Mets veteran outfielder Starling Marte is looking to play in the Dominican Winter League, but there are some hoops to jump through prior to doing so. Marte, who missed most of the last two months of the 2023 season due to a groin injury, needs to get the Mets’ clearance to play in the winter league. Mike Mayer of Metsmerized Online reported that Marte was at practice on Wednesday with the Leones del Escodigo, the team said that he took batting practice and is waiting for clearance from the Mets to activate him.

This will not be an easy decision for the Mets as Marte has been dealing with groin injuries dating back to the 2022 season, including undergoing surgery in the offseason prior to the 2023.

Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports

Latest Mets News

The Mets continued to add to their 2024 roster while they wait on a decision from Yoshinobu Yamamoto, as they traded for starting pitcher Adrian Houser and outfielder Tyrone Taylor from the Milwaukee Brewers. The trade, which was first reported by Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, will be sending back pitching prospect Coleman Crow to Milwaukee. For an in-depth look into the deal check out MMO’s article on it!

Jon Heyman of the New York Post reported that the Mets have shown interest in Brewers starting pitcher Brandon Woodruff, and could be a real possibility if they do not land Yoshinobu Yamamoto. To see who else the Mets reportedly have show interest in click here!

The New York Mets are looking for a full-time pro player personnel associate, check out the Mets’ Fan Graphs job listing. 

Latest MLB News

Japanese reliever Yuki Matsui agreed to a four-year, $21 million deal with the San Diego Padres, per Yahoo Japan. The 5’8” closer posted a 1.53 ERA in 57.1 IP in his 2023 season in the NPB.

Former St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Adam Wainwright released a song dedicated to Cardinals fans titled “Time to Fly.” Along with that, he also announced on his Twitter page that he will be releasing a full album on February 23.

The Milwaukee Brewers signed veteran free agent catcher Eric Haase to a one-year major league contract. 

Former Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Taylor Widener signed with the Braves on a minor league contract, per MLB.com. Widener spent the past season playing for two different clubs in the KBO and now looks to find his way onto a major league roster. 

The Los Angeles Dodgers continue to add organizational depth as they signed relief pitcher Nabil Crismatt and outfielder Travis Swaggerty to minor league deals, per MLB.com. 

Latest on MMO

Metsmerized Online’s twitter page is giving away a signed Ron Darling baseball card. Follow MMO’s account and repost the giveaway post to enter!

Check out our free agent profile on a possible Mets free agent target, Gio Urshela!

The 2019 Mets shock the 2000 Mets in MMO’s Mets Madness!

On This Date in Mets History

2009: The New York Mets sign pitcher R.A. Dickey to a minor league deal with an invite to spring training. The knuckleballer would go on to win the 2012 National League Cy Young Award with the club, posting a 2.73 ERA while winning 20 games. 

1998: Relief pitcher Pat Mahomes signs with the New York Mets. Mahomes would post a 2.25 ERA in eight innings of work in the 1999 postseason and was also a part of the Mets 2000 National League winning club. 

Birthdays: Taylor Teagarden (40), John Mayberry (40), Philip Humber (41), Royce Ring (43), Dicky González (45), Buddy Carlyle (46), LaTroy Hawkins (51), Roger McDowell (63), Dave Kingman (75), Elliott Maddox (76)

The post Morning Briefing: Starling Marte Looking for Clearance to Play in Winter League appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Wednesday night, the lone game on the docket was the Houston Astros going into Arlington to take on the Texas Rangers in Game 3 of the ALCS. The major headline heading into the game was the return of former Met Max Scherzer, who would make his postseason debut as a Ranger. The last time he was on the mound in October, it did not go well, to say the least, Scherzer went 4 2/3 innings while getting smashed for seven runs on four home runs in game 1 of the Wild Card Round against the Padres. Unfortunately for Max, this time was not much better. 

After a clean first inning for Max, which included a strikeout of Michael Brantley, it was all downhill from there. The Astros poured on three runs in the second inning behind a wild pitch and a timely Martín Maldonado 2-run single. Jose Altuve would add on as he put a high fastball over the left field wall, followed by a Mauricio Dubón RBI single in the fourth inning to cap Scherzer’s night.

Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

Max finished the night with four innings pitched and five earned runs on five hits in his first outing in over a month. However, his Rangers are still up 2-1 in the series and are only two wins away from the team’s first World Series appearance in over a decade. 

Latest Mets News

Will Sammon of The Athletic gave an update to the Mets managerial search, as he reported that David Stearns and company would look outside of the organization to fill the role. This rules out names such as Carlos Beltrán and Eric Chavez while making the Craig Counsell rumors more credible. 

Francisco Alvarez has been nominated for the Luis Aparicio Award, per Mike Mayer of Metsmerized Online. The award is given annually to honor the Venezuelan who was deemed to have the best individual performance in MLB that season. A total of 33 Venezuelans are up for the 2023 award, in which the winner will be announced on October 28 before Game 2 of the World Series. 

Rawlings announced the 2023 Gold Glove finalists on Wednesday afternoon, and Francisco Lindor is the Mets’ lone Gold Glove finalist. Lindor is up against Dansby Swanson of the Chicago Cubs and Ezequiel Tovar of the Colorado Rockies for the NL shortstop Gold Glove award. Francisco is going for his third Gold Glove award overall and his first one as a Met. The winners will be announced on November 5 on ESPN. 

MLB Pipeline released their All-Rookie teams for the 2023 season, and the Mets were well represented as both Kodai Senga and Francisco Álvarez made the cut. Kodai Senga was one of two starting pitchers to make the first team, and Francisco Álvarez made the second team, only being beat out by Yainer Diaz of the Astros for the first team’s catcher position. 

Latest MLB News

On Wednesday, there were major updates to the Boston Red Sox’s search for a general manager following their firing of Chaim Bloom. One of those updates came from Alex Speier of the Boston Globe, who reported that Boston talked to former Astros general manager James Click, but he has elected not to pursue the job due to family considerations. 

Patrick Mooney of The Athletic wrote an article detailing how Boston and Cubs executive Craig Breslow have been in advanced discussions on having him take over Boston’s highest job in baseball operations. 

The Major League Baseball Players Trust announced they are holding their second annual “Playmakers Classic” presented by Fanatics. The event supports the organization’s youth development, disaster relief, and other charitable initiatives and will be held in Las Vegas this year. Many current and former MLB players will be in attendance, including former Mets Tony Clark, Bobby Bonilla, Chris Capuano, Josh Thole, and others.

Latest on MMO

Christian De Block did a full breakdown of the full list of 2023 Gold Glove finalists.

The remembrance of the ’73 Mets continues as Brian Wright looks back at the one and only Rusty Staub. 

Jack Ramsey looked at some of the veteran pitching options for the Mets this upcoming offseason. 

On This Date in Mets History

1965: The Mets traded pitcher Tom Parsons to the Astros for catcher Jerry Grote. Grote was a two-time All-Star and part of the 1969 World Champion Mets.

2006: In the sixth inning of game 7 in the NLCS, Endy Chavez rises above the left field wall to rob Scott Rolen of a two-run home run and proceeds to double off Jim Edmonds at first base. Despite Chávez making one of the greatest grabs in MLB history, a Yadier Molina two-run shot in the top of the ninth put the Cardinals ahead, 3-1. Carlos Beltrán‘s knees would infamously buckle to an Adam Wainwright curveball with the bases loaded in the bottom of the inning, ending the Mets season. 

“He made the catch!”#OTD in #Mets history Endy Chavez made one of the most unforgettable plays in baseball history. pic.twitter.com/IHuY4RwcSQ

— New York Mets (@Mets) October 19, 2018

Birthdays: Rajai Davis (43), José Bautista (43), Joe McEwing (51), Sandy Alomar (80)

The post Morning Briefing: Astros Best Scherzer in Game 3 Win appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

According to Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times, the Tampa Bay Rays are set to announce a new agreement with the city of St. Petersburg for a new St. Pete stadium, meaning the Rays will be departing the Trop soon enough.

The Mets began a three-game series by scratching out a 2-1 win over the Marlins, who are in the thick of a Wild Card race. Check out the full recap here.

Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

Latest Mets News

News came out on Monday that Edwin Díaz is not expected to pitch in the 2023 season. According to Anthony DiComo of SNY, Díaz is expected to continue to throw bullpen sessions through the end of September, but the Mets don’t want to risk him in a game given their place in the standings. He is expected to be ready for a normal offseason and the start of the 2024 season.

NBA Communications on Monday announced the passing of public relations expert and member of the NBA family, Dennis D’Agostino. D’Agostino was formerly one of the New York Mets’ PR officials, statistician, writer, and was also an MLB official scorer. MLB Communications went on to extend their condolences to his wife Helene and their family…

Howie Rose of WCBS880 released a statement with his condolences as well: “This is an incredibly sad day for the Mets family. Dennis D’Agostino, a former right hand man to Jay Horwitz in the Mets PR department, including in 1986 died suddenly last night. He spent many years working for the Knicks. Beloved by all who knew him. RIP, dear friend.”

Jay Horwitz of Mets PR also released a sentimental tribute to D’Agostino: “Heartbroken today. Dennis D’Agostino, my friend of over 40 years and co-worker for 5 with the Mets, died suddenly. We shared the 1986 Championship. Couldn’t have done it without him. He went on to enjoy a great PR career with the Knicks. He was a Met forever. Love you Dennis.”

The Mets on Monday announced that infielder Luis Guillorme was returned from his rehabilitation assignment and reinstated from the injured list. Infielder Jonathan Araúz was optioned to Triple-A Syracuse.

William Ladson of MLB.com talked in an article about why Buck Showalter is not surprised by Coach Prime’s successes in 2023 at Colorado.

According to Anthony DiComo of MLB, Ronny Mauricio’s six stolen bases are the most ever by a Mets player through 14 career games. Keith Miller and Mookie Wilson both had five, and Lee Mazzilli had four.

Per SNY, Steve Cohen could make Shohei Ohtani the “biggest offer” if he is willing to come to New York. 

MLB Pipeline on Monday released their newest rookie power rankings. Kodai Senga of the Mets ranks No. 3.

Latest MLB News

Per Do-Hyoung Park of MLB.com, the Minnesota Twins announced that Carlos Correa exited Monday night’s game against the Cincinnati Reds with an aggravation of his plantar fasciitis.

Per Robert Murray of FanSided, the Cincinnati Reds designated outfielder Hunter Renfroe for assignment.

According to Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times, there will be a new Silver Slugger Team award honoring MLB’s top offensive clubs. It will combine analytics and a fan vote. It is set to be put in place this season.

Tim Healey of Newsday Sports caught up with David Robertson who now pitches for the Marlins and discussed whether he would entertain reuniting with the Mets and making a deal with the team during the offseason.

Adam Wainwright of the St. Louis Cardinals collected his 200th major league win.

Major League Baseball announced on Monday that Rafael Devers (AL) and Juan Soto (NL) are the Chevrolet AL and NL Players of the Week.

Latest on MMO

Johnluke Chapparo recapped Mark Vientos’ strong performance on Sunday against the Reds as he continues to improve at the plate.

Jack Markowski discusses the Metsmerized Players of the week, Ronny Mauricio and Kodai Senga who continue to lead the Mets’ rookie surge.

Daniel M. recaps the Mets’ minor league affiliate performances from Sunday, September 17 that included Jeremiah Jackson finishing his season strong.

Jack Sargente looks at the report by MLB executives that Steve Cohen is expected to make the biggest offer for Shohei Ohtani.

Andrew Steele-Davis discusses the positives and negatives in the Mets’ series against the Reds as they avoided being swept by the Reds.

Jack Markowski talks about why Ronny Mauricio could be the Mets’ long-term answer at third base.

Michael Famulari previews the Mets’ series against the Marlins in their final road trip to Miami, FL.

Mojo Hill elaborates on the report that Mets closer Díaz will not pitch during the 2023 season.

Johnluke Chaparro recaps the Mets’ 2-1 win over the Marlins in which José Butto and Jeff McNeil led the way.

