New York Mets at Pittsburgh Pirates

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
NYM	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	3	1
PIT	3	0	1	4	0	0	1	0	—	9	12	0

Saturday, August 8 pairs two pitchers on opposite ends of the experience spectrum. Robert Stock, a 36-year-old journeyman making just his second MLB start since 2021, gets the ball for the Mets in Pittsburgh. Across from him is Bubba Chandler, the Pirates' 23-year-old rookie who's already drawing Rookie of the Year buzz after a shutout debut against Cincinnati.

Show fees

FINAL

Spread

ML

Total

Mets(50-66)

WWWLL

0

+1.5-178+108o8.5-135

Pirates(57-60)

LLLWL

9

-1.5+178-111u8.5+135

Best BetPirates -118

Pregame

Pittsburgh's 3-game skid makes this an easy team to doubt, but the Mets are shorthanded and openly selling — this isn't a team fighting for anything. Chandler gives the Pirates a real difference-maker on the mound against a fill-in starter making just his second outing off a two-year layoff.

Stock's return start went about as well as the Mets could've hoped — 5.0 innings, 1 earned run, 4 strikeouts against Miami — but he's a rotation Band-Aid on a staff that's already lost Tylor Megill for the year. Chandler brings swing-and-miss stuff that touches triple digits, though his control has wavered enough that walks have piled up alongside the strikeouts. Neither lineup is fully healthy either — Pittsburgh is without Oneil Cruz and Ryan O'Hearn, while New York is missing Juan Soto and Mark Vientos.

Robert Stock

(0-2)·5.40 ERA

Aug 2 vs Marlins

L

5.0IP

1ER

4K

0BB

70P

08/08 Lineup

Bubba Chandler

(6-8)·4.38 ERA

Aug 3 @ Brewers

W

5.2IP

2ER

5K

4BB

96P

08/08 Lineup

None of that changes the bigger picture: the Mets are 50-66 and deep into sell mode, having shipped out Freddy Peralta and fired manager Carlos Mendoza in favor of interim skipper Andy Green. Pittsburgh, meanwhile, is just trying to stop the bleeding after dropping 3 straight and 4 of its last 5 against Milwaukee.

New York Mets

(50-66)

Aug 6W@ Guardians13-6

Aug 5W@ Guardians6-5

Aug 4W@ Guardians6-2

Aug 2Lvs Marlins0-2

Aug 1Lvs Marlins2-6

Pittsburgh Pirates

(57-60)

Aug 6L@ Brewers2-5

Aug 5L@ Brewers2-4

Aug 4L@ Brewers2-4

Aug 3W@ Brewers4-3

Aug 2L@ Reds2-10

The Pirates' skid hasn't been about getting blown out — three of their last four losses came by 2 runs or fewer — but the offense has gone quiet at the worst time. Even Paul Skenes, who the front office insisted would stay a Pirate through the deadline, has scuffled, winless in his last 9 starts. Chandler is the lone arm carrying real momentum into Saturday.

New York Mets

(7)

• 10-Day-ILJuan Soto (LF) — The Mets placed Soto (calf) on the 10-day injured list Saturday with a strained left calf.07/25
• 10-Day-ILMark Vientos (1B) — Mets interim manager Andy Green said Thursday that Vientos has been diagnosed with a fractured right hand and will be placed on the 10-day injured list, Chelsea Janes of SNY.tv reports.07/10
• 15-Day-ILCionel Perez (RP) — The Mets placed Perez on the 15-day injured list Friday with a left forearm strain.07/31
• 15-Day-ILAustin Warren (RP)
• 60-Day-ILJustin Hagenman (RP) — The Mets announced June 1 that Hagenman (rib) has yet to resume a throwing program, MLB.com reports.07/13
• 60-Day-ILReed Garrett (RP) — The Mets placed Garrett (elbow) on the 60-day injured list Tuesday.05/08
• 60-Day-ILTylor Megill (SP) — The Mets placed Megill (elbow) on the 60-day injured list Thursday, Anthony DiComo of MLB.com reports.05/08

Pittsburgh Pirates

(4)

• 10-Day-ILRyan O'Hearn (RF) — The Pirates placed O'Hearn on the 10-day injured list Saturday with a left quad strain, Colin Beazley of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.08/01
• 60-Day-ILOneil Cruz (CF) — General manager Ben Cherington said that there is no timeline for Cruz (hand) to return from the injured list, Colin Beazley of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.08/06
• 60-Day-ILMitch Keller (SP) — The Pirates placed Keller on the 60-day injured list Monday due to a right arm teres major muscle injury.08/03
• 60-Day-ILKonnor Griffin (SS) — The Pirates transferred Griffin (finger) to the 60-day injured list Saturday, Alex Stumpf of MLB.com reports.07/11

Stock's comeback is a fun story, but he's a 36-year-old filling innings for a team with nothing left to play for down the stretch. Chandler's the one with actual stakes on the mound — a rookie building his case for the future while everyone else in this game is just trying to get to September.