The Mets received two prospects. The higher-ranked one at the time was outfielder Drew Gilbert, who, after a couple mixed seasons in the Mets minor league system, was flipped with Blade Tidwell and José Buttó for reliever Tyler Rogers at the 2025 trade deadline. Rogers was really good for the Mets over the two months and change he was in Queens, but the Mets failed to make the postseason. He left in free agency, ending that branch of the Verlander trade tree. Gilbert was a big leaguer before the end of 2025, but doesn’t look like much more than a back-end bench outfielder at this point, even with his moderate improvements in 2026.

The other was Ryan Clifford. While he was generally considered the second of the two prospects in the trade, Clifford was still a big get for the Mets. He had his believers too, with some thinking he was a bigger get than Gilbert. While that was the minority opinion at the time, it was out there.

In a way, Clifford received one of the largest signing bonuses handed out to any prospect in history. The money just didn’t go to him. It’s not quite that simple — the Mets were already on the hook for Verlander’s full contract whether they liked it or not before they traded him — but the implication was that the Mets could have taken lesser prospects to shed more money. Instead, they chose to eat well over 50% of the remaining money owed to Verlander to get Gilbert and Clifford.

With Gilbert gone and nothing to show for him besides 27 and 1/3 innings of a reliever in a playoff-less season, the entire $35M investment essentially rides on Clifford.

Since joining the Mets, Clifford has been the prototypical three true outcomes player. He has prodigious power and has been one of the best home run hitters in the minor leagues whenever he wasn’t playing for the High-A Brooklyn Cyclones in the power-drain of an environment that is Maimonides Park. In 2025, Clifford’s 29 home runs ranked sixth across the entire minor leagues. In 2026, his 14 home runs through June 6 are tied for 13th.

He also has prodigious swing-and-miss issues. However, while the strikeout rate was still high in previous years, he had actually been making steady improvements. That is, until this season. After getting his strikeout rate all the way down to 25.6% in 2025, it’s ballooned to 35% in 2026. Therein lies the problem. A 35% strikeout rate in Triple-A is unsustainable for any level of consistent success at the big leagues.

Players can produce with a high strikeout rate. The top four qualified hitters in the big leagues this season — Oneil Cruz, Kyle Schwarber, Hunter Goodman and Munetaka Murakami — have all been productive despite the lofty strikeout rates.

That list is just the qualified hitters, though. When the minimum plate appearance mark is set to 50, the list grows substantially. Cruz drops all the way from first to 12th, and Murakami from fourth to 28th. Of the 24 new players between No. 1 and No. 28, just three have an OPS over .760: Joey Wiemer, Kerry Carpenter and Luke Raley. Even of those three, one of them is misleading. Wiemer’s numbers are inflated by a red-hot first nine games when he OPS’d 1.243 and only struck out 26.5% of the time. In his next 23 games, Wiemer is OPS’d just .687 and struck out 40.8% of the time.

Players can be productive with strikeout rates as high as Clifford’s, but it’s rare. And remember, this is his Triple-A strikeout rate. Pitchers are better in the big leagues.

Let’s dig deeper. Here are his contact rates, the backbone of strikeout rate.

Ryan Clifford‘s Triple-A percentiles in 2025 (left) and 2026 (right). Image courtesy of Thomas Nestico @TJStats on X.

Overall, Clifford’s 2026 numbers look similar to his 2025 Triple-A numbers, but there are a few glaring issues. His chase rate is way up, and his in-zone contact rate is way down. Clifford is still patient — just in the wrong places. He’s swinging at pitches in the zone at a rate under the Triple-A average, but chasing at a rate above the Triple-A average. Previously, he was patient both ways. Now, he’s patient in the zone and aggressive out of the zone, not a good combination.

Then, when he does swing the bat at pitches in the zone, he’s not making contact. His in-zone contact rate is 74.2%, down over 10% from 2025. It cannot be understated how massive of a concern that is. Yes, similar to strikeout rate, there are a rare few who can survive with in-zone contact rates this low, but it’s generally not a recipe for success.

It has also impacted his ability to draw walks, going from one of the best hitters in Triple-A at doing so in 2025 to well below average in 2026. If Clifford is going to stick as a big leaguer, walks have to be a part of his game. Even if he gets the strikeout rate relatively under control, he’s always going to have his fair share of punchies. That has to be countered by a high walk rate.

There have been some improvements throughout the season. In his first 31 games, Clifford posted a .704 OPS with a 39.8% strikeout rate. In his next 28, he had a .832 OPs figure with a 30% strikeout rate. But it’s not enough.

