Mets ace Jacob deGrom is making a strong push for his third straight National League Cy Young Award, but the Cubs Yu Darvish has been lights out and Arizona rookie Zac Gallen has impressed.

Let’s take a look at how the race is right now with less than a month left in the season.

Jacob deGrom

Going for his third straight and recently he’s been untouchable. His 1.69 ERA ranks him second in the NL, his 0.875 WHIP is second as well, and his 70 strikeouts lead the league.

The Mets have bumped deGrom up to start on Friday, meaning he should get four more starts in this shortened season. He’s currently at 48 innings pitched, which is outside of the top 10.

It’s amazing that you think “how could Jacob deGrom get any better”, but his ERA, WHIP, H/9, and K/9 are all career bests.

Yu Darvish

Despite deGrom being the reigning champ, Darvish looks like the front-runner right now. His 1.44 ERA leads the league, as does his 7.85 K/BB and his 2.2 WPA. His 2.6 bWAR ranks third in the league and that ranks him ahead of deGrom’s 1.8 by a significant margin for a short season.

The right-handed is right behind deGrom with his 0.88 WHIP and his 2.02 FIP is tied with deGrom for the league’s best.

Darvish is scheduled to pitch tonight against the Reds and another 2020 Cy Young hopeful in Trevor Bauer.

Trevor Bauer

The right-hander has two complete game shutouts this season, the rest of the National League has one. Though, he has a 4.08 ERA in his last three starts and that type of run in short season could be a killer.

Overall, he leads the NL with his 0.864 WHIP and 5.1 H/9 while his 2.05 ERA is fourth. He has also been the NL’s second best strikeout pitcher (behind deGrom0 with 12.5 strikeouts per nine nine innings.

As mentioned above, he will take on Darvish in Chicago tonight.

Max Fried

The youngster looked to be a sure finalist before the Wednesday announcement that he was going on the injured list with a left side muscle spasm. The Braves are hopeful it will be a short stint, but missing only one start could certainly hurt his chances.

The left-hander is leading all NL pitchers with his 2.8 bWAR and FanGraphs’ WAR calculation has him third behind Darvish (2.1) and deGrom (2.0). His 1.98 ERA puts him third in the league behind the two previously mentioned pitchers.

The 26-year-old is not in the top 10 with his strikeouts or limiting walks, but his 1.06 WHIP ranks eighth.

Zack Wheeler

Skip this part, Brody.

The former Met has been one of the best pitchers in the NL this season with his 2.4 bWAR ranking fourth behind Gallen, Darvish, and Fried. His 2.47 ERA is good for eighth and his 1.10 WHIP is 10th.

Wheeler has pitched 51 innings placing him fifth in the league, but oddly he has only 36 strikeouts. A big reason for Wheeler’s success in 2020 has been limiting walks at an elite level, his 1.59 BB/9 is fourth in the league.

The Philles haven’t announced their starters past Wednesday, and Wheeler last pitched on Monday against the Mets.

Zac Gallen

Pretty clearly the lesser known name of the entire group, but the 25-year-old is second among NL pitchers with his 2.6 bWAR and that number trails only the injured Fried.

The Diamondback rookie has a 2.29 ERA (7th), 0.98 WHIP (7th), and his tied for second with 60 innings pitched.

Gallen just made his worst start of the season on Monday night when he allowed four runs in five innings against the Giants.

Others to Watch

Three-time Cy Young winner Max Scherzer ranks fifth in the NL with 2.1 bWAR, but his 3.40 ERA in not in the top 10 and neither is his 1.33 WHIP.

Phillies right-hander Aaron Nola has a 2.74 ERA and his 1.9 bWAR is tied for sixth in the NL. Also ranks 5th with 12.22 K/9 and 6th with 0.95 WHIP.

The Padres have two pitchers in the top 10 in ERA, Kyle Davies is 5th at 2.23 and Dinelson Lamet is right behind him at 2.24. Lamet is also top 10 in bWAR (10th), WHIP (4th), and K/9.

The Rockies have two pitchers in the top 10 in bWAR, lefty Kyle Freeland is tied for 6th at 1.9 and right-hander Antonio Senzatela is tied for 9th at 1.7.

The post NL Cy Young Update: Can Darvish Hold Off DeGrom? appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

The Mets sent RHP Tyler Bashlor, infielder Andres Gimenez and catcher Ali Sanchez down to Triple-A Syracuse on Friday.

Bashlor, 26, ended his short spring with an 11.57 ERA and a WHIP of 2.571. Last season Bashlor put up a 6.96 ERA in the majors.

Gimenez, 21, finished the spring with a slash line of .214/.290/.393. With the depth that the Mets have in their infield, Gimenez’s role with the Mets in the future is a bit unclear.

Sanchez, 23, had a slow spring where he batted only.125 in eight at-bats. The Met’s active roster now sits at 32.

