Mets Face Pirates in Key NL Matchup at PNC Park

Pittsburgh, PA – The New York Mets (48-34) are set to face the struggling Pittsburgh Pirates (32-50) in a three-game series starting Friday evening at PNC Park. The Mets lead the National League East and aim to solidify their position against a last-place opponent.

Having recently split a series with the Atlanta Braves, the Mets are looking to bounce back against a Pirates team that has faced significant challenges this season. Both teams have struggled recently, with the Mets going 3-7 in their last ten games and the Pirates matching that record during the same stretch.

The Mets’ David Peterson, sporting a 2.98 ERA, will take the mound in the opener against the Pirates’ Mitch Keller, who has a record of 1-10 and a 4.02 ERA. Despite Keller’s struggles, he has consistently delivered quality starts.

Recent performance highlights for the Mets include standout play from Juan Soto, who has 19 home runs and has excelled at the plate recently with a .325 batting average in June. Soto’s offensive reliability has been crucial for the Mets as they navigate injuries affecting their pitching depth.

The Pirates, while at the bottom of their division, have seen some promising individual performances, especially from Oneil Cruz, who leads the team with 13 home runs. However, overall team performance has been inconsistent, with offensive outputs failing to support their pitchers.

As both teams strive for better results, this series is critical for the Mets in their pursuit of postseason positioning while the Pirates look to develop their younger talent and gain momentum.

The series opens Friday at 6:40 PM, with both teams eager to make their marks as the season approaches its midpoint.