The Padres took the season series, 4-2, from the Mets, including taking two of three at Citi Field in late-July, but there are some caveats on both sides.
The latest game between the two teams was played on July 24 — before Juan Soto was traded to San Diego and before Jacob deGrom made his return for the Mets.
As a result, this wild-card series will look different, but there are things we can take away from their meetings during the regular season:
- Yu Darvish dominated both his outings against the Mets, winning both starts and giving up just one run through 14 innings of work.
- The Padres only saw Max Scherzer once but acquitted themselves reasonably well, scoring twice in six innings as Scherzer struck out eight on July 22. Joely Rodriguez went on to give up two more runs in the seventh, but Scherzer was charged with the loss in a 4-1 defeat.
- Manny Machado had four extra-base hits and seven RBIs, including a home run, with an .828 OPS against the Mets this season. Citi Field has traditionally been a favorable ballpark for Machado; he has a .354/.418/.563 slash line over 13 career games in Queens.
- Ditto for Soto, who has a better career batting average at Citi Field than all but one other National League park, posting a .350/.464/.709 slash line with 10 home runs over 30 career games there.
- In the six games against the Padres, the Mets hit just two home runs, both coming in their two wins. Pete Alonso knocked a three-run blast against Joe Musgrove in an 8-5 victory on July 24 while Eduardo Escobar hit a two-run shot in an 11-5 win on June 6.
- Escobar had a standout year against the Padres, slashing .300/.300/.650 with six RBIs and four extra-base hits in 20 plate appearances. His .950 OPS this season is in some contrast with his career stats against San Diego, in which he has a .763 OPS over 58 games.
