As mentioned, Holmes was strong once again. His only blip came in the game’s first inning as he walked the first two hitters of the game and allowed a run-scoring single. After that, he settled in and was clean the rest of the way. His day ended after a bounced-throw by Bo Bichette was mishandled by Mark Vientos. Nearing 100 pitches, manager Carlos Mendoza removed Holmes 1/3 inning shy of getting through seven.

In all, Holmes went 6 2/3 innings allowing four hits and one run. He walked three but struck out six. He threw a season-high 99 pitches. As a result, his sparkling ERA is down to 1.69. A league-leading mark.

Following Holmes, Weaver threw 1 1/3 of clean ball, striking out three. Brooks Raley then came on with a four-run lead in the ninth inning and brought the Mets home.

Offensively, New York was relatively quiet until a big eighth inning provided the club with some insurance. Prior to that, the only scoring was a two-run homer off the bat of Mark Vientos in the fourth inning. This gave the Mets a 2-1 lead and they did not look back.

In the eighth, Carson Benge, who also walked twice, lined a double down the line to score Brett Baty, who was hit by a pitch to begin the inning. Vientos then drove in Benge via his second home run of the game. That spelled the end to all the scoring as New York held on for the 5-1 victory.

This was the Mets first road series since April 2-5 in San Francisco.

Player of the Game: Mark Vientos

Mark Vientos looked like the player he was in 2024 on Sunday. He smashed two home runs raising his season OPS from .650 to .737. He finished the game 2-for-4 with the two homers and four RBIs. With all the injuries the Mets are battling, the re-emergence of Vientos would be monumental.

On Deck

The Mets are right back in action Monday night in Colorado. The first game of the three-game set is slated for a 8:40 pm ET first pitch. Tomoyuki Sugano is the Rockies’ probable starter. The Mets have not officially announced a pitcher, but David Peterson is expected to see action in some capacity.

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The Pham experience went very poorly for the Mets. After the 38-year-old went 2-for-12 for Single-A St. Lucie as he prepared for major-league action, he went hitless across 13 at-bats with the Mets striking out seven times. Pham posted a .700 OPS across 392 at-bats with the Pittsburgh Pirates last season.

As for Slater, the Miami Marlins designated him for assignment on April 23. This coming after he went 4-for-23 (.174 batting average) with nine strikeouts to begin the season. The right-handed hitter played all his games in the field for Miami in right.

Slater posted a .642 OPS and a -0.1 bWAR across 148 at-bats in 2025 across two organizations. Slater posted his two best big-league seasons in 2021 and 2022. In 2021, he had a .744 OPS and a 1.4 bWAR while in 2022 he had a .774 OPS and a 1.6 bWAR. Slater, an outfielder, has predominantly played in left and right with some brief appearances in center. The last time he played the majority of his time in center was 2022.

The 33-year-old Florida native has a career .263/.354/.423 (.777 OPS) slash line against left-handed pitching. He has struggled mightily against righties (.642 OPS). Throughout his career, he has always been a high-walk hitter relying on a usually minuscule chase rate. This evidence by a 10.3% career walk rate which is comfortably above the 8.5% major-leave average. He, however, has also struck out a lot in his career (28.1% career rate; major-league average is 22.5%) aided by high whiff rates.

Defensively, Slater has always had, and still has, an extremely strong arm but his range has steadily declined after being above the league’s 50th percentage in outs above average 2021 and 2022.

One would expect Slater to be in the lineup whenever the Mets face left-handed pitching. Entering today, New York was hitting .219 against left-handed pitching which ranked 24th. They also had the third-fewest walks in the league which is also something that Slater may be able to help.

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Kodai Senga aimed to bounce back from a poor start, but things went awry as he lasted only 2 2/3 innings, giving up three runs—two of which came from a Hunter Goodman homer. Senga struggled with his location, issuing three walks and exhibiting poor command of the strike zone. His ERA has now ballooned to 9.00 on the season.

The rest of the Mets’ bullpen, which included Carl Edwards Jr., Luke Weaver, Brooks Raley, and Devin Williams, held off the Rockies, preventing them from scoring further. Notably, Williams, after a series of disappointing outings, pitched a scoreless ninth inning with two strikeouts.

During the second game of the doubleheader, the Mets’ lifeless offense continued to struggle, managing only five hits and finding themselves overwhelmed by Rockies starter Chase Dollander, who entered the game with a career ERA exceeding five. In 14 of the 28 games the Mets have played this season, they have scored two runs or fewer.

Dollander pitched seven strong innings, allowing five hits, two walks, and recording seven strikeouts. The Mets left six runners stranded on base, finishing 0-for-4 with runners in scoring position. Over the two games, the Mets managed only 10 hits, one run scored, and tallied 17 strikeouts across 62 at-bats. Colorado’s Zach Agnos entered the game and, after allowing a double to MJ Melendez, effectively retired the rest of the Mets lineup, leading to boos from the small crowd in attendance.

Entering the doubleheader, the Mets’ offense ranked last in several categories across the National League and major leagues. Following the sweep, they remain among the worst in the league. The Mets now sit at 9-19, ten games below .500, and fourth in the National League East, putting them one loss closer to an early end to their season.

Player of the Game: Carson Benge

Carson Benge was one of the few bright spots in game two of the doubleheader, recording two hits and finishing the game with a 2-for-4 performance. This small bump in success is helping him gradually increase his overall batting average. Benge’s recent approach at the plate resembles his impressive at-bats during spring training, which ultimately earned him a spot in the major leagues.

On Deck

The Mets have an off-day on Monday but return to action on Tuesday, as they continue their homestand against the Washington Nationals. Clay Holmes (2-2, 2.10 ERA) looks to get the Mets into the win column, while he’ll be opposed by Zack Littell (0-3, 7.56 ERA) for Washington. First pitch is at 7:10 pm ET, and the game will be broadcast on SNY and Mets Radio 880 AM.

