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ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA – AUGUST 29: Manager Don Mattingly of the Philadelphia Phillies answers questions from the media before the game against the Los Angeles Angels at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on August 29, 2026 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Luke Hales/Getty Images)
The Philadelphia Phillies have announced their starting pitcher for Game 2 against the New York Mets. Left-hander Tim Mayza will start, with Jose Urquidy following as a bulk option, reports Matt Gelb of The Athletic.
Tim Mayza will open tonight for Phillies. José Urquidy is active and will pitch too. The game’s on Apple.
The Phillies indicated how they’d get through this game. They recently claimed right-hander Jose Urquidy off waivers from the Chicago White Sox. That came after the club placed left-hander Jesus Luzardo on the injured list.
It was unclear if the Phillies would start Urquidy or go with an opener for what’s essentially a bullpen game. The team ultimately chose the latter.
To make room for Urquidy on the active roster, the team optioned left-handed reliever Kyle Backhus to Triple-A Lehigh Valley. The right-hander will wear No. 70.
UPDATE: The Phillies lost 6-3 to the Mets. Tim Mayza allowed three runs in a third of an inning. Jose Urquidy went 4.2 scoreless in his Phillies debut.
Phillies Announce Tim Mayza Will Open vs. Mets
GettyLeft-hander Tim Mayza will get his sixth start of the season when the Phillies play the Mets. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images)
This will be Mayza’s sixth time opening a game this season. The Phillies are 1-4 in the five previous times the left-hander has thrown their first pitch.
This will be a back-to-back for the left-hander. Mayza got the final out of the eighth inning in their 3-0 win over the Mets the previous night. The left-hander came in relief of Jonathan Bowlan, who left the game due to injury.
In his previous five starts, Mayza has accumulated 9.1 innings. So he averages somewhere between five and six outs per appearance. As an opener, he’s held opposing hitters to a .206/.229/.235 slash.
Despite a left-handed opener, the Mets will counter with a typical lineup. They’ll start four left-handed hitters: Juan Soto, Carson Benge, AJ Ewing, and Brett Baty. That may be with the bulk pitcher, Jose Urquidy, in mind.
Mets Game 154 of 162, vs. PHI
Friday, Sept. 18, 7:15 p.m. ET
LHP Tim Mayza (3-3, 3.06)
Lindor SS
Soto LF
Bichette 3B
Benge RF
Vientos DH
Ewing CF
Semien 2B
Baty 1B
Torrens C
–
Thornton LHP (4-5, 3.44)
When Urquidy gets into the game, it will be his Phillies debut. Philadelphia will mark the third team the right-hander has pitched for this season, following the Pittsburgh Pirates and the White Sox.
Phillies Right Now
GettyThe Phillies are locked in a tight Wild Card race in the final 11 days of the season. (Photo by Jamie Sabau/Getty Images)
The Phillies are currently 85-68. They’re hoping to jump ahead of the Chicago Cubs (85-68) for the top National League Wild Card spot. Their magic number to clinch a postseason spot is 5.
The final nine games will be critical for deciding whether they host their Wild Card Series or not. They’ve got three games left against the Mets, then they host the Milwaukee Brewers and Tampa Bay Rays at Citizens Bank Park to close out their season.
The Mets series will be important, as it’s a chance to stack wins against a team that won’t play in the postseason. Then they’ll face the teams with the top record in both the National League and American League.
First pitch at Citi Field is set for 7:15 p.m. ET. The game will be broadcast on Apple TV+.
Michael McDermott Michael McDermott covers MLB and the Arizona Cardinals for Heavy Sports. He’s previously published content for SB Nation, Sports Illustrated, and FanSided since 2015. Michael covered the Arizona Diamondbacks as an on-site reporter for Arizona Diamondbacks On SI for the 2022-2024 seasons and the Arizona Fall League for 2022-2025. More about Michael McDermott