Game Chat: Mets vs. Cardinals, 1:15 P.M. (Game 1)

Sunday, May 4, 2025 • 1:15 PM
Busch Stadium • St. Louis, MO
RHP Blade Tidwell (0-0, -.–) vs. RHP Erick Fedde (1-3, 4.68)
WPIX

The New York Mets absolved their hitting woes Friday night and scored nine runs on 17 hits against the St. Louis Cardinals. It was the second time in three games that the Mets left at least 10 runners on base, but that doesn’t matter when you score nine runs. Five hitters in the Mets’ lineup had multi-hit games including three-hit games from Brandon Nimmo and Francisco Alvarez. Hopefully, the bats still have a few more hits left in them as they take on the Cardinals for Game 2 and 3 of the series in a Sunday doubleheader.

Mets Lineup

1. Francisco Lindor, SS
2. Juan Soto, RF
3. Pete Alonso, 1B
4. Brandon Nimmo, DH
5. Jesse Winker, LF
6. Luis Torrens, C
7. Jeff McNeil, 2B
8. Luisangel Acuña, 3B
9. José Azocar, CF

Blade Tidwell makes his major-league debut with the Mets this afternoon. The Mets always planned on using a spot-starter Sunday to give the starting rotation a bit more rest, so today was the best possible day for the Mets to have a doubleheader.

Tidwell has 27 innings over six starts with a 5.00 ERA, 3.21 FIP and 1.333 WHIP for Triple-A Syracuse this season. Minor-league batters have been whiffing 33.3% of the time leading a 12.3 K/9.

Cardinals Lineup

1. Lars Nootbaar, RF
2. Alec Burleson, DH
3. Brendan Donovan, LF
4. Nolan Arenado, 3B
5. Willson Contreras, 1B
6. Nolan Gorman, 2B
7. Pedro Pagés, C
8. Victor Scott II, CF
9. Jose Barrero, SS

The Mets’ bats will get a look at former Washington National Erick Fedde. Fedde played with the Nationals from 2017 until 2022. After a couple of poor seasons with the Nationals, he went to the KBO, re-established himself, and came back to the Chicago White Sox as a strong pitcher. The Cardinals traded for him before the deadline last season.

This season Fedde has pitched 32 2/3 innings over six starts with a 4.68 ERA, 4.78 FIP, 1.347 WHIP, and an 89 ERA+. The big change for Fedde has been his walk rate. His last season before the KBO it jumped to 4.1 BB/9, coming back from the Korean Baseball League it was a 2.6 BB/9. This season it has jumped again to 4.4.

His earned run statistics this season are being heavily influenced by his last start where he allowed seven runs from 10 hits over 5 2/3 innings. The Mets have the following career numbers against Fedde:

• Pete Alonso 6-16, 2 2B, 6 BB, 2 K
• Francisco Alvarez 0-0, 2 BB
• Francisco Lindor 6-19, 2B, HR, BB, K
• Starling Marte 3-11, 2B, HR, 2 K
• Jeff McNeil 7-16, 2B, 2 BB, K
• Brandon Nimmo 6-25, 3 BB, 4 K
• Juan Soto 2-3, 2B
• Tyrone Taylor 0-4, K
• Luis Torrens 1-2
• Mark Vientos 1-2
• Jesse Winker 4-12, 2 HR, K

Game Notes

The Mets announced a plethora of roster moves prior to Sunday’s Game 1:

• RHP Blade Tidwell was recalled from Triple-A. He will wear No. 40.
• LHP Danny Young was transferred to the 60-day injured list.
• RHP Austin Warren is set to be the 27th man for both doubleheader games.

According to manager Carlos Mendoza before the game, LHP Danny Young was recommended surgery for his injury. According to Will Sammon of the Athletic, he will undergo Tommy John surgery.

According to Mike Puma of the NY Post, RHP Dedniel Núñez is expected to join the Mets in St. Louis today. It is likely he will be activated ahead of Game 2 of the doubleheader and Game 1’s starter, Tidwell, will be returned to Syracuse (Triple-A).

Three Things To Watch For

1. Mets are creeping back up the home run charts. The 2024 Mets were sixth in the majors with 207 home runs (New York Yankees were first with 237). The 2025 Mets are starting to climb back up the leaderboards, tied the Baltimore Orioles and Cleveland Guardians for 10th in the major leagues with 38, trailing the Boston Red Sox, who have 41. Over the last two games, they have hit four home runs, all hit by players hitting in the two through four spots in the lineup (Soto, Alonso, and Nimmo).
2. Mets and triples. Did you know the Mets are second in the league in triples hit (eight)? They trail the Chicago Cubs who have nine and are ahead of a slew of teams with six.
3. The bullpen is finally rested. Friday, we discussed how Edwin Díaz essentially hasn’t pitched in a week. Thanks to Clay Holmes, José Buttó, and Ryne Stanek, most of the bullpen got the night off on Friday. Max Kranick and Reed Garrett each got a much needed day of rest and Huascar Brazobán hasn’t pitched for a couple of days. Bullpen management is going to be key this afternoon, but, in addition to Tidwell, as mentioned above, Dedniel Núñez is expected to rejoin the club. Núñez was a critical piece of the 2024 bullpen, pitching 35 innings with a 2.31 ERA, 2.22 FIP, 0.914 WHIP, and a 170 ERA+ before his injury. Over 10 1/3 innings in the minors this season, he has a 3.48 ERA and 2.032 WHIP with a 11.3 K/9.