Phillies (69-85) at Mets (82-72)
7:10 p.m. on CSN
There are just eight games left in the Phillies' season and five of them are against the Mets. After back-to-back losses, the Phils send Alec Asher to the hill against another spot starter for New York on Saturday night.
Here are five things to watch.
1. Thor with strep thoat
The Phillies dodge a major bullet Saturday: One of the best pitchers in baseball has been scratched with a case of strep throat.
Noah Syndgergaard has been the ace that was promised for New York this season, but the team announced Friday he wouldn't be able to make tonight's crucial start. With the Mets needing every win they can get, they'll have to turn to Sean Gilmartin.
For the first time all season, the Mets will go through a turn in their rotation without Syndergaard, Jacob deGrom, Matt Harvey and Steven Matz, their four postseason starters in 2015. While Syndergaard will almost undoubtably pitch again this season, the other three are all out or likely out for the year.
As for today's implications, it's not just that the Phillies miss a really good opposing starter; they avoid a starter who has had their number this season. In two starts, Syndergaard is 2-0 against the Phillies with a 1.29 ERA and 15 strikeouts in 14 innings. He's allowed just 11 baserunners and a .149 batting average to the Phils.
MLB
2. Sean on the spot
With Syndergaard out, the Mets have to go with their second spot starter in two days. Gilmartin was one of 19 pitchers used in Thursday's 9-8 Mets win and recorded two outs before hitting Ryan Howard with a pitch.
Because he's been pitching out of the bullpen for the last month and pitched two days ago, Gilmartin is not stretched out and this game will be essentially a "Johnny Wholestaff" game for manager Terry Collins, who has never been afraid to use a littany of relievers.
The 26-year-old lefty did pitch almost exclusively in the rotation in Triple A this season, going 9-7 with a 4.86 ERA. He has a 4.76 ERA in 17 innings in the majors and has not started a game until tonight.
His one career start came in the final series of last season against none other than the Phillies. He got the loss after giving up two runs in five innings. He also picked up a win against the Phillies on Aug. 24, 2015, with 3⅓ scoreless in relief during a 16-7 drubbing by the Mets.
3. Asher aims for 2nd win
Asher's three starts this season have gotten progressively worse. He shut out the NL East-leading Nationals for six innings on Sept. 8, gave up two runs in 6⅓ on Sept. 13 and then lasted just 4⅓ frames and gave up two runs to the Pirates on Sept. 18.
The positive here is he hasn't hit the lows he established during his late season stint last year nor has he lost a game yet. While wins and losses have been deemed an archaic stat by many, it definitely means something to the players themselves.
Including tonight, Asher likely has two starts left this year. Whether it's his new two-seam fastball or simply his ability to get through a start without putting the Phillies in a tremendous hole, the 24-year-old righty has really shown the team something in just three starts.
In his three starts, he's allowed just 17 baserunners in 16⅔ innings. While he did not strike out anyone in his first start, he's fanned four batters in each of his last two outings and avoided any walks his last time out.
The only bad news is his one start against the Mets last season (Sept. 30) was the worst of his career, giving up five runs on two home runs while getting just two batters out.
4. Players to watch
Phillies: Cesar Hernandez has reached safely in 28 straight games and has a 10-game hitting streak going. That's brought his batting average up to .293, as he continues to take major strides at the plate.
Mets: Yoenis Cespedes has been a thorn in the Phillies' side this year. He is 14 for 43 with four home runs, 11 RBIs, two doubles, a triple and seven walks. He has four hits in this series.
5. This and that
• No MLB player has faced Gilmartin more than Freddy Galvis, who is 2 for 8 with a walk. Odubel Herrera is No. 2 in plate appearances vs. the lefty with two hits and a hit by pitch.
• Only one Phillie has an extra base hit off Gilmartin and that's Darin Ruf, who has a home run in three at-bats. The current Phillies are batting .158/.289/.237 against the southpaw.
• Two current Mets have hits off Asher. Curtis Granderson led off the disastrous 2015 start with a double and Michael Conforto ended with a home run.
• The Phillies have the third best rotation ERA in September with a 3.01 mark. Despite a rash of injuries, the Mets are fifth with a 3.38 rotation ERA.
• Meanwhile, the Phils' 6.20 bullpen ERA in September is only better than the MLB-worst Minnesota Twins and their 6.33 ERA. The Phillies' pen has allowed 12 homers this month.