Two Struggling Clubs Collide at Citi Field in September Irrelevance
The Giants and Mets meet Friday night at Citi Field in a matchup that means little in the standings but plenty for individual players trying to finish the season with something to show for it. San Francisco (58-83) and New York (63-77) are both deep in the basement of their respective races, which means tonight is about pride, prospects, and a few veterans making their case.
Matt Wilkinson is expected to take the mound for the Giants, while Nolan McLean is set to start for the Mets — two pitchers who will be under the microscope in a late-season audition atmosphere. Neither team has much to play for collectively, but that can actually sharpen individual performances when roster decisions for next year start forming in the front office's mind. These September games are quiet, but they're not meaningless to the people playing in them.
On the Giants' side, Rafael Devers is the name to watch. He's slashed 32 home runs and driven in 83 runs this season — numbers that make him San Francisco's most dangerous bat by a significant margin. Jung Hoo Lee is hitting .283, giving the Giants a legitimate contact threat at the top of the order. If Wilkinson struggles to command the zone early, this lineup has the firepower to keep San Francisco competitive. For the Mets, Juan Soto's 23 home runs give New York its own power threat, and Bo Bichette has been the run-producer in the lineup with 66 RBI. Carson Benge is hitting .278, providing the Mets with a reliable average bat to build around. The Mets have the better record by five games, and at home, they'll carry a modest edge in familiarity and crowd energy — thin advantages, but real ones.
As for a model read, there isn't one for tonight's game — no validated projection is available, and I'm not going to manufacture confidence where none exists. What I will say is this: when two losing teams with live bats and unproven starters meet in September, offense tends to find a way. Watch Devers and Soto. One of them is likely to make the highlight reel before this one is over.