On This Date in Mets History

Birthdays: Randy Myers (61), Hall-of-Famer Duke Snider (97)

The post Morning Briefing: Rays to Depart Tropicana Field appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

With their 96th win on Wednesday night, the Atlanta Braves clinched their sixth consecutive National League East title. Atlanta needed every game they could get last season to beat out the Mets down the stretch, but with their 4-1 over the Phillies last night they put the division to bed with 16 games left. The 2023 Braves have become the second quickest to do so as they clinched this year’s division in just 146 games, only being beat out by the 1969 Braves, according to Justin Toscano of Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

The Mets won the third game of a four-game set against the Arizona Diamondbacks by a score of 7-1 on Wednesday. Joey Lucchesi dazzled in his first major league start in nearly a month, as he went seven strong innings while only giving up one unearned run on five hits. The Mets’ offense piled on early as they were able to get to Cy Young contender Zac Gallen; Pete Alonso‘s three early RBIs gave the Mets an early lead and Mark Vientos put the cherry on top with a sixth-inning home run.

The Mets will look the win the series Thursday as Kodai Senga (10-7, 3.07 ERA) takes on the Diamondbacks’ Merrill Kelly (11-6, 3.16 ERA).

Latest Mets News

Prior to last night’s game, the Mets announced that they were recalling Lucchesi from Triple-A Syracuse and optioning Sam Coonrod back to Syracuse. 

Brett Baty left last night’s game against the Diamondbacks before the top of the seventh inning with left groin soreness. According to Tim Healey of Newsday, Baty will go for medical imaging tomorrow.

The Mets announced that Citi Field will host the first ever Dominican Winter League (LIDOM) series, which will between rivals Los Tigres del Licey and Las Águilas Cibaeñas. The matchup is between two of the most winningest team in the league, with the Tigres winning their 23rd championship last season and the Águilas winning their 22nd championship in 2021. The series will take place in Queens on the weekend of November 10-12. 

Latest MLB News

Texas Rangers general manager Chris Young announced that Max Scherzer will be missing the rest of the regular season with a teres major strain. Young also mentioned that it is “unlikely” that Scherzer returns for the playoffs, as they put the former Cy Young award winner on the 15-day IL. This news follows the former Met having to leave previous starts with forearm tightness and other “arm fatigue” issues, which adds to the mounting injury issues he has dealt with the last couple of seasons. The 39-year-old still has one more year left on his deal with the Rangers as he agreed to exercise his player option for the 2024 season when he was dealt from New York to Texas at the trade deadline.

Wednesday morning, the Washington Nationals announced that they have agreed to a multi-year extension with their president of baseball operations and general manager Mike Rizzo. Rizzo has been with the Nationals organization since 2006 and is in his 15th year as president of baseball of baseball operations, after taking over in 2009. This comes less than a month after the Nationals extended manger Dave Martinez‘s contract for two more seasons with a club option for 2026, keeping the leadership that brought them to a World Series championship in 2019 in tact despite some recent down seasons.

Miami Marlins manager Skip Schumaker told reporters that Sandy Alcántara’s MRI revealed that he has a UCL sprain, per Jordan McPherson of Herald Sports. This announcement comes just a week after it was announced that Alcántara was place on the 15-day IL with a right forearm flexor strain. Schumaker wouldn’t commit to a return for the former Cy Young award winner but did say, “watching him throw is a good thing. It’s a progression. We’re going to watch it every day and go from there.”

The Cardinals announced that veteran starting pitcher Adam Wainwright will be performing a live concert at Busch Stadium during his final home weekend, per Derrick Goold of the St Louis Post-Dispatch. The stalwart of the Cardinals staff for the better part of 15 years will be retiring at the end of the season; despite a disappointing season for both him and the Cardinals, he will be part of the Cardinals Hall of Fame in short order. The postgame performance will take place on September 30, after the Cardinals’ matchup against the Reds. Wainwright will perform some of his new songs along with a firework performance. 

Latest on MMO

Gino DeCaro helped remember Metsmerized Online founder Joe DeCaro on his birthday.

Metsmerized Online‘s twitter is giving away a DJ Stewart signed rookie card.

Chris Bello looked at José Butto‘s latest push to make the 2024 rotation.

On This Date in Mets History

2020: Steve Cohen comes to an agreement with the Wilpon and Katz families to purchase the Mets. The reported value of the deal was $2.42 Billion, and the completion of the deal would make Steve Cohen the richest owner in MLB. 

