Entering the three-game series against the Braves on a two-game losing streak, the Mets won the first two games to win the series and get back to winning ways.

However, any positive momentum was halted on Sunday thanks to a sloppy loss to Atlanta in the finale. As a result, we were reminded of all of this team’s flaws and shortcomings.

Therefore, the upcoming series with the Phillies is even more do-or-die as it pertains to the NL East. Failure to take at least two out of three could effectively end any hopes of winning the division.

However, before we look too far ahead, let’s first look back and reflect on the weekend that was in the latest edition of 3 Up, 3 Down…

Jordan Godfree-Imagn Images

3 UP

NOT BAD FOR AN ENCORE

Nolan McLean‘s MLB debut was one to remember. His second career outing was even better. On the road for the first time and pitching in a hostile environment, McLean balled out against the Braves on Friday night. He allowed just two earned runs and no walks on four hits with seven strikeouts across seven innings. Granted, the righty did benefit from plenty of run support in the series opener. But, even so, he still did his job by being efficient and going long, ensuring that another bullpen implosion didn’t hurt his team. We’re dealing with a small sample size here, but McLean has exciting potential and lots of upside. And, based on his first two career starts in the bigs, he could be the big-innings arm this rotation so badly needs.

ON A TEAR

Welcome back, Mark Vientos. The 2024 version of the slugger has been an absolute no-show for most of 2025. Until now, that is. Vientos has looked more like his old self as of late, and never was that more evident than this weekend. He was almost unstoppable against the Braves, hitting three home runs in just two days. He finished the series 5-for-14 with three extra-base hits and five RBIs. Consequently, Vientos is now hitting .357/.400/.958 during a scorching seven-game hitting streak. If this latest stretch is real, and Vientos is indeed back, then that will only be good for the Mets as we approach the stretch run.

UNDER-THE-RADAR

Starling Marte is quietly becoming a reliable piece in this lineup. The veteran has had to settle for a part-time role in 2025, but he’s made the job his own. We saw how valuable Marte can be on Saturday when the veteran had his fingerprints all over a big series-clinching win. He finished 3-for-3 with a run scored, a home run, one RBI, two stolen bases, and a walk. Furthermore, Marte also contributed in the field with an outfield assist. As a result of that monster outing, Marte became the first player with a homer, outfield assist, and two stolen bases in a game since 2023. He is also now the active leader in both stolen bases (361) and outfield assists (107). He may not be the player he once was, but Marte is proving that he can still contribute in a significant way.

Brandon Nimmo. Photo Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images

3 DOWN

GOING STREAKING

Pete Alonso has hit somewhat of another skid. The slugger, the newly-crowned Mets’ home run king, was quiet for the most part in Atlanta. He did hit a home run and finish with two RBIs on Saturday. But, outside of that, he was hitless on Sunday and went 2-for-15 in the series overall. As a result, Alonso is now hitting just .111/.172/.259 with just one homer over his last six games. Locked in an intense battle for the playoffs, the Mets need Alonso to go on an absolute heater, and soon.

STIFF ISSUE 

Brandon Nimmo has been battling a stiff neck, and he missed the vast majority of the Braves series. In fact, the only time we saw Nimmo in Atlanta was as a pinch-hitter on Sunday. The expectation now is that Nimmo will return to the lineup on Monday. However, the veteran has also dealt with neck issues before. Plus, this continues a trend of Nimmo going down hurt just as he’s really hitting a stride. With every win crucial at this stage of the season, the Mets can’t afford for anyone at the top of the lineup to go cold. The hope will be that Nimmo can recover quickly from neck stiffness and contribute in a big way down the stretch.

SAME OLD ISSUES

The Mets couldn’t sweep this series because of the flaws that have led to them playing bad baseball for a long stretch. The same old problems were also on display throughout the weekend in Atlanta. The bullpen tried its best to give the game away on Friday. Reed Garrett and Ryan Helsley combined to give up five earned runs on six hits over the final two innings. Thankfully, the offense had built enough of a lead to survive that collapse.

On Saturday, despite scoring nine runs, the offense went 1-for-9 with RISP, leaving nine runners stranded. It was a similar story on Sunday, but with a different outcome. The lineup again went 1-for-9 with runners in scoring position, with a lack of offense leading to a loss. Gregory Soto then allowed the go-ahead runs in the eighth to seal a frustrating day at the office. The Mets, despite winning this series, still aren’t playing clean baseball. And that’s a very real concern with the Phillies now in town.

The post 3 Up, 3 Down: Mets Can’t Finish The Sweep Against Atlanta appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Talk about a tough stretch. The Mets are now riding a season-high six game losing streak after being swept by the Braves in Atlanta.

Very few things went right in this series. The starting rotation continues to show signs of regression. The offense was a no-show. The inability to cash in with runners on remains a huge problem. Oh, and injuries continue to bite.

All the while, the Mets continue to suffer at the hands of their old nemesis. As a result, New York’s division lead has been wiped out. Meanwhile, the door may have been opened back up for the Braves to sneak into the NL East race.

Overall, it was a forgettable three days in Atlanta for the slumping Mets, who now face a crucial run of divisional games against the Phillies and the Braves.

