The New York Mets are hosting the Atlanta Braves in a series to begin the 2020 regular season, and this is one of the best rivalries in baseball. There is no love lost between these two teams, and the rivalry should be even better this season.
The Mets took the opener 1-0 on a solo home run by Yoenis Cespedes on Friday.
Atlanta is the reigning champion of the National League East, but the Mets will be trying to knock them off this season, so a series win would be big for New York. The NL East race is expected to be tight throughout the year, and every game between these two teams is key.
Can Matz Stay Healthy For Mets?
Steven Matz will get the ball for the Mets in game two of the series, and he is a huge key for the team in 2020. Matz has been healthy over the past two seasons, and he showed plenty of promise in the second half of the 2019 campaign.
Matz went 6-4 with a 3.52 earned run average over his final 14 starts in 2019, and that earned him a chance to pitch in the second game of the season. The Braves feature a tough lineup, and Matz could have his hands full.
Pete Alonso is the biggest name in the Mets lineup, and he is one of the favorites to win the home run race in the National League. If the Mets are able to get runners on base in front of their slugger, it could lead to a huge offensive output.
Fried Looking to Continue Momentum From 2019
Max Fried will take the ball for the Braves on Saturday, and that should give Braves fans plenty of hope. Fried had 17 wins a season ago to go along with a sparkling ERA of just 2.96.
Fried is still young, and it will be important for him to duplicate his success from a season ago. The Braves do have a talented bullpen, and they will be able to close the game down if they are given a lead.
Atlanta’s offense is led by Freddie Freeman and Ronald Acuna Jr, and this team can really score. A tough first-round series exit in the 2019 MLB Playoffs will have this team ready to have a better showing in 2020.
Braves Win Game Two of Series
The Atlanta Braves and New York Mets are expected to compete for the National League East title this season along with the Washington Nationals. The Braves can’t afford to fall behind early on, so getting at least one win in this opening series is crucial.
The pitching matchup for game two of the series doesn’t feature the same big names as the series opener, but a pair of talented left-handers will be on the mound. Starting pitching will be crucial in 2020, and the Braves appear to have a slight edge in this game.
Atlanta also has the better overall lineup that is certainly looking to make up for a disappointing performance in the opener, and they will find a way to score enough runs off of Steven Matz to earn the win. Expect a close game on Saturday, but the Braves will come away with the win.
Bet the Atlanta Braves over the New York Mets in game two of the series on Saturday.
