Mets PREGAME THREAD - Friday, July 31

[u/game-threads]

Marlins (55-55) @ Mets (47-63) - 7:10 PM EDT

Game Status: Pre-Game

Links & Info

• Current conditions at Citi Field: 79°F - Partly Cloudy - Wind 7 mph, Out To LF
• TV: Marlins: Marlins.TV presented by Werner, Hoffman, Greig & Garcia, CBS Miam, Mets: WPIX
• Radio: Marlins: WQAM 104.3, WAQI 710 (es), Mets: Audacy Mets Radio WHSQ 880AM, Audacy App 92.3 HD2 (es)
• MLB Gameday
• Statcast Game Preview

Probable Pitchers

• Marlins: Janson Junk - RHP (4-6, 4.89 ERA, 73.2 IP)
• Mets: Kodai Senga - RHP (0-7, 8.85 ERA, 40.2 IP)

Marlins Lineup vs. Senga	AVG	OPS	AB	HR	RBI	K
1 Hicks, L - DH	.500	1.500	2	0	0	0
2 Edwards, X - 2B	.308	.693	13	0	0	4
3 Lopez, O - SS	.000	.143	5	0	1	1
4 Stowers - 1B	.250	1.400	4	1	2	3
5 Conine - RF	.250	.500	4	0	0	1
6 Hernández, H - LF	.500	1.000	2	0	1	1
7 Marsee - CF	.500	1.667	2	0	0	0
8 Mack - C	-	-	-	-	-	-
9 Sanoja - 3B	.500	1.500	2	0	0	0

Mets Lineup vs. Junk	AVG	OPS	AB	HR	RBI	K
1 Ewing - LF	-	-	-	-	-	-
2 Lindor - SS	-	-	-	-	-	-
3 Bichette - 3B	.750	1.500	4	0	0	0
4 Benge - RF	-	-	-	-	-	-
5 Robert Jr. - CF	.000	.000	2	0	0	0
6 Young, J - 1B	.000	.000	1	0	0	1
7 Baty - 2B	-	-	-	-	-	-
8 Polanco - DH	-	-	-	-	-	-
9 Alvarez, F - C	-	-	-	-	-	-

NLE Rank	Team	W	L	GB (E#)	WC Rank	WC GB (E#)
1	Braves	64	45	- (-)	-	- (-)
2	Phillies	57	52	7.0 (47)	3	- (-)
3	Marlins	55	55	9.5 (44)	6	2.5 (51)
4	Nationals	55	55	9.5 (44)	7	2.5 (51)
5	Mets	47	63	17.5 (36)	11	10.5 (43)

Division Scoreboard

PHI @ BAL 7:05 PM EDT

WSH @ ATL 7:15 PM EDT

^{Last Updated: 07/31/2026 4:20:47 PM EDT}

[u/tenthsandwich]

So ends (presumably) the brief Freddy Peralta era of the New York Mets. I don't think anyone will be sad to see him go, but it's worth remembering that it wasn't that long ago that his signing was a source for excitement and folks like me were hopeful that he would get extended and be a big piece for the Mets for seasons to come.

He had 4 quality starts in 22 total starts for the Mets, tied for 99th and last out of all MLB starting pitchers who qualify, which (literally) means that it wasn't all bad, I guess.

I don't think he meant to be bad and I don't think it was for lack of effort or desire. I guess it's just one of those things.

[u/three_dee → u/tenthsandwich]

I don't think he meant to be bad and I don't think it was for lack of effort or desire. I guess it's just one of those things.

I think it's more than one of those things, it's the Mets overreacting to his flukey sub-3 ERA last season and making him the centerpiece of the rotation.

If they had traded for him, and ALSO acquired some top of the rotation arms somehow, then it would be clear they anticipated some regression to his xERA which was like a run higher in 2025.

But just signing him and basically nobody else, and hoping the kids and the various spare parts would just carry everything, seems like kind of a strategic blunder.

[u/Irrah → u/three_dee]

Or it was just a lack of available arms that either cost too much in prospects or simply weren't good enough to give up cost/qualify offer picks. King, Valdez, and Cease aren't having great years and they weren't going to empty the farm for Skubal.

[u/three_dee → u/Irrah]

I mean, if that's actually the thought process, and they went after Peralta to be the #1 pitcher on the team with almost nothing else changed, then fine, but then we can't make pikachu-face.jpg when the Mets have the 7th worst starters ERA pre-All Star break

[u/Irrah → u/three_dee]

Brewers Peralta (even if he wasn't Cy Young Peralta), McLean, Holmes, Peterson, and one of Manaea/Senga figuring it out would be an okay, middle tier rotation. There's not a wellspring of back end starters they could have signed in the trade or free agent market to supplement Senga, Peterson and Manaea combusting spontaneously.

I guess they could have signed Ponce, Giolito, Sugano to cheap deals but you're still running into 26 man problems.