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The New York Mets may have a season-defining doubleheader this afternoon at Citi Field. If the Mets sweep the doubleheader, they’ll win their second consecutive series and will continue to chip away at the hole the dug themselves into after the 12 game losing streak. A split would mean dropping a series to the Rockies, squandering the momentum built after the Twins series. Being swept today by the Rockies would put the Mets into a tough spot.

It’s a consequential Sunday at Citi Field.

Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

Mets Lineup

Game 1

1. Bo Bichette – 3B
2. Juan Soto – DH
3. Luis Robert Jr. – CF
4. Mark Vientos – 1B
5. Marcus Semien – 2B
6. Brett Baty – 3B
7. Tyrone Taylor – RF
8. Tommy Pham – RF
9. Luis Torrens – C

Starting Pitcher: Nolan McLean

The Mets will lead the afternoon off with Nolan McLean. McLean has made five starts totaling 30 1/3 innings this season with a 2.67 ERA, 2.39 FIP, 0.758 WHIP, and a 149 ERA+. McLean was perfect through five innings in his last start, with all of the damage coming against him late. He struck out a season high 10 batters and now has struck out at least eight batters in four of his five starts.

He now has a high 11.3 K/9 paired with a low 0.758 WHIP and 0.6 HR/9. This will be his first start against the Rockies and no one on the Rockies has faced McLean in a major league game.

Game 2

1. Bo Bichette – 3B
2. Juan Soto – DH
3. Francisco Alvarez – C
4. Brett Baty – 1B
5. MJ Melendez – LF
6. Marcus Semien – 2B
7. Carsom Benge – RF
8. Ronny Mauricio – SS
9. Tyrone Taylor – CF

Starting Pitcher: Kodai Senga

Kodai Senga returns to the Mets rotation for the nightcap. Senga has had a bizarre season so far allowing 18 runs (17 earned) over 17 1/3 innings from 23 hits and 10 walks while striking out 22. In his first two starts he allowed four runs over 11 2/3 innings while striking out 16 batters. Since then, he has allowed 14 runs over 5 2/3 innings while striking out six batters.

Senga faced the Rockies twice last season allowing three runs over 12 1/3 innings with 13 strikeouts. The Rockies have the following career numbers against Senga:

• Jordan Beck 0-5, BB, 2 K
• Willi Castro 0-1, BB, K
• Brenton Doyle 0-5, 3 K
• Tyler Freeman 1-1, 2B
• Hunter Goodman 1-6, 2 K
• Troy Johnston 0-2, K
• Edouard Julien 0-2, BB
• Jake McCarthy 1-3, 2 K
• Mickey Moniak 1-7, HR, 3 K
• Ezequiel Tovar 1-4, HR, BB

Rockies Lineup

Game 1:

1. Edouard Julien – 2B
2. Mickey Moniak – RF
3. TJ Rumfield – DH
4.  Troy Johnston – 1B
5. Kyle Karros – 3B
6. Brett Sullivan – C
7. Ezequiel Tovar – SS
8. Jake McCarthy – CF
9. Jordan Beck – LF

Starting Pitcher: Jose Quintana

Game 2:

1. Edouard Julien – 2B
2. Hunter Goodman – C
3. Mickey Moniak – LF
4. Tyler Freeman – RF
5. TJ Rumfield – 1B
6. Kyle Karros – 3B
7. Troy Johnston – DH
8. Ezequiel Tovar – SS
9. Brenton Doyle – CF

Starting Pitcher: Chase Dollander

The Mets will face an old friend this afternoon in the first game. Jose Quintana had a 3.70 ERA over 44 starts in seasons with the Mets from 2023-24. He pitched for the Brewers last season totaling 131 2/3 innings posting a 3.96 ERA, 4.81 FIP, 1.291 WHIP and a 105 ERA+.

This season he has made three starts, 13 innings, with a 6.23 ERA, 7.61 FIP, 1.846 WHIP and a 77 ERA+. Quintana is coming off of his worst start of the season where he allowed six runs (four earned) over five innings against the Dodgers from eight hits (two home runs). The Mets have the following career stats against Quintana:

• Brett Baty 0-2
• Bo Bichette 0-1, BB
• MJ Melendez 0-2, BB
• Tommy Pham 6-25, 2B, HR, 2 BB, 4 K
• Luis Robert Jr. 2-6, 2 K
• Marcus Semien 6-15, 3 2B, BB, 3 K
• Juan Soto 2-13, 2 BB, 3 K
• Tyrone Taylor 2-6, 2B, 3 K
• Luis Torrens 0-5, K
• Mark Vientos 1-2

As of writing the Rockies haven’t announced yet who is going to start the nightcap. Depending on how the first game goes, the plan is to use an opener with Chase Dollander to follow.

Dollander has pitched six games so far this season totaling 25 innings with a 2.88 ERA, 3.35 FIP, 1.000 WHIP, and a 166 ERA+. He has thrown at least four innings in five of his six games. In his last two outings he has allowed only one run over 11 1/3 innings while striking out 18 batters.

Dollander faced the Mets once last year and the Mets hit him hard scoring five runs from eight hits and a walk over three innings. The Mets have the following career numbers against him:

• Francisco Alvarez 1-2
• Brett Baty 0-2
• Ronny Mauricio 2-2
• Marcus Semien 0-2, K
• Juan Soto 2-2
• Tyrone Taylor 1-1, 2B, BB

Game Notes

For the first game recap, click here.

Prior to the first game of the doubleheader the New York Mets announced right-handed pitcher Austin Warren with be the 27th man.

Three Things To Watch For

1. Brett Baty. Baty has been on a tear recently, going 4-for-8 in his las two games with a double, a home runs, five RBIs, and three runs scored. Baty got off to a slow start this year hitting .190/.197/.270 over his first 18 games. In his last five games he is slashing .500/.571/.833 and has raised his season OBP from .197 to .263. He’s swinging a hot bat right now and the Mets are going to need him Sunday afternoon.
2. A well-rested bullpen. Christian Scott only gave the Mets 1 1/3 innings on Thursday with the bullpen having to pick up the rest of the game. Sean Manaea was able to finish Friday’s game and the Mets had a day off yesterday, so pretty much everyone is ready to go today. With another off-day tomorrow this is probably the best scenario for the Mets’ bullpen. Devin Williams is the player to watch today. He massively struggled earlier this week, failing to get an out after facing five batters. He came in to record the final two outs on Thursday and made things interesting, but ultimately survived.
3. Carson Benge. Each game it feels like we are getting closer to a Carson Benge breakout. His bat is in the 75th percentile for average exit velocity (91 mph), 64th in hard-hit rate (44.4%), and 72nd for preferred launch angle (37%). His softest contact on Friday night was 85.6 mph right at someone (lineout, .630 xBA). His other three batted balls in play were between 95.2 mph and 104.9 mph.

