Within that 14-year span, he broke records, made seven All-Star teams, was an elite third baseman both in the field and at the plate, and was the face of a franchise that far too often didn’t come close to meeting the standards he was at. In spite of setbacks, many beyond his control, he carried himself as a true leader—a player that fans could relate to and be proud of. Wright built a legacy that has made him a Mets immortal and among the most Amazin’ to ever wear orange and blue.

Welcome to the Bigs – July 21, 2004

It was meant to be. He rooted for the Mets growing up in the Tidewater area of Virginia. After being drafted in 2001, Wright blossomed in the minor league system and never gave the organization reason to question him as a cornerstone player-in-waiting. David went hitless in his major league debut at Shea Stadium versus the Montreal Expos, but made several impressive plays in the field. The necessary tools to become the third base fixture and team leader were evident.

Although it was a small sample size of 69 games and 263 at-bats, Wright finished ’04 with a .293 batting average, 14 home runs, and 40 RBIs while carrying himself in a manner unusual for a 21-year-old. It was one of the few bright spots in an otherwise dismal Mets season.

Glove Not Required – August 9, 2005

Easily his greatest defensive highlight occurred at Petco Park during his first full big-league season. San Diego’s Brian Giles lifted a soft fly ball over Wright’s head in the seventh inning—a certain hit (usually). It would’ve been tough enough to make the play with a mitt. So as he ran back for the ball, he tracked the trajectory and where it was headed—leaving him little choice about the next course of action.

Wright reached out with his throwing hand. While falling down, he held on to the ball before landing on the grass in shallow left. It was one of the best catches you’ll ever see, by a Met or anyone.

Subway Series Classic – May 19, 2006

What’s the lasting image of David Wright? For many, it’s him running out of the batter’s box after a drive to straightaway center field and leaping with hope multiple times before exulting after he had delivered the game-winning hit to beat Mariano Rivera and the Yankees.

He faced a legendary closer with the score sitting at 6-6 in the bottom of the ninth. On a 2-2 pitch, Rivera threw his patented cutter down in the strike zone.

Johnny Damon couldn’t get it. Paul Lo Duca scored to ensure a thrilling victory in one of the best Subway Series games ever. It was also a series that carried extra significance for the Mets, as it came in the midst of their best regular season since the start of the decade, coupled with the emergence of a new face of the franchise.

A Homer Happy All-Star Debut – July 10 & 11, 2006

Ignore the fact that after the Home Run Derby, Wright’s second-half power numbers tailed off significantly. But that night (and the next) was a national coming-out party for David. He ended up second to the Phillies’ Ryan Howard in the derby. But nobody told him the contest was over.

Wright stepped up for his first All-Star Game at-bat and hit a liner off former Met Kenny Rogers in the second inning that cleared the short left-field fence. Wright was one of six Mets selected to the National League squad in a season when the East was already a runaway by the unofficial midway point. The American League’s comeback victory prevented Wright from potentially being the game’s MVP.

Welcome to the Club – September 16, 2007

His third base predecessor Howard Johnson did it three times. Darryl Strawberry accomplished it as well. Now it was Wright’s turn to enter the select 30-homer, 30-steal circle. An opposite-field homer against Philadelphia made David the first 30-30 Met since HoJo in 1991.

While September 2007 was certainly a month to forget for his team, Wright did not suffer down the stretch. In fact, he had a 1.034 OPS over the regular season’s final 27 games and would’ve made a strong case for NL MVP if the Mets hadn’t completely cratered.

Lone Walk-off Homer – August 7, 2008

He held the Mets record for walk-off hits before it was broken by Wilmer Flores, but only once did a game-ender leave the park. It couldn’t have come at a better time for the player or the club. Both Wright and the Mets were struggling. New York had lost five of six, and manager Jerry Manuel even considered sitting David for this afternoon’s contest versus the San Diego Padres. But Wright proved his worth. He singled in the first, doubled in the fifth, and punctuated his three-hit day with a two-out, two-run homer against Heath Bell.

