Game Chat: Braves vs Mets, 7:10 PM

Monday, June 23, 2025 • 7:10 PM
Citi Field • Flushing, NY
RHP Spencer Schwellenbach (5-4, 3.26) vs. RHP Paul Blackburn (0-1, 6.92)
SNY

The Mets are in a rough stretch right now. They have lost eight of their last nine games, including a seven-game losing streak that they snapped back on Saturday. The good news is that they have hit 10 home runs in their last three games. The bad news is they lost two of those games. Also, all 10 were solo home runs, and seven of those homers happened in the same game (which isn’t technically bad news, but unfortunate news if you’re trying to win more than one game). Anyway, tonight is another chance to reset themselves before the end of June as they welcome the Braves to Citi Field.

Mets Lineup

1. Francisco Lindor, SS
2. Brandon Nimmo, LF
3. Juan Soto, RF
4. Pete Alonso, 1B
5. Jeff McNeil, 2B
6. Tyrone Taylor, CF
7. Jared Young, DH
8. Luis Torrens, C
9. Brett Baty, 3B

Paul Blackburn has totaled 13 innings over four games and two starts this season with a 6.92 ERA, 3.76 FIP, 1.692 WHIP and a 57 ERA+. In his first start of the season against the Dodgers, he allowed no runs and only three hits over five innings. Since then, he has allowed 11 runs, 10 earned, from 15 hits. This includes a start against the Braves last week where he allowed four runs, three earned over 3 2/3 innings. The Braves have the following career numbers against Blackburn:

• Ronald Acuña Jr. 1-3, HR, BB
• Ozzie Albies 3-4, 2 2B, 3B
• Nick Allen 0-1
• Drake Baldwin 0-2, K
• Michael Harris II 0-4
• Sean Murphy 1-1, BB
• Matt Olson 0-3, BB, K
• Marcell Ozuna 0-3, K
• Austin Riley 2-3, BB, K
• Alex Verdugo 4-12, 2 2B

Opposing Lineup

1. Ronald Acuña Jr., RF
2. Matt Olson, 1B
3. Marcell Ozuna, DH
4. Austin Riley, 3B
5. Ozzie Albies, 2B
6. Sean Murphy, C
7. Michael Harris II, CF
8. Eli White, LF
9. Nick Allen, SS

The Mets’ bats will try to get something going again against Spencer Schwellenbach. Last week, the Mets scored four runs over seven innings thanks to two home runs against Schwellenbach, in a game the Mets eventually lost in extras. Overall this season, Schwellenbach has pitched 96 2/3 innings over 15 starts with a 3.26 ERA, 3.34 FIP, 1.014 WHIP and a 126 ERA+. The Mets have the following career stats against Schwellenbach:

• Pete Alonso 4-11, 2B, BB, 2 K
• Francisco Lindor 0-9, 2 K
• Starling Marte 0-3
• Ronny Mauricio 0-3, 2 K
• Jeff McNeil 2-6, 2B
• Brandon Nimmo 0-12, 4 K
• Juan Soto 1-2, HR, BB
• Tyrone Taylor 4-8, 2 2B, HR, 2 K
• Luis Torrens 0-2, 2 K
• Jared Young 0-3, 2 K

Game Notes

• Kodai Senga (hamstring) feels that a rehab assignment is “on the horizon for him.
• Per Anthony DiComo of MLB, Mark Vientos ((hamstring) is scheduled to get more starts at Triple-A Syracuse on Tuesday and Wednesday. It will be a few days before the Mets activate him.
• Before Monday’s game, the Mets made a flurry of roster moves. View them here.
• The Mets have dropped four straight regular season games against the Braves dating back to 2024. They are 61-79 all-time against Atlanta at Citi Field.
• In honor of Women’s Night, Mets players changed their walk-up songs to honor female musicians. View them here.

Three Things To Watch For

1. Lindor is back! After five consecutive games without a hit, Lindor has recorded two straight multi-hit games. Over his last two games, Lindor has gone 4-for-9 at the plate with a double and two home runs. The problem for the Mets is they aren’t hitting when Lindor (or anyone) is on base, and the only runs Lindor has scored over the last two games are from his home runs.
2. Positive under-the-hood metrics for Paul Blackburn. Outside of his first start, Blackburn’s results have looked pretty bad season. There are some real positive Statcast numbers for Blackburn, though. Hitters are only getting hard hits against him 27.1% of the time, which is near the top of the league (the league average is in the lower 40% range). This has been true for Blackburn throughout his four games. The average exit velocity against Blackburn is 87.3 mph (89.5 mph league average) and hitters are barrelling the ball 6.7% of the time (8.6% league average). Let’s see if that holds when he faces the Braves for a second time.
3. Tyrone Taylor. Were you surprised by Taylor’s lifetime numbers against Schwellenbach? We already know that Taylor is a major asset for the Mets in the field (94th percentile for fielding run value, 91st in range, 97th in arm value and 83rd in arm strength). While his hitting has left a lot to be desired, he’s doing some things well. He is in the 99th percentile for launch angle sweet spot. While his batting average is .232, his expected batting average is .276!

Let’s go Mets!