New York Mets

          Series preview: Mets vs. Reds

          NEW YORK METS (37-37, second place/NL East) vs. CINCINNATI REDS (34-37, fourth place/NL Central)

          Friday: RHP Noah Syndergaard (2-4, 4.03) vs. RHP Johnny Cueto (4-4, 2.98), 7:10 p.m. ET

          Saturday: RHP Matt Harvey (7-5, 3.18) vs. RHP Michael Lorenzen (3-2, 3.56), 4:10 p.m. ET

          Sunday: LHP Steven Matz (7-4, 2.19 at Triple-A Las Vegas) vs. RHP Josh Smith (0-0, 12.00), 1:10 p.m. ET

          REDS SHORT HOPS

          • Johnny Cueto’s start in the series opener will be his first game in nine days. He received extra rest because of right elbow stiffness, which lingers. Cueto, who is earning $10 million this season, is a free agent next winter. That makes him a prime trade candidate. Over the past two seasons, Cueto has made 28 starts in which he has allowed two or fewer earned runs while logging at least seven innings. Only Seattle’s Felix Hernandez has done that more often during that span (32 times).

          • Third baseman Todd Frazier blasted his 24th homer and upped his RBI total to 52 on Thursday. He also has 21 doubles this season. Frazier is on pace for 48 doubles, 55 homers and 119 RBIs.

          • Ex-Met Marlon Byrd, who was traded from the Philadelphia Phillies to the Reds during the offseason, suffered a fractured right wrist on June 2 when he was struck by a pitch from Philadelphia’s Sean O’Sullivan. He returned last Friday.

          • Second baseman Brandon Phillips returned to the lineup Thursday in Pittsburgh. He was scratched from the previous day’s game with a bruised left thumb, which he jammed on Tuesday. Phillips has hit safely in all 29 of his career road games against the Mets, including the 19 at Citi Field. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Phillips can match the record for a road player against the Mets with hits in all three games this weekend. Luis Castillo hit safely in 32 straight games in Queens as a visitor from 2001 through ’05. Phillips and Joey Votto have started together on the right side of the infield for the Reds a franchise-record 894 times. Only Ryan Howard and Chase Utley have started on the right side of an infield together more among active major leaguers (1,130 times).

          • Aroldis Chapman rejoined the Reds on Thursday after taking paternity leave. J.J. Hoover handled Wednesday’s save with Chapman away. Chapman’s 128 saves are the most in major league history by a Cuban-born pitcher. Danys Baez ranks second with 114.

          • During a five-steal performance on June 14 that matched the franchise record, Billy Hamilton became the quickest major leaguer to 100 career steals since Vince Coleman in 1985. Hamilton took 219 games. Coleman took only 135.

          • All-Star catcher Devin Mesoraco will undergo surgery on Monday in New York to repair a left hip impingement. He has been on the disabled list since May 25. Mesoraco had not caught since April 12. He had been pinch hitting and, in limited opportunities, serving as the DH. Mesocaro had 25 homers and 80 RBIs last season. Brayan Pena and Tucker Barnhart have shared the catching duties this season.

          • Shortstop Zack Cozart suffered a season-ending right knee injury on June 10 after slipping on first base while trying to beat out a grounder. Eugenio Suarez has taken over at the position.

          • Manager Bryan Price created a stir in April with a five-minute, expletive-laden diatribe directed at the media over reporting news beneficial for the opponent to know.

          • Cincinnati hosts the All-Star Game.