First Mets Citi Field Blast – April 13, 2009

Who better? And how ironic also, considering the original canyon-like dimensions helped to severely limit Wright’s power numbers for years to come. After he laced a double down the right field line in the bottom of the first for the Mets’ initial hit in their new ballpark, Wright came up with two on and two out in the fifth, and the Mets down by three. He had enough lift and distance to send it about 390 feet. Back then, that was *barely* enough to get it over “The Great Wall of Flushing.” That briefly tied the score at five, but the San Diego Padres would be the home-opening spoiler.

The Hit King – September 26, 2012

He had already become the leader in nearly every significant offensive category: RBIs, runs scored, extra-base hits, and total bases. A little more than eight years into his career, David surpassed Ed Kranepool for the most hits ever by a New York Met. But it didn’t happen in typical David Wright fashion. The record-breaker was a dribbler down the third-base line. The attempted throw to get Wright out sailed wide of first, and he advanced on the throwing error. But they all count the same. After that infield single, the count was a historic 1,419.

“Captain” Made Official – March 21, 2013

Dating back to his start in the big leagues, Wright embodied the qualities that make a team captain. Eight full seasons into his career, and having signed an extension earlier that off-season, the Mets gave him the title he deserved. Wright became the fourth player in franchise history to have the honor, joining Keith Hernandez, Gary Carter, and John Franco. It was the first time anyone held the title since Franco left the team in 2004. A leader by example, he exemplified professional success and personal character, which earned respect from those in the clubhouse and throughout the league.

Your All-Star Host – July 16, 2013

When the Mets hosted a Midsummer Classic for the first time in almost 50 years, the man playing in his seventh served as an unofficial ambassador. His duties included participating in the Home Run Derby and receiving the ceremonial first pitch from Tom Seaver, who not surprisingly, has the most All-Star selections of any Amazin’ with nine. Wright also won the fan balloting at third base and manager Bruce Bochy slotted him in the clean-up spot of the starting lineup. He singled in the seventh inning off Greg Holland—the last of his three at-bats in the game and, as it turned out, his final All-Star appearance.

Returning with Thunder – August 24, 2015

In the top of the second inning at Citizens Bank Park, Wright prepared to take his first swing in 133 days. Once a mainstay in the Mets lineup, he had missed over four months. First, it was a hamstring injury, and then, because of the dreaded spinal stenosis, the ailment which would ultimately cause the premature end of his career. It wasn’t a certainty he’d ever return.  Now, Wright was facing Phillies starter Adam Morgan. The 1-1 pitch went over the heart of the plate. David swung and did not miss. It wasn’t just a home run, it was a moonshot.

The Fist-Pump – September 7, 2015

This was the unleashing of stored energy. Wright ran from first base off a liner to right-center by Yoenis Céspedes in the seventh inning of the series opener with the Washington Nationals. The ball was retrieved on the warning track by Bryce Harper. Wright turned for home. With his team eying a first postseason berth since he was a rising star in 2006, the emotion of the moment came out soon after he slid safely ahead of the throw from Anthony Rendon and the tag from Wilson Ramos. The Mets won that day, the next, and ultimately completed a three-game sweep to sew up the division title.

A World Series Homer to Remember – October 30, 2015

He had spent 12 seasons waiting to make the Fall Classic. He had spent many months just hoping to be healthy. In his first World Series at-bat in New York (and the first World Series game at Citi Field) with a runner on base, he sent a towering drive over the left-center field fence and sent the crowd into a frenzy. Wright’s classic swing put the Mets on top, 2-1. New York went on to capture their lone win of the series, 9-3, with Wright tacking on two more RBIs in the sixth with a single to center.

Farewell, Captain – September 28, 2018

On the penultimate day of the regular season, Wright bid goodbye to a New York audience that watched him grow up. With setbacks that would’ve forced a less determined player to quit, Wright was too proud to go out that way. After returning the previous night for his first at-bat in more than two years, an anticipatory sellout crowd at Citi Field was there for the finale. Wright made two plate appearances: drawing a walk in the first and popping out to foul territory in the fourth. Before the fifth inning started, it was time for the final send-off and an ovation that was both long and very much deserved.

