Per Chris Henrique of Beyond the Monster, the Boston Red Sox traded Pablo Reyes to the Mets. He’s batting .183 with a .451 OPS in 64 plate appearances this year.

Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

Latest Mets News

It’s been a rough stretch for the Mets with five straight losses, three blown saves by Edwin Díaz and multiple close losses.

They’ll try to salvage the final game against the Giants at 1:40 p.m. ET on Sunday.

Latest MLB News

Per Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, the Oakland Athletics on Saturday were expected to call-up left-handed pitcher Jack O’Loughlin. When he makes his debut, he will become the 38th native Australian to make it to the major leagues.

The Baltimore Orioles announced that they traded right-handed pitcher Garrett Stallings to the Milwaukee Brewers in exchange for right-handed pitchers Thyago Vieira and Aneuris Rodriguez.

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Matt Mongin recapped the Mets’ minor league affiliate games from Friday, which included Brooklyn cruising with the help of Douglas Orellana and Stanley Consuegra.

Alexis Farinacci recapped Pete Alonso’s big Friday night performance in the Mets’ loss to San Francisco.

Evan Mazza Recapped the Mets’ loss to the Giants on Saturday that was highlighted, or un-highlighted, by Díaz’s third consecutive blown save.

On This Date in Mets History 

Birthdays: Sam Haggerty (30), Gabriel Ynoa (31), Paul Sewald (34)

The post Morning Briefing: Mets Acquire Pablo Reyes From Red Sox appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Despite an earlier report from Jon Morosi that Ohtani was “en route” to Toronto, multiple reports have disputed this.

Bob Nightengale of USA Today made it clear that Ohtani is not in Toronto, nor is he on a flight there. Rather, he’s still at home in Southern California. Jim Bowden of MLB also reported that Ohtani is not in Toronto, and he has not made a decision. Bowden added that “people need to stop lying and guessing.”

The Ohtani saga has taken multiple twists in the span of just a few hours, but as of now, the latest indication seems to be that everything’s back where it started, with no Ohtani decision imminent.

Update: 12/08/23 at 4:09 p.m. ET

Shohei Ohtani is on his way to Toronto, Jon Morosi of MLB Network reported after rumors that the Blue Jays were making headway on a deal.

This does not yet officially confirm that Ohtani is signing with Toronto, but it’s certainly an indication that he’s headed in that direction. As of now, he remains unsigned.

Per Morosi, a representative from CAA declined to comment about Ohtani’s travel plans.

Shohei Ohtani. Photo by Roberto Carlo

Original article: 12/08/23 at 2:20 p.m. ET

A Friday report from J.P. Hoornstra of Dodgers Nation indicated that superstar free agent Shohei Ohtani‘s decision has been made, and that he’s going to the Toronto Blue Jays. He reported that the formal announcement is expected later Friday night. He did not report the terms of the contract, though he said it’s expected to “shatter” Mike Trout‘s 12-year, $426.5 million deal with the Los Angeles Angels.

However, multiple sources have since denied that Ohtani has made a decision yet. Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet said that Ohtani has not made a decision, nor is there a timeline for one. Alden González of ESPN confirmed as much, and Jeff Passan retweeted him. Both Nicholson-Smith and González noted that the Blue Jays are still one of the finalists, and Ohtani could very well end up with them, but it’s not official as the initial report made it out to be.

If true, Ohtani’s signing comes after a wealth of deliberation and rumors, with the Los Angeles Dodgers, Angels, San Francisco Giants and Chicago Cubs also at the forefront of discussions. The two-way star was the most highly coveted of this year’s free agent class, and has dominated what has been a relatively slow offseason thus far.

Per Hoornstra’s original report, it came down to the Blue Jays, Dodgers and Angels. He added that the appeal of being Canada’s only MLB team played a factor.

The post Reports: Shohei Ohtani Not in Toronto, Decision Not Imminent appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

The College Baseball Foundation revealed the latest inductees into the College Baseball Hall of Fame, and among the 12 honorees is Ron Darling, a former Met and the current broadcaster for the team. Darling, who was a student at Yale from 1979 to 1981, is set to be officially inducted during the ceremony scheduled for February 15, 2024.

Now onto the morning briefing!

Latest Mets News

Jay Horwitz tweets that former Mets outfielder Mookie Wilson and his wife, Rosa, are currently in England for the week, actively promoting the Mets London Series alongside the Phillies, scheduled for June 8-9 at London Stadium.