1996: Mets’ catcher Todd Hundley broke the record for most home runs hit in a single season by a catcher as he logged his 41st homer of the year, passing Roy Campanella. Along with that, the home run gave Hundley the Mets franchise record for most home runs in a season, which would then be tied by Carlos Beltrán in 2006 and broken by Pete Alonso in 2019 with 53 home runs.

Birthdays: Chad Bradford (49), Mike Draper (57)

The post Morning Briefing: Braves Clinch Sixth Consecutive NL East Title appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

On Thursday, the Mets embarked on a seven-game road trip, kicking off their travels at Busch Stadium against the St. Louis Cardinals.  José Quintana stepped up for the Mets and delivered a solid performance on the mound. With the added boost of a home run from Pete Alonso, the Mets notched a victory in the first game of the series, finishing with a final score of 4-2. For more on this game, check out our recap.

Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports

Now onto the morning briefing!

Latest Mets News

Seaver, the Mets’ service dog sponsored by the Amazin’ Mets Foundation in partnership with America’s Vet Dogs, is pictured with former Mets captain David Wright at Citi Field, who was honorary commissioner for the Battle Of The Badges game between the FDNY and NYPD baseball teams.

yep, never washing this vest again. pic.twitter.com/VJsaHjLsjH

— Seaver (@MetsVetDog) August 18, 2023

The Florida Complex League Mets have clinched the 2023 East Division and look to play for a championship with playoffs starting next week!

Latest MLB News

Daniel Kramer of MLB.com reports that Mariners outfielder Jarred Kelenic shed his protective boot from his fractured left foot, as told by GM Jerry Dipoto. Currently in Arizona, Kelenic is actively monitoring pitches from a pitching machine, aligning with the original projection for an early September comeback.

Zack Meisel of The Athletic notes that the new Fanatics Sportsbook at Progressive Field will open today. Former Cleveland pitcher Paul Shuey will place the first bet. The Sportsbook is just outside the center field gates and will be open daily.

According to Jesse Rogers of ESPN, following his involvement in the altercation with the Guardians on August 5, White Sox shortstop Tim Anderson has his suspension reduced to five games through an agreement with the league, avoiding the need for a formal hearing. Anderson will begin serving this suspension Friday in Denver. Initially, Anderson had been facing a six-game suspension.

Latest on MMO

Dan Quinones highlights DJ Stewart‘s most recent power surge at the plate.

Outfield prospect Drew Gilbert has a three-hit day for Double-A Binghamton as well as other prospect highlights on our latest edition of Mets Minors Recap.

On This Date in Mets History

2002: On August 18, 2002, the Mets posthumously inducted Tommie Agee into their Hall of Fame. Agee was a key player in the 1969 World Championship team, known for his power, speed, and defensive prowess. He led the team with 26 home runs that year and made memorable catches in the World Series. In 1970, he became the first Met to win a Gold Glove and steal over 30 bases. Knee injuries slowed him down in 1971, leading to his retirement at 30. Post-retirement, Agee stayed active with the Mets and the community, even opening a restaurant near Shea Stadium. Sadly, he passed away from a heart attack in January 2001 at age 58.

Birthdays: Justin Wilson (36), Pat Misch (42), Terry Blocker (64)

The post Morning Briefing: Alonso, Quintana Kick Off Road Trip With Win appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

The Mets showed shades of their 2022 selves Wednesday night as they came from behind in the ninth to take down the Diamondbacks by a score of 2-1. The story of the night was Kodai Senga as he put together an absolutely masterful outing, going eight innings, giving up only one run and accumulating 12 strikeouts. The Mets’ bats finally woke up in the ninth inning with a Francisco Álvarez home run and Mark Canha triple which ultimately pushed the Mets past the D-backs.

The Mets look to sweep the Diamondbacks tomorrow as they will throw Carlos Carrasco (2-3, 5.94 ERA) against the D-backs’ Ryne Nelson (5-4, 4.67 ERA) at 9:40 p.m. ET.

Latest Mets News

The 2023 Home Run Derby bracket was released after the field was set earlier on in the day and Pete Alonso found himself as the two seed in the annual tournament. Pete will try to get revenge as he takes on Mariners star outfielder Julio Rodríguez in the first round, who ended Alonso’s chance at a three-peat last year in Los Angeles.

