NL wild-card game 2016: TV coverage, starting pitchers, time for Mets-Giants

Joe Rodgers

NL wild-card game 2016: TV coverage, starting pitchers, time for Mets-Giants image

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The San Francisco Giants and New York Mets each took unconventional roads to the 2016 MLB postseason but after near-disasters in the second half they can start again with new life.

The Giants owned the best record in MLB at the All-Star break (57-33) and appeared well on their way to dethroning the Los Angeles Dodgers atop the NL West, but a cold spell in the lineup paired with a franchise-worse 32 blown saves left the club with a worse second half (30-42) than the dismal Rays, Braves and Reds.

But the Giants have shown they are getting hot at the right time as the club finished the regular season with four straight wins, outscoring their opponents 26-6 including a 3-0 win over Clayton Kershaw and the Dodgers. Can San Francisco turn it around and win a fourth consecutive World Series title in an even-numbered year? The Mets and ace Noah Syndergaard stand in their way. 

MORE: Ranking the top 50 players in baseball's postseason

While the Mets began the season with arguably three aces, only Syndergaard remains after injuries plagued not only the rotation but also the lineup. Starters Steven Matz (shoulder), Matt Harvey (thoracic outlet syndrome) and Jacob deGrom (ulnar nerve damage) join David Wright (neck) and Neil Walker (back) as Mets stars who will sit out this postseason. 

What time is the NL wild-card game?

While injury woes could inhibit the Mets later in October, Syndergaard and company must find a way to stop Madison Bumgarner and the Giants as aces duel Wednesday at Citi Field (8 p.m. ET, ESPN). 

Players to watch

—Bumgarner owns a 2.14 ERA in 88 1/3 playoff innings and is no stranger to jump-starting a playoff run. In the 2014 wild-card game Bumgarner threw a complete-game shutout with 10 strikeouts against the Pittsburgh Pirates to send San Francisco to the Division Series and ultimately a World Series title over the Kansas City Royals. He is 4-0 with a 0.62 ERA in 29 career innings at Citi Field. 

—Syndergaard finished the regular season ranked slightly ahead of Bumgarner with a 2.60 ERA, good for third-best in MLB. “Thor” has also held current Giants hitters to a .176/.250/.235 slash line over his career. 

—Daniel Murphy was the Mets' postseason hero last season as the club reached the World Series. This year, another left-handed bat is getting hot down the stretch: Asdrubal Cabrera. The infielder is batting batting .345 with 22 extra-base hits, 29 RBIs and 23 runs scored in 40 games since coming off the disabled list Aug. 19.

Key stats

—The Giants are 0-62 this season when trailing after eight innings and have lost a franchise-record nine games in which they led entering the ninth inning — with five of those setbacks coming in September.

—Don't be surprised if their bullpen allows a home run to the Mets. New York has scored 51.1 percent of its 671 total runs via home runs this season, the highest percentage of team runs scored on homers in NL history, according to MLB.com

—On the flip side, the Mets' bullpen has allowed just four runs in its last 30 2/3 innings (1.17 ERA) dating to Sept. 23. 

MORE: Complete postseason TV schedule

—One clear weakness the Giants could look to exploit is the number of stolen bases Syndergaard has given up this season. The right-hander allowed a major league-high 48 stolen bases, a number Angel Pagan, Eduardo Nunez and Denard Span can add onto, if they reach base. 

—The Giants posted a .988 fielding percentage this season, tied with the Nationals for the best in the majors.

Joe Rodgers