Mookie Wilson and his wife Rosa are spending the week in England promoting the @Mets London Series with the Phillies, June 8-9 at London Stadium. We couldn’t have a better representative. https://t.co/dNayBp8g8Q

— Jay Horwitz (@Jay_HorwitzPR) December 7, 2023

Latest MLB News

Jon Heyman of the New York Post tweets that the Washington Nationals have signed outfielder Nick Senzel to a one-year, $2 million contract with $1 million in performance bonuses.

According to information by Will Sammon from The Athletic, the Milwaukee Brewers are making a staff change by transitioning Charlie Greene, the assistant director of player development, to the role of bullpen coach on their major-league staff. Greene has garnered respect for his contributions to player development. Notably, this move follows the shift of Jim Henderson from bullpen coach to assistant pitching coach.

Gillian Tan for Bloomberg reports that David Rubenstein, co-founder of the Carlyle Group Inc., is reportedly in discussions to purchase the Baltimore Orioles, as per anonymous sources familiar with the matter. While talks are ongoing, no final agreement has been reached, and the possibility of the negotiations collapsing still exists.

As reported by Chandler Rome from The Athletic, the Houston Astros have officially signed reliever Wander Suero to a minor league contract, as indicated in their transaction log.

As reported by Justin Toscano of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, the Braves have confirmed the signing of left-handed pitcher Angel Perdomo, whom they non-tendered. Perdomo’s agreement is a one-year, non-guaranteed split deal. Additionally, Evan White has been outrighted to Triple-A Gwinnett, resulting in his removal from the 40-man roster.

The Los Angeles Dodgers tweet and congratulate the family of outfielder Chris Taylor for the birth of his son, Theo.

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Rivka Boord goes in-depth on the mindset of David Stearns and what was revealed.

Mets Madness Series Preview: 1969 Mets versus the 1997 Mets.

The Yoshinobu Yamamoto sweepstakes comes down to the Mets and Yankees.

On This Date In Mets History

1961: On December 8th, 1961, the New York Mets acquired Richie Ashburn from the Cubs. Serving as the Mets’ inaugural All-Star, Whitey concluded the final year of his illustrious Hall of Fame career with the ’62 team. He achieved an impressive .306/.424/.393 line and hit a career-high seven home runs, with some assistance from the Polo Grounds.

Birthdays: Alex Torres (36)

The post Morning Briefing: Ron Darling Elected To College Hall Of Fame appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Andy Martino of SNY reports that the New York Yankees and San Diego Padres continue their talks about star outfielder Juan Soto, and they’ve gotten to the point where they’ve started exchanging names.

Martino notes that the Padres asking price is understandably high and that San Diego wants top prospects/rookies and young major league pitchers.

Original Post – Nov. 10 at 5:59 PM

San Diego Padres outfielder Juan Soto is “100%” going to be traded before the 2024 season, Buster Olney of ESPN said on The Michael Kay Show on Friday.

Soto, still just 25 years old, has already played seven major league seasons and established himself as one of the brightest stars in the game. Given the slew of large contracts the Padres are already committed to, though, Olney said he sees Soto as the most obvious choice to be dealt.

“It makes sense that they would do that, given the other assets that they have, and the fact you can’t trade Manny Machado with his contract,” Olney said. “You can’t trade Xander Bogaerts with his contract. Yu Darvish. Joe Musgrove. Those are massive contracts that just can’t be moved, so I do think Soto’s gonna be moved. People who are in other front offices absolutely believe the Padres are gonna trade Soto.”

Soto is set to become a free agent in 2025, giving him one year left on his current contract. There have been reports of the Padres discussing a potential contract extension with Soto, but nothing has materialized from that.

Ross Cameron-USA TODAY Sports

Soto was drafted and developed by the Washington Nationals, then got dealt to the Padres as the headliner of a blockbuster deal at the 2022 trade deadline. But the Padres, despite being a potentially lethal force on paper, had a disappointing 2023 campaign where they missed the playoffs entirely. Soto was relatively disappointing as well during his first 52 games with San Diego in 2022, batting .236 with with a .778 OPS, though he put up a strong individual 2023 season with a .410 OBP and .930 OPS. He owns a remarkable .421 OBP in his first 779 games as a big leaguer, along with a .946 OPS and 154 wRC+.

