First pitch is 6:10 PM ET in Queens, and the Marlins (26-31) walk in as a slight underdog despite owning the Mets all month. Pinnacle has New York at -115 on the moneyline, which feels generous given who's actually available to play. Miami already took 2 straight from the Mets in Miami last weekend — the second one a 4-0 shutout — and now gets the same starter back on the bump.
Meyer (5-0, 2.52) was untouchable last Saturday: 7 innings, 1 hit, 8 strikeouts, 95 pitches. Mark Vientos' second-inning single was the only knock the Mets managed. Freddy Peralta (3-4, 3.52) goes for New York and is staring at the same Marlins lineup that tagged him for 4 earned in 7 innings on 108 pitches in that exact same series opener. Rematch energy, only one side is trending the right way.
The Mets snapped a long skid earlier this month and have been hemorrhaging bodies ever since. Lindor (calf) is finally doing baseball activities but still needs a rehab assignment. Alvarez (knee) is back hitting and could beat his 8-week timetable, per Mendoza. Polanco (Achilles) starts a rehab stint at Double-A Binghamton. Tyrone Taylor just joined the IL with a hip issue, and Luis Robert Jr. got bumped to the 60-day. That's a lineup card held together with athletic tape.
- Day-To-DayEury Perez SP — Perez said after Wednesday's 2-1 loss to the Blue Jays that he will undergo further imaging on his right hamstring, Christina De Nicola of MLB.com reports.
- Day-To-DayKemp Alderman RF — Triple-A Jacksonville placed Alderman on the 7-day injured list Tuesday due to a left wrist injury, Michael Germanese of Roundtable.io reports.
- Day-To-DayThomas White SP — Marlins president of baseball operations Peter Bendix said Sunday that White is recovering from "a bit of a shoulder thing," Kyle Sielaff of Marlins.tv reports.
- 7-day ilLeo Jimenez 3B — Jimenez will head to the IL after being removed from Tuesday's game against Atlanta, reports Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald.
- 10-Day-ILGriffin Conine LF — Conine will undergo a left hamstring tendon excision next week, Christina De Nicola of MLB.com reports.
- 60-Day-ILRobby Snelling SP — Snelling underwent internal brace surgery Friday to repair a torn UCL in his left elbow.
- 60-Day-ILRonny Henriquez RP — The Marlins placed Henriquez (elbow) on the 60-day injured list Thursday.
- 60-Day-ILAdam Mazur SP — The Marlins placed Mazur (elbow) on the 60-day injured list Wednesday.
- Day-To-DayMike Tauchman RF — Tauchman (knee) is still rehabbing at the Mets' spring training complex and has yet to resume baseball activities, Tim Britton of The Athletic reports.
- Day-To-DayGrae Kessinger 3B — no
- Day-To-DayJoe Jacques RP — The Mets signed Jacques to a minor-league contract Wednesday, Anthony DiComo of MLB.com reports.
- Day-To-DayKevin Herget RP — Herget signed a minor league contract that includes an invitation to spring training with the Mets on Thursday, Will Sammon of The Athletic reports.
- Day-To-DayNick Burdi RP — The Red Sox reinstated Burdi (hip) from the injured list Saturday and optioned him to Triple-A Worcester.
- Day-To-DayJose Rojas 3B — Triple-A Salt Lake placed Rojas on its COVID-19 injured list Sunday, Jeff Fletcher of The Orange County Register reports.
- 10-Day-ILJorge Polanco 1B — Polanco (Achilles) will begin a rehab assignment with Double-A Binghamton on Wednesday, Michael Mayer of MetsmerizedOnline.com reports.
- 10-Day-ILTyrone Taylor CF — Taylor (hip) will be sent for an MRI, but the team expects that he'll require a stint on the injured list, Andrew Tredinnick of The Bergen Record reports.
Miami isn't exactly whole either — Eury Perez is dealing with a right hamstring after his last outing, Thomas White has a shoulder thing, and Robby Snelling is done after internal brace surgery on his UCL. But the Marlins have won 3 of their last 5, including the 2-game sweep in Miami, before dropping a series in Toronto. The difference is the rotation is still cranking out starts like Meyer's — Miami has permitted just 2 runs in his last 4 home outings, and he's road-tested against this same lineup 6 days ago.
The total sits at 7.5 with the under juiced to -121, which tracks for a Meyer-Peralta rematch where one guy has been pitching like a Cy Young contender and the other got handled by this same offense a week ago. If the Mets can't get Vientos or Soto going early against Meyer's slider, this turns into a quick night in Queens — and another reminder that Miami quietly has one of the more interesting young arms in the National League.