Mets lining up aces for Dodgers series next weekend
Mets starting pitcher Justin Verlander works against a Padres batter Friday in San Diego. Credit: AP / Gregory Bull
SAN DIEGO — The Mets plan on bringing their best when they come out of the All-Star break and host the Dodgers, one of the teams relevant to the wild-card picture.
Justin Verlander will start the first game when the season resumes on Friday, manager Buck Showalter said. Showalter’s co-ace, Max Scherzer, will get the ball on Sunday.
Saturday’s starter is uncertain. The Mets had planned to slot in Kodai Senga — which would mean using their clear top three rotation members against a very good visiting team — but will have to adjust if he pitches in Tuesday’s All-Star Game.
“The curveball we got thrown at us, in a good way, is Senga potentially pitching in the All-Star Game,” Showalter said of the Japanese rookie, who was named an All-Star replacement on Saturday. “That could change some things. So we’re probably going to have to wait and see whether or not he pitches there. Whether he does or doesn’t, we’re in full support.”
Senga said he was surprised but honored to receive the selection. If he does pitch, Carlos Carrasco “could be” the choice for Saturday, according to Showalter. Senga and Jose Quintana would wait until the July 18-20 series at Citi Field against the White Sox.
Quintana update
Quintana pitched “with basically the flu” in his rehab start Saturday, Showalter said. That helps explain his middling results: five runs in 4 1⁄3 innings.
“His velocity and stuff was good the first two or three innings, then he kind of ran out of gas,” Showalter said.
Catching up
Francisco Alvarez started all six games on the Mets’ road trip and eight consecutive games overall.
“We wouldn’t be doing it if we didn’t have four days off, but he’s handled it well,” Showalter said.
Omar Narvaez, who got to spend part of Sunday morning lounging on a couch in the clubhouse while Alvarez prepared for the game, hasn’t started since June 30.
Showalter said using Alvarez as the DH with Narvaez behind the plate is an “option” to be deployed more often in the second half. The Mets have done that twice.
“[Narvaez] knows Alvy is playing at a high level and he should be catching,” Showalter said. “But he’s got a lot of personal and professional pride too. This guy is a good player and there will come a time where we will be glad we got him.”
Tim Healey is the Mets beat writer for Newsday. Born on Long Island and raised in Connecticut, Tim has previously worked for the South Florida Sun Sentinel, the Boston Globe and MLB.com. He is also the author of “Hometown Hardball,” a book about minor league baseball in the northeast.