Ryan Clifford’s Triple-A percentiles in his first 31 games of 2026 (left) and next 28 games of 2026 (right). Image courtesy of Thomas Nestico @TJStats on X.

The chase rate is identical, the walk rate is virtually identical, and the in-zone contact is still a big step down from 2025. His surface numbers have improved, but the underlying data tells the story of a hitter who actually hasn’t changed much.

Even if we use his 77.7% in-zone contact rate in his last 28 to measure, it does not suggest he’ll be able to have success at the MLB level. There are 83 hitters in Triple-A with an in-zone contact rate of 77.7% or worse; a handful have spent time in the big leagues, and none of them came close to any form of sustained success this season. Matt Wallner, Nick Yorke, Esmerlyn Valdéz, Patrick Wisdom and Spencer Jones are a few of the big leaguers to run Triple-A contact rates in line with Clifford. None are productive, or frankly, close to it.

This is not a final indictment on Clifford. It’s early June; there is time for Clifford to turn it around. But it is important to note that — even with the surface numbers improving and the recent home runs lighting up your social media feeds — he is a different hitter than he was last year, and not in a good way. If he is going to have an impact at the MLB level in 2026, real change needs to occur. Improving the strikeout rate without truly improving the chase or contact rates isn’t enough.

The 2025 version of Clifford can be a productive big leaguer. He’ll have his flaws, but he can be a true power threat. The 2026 version of Clifford, to this point, cannot.

The post The Intriguing Proposition That Is Ryan Clifford appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Tuesday night’s loss to the Red Sox in Boston marked the Mets’ first three-game losing streak of the season and pushed them a game and a half back of the Phillies for the division lead. After only scoring 10 runs in their last seven games, New York put half that run total up in Wednesday night’s win against Boston. Brett Baty drove in three runs from the nine hole and Tylor Megill struck out 10 in 4 2/3 innings in a Mets 5-1 win. Click here for the full-game recap!

After salvaging the series finale against the Red Sox, the Mets will head back home to Queens to prepare for a weekend series against the Los Angeles Dodgers, starting Friday. The probable pitching matchups are Clayton Kershaw vs. Griffin Canning, Tony Gonsolin vs. David Peterson and Landon Knack vs. Kodai Senga. 

Eric Canha-Imagn Images

Latest Mets News

Mets legend Mike Piazza mentioned Juan Soto‘s messy start being a Mets “rite of passage” in an interview with Joel Sherman of the NY Post.

Mets RHP prospect Jonah Tong has cracked MLB Pipeline‘s top 100 prospects list. 

Paul Blackburn and Ronny Mauricio led the Syracuse Mets to victory on Wednesday. Click here for more on the win!

Jett Williams and Jonah Tong find themselves in the top 50 prospects list according to Kiley McDaniel of ESPN.

Latest MLB News

Despite some media speculation of a possible trade of Paul Skenes, Jon Heyman of the NY Post reports that those rumors are invalid. A source from the Pirates said in response to a Skenes trade, “No chance, no way, no how.”

Pirates RHP Jared Jones underwent surgery to repair the injury in his right elbow, with no specification on what the surgery is, per Noah Hiles of Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. 

MLB announced that Players’ Weekend is returning August 15-17, which came back in 2024 after a four-year hiatus.

NBC has made an offer to MLB to take over Sunday Night Baseball and the rest of ESPN’s baseball inventory starting next season, per Joe Flint and Jared Diamond of The Wall Street Journal.

Veteran infielder and former Mets foe with the Phillies, Jean Segura, called it a career after 12 big league seasons, per Robert Murray of FanSided.

Giants manager Bob Melvin told reporters that veteran pitcher Justin Verlander will be placed on the IL with pec discomfort.

Latest on MMO

Blackburn and Mauricio star in a Syracuse win.

ESPN’s top 50 prospects list features two Mets.

Brett Baty helps get the Mets back in the win column.

On This Date in Mets History

2019: Juan Lagares hits a three-run double and Rajai Davis hits a three-run bomb en route to a six-run eighth inning in a Mets win. Davis took an Uber from Lehigh Valley to Queens that day after being promoted to the major league club. 

1998: The Mets acquire Mike Piazza from the Florida Marlins in exchange for outfielder Preston Wilson and minor league pitchers Ed Yarnall an Geoff Goetz.

1972: Willie Mays appears on the cover of Sports Illustrated.

Born on This Date: Collin Cowgill (1986).

