Mets Vs. Twins: Five Things To Watch And Series Predictions, July 29-31

Here are five things to watch and predictions as the Mets and Braves play a four-game series at Citi Field starting on Thursday night.

Can the rotation stabilize and provide length?

With Kodai Senga going down with a calf injury — likely for the remainder of the regular season — the rest of the rotation is under an even bigger microscope, and will be relied on to pick up the slack.

While the Mets are no longer planning to operate with a six-man rotation now that Senga is out, which removes the need to replace the spot left vacant by him, his absence means that more will fall on the shoulders of pitchers such as Tylor Megill (at least for now).

Megill struggled in a starting role earlier this season before being sent down to Triple-A Syracuse, and he had an uneven first start back on Saturday, allowing four runs on five hits — including three home runs. He made it through 6.0 innings, though, which was an improvement over the length he provided in all but one of his eight prior starts this season.

Another key pitcher with Senga out will be David Peterson, who has performed very well overall but is prone to having one blowup inning that torpedoes his starts — as was the case during the four-run fourth inning against the Braves on Sunday when he threw nearly 40 pitches.

New guys getting acclimated; more help on the way?

After their trade for Phil Maton a few weeks ago, the Mets have made two more trades that have addressed some of their biggest needs.

Reliever Ryne Stanek was acquired from the Seattle Mariners, though he struggled in his first appearance with the Mets, allowing a pair of homers.

Jesse Winker was acquired from the Nationals, giving the Mets another starting-caliber outfielder to mix in with Starling Marte still out, and leading to DJ Stewart getting optioned to Triple-A.

Winker has been sneaky good this season (his 129 OPS+ dwarfs the 100 OPS+ of Jazz Chisholm Jr., who was just traded to the Yankees), and the Mets were able to obtain him by giving up No. 22 prospect Tyler Stuart.

With just over a day to go until the trade deadline, more reinforcements should be on the way, with the Mets still in search of a starting pitcher and perhaps one more reliever.

Brandon Nimmo has gone cold

After an absolutely torrid stretch that should’ve earned him his first All-Star nod, Nimmo has gone almost impossibly cold.

He has just three hits in his last 10 games over 39 at-bats, and has slashed .077/.250/.077 during that span.

Nimmo’s cold snap has put a crimp in a top of the lineup that had been pacing the Mets’ torrid offense.

Also holding the offense back recently? The struggles of J.D. Martinez, who was given the day off on Sunday after suffering a Golden Sombrero on Saturday.

Final tough series before another ‘easy’ stretch

During the Mets’ most recent “easy” stretch, they went 7-3 against the Nats and Rockies.

They’re about to enter the next soft spot of their schedule.

Following this three-game set with the Twins, 12 of the Mets’ next 16 games come against four of the worst teams in baseball — the Angels, Rockies, Athletics, and Marlins.

Yes, it’s never easy playing in Colorado. And yes, the Marlins are pesky. But the Angels, Rockies, A’s and Marlins are putrid (and will likely have worse rosters after the trade deadline), meaning the Mets have a chance to do some serious damage.

Mets face old friend Simeon Woods-Richardson

Woods-Richardson, a hard-throwing right-hander, was traded by the Mets to the Blue Jays in the Marcus Stroman trade way back in 2019.

Now, Woods-Richardson — who will start the series opener — gets a chance to face the team that drafted him.

The 23-year-old, who got a taste of the bigs in 2022 and 2023, is in the midst of a breakout campaign, with a 3.27 ERA (3.56 FIP) and 1.11 WHIP in 88.0 innings over 17 starts.

An old friend the Mets won’t face is Carlos Correa.

Correa, who is having a terrific season, is out due to plantar fasciitis.

Predictions