After a 1-0 loss to the Mets earlier today, the Rockies will seek to split the four-game set in Queens before an evening flight to Pittsburgh.
Antonio Senzatela will take the ball for Game 2 after last pitching five days ago against the Diamondbacks. He worked five innings of two-run ball, and his use of his four-seam fastball spiked from a season-average 50.8 percent to 75.3. It will be interesting to see if some young Mets—filling in for a handful of injuries—will look to jump on his fastball early.
It will be equally interesting to monitor Senzatela’s pitch mix today for that very reason; his last start was far different than any other this year in terms of pitch selection. His slider use was at 19.1 percent in his last start against Arizona; he had previously thrown it at a near-equal clip to his heater from late April through early May. The right-hander threw 89 pitches in that outing, and 84 of them were either fastballs or sliders.
New York’s Joey Lucchesi will start opposite the Rockies and will likely stay under 70 pitches. His max pitch count in a start this year is 63, and this strategy is easily more favorable in a seven-inning contest. Lucchesi works almost exclusively with fastballs and changeups; without showing much of a third pitch, this may further suggest why the Mets don’t often let him see a third time through a lineup. Despite a limited mix, his strikeout percentage of 29.4 is well above the league average of 24.1.
In his last start against the Rockies (4/17), Lucchesi allowed three runs at Coors Field in three innings. Senzatela started a day later, tossing six innings of one-run ball.
Three total pitchers were used between both teams in Game 1 of today’s doubleheader; after the Wednesday postponement, both teams will retain a stocked bullpen for Game 2.
First Pitch: Shortly after conclusion of Game 1 (Est. 12:50 p.m. MDT)
TV: AT&T Sports Net Rocky Mountain, MLB.TV
Radio: KOA 850 AM/94.1 FM; KNRV 1150 (Spanish)
Lineups:
#Rockies lineup for game 2, featuring Connor Joe in left field instead of Raimel Tapia
— Danielle Allentuck (@d_allentuck) May 27, 2021
CF Garrett Hampson
SS Trevor Story
3B Ryan McMahon
1B CJ Cron
2B Brendan Rodgers
RF Yonathan Daza
LF Connor Joe
C Elias Díaz
P Antonio Senzatela
Game 2 lineup. #LGM
— New York Mets (@Mets) May 27, 2021
Thomas Szapucki will be the 27th player for today’s game. pic.twitter.com/0psqRNqy89