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B/T: L/L   Age: 24
Ht: 5’8″      Weight: 195 lbs
Acquired: Selected in the first round by the Astros in the 2022 MLB Amateur Draft.
ETA: 2025  Previous Rank: 2
2024 Stats: .205/.313/.371 (.685 OPS), 268 plate appearances, 47 H, 8 2B, 10 HR, 33 RBIs, 3 SB, 30 BB, 54 SO

Overview

One of the centerpieces of the Justin Verlander trade in 2023, Drew Gilbert spent a lot of time as at top-100 prospect in baseball and one of the top prospects in the New York Mets’ system. Unfortunately, after some injury woes at the beginning of last season, Gilbert turned in his worst season to date as a professional.

After being drafted 28th overall by the Houston Astros out of the University of Tennessee in 2022, Gilbert had a monster year in his first full professional season during the 2023 campaign. He played across two different levels, posting an .868 OPS and 47 extra-base hits across 433 at-bats. As a result, Gilbert was regarded as a top-100 prospect in baseball and one of the best in the Mets’ system.

As mentioned, Gilbert began last season injured, before finally ending the season with Triple-A Syracuse. Across 214 at-bats, Gilbert hit a meager .215 to go along with a .706 OPS. He only had 18 extra-base hits, but did walk a ton, resulting in a .313 on-base percentage and the OPS above .700. It appeared the hamstring injury he suffered nagged on for the duration of the season.

Gilbert did play in the Arizona Fall League in 2024 as well. Unfortunately, he did not fare much better, as he slashed .208/.380/.403 (.783 OPS). One thing that looked improved was the power, as he belted four home runs across 72 at-bats. He also continued to walk at an extremely high rate, posting more walks (17) than strikeouts (14).

2025 Outlook

Gilbert will no doubt start the season with Triple-A Syracuse and hope to regain the form of his 2023 season while avoiding any injuries, which led to his downfall in 2024. If he can get back to that 2023 season form, there is a real chance the 24-year-old will make his debut with the big league club sometime in 2025.

Going forward, Gilbert projects as an average-to-above average fielder, specifically one with a strong arm. If everything goes right, he can be a slightly above average hitter in the major leagues thanks in large part to a terrific eye to go along with average power. With Juan Soto locking down right field, his path to the majors is either in center or left.

The post Mets 2025 Prospects: No. 9 Drew Gilbert appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

New Mets reliever A.J. Minter talked about his offseason of change, mentioning that while Atlanta holds a close place in his heart, he is “here to beat them,” per Manny Gómez of NJ.com. A hectic offseason, which has included rehab from hip surgery, found himself landing in a rival town, moving from Atlanta to Queens. In the article, Minter also mentioned that he plans on throwing four more bullpens before he graduates to facing hitters. 

Mady Mertens-USA TODAY Sports

Latest Mets News

It will be Clay Holmes going against Ryan Gusto of the Houston Astros in the Mets’ Grapefruit League opener on Saturday. Click here for more on the pitching matchup.

Will Sammon and Tim Britton of The Athletic went into depth on how the Mets’ reinvigorated hitting lab could help spur development amongst all levels.

Frankie Montas told reporters that he’s “feeling pretty good” after getting a PRP shot yesterday, per SNY.

The Mets signed right-handed pitcher Connor Overton to a minor league deal, per Mike Mayer of Metsmerized Online. Overton had a 4.85 ERA in 59 MLB innings from 2021-2023.

Matt Allan is healthy and expects to be pitching for a minor-league affiliate when camp breaks, per Will Sammon of The Athletic. This would be the first time Allan has appeared in a game since 2019.

Carlos Mendoza said that he’s currently leaning towards hitting Francisco Lindor leadoff and Juan Soto second in the lineup, per SNY. To learn more about the lineup decision, click here!

Over the course of the season, the Mets will hold 13 theme nights, they will also feature four games with additional specialty ticket package items via special event ticket purchase.

The Mets are showing interest in bringing back José Quintana, per Pat Ragazzo of Mets on SI. For more on the report, click here.

Latest MLB News

Outfielder Lawrence Butler and the A’s are in talks on a contract extension, per Evan Drellich of The Athletic. The former sixth-round pick posted a .262/.317/.490 slash line with 22 homers in 125 games last season. 

The ABS challenge system will be in use during spring training and Anthony Castrovince of MLB.com broke down how the system works.

The Colorado Rockies signed left-handed pitcher Scott Alexander to a one-year deal.

Dustin May revealed that his season ending emergency esophagus surgery was due to his tearing his esophagus while eating a salad, per Jack Harris of The LA Times.

Latest on MMO

It seems like Francisco Lindor will lead off for the Mets yet again in 2025.

The Mets are showing interest in bringing José Quintana back.

Met hitters are embracing the recent lab study.

