Here are five things to watch when the Mets and San Diego Padres open the second half of the 2022 MLB season with a three-game series at Citi Field on Friday...

Max Scherzer gets things started

Scherzer takes the mound on Friday night to open the second half, with an extra day of rest thanks to the All-Star break.

In three starts since returning from the IL, Scherzer has been dominant, allowing just three runs in 19.1 innings while walking one and striking out 30. Scherzer's pitch count has gradually increased in each of those three starts, from 79 to 93 to 102, so he is now fully stretched out.

Scherzer pitching Friday night also means the Mets will have the option of using him against the Yankees for the second and final game of their two-game set next Wednesday.

Mets vs. Padres' Big Three

The Mets will be facing the Padres' three most talented pitchers over the weekend, with Yu Darvish (Friday), Blake Snell (Saturday), and Joe Musgrove (Sunday) getting the ball.

Of the three, Musgrove has had the best season, and is fresh off his first All-Star Game appearance. But Darvish (3.41 ERA and 0.98 WHIP) has also been very good.

Snell has struggled, though, with a 5.22 ERA (though his 3.69 FIP suggests he's been a bit unlucky) and 1.48 WHIP in 50 innings over 10 starts.

Can Francisco Lindor stay hot?

Lindor entered the break on an 11-game hitting streak, and has been swinging the bat as well as he has at any point this season.

Lindor has four homers in 17 games so far in July, and is slugging .493 this month.

He is on pace to finish the season with 28 homers and 115 RBI.

Travis Blankenhorn over Mark Vientos

With Dominic Smith on the IL, the Mets had an open roster spot. And when it came to 40-man roster options to fill it, the only ones who really made sense were Vientos, Khalil Lee, and Nick Plummer.

Lee has not been hitting particularly well, and Plummer is not viewed as a long-term answer. The same can't be said for Vientos, who is one of the Mets' top prospects and is slashing .255/.339/.498 with 16 homers in 66 games this season for Triple-A Syracuse.

But the Mets chose to go with Blankenhorn instead of Vientos, which will require a 40-man roster move.

The Manny Machado Show

With Fernando Tatis Jr. still working his way back from an injury, Machado has been the Padres' most feared hitter. And he's been terrific.

In 83 games this season, Machado is slashing .303/.377/.513 with 15 home runs and 19 doubles.

While Machado has been great, the Padres have been scuffling a bit, going 4-6 over their last 10 to fall 10 games behind the Los Angeles Dodgers for first place in the NL West. But San Diego is comfortably in playoff position at the moment.

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