The post Captain’s Choice: The Best David Wright Moments appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Alonso, who has been by far the best offensive first baseman in baseball this season, entered Sunday with a 3.0 fWAR, which trailed only Braves corner infielder Matt Olson. Alonso is slashing .287/.380/.543, good for a .923 OPS. His 73 RBIs are tied for second-most in the National League and his 25 doubles leads the National League. Alonso hit home runs No. 19 and 20 in the team’s victory on Saturday. It is the slugger’s fifth All-Star game of his career.

Notably, in an interview after the game, Alonso confirmed to reporters that he would not be participating in the home run derby this year.

Díaz has been electric for the Mets all season long. The 31-year-old closer has a 1.80 ERA across 35 innings to go with a staggering 53 strikeouts. According to Baseball Savant, Díaz ranks in the league’s 98th percentile or better in xERA, xBA, strikeout rate, and whiff rate. Díaz’s 18 saves ranks eighth in the big leagues, and he has only blown one save. This is Díaz’s second All-Star selection as a Met, and third overall.

Juan Soto was notably left out. The first-year Met put together one of the best months in franchise history during June, culminating in a current slash line of .263/.396/.508, which is good for a .904 OPS. He leads the majors in walks and his 21 home runs lead the Mets. The offensive portion of his fWAR ranks third in the National League.

In all, the Mets will have three All-Stars, pending any type of injury replacements which may open the door for someone like Soto to make the game.

The post Alonso, Díaz Named To All-Star Game; Soto Misses Out appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Jason Parkhurst-Imagn Images

Lindor moved on to Phase 2 of All-Star voting as one of the top two finishers among NL shortstops alongside Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Mookie Betts, whom he ultimately bested en route to clinching his spot as a starter. Balloting began on Monday and ran through noon EST today before the results were revealed on ESPN.

Following his rookie season with the Cleveland Guardians in 2015, Lindor earned four-straight All-Star nods from 2016 to 2019. He never started during that stretch, however, and will now have the opportunity to do so at Truist Park on July 15.

Lindor’s exclusion from the All-Star roster since joining the Mets ahead of the 2021 season had stuck out like a sore thumb, particularly after not making it in 2024 despite finishing second in NL MVP voting and recording the sixth-most fWAR (7.8) of any position player in the league.

The 31-year-old has struggled at the plate since breaking his toe on a hit-by-pitch against the Dodgers on June 4, evidenced by a .628 OPS last month, though he is still boasting a .255/.324/.442 slash line with 16 home runs. Furthermore, his 3.0 fWAR coming into the day was tied for the 14th-most among all qualified position players.

The rest of the All-Star rosters will be announced this Sunday on ESPN at 5 p.m.

The post Francisco Lindor Named All-Star Game Starter appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Jason Parkhurst-Imagn Images

Lindor leads all National League shortstops with 1,019,273 votes, nearly twice as many as Mookie Betts, who is currently in second place with 597,188 votes cast in his honor.

While Lindor hasn’t been named to the All-Star team since arriving in Queens, he also has never started a game. The last time he played in an ASG was with Cleveland in 2019, his fourth appearance.

Lindor isn’t the only Met vying for a starting nod. Pete Alonso is currently in second place among NL first basemen, but there’s currently a sizeable distance from him (895,900 votes) and Freddie Freeman (1,136,389 votes). If Alonso were to make the All-Star team, it would be his fifth appearance as a Met, trailing only Darryl Strawberry, Mike Piazza, David Wright and Tom Seaver.

Others in the top five at their position after the first ballot update include Juan Soto, who is fourth among outfielders and just under 60,000 votes short of Teoscar Hernández for a starting spot. Jeff McNeil is in fifth place amongst second basemen (Ketel Marte of the D-backs leads), Francisco Alvarez is third amongst catchers (Will Smith of the Dodgers leads) and Starling Marte is fifth amongst designated hitters (Shohei Ohtani leads).

Phase One of voting finishes June 26 at noon ET. You can vote here to send your Mets to the All-Star Game. The 2025 All-Star Game will take place in Atlanta on July 15.

The post Lindor Leads NL Shortstops in All-Star Voting appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

10. 1987

Davey Johnson‘s reward for being in the World Series is representing the NL as manager. He had Gary Carter and Darryl Strawberry in his starting lineup and Keith Hernandez off the bench, but it was Sid Fernandez who closed out the extra-inning victory.