The Mets’ sixth overall prospect Dominic Hamel spun a gem in his start for Double-A Binghamton as he went six innings while racking up 11 strikeouts and only allowing one earned run. Despite having an up and down season, Hamel has an impressive 91 strikeouts while only allowing 25 walks in 67 2/3 innings.

Tyler Stuart continued his dominance in High-A Brooklyn as he gave up two earned runs early on but would go on to retire 17 of the last 19 batters he faced. This extends Stuart’s streak of allowing two or less runs to 14 consecutive starts and lowers his ERA to 1.55.

Kodai Senga. Photo by MMO’s Ed Delany

Latest MLB News

A pair of struggling veteran pitchers, Adam Wainwright and Zack Greinke, hit the 15-day IL on Wednesday for their respective teams. The Cardinals, who have been one of the most disappointing teams in the majors, have not been helped by Wainwright as he has posted a 7.66 ERA in his age-41 season and is now on the IL with a right shoulder strain. Greinke is also in the midst of a down year for a lowly Royals team and finds himself sidelined with right shoulder tendinitis after being pulled from his last start. 

The Baltimore Orioles called up their second ranked prospect and the 14th prospect in all of MLB, Colton Cowser. The fifth overall pick in the 2021 draft had a meteoric rise through the Orioles system and was rewarded for his hot start in Triple-A as he was hitting for a .330 BA with a .996 OPS. Cowser went 1-for-3 with an RBI in his big league debut against the Yankees Wednesday night.

Major League Baseball announced that Yankees relief pitching, Jimmy Cordero, is being suspended for the rest of the season for violating MLB’s joint domestic violence, sexual assault, and child abuse policy. This suspension includes the postseason and Cordero will go participate in a confidential and comprehensive evaluation and treatment program which will be supervised by the Joint Policy Board.

Latest on MMO

Michael Famulari went in depth on the Mets newest acquisition, Trevor Gott.

Sam Neumann highlighted a possible turning point for Starling Marte.

On This Date in Mets History

1970: Mets outfielder Tommie Agee hits a triple in the seventh inning for the second cycle in Mets history.

2010: Johan Santana hits his first major league home run while throwing a complete game shutout in a Mets win against the Cincinnati Reds. 

2018: José Bautista deposits the first pitch of his ninth inning at bat t1o the left field seats for a walk-off grand slam. Bautista’s first career walk-off homer ended a night in which Jacob Degrom threw eight innings of one-run ball.

Birthdays: Lance Johnson (60), Willie Randolph (69)

The post Morning Briefing: Mets Now 4-0 in July After Stunning Comeback appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Mike Trout. Photo via MLB/Team USA

Only four teams remain in the 2023 WBC. Tonight, one team is going to punch their ticket to the championship game. That’ll either be Cuba or the USA. Meanwhile, tomorrow night, Mexico and Japan will play to see who makes up the other half of the WBC final. That aforementioned final is scheduled for Tuesday, March 21 in Miami, Florida.

Cuba vs. USA, 7:00 PM ET

To get to the semifinals, Cuba defeated Australia 4-3. Before that, they won a weak Pool A by going 2-2 with victories over Panama and Chinese Taipei and losses to Italy and the Netherlands.

Offensively, Cuba is led by the White Sox duo of Yoan Moncada (1.259 OPS) and Luis Robert Jr. Additionally, Mexican league hitter, Yadir Drake, is also having a strong WBC as evident by his 1.029 OPS.

Cuba’s probable starter is Roenis Elías. He is a 34-year-old left-handed pitcher who is currently a part of the Cubs’ organization. He owns a career ERA of 3.96 across 395 2/3 career MLB innings. Elías struggled in spring training (7.71 ERA in 4 2/3 innings) before joining the WBC roster.

As for USA, the main reason why they are able to play in this game is because of an electric go-ahead eighth-inning grand slam courtesy of Trea Turner Saturday night against Venezuela. Each Pete Alonso and Adam Ottavino contributed to that victory, namely Alonso, who tallied a bloop hit to set the table for USA.

