First pitch is 7:10 PM ET at Great American Ball Park, and the Mets are sending Senga (0-4, 9.00) to the mound for his first big-league start since April 26. Brady Singer (2-6, 5.61) gets the ball for Cincinnati coming off his cleanest outing of the year — 6 innings, 2 earned, 5 punchouts against the Padres on June 10.
Senga has been out since late April with lumbar spine inflammation and told the staff he feels 100%, per Carlos Mendoza. He last threw 50 pitches in a 2.2-inning loss to Colorado, and the Mets need every one of these innings to look real — Christian Scott just hit the 15-day IL with a right hip impingement and the rotation is held together with tape and minor-league deals.
About that buzzsaw: the Reds opened this series by dropping a 12-0 haymaker on New York Monday night. Eugenio Suárez hit 2 homers and drove in 6, including a 2nd-inning grand slam, and JJ Bleday tacked on a 3-run shot behind 5 innings and 7 strikeouts from Chase Burns. The Mets stranded 12 baserunners, went 1-for-12 with runners in scoring position, and loaded the bases with 1 out in three separate innings without plating a run. That is its own kind of art form.
- Day-To-DayRyan Lambert RP — Triple-A Syracuse placed Lambert on the 7-day injured list June 4 due to an unspecified injury.
- Day-To-DayMike Baumann RP — Baumann signed a minor-league deal with the Mets on Wednesday, Michael Mayer of MetsmerizedOnline.com reports.
- 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-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-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-ILRonny Mauricio SS — Mauricio (thumb) could begin a rehab assignment later this week, Anthony DiComo of MLB.com reports.
- Day-To-DayConnor Burns C — no
- 10-Day-ILElly De La Cruz SS — De La Cruz (hamstring) could be cleared to begin a rehab assignment this weekend at a yet-to-be-determined affiliate, C. Trent Rosecrans of The Athletic reports.
- 10-Day-ILKe'Bryan Hayes 3B — Hayes is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Phillies.
- 15-Day-ILPierce Johnson RP — Johnson (elbow) is scheduled to face live hitters in a simulated game or batting practice Monday, Charlie Goldsmith of Fox 19 Now Cincinnati reports.
- 15-Day-ILEmilio Pagan RP — Pagan (hamstring) threw a bullpen session Saturday and is expected to throw another Monday, C. Trent Rosecrans of The Athletic reports.
- 60-Day-ILHunter Greene SP — Greene (elbow) is slated to begin a rehab assignment Thursday in the rookie-level Arizona Complex League, Charlie Goldsmith of Fox 19 Now Cincinnati reports.
- 60-Day-ILGraham Ashcraft RP — Ashcraft (elbow) received a platelet-rich plasma injection Tuesday, MLB.com reports.
- 60-Day-ILBrandon Williamson SP — The Reds transferred Williamson (shoulder) from the 15-day injured list to the 60-day IL on Wednesday.
The injury picture is the subplot. Francisco Lindor (calf) is targeting a return before the end of the month after taking live ABs and playing sim innings at short — David Stearns expects him back "this month." On the Cincinnati side, Elly De La Cruz is running the bases and could begin a rehab assignment this weekend, and Hunter Greene is slated to start his rehab Thursday in the Arizona Complex League with an eye on Louisville on June 23. Neither helps tonight, but both teams are basically auditioning bridge arms and bench bats until the cavalry shows up.
The shape of the game: a rusty Senga who hasn't faced live MLB hitters in 7 weeks against a Reds lineup that just figured out how to swing again, opposite a Singer who's quietly been getting hit hard all year (opponents are batting .311 off him) but is coming off his best start. Whoever blinks first loses, and the Mets are running 1-for-12 on stopping the bleeding.
Cincinnati is also 2-8 in their last 10 and still chasing their first series win of June, so a Reds team that just exhaled is being asked to do it again. That's the Mets' opening — if Senga can give them anything resembling 4 competent innings, the visitors are live. If he can't, this could get ugly twice in a row.