Before we turn our focus to the Phillies, though, let’s unpack everything from the Braves series in the latest edition of 3 Up, 3 Down…

Juan Soto (22) Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images

3 UP

MAKING HISTORY

We could have very easily turned this into a ‘6 Down’ feature given how bad things were in Atlanta. There are very few positives to take from this series. However, God loves a trier. As such, we’re going to attempt to draw some good notes from the debacle against the Braves. Let’s start with Juan Soto. The superstar hitter went 2-for-3 with a home run in the opener. He then made history in the finale, recording the 1,000th hit of his career. Reminder – Soto is still only 26-years-old. As a result, he joins Hall of Famers Mel Ott and Mickey Mantle as the only three players in MLB history to collect 1,000 hits, 200 home runs and 700 walks before their 27th birthdays. Pretty impressive.

SHOWING SOMETHING

Tyrone Taylor quietly had a very productive series against the Braves. The outfielder went a combined 4-for-10 with a double, a home run, two runs scored and three RBIs in the three games. The highlight was the opener, with Taylor hitting a homer and a two-run double. Now hitting .237/.300/.348/.648 on the year, Taylor showed some signs of breaking out offensively during the series in Atlanta.

FINDING HIS GROOVE

Starling Marte continued on his current upward trajectory in Atlanta. The veteran knocked in three hits, including a double, in two games against the Braves. Yes, he grounded out in a big spot in the finale. But, overall, Marte is hitting .438/.471/.500/.971 over his last four games. Consequently, he’s continuing to show signs that he’s becoming more and more comfortable in a part-time role for the Mets.

Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

3 DOWN

ICE-COLD OFFENSE

Okay, let’s get right to the meaty part of this edition of 3 Up, 3 Down. The bad. Because, boy, was there a lot of ugly in the sweep at the hands of the Braves. A hell of a lot of ugly.

Let’s start with the offense. The Mets managed just five runs and 18 hits in three games in Atlanta. Yes, the red-hot Chris Sale was the Braves’ starter for the shutout loss in the second game of the series. But, given the sheer amount of talent in that Mets lineup, scoring just five runs in any series is unacceptable. The big three of Soto, Francisco Lindor and Pete Alonso – particularly Lindor – simply didn’t do enough to put the entire lineup on their backs and help their team win baseball games. They have to be better. And, given the current state of the starting rotation, it is on the offense to now carry the load. They didn’t do that against the Braves. It also didn’t help that the Mets went a combined 2-for-15 with RISP, leaving a total of 14 runners stranded on base. That’s a problem that doesn’t show any signs of going away anytime soon.

ESCALATING CONCERN

What was once a strength is now rapidly becoming a house of horrors for the Mets. Statistically speaking, New York still has the best pitching staff in baseball. However, how much longer that continues to be the case remains to be seen. After all, the rotation can only stay afloat for a certain amount of time before all these injuries sink it.

Tylor Megill was placed on the IL with inflammation in his elbow earlier in the week. Frankie Montas will join the rotation next week, but confidence in the righty should be low after his rehab assignment nightmare. In terms of the pitching in Atlanta, it was brutal. Reed Garrett blew the save in the opener, paving the way for a gut-punch of a loss in extra-innings. Paul Blackburn was shelled in his second start of the year on Wednesday. He also wasn’t helped by his catcher, with Luis Torrens making a couple of costly errors. Then, in the finale, Clay Holmes walked six and gave up three earned runs in just 4 2/3 innings. Huascar Brazobán made matters worse, allowing four earned runs and three walks. All in all, the pitching is in the doldrums right now.

TIME FOR A RESET?

Francisco Alvarez is really going through it right now. The catcher is simply not hitting, and he also struggled defensively in the Atlanta series. Alvarez committed a series of defensive blunders in the opener, and his fingerprints can be found all over that loss. Furthermore, Alvarez is offering nothing offensively. He went a combined 0-for-6 with three strikeouts in two games against the Braves. As a result, he has now posted career-low marks in both slugging percentage (.305) and OPS (.621). There is now enough of a sample size to suggest that something is really amiss. Therefore, it might be beneficial for all parties if Alvarez spends some time in Triple-A for a much-needed reset.

The post 3 Up, 3 Down: Mets’ Skid Continues In Atlanta appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

2024 Traditional Stats: 0-10, 4.74 ERA, 1.38 WHIP, 25 G, 79.2 IP, 84 SO, 44 BB
2024 Advanced Stats: 87 ERA+, 24.2 K%, 12.7 BB%, 4.55 xERA, 4.95 FIP, 4.54 xFIP, 0.6 WAR

Rundown

Michael Soroka, also known as Mike, is quite an intriguing free agent. Just looking at his statistics listed above, you probably get immediately turned off. During the 2023 season, Soroka posted a 6.40 ERA in only seven appearances. Before that, the last pitch thrown by Mike Soroka was in 2020, where he had made only three starts with 13.2 IP. Things over the last few years have not looked promising.

And right off the rip, 2024 gives you the same standpoint. In games Soroka had started, he posted a 6.39 ERA with a 1.51 WHIP. Nine starts, only about 43 innings. This was not the same pitcher as 2019.

