INF J.D. Davis has been activated from the 10-Day Injured List. INF José Peraza has been optioned to the alternate site. LHP Stephen Tarpley will be the team’s 27th man today. RHP Franklyn Kilome has cleared waivers and has been outrighted to the Alternate Site.
The Mets continue to try their hardest to break Jacob deGrom. After letting him throw 100mph in March, of which nothing good ever comes, today they will pitch him in really cold weather, of which nothing good ever comes.
In the nightcap, Joey Lucchesi, who is the Mets 5th starter because Steve is cheap, will make his first start with the Mets…He made his Mets debut out of the bullpen on April 7 at Philadelphia, tossing 2.0 scoreless innings, striking out three and surrendering only one hit.
Lucchesi gained fame for a pitch he calls a “churve”… He holds it deep in his palm like a classic circle changeup, and for most of his college career, that’s all it was – a basic changeup…Early in his pro career, he began tinkering with his wrist action as he threw it, snapping off the pitch like a breaking ball…It soon became his go-to putaway weapon…The pitch generated a 48 percent whiff rate in 2020 and a whiff rate of at least 37 percent in all three of his big league seasons. In other words, we’re just making crap up now to pretend he’s good.
Pronounces his last name loo-KAY-see…His nickname is Joey Fuego…Trying to scheme up a creative Twitter handle while at Southeast Missouri State, Lucchesi asked his college teammates for a nickname…One of them suggested “Fuego,” and years later, he still goes by the pseudonym… Gets a haircut the day before every start…When he arrives at a new mound, he prefers to spend time on the mound and visualize the start…He did it in college before every Friday night start…Also calls his father, Kenneth, before each start and the two talk through the next day’s game.
Dominic Smith is batting .298/.360/.568 with 64 runs, 32 doubles, a triple, 23 homers, 73 RBI, 33 walks and a .928 OPS in 147 games since the start of the 2019 season…This includes a .292/.375/.506 slash line against fellow southpaws and a .300/.355/.587 mark against right-handers. But did the Mets let him play Opening Day? No.
Vulgar Pete continues to be terrible, although one imagines a week in Denver and Wrigley should help things.
Last Game: 0-3, RBI, K
Streak: 0 for last 3
RISP: .182 (2-11), 3 RBI
and he has ONE home run.