Runs were at a premium thanks mainly to the late-afternoon sun at the Oakland Coliseum. The NL finally broke through in the 13th after Tim Raines‘ triple with “El Sid” preserved in the bullpen. Fernandez walked the leadoff batter but found his location from then on.

9. 1969

If the country wasn’t aware of the rapidly improving New York Mets—in second place at 53-39 and five games behind the Chicago Cubs by the time the All-Star Game arrived—it soon would. Three players who contributed to the turnaround were selected for the 40th midsummer classic at Washington D.C.’s RFK Stadium.

Cleon Jones started in left field for his first All-Star appearance and went 2-for-4, Jerry Koosman pitched 1 2/3 scoreless innings, and eventual Cy Young Award winner Tom Seaver was present but was not called on to the mound in what turned out to be a 9-3 NL win.

8. 1964

In its debut season, Shea Stadium had already opened in conjunction with the New York World’s Fair. By July, it had already seen a perfect game (thrown by Philadelphia’s Jim Bunning on June 21), and now it hosted one of the greatest All-Star Games.

Mets fans who had little success to cheer for in the early years latched on to Ron Hunt, a scrappy second baseman elected to start for the National League in his home park. He would go 1-for-3, but more excitement was saved for the finish. Johnny Callison of the Phillies hit a walk-off homer to give the NL a 7-4 win, the last time in the contest’s history to end in such a fashion.

7. 1986

The Mets were the predominant story of ’86, so it was of little surprise that when the All-Star rosters were announced, the Mets had the most participants. At the Astrodome on July 15, the setting for future postseason drama, the Amazin’s had five selectees – Dwight Gooden, Carter, Hernandez, Strawberry, and Fernandez.

The recognition of the Mets’ accomplishments was apparent in the starting lineup. Fans voted in Carter at catcher, Hernandez at first base, and Strawberry in right field. At age 21, Gooden was making his third All-Star appearance in three seasons. He worked a scoreless first and was touched up for two runs in the second. The Hernandez-Carter-Strawberry trio combined to go 1-for-9 with Darryl logging the lone hit against Teddy Higuera in the bottom of the fifth.

6. 1979

The lowly Mets had one participant, but he was very much present even though he didn’t appear until the eighth inning. Nevertheless, Lee Mazzilli‘s cameo at the Kingdome was made worthwhile. Leading off with the NL down 6-5, Mazzilli took a Jim Kern pitch down the left field line that snuck just over the wall. The defensive heroics of MVP Dave Parker kept the score even into the ninth. That’s when the NL, and Mazzilli, took advantage of wild American League pitching.

Joe Morgan drew a one-out walk and moved to second on a balk. Parker was intentionally walked. Ron Cey earned the traditional free pass to load the bases for Maz with two gone. Ron Guidry came in, but his 3-1 pitch drifted outside. Mazzilli had driven in the tying and go-ahead runs. The 7-6 lead was placed into the hands of Bruce Sutter, who closed out the NL’s eighth straight win.

5. 1975

Jon Matlack was often second or third on the hierarchy of Mets pitchers during that era. But not long after Tom Seaver relinquished the lead by giving up a game-tying sixth-inning blast to Carl Yastrzemski, he bailed out this rotation cohort and kept the American League from scoring anymore. Matlack got two strikeouts (mixed in with a caught stealing) in the seventh inning and two more in the eighth.

It was certainly an MVP-caliber performance. Matlack shared the honor on this night at Milwaukee’s County Stadium with Bill Madlock of the Chicago Cubs, who produced the game-winning hit in the top of the eighth and allowed the lefty to get the victory.

4. 2006

Apparently, nobody told him the Home Run Derby was over. David Wright complimented his runner-up finish in the annual long ball contest with a drive off former Met Kenny Rogers, clearing the left-field fence to tie it up at one in the second inning.

Wright was one of six Mets selected to the NL squad in a season when the NL East was already a runaway by the unofficial midway point. Carlos Beltrán doubled in the first inning and later stole third and scored the tie-breaking run. That 2-1 lead held up until Trevor Hoffman let it get away in the ninth inning.

