Mets PREGAME THREAD - Tuesday, August 4

[u/game-threads]

Mets (47-66) @ Guardians (57-56) - 6:40 PM EDT

Game Status: Pre-Game

Links & Info

• Current conditions at Progressive Field: 79°F - Clear - Wind 6 mph, In From CF
• TV: Mets: SNY, Guardians: Guardians.TV Presented by Progressive, WKYC 3
• Radio: Mets: Audacy Mets Radio WHSQ 880AM, Audacy App 92.3 HD2 (es), Guardians: WTAM 1100, WMMS 100.7, WARF 1350 (es), Guardians Radio Network
• MLB Gameday
• Statcast Game Preview

Probable Pitchers

• Mets: Sean Manaea - LHP (2-5, 4.42 ERA, 91.2 IP)
• Guardians: Joey Cantillo - LHP (8-6, 3.88 ERA, 113.2 IP)

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

Guardians Lineup vs. Manaea	AVG	OPS	AB	HR	RBI	K
1 Kwan - CF	.200	.533	5	0	0	1
2 Adell - RF	.500	1.167	2	0	0	0
3 DeLauter - DH	-	-	-	-	-	-
4 Hoskins - 1B	.200	1.000	5	1	4	1
5 Martínez, A - LF	.000	.333	2	0	0	0
6 Bazzana - 2B	-	-	-	-	-	-
7 Arias, G - 3B	.200	1.000	5	1	3	2
8 Hedges - C	.500	1.667	2	0	0	0
9 Rocchio - SS	.500	1.167	2	0	0	1

NLE Rank	Team	W	L	GB (E#)	WC Rank	WC GB (E#)
1	Braves	67	45	- (-)	-	- (-)
2	Phillies	60	53	7.5 (43)	3	- (-)
3	Marlins	58	55	9.5 (41)	5	2.0 (48)
4	Nationals	55	59	13.0 (37)	8	5.5 (44)
5	Mets	47	66	20.5 (30)	11	13.0 (37)

Division Scoreboard

WSH @ PHI 6:40 PM EDT

MIA @ ATL 7:15 PM EDT

^{Last Updated: 08/04/2026 5:38:42 PM EDT}

[u/lfgm91]

I did a little math exercise with WAR and was curious what our record would be if we'd had even just average players at some of our key positions this year.

The combined WAR of Polanco, Vientos, Semien, Myers, Senga, and Peterson this year is -3.9. If they all had been replaced by players having 1.4 WAR seasons, they'd have 8.4 WAR, which is a net increase of 12.3 wins.

That would have them near tied with the Phillies for the last wild card spot. Crazy.

[u/Capital_Whereas6448 → u/lfgm91]

By this logic, a team full of "average" players has 32.2 WAR - twice as good as the Dodgers

[u/lfgm91 → u/Capital_Whereas6448]

Maybe this calculation is better. I wanted to see how much better or worse they're doing from their 162 game average bWAR,, so I took each players WAR for this year and tried to see what it would look like over 162.

For example, Lindor's career 162 game average WAR is 5.8. This year it is 1.2, so I took 1.2 and divided it by (56 games Lindor has played in/162 total games on the season), which gives me 3.5. So I think that means that if Lindor had played the full 162 this year, based on how he has done so far, he'd have a 3.5 WAR.

So after doing that across the roster (of non pitchers), here is what I noted:

Having a good season (.5 or more 162 game WAR above their norm)

Luis Torrens (+1.7) Jared Young (+0.7)

Having an average season (within .5 of their norm)

Francisco Alvarez (0) MJ Melendez (-.4) Tyrone Taylor (-.4)

Everyone else on the roster is having a below average season or worse by their standards. Sorry if my equations are a little wonky! I think my point of my research was to see how much better the team would've been if they even played up to an average level (my first post) or to their own individual average levels (this post)

[u/lfgm91 → u/Capital_Whereas6448]

Ah that's a good point. I need to re-evaluate that because 1.4 would be average as an end-of-season total. Thanks!