Series Preview: Phillies at Metropolitans, 7/15-7/17

As the second half of the season begins, the National League East division leading Phillies (57-34) travel north on the turnpike to take on the Metropolitans (46-45) at Citi Field.

New York made headlines earlier this week, on the night of the All-star Game, when they dealt closer Francisco Rodriguez to the Brewers for two players to be named later. The Metropolitans are expected to continue to be sellers as the non-waiver trading deadline approaches.

Philadelphia is making news of its own, as this series begins, placing All-star third baseman Placido Polanco on the disabled list with a bulging disc in his back. The move is retroactive to July 5th, so Polanco would be eligible to return from the DL on July 20th.

Read ahead for details on the pitching match ups and other key stats for this series.

Friday, 7:05PM. Vance Worley (4-1, 2.20 ERA) vs. RA Dickey (4-7, 3.61 ERA). In 3 career outings against the Metropolitans, Worley has a 1-1 record with a 4.50 ERA. Worley has a 2-0 record with a 0.72 ERA in his last 4 Major League starts. In 4 career starts against the Phillies, Dickey is 2-2 with a 2.45 ERA. In 9 home starts this season, Rickey has a 1-5 record with a 3.98 ERA. Dickey, a right-hander, is 1-1 with a 1.88 ERA in his last 4 home starts.

Saturday, 4:10PM. Cole Hamels (11-4, 2.32 ERA) vs. Jonathan Niese (8-7, 3.88 ERA). Hamels has a 5-1 record with a 2.20 ERA in 8 road starts this season. In 15 career starts against the Metropolitans, Hamels has a 3-9 record with a 4.22 ERA. In his last 9 starts, Hamels has a 5-2 record with a 1.54 ERA. Scott Hairston is 6-for-17 (.353 avg) with 2 doubles and 3 HR in his career against Hamels. In 6 starts against the Phillies, Niese is 2-3 with a 3.11 ERA. In his last 5 games, Niese is 2-2 with a 5.48 ERA.

Sunday, 1:10PM. Kyle Kendrick (4-4, 3.58 ERA) vs. Mike Pelfrey (5-8, 4.55 ERA). In 11 road games this season, Kendrick has a 2-1 record with a 4.18 ERA. Jose Reyes is 10-for-26 (.385 avg) with a double, a triple and 2 HR against Kendrick. The righty Pelfrey is 6-5 with a 5.01 ERA in 16 career starts against the Phillies. In 7 starts at Citi Field this season, Pelfrey is 3-0 with a 2.96 ERA. Chase Utley is 10-for-32 (.313 avg) with 2 doubles and 4 HR against Pelfrey in his career.

In 17 career games at Citi Field, Ryan Howard has a .219 batting average. Howard's 18 homeruns this year are all against right-handed pitchers.

Domonic Brown is batting .371 in 9 July games. Brown is 5-for-7 (.714 avg) in 3 games at Citi Field this season.

In 38 road games this year, Raul Ibanez is batting .179. This season with runners on base and 2 outs, Ibanez has posted a .302 avg.

Carlos Beltran has posted a .301 average with 7 HR and 24 RBI in 41 home games this year. Beltran is a .260 hitter in 111 career games against the Phillies.

Justin Turner is batting .299 in 29 home games this season. In 5 games against the Phillies, Turner is 7-for-17 (.412 avg).

In 37 games since the end of May, Daniel Murphy is batting .329.

Phillies team ERA- 3.02.
Metropolitans team ERA- 3.95.

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