After falling short of expectations a season ago, the New York Mets look to start the 2024 season on the right foot as they host the Milwaukee Brewers on Friday.
Milwaukee Brewers vs. New York Mets (-110, 7.5)
The start on the mound for the Mets goes to Jose Quintana, who was a bright spot for the team one season ago — posting a 3.57 ERA to go along with 0.6 home runs and 2.9 walks allowed per nine innings in 13 starts.
While the Brewers counter with a starting pitcher in Freddy Peralta, who had great strikeout numbers with 11.4 strikeouts to 2.9 walks per nine innings last season, he’s traditionally been a slow starter.
In 19 career starts in March and April, Peralta has his highest ERA of any month at 4.19 with his issues centered around command, issuing 3.7 walks per nine innings. Last season specifically, Peralta had a 4.64 ERA from the start of the season through the end of May, issuing 3.8 walks per nine innings across his first 10 starts of the season.
While the Brewers support Peralta with a bullpen that ranked second in the league last season in ERA with a 3.42 ERA, not having closer Devin Williams to begin the season is likely to cause some late-game inconsistencies while the Mets get back Edwin Diaz, who two seasons ago, had a 1.31 ERA with 17.1 strikeouts per nine innings in the closer’s role before missing the entire 2023 season due to injury.
While signing Rhys Hoskins from the Philadelphia Phillies in the offseason should make a Brewers lineup that ranked last in the National League in road home runs slightly more dangerous, he is coming off of missing the entire 2023 season after belting 30 home runs two seasons ago.
With Peralta posting a 7.59 ERA in Spring Training, just 7.6 strikeouts per nine innings and the Brewers lineup still having major questions, the Mets will open their season with a win on Friday.
The Play: Mets -110
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