On This Date in Mets History

2021: The Mets and Taijuan Walker agree to a two-year, $20 million deal. Walker would appear an All-Star game while posting a 3.98 ERA as a Met.

2003: The Mets sign Tony Clark to a minor league deal.

Born on This Date: Luis Severino (1994), Justin Verlander (1983), Liván Hernández (1975), Shane Spencer (1972), Phil Lombardi (1963).

The post Morning Briefing: A.J. Minter Here To Beat Old Team appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

While the starting pitching market continues to dwindle with most of the top names being off the board, there are still a couple of future Hall of Famers on the market. Both Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander are searching for new homes, and Jon Heyman of the New York Post gave an update of Scherzer’s market on a Bleacher Report live stream. Heyman reported that the three-time Cy Young Award winner is fielding interest from four different teams. Along with that, he mentioned that the former Met’s market is “heating up,” so a signing may be imminent. 

Max Scherzer. Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

Latest Mets News

Jon Heyman of the New York Post reported that the Los Angeles Angels are “looking at” Pete Alonso, but there seems to be a gap in years. 

MLB.com writers labeled Mets outfield prospect Edward Lantigua as a possible breakout candidate in 2025. Lantigua signed for $950,000 last January and was an All-Star in the Dominican Summer League. 

Latest MLB News

The Philadelphia Phillies traded LHP Tyler Gilbert to the Chicago White Sox for minor league RHP Aaron Combs. 

The Washington Nationals signed former Mets minor leaguer Junior Santos to a minor league deal, per Chase Ford of MiLB Central.

Latest on MMO

The Angels are showing interest in Pete Alonso.

Take a look at MMO’s Mets New Year’s resolutions!

On This Date in Mets History

Born On This Date: Yoan López (1993), Reed Garrett (1993), David Cone (1963).

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While this free agent class is overshadowed by the big fish on the market, Juan Soto, there is still a future first ballot Hall-of-Famer on the marker. On Wednesday, it was reported that the Houston Astros are “having conversations” with Justin Verlander on a potential return to Houston in 2025, per Astros GM Dana Brown on ESPN’s Baseball Tonight podcast. The former Met posted his highest ERA since his 2005 rookie season, where he threw only 11 1/3 innings, in his 2024 campaign with the Astros. 

Between injuries and poor play, Verlander’s market is not as large as one would think, making a return to a familiar place on a one-year deal quite possible.

Erik Williams-USA TODAY Sports

Latest Mets News

Francisco Alvarez continues to show videos of him putting in work during the offseason.

Offseason work for Francisco Alvarez 💪

(via franciscoalvarez.13/IG) pic.twitter.com/O5fwINkMiy

— SNY Mets (@SNY_Mets) November 23, 2024

Latest MLB News

Texas Rangers reliever Josh Sborz had a shoulder debridement procedure last week, per Evan Grant of Dallas Morning News. Sborz will miss 2-3 months of the 2025, but he and the club still agreed to a deal for the 2025 season.

The Cincinnati Reds have hired former World Series champion Mike Napoli for an unspecified role within the organization, per Rob Bradford of WEEI. Napoli was previously the Chicago Cubs first base coach.

Former St. Louis Cardinals close Giovanny Gallegos is signing a minor league deal with a spring training invite with the Los Angeles Dodgers, per Steve Adams of MLB Trade Rumors.

Right-handed relief pitcher Yunior Marte signed a minor league deal with a spring training invite with the Seattle Mariners, per Francys Romero.

Former 2018 sixth-round pick and right-handed pitcher Codi Heuer has re-signed with the Texas Rangers on a minor league with a spring training invite, per Matt Eddy of Baseball America. 

The Los Angeles Dodgers have had “preliminary dialogue” with NLCS MVP and utility man Tommy Edman on a potential contract extension, per Jon Morosi of MLB Network. Edman will become a free agent after the 2025 season.

Latest on MMO

Get to know potential Mets starting pitching target Matthew Boyd.

Chris Bello gave a look at some non-tendered players the Mets should go after.

On This Date in Mets History

2005: The Mets acquire Carlos Delgado from the Florida Marlins in return for first baseman Mike Jacobs and prospects Yusmeiro Petit and Grant Psomas. Delgado hit 104 home runs with New York and finished top-15 in MVP voting twice. 

Born On This Date: Jason Jacome (1970), Bob Friend (1930).

The post Morning Briefing: Astros ‘Having Conversations’ With Verlander appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

On Wednesday, one of the great first basemen of the 21st century officially hung up his cleats. In an Instagram post where he gave thanks to all those that helped him during his career, longtime Red Joey Votto called it a career. Votto played all 17 of his major league seasons in Cincinnati since being called up in 2007, racking up six All-Star appearances, one Gold Glove Award and an MVP.

