The New York Mets are hoping that relief pitcher Phil Maton can provide some much-needed help to their struggling bullpen as they face off against the Washington Nationals in the middle game of a three-game series. Maton was acquired from the Tampa Bay Rays earlier in the week, and the Mets are eager to see him in action.
The Mets are currently sitting at .500 and are 1 1/2 games behind the San Diego Padres in the National League wild-card race. They are hoping that Maton’s experience and success in the playoffs will translate to regular-season success and help bolster their bullpen.
Maton has a career regular-season ERA of 4.28 but has been lights out in the playoffs with an 0.83 ERA and 22 strikeouts over 21 2/3 innings. Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns is excited to see what Maton can bring to the team and is looking forward to evaluating the team further before the July 30 trade deadline.
Stearns mentioned that Maton will join the team either Wednesday or Thursday and is confident that he will make an immediate impact. Maton has a record of 1-2 with a 4.58 ERA and two saves this season.
The Nationals, on the other hand, have been struggling with slow starts on offense. They are 3-6 this month and have scored the majority of their runs after the sixth inning. However, they were able to rally late in Tuesday’s game against the Mets, forcing closer Edwin Diaz to come in and secure the win.
The pitching matchup for the game will feature Luis Severino for the Mets against Patrick Corbin for the Nationals. Severino is looking to bounce back after a tough outing against the Pittsburgh Pirates, while Corbin is hoping to get back on track after a no-decision against the St. Louis Cardinals.
Both teams will be looking to gain ground in the competitive NL East division, and this matchup is sure to be an exciting one. Stay tuned for more updates on this matchup and the latest news in Major League Baseball.
–Field Level Media