First pitch is 6:40 PM PT (9:40 PM ET) for Game 2 of this three-game set, and the Mets still haven't slotted a name next to their starter line. Gilbert (3-4, 3.69) goes for Seattle off a 6-inning, 0-run, 6-strikeout outing against the Athletics on May 27. The opener bullpen game vibe is doing a lot of work in that 5.5 total.
The Mets came in scorching — four straight wins, three of them by a combined 25-9 over Miami — then ran face-first into a 3-2 loss on Monday. Seattle, meanwhile, has won 5 in a row and is the AL West leader at 32-29, riding pitching that has held opponents to 1, 6, 1, 2, and 2 runs across the streak. This is the matchup where the Mets' bats finally get a real test.
The pitcher situation is the story. With Kodai Senga on the IL (spine, headed to Triple-A Syracuse on Wednesday for a rehab start) and Clay Holmes moved to the 60-day, Carlos Mendoza is patching together starts. David Peterson has been yo-yo'd between rotation and bullpen, Sean Manaea got bumped in, and Tuesday's name still wasn't on the board as of the morning. Whoever it is gets a Mariners offense that just dropped 7 on Arizona and is finally clicking.
The Mets' injury list is the longer read of the two. Francisco Lindor (calf) is running again, Francisco Alvarez (knee) is doing full baseball activities, and Jorge Polanco (Achilles) could be back next week on this same road trip — but none of them help tonight. Tyrone Taylor's hip MRI almost certainly means another IL stint. Seattle is dealing with its own catcher issue, Cal Raleigh (oblique) just getting back into the cage.
- 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-DayJosh Naylor 1B — Naylor is not in the Mariners' starting lineup against the Royals on Friday.
- 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.
Pinnacle has Seattle at -379 with a 5.5 total and under -247, which is the market politely telling you it expects the bullpen game to get walked into the woodshed by Gilbert. The Mets' angle is simple: hang around, ambush Seattle's pen the second Gilbert exits, and steal one. That's a much easier sentence to type than execute.