It may be hard for the New York Mets to soak in everything London, England has to offer with their current place in the National League East Standings. Their opponent in the MLB London Series will give a stark reminder, as it's the team they are chasing in the standings. The Philadelphia Phillies are the best team in the National League, owning a 44-19 record.
The Phillies and Mets played a four-game home-and-home series this season, with the first two games in New York at Citi Field, then moving to Citizens Bank Park for the final two matchups. The Phillies won the series' first three games before the Mets took the final meeting 6-5. The MLB London Series promises to be a hotly contested matchup between the long-time rivals, so let's look at how you can watch the two games.
Where is the MLB London Series?
The two-game MLB World Tour: London Series features the New York Mets and Philadelphia Phillies. It will take place in the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, with the Mets being the designated “home team” for Game 1, and the Phillies will get the bottom of the inning in Game 2.
The ballpark has seen two London Series, with the Yankees vs. Red Sox in 2019 and the Cubs vs. Cardinals in 2023. It holds between 55,000-60,000 fans in its baseball configuration.
How to watch Mets vs. Phillies
Game 1 Date: Saturday, June 8 | Time: 1:10 PM ET
Game 2 Date: Saturday, April 20 | Time: 10:10 AM ET
Location: Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park — London, England
Game 1 How to watch: FOX
Game 2 How to watch: ESPN
New York Mets storylines
The New York Mets will send a pair of left-handers to the mound this weekend. Sean Manaea will start on Saturday with a 3-2 record and a 3.63 ERA. Jose Quintana hopes to turn his season around, as he is 1-5 with a 5.17 ERA. The New York Mets pitchers are one of the main reasons for their place in the standings, as they need to be better to compete with the rotations of the Atlanta Braves and Phillies.
The Mets have the most experience in international games, as Sean Manaea pitched in the Mexico City Series with the Giants last season. He allowed five runs in two innings in the insane elevation in Mexico City. The London Series will be a more controlled environment for the lefty.
JD Martinez and reliever Adam Ottavino played in the inaugural London Series in 2019. Martinez was on the Red Sox and Ottavino opposed him with the Yankees.
Philadelphia Phillies storylines
The Phillies plan to start Ranger Suarez on Saturday, but it will depend on his recovery from an injury in his last start. Suarez took a 106.1 mph comebacker off his pitching hand in his previous outing but will pitch a bullpen session on Friday. The Mets get a break on Sunday as the Phillies send one of their weaker starters, Taijuan Walker, to the mound. Walker hasn't been the same pitcher since his last season with the Mets in 2022. He had a career-best 3.49 ERA when pitching an entire season.
The Phillies worried about an extended absence for Suarez after the comebacker, as he is in the middle of one of the best starts in MLB history. He is 9-1 with a 1.70 ERA in 12 starts. The Phillies hope a change of scenery will help some of their struggling players. Alec Bohm, JT Realmuto, and Bryson Stott are all in the middle of cold streaks. It has slowed the Phillies' red-hot start to the season.
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