Votto was a wizard at the plate, always finding a way to get on base. During his prime, it was a virtual guarantee that he would hold a batting average north of .300 by the end of the season and was a walk machine, leading the NL in OBP seven times. Despite signing a minor league deal with the Blue Jays prior to the 2024 season, he never made it to the majors this year and will end as a career-long Red.

It was also another exciting day in Flushing on Wednesday. If Monday’s finish wasn’t enthralling enough, the Mets had more in store on Wednesday. Despite giving seven solid innings, Sean Manaea left the game with the eventual tying run on base. However, Jesse Winker was there to save the day; Winker sent his first home run as a Met over the left field wall in the bottom of the ninth inning to give the Mets a 4-3 win over the Orioles, securing a series win over the O’s. For more on the Mets’ late-inning theatrics, click here.

After going 5-4 during their homestand, the Mets will now swing back out to the West Coast to take on the Padres and Diamondbacks. Luis Severino (8-6, 3.91 ERA) will be on the mound for Thursday night’s 9:40 p.m. start against Padres ace Dylan Cease (12-9, 3.46 ERA) to kick off the four-game weekend series in San Diego. The Mets currently stand 1.5 games behind the Braves for the third Wild Card spot.

Latest Mets News

Jett Williams went 1-for-3 with a stolen base in his first rehab appearance for the St. Lucie Mets. He played seven solid innings at shortstop, including this sparkling play.

Jett Williams in his first rehab game for the St. Lucie Mets:

1-for-3, SB, played 7 innings at SS including this great play.

pic.twitter.com/FbtmTiSjU4

— Mike Mayer (@mikemayer22) August 21, 2024

Former Mets manager Terry Collins is hosting a Mets pre-game party on Saturday before their game against the Padres. The event, which starts at 4 p.m., will be on 42nd Street by Grand Central and fans will be able to meet and watch the game with Collins.

Katie Honan of The City NY gave Mets fans insight into Citi Field’s SVP of ballpark operations, who makes game days run smoothly.

Comedian and writer Eitan Levine set the world record for the most first pitches in a season on Wednesday. With his first pitch at Citi Field, he threw out his 40th and record-breaking first pitch. 

Mets top pitching prospect Brandon Sproat struggled in his third start for Triple-A Syracuse: 5 IP, 9 H, 6 ER, 0 BB, 0 K.

Latest MLB News

The St. Louis Cardinals optioned INF Nolan Gorman to Triple-A Memphis and recalled INF José Fermín from Triple-A. The once top prospect Gorman has struggled this season, with a slash line of .203/.271/.400.

Atlanta Braves left-handed reliever A.J. Minter underwent left hip surgery on Wednesday and will be out for the remainder of the 2024 season. 

Johnny Cueto made his 2024 debut on Wednesday and was given a standing ovation by the Kansas City crowd after giving up three runs in 6 1/3 innings. While Cueto was pitching for the Angels, Mets fans know all too well how important he was for the Royals in their 2015 World Series season. 

Royals fans don't forget Johnny Cueto's contributions to the 2015 team 👏 pic.twitter.com/diuKWtUGKN

— MLB (@MLB) August 22, 2024

The World Baseball Classic announced the pools and schedule for the 2026 WBC, which will start on March 5 of that year. The United States will be in Pool B with Mexico, Great Britain, Italy and another qualifier.

In his first start since June 9, Justin Verlander went 5 IP, 2 ER, 4 H, 1 BB, and 6 K in the Astros’ 4-1 loss to the Red Sox.

Yankees starting RHP Luis Gil was placed on the 15-day IL on Wednesday with a lower back strain. 

Latest on MMO

Jose Quintana’s August troubles continue to roll on. 

Mets propsect Nolan McLean dazzled in the Rumble Ponies Tuesday win.

Jesse Winker walk-off homer gives Mets the series win in electric fashion.

On This Date in Mets History

2006: Carlos Delgado blasts a grand slam into deep right field at Shea Stadium for his 400th career home run. Carlos Beltran finished that game by hitting a two-run walk-off home run off of Jason Isringhausen to beat the Cardinals, 8-7.

Birthdays: Darrin Jackson (61), Ike Hampton (73), Ray Burris (74)

The post Morning Briefing: Joey Votto Retires From Baseball appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

The Mets, whose top prospects have battled an injury plagued 2024 season, look to get another one of their top prospects back on the field this season. The club got one of the big returns from the Justin Verlander trade in 2023, Drew Gilbert, back from a hamstring strain recently. Now, they look to see their top infield prospect Jett Williams back on the field to finish off the 2024 season.

