The New York Mets host the Milwaukee Brewers on Tuesday in the first game of a three-game series. The 34-28 Brewers snapped an eight-game skid with a win on Sunday against the Nationals to avoid getting swept. The Mets, meanwhile, took two of three from the Angels to improve to 40-22 on the year and will be back home after a 5-5 West Coast trip. They've won eight straight at home and are 19-8 overall at Citi Field this season, so they'll be delighted to be back sleeping in their own beds heading into this one.
"Last night was all about the Mets, baby." - MLB
The Mets will tab Chris Bassitt, who is 4-4 with a 4.35 ERA. Bassitt got lit up in his previous start, allowing six earned runs in 3 1/3 innings in his team's 13-2 loss. The Brewers lineup that he'll be tasked with was shut out three separate times during their losing streak, but they still rank 13th in the majors with 4.3 runs per contest. They're also third in the MLB in home runs despite some of their recent struggles at the plate.
"STREAK ENDED! We’re back in the win column and hungry for more." -Brewers
Milwaukee will send out Adrian Houser, who currently has a 3-6 record with a 3.92 ERA. Like Bassitt, he also got lit up in his last outing. Last week, he surrendered five runs in six frames in a 10-0 loss to Philadelphia. Milwaukee is now 1-5 in Houser's last six starts, which is less than encouraging.
The Mets offense ranks third in the MLB in runs per game with an average of 5.1, and they're coming off of a three-game series where they put up 17 total runs. They have a well-balanced lineup that strikeouts out the fourth-lowest among all MLB teams and hold the highest batting average and OBP. Houser, who is seeking his first win since May 5, will have his work cut out for him on Tuesday.
New York Mets vs. Milwaukee Brewers Match Details
Fixture: Milwaukee Brewers @ New York Mets
Date & Time: Tuesday, June 14, 7:10 p.m. EDT
Venue: Citi Field, Flushing, NY
New York Mets vs. Milwaukee Brewers Betting Odds
The under has hit in eight of the last nine meetings between these two, including five of the last seven where the Mets were home. However, with two starters coming off awful starts, this trend could definitely be reversed. Also, since four of Milwaukee's last five have seen the total go over, and seven of the last eight for New York at Citi Field, expect a higher scoring contest on Tuesday.
New York Mets vs. Milwaukee Brewers Best Picks
Chris Bassitt has a 9.7 strikeout per nine rate, and he's managed to strike out six or more batters in nine of his 12 starts this year. In the three starts in which he came short, in two of those, he pitched less than six innings. Look for Bassitt to get some swings and misses against a Brewers club that has the eighth-highest strikeout rate in the MLB.
Pick: Chris Bassitt Over 5.5 Strikeouts (-136)
New York Mets vs. Milwaukee Brewers Betting Prediction
The Mets have solidified themselves as contenders this year, and they have the record to back it up. Their lineup should propel them to win the series opener against a Milwaukee team that's lacking confidence at the moment.
Prediction: New York Mets ML (-147) & Over 7.5 Total Runs (-140)