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The Mets’ ace, Nolan McLean, was on the mound and was once again on cruise control to begin the game. He ran into issues in the fourth and sixth innings, ultimately seeing his day end in the sixth.

In the fourth, McLean loaded the bases by giving up a couple hard singles and then a walk. After another single, which scored the game’s first run, he buckled down and struck out Kyle Karros before getting Brett Sullivan to ground into a 1-2-3 double play.

McLean was not able to repeat the Houdini act in the sixth, as he was removed from the game after Mark Vientos threw the ball into the runner headed to second base, loading the bases with no outs. Huascar Brazobán limited the damaging allowing only one of the inherited runners to score. This left McLean’s final line as: 5.0 IP, 5 H, 2 R (1 ER), 2 BB, 7 SO. He is at a 2.55 ERA through his first sixth starts of the season.

Brazobán allowed a run, this time his own, to score in the seventh before Austin Warren pitched clean frames in the eighth and ninth innings.

Overall, the Mets’ offense was limited to four hits by Jose Quintana, Juan Mejia, Jaden Hill, and Victor Vodnik. Quintana entered the game with a 6.23 ERA and Mejia a 6.17 ERA. They combined to throw seven innings of one-run ball.

New York loaded the bases in each the first and eight innings with one out, but stranded all six runners without converting a run. The Mets have now scored two or fewer runs in 12 of their 27 games this season.

Player of the Game: Austin Warren

Warren, the Mets’ 27th-man, was strong again. He posted two innings of scoreless ball in the eighth and ninth innings. He did not allow a hit and struck out one. Add in his three-strikeout performance against the Twins with the bases loaded last time out, he has put forth two consecutive extremely strong outings.

On Deck

The Mets are right back at it for the second game of Sunday’s doubleheader. The projected pitching matchup is Chase Dollander versus Kodai Senga.

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The Mets provided clarity on their upcoming rotation in the coming days. Kodai Senga will pitch Saturday, with Nolan McLean and Clay Holmes to follow. Senga slots into David Peterson‘s original spot in the rotation. Peterson is expected to pitch in some capacity the next turn through the rotation, whether it’s a start or a bulk appearance out of the bullpen.

Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

Latest Mets News

The Mets (9-17) fell to the Rockies (11-16) 4-3 in their series opener Friday night. Freddy Peralta took the loss and fell to 1-3 on the year while Michael Lorenzen dominated for seven innings.

The Mets’ next game against the Rockies is Saturday at 4:10 p.m. ET. Kodai Senga (0-3, 8.83 ERA) will take the mound against former Met José Quintana (0-2, 6.23 ERA).

David Stearns provided updates for injured players such as Francisco Lindor, Jorge Polanco and A.J. Minter. Lindor will wear a boot for a week and will be re-evaluated in three weeks. Polanco began baseball activities Friday and will undergo more testing this weekend. Minter is doing well in his rehab assignment and isn’t too far off from joining the major league team.

Prior to Friday’s game, the Mets called up pitcher Carl Edwards Jr. from Triple-A. The veteran has recorded a 5.29 ERA in 17 innings with Syracuse this year. The Mets’ corresponding move was optioning Christian Scott.

Keith Hernandez is expected to return to the SNY booth on May 4 in Colorado. Hernandez has been recovering from back surgery.

The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives star Whitney Leavitt commented on Instagram that she is throwing out the first pitch at Citi Field on April 29.

Latest MLB News

The Athletics announced their next Hall of Fame class, which will be inducted September 12. The class includes Dave Henderson, Mark Ellis, Blue Moon Odom and Sandy Alderson.

On This Date in Mets History

2012: David Wright became the all-time leader in RBIs for the Mets on this day 14 years ago. He did so with a two-run homer in a 5-1 win over the Marlins. Wright remains the team’s all-time RBI leader to this day.

Born on This Date: Trevor Williams (1992), Brad Clontz (1971), Blaine Beatty (1964), Tony Phillips (1959), Bob Johnson (1943).

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Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Friday night’s game kicked off a three-game set with the Rockies, marking the second series of a nine-game home-stand.

Peralta began the first inning in strong fashion. After retiring the first two batters, he issued a walk before retiring the fourth man he faced, avoiding any real damage. The Mets went down in order in the bottom half of the inning, keeping both teams scoreless after one.

After another strong inning from Peralta, Brett Baty led off the bottom of the second with a 96.3 mph double down the right field line. Mark Vientos followed with an infield single, leaving runners on the corners with nobody out. A Marcus Semien double-play drove in the first run of the game, scoring Baty from third. Carson Benge ripped a two-out single to keep and Tyrone Taylor reached on an error, keeping the inning alive. However, Ronny Mauricio grounded out to first, ending the second with the Mets leading 1-0.

After two-straight singles to begin the top of the fourth inning, a ball hit down the left field line looked like trouble, but Benge had other plans. A beautiful back-handed diving catch saved what could have been extra bases, giving Peralta a chance to get out of the inning. The right-hander did just that, forcing a pop-out and a strikeout to end the frame, keeping the Rockies scoreless.

The fifth inning did not treat Peralta as kindly, though. After getting lucky when Jake McCarthy was called out for batter’s interference when attempting a bunt, the next three batters reached base, loading the bases with one out. A weak groundout to Peralta up the first base line gave the Rockies a run. A strikeout ended the inning, and the score was tied at 1-1.