Williams was hoping to originally avoid surgery, but eventually had to undergo right wrist surgery in early June, which gave him a return date of 8-10 weeks. About nine weeks later, he’s reportedly going to start a rehab assignment with Low-A St. Lucie this coming Wednesday, planning to play this weekend and return to Double-A Binghamton the following Tuesday, per @NickTheMetFan1 on Twitter/X. Williams is also planning to play in the Arizona Fall League to make up for his missed time this season.

The big league club clinched a series win against the Miami Marlins on Saturday behind a masterful performance from Luis Severino. The Mets started their day with a Francisco Lindor leadoff home run and followed that up by scoring a run in each of the first four innings. However, the story of the day was Severino, who threw the first Mets complete game since Jacob DeGrom in April of 2021. Severino completely blanked the Fish and gave the Mets’ bullpen a much needed break en route to a 4-0 win. Click here for the full in-depth breakdown of Saturday’s game.

Paul Blackburn (5-3, 4.43 ERA) will try to complete the sweep, as he goes against Valente Bellozo (2-1, 2.28 ERA) of the Marlins at 12:05 p.m. The Mets gained no ground on the third Wild card spot Saturdy night as the Braves took care of business against the Angels. The Amazins remain one game out of the final spot.

Photo by Ed Delany of Metsmerized

Latest Mets News

Mets OF prospect Nick Morabito has reached 50 stolen bases on the season. He had 11 SB in 24 games with Low-A St. Lucie and 39 SB in 78 games with High-A Brooklyn.

Mets manager Carlos Mendoza told reporters that there is a “good chance” Starling Marte is in the lineup on Sunday, per Zach Braziller of The New York Post.

Latest MLB News

MLB Hall of Famer Ryne Sandberg is officially cancer-free!

Ryno rings the bell: Hall of Famer Ryne Sandberg announces he is cancer-free! pic.twitter.com/nGDKI61EEh

— National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum ⚾ (@baseballhall) August 17, 2024

The Cincinnati Reds placed their flame-throwing ace Hunter Greene on the 15-day IL with right elbow soreness, retroactive to August 14. 

The Pittsburgh Pirates placed DH/OF Andrew McCutchen on the 10-day IL with left knee inflammation. 

The Tampa Bay Rays have placed RHP Zack Littell on the 15-day injured list with right shoulder fatigue, retroactive to August 15. The Rays recalled LHP Tyler Alexander from Triple-A Durham to take Littell’s spot.

The Detroit Tigers recalled the first overall pick from the 2022 draft, Spencer Torkelson, from Triple-A Toldeo. In Torkelson’s first at-bat since being recalled, he ripped a double into the right-center gap.

Forty-four-year-old LHP Rich Hill signed a minor league deal with the Boston Red Sox, per Ian Browne of MLB.com.

RHP José Soriano was placed on the 15-day IL with right arm fatigue by the Los Angeles Angels. Along with that, they reinstated RHP José Cisnero from the IL and outrighted OF Willie Calhoun to Triple-A Salt Lake.

The Houston Astros placed RHP Ryan Pressly on the 15-day IL with a low back strain, retroactive to August 14. Houston’s former closer has been the set-up man for Josh Hader this season, posting a 3.86 ERA in his 46 2/3 innings.

Latest On MMO

Jeff McNeil’s second half power surge continues. 

The Mets stay a game back in the NL wild card race. 

Luis Severino went the distance as he shut out the Marlins offense.

On This Date in Mets History

2019: Pete Alonso breaks the NL rookie home run record by bashing his 40th home run of the season. Alonso becomes the fourth Met to hit 40 home runs in a season, a list that includes Todd Hundley, Carlos Beltrán, and Mike Piazza.

2002: 1969 World Series champion Tommie Agee is posthumously inducted into the Mets Hall of Fame.

Birthdays: Justin Wilson (37), Pat Misch (43),  Terry Blocker (65)

The post Morning Briefing: Jett Williams to Start Rehab Assignment appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

The New York Mets completed the season sweep of the Subway Series for the first time since 2013 on Wednesday night.

After taking the first two games in Queens in June against their Bronx rivals, the Mets came into Yankee Stadium on Tuesday with all of the odds against them. Despite not getting to New York until 5 a.m., the Mets squeaked out an improbable win behind a huge ninth inning from Jake Diekman on Tuesday night. However, on Wednesday night, the Mets put the final nail in the Yankees’ coffin and left nothing for chance.