With all of this being said, the Chicago White Sox knew there needed to be a change. On May 14, manager Pedro Grifol decided that moving Soroka to the bullpen would help the team. Although the win column didn’t show that move, it proved to be just that. Soroka brought his competitiveness and willingness to be ready to go whenever needed right into the White Sox pen, posting a 2.75 ERA in 16 games. During this stint in the pen, he dramatically dropped his WHIP and AVG against and had 36 more strikeouts in seven fewer innings.

Mike Soroka could be an interesting arm if used as a reliever, possibly in a long relief type/spot starter type role. Throwing 36 innings in only 16 relief opportunities, he showed that he could easily go multiple innings when needed. His increased strikeout percentage was at an insane 39%, showing teams he can be a true long-relief, mid-leverage type arm.

Contract

MLB Trade Rumors has Soroka projected to receive a two-year, 14 million dollar contract. This feels like somebody David Stearns would love to take a shot on. Soroka has had to battle injuries for the majority of his career, and even in the 2024 campaign, he dealt with a shoulder strain that sidelined him for two months.

This is a player that could be similar to a Jose Butto role for the Mets. Having the option to be a spot starter, and a long relief option, this could be a good fit for the Mets. Especially if the Mets leadership decided to give Butto a chance to win a starting spot, that would leave the Mets needing somebody who can eat innings out of the pen.

We know the Mets have already shown interest in signing Soroka.

Recommendation

Soroka is a low-risk, high-reward type of player. This new Mets regime, headed by Steve Cohen and David Stearns, loves to take risks, especially with pitching. Last year, the two brought in Sean Manaea, ‘the worst pitcher in baseball’ Luis Severino, and leaned on Jose Quintana to get quality innings. They have trust in their pitching lab and believe with tweaks, they could get the most out of players.

Soroka has the potential to be a great bullpen arm, as proven to be this year. While he may never return to being his old self from 2019, he can still be a key contributor to a bullpen with big goals. I would say that acquiring Mike Soroka would be a plus move for the Mets.

The post Free Agent Profile: Mike Soroka, RHP appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

This is the game you’re gonna talk about.

There’s not a single person in this room who’s ever gonna be the same.

You be proud of yourselves. Because, gentlemen, you are champions.”

Those words were uttered by the iconic Coach Taylor in the beloved TV series Friday Night Lights. Granted, that speech was made to a fictional team in the wake of a heartbreaking loss in the State Championship game.

But, yet, those very words will no doubt resonate with every single person that resides in Mets land today. Because, and this isn’t being hyperbolic, Game 1 of the doubleheader against the Braves on Monday will live on in Mets lore forever. It is a heroic, almost mythical tale that will be passed on to generations and generations of Mets fans.

And that’s almost not doing it justice.

What we witnessed in the early portion of Monday is still hard to comprehend even after the dust has settled. For so much of Game 1, Mets fans were being forced to listen to the same old sad song they’ve had to listen to for years when it comes to the Braves. With everything on the line, their dreams were being crushed by the evil nemesis from Atlanta. Yet again.

For seven innings, New York was enduring a long, slow death by a thousand cuts thanks to a new Mets killer in Spencer Schwellenbach, who tossed seven innings of scoreless ball. As a result, the Braves headed into the final two innings armed with a 3-0 lead. With the bats going cold in a huge spot—again—it looked almost certain that the entire season was going to come down to a do-or-die Game 2.

Then the first of many, many, many brain-warping plot twists took place.

As if they suddenly flipped a switch, the offense found their groove and turned the game on its head with six monstrous runs in the eighth inning. Mets fans everywhere were experiencing a joyful wave of absolute euphoria—a sensation not felt by this fanbase in a long while.

Brett Davis-Imagn Images

ROLLERCOASTER MOMENT IN A ROLLERCOASTER YEAR

However, in a cruel twist of fate that could only happen to this franchise in Atlanta, the Braves hit right back and flipped the script once more. After an improbable rally by the home team, coupled with a meltdown by Edwin Díaz, Mets fans were on the verge of getting their hearts shattered into a million pieces by the Braves. Again.

Diaz and Phil Maton gave up four runs in the bottom half of the eighth, sending the Braves to the ninth with a one-run lead.

This is the year 2024, however, and we should all know by now that this current vintage of the Mets don’t like to do things the easy way. It’s almost as if they have to endure the very lowest of lows in order to make the highest of highs that much more special.

And that’s exactly why Francisco Lindor‘s clutch, heroic and legacy-sealing home run in the ninth inning will go down as one of the biggest hits in franchise history. Period.

There was something beautifully poetic about Lindor, the very heart and soul of this team, stepping up in the biggest spot of the entire year and delivering in the biggest way. Just as he has done all year long. In a Game 1 that had enough plot twists to make HBO drool, in arguably the biggest regular season game this organization has ever played in, it is only fitting that it was Lindor who had the final say in a game for the ages.

It was only fitting that it was Lindor who finally slayed the dragon and banished the ghosts once and for all in Atlanta.

And it was only fitting that it was Lindor who sent the Mets to the postseason.

After all, without Lindor, that rollercoaster of a Game 1 would never have happened. Without Lindor, this mesmerizing, inconceivable rollercoaster of a year wouldn’t have been possible.

