The Mets head into Friday night’s opener against the Astros trying to stop a skid that has started to dull the glow from their trade-deadline surge.
After Thursday’s 8-2 loss to the Brewers, New York has now dropped back-to-back series and sits at 13-8 since the deadline. The latest setback came after the Mets lost two of three to the team with the best record in baseball, and now they turn to a three-game set with Houston at Citi Field. First pitch is scheduled for 7:10 p.m.
The matchup also brings a tough test on the mound. Christian Scott gets the ball for the Mets in what will be his 20th start of the season.
He enters at 4-3 with a 3.73 ERA, a 1.32 WHIP and 111 strikeouts across 89⅓ innings, but August has been a rough month. Scott has given up at least three earned runs in each of his last four outings, posting a 6.30 ERA over that span.
In his most recent start, he allowed four earned runs on five hits and four walks in 4⅔ innings against the White Sox.
Houston counters with Hunter Brown, who will be making his 15th start. The 27-year-old right-hander is 3-3 with a 3.54 ERA and 1.33 WHIP, and he also comes in off a start in which he allowed one earned run on seven hits and three walks while striking out four against the Athletics.
The Mets’ lineup for Friday lists A.J. Ewing in center field, Francisco Lindor at shortstop, Bo Bichette at third base, Carson Benge in right field, Luis Robert Jr. in left field, Jared Young at first base, Marcus Semien at second base, Brett Baty as the designated hitter and Luis Torrens behind the plate.
In Other News...
Mets Need To Stop Delaying Three Roster Auditions
The Mets have reached the point in the season where the next wave of roster decisions is less about patience and more about information gathering. Jonah Tong, Nick Morabito and Zach Franklin have all done enough in the minors to make the conversation unavoidable, and the case for bringing them up is not just about reward, but about finding out what each player can actually handle before the calendar turns toward 2027.
Roster rules always complicate these choices, and the Rule 5 Draft adds another layer of urgency for a front office that can ill afford to wait too long. The Mets do not need to force every prospect into the big leagues at once, but delaying all three auditions only stretches the uncertainty further, especially when each player has already made a compelling enough case to deserve a real look. [Read more 🡒]
Mets Young Arms Face A Test Andy Green May Not Fully Allow
Andy Green spent part of this week thinking like a manager and part of it thinking like a pitcher trying to survive an impossible matchup. With the Mets bringing three young arms into a series against the Astros, the interim manager knows exactly what kind of stress comes with letting a developing pitcher work through a dangerous middle of a lineup, especially when Yordan Alvarez is lurking there and has already drawn a pile of intentional walks this season.
Greens answer has been shaped by his own past, including the rare experience of facing Barry Bonds, a reminder that some hitters force managers to choose between development and survival. Christian Scott got the first crack in the series and saw Alvarez several times, walking him once during his outing, but the larger question for the Mets is how far Green is willing to push his young pitchers in that same spot before the game plan gives way to pure strategy. [Read more 🡒]
Clay Holmes Is Already Setting Up A Big Cubs Decision
Clay Holmes has already given the Cubs something to think about well beyond the stretch run. After coming over from the Mets at the trade deadline, the right-hander has continued to work as a starting pitcher, a role he embraced after signing a three-year, $38 million deal before the 2025 season.
Mark Feinsand of MLB.com reports that Holmes is expected to opt out after the 2026 season and try free agency rather than remain under contract with the Mets in 2027. For the Cubs, that turns a short-term addition into a longer conversation, with the next chapter for Holmes still pointing toward a market that could get very interesting. [Read more 🡒]