This isn’t September 2007 or September 2008 for the Philadelphia Phillies and New York Mets.
But the surging Phillies and reeling Mets are in familiar historical positions on Friday as the National League East rivals open a three-game series in Philadelphia.
Ace right-hander Zack Wheeler (7-2, 2.76 ERA) is slated to start for the Phillies.
The Mets will counter with rookie right-hander Blade Tidwell (0-1, 14.73), who will be recalled from Triple-A Syracuse to make his second career start. He will occupy the rotation spot previously held by Tylor Megill, who went on the 15-day injured list Tuesday with a right elbow sprain.
The Phillies and Mets continued going in opposite directions on the road Thursday night. Kyle Schwarber hit the tie-breaking homer to lead Philadelphia to a 2-1 win over the Miami Marlins in the finale of a four-game series. The victory was the Phillies’ seventh in the past eight games.
New York, meanwhile, suffered its sixth straight loss with a 7-1 setback to the Atlanta Braves.
The results created a tie atop the NL East between the Mets and Phillies, each of whom is 45-30. Philadelphia has made up a 5 1/2-game deficit since June 12 by going 6-1 against the Marlins and Toronto Blue Jays.
The quick surge by the Phillies and the sudden collapse by the Mets is reminiscent of the 2007 and 2008 seasons, when Philadelphia overcame September deficits to climb past New York and win the first two of its five straight NL East crowns.
“I really feel good about what we did here, and now we’ve got to move on,” Phillies manager Rob Thomson said after his team took three of four games from the Marlins. “We’ve got to face a really good club. And we’ve got our fan base in front of us, and it will be an exciting weekend.”
Excitement has been in short supply for the Mets, who had the best record in baseball before enduring their longest losing streak since a seven-game skid from June 2-9, 2023.
New York has been outscored 41-14 while being swept by the Braves and Tampa Bay Rays. The Mets weren’t swept in their first 22 series this season.
The downturn has been marred by a spate of pitching injuries for the Mets, who have placed Megill, Kodai Senga (right hamstring) and Max Kranick (elbow) on the injured list since June 13.
“It seemed like we were finding a way to win ballgames, being able to stay close and create some comebacks when we were able to go through the good stretches,” Mets left fielder Brandon Nimmo said. “Games are decided by small margins (at) this level. It’s something that you just have to kind of face, get through it and push through it and try and get to the other side as quickly as possible.”
Wheeler earned the win in his previous start last Sunday, when he gave up two runs (one earned) over six innings as the Phillies beat the Blue Jays 11-4. He is 5-5 with a 3.53 ERA in 16 career starts against the Mets, with whom he played from 2013 through 2019.
Tidwell hasn’t pitched in the majors since May 4, when he took the loss in his major league debut after allowing six runs over 3 2/3 innings as the Mets fell to the St. Louis Cardinals 6-5.
The 24-year-old is 4-4 with a 4.76 ERA in 13 games (11 starts) this season at Syracuse.
–Field Level Media