As much as Monday’s implausible events in Atlanta were the very epitome of the Mets’ entire season, Lindor coming to his team’s rescue with everything on the line will tell the true story of the 2024 season in Queens.

Brett Davis-Imagn Images

SIGNATURE MOMENT

Lindor has been the one constant for this team all year long. He has carried this entire franchise on his back so much that his back actually gave out. He put aside his own early season struggles to hold a team meeting and act as the glue when everything around him was falling apart. And, more importantly, he elevated his own play and led a remarkable turnaround that will be talked about with reverence in Queens for years to come. The Mets were once 11 games under .500 and looked well and truly dead after the darkest of months in May. Yet, thanks to their heart and soul, their inspirational and unstoppable shortstop, this team became just the fourth team in major league history to start a season 0-5 and make the postseason.

No matter how many times we all thought the Mets might be dead, they always found a way to rise up and live to fight another day. And it was always Lindor leading the charge. Even after erasing lofty deficits in the Wild Card standings over the final month, this team looked to have run out of gas after imploding in the final week of the regular season. Three consecutive choke jobs looked to finally be the undoing of what was a miraculous run. But Lindor wasn’t having any of it. Despite playing through the pain with a broken down back, despite looking a shadow of his former self, the leader of this entire franchise led the way in a must-win game on Sunday. Then, in arguably the biggest at-bat of his entire career, Lindor produced the statement moment of the entire year on Monday.

In any other year, and were it not for the enduring brilliance of Shohei Ohtani, Lindor would have run away with the MVP.

Not that actual hardware really matters. Because, ultimately, thanks to his heroics on Monday, Lindor will always be this year’s MVP in the eyes and hearts of Mets fans everywhere. The role he played in the most incredible, thrilling of seasons will never, ever be forgotten in Queens.

He led this team back from the dead and guided them to the postseason, while playing a huge part in finally, finally slaying the dragon in the house of horrors that had inflicted so much pain and heartbreak on this fanbase.

In a wild season for the ages, Lindor was the one true stabilizing force right until the bitter end. And his signature moment to cap a signature year will stand the test of time.

Of course, this could be only the beginning for Lindor and this Mets team. They now have to shake off the emotion from Monday and get ready for a Wild Card game in Milwaukee on Tuesday. The Brewers are an imposing foe and these three games will be the toughest challenge of the entire year.

Although, given what we witnessed all year and then to the extreme on Monday, you’d be a fool to bet against these Mets at this point.

However, no matter what happens over the next few days, nobody can take Monday away from us. That day was one long in the making for Mets fans, especially those who have had to suffer under the yoke of the Braves for decades.

Even if New York’s postseason adventure ends at the first hurdle, we will always have that crazy, emotionally-charged, thrill-ride of a game in Atlanta. And the ultimate statement moment from the leader of this team that will live on in baseball lore forever.

A rollercoaster game fit for a rollercoaster season.

The post Lindor, Mets Provide Rollercoaster Moment Fit For 2024 appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Atlanta was supposed to rely on Chris Sale, the National League Cy Young Award favorite, to save their season in the second game of the doubleheader, but the Braves received a major scare when it was announced between games that Sale was scratched with back spasms.

That put Atlanta’s season on the back of Grant Holmes (2-1, 3.56 ERA), who has had a great rookie season but is by no means Chris Sale. In the matchup between Lucchesi and Holmes, it was more of a pitchers’ duel than you’d expect, and it resulted in a 3-0 Braves win. With the doubleheader split, that means both the Mets and Braves are in the postseason, leaving the Diamondbacks out of it after winning the National League a year ago.

The Braves win secures them a series in San Diego, while the Mets will travel back to Milwaukee for a best-of-three set with the Brewers.

New York understandably came out in game two looking like a team that was ready to get on the plane to wherever their destination for the Wild Card round might’ve been. Grant Holmes looked a lot like Chris Sale early, tossing four perfect innings with seven strikeouts. He started to falter, though, in the fifth inning when he allowed a leadoff single and a walk. That was the end of the line for him, as the Braves pivoted to Daysbel Hernández.

Hernández entered the game with a one-run lead, as Gio Urshela had opened up the scoring against Joey Lucchesi with an RBI single in the second inning. Hernández saved Holmes by retiring the three batters he faced in the inning, recording two strikeouts and a groundout to keep Atlanta’s one-run lead intact heading to the bottom of the fifth.

The Mets again threatened to score the following inning, when Brandon Nimmo hit a two-out single off of lefty reliever Dylan Lee to advance Eddy Alvarez to third base. Pete Alonso, though, grounded out to third on the first pitch he saw to keep the Mets down a run.

Joey Lucchesi did a fantastic job of keeping the Mets in the game as he finished off six strong innings of one-run ball. It was Lucchesi’s first start at any level since July 31 for the Syracuse Mets, when he allowed six runs in 2 1/3 innings and was subsequently moved to the bullpen. But baseball is baseball. Against an Atlanta Braves team in desperate need of a win, he held them to just one run on three hits in six marvelous innings.

