2024 London Sequence Sport 2 FAQ: Phillies vs. Mets – MLB.com

Anthony DiComo
Todd Zolecki
Melanie Martinez-Lopez 
LONDON — The London Sequence is now formally in full swing.
In entrance of 53,882 followers, the Phillies had 11 hits, together with three house runs, to win the first game of the series, 7-2, over the Mets on a crisp Saturday night at London Stadium.
“I believe it was nice. There have been [nearly 54,000 fans], which clearly speaks volumes to the assist on the market and the way nice a job MLB has finished in creating these excursions,” Mets middle fielder Harrison Bader mentioned. “I believe they're a number of enjoyable to play in, however much more so for the followers — they're actually essential for the followers. So it's simply been an amazing expertise to date.”
The power from the followers was contagious, and Bryce Harper’s soccer slide celebration added to it. Following Harper’s game-tying dinger within the fourth inning, the Phillies rallied for 5 extra runs within the inning, full with a three-run homer by Whit Merrfield.
“It was enjoyable, with the ability to put individuals on their ft and put pleasure in individuals,” Harper mentioned. “That's what it's all about. With the ability to try this as we speak was a number of enjoyable.”
Sport 1 of the collection was an exhibition of what America’s favourite pastime is all about: having enjoyable and listening to the connection between bat and ball. There may be yet one more sport to be performed Sunday.
Right here’s a primer about Sport 2 between the Phillies and Mets:
The London Sequence is a part of the MLB World Tour, which was created to deliver Main League groups and gamers to a world fanbase. It’s the league’s and the MLBPA’s largest worldwide plan, fashioned with the intention of enjoying as many as 24 regular-season video games and as many as 16 exhibition video games in Asia, Europe, Mexico and Latin America via the 2026 season.
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First pitch for Sport 2 is slated for 10:10 a.m. ET on Sunday and can air on ESPN. It will also be watched on MLB.TV.
Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park is a sporting complicated that was initially constructed for the 2012 Summer time Olympics. The complicated consists of what’s now often known as London Stadium, a multi-use facility that hosts concert events and sporting occasions. At present the house of West Ham United FC of England’s Premier League, London Stadium has been reconfigured to host this weekend’s baseball video games.
Mets: LHP Jose Quintana (1-5, 5.17)
The Mets’ most constant starter within the second half final season, the 35-year-old veteran Quintana has struggled to search out that very same stage of consistency to date this yr. One among his greatest begins got here final month in Philadelphia, the place Quintana held the Phillies to 2 runs over 5 1/3 innings.
Phillies: RHP Taijuan Walker (3-1, 5.73 ERA)
Walker began the season on the injured checklist due to an impingement in his proper shoulder. He hasn’t hit his stride, which has Phillies followers questioning if right-hander Spencer Turnbull might rejoin the rotation sooner or later. Walker’s greatest pitch is his splitter, however he hasn’t been throwing it successfully this season. He promised to throw a bunch on Sunday in an effort to maintain the ball on the bottom.
Mets: The staff will tweak its lineup with the right-handed Walker on the mound for the Phillies, giving second baseman Jeff McNeil his first chance to start since final weekend. The lineup ought to look one thing like this:
1. Francisco Lindor, SS
2. Pete Alonso, 1B
3. Brandon Nimmo, CF
4. J.D. Martinez, DH
5. Starling Marte, RF
6. Brett Baty, 3B
7. Jeff McNeil, 2B
8. Harrison Bader, CF
9. Tomás Nido, C
Phillies: Phillies supervisor Rob Thomson mentioned Johan Rojas will begin in middle discipline on Sunday, after Cristian Pache began there Saturday.
1. Kyle Schwarber, DH
2. J.T. Realmuto, C
3. Bryce Harper, 1B
4. Alec Bohm, 3B
5. Nick Castellanos, RF
6. Bryson Stott, 2B
7. Edmundo Sosa, SS
8. Whit Merrifield, LF
9. Johan Rojas, CF
Mets: Though the Mets used 5 relievers Saturday, together with lengthy man Adrian Houser for two 2/3 innings, they’re nonetheless in positive form given two off-days earlier than this collection. Reed Garrett, Drew Smith and Dedniel Núñez are all working on four-plus days of relaxation, and solely Houser is prone to be unavailable given Saturday’s workloads.
Phillies: The Phillies’ bullpen ought to be in good condition on Sunday. Orion Kerkering pitched 1 1/3 innings Saturday, and Seranthony Domínguez pitched one inning. However high-leverage relievers José Alvarado, Jeff Hoffman and Matt Strahm remained rested and prepared.
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Mets: The Mets have handled vital accidents all through the primary two-plus months of the season. At present, they’re lacking All-Star nearer Edwin Díaz, who didn’t make the journey attributable to a proper shoulder impingement. He ought to be again subsequent week. Beginning catcher Francisco Alvarez can be out recovering from left thumb surgical procedure and will return inside the subsequent week. Ace pitcher Kodai Senga has missed all the marketing campaign thus far attributable to a shoulder capsule pressure, and the Mets’ prime left-handed reliever, Brooks Raley, is completed for the yr after present process elbow surgical procedure.
Phillies: Shortstop Trea Turner has missed greater than a month due to a strained left hamstring. He’s shifting nearer to a return, however it received’t occur till the Phillies are house from London. Outfielder Brandon Marsh (strained proper hamstring) and utility participant Kody Clemens (again spasms) are additionally on the injured checklist.
Mets: No Met is hotter than Lindor, who entered Saturday’s play with a 1.000 OPS over his earlier 15 video games earlier than doubling in his first at-bat and scoring. On the opposite aspect of issues is Baty, whom the Mets demoted to Triple-A Syracuse final week however introduced again for the London Sequence as their twenty seventh man. Earlier than going to the Minors, Baty was in a 6-for-47 (.128) hunch with 19 strikeouts.
Phillies: Harper fell a triple in need of the cycle on Saturday. He doubled within the first inning, homered within the fourth and singled within the fifth. He has hit 15 homers this season, which is tied for second within the Nationwide League with Shohei Ohtani. … Castellanos hit a towering homer to left within the eighth inning Saturday. He entered the sport batting .333 with two homers and a 1.083 OPS in his previous seven video games.
McNeil, who has been out of the beginning lineup for 4 consecutive video games, will return Sunday towards Walker. Since Jose Iglesias arrived from Triple-A on Might 31, the Mets have utilized a conventional platoon at second base, with McNeil beginning towards right-handed pitchers and Iglesias going through lefties. The issue, for McNeil, is that Walker shall be simply the third right-handed starter they’ve seen in eight days. Consequently, he has amassed solely a handful of at-bats since Iglesias arrived on the scene.

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