Neither team is walking in confident, but both walk in with a pulse. The Mets have won 2 straight comeback games over Atlanta (10-9, then 7-6), while the Royals just took 2 of 3 from the Phillies, capped by a 15-1 blowout where they scored in every inning.
Juan Soto is the reason to actually watch this one regardless of the records. He was voted in as the NL's starting left fielder for the All-Star Game and just delivered a two-run homer in that Atlanta series, staying red-hot while everything around him has been a mess. Bobby Witt Jr. gives Kansas City its own building block, hitting .292 and playing like the best thing on a roster that's otherwise been gutted.
Both injury lists are brutal, but Kansas City's cuts deeper into the pitching staff. Cole Ragans is done for the year after UCL surgery, Kris Bubic just got a cortisone shot trying to stay off the IL himself, and the Royals don't even have a name to plug into Wednesday's game. The Mets have their own issues with Clay Holmes and Tylor Megill both out long-term, but at least they know who's throwing tonight.
First pitch for Wednesday's middle game is 7:10 PM ET, and with neither club playing for much beyond pride this July, the appeal here is watching two genuine building blocks — Soto and Witt — try to keep their seasons from feeling completely wasted.