 2018 to 2021, he went on a run of excellence that was almost impossible to believe. In 91 starts over 581.0 innings, deGrom had a 1.94 ERA and 0.88 WHIP while striking out 774 batters. He won a pair of Cy Youngs (in 2018 and 2019) and was coasting toward a third in 2021 (1.08 ERA in his first 92.0 innings) before injuries derailed his year.
Where is the offense?
During their six-game losing streak, the Mets have scored just 15 runs — an average of 2.5 per game.
As they were swept out of Philadelphia on Thursday, the Mets plated four runs in the first inning and then proceeded to do literally nothing for the rest of the game.
In the process, the Mets became the first team in the modern era to score four or more runs in the first inning, have no one reach base for the remainder of the game, and lose.
The only consistent presence in the lineup during this skid has been Juan Soto, who has remained hot. Otherwise, it's been lots of weak contact and strikeouts.
It's all on the kids in the rotation
One of the main culprits of the Mets' swoon since June has been inconsistent starting pitching.
Specifically, their veteran starters have been largely ineffective in terms of both run prevention and the ability to provide length.
A breath of fresh air has been provided by rookies Nolan McLean, Jonah Tong, and Brandon Sproat, and it's those three youngsters who will be leaned on to help the Mets rise from the doldrums against Texas.