If the Padres trade him, they’re sure to be moving a generational star who’s primed to receive a massive contract in 2025.

“That’s one where AJ Preller and Scott Boras can come out and say, ‘No, that’s not gonna be the case.’ All you have to do is look at the math,” Olney said. “If in fact the Padres are gonna get their payroll down to $200 million or $220 — which would be a massive reduction — they’re gonna have to make a move with Soto.”

The Padres’ total payroll in 2023 was listed at $281,578,933 by Spotrac, with Soto making $23 million. He was the second-highest paid player on the team behind Bogaerts, but unlike many of San Diego’s other key players, his contract is set to expire soon. Fernando Tatis Jr. just finished the third year of a massive 14-year contract, while Machado and Bogaerts each just completed the first season of their respective 11-year deals. Soto’s impending free agency offers a lot more flexibility than those who are locked up for the long term.

Given that Soto only has one guaranteed year left, he wouldn’t necessarily garner the largest haul. Still, the Padres should be able to get some quality prospects for him if nothing else. At the end of Olney’s comments on The Michael Kay Show, he mentioned the New York Yankees as a possible landing spot — another team that disappointed in 2023.

“And if you’re trying to map out a potential Yankees offseason, he, to me, is the most logical target because he’s not gonna necessarily require a big deal,” Olney said.

A team’s confidence that it could extend Soto after trading for him could also factor in to what it’s willing to give up, and how aggressive it’s going to be to make a potential Soto deal happen. In any case, Soto is the most coveted name on the trade market right now, complementing the intense Shohei Ohtani interest on the free agency side of the hill. He’ll be receiving a lot of money from someone in the near future — the question is whether it’ll be an extension from the Padres, an extension from somebody else, or a free agent deal in 2025.

The post Report: Yankees, Padres Exchanging Names in Soto Talks appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Several MLB teams, including the Dodgers, Giants, and Cubs, are reportedly pursuing the two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani, according to Jon Heyman of the New York Post. The Padres, Rangers, Red Sox, Yankees, and others are also in the mix, while the Angels hope to retain Ohtani. The Cubs are considered a potential threat, but there are suggestions that Ohtani favors southern California.

Another Japanese star, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, with a remarkable 1.82 ERA, is drawing interest from various big-market teams, with the Dodgers speculated to be able to afford both Ohtani and Yamamoto. The potential concern about playing second fiddle to Ohtani does not seem to deter Yamamoto’s interest, according to his handlers.

Now onto the morning briefing!

Shohei Ohtani. Photo by Roberto Carlo

Latest MLB News

Aaron Nola and the Phillies reached a $172 million, seven-year deal, bridging a $100 million gap between the initial $100 million offer and the $200 million asking price, notes Jon Heyman of the New York Post. Despite leaving a few million on the table, Nola chose the Phillies over other interested teams, including the Cardinals and Braves.

Heyman also notes that the Rangers aim to re-sign Jordan Montgomery, given his impressive 1.29 ERA in the ALCS against Houston. Despite interest from his former teams, the Yankees and Cardinals, Montgomery excelled with the Rangers on their path to the World Series. Interestingly, he did not start any playoff games for the Cardinals in their brief 2022 postseason, and the Yankees did not include him in their playoff rotation for 2022.

Jeeho Yoo of the Yonhap News Agency reports that the Kiwoom Heroes are ready to post outfielder Jung-Hoo Lee in early December. They provided Lee’s medical records to the KBO on November 22, and after the league reviews them, they will be sent to MLB. Considering the Thanksgiving weekend, it is expected that Lee will be officially posted in early December.

Jon Heyman of the New York Post writes that the Braves and Cardinals are reportedly interested in acquiring pitcher Sonny Gray, while the Tigers and Twins are showing interest in pitcher Kenta Maeda. Additionally, Shota Imanaga, a standout Japanese left-handed pitcher who secured the WBC clincher, is expected to be posted by early next week.

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Fresh MMO merchandise is now available on our online store, just in time for Black Friday. Enjoy a 30% discount on all items, and no promo code is required. Explore the collection here.