3. 2015
“Hi, I’m Jacob deGrom, and I have the chance with my stuff to just dominate baseball for years to come.”

Never has Joe Buck been so on point with a call. The 27-year-old defending Rookie of the Year wasn’t around long for his All-Star debut. That was of his own doing. DeGrom didn’t just strike out each of the three American League All-Stars he faced in the sixth inning at Cincinnati’s Great American Ballpark. He was nearly immaculate, fanning Stephen Vogt, Jason Kipnis, and finally — OMG! — Jose Iglesias on a mere 10 pitches.

2. 2013

The Mets’ past, present, and future was on display as Citi Field hosted the game for the first time. David Wright was the unofficial ambassador, starting at third base and batting fourth. He caught the ceremonial first pitch from Tom Seaver, who not surprisingly has the most All-Star appearances of any Met.

The actual first pitch also came from a Met. Matt Harvey was the headliner, earning the nod in his first full big-league season. For those in the national audience still unaware of “The Dark Knight,” they got glimpses over 32 pitches. Harvey brushed off early jitters to toss two scoreless innings before the announced crowd of 45,186—the largest in the brief history of Mets’ new stadium. As for Wright, he singled in the seventh, the last of his three at-bats in the game and, as it turned out, his seventh and final All-Star appearance.

1. 1984

For All-Star K’s, no one did it better—in quantity and quality—than Carl Hubbell back in 1934. After Fernando Valenzuela struck out the side in the fourth inning at Candlestick Park, it was time for Dwight Gooden (and history) to make an appearance as one former sensation passed the baton to the current one.

The 19-year-old was the youngest All-Star in history and, in the fifth inning, did what had been doing to hitters thus far in his Rookie of the Year campaign, Gooden overpowered a succession of American League sluggers: Lance Parrish of Detroit, fellow Tiger Chet Lemon, and the Mariners’ Alvin Davis.

Gooden tossed another scoreless frame with future teammate Gary Carter behind the plate.

The post 10 Amazin’ All-Star Game Moments appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Through 92 games Alonso has slashed .243/.322/.415/ with an OPS .777. He has smashed 18 home runs, with 49 RBIs, ranking him seventh and 21st in the National League, respectively. Here are some interesting statistics for Alonso’s home runs.

Specifically, 15 out of his 18 home runs have been pulled to left field, depicted by the red dots below. His maximum exit velocity for a home run was 116.3 mph.  His max home run distance was 446 feet.

In case you were wondering, Alonso’s average home run trot around the bases is 22.59 seconds ranking him 41st in the MLB.  

In the Home Run Derby, Alonso will be facing Marcell Ozuna (ATL), Adolis Garcia (TEX), Gunnar Henderson (BAL), Bobby Witt Jr.(KC), Teoscar Hernandez (LAD), Jose Ramirez (CLE), and Alec Bohm (PHI). With two previous derby wins, Pete is the current favorite with a +310 line, according to Bet MGM. Alonso will once again use former bench coach Dave Jauss as his pitcher for the event.  

It would be great to see Alonso take home the Debry title again, making him the second player ever to win three derbies alongside Ken Griffey Jr. Let’s hope Pete can continue to build upon this progress and not let the festivities interfere with his regular season play.

The post Weekly Statistical Spotlight: Pete Alonso appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Major League Baseball announced Sunday evening that Mets first baseman Pete Alonso will once again participate in the home run derby.

This will be the fifth-straight derby Alonso has participated in. He is looking for his third title. Alonso joins Alec Bohm of the Phillies and Gunnar Henderson of the Orioles among players confirmed for the event.

Alonso ranks 15th in the majors in home runs with 15. He is the Mets lone All-Star representative.

Original Post –

Sunday evening, Major League Baseball announced the reserves and pitchers selected to the All-Star game. In a surprising development, Pete Alonso was named the Mets’ lone representative. This while Brandon Nimmo and Francisco Lindor were snubbed.

Alonso, by his lofty standards has not had his best year. Entering Sunday’s game, he owned an wRC+ and OPS both below his career averages. Additionally, he is only on pace for 33 home runs, a number that would be a career-low, not counting the COVID-shortened season. Regardless, his numbers as a whole are still above league average. This is Alonso’s third-straight All-Star appearance and fourth overall.

