The Tampa Bay Rays started this week as the best team in the American League while the New York Mets are likely in a situation where they will have to win out in order to make the postseason. And that is not even a guarantee.
Both will face off in game two of their series Tuesday in New York after Tampa Bay snuck away with a 2-1 victory on Monday night. Only the Los Angeles Dodgers have a better record than the Rays. The Rays will be motivated as their number to clinch the AL East over the Yankees is one game.
Blake Snell will get the chance for a rare start against the New York Mets on Tuesday from Citi Field. Snell is 4-1 with a 3.05 ERA and a 1.15 WHIP this season. Seth Lugo has worked 29 innings so far in 2020, but was roughed up fairly well by Philadelphia in his last appearance. Lugo is 2-3 with a 4.34 ERA on the year.
Tampa Bay Leads American League
The only other team that has a better record than the Tampa Bay Devil Rays is the Los Angeles Dodgers. Winners of eight out of their last eleven games the Rays were able to overcome a Jacob DeGrom led Mets team on Monday to edge out another win. Tampa Leads the Chicago White Sox by 1.5 games for the number one seed in the American League expanded playoffs.
Tampa Bay holds a 19-10 away record but are 17-25 as a favorite this year. Brandon Lowe leads the Rays in Home Runs with 13, Batting Average with .271, and Runs Batted In with 33.
Blake Snell will make his tenth start of the year. Snell typically averages around five innings of work per start. He last pitched on 9/17 against Baltimore giving up two hits and surrendering one earned run. He is 3-0 on the road with a 3.47 ERA.
Mets Need to Win Out
The New York Mets are in a situation where in order to make the new MLB expanded playoffs they will have to win their remaining games. At 24-30 overall the Mets are officially three games behind Philadelphia for the NL's last wild card spot. This will also be the third time in the last four years where the Mets will finish under .500 or worse.
Pete Alonso leads the Mets in home runs with 12 on the year. Michael Conforto has a batting average of .328 to lead New York while Dominic Smith leads the team with 41 RBI's. New York is 11-16 at home this year and have only won four of their last six games.
Right-hander Seth Lugo will get the start against Tampa Bay hoping to correct a few things in his delivery that allowed Philadelphia to torch him for 6 earned runs on 9/17. Toronto was able to get to Lugo for three earned runs on Saturday 9/12. In his last two games he has gone 6.3 innings with nine earned runs surrendered.
Notable Trends
- Mets are 0-5 in their last 5 Tuesday games.
- Mets are 0-4 in their last 4 games vs. a left-handed starter.
- Rays are 12-3 in their last 15 games as a road favorite
- Rays are 8-2 in their last 10 Tuesday games.
