METS vs. PHILLIES
TODAY: RHP Bartolo Colon (6-3, 4.85) vs. RHP Severino Gonzalez (above) (2-1, 7.11), 1:10 p.m. ET
Tuesday: RHP Jacob deGrom (5-4, 2.75) vs. RHP Jerome Williams (3-4, 5.44), 7:10 p.m. ET
Wednesday: RHP Noah Syndergaard (1-2, 3.63) vs. RHP Sean O’Sullivan (1-3, 3.54), 1:10 p.m. ET
Severino Gonzalez, 22, makes his fourth major league start in the series opener against the Mets. Gonzalez returned from Triple-A Lehigh Valley on Wednesday and limited the Colorado Rockies to one run in five innings at Coors Field. He replaced Chad Billingsley, who landed on the disabled list with a right shoulder strain.
When countryman Carlos Ruiz caught Gonzalez in the rookie’s debut on April 28, it marked the first time in major league history two Panamanians formed a battery. Interestingly, Gonzalez initially received a $14,000 signing bonus from the Phillies (while Ruiz received an even more modest $6,000 back in 1998). Gonzalez’s fastball has averaged 88.9 mph with the Phillies this season.
Ryan Howard and Chase Utley were out of the starting lineup Sunday against Washington Nationals’ left-hander Gio Gonzalez, but both have heated up. Howard is hitting .425 (17-for-40) with four homers and eight RBIs in his past 10 games (nine starts). After going homerless in his first 11 games of the season, Howard since has produced 10 long balls in 30 games. Utley is hitting .379 (11-for-29) with four RBIs in his past nine games (eight starts), although that only has lifted his season average to .173.
Utley has batted sixth in the lineup on four occasions since May 15. The placement marked his lowest position in the order since June 30, 2005.
Ex-Met Jeff Francoeur is hitting .382 (13-for-34) with one homer and nine RBIs since May 4 while sharing right field with Grady Sizemore.
Outfielder Ben Revere reportedly is available via trade, with the Los Angeles Angels one potential landing spot. Revere is earning $4.1 million this season. The Phillies want to create space so Cody Asche can man left field. Like Asche,Domonic Brown is stuck at Triple-A after being activated from the disabled list.
Cesar Hernandez has reached base safely in 21 of his last 49 plate appearances (11 hits, 10 walks). That gives him a .429 on-base percentage during that stretch.
