Saturday’s loaded MLB slate features an afternoon clash between the San Francisco Giants and the New York Mets at Citi Field.
The Mets (64–77, 5th NL East) took Friday’s series opener, 10–6, behind a whopping five home runs and a strong outing from Nolan McLean. The Giants (58–84, 4th NL West) will look to answer in the rematch amid their second-half swoon.
The clubs first met near the beginning of the season, with the Mets taking three of four matchups at Oracle Park.
Looking at the pitching probables, we’ve got San Francisco right-hander Anthony Molina (2–0, 3.77 ERA) taking on New York southpaw Zac Thornton (3–4, 2.93 ERA).
First pitch is at 4:10 p.m. ET. The Mets enter as 1.5-run home favorites with -186 moneyline odds on DraftKings Sportsbook. The Giants are +153 underdogs, with the game total set at O/U eight runs.
Giants vs. Mets Preview
San Francisco Giants
Tony Vitello’s maiden voyage as an MLB manager has not gone according to plan. The Giants are staked to the fourth-worst record in baseball and have gone a miserable 17–29 since the All-Star break.
San Francisco’s offense has continued to crumble during this stretch, ranking 26th in wRC+ and 27th in wOBA. Still, a red-hot Rafael Devers can flip a game on its head with his bat alone — as evidenced by Friday’s series opener. The star first baseman went 3-for-4 with his fourth home run in the last five games and drove in five of the team’s six runs.
Run prevention remains an issue, with the Giants ranking 22nd in ERA in the second half of 2026. And they’ve so far received mixed results from ex-Braves reliever Anthony Molina. The young right-hander, 24, has posted a solid 2.89 ERA in two starts (9.1 IP) since joining San Francisco’s rotation at the trade deadline. Still, Molina got tagged for three earned runs over five frames in his latest outing — ironically in Atlanta — on August 31.
New York Mets
While it’s likely too late for a last-second playoff push, the Mets are steadily gathering steam for next season. They’ve gone a decent 24–20 since the All-Star break to further separate themselves from MLB’s legitimate cellar dwellers.
New York recently welcomed back superstar slugger Juan Soto, who has mashed a pair of homers since returning from a five-week stay on the injured list. His presence further bolsters an offense that has quietly come alive, ranking 12th in wOBA and ninth in wRC+ in the second half.
Although the starting rotation remains fairly pedestrian, the Mets’ bullpen has been absolutely shoving of late — posting the sport’s second-lowest ERA (2.89) since the break. While No. 7 prospect Zac Thornton has tailored a promising 2.93 ERA across his first 11 starts (61.1 IP), his unsightly 4.60 xERA and troubling strikeout numbers forecast an eventual regression. With cracks already beginning to show for the young lefty, 24, New York is hoping its arm barn will be there if the pipe ever bursts.
Giants vs. Mets Pick, Best Bet
Following Friday’s 16-run firework show, it’s difficult rolling with anything but the over for Saturday afternoon. The Giants and the Mets tend to bring the best out of each other; they’ve combined for at least eight runs in four of their five games this year, with a floor of seven. The next installment of the season series will feature a pair of nascent starters saddled with xERA north of 4.40. Add in a fire-breathing Rafael Devers and a recharged Juan Soto, and you’ve seemingly got the formula for another high-scoring affair at Citi Field.
