PHILADELPHIA — The excitement is building as the New York Mets gear up to face the Philadelphia Phillies in the National League Division Series. The series kicks off at 4:08 p.m. on Saturday at Citizens Bank Park, following the Mets’ remarkable victory in Game 3 of the National League Wild Card Series.
In a noteworthy announcement just over 24 hours ahead of the game, Mets manager Carlos Mendoza revealed that Kodai Senga will be the starting pitcher for Game 1. The Phillies, who have earned a first-round bye as the No. 2 seed in the National League, will send Zack Wheeler to the mound.
As the teams prepare for the matchup, there’s plenty of news and analysis surrounding the opening game of the NLDS.
David Peterson made a solid contribution for the Mets after Kodai Senga pitched two innings since late July. Peterson, who recorded his first career save in Game 3, delivered another impressive performance from the bullpen, throwing three scoreless innings and allowing just one hit while striking out Bryce Harper on a fastball.
At the end of six innings, the Phillies held a 1-0 advantage.
Zack Wheeler continued to perform well through five innings, and the Mets’ offense struggled to capitalize on scoring opportunities. In the fourth inning, a single from Mark Vientos and a walk for Brandon Nimmo put the Mets in a promising position, but Pete Alonso struck out and Jose Iglesias hit into a double play, allowing the Phillies to maintain their lead. In the fifth, Starling Marte was hit by a pitch, but the inning ended with two strikeouts.
Senga’s return was marked by an early challenge; he allowed a leadoff home run to Kyle Schwarber but regrouped effectively, retiring six of the next seven batters with three strikeouts. After two innings, he had allowed one earned run on 31 pitches.
Meanwhile, Wheeler had faced minimal challenges from the Mets, allowing only a walk to Jesse Winker, with no hits through the first three innings.
In an impressive start to the playoffs, Schwarber set the tone early with a 425-foot solo home run off Senga, while Wheeler began the game dominating with a flawless first inning.
Both teams have announced their lineups for the NLDS Game 1, and anticipation builds for this playoff clash.
Fans can catch the action when the game begins at 4:08 p.m. on Fox.