Miami has shoved through the first 2 games of this series — Eury Perez and Max Meyer combined to make the Mets' lineup look like an extended spring training squad, and the Marlins have surrendered exactly 1 run and 3 hits in each game. New York is now 22-30 and reaching the part of the calendar where 'slow start' starts to read like the actual identity of the team.
The injury list is doing a lot of the talking. No Lindor, no Alvarez, no Polanco, no Tauchman, no Luis Robert Jr., no Senga, no Holmes — that's a real chunk of the Opening Day roster sitting in trainers' rooms. Carlos Mendoza is basically running a Triple-A lineup against playoff-caliber pitching and hoping somebody slugs.
- 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-ILJared Young 1B — Young (knee) will move his rehab assignment from Single-A St. Lucie to Triple-A Syracuse this week, Mike Puma of the New York Post reports.
- 10-Day-ILFrancisco Lindor SS — The Mets "have hope" that Lindor (calf) will return to the active roster in about a month, Jon Heyman of the New York Post reports.
- Day-To-DayThomas White SP — White isn't expected to make his MLB debut anytime soon, Isaac Azout of FishOnFirst.com reports.
- Day-To-DayKemp Alderman RF — Alderman (hand) has gone 2-for-13 with two RBI and a run scored in four games since returning from Single-A Jupiter's 7-day injured list Thursday.
- 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.
- OutJesus Tinoco RP — The Marlins re-signed Tinoco (elbow) to a minor-league contract Jan. 5.
The pitching matchup is the weird part. Tyler Phillips is technically rocking a 1.20 ERA, but he's done it as a reliever — he hasn't gone more than 3 innings in an outing all year. With Robby Snelling done for the season after internal brace surgery, the Marlins are stretching Phillips out on the fly and asking him to face the Mets cold. Christian Scott on the other side has been the one bright spot of the Mets rotation since coming back, posting a 2.79 ERA with 14 strikeouts in 9.2 innings across his 2 starts.
The market doesn't love either side. Pinnacle has the Mets as a small road favorite at -113 and the total sitting at 8.5, which feels rich given how the bats have looked this weekend. DraftKings is shading the under and most of the money is on Miami — public is riding the hot team, can't really blame them.
If Scott goes 5-plus and gives the Mets a chance, this is winnable — Miami's lineup is built around Liam Hicks getting hot, not a murderers' row. But if Phillips gives the Marlins 3 clean innings and the bullpen takes it from there, we're staring at a broom. Bet accordingly, watch the first time through the order.