On This Date in Mets History

2005: On this date in 2005, the Mets acquired Carlos Delgado from the Florida Marlins in exchange for Mike Jacobs, Yusmeiro Petit, and Grant Psomas. The move concluded a pursuit by GM Omar Minaya that spanned over a year. Initially attempting to sign Delgado as a free agent after the 2004 season, Minaya’s efforts, including assistance from Carlos Beltran, were unsuccessful. A previous attempt involving Tony Bernazard‘s reportedly insulting negotiation tactics led to Delgado signing with the Marlins. In his four seasons with the Mets, Delgado slashed .267/.351/.506 and with an OPS of .857 and 339 RBI on 104 home runs in Queens.

Birthdays: Jason Jacome (53)

The post Morning Briefing: Several Teams Still in the Mix for Ohtani appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Although it’s been a slow start to the offseason, the Braves made a trade Thursday night, acquiring reliever Aaron Bummer for Michael Soroka, Jared Shuster, Nicky Lopez, Braden Shewmake and Riley Gowens. Soroka is a former first-round pick, but his career has been sidetracked by injuries.

Latest Mets News

Bryan Hoch of MLB.com tweets that Mets beat writer Tim Healey of Newsday is the new chairperson of the New York Chapter of the Baseball Writers’ Association of America. Tim will host their next dinner on Jan. 27 at the New York Hilton.

Latest MLB News

On Thursday, all Major League Baseball owners voted in favor of permitting the relocation of the Oakland Athletics to Las Vegas. This decision marks the second move of a baseball team in the last 50 years. Despite lingering uncertainties about the team’s short-term prospects and stadium arrangements, the unanimous approval follows over 20 years of unsuccessful attempts to secure a new stadium in Oakland as a replacement for the aging Oakland Coliseum. Team owner John Fisher released a statement in regards to the move. For more on this story, check out our piece on the news.

Mark Bowman of MLB.com tweets that MLB has selected the Braves to host the 2025 All-Star Game. This will be the first Midsummer Classic in Atlanta since 2000.

Sources have told Jon Morosi of MLB Network that the Cincinnati Reds are engaged in discussions with three or four teams regarding potential trades involving infielder Jonathan India. The talks are currently characterized as active. Although the dialogue has advanced throughout the week, as of this moment, no deal is imminent.

Yankees general manager Brian Cashman was asked by Chris Kirschner of The Athletic, whether he is concerned that his remarks about Giancarlo Stanton might impact the Yankees’ pursuit of Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who happens to share an agent with Stanton. “I do not,” said Cashman on the matter.

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Participate in our Mets Madness bracket and take charge of the 2015 #Mets while also scoring a FREE copy of Out Of The Park Baseball 24! To enter: Ensure you’re following us @Metsmerized on Twitter/X and then share this post by reposting. For more on Mets Madness, read here.

Michael Mayer looks into possible non-tender candidates for the Mets.

Rivka Boord writes about the early impressions of new Mets manager Carlos Mendoza.

On This Date in Mets History

1944: Mets legend Tom Seaver was born. Between 1967 and 1977, with a brief return in 1983, Seaver brought joy to Flushing fans, both those with and without sight, as he took the mound nearly every day. He consistently demonstrated his pitching prowess, often leaving non-Mets batters looking helpless. Hank Aaron himself labeled the hard-throwing right-hander from Fresno as the most challenging pitcher he had ever faced. Seaver accrued many accolades during his career, earning 3 Cy Young awards, a World Series title in 1969, Rookie of The Year, 3x ERA title, a 12x All-Star, and the first-ever Mets player to be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame.

Birthdays: Seth Lugo (34), Val Pascucci (54), Jim Mann (49), Eli Marrero (50)

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Former Yankee Harrison Bader is one of the voices commending Mets new manager Carlos Mendoza. Bader shared his thoughts tonight at Joe Torre‘s Safe at Home charity gala in midtown, as reported by Anthony McCarron of SNY. Bader says: “Baseball is obviously going in a direction where you have to manage the front office and manage the analytical department, but, at the same time, you need to manage and take care of your players, understand their personalities, understand what makes them tick, knowing u have to build them up and sometimes slow them down. His personality, his level of intelligence, it’s a good recipe for balancing those acts, because it’s no easy undertaking, especially in NY. He’s certainly cut out for it.”

Now onto the morning briefing!

Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports

Latest MLB News

According to Jon Heyman from the New York Post, the Los Angeles Dodgers are currently leading in the race to acquire Shohei Ohtani. Heyman indicates that the general consensus at the GM meetings this week is that Los Angeles is the frontrunner due to their efforts in managing payroll, impressive track record of success, and their favorable west coast location. For more on this, check out our article on the news.