A scoring chance presented itself for the Mets in the bottom of the fifth when Taylor and Mauricio reached base on back-to-back singles with one out. However, another double play, this time by Bo Bichette, squandered the opportunity to score.

Peralta’s outing ended poorly in the sixth, a theme for him to begin the season. After recording the first out of the inning, three consecutive batters reached base, and an RBI double gave the Rockies a run. Peralta recorded the second out of the inning, his eighth strikeout of the contest, but was pulled before getting a chance to finish the inning.

Sean Manaea entered with two outs in the top of the sixth inning, and recorded a king-sized out with a strikeout. Peralta’s final line was: 5 2/3 IP, 7 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 8 K.

Manaea returned to the mound for the seventh, but the inning did not go as well as the prior one had. A single, a hit-by-pitch, a sac bunt, and a two-run single extended the Rockies’ lead to 4-1. However, Manaea was able to keep the Rockies’ lead at three, striking out the next two batters.

After the Mets failed to score in the bottom of the seventh, Manaea returned to the mound for the eighth. Despite allowing a base runner, the inning went much better, striking out two and not allowing a run.

The Mets’ offense finally got going in the bottom of the eighth after singles by Mauricio and Bichette. A Soto line-out nearly resulted in a double play at first, with Bichette diving back into the base just in time. Francisco Alvarez followed Soto with a bloop single, loading the bases with one out. Baty cashed in with a two-run single up the middle, cutting the Rockies’ lead to one. Mark Vientos followed with a 107.7 mph line drive directly at the second baseman, who doubled off Tommy Pham at second base to end the inning.

Manaea stayed on for the ninth inning, working a quick one-two-three inning to keep the Mets within one. The left-hander had an up-and-down outing, allowing two runs over 3 1/3 innings while striking out seven.

The Mets came up in the bottom of the ninth looking to complete the comeback. Despite hitting the ball hard in their first two at-bats, both Semien and Benge were retired. MJ Melendez pinch-hit for Taylor, but struck out to end the game.

Final score: Rockies 4, Mets 3

Player of the Game: Freddy Peralta

Despite allowing seven hits over his 5 2/3 innings, Peralta worked nicely through heavy traffic on the bases. Although he picked up the losing decision, the right-hander allowed just two runs in the outing, lowering his season ERA to 3.90. As the season continues, Peralta will look to close his outings more efficiently, especially when facing lineups for a third time.

On Deck

The Mets will resume action on Saturday at 4:10 p.m. EST in the middle contest of the three-game set against Colorado. Kodai Senga will take the mound for his fifth start of the season, looking to try and find some semblance of effectiveness after his dreadful start to the 2026 season. He will face off against former Met Jose Quintana. The game will stream live on SNY and MLB.com, radio on WCBS 880 and the Audacy app.

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The New York Mets have finally won back-to-back games and now will try to win three games in a row for the first time in what feels like a century!

Yesterday started off rough for the Mets. They revealed that Francisco Lindor has a significant calf injury and wouldn’t even put a timetable on his return. This is in contrast to his hamate surgery and Juan Soto’s calf injury that both had timetables within a day or so of the injury. Then Christian Scott struggled in his first major league start since undergoing Tommy John surgery in 2024 and was pulled in the second inning.

But the Mets’ bats were alive and well last night. Brett Baty hit a massive three-run home run in the first inning. When the Minnesota Twins hit a grand slam late in the game to tie it at 7-7, Bo Bichette responded with a bases-clearing double in the eighth inning. There are signs of life! There are signs of Mets magic!

Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Mets Lineup

1. Bo Bichette – 3B
2. Juan Soto – DH
3. Francisco Alvarez – C
4. Brett Baty – RF
5. Mark Vientos – 1B
6. Marcus Semien – 2B
7. Carson Benge – LF
8. Tyrone Taylor – CF
9. Ronny Mauricio – SS

Starting Pitcher: Freddy Peralta

Peralta has thrown 26 2/3 innings over five starts with a 4.05 ERA, 4.35 FIP, 1.088 WHIP and a 97 ERA+ this season. His last start, which came against the Chicago Cubs, is pretty emblematic of his time with the Mets. His official line was three runs over 5 2/3 innings. Peralta left the game in the fifth inning with two runners on, and the next pitcher immediately allowed a three-run home run. Pretty demoralizing stuff, but it also shows that Peralta has been better than his season stats suggest. In one start against the Rockies last season, he allowed one run over five innings on three hits while striking out six batters.

Colorado has the following numbers against Peralta:

• Jordan Beck 0-1, BB
• Willi Castro 1-7, 3 K
• Brenton Doyle 1-7, HR, BB, 4 K
• Tyler Freeman 1-2, K
• Hunter Goodman 1-1, HR, BB
• Edouard Julien 1-2
• Jake McCarthy 0-3, BB, K
• Mickey Moniak 0-4, K
• Ezequiel Tovar 3-9, 2B, 2 HR, BB, 2 K

Opposing Lineup

1. Mickey Moniak – DH
2. Hunter Goodman – C
3. TJ Rumfield – 1B
4. Tyler Freeman – 2B
5. Troy Johnston – RF
6. Kyle Karros – 3B
7. Ezequiel Tovar – SS
8. Jake McCarthy – LF
9. Brenton Doyle – CF

Michael Lorenzen has had a rough season so far. Over six games (five starts), he has tossed 21 2/3 innings with a 7.48 ERA, 5.32 FIP, 2.123 WHIP and a 63 ERA+. His last time out, he allowed three runs on seven hits over five innings. He has also had two starts this season where he has allowed seven or more runs.

