Syndergaard, Mets Ready to Face Bumgarner and Giants in NL Wild Card

Noah Syndergaard (RICH SCHULTZ/GETTY IMAGES)

Every once in a while, the baseball gods treat the fans with a great game. That is exactly what is set up for Wednesday night at Citi Field.

Mets vs Giants.

Noah Syndergaard vs Madison Bumgarner.

The winner goes on to the NLDS for a date with the Chicago Cubs.

Syndergaard is 1-2 in three career starts against the San Francisco Giants with a 3.66 ERA, has allowed eight earned runs, and struck out 14 batters. Syndergaard has taken it to another level in the final month and a half of the season as the Mets have won six of his last eight starts. In his last start against the Giants, Syndergaard had arguably his best start of the season allowing just two hits and two walks over eight shutout innings at AT&T Park.

Bumgarner on the other hand has some more experience against the Mets. In six career starts against the Mets, “Mad Bum” is 5-0 with a 1.80 ERA and 46 strikeouts. Included in those five wins is a complete game shutout. He is also 4-0 in his career at Citi Field with a 0.62 ERA. Perhaps the scariest stat: he is 7-3 in his postseason career, but is unbeaten on the road.

Bumgarner has also pitched in the one-game playoff before. In 2014, Bumgarner threw a four-hit, complete game shutout in Pittsburgh. The Giants went on to win the World Series that year with Bumgarner being the World Series MVP.

There two silver linings in this, however. In his last start against the Mets, Bumgarner struggled. He gave up four runs on six hits in just five innings. He has also given up eight earned runs in his last two starts against the Dodgers and Padres. So maybe the Mets are getting him at the right time.

The other silver lining is the fact that Syndergaard is starting for the Mets. As a rookie last year, he pitched well in the playoffs. It wouldn’t surprise me at all if Syndergaard matches Bumgarner pitch for pitch.

With the first pitch scheduled for 8:08 p.m. Wednesday night, Citi Field should be electric and provide a real home-field advantage for the Mets. Even though the Mets should be happy about having the game at home and not having to travel across the country, road teams are actually 6-2 in the one-game Wild Card playoff.

So how do the Mets knock off the team that has won three of the last five World Series?

In my opinion, it comes down to three things that the Mets have to do. First, Syndergaard has to pitch well. If he gives up three runs or more, the Mets might have some trouble winning this game. Bumgarner will not be allowing too many runs tomorrow night. Number two, get Bumgarner out of the game as fast as possible. The Giants have a middle of the pack bullpen. It’s a bullpen that the Mets can take advantage of. Lastly, the top three hitters in the Mets lineup have to carry the offense. Bumgarner is a left-handed pitcher and is incredibly tough on left-handed hitters. It’ll be up to Jose Reyes (switch hitter), Asdrubal Cabrera (switch hitter), and Yoenis Cespeds (righty), to do some damage against Bumgarner. Cabrera is as hot as any hitter in the game right now. Reyes has been swinging a pretty hot bat as well. And we all know what Cespedes can do with one swing.