Monday, April 7, 2025 • 7:10 PM
Citi Field • Flushing, FL
RHP Valente Bellozo (0-0, 2.08) vs. RHP Kodai Senga (0-1, 3.60)
SNY
Are you sick of seeing the Marlins yet? After playing the Marlins six times in spring training and three times in the first week of the season – the schedule gods have dictated another Marlins vs Mets series.
The Mets are coming off a three-game sweep of the Blue Jays. Since playing the Mets, the Marlins split a two-game set with the Braves, with the rubber game getting washed out yesterday. Sandy Alcantara was supposed to pitch in Sunday’s game and will miss tonight’s as he and his wife prepare to welcome a baby girl (congrats, Sandy!) Can the Mets’ bats break out of their funk against a spot starter?
Mets Lineup
Kodai Senga faced the Marlins in his first start of the season, where he allowed two runs, four earned, over five innings from three hits and a walk while striking out eight batters. The under-the-hood numbers for Senga were a mixed bag in his first start. On the positive side, he had a 41% Whiff% and a 63.6 GB%. He also had a 54.5% Hard-Hit rate. Senga used his four-seamer 28.6% of the time, while the ghost fork made up 26.0% of pitches thrown. Will he attack the Marlins the same way tonight? The Marlins have the following career numbers against him:
- Jonah Bride 0-1, BB, K
- Griffin Conine 0-2
- Xavier Edwards 1-7, 2B, 2 K
- Nick Fortes 0-4, 2 K
- Otto Lopez 0-2
- Matt Mervis 0-4, BB, 2 K
- Dane Myers 0-2, K
- Graham Pauley 1-2, 2B, K
- Kyle Stowers 1-3, HR, 2 K
Opposing Lineup
- Xavier Edwards, SS
- Kyle Stowers, RF
- Otto Lopez, 2B
- Matt Mervis, DH
- Eric Wagaman, 1B
- Griffin Conine, LF
- Dane Myers, CF
- Graham Pauley, 3B
- Nick Fortes, C
The Marlins are leaning on Valente Bellozo as a spot starter tonight. On March 29, Bellozo pitched 4 1/3 innings against the Pirates, holding them to one run from four hits and two walks while striking out four batters. They then sent him down to the minors, where he pitched two innings on Friday, allowing one run from two hits and a walk while striking out three batters. It is unclear how deep Bellozo can go in Monday’s game. The Marlins bullpen had Sunday off to rest, but the Mets have an opportunity now to make them work extra at the start of this series if they can knock Bellozo out fast.
Bellozo made one start against the Mets last season, allowing two runs on seven hits over 5 1/3 innings. The Mets have the following career numbers against him:
- Pete Alonso 1-3
- Francisco Lindor 1-3
- Starling Marte 1-3, K
- Brandon Nimmo 1-2, HR, BB
- Tyrone Taylor 0-2, K
- Luis Torrens 0-2, K
- Mark Vientos 1-3, K
- Jesse Winker 1-2
Game Notes
- Francisco Alvarez played catch with his catchers mitt at Citi Field before Monday’s game. He’s coming off hamate bone surgery.
- According to Zach Braziller of the NY Post, the Mets will honor St. John’s on Wednesday, and Zuby Ejiofor will throw out the first pitch.
Three Things To Watch For
- Score Runs! The Mets bullpen has been brilliant to start the year, keeping the Mets in every game. They have been carrying the Mets over their four-game winning streak while the bats have mostly gone silent. On Sunday, the Mets turned three walks and seven hits into only two runs, going 1-for-5 with runners in scoring position, leaving seven batters on base.
- Back half of the lineup. A big reason the Mets left so many runners on base yesterday was because of the back half of the lineup. The Mets 1-4 batters Sunday combined to go 5-for-13 with two strikeouts. The rest of the Mets lineup went 2-for-15 with seven strikeouts.
- Mets bullpen. The Mets bullpen held the Blue Jays scoreless for 4 1/3 innings on Sunday, allowing one hit and striking out five batters. Overall, against Toronto, the bullpen allowed only one run in 13 innings. Between playing close games, early exits by starters, and an offense that is struggling, the Mets have really leaned heavily on the bullpen the last few days. Senga was limited to only 77 pitches in his first start, so it could be another bullpen-intensive night.
Let’s go Mets!