Lorenzen will be hoping for a “get right” game against a Mets offense that doesn’t have tremendous numbers against him:

• Francisco Alvarez 1-4
• Brett Baty 0-3
• Bo Bichette 1-3, 2B
• Ronny Mauricio 0-2, 2 K
• MJ Melendez 1-10, 2B, BB, 3 K
• Tommy Pham 3-13, HR, 6 K
• Luis Robert Jr. 3-16, 2B, 2 BB, 4 K
• Marcus Semien 3-5, 2B, K
• Juan Soto 1-10, K
• Tyrone Taylor 0-0, BB
• Mark Vientos 2-2, HR

Game Notes

• Manager Carlos Mendoza stated that Kodai Senga will start against the Rockies on Saturday, followed by Nolan McLean on Sunday and Clay Holmes in the series opener against the Washington Nationals on Tuesday before David Peterson pitches on Wednesday, likely as the starter, after Scott was optioned to Triple-A Syracuse.
• Lindor is in a walking boot after suffering a left calf strain on Wednesday, and he’s set to be reevaluated in three weeks. President of baseball operations David Stearns stated that he could have a “relatively quick” progression depending on how he heels over that span.

Three Things To Watch For

1. The Baby Mets. It’s time for Baty, Vientos, Mauricio and Alvarez to take over. With Lindor and Jorge Polanco both currently sidelined (and Soto’s injury/recovery plan), the four baby Mets from 2024 have a real opportunity to make their mark. Baty had a huge game last night, going 2-for-4 with a massive three-run home run and two runs scored. He has a .600 OBP in his last four games! Vientos made a bad mistake on the bases on Wednesday, but he made up for it with the go-ahead hit to end the Mets’ losing streak. Mauricio finally has a chance to show he’s a major league-ready shortstop on a team that has Bichette, who could very well play short too.
2. The New Mets. Bichette had a massive game last night for the Mets, going 3-for-5 with a bases-clearing double to give the Mets a lead in the eighth inning. He now has a three-game hitting streak and a double in back-to-back games. Semien also has a double in back-to-back games. In his last six games, Semien has gone 8-for-21 with three doubles and three stolen bases (.381/.435/.524).
3. The Top Prospect. Benge is coming off of his best day at the plate since Opening Day, going 2-for-3 with a double and a homer. It’s been a tough season for Benge, who is hitting .159/.237/.275 to start his major league career with a 46 OPS+. The team fell apart around him and had a historic losing streak – difficult working conditions! Hopefully last night is the start of a good run for Benge!

Let’s go Mets!

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They will look to continue their winning run against the Colorado Rockies (10-16), who recently took a series over the Los Angeles Dodgers at home. While they have been good at Coors Field (7-6), they are just 3-10 on the road. The Mets will look to take advantage of that.

Let’s take a look at some pitching notes ahead of the three matchups this weekend.

Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

PITCHING MATCHUPS

• Friday: Michael Lorenzen (1-2, 7.48 ERA) vs. Freddy Peralta (1-2, 4.05 ERA): Lorenzen joined the Rockies in the offseason after spending last season with the Kansas City Royals. Early on, the results have been a mixed bag. Nine of his 18 earned runs allowed came in one start against Philadelphia Phillies on April 3. Lorenzen is coming off a decent outing against the Los Angeles Dodgers last Sunday, allowing three runs over five innings. I think it’s safe to say Mets fans have yet to see the best from Peralta. His numbers have been better of late, pitching to a 3.32 ERA in the month of April. But as the ace of the staff, many were hoping for more than one quality start over his first five. Peralta will look to collect another one against the Rockies, a team he is 4-2 against in his career.
• Saturday: José Quintana (0-2, 6.23 ERA) vs. Kodai Senga (0-3, 8.83 ERA): Quintana, a member of the Mets team that reached the NLCS in 2024, will make his second return to Citi Field. His last start in Queens came as a Milwaukee Brewer, allowing three runs over 5 1/3 innings in July last season. The Rockies are 0-3 in Quintana starts and are averaging 2.33 runs per game with him on the mound. Senga’s role in the Mets’ rotation is in danger of drastically changing. His last two starts have been as bad as advertised; he has a 20.65 ERA over 5 2/3 innings during that stretch. His ghost fork has remained effective despite using it less often. The same cannot be said about his cutter. Opponents are hitting .471 with a .824 slugging percentage against it, including two home runs.
• Sunday: TBD vs. Nolan McLean (1-1, 2.28 ERA): The Rockies have yet to announce a starter for Sunday’s game. However, Chase Dollander is in line to pitch on normal rest. Colorado has exclusively used him as a bulk reliever early on this season. Dollander is coming off his best outing, allowing one run over six innings with nine strikeouts against the San Diego Padres last Tuesday. McLean has continued to pitch at the level he showcased at the end of last season. He enters this weekend with three-straight quality starts, pitching to a 2.70 ERA over that stretch. Can’t ask for much more than that from your young ace. McLean is off to an unbelievable start to his career, pitching to a 1.70 ERA over his first seven home starts.

WHAT’S THE STORY?

The Mets were forced to play without Juan Soto for a couple weeks. He’s back, but they will now be without Francisco Lindor for what could be an extended period of time. That’s not ideal for a lineup averaging 3.52 runs per game, tied for the second-worst mark in baseball. Can they survive without Lindor? Who will step up in his absence? Bichette is a name to watch, as he is coming off his first multi-hit game since April 11. They will need more from Francisco Álvarez, who will continue to hit in the middle of the order for the time being. Everyone needs to step up without the All-Star shortstop available, especially as they attempt to climb out of the bottom of the National League.

PREDICTION

The Mets have been far from convincing, even in the two wins against the Twins this week. That being said, Peralta and McLean are set to pitch in this series and the Rockies have struggled on the road. I think the Mets continue to marginally improve, winning two of three against Colorado.

The post Series Preview: Mets Look to Build Momentum vs. Rockies appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Raised in Brooklyn, Ottavino went on to pitch for both of his hometown teams, finding success in the Bronx and Queens. He remains the only pitcher to record a season with 65 or more appearances and a sub-2.10 ERA for both the New York Yankees (2019) and the New York Mets (2022).

Over his career, the right-hander appeared in 727 major league games, compiling a 3.48 ERA and 15.0 bWAR. One of Ottavino’s calling cards was his early adoption of the sweeper—a slider variant known for its significant horizontal movement. The pitch generated plenty of swings and misses for the New York native, contributing to a career whiff rate of 34.2%.

Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports

The veteran reliever rejoined the Yankees last April on a one-year major league deal. Ottavino made just three appearances for the club before he was designated for assignment on April 8, the second time he was designated within a matter of days. He acknowledges that his big league career is likely over, but has left the door open to pitch for Team Italy in the 2026 World Baseball Classic.

Even though Ottavino isn’t playing, he’s still keeping close tabs on the game. This summer, he debuted a live-stream YouTube show called “Baseball and Coffee,” where he goes around the league providing analysis and commentary.

I had the privilege of interviewing Ottavino over the phone, where we discussed his transition to the bullpen, the origins of his sweeper and his time with the Mets.

MMO: Who were some of your favorite players growing up?

Ottavino: Growing up in New York, I was mostly a Yankees fan. My favorite player of all time is Bernie Williams. From the pitching side, I really liked David Cone, Jimmy Key, El Duque and Mariano Rivera.

There were definitely some Mets that I liked throughout the years, too. I was a big Rey Ordóñez fan, and I loved watching Al Leiter. I think everybody’s favorite player growing up was probably Ken Griffey Jr.

MMO: What was training and developing as a baseball player like growing up in Brooklyn?

Ottavino: As soon as it got warmer, I was outside every day all the way into the fall. We used to do a lot of practicing in dimly lit public school gyms. My dad would take me to the batting cage on Eastern Parkway. We would rent out the cage for half an hour in the dead of winter and just hit.

There was a lot of imaginative play inside the house when it was too cold out, or throwing snowballs outside. We spent as much time as we could working on baseball, even though it was cold.

MMO: At what point did you specifically focus on pitching?

Ottavino: They took hitting away from me going into my senior year of high school. I still hit in school-ball, but more in travel leagues. That’s when they started to pivot me mostly to pitching.

It became clear that pitching was my future; I was getting scouted only as a pitcher at that point. I was a good hitter, but at that time, there weren’t any Shohei Ohtanis rolling around. Pitching was an easy choice.

MMO: Where else did you play when you weren’t pitching?

Ottavino: Catching was my favorite position. I loved helping the pitchers out and throwing runners out. I played that a lot when I was little. Most guys would tell you that you end up at shortstop for a while, too, and I played there. As I grew more into the body that I have as an adult—a more powerful but slow-type body—I moved to the corners: third base and right field.

If I didn’t pitch, I think I would’ve tried to catch. But at a certain point, that flies in the face of pitching, so we abandoned that idea.

MMO: When did the transition occur from moving out of the rotation and into the pen? What were your initial reactions?

Ottavino: My first three games in the big leagues were starts. I was still a full-time starter at that point; I have 125 minor league starts along with the three big league starts. It wasn’t until I got put on waivers and claimed by the Rockies that I became a full-time reliever. That’s not to say it wasn’t thought about for a while before that.

I was stuck in Triple-A for parts of three years with the Cardinals. They had a really good rotation at the time; I was like the sixth or seventh depth starter. Those guys just didn’t get hurt and kept churning out good seasons.

I saw some of my weaknesses. If a team stacked a lineup with lefties, that would make it tougher on me. I saw the writing on the wall, but I also saw that my ability could play in the bullpen. I got claimed by the Rockies out of spring [in 2012], went to Triple-A, worked for the first time in a late-inning role and really took to it right away. I liked pitching more often and going right to my best pitches. It started to make sense, and I started to see myself more in that role. I always wanted to start, but I think it made sense that I ended up where I did.

MMO: It seems like it was a fairly seamless transition for you.

Ottavino: I think I took to it really easily. I loved pitching in big spots and pitching with the game on the line, and you get to do a lot of that in a relief role. I felt the hairier the spot was, the more I was able to access my ability and focus.

From a physical standpoint, it was an adjustment because it seemed easier to only throw one or two innings at a time. The regularity with which you’re pitching and learning how to manage the workload as a reliever is tricky, and it was harder for me. I think I dropped the ball on that one in the first few years. I threw too much, backed myself into a corner, and ended up getting my elbow hurt and having to get Tommy John surgery. That was something that I had to learn from on the physical side.

I made that adjustment, and I was good the rest of the way. That was probably the biggest and toughest part: understanding the difference in terms of workload between starting and relieving.

MMO: The term “sweeper” entered the mainstream lexicon just a few years ago, but it’s a pitch that’s been around for some time. I’ve heard you mention in previous interviews that you watched guys like David Cone and Jeff Nelson utilize similar pitches. Can you talk about your origins with the sweeper?

Ottavino: When I was still at Northeastern, our catcher, Luke Carlin, came to train with us in the offseason. I was throwing a bullpen to him, and he was teaching me a cutter. From that grip, I just started experimenting by seeing if I could send the ball even more to the left to see how extreme I could make it.

I kind of stumbled into the sweeper grip. I didn’t know it at the time, but it poked its head out a few years later. It was a pitch that I threw sparingly, and I would throw it sometimes in catch play to show off that I could make the ball move like that.

In the game, we were always taught to focus on the two-plane break, like left and down. That wasn’t the slider I was working with; I was working with more of a two-plane slider. When I got to Double-A, my curveball and my two-plane slider weren’t as effective as I wanted. Guys were seeing them out of my hand pretty well.

At the time, I lived with a lot of hitters, and I’d ask them for advice. They said they thought it would be nice if my pitch came out on plane out of my hand, and then to use that big break to my advantage. I started dipping my toe in the water by throwing that pitch a little more often, but I still hadn’t committed to it as my main slider until probably mid-way through 2014 or 2015. I was still throwing it a little bit, but I was throwing the two-plane one as well, so I was throwing two breaking balls.

The sample size grew, and I could see the results were much better on that horizontal breaking pitch, which we know as the sweeper. I leaned into it, started throwing it, and it felt like a cheat code because no one else was really doing it. Granted, there were pitchers in baseball history who threw it, but I don’t think we realized the effectiveness of it, at least I didn’t, until I started throwing it a lot.

At one point, I think I was throwing 75 percent sweepers in the big leagues! [Laughs.] And then everybody caught on, and it just became a thing. I realized I was just a little early to the trend.

MMO: Did you mess with many different grips?

