Mets host the Braves in first of 3-game series

Atlanta Braves (45-23, first in the NL East) vs. New York Mets (30-38, fifth in the NL East)

New York; Friday, 7:15 p.m. EDT

PITCHING PROBABLES: Braves: Spencer Strider (4-1, 4.00 ERA, 1.28 WHIP, 43 strikeouts); Mets: Nolan McLean (3-4, 3.98 ERA, 1.11 WHIP, 82 strikeouts)

LINE: Mets -115, Braves -104; over/under is 8 runs

BOTTOM LINE: The New York Mets host the Atlanta Braves on Friday to begin a three-game series.

New York is 16-17 at home and 30-38 overall. The Mets have a 22-8 record in games when they record at least eight hits.

Atlanta has a 45-23 record overall and a 23-12 record in road games. Braves hitters have a collective .323 on-base percentage, the ninth-best percentage in MLB play.

Friday's game is the first time these teams match up this season.

TOP PERFORMERS: Juan Soto leads the Mets with 14 home runs while slugging .537. Carson Benge is 12 for 41 with a triple, four home runs and six RBIs over the last 10 games.

Ozzie Albies has 13 doubles, 10 home runs and 36 RBIs while hitting .280 for the Braves. Michael Harris II is 13 for 39 with three doubles over the past 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Mets: 5-5, .228 batting average, 3.78 ERA, outscored opponents by four runs

Braves: 6-4, .227 batting average, 3.57 ERA, outscored opponents by six runs

INJURIES: Mets: Luis Robert: 60-Day IL (back), Kodai Senga: 15-Day IL (spinal lumbar ), Jorge Polanco: 10-Day IL (wrist), Francisco Lindor: 10-Day IL (calf), Justin Hagenman: 60-Day IL (rib), Tyrone Taylor: 10-Day IL (hip), Clay Holmes: 60-Day IL (fibula), Ronny Mauricio: 10-Day IL (thumb), Reed Garrett: 60-Day IL (elbow), Tylor Megill: 60-Day IL (elbow), Dedniel Nunez: 60-Day IL (elbow)

Braves: Kyle Farmer: 10-Day IL (forearm), Ronald Acuna Jr.: 10-Day IL (hamstring), Tyler Kinley: 15-Day IL (elbow), Sean Murphy: 60-Day IL (finger), Spencer Schwellenbach: 60-Day IL (elbow), Drake Baldwin: 10-Day IL (oblique), Hurston Waldrep: 60-Day IL (elbow), AJ Smith-Shawver: 60-Day IL (elbow), Danny Young: 60-Day IL (elbow), Joe Jimenez: 60-Day IL (knee), Joey Wentz: 60-Day IL (knee)

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.