Because Lucchesi kept the Mets in the game late, the Braves went to perhaps their best weapon, starter Reynaldo López, to start off the seventh inning. He eased through a 1-2-3 inning, tossing 15 pitches before he received insurance in the bottom of the seventh. Marcell Ozuna hit a two-run single with two outs and runners on second and third, giving the Braves a 3-0 lead and moving them closer to a postseason berth.

Because the Braves received a two-run boost, they opted for Joe Jiménez in the eighth inning, and he also set the Mets down 1-2-3 before Raisel Iglesias came on for the ninth. Iglesias allowed a leadoff hit to Jose Iglesias, who extended his hitting streak to 22 games. Other than that, though, the Mets failed to score and fell 3-0.

Normally, a shutout is nothing to be happy about, but the Mets will gladly head to the visiting clubhouse at Truist Park and celebrate before heading off to Milwaukee tonight.

Player of the Game

Joey Lucchesi not only pitched six innings of one-run ball against the Braves’ A-lineup, but he also stepped in and saved the Mets bullpen from having to get legitimate outs a day before their postseason starts. Regardless of his performance, the length he provided and the Mets only needing to use the bullpen for six outs was huge. The Mets opted to go with Huascar Brazobán and Adam Ottavino to record the final six outs.

On Deck

The Mets are set to begin their Wild Card series with the Brewers at 5:32 p.m. ET on Tuesday. The game will be broadcast on ESPN. The pitching matchup is shaping up to be Luis Severino (11-7, 3.91 ERA), who is 0-1 with a 4.50 ERA in three career starts against Milwaukee, against Freddy Peralta (11-9, 3.68 ERA), who is 3-0 with a 2.60 ERA in three career starts against the Mets.

The Mets’ second game of the series will begin at 7:38 p.m. ET on Wednesday, and if the series goes to three games, that final game will be played at 8:38 p.m. ET on Thursday.

The post Joey Lucchesi Pitches Well in Mets’ Regular Season Finale appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

With the Mets’ (55-48) 8-4 victory over the Braves (54-48) Friday night, New York took over the top Wild Card spot, surpassing the Braves in the standings. The Mets were as many as 10 games behind the Braves in early June but have now overtaken Atlanta, who are the losers of six in a row.

Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports

Latest Mets News

J.D. Martinez, Mark Vientos and Francisco Alvarez each homered off of Charlie Morton in the third inning, putting up seven runs and knocking him out of the game. Kodai Senga looked fantastic in his season debut, striking out nine in 5 1/3 innings pitched, but he left the game with a calf strain. The Baseball Prospectus Recovery Dashboard shows that players with calf strains miss an average of 34 days.

The Mets and Braves will go at it again at 4:10 p.m. ET on Saturday. Tylor Megill (2-4. 5.08 ERA) will take the mound for the Mets while Spencer Schwellenbach (3-5. 4.62 ERA) will go for the Braves.

The Mets acquired reliever Ryne Stanek from the Mariners in exchange for outfield prospect Rhylan Thomas. Stanek owns a 4.38 ERA this year but has pitched better than his numbers indicate. He joins another former Astro in Phil Maton as the newest additions to the bullpen.

The Mets also made a flurry of roster moves prior to Friday’s game. The team activated Kodai Senga from the injured list in time for his start, but they also placed Dedniel Núñez on the 15-day injured list retroactive to July 24 with a right pronator strain.

Additionally, the Mets recalled Eric Orze from Triple-A and designated both Adrian Houser and Shintaro Fujinami for assignment.

Per Mike Puma of the New York Post, the Mets have called the Giants about Michael Conforto. Conforto would fit the Mets’ need of a lefthanded hitting outfielder.

Latest MLB News

The Phillies announced that they completed a trade with the Orioles, sending Seranthony Domínguez and Cristian Pache to Baltimore for Austin Hays. Hays has three home runs and a .711 OPS in 63 games played this year, while Domínguez has a 4.75 ERA in 38 games and Cristian Pache has a .557 OPS in 50 games, though Pache is an excellent defensive outfielder.

The Orioles made another trade, sending three prospects to the Rays for Zach Eflin, who is 5-7 with a 4.09 ERA this year.

Another trade out of the AL East included Yimi García being sent to the Mariners for prospects Jonatan Clase and Jacob Sharp.

The Dodgers sent starting pitcher James Paxton, who was recently DFA’d, to the Red Sox for 17-year-old infielder Moises Bolivar. Paxton, who spent the 2023 season in Boston, was 8-2 with a 4.43 ERA but was the odd man out with Clayton Kershaw and Tyler Glasnow returning from injury. Robert Murray of FanSided was first on the deal.

Astros general manager Dana Brown told reporters that the team is “working our tails off” to acquire a starting pitcher. He said that he’d prefer not to trade anyone from the major league roster and that no prospect is untouchable. Brown also added that prices remain high, noting it’s a seller’s market.

Freddie Freeman was scratched from the Dodgers’ lineup on Friday and flew back to Los Angeles with the team currently in Houston. His three-year-old son has been in the hospital and there is no timeline on when Freeman is expected to return.

Latest on MMO

Michael Famulari recaps the brilliant performance from José Buttó in Thursday’s victory over the Braves.

Christian De Block profiles Marlins closer Tanner Scott as a potential trade target for the Mets.