Ottavino: No, I kind of stumbled into it. Over time, you would keep tinkering because that’s just human nature. Then I learned the science behind why it was moving the way it was, and then I was able to hone in on the proper grip and not lose it.

It’s funny, later in my career, I would run into other guys with big sweepers, like Chris Sale. I remember asking him how he gripped it, and it turned out to be kind of the same as me! It made me think that I really was onto something, and it all kind of happened by accident.

It’s kind of the reverse of the way things work now, where we know what to do, and then go execute. Before, there was a lot of trial and error. I was lucky that I stumbled into the right thing.

Sep 22, 2023; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Chris Sale (41) pitches against the Chicago White Sox during the first inning at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-USA TODAY Sports

MMO: One of the coolest stories I read was about that vacant facility in Harlem you rented from your father-in-law, which you turned into a pitching lab following the 2017 season. What went into the decision to utilize that space in such a fashion, and what were some of the benefits you got from training there?

Ottavino: That was a huge turning point in my career. I had a tough year in 2017. My firstborn was a year old that offseason, and at the time, I had been driving out to Long Island to train. My throwing partner, Steven Matz, had moved to Nashville to be with his now wife, so I lost my throwing partner. I wasn’t doing a ton of throwing. I had parts of four years of pitching really well, so I kind of let my guard down a bit and showed up to spring training completely out of whack mechanically. At the time, there weren’t many checks and balances during spring training. We got to the season, and I was like, Oh, my God, I’m in a horrible habit here, and had the worst season of my career.

Around August of that year, I realized that I needed to spend my offseasons doing more than just working out and working on my body. I needed to practice my skills and make sure my technique was right. It wasn’t going to work driving to Long Island anymore, so I needed to find a place to train. We started looking for a storefront or something to outfit with baseball equipment.

Right around that time, my father-in-law, who is involved with that building in Harlem, said that there was a space and it might be available for a few months. My wife went, checked it out, did some measuring, and thought it was perfect. I paid for it with a Nolan Arenado-signed bat.

All of a sudden, I was able to practice on my own time and as much as I wanted. I had some friends come with me to start a lot of the processes that I used later in my career; videoing my throwing and being able to connect with what I was feeling. I was able to hone in my technique, work on new pitches, and really work on the skills side of things. That led to my career year next year, where I came in like gangbusters and was more prepared. It was really cool to be able to keep that space for almost the rest of my career.

MMO: There was a great quote from the 2019 book, “The MVP Machine,” which had a chapter that detailed the discussion you had with Rockies manager Bud Black after you worked with Driveline in 2017 and started to incorporate an Edgertronic camera and weighted balls. Black asked you whether using the Edgertronic was “going to put more things in your head,” to which you replied, “I’m going to think either way, but this makes me know what to think about.” With so much information available, how did you go about ensuring that you were getting the necessary data while not overwhelming yourself to the point where it could be a detriment?

Ottavino: I’m really good at absorbing the information. Not everybody is; some people need to keep it a bit simpler. I think at the moment of truth and pitching, you do need to boil things down as much as you can, and I was able to do that.

There was a lot of pushback at the beginning when I first showed up with my Edgertronic at the Rockies’ spring training in 2018. The pitching coach at the time thought I was undermining him, and he wasn’t too happy about it. I quickly explained that we should both look at these videos so we can learn together. Two brains are better than one, and this is definitely the new wave of technology that’s coming. We all need to learn from this, and it can make us better. Eventually, a lot of that friction went away.

A key point I made talking to Buddy about this was, I’m going to be thinking about adjustments to make daily anyway. If I have real information that gives me an actual direction to point my arrow, then I’m going to get there a lot faster. Having the high-speed camera and the movement information was really helping me point my arrow in the right direction. Every day, I could have more of a quality practice, and I could practice more efficiently. That’s super important because, as a pitcher, you can’t just throw all day; you have to get the most out of your practice time. I felt like that information helped me achieve that.

MMO: You also trained at Driveline for some time. What were some of your takeaways?

Ottavino: I was only there about a week, but it opened my eyes to a couple of key concepts. One was the concept of self-organization. Instead of being so internally focused when working on mechanics, thinking, Where’s my arm? Where’s my hip? Where’s my leg? It’s like, let’s create a constraint drill where I can keep my focus external. By constraining myself within the drill, my body will find a way to do it. It’ll self-organize and find a way to get the job done.

That was such a big thing to learn because before going there, I would say 95 percent of my pitching instruction over the years was based on internal cueing and things that are just really hard to do. It’s hard to think about your big toe or something while you’re also trying to execute a pitch. That kind of allowed me to get out of the shackles of that and allowed me to work on things with constraint drills to keep my focus external and understand that if my sights are set downrange on the catcher, that’s a much better place for me to be. It allowed my command to improve as a result of that, and kind of as a happy accident of that.

The use of some of the weighted implements, the weighted balls, and things like that [was helpful]. I never chased velocity in the way that a lot of Driveline guys do because that’s what they need to do to get noticed, but it did help me come up with a routine to stay healthy and properly warm up. Especially using a little bit of the heavier weighted balls kind of kept my arm action more efficient and shorter.

MMO: What went into your decision-making for signing a one-year deal with the Mets in March 2022?

Ottavino: I pitched for the Red Sox in ’21 after being traded there. I had a weird year where I started really good; I think I pitched well up until mid-August, and then I ran into trouble down the stretch. I really wanted to stay with the Red Sox because I felt like we had a good thing developing. At the end of the day, it didn’t work out; they weren’t aggressive in trying to sign me that offseason.

I knew that I only wanted to sign a one-year deal that year anyway, and I thought the Mets were a perfect landing spot. I always had an affinity for Buck Showalter, and they already had a pretty good group of relief arms, and I thought I could add to that mix and live at home. It just seemed like a really good opportunity, and they ended up signing me pretty late. If you recall, that was the lockout year.

I had a couple of other similar offers, but it made too much sense to stay at home. I thought the Mets were on the upswing; I liked what the Cohens were starting to do over there. And I was proven right. I went over there and we had a lot of fun! We had a great year, and I was able to re-sign with them, and it all worked out.