Nimmo, along with Lindor, appeared to be the more deserving Mets candidates. Entering Sunday, Nimmo ranked third among all National League outfielders in fWAR. Meanwhile, Lindor ranked second in fWAR among National League shortstops trailing on Elly De La Cruz.

In the National League, Trea Turner got voted in as the starter and De La Cruz as well as CJ Abrams was elected as a reserve over Lindor. Meanwhile, Christian Yelich, Jurickson Profar, and Fernando Tatis Jr. all got voted in to start in the outfield while Jackson Merrill, Heliot Ramos, and Bryan Reynolds were named reserves over Nimmo. Bryce Harper, deservingly voted in as a starter, joins Pete Alonso and reserved-named Freddie Freeman as the National League’s first baseman.

When comparing the three Mets versus each other, Nimmo leads the Mets in fWAR with Lindor closely behind. Meanwhile, Alonso checks in sixth, largely weighed down by his porous defense this season. Both Nimmo and Lindor continue their streak of not being named to an All-Star game as a Met. Lindor made four-straight All-Star appearances with Cleveland from 2016 through 2019.

The All-Star game is slated for Tuesday, July 16 at 8:00 pm ET. The game is being held at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas.

The post Pete Alonso Slated To Participate In Fifth-Straight Home Run Derby appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Happy Independence Day to the best nation in the world!

On Wednesday, MLB released the starting lineups for the AL and NL as they prepare for the 2024 All-Star Game, which will be held on July 16 at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas. While no Mets made the starting lineup, plenty of first time All-Stars got the starting nod and familiar faces continue to cement their Midsummer Classic legacies. Here are the starting lineups for each league:

NL: C: William Contreras, MIL, 1B: Bryce Harper, PHI, 2B: Ketel Marte, ARI, SS: Trea Turner, PHI, 3B: Alec Bohm, PHI, OF: Christian Yelich, MIL OF: Jurickson Profar, SDP OF: Fernando Tatis Jr., SDP, DH: Shohei Ohtani, LAD.

AL: C: Adley Rutschman, BAL, 1B: Vladimir Guerrero Jr., TOR, 2B: José Altuve, HOU, SS: Gunnar Henderson, BAL, 3B: José Ramírez, CLE, OF: Aaron Judge, NYY, OF: Juan Soto, NYY, OF: Steven Kwan, CLE, DH: Yordan Álvarez, HOU.

Along with announcing the starters for the 96th annual All-Star Game, MLB also released the uniforms that will be worn on the field.

Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

On Wednesday evening, the Mets found themselves on the losing side for the first time in their series against the Nationals this week. After taking two extra-inning games to start the four-game set, the Mets were not able to outscore their bullpen woes, blowing a 5-1 lead and falling by a score of 7-5 to the Nationals. For a full game breakdown, click here.

The Mets will try to leave Washington with a series win as they finish up the series. Jose Quintana (4.57 ERA, 3-5) will face Jake Irvin (3.03 ERA, 6-6) of the Nationals at 11:05 a.m. ET.

Latest Mets News

Kodai Senga looked sharp in his first rehab start for the High-A Brooklyn Cyclones: 2.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 6 K, 35 pitches/25 strikes. To learn more about Senga’s first rehab start, click here.

The Mets called up Christian Scott from Triple-A Syracuse and DFA’d RHP Matt Festa prior to Wednesday’s game. Scott started on Wednesday, going 5.2 IP 6 H, 4 ER, 2 BB, and 2 SO while leaving the game with a 5-4 lead.

Veteran outfielder Trayce Thompson was released from his contract with the Triple-A Syracuse Mets, per Mike Mayer of Metsmerized Online.

Latest MLB News

Minnesota Twins slugger Royce Lewis was placed on the 10-day IL with a right adductor strain.

The Milwaukee Brewers acquired starting pitcher Aaron Civale in a trade with the Tampa Bay Rays, sending INF prospect Gregory Barrios to Tampa Bay in return.

Toronto Blue Jays closer Jordan Romano underwent arthroscopic surgery on his right elbow to repair an impingement and will be down from throwing for at least six weeks, per Keegan Matheson of MLB.com. It is still unknown if he will be able to return this season.

