Overview

• Both teams enter the three-game series tied atop the NL East at 45-30, with Philadelphia hosting the opener Friday night at Citizens Bank Park.
• Zack Wheeler brings a 7-2 record and 2.76 ERA into his start and holds a 5-5 mark with a 3.53 ERA in 16 career outings against New York.
• Rookie Blade Tidwell is recalled from Triple-A Syracuse to make his second major league start as the Mets attempt to snap their six-game losing streak.
• New York has been outscored 41-14 during the skid, including sweeps at the hands of the Braves and Tampa Bay Rays.
• Since June 12, the Phillies have erased a 5.5-game deficit by going 6-1 against the Marlins and Blue Jays, echoing their late-season comebacks of past campaigns.