For the New York Mets, Saturday was a good news day — on and off the field.
After receiving positive updates on the progress of a pair of injured players who could make important contributions down the stretch, New York answered a Friday night loss to the Miami Marlins with a 1-0 win that evened the four-game series.
The Mets aim to make it two victories in a row on Sunday afternoon when the teams meet in Miami.
New York received a pair of wins before taking the field Saturday. Right fielder Starling Marte, who’s been out since late June with a bone bruise in his knee, is ramping up baseball activities. Marte now is playing catch and hitting off a tee.
And right-handed starting pitcher Kodai Senga made what the team hopes is his last rehab start for Triple-A Syracuse. Although Senga gave up five earned runs on eight hits over three innings against Rochester, he could be ready to make his season debut at Citi Field Friday night against the Atlanta Braves.
Senga has been sidelined by a right shoulder capsule strain since February. He then dealt with nerve inflammation in his right triceps in May. Senga, 31, was 12-7 with a 2.98 ERA in 29 starts in 2023, striking out 202 hitters in 166 1/3 innings. First-year manager Carlos Mendoza said the team likely will shift to a six-man rotation upon Senga’s arrival.
“Everything is moving in the right direction,” Mendoza said of Senga.
Rookie right-hander Christian Scott (0-2, 4.36 ERA) gets the call for the Mets, hoping for more length than he provided in his most recent appearance on July 13. He lasted 4 1/3 innings in New York’s 7-3 win over Colorado, allowing three runs on seven hits with a walk and five strikeouts.
Scott faced Miami on May 17, giving up four runs and seven hits in four innings of an 8-0 defeat. He’s averaging just over five innings in his eight MLB starts.
The Marlins will hand the ball to left-hander Trevor Rogers (1-9, 4.72), who gave the team 5 2/3 strong innings during a 3-2 win last Sunday at Cincinnati. Rogers yielded two runs on two hits with three walks and four strikeouts.
“He was great,” Miami manager Skip Schumaker said. “He threw his fastball really well at the top. His changeup was really good. Kept the ball on the ground for the most part. He did enough for us to keep us in the game.”
Rogers has made eight career starts against New York, going 2-3 with a 3.52 ERA and striking out 48 in 38 1/3 innings. This will be his first appearance against the Mets this year.
Miami has split eight games with New York in 2024 and suffered a pair of one-run losses along the way, including Saturday’s result. The Marlins had plenty of chances to win but went 0-for-7 with runners in scoring position and stranded 10 men on base.
Schumaker said it’s important for the Marlins to finish the season strong despite their bleak record (34-64), the worst in the National League.
“We still have a lot of games left,” he said. “We’re obsessed with trying to get our guys better.”
–Field Level Media