Mets relishing role as spoiler against White Sox

The New York Mets aren't in a playoff race. But they sure are having fun tormenting those who are.

The Mets will look to lock up another series win over a contender on Sunday afternoon when they visit the Chicago White Sox for the finale of a three-game interleague set.

Right-hander Nolan McLean (9-8, 3.34 ERA) will start for the Mets against left-hander Sean Newcomb (1-3, 2.44), who will serve as the opener for the White Sox.

The Mets evened the series Saturday night when Luis Robert Jr. hit two homers against his former team as New York beat the White Sox 10-5.

Bo Bichette, Carson Benge and Luis Torrens also homered for the Mets, whose five long balls tied a season high set in a 9-4 win over the Detroit Tigers on May 14.

The Mets are in last place in the National League East but are 12-5 since the Aug. 3 trade deadline -- even after dealing a group of players that includes starting pitchers Clay Holmes and Freddy Peralta, relievers Huascar Brazoban, A.J. Minter, Brooks Raley and Luke Weaver, plus reserve outfielder Tyrone Taylor.

The 12-5 mark ties New York with the Philadelphia Phillies and San Diego Padres for the best post-deadline record in baseball. The Mets took a series earlier this week from the Padres and also swept the Cleveland Guardians, in playoff contention, immediately after the deadline.

While the Mets remain 11 games behind the Padres in the race for the NL's final wild-card spot, New York is just 1 1/2 games behind the fourth-place Washington Nationals in the NL East.

New York hasn't finished last in the division since 2003.

"Feel like we're kind of all riding the momentum of each other," Benge said. "And we're all putting good at-bats together and good things are happening."

Plenty of good things have happened this season for the White Sox, who are 3 1/2 games ahead of the second-place Guardians in the American League Central and are positioned for the second bye in the playoffs after losing at least 100 games in each of the previous three years.

But the White Sox are just 8-10 since the deadline, including 2-4 since Monday. Chicago overcame a four-run deficit Friday, capped when newly acquired backup catcher Jake Rogers hit a walk-off, two-run homer in the ninth inning of a 6-4 victory.

The White Sox have been held to four runs or less eight times in their last 18 games. Chicago was 1-for-10 with runners in scoring position Saturday and is just 7-for-43 in such situations since Monday.

"Frustrating last few days," said White Sox outfielder Tristan Peters, who hit his eighth homer of the season Saturday. "We've been hitting some balls hard but right at people. Frustrating part of it. At the same time, I think we are in a good spot offensively."

McLean earned the win in his most recent start last Monday, when he allowed one run over six innings as the Mets edged the Padres 2-1.

Newcomb last pitched on Wednesday, when he tossed two hitless innings as an opener and didn't factor into the decision in the White Sox's 3-0 win over the Chicago Cubs.

McLean has never opposed the White Sox, and Newcomb is 3-3 with a 3.98 ERA in 20 games (nine starts) against the Mets.

--Field Level Media