Peterson Should Lead Mets To Taking Down Birds

Orioles vs. Mets, 7:10 ET

Could this be an actual World Series preview? I think it is a bit of an unlikely matchup, but it certainly is possible. Afterall, the saying in poker is all you need is a chip and a chair, and right now both of these teams look like they'll have a chip and a chair in their respective leagues. The Orioles come into this game looking to try and put some separation between themselves and the Yankees. The Mets are looking to build upon their hot run that has been going for two months now and take down one of the best teams in the game. Let's take a look at how we should bet these two playoff probable teams as the Orioles take on the Mets. 

Baltimore comes into this game with a 73-52 record for the season, and currently in first place of the AL East. If you look at the exact standings, the Yankees are technically tied with the Orioles, but it appears that they have some sort of tie-breaker that gives them claim to the division crown. Either way, that battle will likely take place until the end of September, so determining who will win the AL East is a bit of an exercise in futility at this point. Just know the Orioles will make the playoffs, and should be considered a legitimate contender for the World Series crown. The team is effective both with hitting for power and for average this season, and has a great offense. Baltimore leads the Majors in home runs, but even when those dry up a bit in the playoffs against better pitchers, the Orioles are still seventh overall in batting average. Tonight, the Orioles are sending out Trevor Rogers to the hill to face the Mets. Rogers is unlikely to be a big playoff contributor for the Mets as he has a 2-11 record with a 4.89 ERA and a 1.57 WHIP. Neither of those numbers are very impressive. Since coming over from Miami at the trade deadline, he has allowed 12 earned runs in 14.1 innings. Two of those three starts he allowed at least five earned runs. He did face the Mets one time as a member of the Marlins, with a 4.2-inning start and only one earned run allowed. 

Baltimore Orioles SS Gunnar Henderson appears in his first-ever MLB Home Run Derby Monday. (Reggie Hildred-USA TODAY Sports)

New York looked like a dead fish for two or three months and then somehow they flipped a switch and put on a dominant run to position themselves for a shot at the playoffs. I mentioned they should have a shot at the playoffs, but if the playoffs started today, they would be on the outside because they are behind the Braves, Diamondbacks, and Padres. The Diamondbacks and Padres have been two of the best teams in the game the last month or so. Explaining the turnaround for the Mets is a little difficult, it isn't like they traded someone or got a key player back. They just started hitting and that seemingly has made all the difference in the standings and success. They are hitting .250 for the season, which is great. The pitching staff isn't full of high-dollar names or anything, but they are getting the job done. Tonight's starter, David Peterson, has been solid in the 13 games he has pitched for the Mets, bringing in a 7-1 record with a 3.04 ERA. He has been locked in this month, going 17.1 innings, and allowing just three earned runs. Peterson hasn't faced the Orioles this season, but he has a strong track record against them in the past, allowing just three hits over 21 at-bats.

The Mets are not playing their best baseball of the season at the moment, but they also aren't playing poorly. You can say the same with the Orioles, which makes it a little harder to predict exactly what will happen in this game. However, I think there is one clear indicator of who will win: the pitching matchup. Rogers has pitched poorly since he has come to Baltimore (though he could excel here against a team he is familiar with). And, Peterson has pitched well lately. I am backing the Mets to win this one mostly based on this matchup. I think Peterson is the better pitcher and will position the Mets for a victory tonight. 

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