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          New York Mets

          Morning Briefing: It's Thor's Day as Mets look to avoid getting swept

          • Adam Rubin, ESPN Staff WriterAug 11, 2016, 10:30 AM
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              Adam Rubin has covered the Mets since 2003. He's a graduate of Mepham High School on Long Island and the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. He joined ESPNNewYork after spending 10 years at the New York Daily News.
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          NEW YORK -- The New York Mets and Arizona Diamondbacks will not have much time to recharge after playing an extra-inning affair on Wednesday night.

          Noah Syndergaard (9-6, 2.64 ERA) opposes right-hander Braden Shipley (1-1, 4.15) in Thursday's 12:10 p.m. ET series finale as the Mets attempt to avoid getting swept.

          In his first 16 starts this season, Syndergaard averaged 15.0 pitches per inning. In his past five starts, in part due to more foul balls, he has averaged 18.5 pitches per inning. He is 1-4 with a 3.99 ERA in his last seven starts.

          The Mets (57-56) are now a season-high 10 games behind the Washington Nationals in the NL East. And the Mets are 2 1/2 games out of the second wild-card spot, which is co-occupied by the Miami Marlins and St. Louis Cardinals.

          The last time the Mets were only a game over .500? April 22.

          Believe it or not, the Mets and Yankees now have identical records.

          THURSDAY'S NEWS REPORTS:

          • Jerry Blevins surrendered a leadoff homer to Oscar Hernandez in the 12th and the Diamondbacks beat the Mets, 3-2, Wednesday. Kelly Johnson's pinch-hit two-run homer in the ninth had forced extra innings. In his major league debut, T.J. Rivera went 1-for-5. His first major league hit came on a line-drive single to center field to lead off the bottom of the 10th against Daniel Hudson. Bartolo Colon allowed one run in seven innings in a no-decision. The Diamondbacks are the lone MLB team Colon has never beaten. Read game recaps in the Post, Daily News, Newsday and at NJ.com and MLB.com.

          • Jose Reyes will begin a rehab assignment Thursday with Brooklyn. He is expected to remain with the New York-Penn League club through Saturday and play both third base and shortstop. Reyes originally hoped to begin a rehab assignment on Tuesday, but residual oblique discomfort delayed the minor-league stint by two days. Read more in the Daily News and at MLB.com.

          • Carlos Gomez, who nearly was acquired by the Mets a year ago, has been designated for assignment by the Houston Astros. Sandy Alderson told Howie Kussoy in the Post that the club would keep an “open mind” about adding Gomez. However, Anthony Rieber in Newsday reported the Mets are “not terribly interested.” Gomez hit .210/.272/.322 in 323 plate appearances with the Astros this season. Before you have designs on a platoon in center field with the Mets, consider this: The righty-hitting Gomez did not fare well against southpaws. He hit .221 versus lefties as opposed to .205 against righties.

          • Bronx native T.J. Rivera was elated with his promotion to the majors. Read more in the Times, Newsday, Journal and at NJ.com and MLB.com.

          • Sean Gilmartin allowed six runs in three innings in his return from the disabled list and a Las Vegas rally that included homers from L.J. Mazzili, Kevin Plawecki and Gavin Cecchini fell short in an 8-7 loss at Albuquerque. Rafael Montero departed with an injury after three innings as Binghamton beat Reading, 7-3. Scarlyn Reyes retired 16 of the final 18 batters he faced in St. Lucie's 3-1 win against Fort Myers. Dan Rizzie scored in the bottom of the ninth as Brooklyn earned a 5-4 walk-off win against Vermont. Read the full minor-league recap here.

          • “Golf is not hazardous to your quadriceps,” Mark Herrmann writes in Newsday.

          • From the bloggers … Mets Report believes team officials are cooling on Travis d'Arnaud as the catcher of the present and future.

          BIRTHDAYS: Wilfredo Tovar turns 25. ... John Mitchell is 51. ... Al Pedrique is 56. ... Max Kuhns is 22.

          TWEET OF THE DAY:

          YOU'RE UP: Should the Mets consider adding Gomez?