- VS. MIAMI: The Mets close out their opening homestand with three games vs. the Marlins…The Mets are 22-16 vs. Miami the last two years, including going 11-8 in 2015…New York has won six straight home season series vs. the Marlins dating to 2010…The Mets are 37-27 all-time vs. Miami at Citi Field, including going 24-13 since 2012.
- AT HOME: New York is 1-2 at home this year…The Mets went 49-32 at Citi Field last year.
- NL EAST: The Mets went 47-29 vs. the NL East last season, including 25-13 at home…New York’s .618 winning percentage was the best for any team within its own division last year.
- METS PITCHING: The Mets lead the NL and rank second in the majors with a 2.05 ERA…Baltimore is first with a 1.80 ERA.
- STEVEN MATZ: Went 4-0 with a 2.27 ERA (nine earned runs/35.2 innings) in six starts in 2015…New York is 5-1 when he starts…No Mets pitcher has ever won his first career five decisions…Matz and Jason Jacome were the only two pitchers in team history to win four of their first five career games…Matz became the first pitcher in franchise history to allow two runs or fewer in each of his first five career starts…He was the third pitcher since 1901 to finish 4-0 or better after making at least six starts…Also done by Kirk Reuter (8-0, 1993 with Montreal) and Pat Combs (4-0, 1989 with Philadelphia).
- WORLD OF EXPERIENCE: Matz appeared in six regular season major league games prior to starting three postseason games, including Game 4 of the World Series…According to Elias, that is tied for the fewest career regular season games at the time a pitcher made his first World Series start…Marty Bystrom also had six regular season appearances before starting Game 5 of the 1980 World Series for the Phillies…Matz became the first Mets pitcher born in New York to start at playoff game for the Mets.
- THE BULLPEN: Has allowed two earned runs in 14.1 innings this season…The pen’s 1.26 ERA is the second-best in the majors…The Yankees are first (1.04 ERA)…Mets relievers have issued two walks and struck out 16.
- JIM HENDERSON: Struck out the side yesterday vs. Philadelphia…Henderson has thrown 3.0 perfect innings this season with seven strikeouts…He is tied for fifth in the majors with two holds…Prior to this season, Henderson’s last major league appearance was May 1, 2014…He became the eighth Canadian-born player to appear in a game for the Mets.
- DOUBLE PLAYS: The Mets have turned six double plays in their first five games of the year…They did not turn a double play until their fifth game in 2015…New York is tied for sixth in the majors with six double plays turned.
- YOENIS CESPEDES: Hit his first home run of the year yesterday, a two-run shot…Cespedes has 18 home runs and 46 RBI in 62 games with the Mets.
- DAVID WRIGHT: After going 0-4 on Opening Day, Wright is hitting .364 (4-11) with two doubles, three walks and two runs scored…He has reached base safely in 14 straight games dating to September 20, 2015…He has a .397 on-base percentage during that span…Wright has 121 career RBI vs. the Marlins, his most vs. any team…He is also hitting .327 (228-697) in 178 career games vs. Miami.
- OFFENSE: The Mets are hitting .180 after five games, ranking last in the majors…New York has scored 14 runs, ranking 28th in the majors.
- FOUR IS THE MAGIC NUMBER: The Mets are 1-0 when they score four or more runs this year and 1-3 when they plate three runs or less…The Mets were 70-12 (.854) when scoring four or more runs last year…The .854 winning percentage was the best in the majors.
- JOSH EDGIN: Appeared in his first minor league game in his first Major League rehabilitation outing yesterday since undergoing Tommy John surgery on March 17, 2015…Edgin pitched 0.2 innings for St. Lucie (A) of the Florida State League at Jupiter…He allowed one hit, one run, earned, with one walk and one strikeout…He threw 27 pitches, 15 strikes.
- GOLD GLOVE PRESENTATION: Prior to tonight’s game, Yoenis Cespedes will be presented with his 2015 American League Rawlings Gold Glove Award…Cespedes led all AL leftfielders with 11 defensive runs saved and a 15 Ultimate Zone Rating and finished second with nine outfield assists last season…Since making his debut in 2012, Cespedes’ 48 outfield assists, including four with the Mets, are the most in the majors during that span.
- 50th ANNIVERSARY: Today is the 50th anniversary of the debut of Emmett Ashford, the first African-American umpire in Major League history…All Major League Umpires will wear patches with the initials “EA,” tonight and there will be a scoreboard feature during the second inning.
- HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Alejandro De Aza celebrates his 32nd birthday today.
By: Michael Ganci
Pre-Game Notes: All You Need to Know About Steven Matz
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