On This Date in Mets History

2003: Gary Carter, the catcher for the 1986 World Series champion Mets, was inducted into the Hall of Fame. Carter spent five seasons with the Mets and was named an All-Star four times in that span. He also won two Silver Slugger awards during his time in New York.

Birthdays: Max Scherzer (40)

The post Morning Briefing: Mets Take Over Top Wild Card Spot appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Jeff McNeil, second baseman for the New York Mets, is one of those players who has accomplished plenty in his six-year career. 2023 was not kind to him, however, and he is surely hoping for a bounce-back 2024 campaign. So, where does he rank among second basemen within the NL East? Does a poor 2023 season knock him down a spot or two? Continuing Metsmerized Online’s series of NL East positional rankings, this is how the second basemen stack up.

Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

5. Luis García – Washington Nationals

There is a clear choice for the no. 5 spot here, and that’s not necessarily a knock on Luis García. All it shows is the talent each team in the division has at the second base position. Nevertheless, García is nothing more than a below-average player at best. He’s been in Washington for four years but didn’t get quality playing time until after the 2021 trade deadline, which saw Trea Turner and Josh Harrison shipped away.

In his four years in the big leagues, García carries a career .690 OPS and has never hit double-digit home runs in a single season; his career high is nine, set in 2023. He has also yet to play more than 122 games or record more than 482 plate appearances in a single season, so 2024 could certainly be a breakout year for him if he can stay healthy and play nearly every day. It’s also important to mention that, despite being in the big leagues for four years, García is still just 23 years old. While he finds himself at no. 5 on this list now, he has plenty of potential to improve his standing in the future.

Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports

4. Bryson Stott – Philadelphia Phillies

Bryson Stott has only been in the big leagues for two seasons, but in those two seasons, he has seen his team reach the World Series and come within one win of going to the World Series in back-to-back years. As the everyday second baseman on a dangerous Phillies team, he has provided many big moments but still leaves much to be desired.

The 25-year-old lefty improved a lot at the plate from 2022 to 2023, seeing his OPS rise nearly .100 points from .653 to .747. Still, though, he is not at the level the Phillies are hoping he can reach. 2024 could be the year he reaches that level, but to this point, he has yet to show he’s nothing more than an average hitter. Playing every day in 2023 and recording 640 plate appearances, Stott recorded just 15 home runs and 62 RBIs. While these numbers are respectable, you would probably expect more from the sheer volume of at-bats he took.

Stott happens to be a very good defender (99th percentile in OAA in 2023) so that certainly makes up for not being elite at the plate. Like García, he is still young and has plenty of room to grow. In most other divisions, Stott would find himself higher than no. 4 in the rankings, but this is where he currently lands in the NL East.

Rick Scuteri-USA TODAY Sports

3. Jeff McNeil – New York Mets

Ranking Jeff McNeil after his 2023 season is difficult because he definitely did not play up to his ability. At his best, McNeil is an All-Star and a batting champion, and he has accomplished both in his career as recently as 2022. In 2023, though, his OPS dropped over .100 points (.836 to .711) from the season before, and his average alone dropped .056 points (.326 to .270).

McNeil is now four years into a pattern that has seen him alternate good and bad years at the plate. In 2024, Eric Chávez returns as hitting coach, which is significant because McNeil won his only batting title with Chávez as the hitting coach in 2022. McNeil is surely hoping he can recapture some of the elite contact ability he has demonstrated throughout his career again in 2024. If he does? He can compete for an All-Star selection and another batting title. If he doesn’t? It’ll be another rough year in the shadow of two of the division’s (and league’s) best second basemen.

Mandatory Credit: Rhona Wise-USA TODAY Sports

2. Luis Arráez – Miami Marlins

While McNeil at his best is regarded as one of the best contact hitters in the sport, he’s not even the best contact hitter in his division anymore. In year one on the Marlins, Luis Arráez casually hit .354 in 617 plate appearances, the highest average in a single season since Josh Hamilton hit .359 in 2010. For a while, it looked like Arráez might be able to hit .400 on the year, but I’m sure he’s okay with settling for .354.

In addition to recording a hit seemingly every time he stepped up to the plate, Arráez also walked more than he struck out in 2023, the second consecutive year in which he did that. He has made two consecutive All-Star teams, won two consecutive batting titles, and carries a career .326 average.

The downside for Arráez is that hitting is the only thing he does well. He can’t run and is not very good defensively (1st percentile in OAA in 2023). He hits so well, though, that it almost doesn’t matter. There will never be another Tony Gwynn, but Arráez is the closest thing we’ve seen to him in a long time.

Ozzie Albies. Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

1. Ozzie Albies – Atlanta Braves

You could absolutely make the case that Arráez is the best second baseman in the NL East, but it would be hard to argue against Ozzie Albies. Albies was an All-Star and a second-team All-MLB selection in 2023, the best year of his seven-year career. He recorded a marginally lower OPS than Arráez (.849 compared to .861) but set career highs in home runs (33) and RBIs (109), both of which led primary second basemen in 2023.

What most separates Albies from Arráez is, of course, his ability to hit for power. In 2023, Albies recorded 68 extra-base hits and had a .233 ISO compared to Arráez, who had 43 extra-base hits and a .115 ISO. Albies served as an integral member of one of the most productive lineups in MLB history and is currently one of the top players at his position in the league. Heading into 2024, he takes the crown for best second baseman in the NL East.