The Minnesota Twins called up their top infield prospect, and No. 13 prospect in all of baseball, Brooks Lee, per Declan Goff of SKOR North. Lee started at third base and went 2-for-4 with an RBI in his MLB debut.

Jon Heyman reported on a Bleacher Report livestream that the Seattle Mariners and Los Angeles Dodgers are the “most likely” landing spots for Chicago White Sox star outfielder Luis Robert Jr.

Latest on MMO

Jose Iglesias and the Mets offense have propelled them to key late-inning wins.

Sean Manaea helped lighten the heavily taxed bullpen’s load with his impressive outing on Tuesday.

Kodai Senga shined in his first rehab start.

On This Date in Mets History

2006: The Mets score three runs in the bottom of the 8th to take a 7-6 lead over the Pirates and Billy Wagner locks it down in the 9th, recording his 300th career save. 

1985: In a 19-inning marathon, the Mets outlast the Braves, winning by a score of 16-13 behind a Keith Hernandez cycle.

1972: Tom Seaver comes within two outs of a no-hitter against the Padres, before a base hit by Leron Lee broke up the no-hit bid.

Birthdays: Jared Hughes (39), José Oquendo (61)

The post Morning Briefing: MLB All-Star Game Starters Announced appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Francisco Lindor. Photo Credit: Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports

Francisco Lindor

Francisco Lindor‘s slow starts are well-known. This trend was once again evident to begin the 2024 season and, luckily, as he does every season, Lindor has figured it out and is emerging as one of the most valuable players in the National League.

As of Saturday, Lindor’s 2.9 fWAR not only leads the Mets, but is the sixth-highest mark in all of the National League. Despite the subpar start to the season, his .735 OPS is well-above this year’s league average of .704. Lindor is also on-pace for over 25 home runs, over 100 runs scored, and 0ver 25 stolen bases. Not to mention, he ranks in the league’s 98th percentile in outs above average (OAA).

As he compares to his National League shortstop peers, Lindor only trails Willy Adames of the Milwaukee Brewers in fWAR (by 0.1 WAR). According to both OAA and defensive WAR metrics, Lindor has comfortably been the National League’s top defensive shortstop. Of all the Mets on this list, Lindor, even if not in a starting role, deserves to be named to his first All-Star game as a Metropolitan.

Brandon Nimmo. Mandatory Credit: Jim Cowsert-USA TODAY Sports

Brandon Nimmo

For a while there, Brandon Nimmo owned the unfortunate crown of the most unlucky player in baseball. Still, despite some positive regression, Nimmo ranks 25th in the majors in largest difference between actual and expected batting average and 37th in the majors in largest difference between actual and expected wOBA. This among 261 qualified hitters and according to Baseball Savant.

In all, Nimmo’s actual production has resulted in 2.1 fWAR. Among National League left fielders, this rating comes in second only behind the resurgent Jurickson Profar. Nimmo’s 10 home runs rank third on the Mets and his 42 RBIs leads the team. Like Lindor, his OPS is also well above the .704 league average at .779.

Nimmo is a sneaky candidate to make the All-Star game. His production quietly places him among the best left fielders in baseball this season. If he even got a little more luck and performed slightly closer to his expected numbers than he has thus far, a lot more around baseball would be talking about the always strong ninth-year Met.

Pete Alonso. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports

Pete Alonso

It has been quite an up-and-down start for the Mets’ slugging first baseman. Pete Alonso owns pretty solid statistics and may be on his way to another 40 home run season, however, he is a decent bit off most of his career averages. For reference, the 29-year-old first baseman owns a .798 OPS; his career average OPS sits closer to .900 at .863.

As for how he stacks up to his major-league peers, Alonso’s 1.3 fWAR sits seventh in the National League. A large reason for this is his -7.7 defensive WAR rating. His offensive contributions to his total fWAR ranks him fifth in the National League among first baseball while his total fWAR number does still rank third on the Mets.

