Young players in spotlight as Phillies host Mets
PHILADELPHIA -- Fans are getting a look at the future at Citizens Bank Park this weekend.
First baseman/outfielder Rhys Hoskins made his debut for the Philadelphia Phillies on Thursday, and New York Mets first base prospect Dominic Smith is set to be called up ahead of the Friday game.
Smith is a touted 22-year-old first baseman who has 16 homers and a .905 on-base-plus-slugging percentage with Triple-A Las Vegas this season. The Mets have an opening for some playing time after trading outfielder Jay Bruce to Cleveland on Wednesday night.
"We want to get a look at (Smith) beyond just a typical September call-up," Mets general Alderson told the New York Post. "With ... Bruce going to Cleveland, it's not a direct replacement. Bruce did play some first base. But, as the number of veteran players and potential free agents is reduced, then we create more playing time."
It will be the second highly anticipated call-up for the Mets in August. The team promoted 21-year-old shortstop Amed Rosario on Aug. 1, and he is hitting .161 through nine games.
Hoskins, meanwhile, had a .966 OPS and hit 29 homers at Triple-A Lehigh Valley this season. He went 0-for-2 with a walk in his Phillies debut, a 10-0 loss to the Mets in the opener of the four-game series.
The Mets have won seven of their first 10 meetings with the Phillies this season and are 33-15 against them since the start of the 2015 season. New York has won 16 of the past 19 series against the Phillies and is 4-0 in Philadelphia this season.
One of the Phillies' few victories against the Mets this season came July 2 when rookie Nick Pivetta made the best start of his short major league career. Pivetta (4-7, 5.89 ERA) went seven innings -- tying the longest of his 16 major league starts -- and gave up just one run on one hit and four walks.
Box scores generally have not looked as pretty for Pivetta since that outing. In his past five starts, Pivetta has an 8.64 ERA with a 1.40 WHIP. His last outing was the worst of that stretch as he surrendered eight runs (six earned) in just 2 2/3 innings against the Colorado Rockies on Saturday.
"It's never a good feeling when you leave your bullpen out like that," Pivetta told Philly.com.
Opposing Pivetta will be Seth Lugo (5-3, 4.55 ERA). The Mets righty has made just one appearance against the Phillies, on Sept. 22, 2016. He went five innings, allowing three runs on four hits in that showing at Citi Field.
The Friday start will be the 12th of the season for Lugo, who missed the first two months to an elbow injury. The 27-year-old has been hurt by the long ball lately, giving up two home runs in each of his past three starts. Lugo allowed three runs on four hits over 5 2/3 innings in his most recent outing, a no-decision against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Saturday.