The post 2024 NL East Position Rankings: Second Base Edition appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Having hit somewhat of a hot streak, the Mets were looking to win their first series in Atlanta since July of 2022. They got off to a promising start by taking the opening game.

However, an inconsistent offense and yet more bad starting pitching ultimately condemned the Amazins’ in the final two games of the series. The Mets are now 59-69 on the year and just one win above the Nationals for last place in the National League East.

Oh, and if you needed any reminding, the three dead certs in life are death, taxes and the Braves absolutely owning the Mets at every single turn.

Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

3 Up

Avoiding Humiliation 

Give credit to this current incarnation of the Mets because they’ve at least shown some fight as of late. Since giving up 40 runs to the Braves earlier in the month, the Mets went 5-2 heading into this series in Atlanta. They made it five wins out of six by winning the series opener, and although their old enemy ultimately outdid them, they were not totally humiliated like the last time they faced the Braves. Again, the rest of the year is all about small victories for this team, and they proved once more in this series that they aren’t going to mail it in completely.

Taking His Chance

If we know anything, it is that there are roster spots up for grabs for the 2024 season, and one player, in particular, is really showing that he deserves a shot to be on the Opening Day roster next year. That man is, of course, DJ Stewart, who is arguably playing the best baseball of his life right now. The veteran, who grew up rooting for the Braves and who attended the same high school as one of his heroes in Chipper Jones, balled out against Atlanta. Stewart hit a homer and drove in another run during the Mets’ 10-4 win in the series opener. He went a combined 5-for-11 in the series overall and really acted as a spark for a struggling offense. Stewart has a slash line of .306/.342/.778/.1.120 over the past 14 days, hitting five homers and driving in 10 RBIs. If he can maintain anywhere close to that down the stretch, we may see more of Stewart in a Mets uniform in 2024.

Back With A Bang

You wouldn’t have thought Sean Reid-Foley hadn’t pitched since April 30 of last season, given how dominant he was on Wednesday night. Making his season debut after undergoing Tommy John Surgery last year, the righty looked unbeatable after entering the game in the eighth inning. He retired all three batters he faced, striking out one and reaching 97 MPH on his fastball. Reid-Foley’s successful return was a feel-good story, and it also offers hope that he could be a potent weapon for what will be a new-look bullpen in 2024.

Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

3 Down

Back To Reality 

It seemed that winning seven of nine gave some Mets fans hope that maybe, just maybe, the 2023 season wasn’t lost after all. While that was always dreaming to the extreme, this series at least reminded everyone who these Mets really are. While they may put mini streaks together and provide some brief moments of joy, they are just far too inconsistent to do anything else. The offense has been better, but the bats were only able to produce two runs and eight hits in the final two games of the series. And both the starting pitching (more on that below) and the bullpen can’t be relied upon on a night-to-night basis. As likable as this current mish-mash of a lineup may be, the Mets have a long, long way to go before they can even dream of being considered in the same upper echelons as juggernauts like the Braves.

Rotation Mess

As we’ve touched on in this space many times before, Kodai Senga and José Quintana are the only locks to be in the starting rotation for the Mets in 2024. And this series highlighted just how big a job the front office has in front of them when it comes to rebuilding this rotation. Tylor Megill threw four wild pitches, allowed three earned runs, and two walks while lasting less than five innings in his start on Tuesday. David Peterson allowed four runs on seven hits on Monday, and even Quintana, who has been near perfect in a Mets uniform, struggled in his start on Wednesday as he allowed five earned runs on nine hits while seemingly running out of gas. Sure, you can put Quintana’s outing down to just a bad day – but Peterson and Megill still have a slew of question marks to answer regarding their viability to be a part of this rotation in 2024.

Teams without even average starting pitching are doomed to flirt with mediocrity, and that will be the Mets’ path next year unless they invest a significant amount in giving the starting rotation a much-needed facelift.

Boos Of Doom

Pete Alonso shares a somewhat frosty relationship with the Braves fans, shall we say. There’s certainly no love lost between the two parties, that’s for sure. Every time the Atlanta faithful are presented with an opportunity to pick Alonso apart, they take it gleefully. That was the case on Wednesday, where history may be in the process of repeating itself. Alonso was absolutely drilled by a pitch in the fourth inning, delighting the home crowd who responded with a deafening sea of cheers. If the pain of an 89 mph pitch crashing into his body wasn’t already enough to deal with for Alonso. To make matters worse, the last time Alonso got hit by a pitch and was subjected to cheers by the Braves fans this year, he missed 10 days and was mired in a month-long slump afterwards. Let’s hope that isn’t the case this time around.

The post 3 Up, 3 Down: Mets Go 3-10 Against Braves This Season appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Francisco Lindor was scratched from last night’s game against the Braves due to right side soreness. Buck Showalter explained after the game that Lindor felt the soreness during batting practice, and he is set to have medical imaging done today to determine its severity. Lindor remarkably played in every game this year before missing yesterday’s game, a year after he played 161 games and only missed one due to a finger fracture.