Adam Ottavino. Robert Edwards-USA TODAY Sports

MMO: Comparing your ’21 season with Boston to your first year with the Mets, you lowered your walk rate from 12.7 percent to 6.2 percent, increased your strikeout rate by 5 percent, and increased your groundball rate by almost 12 percent. Can you speak on some of the changes/fixes you made in order to have such success with New York?

Ottavino: I actually think ’21 was a huge learning year for me when I was with Boston. I was around Jason Varitek a lot, and he had an unbelievable perspective. I picked his brain constantly. He was a switch-hitter, but also a catcher, and caught some of the greatest pitchers ever. His watching my game that year kind of helped me understand the matrix a little bit more of how things work.

I took all that information that I learned from talking with him and also Dave Bush, who was the pitching coach at the time, into that year with the Mets, and was able to execute what I had learned a lot better.

I thought my pitch decisions were a lot better, I was getting ahead in the count better, and therefore, I was giving myself more chances to strike guys out. For the first time, I was also pitching a little more in a pitcher’s park, so I was able to get in the zone a bit better. I finally understood the value of the first-pitch strike, and I wanted to take my chances in the zone a bit more. And it all worked out. It doesn’t always all work out, but that year things really went my way, and I was able to get on a roll.

MMO: Steve Gelbs had an in-game report during a broadcast where he discussed how you walk barefoot on the grass pre-game in a technique called grounding. When did you start to incorporate that routine, and what were some of the benefits?

Ottavino: I learned about the science of it in 2018-2019. It didn’t become a full part of my routine, I don’t think, until 2021. A big part of it was that it was a great way to start my day. I’d get to the field, and I would go right out there and walk around for a while and take it in. There’s science behind it, and I always felt like I’d come off the field and get back inside to start my catch play and everything. I was just in a much better mood and a much better place and felt a lot more present.

I’d like to go behind the pitcher’s mound and visualize that view to home plate in all of the stadiums. I felt like that helped me when I then jogged into the game to feel like I had been there before, and pre-planned my visuals. I really liked it. It was the way I liked to start my day, and I stuck with it for the rest of my career.

Other guys would ask me about it, and it would catch on, and a lot of people started dabbling in it. I think it’s a really good way to get yourself in the right mindset.

MMO: Were you a player who routinely incorporated visualization cues in your routine?

Ottavino: Yes, because I was a mess when I was younger. They took me out of the rotation when I was in Double-A because I was so wild, and I was so internally focused. Like we talked about earlier, I just couldn’t get out of my own way. The Cardinals took me out of circulation, and they sent a couple of different mental skills people to work with me, which I learned a ton from, honestly. From that point forward, not only from them, but also by talking to other players, I started to reshape my mental approach to pitching. I started focusing a lot more on that process-oriented mindset.

I remember a big turning point in my career was watching a basketball game where Kevin Durant was playing. I think he was 0-for-10 from the field at half. They interviewed him before he went to the locker room about his shooting. I remember him telling the reporter that he was going to make the next shot. He always assumed he was going to make the next shot. I had that moment of clarity where I realized that I wasn’t assuming that I was making my pitches; I was hoping that I was going to make my pitches. That was a key mindset shift.

The next day in catch play, I started throwing with the assumption that I was going to hit my spot, and I stuck with that mindset for a really long time. That alone really helped me clean up my command. I realized that the mental controls the physical. For the last 15 years, I honed in on perfecting that mental side of the game because I do believe that what you think makes all the difference.

MMO: You announced your new live-streaming baseball show on YouTube called “Baseball and Coffee” a few months ago. What was behind this idea, and what can viewers expect?

Ottavino: This is an idea I’ve had for a few years based on my own experience with the MLB dugout iPad. I think it’s cool to be able to jump into any type of action and type of pitch, get some data, and use a bunch of different camera angles. The tech was the biggest thing, and that was the biggest hurdle in getting them to let me use that. I thought it was a fun way for me to follow baseball.

I don’t really lock in on highlights too often, or read a million articles every day. Now that I’m not playing, I realized that it’s very hard to check out the game on a national level. You can pretty much follow your own team and then see the other teams when they play you. I like to jump around and see what pops, and this app gives me the ability to do that.

I’ve wanted to do it in a live stream fashion because I don’t think anyone’s tried to do that yet; to set up a gaming stream, which is where my inspiration came for the format. I do a screenshare and have engagement with the viewers on the chat, and I think that’s super key. I’m not rushing to market or monetize it. I genuinely like to have a cup of coffee and check out the cool stuff that happened in baseball the night before, and interact with people and see what they want to see.

In the future, I’d like to have other people on, have some great conversations, baseball trivia and giveaways. I’m just looking to have it grow organically and evolve and see what happens.

MMO: You’ve mentioned in previous interviews you’re interest in managing. Is that your next baseball goal?

Ottavino: Yeah, managing or running a team in a different capacity. I want to have an impact when I come back. I have no interest in being a pitching coach and things like that. I love the idea of managing because you can do little things that affect your team’s chances to win on a nightly basis. Being in the fight and in the grind is what I know. I love traveling the country and being in all the heat of all the ballparks. I love the competition factor and the players.

That’s certainly something that’s on my mind and on my bucket list that I need to check off. But I’m not going to go about it the traditional way. I’m going to do media and try and stay in the game that way, and see what opportunities come down the road.

MMO: When you look back on your career, what are you most proud of?

Ottavino: I’m proud of the longevity. I never cheated the game, and I felt like I took on every challenge. I never shied away from Coors Field or going to play for my hometown team. I never shied away from the Yankees, or when I was with the Red Sox, going up against them. I always wanted the ball, and I pride myself on my work ethic and the way I was able to stay healthy, especially the last seven to eight years. That was important to me, being available for my team and my teammates.

I was disappointed I never won the World Series or had that big signature moment in the game. I’m proud that I played 20 seasons in pro ball, and felt I gave it my all the whole way. I can’t look back with any regrets.

The post MMO Exclusive: Relief Pitcher, Adam Ottavino appeared first on Metsmerized Online.