Prior to that, USA finished second in Pool C with a 3-1 record which included wins over Great Britain, Canada, and Colombia as well as a surprising 11-5 loss at the hands of Mexico.

Adam Wainwright is the probable starter for USA. The 41-year-old veteran wasn’t the sharpest against a lackluster Great Britain team in a pool stage game. He allowed five hits over four innings, but did only allow one run and struck out four.

Cuba Lineup

Cuba's lineup for tonight's semifinal matchup! pic.twitter.com/hiFBOJRSht

— Talkin’ Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) March 19, 2023

USA Lineup

Semifinal ready 🫡#ForGlory🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/VotDN3bbIr

— USA Baseball (@USABaseball) March 19, 2023

Tonight’s game is scheduled for a 7:00 PM ET first pitch. It will be televised on Fox Sports 1. The game will be held in Miami, FL at LoanDepot Park, home of the Miami Marlins.

The post WBC Game Thread: Cuba vs. USA, 7:00 P.M. appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Nolan Arenado. Photo via USA Today

Both USA and Puerto Rico are set to play their second games of the World Baseball Classic.

In game one for the United States, they defeated Great Britain 6-2. Adam Wainwright was credited with the win, and the USA was led by Kyle Schwarber and his two-run home run offensively.

Meanwhile, Puerto Rico defeated Nicaragua 9-1 on Saturday. Marcus Stroman picked up the win, and Mets’ shortstop Francisco Lindor had a two-hit, one RBI game.

Venezuela vs. Puerto Rico, 7:00 PM EST

Team Puerto Rico will look to start their tournament with a 2-0 record in Pool D. Lindor and former Mets’ infielder Javier Báez will have to contend with former Marlins’ starter Pablo López on the mound. Puerto Rico will turn to Jose Berrios.

Offensively, Venezuela (1-0) is led by Ronald Acuña Jr., Jose Altuve, and Luis Arráez. Current Mets’ third baseman Eduardo Escobar will bat ninth for the team.

The game will broadcast on Fox Sports 1.

USA vs. Mexico, 10:00 PM EST

USA will contend with a Mexico (0-1) team that lost to Columbia in extra innings on Saturday.

Nick Martinez is expected to get the start for USA. They will once again lead on a prolific offense led by Mike Trout Mookie Betts, Nolan Arenado, among others. In the first game, Jeff McNeil was hitless and Pete Alonso did not start.

As for Mexico, they will turn to Patrick Sandoval. Offensively, Mexico is led by Randy Arozarena, Joey Menses, and Isaac Paredes. Catcher Austin Barnes contributed a two-hit performance on Saturday as well.

The game will broadcast on FOX Sports 1.

The post WBC Game Thread: USA, Puerto Rico Ready For Game Two appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Good morning, Mets fans!

According to Jon Morosi of MLB Network, St. Louis Cardinals starter Adam Wainwright will start the first game for Team USA in the World Baseball Classic (WBC). The 41-year-old veteran will take the mound at 10 p.m. EST on Saturday against Great Britain.

Team USA and Great Britain are in Pool C together along with teams like Mexico, Colombia and Canada. Wainwright is one of seven starters in the Team USA rotation along with fellow Cards teammate Miles Mikolas.

Great Britain has yet to name a starter for their “revolutionary” rivalry with the U.S., but the pitcher with the most MLB experience is Vance Worley. A notable Philadelphia Phillies pitcher, Worley pitched for eight years with five different clubs during his major league tenure and will most likely get the matchup against the Cardinals veteran.

WBC Scores

Netherlands 4, Cuba 2

Former Met Yoenis Céspedes went 0-for-2 with a pair of walks for Cuba.

You can follow the Panama vs Taiwan game on MMO here.

Latest Mets News

The Mets played a spring training game that resulted in a 5-5 tie against the Houston Astros. Ronny Mauricio was the Mets’ player of the game, driving in two RBI with a single to give the Mets a 4-1 lead. MMO‘s Chris Bello recapped the game.