Latest Mets News

Denyi Reyes has joined the Mets to start the first game of today’s doubleheader against the Braves, with José Quintana getting the start in the second game.

Mike Puma of the New York Post wrote about how the Mets may consider playing Jeff McNeil at third base next season.

Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic wrote that he believes the Mets will pursue Shohei Ohtani this offseason. He also believes that Japanese superstar pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto may be the best fit for the Mets this offseason in terms of free agent starting pitchers.

Latest MLB News

José Bautista is officially retiring from baseball. He will sign a one-day contract with the Toronto Blue Jays and enter the team’s prestigious Level of Excellence.

The Yankees placed starting pitcher Nestor Cortes on the 15-day injured list with a left rotator cuff strain. Cortes had been out since May due to injury before returning to make a start last week.

Short once again on starting pitching, the Yankees recalled both Jhony Brito and Randy Vásquez from Triple-A Scranton/Wilks-Barre.

Former Mets’ minor leaguer Allan Winans has a locker in the Braves’ clubhouse at Citi Field, presumably to start one of the doubleheader games today. Winans was left unprotected by the Mets a couple years ago during the minor-league Rule 5 draft, and he will now get a chance to face them in the big leagues.

Latest on MMO

In the latest Mets Minors Recap, Michael Mayer highlighted Brett Baty‘s home run in his first game back with Triple-A Syracuse.

Chris Bello broke down a potentially game-saving decision by Francisco Álvarez during Wednesday night’s win against the Cubs.

James Villani analyzed the updated MLB Pipeline prospect rankings in which the Mets have five top-100 prospects.

On This Date in Mets History

2000: Benny Agbayani infamously forgot how many outs there were after catching a fly ball, handing it to a young fan thinking the inning was over. A run came in to score due to Agbayani’s blunder before he realized his mistake and snatched the ball away from the fan.

Birthdays: Barry Manuel (58)

The post Morning Briefing: Francisco Lindor to Receive Imaging for Side Soreness appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Prior to the game, Francisco Lindor was a late scratch from the lineup due to right-side soreness, making this the first game he didn’t play in all year. The Mets announced during the game that Lindor will undergo imaging tomorrow to hopefully diagnose the issue.

Without one of their best hitters in the lineup, the Mets couldn’t find the big hit against Morton who struggled with command all game. He allowed nine baserunners over the first four innings by issuing a career-high seven walks and allowing two hits, but he was able to keep them all from scoring as the Mets failed to pull ahead early.

Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports

Following a 1-2-3 fifth, Morton exited the game after allowing a leadoff single in the sixth. His night ended with a zero in the score column despite throwing more balls than strikes and allowing ten baserunners over five-plus innings.

For the Mets, Megill had everything working for him early, even with some hard exit velocities given up. Through three innings, he allowed just one hit with his fastball topping out at 99 miles-per-hour. Megill’s luck ran out soon after, though. You can only silence the Braves’ lineup for so long.

An Austin Riley double was followed by a Matt Olson broken-bat single and a Marcell Ozuna dribbler that stayed fair to load the bases in the fourth inning. Eddie Rosario took advantage by dropping a ball into center field which cleared the bases after Brandon Nimmo couldn’t field the ball cleanly, putting the Braves ahead 3-0.

The Braves tacked on in the fifth with a pair of runs before adding another run in the sixth to put them firmly ahead, 6-0. This offensive onslaught chased Megill out of the game with one out in the sixth inning. Over his start, he allowed five earned runs on nine hits and one walk while striking out three batters. His ERA on the season rose slightly from 5.45 to 5.64.

Jimmy Yacabonis served as the mop-up man for the Mets, finishing out the game by throwing 3 2/3 innings of one-run ball. His lone blemish was a solo homer off the bat of Austin Riley in the seventh inning. With a seven-run deficit late in the game, the Mets pulled Nimmo from the game for DJ Stewart, moving Jeff McNeil to center field for the first time in his career.

The Mets couldn’t muster up any comeback, dropping the game 7-0 to fall to 52-63 on the year. They fall to 1-6 on the year against the Braves, with six games still to go against the National League leaders.

Stat of the Game

Per OptaSTATS, the Mets are the only MLB team in the modern era to record at least seven hits and nine walks in a nine-inning game and not score a single run. The Mets were 0-for-12 with runners in scoring position tonight and bailed out Charlie Morton in what should have been a far worse outing.

The Mets are the only MLB team in the modern era to collect 7+ hits and draw 9+ walks in a 9-inning game but not score a single run.

— OptaSTATS (@OptaSTATS) August 12, 2023

On Deck

The series with the Braves will continue on Saturday with a doubleheader. Denyi Reyes (0-1, 6.14 ERA) has joined the Mets and will get the start in the first game, while José Quintana (0-3, 3.42) will start the nightcap. Spencer Strider (12-4, 3.94 ERA) and Allan Winans (0-0, 4.15 ERA) will both start for the Braves, though which games they’ll pitch in is yet to be determined.

The first game will begin at 1:10 p.m. ET and will be broadcast on SNY. The second game will start at 7:15 p.m. ET and will be broadcast on FOX.

The post Mets Set Embarrassing Record in 7-0 Loss to Braves appeared first on Metsmerized Online.