With Gerrit Cole on the mound at Yankee Stadium, the Mets’ bats were going to have to come to play in order to complete the season sweep of the Subway Series. But, the Mets hitters were more than up to the task. Tyrone Taylor started the home run party in the third inning with a solo shot, and the barrage carried on from there. Pete Alonso put the Mets ahead with a two-run bomb, Francisco Lindor followed with two long balls of his own, and Mark Vientos put the finishing touch on the Mets’ 12-run night with a solo shot in the eighth. The Mets held the Yankees to just three runs in a 12-3 slaughtering of the Bronx “Bombers.”

The Mets will look to carry their hot bats back over to Queens as they host the Braves in a pivotal four-game set, which will have great implications on the Wild Card picture. Luis Severino (7-3, 3.58 ERA) will battle Chris Sale (13-3, 2.70 ERA) in Game 1 of the series on Thursday night at 7:10 p.m.

Photo by Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

Latest Mets News

Mets manager Carlos Mendoza told the media that Christian Scott will not require elbow surgery, per Anthony DiComo of MLB.com. He’s going to go the rest-and-rehab route and will be shut down for the next two weeks. For more information, click here.

José Iglesias jumped on the mic to talk to the ESPN booth about his hit song “OMG” during the Mets’ win against the Yankees on Wednesday night. 

José Iglesias gets on the mic and talks about the story behind his hit song "OMG" 🎙️ pic.twitter.com/Y7LltxqiV5

— ESPN (@espn) July 24, 2024

The Mets signed their picks from the 14th and 16th round on Wednesday. Fourteenth-rounder Tanner Witt signed for $225,000 ($72,500 goes toward the bonus pool) and 16th-rounder Josh Blum signed for $150,000, per Carlos Collazo of Baseball America.

Amazin’s first round pick Carson Benge also signed with the club. Click here for more details on the contract signing. 

Latest MLB News

After leaving just two innings into his first rehab appearance with a sore knee, Mike Trout was not in the Los Angeles Angels Triple-A affiliate Salt Lake Bees lineup on Wednesday night and will be returning to Southern California to be reevaluated. 

The Dodgers signed and activated INF Nick Ahmed, replacing Miguel Rojas who was rettroactively placed on the IL to July 22 with right forearm tightness, per Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic. The Dodgers also activated RHP Tyler Glasnow.

The Milwaukee Brewers placed former MVP OF Christian Yelich on the 10-day IL with low back inflammation. Yelich will see a spine specialist on Thursday to discuss next steps, including the possibility of season-ending back surgery, per Adam McCalvy of MLB.com.

MLB Network announced their direct-to-consumer offer for fans on Wednesday. Fans can purchase MLB Network through a standalone offer of $5.99 per month and through other avenues as well.

Prince Fielder‘s son, Jadyn Fielder, is joining the Brewers organization as an undrafted free agent, per Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic. The 19-year-old plays second and third base.

Chris Sale, who was supposed to start for the Braves on Wednesday night, will now pitch the first game against the Mets on Thursday, per David O’Brien of The Athletic. Charlie Morton, Spencer Schwellenbach and Reynaldo López, in that order, will start rest of the games against the Mets.

Blue Jays outfielder Kevin Kiermaier told Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times, that he will be retiring after the conclusion of the 2024 season. Kiermaier is still playing with the Blue Jays despite the team placing him on waivers and exploring trade options for the 34-year-old Gold Glove center fielder.

MLB will be redirecting money collected from teams that spend over the luxury tax to teams whose TV revenues are hurting, per Evan Drellich of The Athletic. The CBA provision will give teams losing TV money up to $15 million each, with an estimated limit of $75 million in payment league wide. 

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Mathias Altman-Kurosaki looked into potential Mets trade target A.J. Puk.

Ricky Keeler highlighted Jeff McNeil‘s power surge in the second half.

David Melendi applauded the Mets bullpen brilliance on Tuesday night. 

On This Date in Mets History

2023: The Mets take the second game of a two-game set to split their Subway Series bout with the Yankees. Justin Verlander threw six scoreless innings and Pete Alonso hit two homers in the 9-3 victory.

2015: In his second MLB game, Michael Conforto goes 4-for-4 with a walk, and RBI, and four runs scored in a 15-2 romping of the Dodgers at Citi Field.

2014: Lucas Duda hits a two-run go-ahead home run in the top of the ninth inning off former Mets closer K-Rod, Francisco Rodríguez. Jenry Mejía went on to throw a scoreless bottom of the ninth to lock down the 3-2 win.