Thus far anyways, Alonso really is not having the type of season he usually has. As a result, he finds himself grading further from the top of first baseman in the league than he normally does. Not to mention, when you have two MVP candidates in Bryce Harper and Freddie Freeman playing in the same league as you it is hard for an All-Star spot to be had. For those reasons, it appears the Mets have other candidates that would be more worthy of an All-Star appearance than Alonso.

J.D. Martinez. Mandatory Credit: John Jones-USA TODAY Sports

J.D. Martinez

What a signing J.D. Martinez has been for the Mets. Despite joining the team late, Martinez ranks fourth on the squad in both home runs and RBIs. He has been an absolute game-changer since coming aboard, leading the team in batting average, on-base percentage, slugging percentage, and OPS.

Unfortunately, for Martinez, the designated hitter role has been extremely top heavy in the National League. Specifically, Shohei Ohtani and Marcell Ozuna are both MVP candidates. Not to mention, Martinez got a late start on almost everyone at the top of the National League designated hitter leaderboards.

Regardless of all that, even though the 36-year-old got a late start, he has been one of the most valuable players for the Mets this season. He likely won’t be rewarded with a seventh All-Star selection, but, he has been terrific and if he started with the team since Opening Day, a nod as the Mets’ All-Star representative may have made the most sense.

Note, all WAR metrics are courtesy of Fangraphs and are as of before play on Saturday. 

The post The Mets Who Are The Most Deserving Of An All-Star Appearance appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Major League Baseball on Thursday announced that the 2024 MLB All-Star game will be headed to Texas, where it will be hosted by the Texas Rangers.

Latest Mets News

According to Michael Mayer of Metsmerized, Mets pitcher Sam Coonrod made his second rehab appearance on Thursday for Low-A St. Lucie. He struck out two in one scoreless inning of work. His fastball reached 97 mph and he got five swings and misses on it as well.

Per Michael Mayer of Metsmerized as well, Mets outfielder Starling Marte was placed on the 10-day injured list prior to Thursday’s game due to migraines.

According to Buster Olney of ESPN, some teams have asked the Mets about the availability of Mark Canha, and a possible match could be the Seattle Mariners. They are familiar with him from his years in the AL West and have pursued him in free agency before.

Latest MLB News

The Tampa Bay Rays have some interest in Cubs pitcher and former Met Marcus Stroman.

According to Ryan Divish of The Seattle Times, the Seattle Mariners’ Jarred Kelenic was placed on the injured list after kicking a water cooler and fracturing his foot on Wednesday after a rough performance at the plate. Shannon Drayer of MyNorthwest.com elaborated, saying Kelenic will not need surgery, but will be in a boot for a while with a broken bone in his foot with no timetable for a potential return to baseball.

Per Bob Nightengale of USA Today, Allan Winans will make his major league debut with Atlanta on Saturday after six seasons in the minor leagues. He was drafted in 2018 by the Mets.

According to Jeff Fletcher of the SoCal News Group, it is not likely that the Los Angeles Angels will part ways with Shohei Ohtani before the trade deadline. However, Fletcher talked to “industry insiders” about the caliber of prospects teams could get in return for Ohtani.

Latest on MMO

Dan Quinones recaps Justin Verlander’s bounce-back performance against the Chicago White Sox.

Michael Mayer talks about the report from ESPN’s Buster Olney that talks about teams checking on Mark Canha’s availability.

Chris Bello recaps Brett Baty’s recent successes, including home runs in back-to-back games.

Michael Mayer discusses Starling Marte being placed on the injured list and Mark Vientos getting called up.

Michael Mayer talks about Tommy Pham exiting Thursday’s game early with an apparent injury.

Ricky Keeler recaps the Mets’ 6-2 loss to the Chicago White Sox on Thursday.

Sal Manzo and the MMO Weekly Podcast team talks with Sam Dykstra about the MLB Draft.

On This Date in Mets History

1976: The Mets acquired Jim Dwyer and Pepe Mangual from the Montreal Expos for Wayne Garrett and Del Unser.

2004: Former Mets captain David Wright made his major league debut.

Birthdays: Brett Hinchliffe (49), Brian Buchanan (50), Mike Bordick (58), Mike Cubbage (73)

The post Morning Briefing: 2024 MLB All-Star Game Heads to Texas appeared first on Metsmerized Online.