The Detroit Tigers announced that they have hired broadcaster Jason Benetti away from the Chicago White Sox to become the team’s main play-by-play broadcaster. Benetti announced for his hometown White Sox for seven plus seasons, along with appearing on Fox Sports, Peacock and ESPN. Benetti replaces outgoing Tigers broadcaster Matt Shepard.

As per Dennis Lin, the Padres beat writer for The Athletic, it has been reported that the Padres held a formal interview with Phil Nevin for the managerial position on Wednesday. Sources, who informed both Lin and Britt Ghiroli of The Athletic, have confirmed this development. Padres general manager A.J. Preller stated yesterday that an official decision on the matter might be revealed as soon as next week.

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Sam Neumann reports on Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor winning a Silver Slugger award.

Sean Kenny discusses the Mets offseason plan to prioritize pitching for the upcoming season.

Evan Mazza highlights David Stearns’ comments on Pete Alonso and a possible trade.

On This Date in Mets History

Birthdays: Omar Minaya (65), Shawn Green (51), Butch Huskey (52), Junior Noboa (59), Kenny Rogers (59), Mike Vail (72)

The post Morning Briefing: Mendoza Continues to Receive Praise appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Omar Narvaez. Photo by Ed Delany of Metsmerized

Narváez began the 2023 season as the team’s starting catcher, but a significant calf strain in early April opened the door for Francisco Álvarez to receive more opportunities behind the plate. Once Narváez returned from the injured list, the young catcher had already established himself, both offensively and defensively. The one-time All-Star struggled in a limited role, slashing .211/.283/.297/.580 with two home runs, seven runs batted in and 14 walks in 146 appearances. Narváez is projected to be the backup to Álvarez going into next season.

The Mets made a few more moves Thursday afternoon, placing Peyton Battenfield, John Curtis, Elieser Hernández, Bryce Montes de Oca, Denyi Reyes and Tim Locastro on waivers to clear space on the 40-man roster. Anthony DiComo of MLB.com reported that if Montes de Oca and Battenfield go unclaimed, they could be retained. Placing that group of players on waivers will give the Mets front office more flexibility with free agency beginning.

The post Omar Narváez Exercises Player Option to Return to Mets appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

The Mets will receive prospects Marco Vargas and Ronald Hernandez in return, Jon Heyman of the New York Post reported. Vargas and Hernandez — both still teenagers — will be the Mets’ No. 6 and No. 18 prospects, respectively, according to MLB’s rankings. Vargas has an impressive .457 OBP and 38-22 BB-K ratio in the FCL, while Hernandez is batting .298 with a .464 OBP. Baseball Prospectus notes that Vargas was in the conversation for their midseason Top 50 MLB prospects list and that he could be in their Top 101 when it comes out this offseason.

Robertson had been warming up in the bullpen during the Mets’ comeback in the eighth inning on Thursday. But after the game was delayed for over an hour and a half due to rain, Brooks Raley warmed up and entered instead. Adam Ottavino was warming up behind Raley, but the southpaw locked down the final three outs.

Rosenthal tweeted his report approximately two minutes after the completion of the game — giving an immediate answer as to why Robertson wasn’t utilized there.

Gregory Fisher-USA TODAY Sports

Robertson has been one of the best relievers in baseball this season and was expected to be a hot commodity with the Mets in sell mode. The 38-year-old has posted a 2.05 ERA in 44 innings, supported by 9.8 K/9 and 2.7 BB/9. His performance has been particularly vital for this New York team in the wake of Edwin Díaz’s preseason injury.

The Marlins, meanwhile, are one spot ahead of the Mets in third place in the NL East, and only a half-game behind second-place Philadelphia. They’re in the thick of the Wild Card race, also just a half-game out in that department. They’ve struggled as of late, though, going 7-13 in July and 2-8 in their last 10.

The Mets’ bullpen will now be without its best piece for the rest of the season as the trade deadline looms closer. They currently sit at 48-54, seven games out of a Wild Card spot and 17 games out of the first-place Atlanta Braves in the NL East.

The post Mets Trade David Robertson to Marlins For SS Marco Vargas, C Ronald Hernandez appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

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

Latest Mets News

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

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

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

Latest MLB News

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

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

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

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

Latest on MMO

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

On This Date in Mets History

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

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

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

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