1990: Leading 10-3 going into the bottom of the ninth, the Mets give up six runs before John Franco forces a lineout with the tying run on third base to hold on to a 10-9 win.

Birthdays: Guillermo Mota (51), Billy Wagner (53)

The post Morning Briefing: Mets Sweep Subway Series For First Time Since 2013 appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

The Mets placed RHP Drew Smith on the 15-day IL, retroactive to June 24, with a right elbow sprain before Wednesday’s game. Smith left Sunday’s game against the Cubs after coming in for Edwin Díaz ,who was ejected and suspended 10 games for having a foreign substance on his hand. Smith would go on to get two outs prior to leaving the game after being checked by the trainer and showing some discomfort in his throwing arm.

His IL designation came a couple of hours after Carlos Mendoza told the media that he would be getting an MRI after experiencing forearm tightness, per Tim Healey of Newsday. RHP Ty Adcock was recalled from Triple-A Syracuse to take his spot in the bullpen. 

Drew Smith, Photo by Ed Delany of Metmerized

The Mets finished off a sweep of the Subway Series on Wednesday night as the Amazin’ offense exploded yet again. Despite an hour and a half rain delay, the Mets added to their 4-0 lead and didn’t stop. They poured  on against the Yankees’ bullpen, leading to a 12-2 final score.

The Mets have off on Thursday before they host the Houston Astros for a weekend series. The Mets are expected to have José Quintana on the mound (3-5, 4.58 ERA) against Ronel Blanco (8-2, 2.34 ERA) of the Astros for the Friday matchup.

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Mets catcher Joe Hudson cleared waivers, per Anthony DiComo of MLB.com. The club outrighted him back to Triple-A Syracuse.

Ryan Clifford was named the Mets’ hottest-hitting prospect by MLB.com. Despite having a .211 batting average in June, 11 of his 12 hits have been for extra bases and he boasts a 1.081 OPS this month.

José Iglesias has been pressured by J.D. Martinez and the Mets’ clubhouse to push up the official release of “OMG,” and it will now be available on Friday, per Steve Gelbs of SNY.

Brett Baty continues to tear up Triple-A, hitting two more home runs and raising his OPS to 1.188. He has now homered eight times in 65 at-bats since being sent down.

Jonah Tong threw a gem for High-A Brooklyn on Wednesday: 6 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 11 SO. He now has a 3.38 ERA on the season.

Luisangel Acuña had his 9th multi-hit game of his last 15 games. He has 26 hits, 12 RBIs and six stolen bases during that span for Triple-A Syracuse.

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The Houston Astros signed former Mets catcher Omar Narváez to a minor league deal, per Ari Alexander of KPRC 2 Houston. The Mets released Narváez on June 5.

Shohei Ohtani set a Dodgers franchise record by becoming the first player to record an RBI in 10 straight games.

The Astros lose yet another pitcher as J.P. France will be undergoing surgery on his shoulder and will miss the remainder of thr 2024, per his agent Nate Heisler of Klutch Sports. José Urquidy and Cristian Javier are also going to miss the rest of the season due to Tommy John surgery, Luis Garcia and Lance McCullers have missed the first half of the 2024 season, and Justin Verlander has also missed time this season.

MLB announced the participants in the 2024 All-Star Celebrity Softball game, including Pedro Martínez, Tyrese Maxey of the Philadelphia 76ers and former NFL star Terrell Owens. 

Alden Gonzalez of ESPN dives into Trajekt Arc, which is a machine that can replicate every pitch thrown in MLB, down to the mph and RPM. Hitters can use the machine during games and is the latest advancement for batters to use in attempt to keep up with continuous pitch development.

Justin Verlander, who is eligible to come off the IL on Monday, will not accompany the Astros to New York, according to Houston’s manager Joe Espada, per Chandler Rome of The Athletic. He also noted that Verlander is getting better, but still has not played catch yet.

Michael Kay complained about SNY saying the Mets had the best booth in baseball.

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Brett Baty keeps raking in Triple-A. 

Mark Vientos had his signature Subway Series moment on Tuesday.

Harrison Bader gets revenge against his old squad.

On This Date in Mets History

2008: Carlos Delgado sets a Mets franchise record by driving in nine runs in one game. Delgado hit a two-run double, three-run home run, and a grand slam in a Mets big win over the Yankees.

1962: The Mets sign a 17-year-old first baseman, Ed Kranepool. The original Met would go on to play 18 seasons with the club.

Birthdays: Abraham Almonte (35), Chris Woodward (48), Ricardo Jordan (54), Jeff Conine (58)

The post Morning Briefing: Mets Place Drew Smith On IL appeared first on Metsmerized Online.