NLCS Rematch, Mike Piazza Weekend Highlight Mets Schedule in July

The New York Mets (40-34) currently sit three games behind the Washington Nationals in the NL East, but a strong showing in July could completely wipe out the deficit. New York’s July slate, however, is not easy by any means.

New York’s home schedule in July will feature an NLCS rematch against the Chicago Cubs, three games against the Miami Marlins and St. Louis Cardinals, four pivotal games against Washington, and four games against the Colorado Rockies. The All-Star Break takes place in the middle of the month, giving the Mets a chance to rest before starting their second-half run. The Mets are offering some great promotions and giveaways during July, so fans should check out the slate before heading to the ballpark. An overview of New York’s top games in July is presented below.

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7/2/16 vs. Chicago Cubs | Jake Arrieta vs. Noah Syndergaard | Avg. Price: $138.14 | Get-in: $34

The New York Mets and Chicago Cubs will square off for the third game of their four-game set on Saturday, July 2nd. This matchup will feature two of the three best pitchers in the National League, Jake Arrieta and Noah Syndergaard. These two pitchers have combined for 20 wins and 217 strikeouts thus far. This match-up will have a post-season feel, so fans should secure tickets soon. On TiqIQ, the average ticket price is $138.14, while the get-in price is $34. Fans can also enjoy fireworks after the game. This is the second highest ticket price in July, so fans should act soon to secure tickets. Fans driving to the game can find options for Citi Field parking.

7/4/16 vs. Miami Marlins| Wei Yin Chen vs. Steven Matz | Avg. Price: $82.62 | Get-in: $14

The Miami Marlins will travel to Citi Field for a four-game set that starts on Monday, July 4th. The Fourth of July is a great time to enjoy a baseball game with friends and family, so expect a great turnout at the ballpark. In fact, according to TiqIQ, the average ticket price for Marlins vs. Mets is $82.62, which is the highest average ticket price during this series. Matz (7-3) who is dealing with elbow tightness, is slated to start this game.

7/9/16 vs. Washington Nationals| Max Scherzer vs. Steven Matz | Avg. Price: $124.26 | Get-in: $30

The Mets and Nationals will start play the third game of a pivotal four-game set on Saturday, July 9th. Scherzer and Matz are scheduled to square off on Wednesday, June 29th in Washington, so this will likely be a highly anticipated re-match. All fans that attend this game will receive a Mets’ fedora. On TiqIQ, the average ticket price is $124.26, which is the highest average ticket price in this series. Hotels near Citi Field are available at Hipmunk for as low as $34, with hotels near JFK airport slightly more expensive at $85.

7/30/16 vs. Colorado Rockies| Pitching Matchup TBD | Avg. Price: $243.99 | Get-in: $48

It’ll be an emotional day on Saturday, July 30th when the New York Mets retire Mike Piazza’s No. 31. Piazza, who is a member of 2016 Baseball Hall of Fame class, was revered as a New York Met and the organization is showing its appreciation for Piazza on this day. Fans that want to attend this game solely to watch the ceremony should act soon and buy tickets. The average ticket price for Rockies vs. Mets is $243.99, which is the highest ticket price in July.

7/31/16 vs. Colorado Rockies| Pitching Matchup TBD | Avg. Price: $122.63 | Get-in: $31

The Mets will close out their July slate with a game against the Colorado Rockies on Sunday, July 31st. All fans in attendance will cap off Mike Piazza weekend by receiving a Mike Piazza bobblehead. The average ticket price for this game is $122.63, which is the third highest ticket price in July.

Mets Tickets 6% Below Average For Series Vs Nats

The Mets are the only team in the National League with a positive run differential, and a record under .500. But run differential doesn’t matter when it comes to playoff seeding, and right now the Mets are 7.5 games out of first place in the NL East. Next on the Mets schedule is the Washington Nationals, the team that is leading the division. Lucky for the Mets, the game is at Citi Field, where the team is actually above .500 this season. Winning the series would be a good start if the team wants any hope of being in a pennant race come September. New York Mets tickets are averaging $67.32 for the game, which is six percent below their season average at Citi Field.

8/12 – WAS Doug Fister vs. NYM Rafael Montero | Avg. Price: $61.94 | Get-in Price: $14

The first start of the series goes to rookie Rafael Montero, who is filling in for the injured Jacob deGrom. deGrom is another rookie pitcher for the Mets, who came up the same time as Montero originally. But while Montero struggled mightily and had to be sent down, deGrom flourished and garnered NL Rookie of the Year consideration. But Montero is coming off two of his best starts in the minors, showing the poise and control he was known for as he made his way through the Mets minor league system. The average price for Mets vs Nationals tickets is $61.94 and the get-in price is $14, making it the cheapest game of the series.

8/13 – WAS Jordan Zimmerman vs. NYM Bartolo Colon | Avg. Price: $66.70 | Get-in Price: $14

The following start goes to Bartolo Colon, who was thought to be a trade candidate for a Mets team that was open to selling. But no team was willing to pay the remainder of Colon’s contract, which goes for $11 million next season. Still, Colon has been one of the Mets most reliable pitchers, and has walked the fewest batters while piling up the innings. The price climbs a bit for the game with the average up to $66.70 and the get in price remaining at $14.

8/14 – WAS Stephen Strasburg vs. NYM Dillon Gee | Avg. Price: $73.33 | Get-in Price: $15

The final game of the series is the most expensive, but it probably doesn’t have much to do with the fact that Dillon Gee is starting. Instead, it’s likely to do with the Nationals starter, Stephen Strasburg, who the Mets were lucky enough to miss the last time these two teams met. The average price of the game is $73.33 and the get-in is $15. Strasburg has one of the highest strikeout figures in the entire league while putting together a 3.0 WAR and 3.68 ERA, in a team-leading 156.1 innings.