Mets May Struggle Against Athletics

The Oakland Athletics' pitching staff is facing challenges largely attributed to insufficient investment from the team's front office. Despite ranking 23rd in ERA, advanced metrics reveal a more nuanced picture, indicating that the A’s have a surprisingly effective pitching unit. They have allowed the fourth-fewest home runs in Major League Baseball and rank among the top three in expected weighted on-base average contact (xwOBAcon), suggesting that the quality of batted balls they concede is not as damaging as their ERA might imply. One standout performer for the A’s is Joey Estes, who has shown significant improvement in his sophomore season. Estes has increased his strikeout percentage by four points and reduced his expected ERA by 3.50 since his rookie year. While not a dominant strikeout pitcher, his diverse six-pitch arsenal has allowed him to command the strike zone effectively, evidenced by a low walk rate of 6.1 percent. In contrast, the New York Mets' David Peterson struggles with hard-hit balls, with 43.3 percent of batted balls against him exceeding 95 mph. His expected ERA of 5.43 places him in the bottom six percent of pitchers, and he averages only 7.2 strikeouts per nine innings. Peterson's performance heavily relies on the run support from the Mets, which has been inconsistent. As the A’s prepare to face the Mets at Citi Field, they bring a formidable lineup that ranks in the top five for exit velocity and home runs, potentially exposing Peterson's vulnerabilities and creating an intriguing matchup.