Vargas expected to start for New York against Detroit
Detroit Tigers (19-29, fourth in the AL Central) vs. New York Mets (24-26, third in the AL East)
Flushing, Queens; Saturday, 4 p.m. EDT
BOTTOM LINE: New York and Detroit will face off at Citi Field on Saturday.
The Mets are 13-9 in home games. The New York pitching staff averages 9.4 strikeouts per nine innings, Jacob deGrom leads them with a mark of 11.6.
The Tigers are 10-12 in road games. The Detroit pitching staff as a whole has an ERA of 4.98. Spencer Turnbull leads the team with a 2.68 earned run average. The Tigers won the last meeting 9-8. Buck Farmer earned his third victory and JaCoby Jones went 2-for-5 with a double, a home run and four RBIs for Detroit. Drew Gagnon registered his first loss for New York.
TOP PERFORMERS: Pete Alonso leads the Mets with 38 RBIs and is batting .256. J.D. Davis is 9-for-30 with two doubles, two home runs and six RBIs over the last 10 games for New York.
Jones leads the Tigers with five home runs and has 11 RBIs. Ronny Rodriguez is 8-for-39 with two doubles, a triple, a home run and five RBIs over the last 10 games for Detroit.
LAST 10 GAMES: Mets: 4-6, .223 batting average, 4.87 ERA, outscored by three runs
Tigers: 1-9, .211 batting average, 6.26 ERA, outscored by 46 runs
Mets Injuries: Justin Wilson: 10-day IL (elbow), Jason Vargas: 10-day IL (hamstring), Drew Smith: 60-day IL (elbow), Seth Lugo: 10-day IL (shoulder), Luis Avilan: 10-day IL (elbow), Brandon Nimmo: 10-day IL (neck stiffness), Jeff McNeil: 10-day IL (left hamstring tightness), Michael Conforto: 7-day IL (concussion), Yoenis Cespedes: 60-day IL (heels), Jed Lowrie: 60-day IL (knee), Robinson Cano: 10-day IL (quad).
Tigers Injuries: Jordan Zimmermann: 10-day IL (elbow), Tyson Ross: 10-day IL (nerve), Matt Moore: 60-day IL (knee), Michael Fulmer: 60-day IL (elbow), Jordy Mercer: 10-day IL (quad).