New York Mets vs. Miami Marlins Prediction, Preview, Picks & Odds - 6/25/2022

Time: 4:10 p.m. ET

Venue: loanDepot park, Miami, FL

Where to watch: WPIX, Bally Sports Florida

DraftKings: Check back later

BetMGM: Check back later

Caesars: Check back later

Mets: 45-26

Marlins: 31-36

How good are the New York Mets, and should we start having this discussion?

I don't really know if we've yet talked about this because they're without some key pieces. But when we really sit back and think about this, let's put this to a thought-provoking exercise. Let's just say Max Scherzer and Jacob deGrom were healthy all year. They were dominant, they were punching batters out with ease, and the top of the rotation that has garnered so much praise was getting it done.

Are they better than the New York Yankees right now? Is the only way we're going to be on a collision course to figuring this question out is another Subway Series in October more than two decades later?

Because we're heading in that direction, and I can't think of a more dominant clash of titans than with the crowded lineup and dominant pitching of the Yankees against the maybe-dominant-but-not-sure lineup and ridiculousness depth of pitching of the Mets.

When you ultimately think about it, if the Mets had their two aces healthy, who's to say they also wouldn't be at 50 wins like their New York counterparts right now? Who's to say they wouldn't be fighting for the best record in baseball right now? And who's to say they wouldn't have distanced themselves further from the Los Angeles Dodgers in the race for the best team in the NL?

We look at these instances and say in any other year, Pete Alonso would be the leader in the clubhouse for NL MVP. If you had to make me vote, I'd go Paul Goldschmidt, but if Alonso was a .300 batter he'd absolutely be the favorite with his 20 home runs and 66 RBI. When we're looking at who's more valuable in New York, it is a legit question to think either Alonso or Aaron Judge?

Alonso went 3-for-3 with a homer in the Mets' 8-2 loss to the Astros on Wednesday. He's the most dangerous bat in this lineup, and he shows it whether win or loss.

“It felt good, it felt normal,” Alonso said. “I know it’s a dome, but we have a domed opponent in the Miami Marlins, and we also play Milwaukee once a year. Obviously, a little different than being in an open-air stadium but I felt good today.

“I just like to be the same guy every single day,” Alonso said. “I just want to take a good quality at-bat every single time I’m in the box and be locked in [for] every single pitch on the defense.”

The Mets are good. Very good. Buck Showalter has done more and then some with this group, considering how deep the division is. The Atlanta Braves are on their tail, the Philadelphia Phillies are talented, and the Miami Marlins -- their opponent this weekend -- are capable at playing spoiler.

Are they good enough to get this to October and winning it all? Might need another month or two of evidence to really pinpoint that.

The Mets can't afford to let this series slip. They already have a tough test against Sandy Alcantara on Friday, and with the Braves expecting a charged crowd for the return of Freddie Freeman, the Braves will play inspired and can cut this lead if the Mets falter. Mets win 6-4

Mets are 8-12 as an underdog this season.

Mets are 11-9 in June and 26-24 in the month over the past three seasons.

Marlins are 11-3 this season at home with line between -100 and -150.

Marlins are 9-5 when Alcantara starts this season.

Mets:
Brandon Nimmo (L) CF
Starling Marte (R) RF
Francisco Lindor (S) SS
Pete Alonso (R) DH
Luis Guillorme (L) 2B
Mark Canha (R) LF
Eduardo Escobar (S) 3B
Dominic Smith (L) 1B
Tomas Nido (R) C
SP - Chris Bassitt

Marlins:
Jon Berti (R) 3B
Jazz Chisholm Jr. (L) 2B
Jorge Soler (R) LF
Garrett Cooper (R) 1B
Jesus Aguilar (R) DH
Avisail Garcia (R) RF
Miguel Rojas (R) SS
Nick Fortes (R) C
Bryan De La Cruz (R) CF
SP - Trevor Rogers

Batting average: Jeff McNeil -- .327

Home runs: Pete Alonso -- 20

RBI: Pete Alonso -- 66

Wins: Carlos Carrasco -- 8

ERA: Chris Bassitt -- 4.03

Batting average: Garrett Cooper -- .313

Home runs: Jazz Chisholm Jr. -- 14

RBI: Jazz Chisholm Jr. -- 45

Wins: Sandy Alcantara -- 7

ERA: Sandy Alcantara -- 1.72