Mets vs Marlins Preview: Week 61 Showdown on Friday

The Mets roll into Miami riding a one-game winning streak, but they're banged up badly. Star shortstop Francisco Lindor sits out with a calf strain. Center fielder Luis Robert Jr. is still recovering from back issues. Even their catcher Francisco Alvarez is gone for eight weeks after knee surgery. Tobias Myers takes the mound for New York with a stellar 2.2 ERA and just 0.24 WHIP. Myers has been lights-out this season. The Mets' pitching staff stays healthy or they struggle. That's the story here. Myers needs to dominate Miami's lineup to keep New York's comeback hopes alive.

Miami sits at 22-29 and just dropped three straight games. That's rough. The Marlins are home at loanDepot park where they've been better—15-15 at home. Eury Pérez gets the start for Miami's pitching staff. The rotation has serious problems. Robby Snelling needs Tommy John surgery. Adam Mazur is out for the whole season. Sandy Alcántara has been injured constantly. That leaves young arms like Pérez to step up big. The Marlins need wins now. They need their pitchers to shut down New York's lineup and finally stop the bleeding.

Two teams scratching and clawing for wins. The Mets are 22-28 overall but desperate for health. New York's roster is shredded with injuries. Lindor, Robert Jr., and Alvarez are all out. Miami is 22-29, struggling with their own damage. Both teams need this win badly. Myers pitches well. That gives New York a chance. But the Marlins play better at home. Friday night in Miami will be tense. One team gets a lift. One team sinks deeper. Baseball is cruel. Winners and losers separate Friday night at loanDepot park.