Latest MLB News

Two writers from the Philadelphia Inquirer, Barbara Laker and Davis Gambacorta, wrote an investigative piece regarding the Phillies and their former ballpark, Veterans Stadium, or more specifically their famous AstroTurf. In the past, six former Phillies have died of brain cancer and the pair of writers had two labs test the turf from their ballpark to see if there was any connection with the deaths. Interestingly, the lab results found numerous “forever chemicals were found in the makings of the turf which the Environmental Protection Agency says can ‘devastate families.'”

A new Statcast metric relating to catchers has recently been released, according to Mike Petriello of MLB.com. The stat itself, called blocks above average, or BAA,  is “designed to express the demonstrated skill of catchers at preventing wild pitches or passed balls.”

In 2022, Baltimore Orioles rookie catcher Adley Rutschman topped all of MLB in this stat with a BAA of 18, which was three above New York Yankees catcher Jose Trevino. Mets catcher Tomás Nido also cracked the top 10, tying for third with a BAA of 12 along with the Toronto Blue Jays’ Alejandro Kirk and newly-acquired Atlanta Braves catcher Sean Murphy.

According to Petriello, the stat accounts for pitch location, pitch movement and other factors involving the baseball and the catcher himself. Baseball Savant also gives an in-depth visual you can toggle to see where each MLB catcher had an easier time blocking pitches and the exact opposite.

Rob Biertempfel of The Athletic wrote a story following Pittsburgh Pirates catcher Kevin Plawecki and his collection of autographed items from top players from around MLB. Ironically, Plawecki now plays with the player who started his autograph collection, outfielder Andrew McCutchen.

Latest on MMO

Shawn Spradling ranks the 2023 WBC teams.

On This Date in Mets History

1966: Casey Stengel was unanimously voted into the Baseball Hall of Fame.

Birthdays: Willard Hunter (88)

The post Morning Briefing: Adam Wainwright Will Start Game 1 For Team USA appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Good morning, Mets fans!

Derrick Gould of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported that three-time All-Star and two-time Gold Glove winner Adam Wainwright is returning to the Cardinals for the 2023 season. It will be his last season as an MLB pitcher. Wainwright is only five wins short of joining the 200 wins club.

Now, it is time for the morning briefing.

Latest Mets News

Michael Mayer reports that the Mets have released Gosuke Katoh. Katoh had a .693 OPS in Triple-A Syracuse this season. Additionally, Katoh was taken by the Nippon-Ham Fighters last week in the Nippon Professional Baseball draft.

Latest MLB News

Jon Morosi of MLB Network reports that Dodgers first base coach Clayton McCullough has interviewed with the Kansas City Royals for their managerial vacancy and is among the finalists there.

Matt Gelb of The Athletic reports that Aaron Nola will start Game 1 of the World Series. Zack Wheeler in Game 2. Rob Thomson said there will be a few changes to the roster, but that won’t be finalized until Friday.

Anthony Castrovince of MLB.com wrote a feature story on a scout for the Houston Astros who is their “not-so-secret key to success”

Katie Woo of The Athletic reports that Jeff Albert has elected to not return as the Cardinals hitting coach in 2023. Pitching coach Mike Maddux has stepped down. And bullpen coach Bryan Eversgerd will be reassigned as a special assistant within the organization.

Benjamin Hochman of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch has a quotation from John Mozeliak, Cardinals president of baseball operations: “our payroll is going up.”

AP Sports reports that Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner plans to keep Aaron Boone as his manager. “I believe he is a very good manager,” Steinbrenner said Wednesday as he left the Yankees player development complex. “I don’t see a change there.”

The Seattle Mariners claimed pitcher Luke Weaver from Kansas City.

Latest on MMO

The MMO News Desk reports that the Giants are ready to spend big on Aaron Judge.

Robby Waldrop wrote a 2022 report card on Eduardo Escobar.

Jack Markowski has five under-the-radar free agents for the Mets to consider.

On This Date in Mets History

1986: The Mets rallied late to defeat the Red Sox in game seven and win the world series. Ray Knight was named World Series MVP after slashing .391/.440/.565 and driving in five runs.

Birthdays: Ruben Tejada (33), T.J. Rivera (34), Pedro Beato (36), Jon Niese (36), Gil Flores (70)

The post Morning Briefing: Adam Wainwright Returning to Cardinals in 2023 appeared first on Metsmerized Online.