Austin Warren (1-1, 1.40) versus Emerson Hancock (4-2, 2.78) is the headline, but don't let that fool you — Warren is a 30-year-old righty reliever, which means New York is rolling out a bullpen game to open this West Coast trip. First pitch is 9:40 PM ET / 6:40 PM PT at T-Mobile Park.
Hancock has been Seattle's most reliable starter all year and he's coming off arguably his best start of the season — 6 shutout innings, 1 hit, 3 punchies, 2 walks at Sutter Health Park against the A's on May 26. He's reportedly dropped his arm slot way down this year (from 27 degrees to 13), and the results speak for themselves: a 1.00 WHIP and 63 strikeouts through late May. The Mets, hitting .206 over their last 10, are not the matchup you'd pick to break the spell.
That said, New York has won 4 in a row and just curb-stomped the Marlins 10-1 to close out a homestand. Juan Soto has been an absolute monster since mid-May and is basically dragging this lineup by himself with the rest of the order banged up. The 4 wins were all at Citi though — now they fly six hours west and start the game well past their body clock with an opener on the mound. Different vibe.
The injury list is where this thing really tilts. The Mets are without Francisco Lindor, Francisco Alvarez, Jorge Polanco, Tyrone Taylor, and Kodai Senga, plus Clay Holmes and Tylor Megill from the rotation. That's why Warren is opening — there's nobody left to start. Seattle is missing Cal Raleigh and Brendan Donovan, which isn't nothing, but they've been winning anyway and Luke Raley is mashing (13 homers, .587 slug).
- Day-To-DayBrandon Waddell RP — Waddell (shoulder) picked up the win after allowing three runs on four hits while striking out two across three innings during Saturday's game against Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes Barre.
- Day-To-DayAdbert Alzolay RP — The Mets reassigned Alzolay to minor-league camp Tuesday.
- 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-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 play two more rehab games and could be activated from the 10-day injured list some time next week on the Mets' road trip, Andrew Tredinnick of The Bergen Record reports.
- Day-To-DayTeddy McGraw SP — McGraw is working his way back from right elbow issues, Jonathan Mayo of MLB Pipeline reports.
- 10-Day-ILCal Raleigh C — Raleigh (oblique) began taking swings in a batting cage Friday, Adam Jude of The Seattle Times reports
- 10-Day-ILBrendan Donovan 3B — Mariners general manager Justin Hollander said Sunday that Donovan will receive a platelet-rich plasma injection for his strained left groin as well as his adductor and is expected to resume baseball activity in 2-to-3 weeks, Daniel Kramer of MLB.com reports.
- 10-Day-ILWill Wilson 3B — The Mariners placed Wilson on the 10-day injured list Saturday due to a fractured left thumb.
- 60-Day-ILMiles Mastrobuoni 3B — Mastrobuoni (calf) began a rehab assignment Monday with the Mariners' Arizona Complex League affiliate, going 0-for-2 with a 1:1 K:BB.
- 60-Day-ILLogan Evans SP — The Mariners placed Evans (elbow) on the 60-day injured list Monday.
- 60-Day-ILCarlos Vargas RP — Vargas (lat) has suffered a setback in his recovery, Ryan Divish of The Seattle Times reports.
The market has Seattle around -139 for a reason. Hot team, ace-form starter, home park, opposing lineup held together with tape and Soto. The Mets path is basically: Soto does something obscene early, the bullpen game holds water for 5 or 6, and someone in middle relief outduels the back of Seattle's pen. Not impossible. Not the way to bet either.