By Matt Rappa, Sports Talk Philly editor 
PHILADELPHIA — Coming off of their first series win of the season with a 4-3 walk-off on Sunday, the Philadelphia Phillies (3-3) will begin the latter-half of their six-game homestand Monday evening.
Right-hander Jerad Eickhoff will receive the starting nod, as he opposes right-hander Jacob deGrom and the New York Mets (3-3) at Citizens Bank Park.
The Phillies lead all teams this season in triples (4); they rank fourth in doubles (13), RBIs (33), slugging percentage (.480) and OPS (.816). Pete Mackanin's club is just one of two teams yet to have committed a fielding error this season (203 chances), joining the Kansas City Royals (215 chances). On the mound, Phillies pitching has induced the third-most double plays (9), trailing just the Milwaukee Brewers and Seattle Mariners (10).
Prior to the game, Mackanin announced that veteran reliever Joaquin Benoit will be their new closer. Benoit will replace RHP Jeanmar Gomez, who has allowed five runs and two home runs this season through three innings.
Starting Pitching Matchup:
| New York Mets (3-3) | Philadelphia Phillies (3-3) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RHP | Jacob deGrom | RHP | Jerad Eickhoff | ||
| (0-0, 0.00 ERA) | (0-1, 2.70 ERA) | ||||
Both deGrom and Eickhoff made their season debuts on Wednesday, striking out six batters in respective defeats to the Atlanta Braves and Cincinnati Reds. The Mets right-hander surrendered just two hits and a walk spanning six shutout frames, while Eickhoff yielded five hits, a walk and two runs — a solo homer to first baseman Joey Votto and an RBI single to shortstop Zack Cozart — in 6 2/3 innings.
In seven career starts against the Phillies, deGrom is 4-0 with a 2.42 ERA and 0.963 WHIP ratio with 44 strikeouts through 44 2/3 innings. Three of those starts have occurred at Citizens Bank Park, including his only career complete game performance, a one-hit shutout last July.
Of Eickhoff's 42 career starts, exactly one-sixth have come against the Mets. In 44 innings, the Phillies right-hander is 1-4 with a 2.66 ERA, 43 strikeouts, 11 walks and an even 1.000 WHIP ratio.
Starting Lineups:
| New York Mets (3-3) | Philadelphia Phillies (3-3) | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Position | Player | Bats | Position | Player | Bats | ||
| 1 | 3B | Jose Reyes | S | 1 | 2B | Cesar Hernandez | S |
| 2 | SS | Asdrubal Cabrera | S | 2 | LF | Howie Kendrick | R |
| 3 | LF | Yoenis Cespedes | R | 3 | CF | Odubel Herrera | L |
| 4 | RF | Jay Bruce | L | 4 | 3B | Maikel Franco | R |
| 5 | CF | Curtis Granderson | L | 5 | RF | Michael Saunders | L |
| 6 | 2B | Neil Walker | S | 6 | C | Cameron Rupp | R |
| 7 | 1B | Lucas Duda | L | 7 | 1B | Brock Stassi | L |
| 8 | C | Travis d'Arnaud | R | 8 | SS | Freddy Galvis | S |
| 9 | P | Jacob deGrom | L | 9 | P | Jerad Eickhoff | R |
Broadcast Information:
- First pitch: 7:05 p.m.
- TV: TCN
- Radio: SportsRadio 94 WIP
Game Notes:
- Major League Baseball's all-time hits leader, Pete Rose, will become the 39th inductee into the Phillies Wall of Fame on Saturday, August 12, the team announced.
- Excluding the Atlanta Braves (1-5), the entire National League East is 3-3 through its first six games. While the Braves will open SunTrust Park on Friday, April 14, against the San Diego Padres, the Phillies will not visit the new venue until a four-game series June 5-8.
- Phillies left fielder Howie Kendrick and third baseman Maikel Franco are a combined 0-13 lifetime against deGrom with three strikeouts. The only active Phillie with an extra-base hit against deGrom spanning 63 combined at-bats is catcher Cameron Rupp (solo home run). The Mets, meanwhile, have 14 combined extra-base hits against Eickhoff with a .218/.279/.409 slash through 110 at-bats.
What's Next:
- Tuesday, April 11, 2017: vs. New York Mets, 7:05 p.m.
- Citizens Bank Park
- RHP Matt Harvey (1-0, 2.70 ERA) vs. RHP Clay Buchholz (0-0, 7.20 ERA)
- TV: CSN; Radio: SportsRadio 94 WIP
