Mets, Angels aim to change fortunes at other's expense

A scheduling coincidence will ensure that either the New York Mets or Los Angeles Angels will win on Friday night.

Good thing, because both teams need all the help they can get.

The Mets will begin a nine-game road trip Friday by visiting the Angels in Anaheim, Calif., in an interleague matchup between two struggling teams.

Christian Scott (0-0, 6.75 ERA) is slated to start for New York against fellow right-hander Walbert Urena (0-3, 4.76).

The Angels were off Thursday after sustaining their sixth straight loss Wednesday with a 3-2 setback in 10 innings to the Chicago White Sox.

The Mets headed west after closing a discouraging homestand Thursday with a 5-4 loss to the Washington Nationals. New York lost six of nine games on the homestand and have lost 17 of their last 20 games overall to fall to a majors-worst 10-21 this season.

The 20-game span is the worst for the Mets since a 3-17 skid from May 25 through June 15, 2018, while the 31-game start is the third-worst in franchise history.

Even the 1962 club, which lost a then-modern-record 120 games, was 12-19 through 31 games.

The Mets squandered a 4-3 advantage on Thursday, the eighth time they've led in a defeat during their 20-game tailspin. New York has scored four runs or less 17 times in the last 20 games.

"Not good enough, obviously -- not a secret," Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said. "That's not going to do it. You've got to start winning series. Period."

The Angels arrived home in the throes of a similar slump. The three-game sweep by the White Sox marked the fourth straight series loss for Los Angeles, which has dropped 10 of its last 11 games.

The Angels have scored three runs or less eight times in the 11 games and have squandered a lead five times in the 10 defeats. Los Angeles was one out away from victory in the ninth inning of Wednesday's series finale vs. Chicago before Ryan Zeferjahn gave up a game-tying RBI triple to Sam Antonacci.

Zeferjahn, Drew Pomeranz and Joey Lucchesi were charged with a combined four blown saves in the last four games as the Angels search for a closer to replace Jordan Romano, who was designated for assignment Sunday and released a day later. Lucchesi also was designated for assignment Wednesday.

"It's really tough -- especially just one more out and I couldn't do it," Zeferjahn said. "We battled all day today, and it really (stinks). But we're picking each other up still no matter what. I think we'll get back on track soon."

Scott, who was recalled from Triple-A Syracuse when Kodai Senga (lumbar spine inflammation) was placed on the injured list Tuesday, hasn't pitched since April 23. He didn't factor into the decision on that day after giving up one run while walking five over 1 1/3 innings in the Mets' 10-8 win over the Minnesota Twins. The start was the first in the majors for Scott since he underwent Tommy John surgery in September 2024.

Urena took the defeat in his most recent start last Saturday after allowing four runs over 3 2/3 innings in the Angels' 12-1 loss to the Kansas City Royals.

Both Scott and Urena will make their first career starts against the opposition on Friday.

--Field Level Media