The post Andres Gimenez Among Three Players Optioned appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

After all that transpired during the 2019 season and the complete organization overhaul, it’s clear the Pittsburgh Pirates are rebuilding their organization. While the name we have heard floating in trade rumors is Starling Marte, it is very possible the Pirates would be willing to move Chris Archer as well. If that is the case, the Mets should be interested.

One of the reasons to pursue him is Archer is likely at the nadir of his trade value after what has been a terrible stint with the Pirates giving a team an opportunity to obtain him and return him to what he once was with the Tampa Bay Rays. From 2015-2017, Archer posted a 3.77 ERA with a 1.21 WHIP, and a 10.8 K/9.

Putting aside his short Major League debut in 2012, Archer set career worsts in ERA, IP, ERA+, FIP, WHIP, HR/9, and BB/9 in 2019. Additionally, Archer was shut down towards the end of August with right shoulder inflammation. Although, it should be noted that did not stop the Pirates from picking up his $9 million option.

Even with the down year, Archer did show a flash he could be a very good pitcher again. In his four August starts before being shut down, he had a 3.00 ERA, 1.278 WHIP, and a 13.5 K/9. It is a short sample size for sure, but it was an encouraging sign. There were other encouraging signs as well.

According to Baseball Savant, Archer had above-average fastball velocity and elite curveball spin. This was part of the reason why he had a very good strikeout rate. For him, that did not translate to dominating results. One of the reasons why is his location was poor and/or he was pitching to the wrong parts of the strike zone. It certainly didn’t help that he was not catching the bottom of the strike zone like he once did, and he was hit hard.

To a certain extent, that’s not unlike the struggles Noah Syndergaard experienced in 2019. To that end, the same issues which Syndergaard faced with the new ball affected Archer’s performance as well. Conversely, as noted by Thomas Bassinger of the Tampa Bay Times, this has been an issue with Archer since 2018. Ironically, his catcher that year was Wilson Ramos.

When it comes to Syndergaard, new Mets pitching coach Jeremy Hefner is going to have to find a way to figure out how to get Syndergaard to succeed with Ramos behind the plate. If he is successful, we should expect Syndergaard to return to his 2016 level. If Hefner is going to be successful in that endeavor, he can have the same exact impact on Archer who attacks batters and the zone in a similar fashion.

If you are the Mets, you are gambling on Hefner making things work between Syndergaard and Ramos. If that is where you are hedging your bets, you might as well go all-in and try to do the same with Archer.

This is the boat the Mets are in now that they let Zack Wheeler go to the Phillies. The question for the team is do they try to sink or swim with an Archer or slowly drift out to sea with a pitcher like Rick Porcello. Given the Mets plan, Archer seems like the better option.

The post Chris Archer May be a Potential Trade Target for Mets appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Well, here we are. There are no more regular season games to be played in 2019; the numbers are set in stone. Pitchers can no longer help their case with a strong start, or hurt their chances with a blow-up. What’s done is done, so let’s take a look at the best pitchers in the National League, and how likely they each are to earn the NL Cy Young Award.

Jacob deGrom – 11-8, 32 GS, 204 IP, 2.43 ERA, 2.67 FIP, 0.971 WHIP, 11.3 K/9, 255 K, 7.9 bWAR, 7.0 fWAR

Poised to win his second consecutive Cy Young Award, Jacob deGrom seems to be the front-runner. He led National League pitchers with 255 strikeouts and a 7.9 bWAR, finished second in ERA, FIP, and WHIP, and finished towards the top in all other categories. He went at least seven innings in 19 of his 32 starts, and allowed more than three earned runs only five times.

In his last four starts, he went seven innings in each, racking up 35 strikeouts in 28 innings, allowing only one earned run and holding opposing batters to a .128/.155/.170 slash line. Nobody did a better job to solidify their Cy Young chances down the stretch, let alone most of the season, than deGrom.

Max Scherzer – 11-7, 27 GS, 172.1 IP, 2.92 ERA, 2.45 FIP, 1.027 WHIP, 12.7 K/9, 243 K, 5.8 bWAR, 6.5 fWAR

A sure-thing Hall of Famer, Scherzer did well to build on his resume for that. Unfortunately, due to injuries (and deGrom being so good), he might not have done enough to build a resume for the 2019 NL Cy Young. Having missed time due to injuries, Mad Max only made 27 starts – five less than deGrom, and pitching 31 2/3 less innings. Despite that, his NL-leading 12.7 K/9 ratio left him with the third-most strikeouts in the NL.

The strikeouts and his MLB-best 2.45 FIP are big reasons why he’s still very much in this conversation despite missing time. This is the first season since 2012 he didn’t pitch at least 200 innings, and it hurt him. This will likely be the second-straight season he finished second in voting to deGrom, and will surely be his seventh straight season finishing fifth or higher in Cy Young voting.

Hyun-Jin Ryu – 14-5, 29 GS, 182.2 IP, 2.32 ERA, 3.10 FIP, 1.007 WHIP, 8.0 K/9, 163 K, 5.3 bWAR, 4.8 fWAR

Another pitcher who’s resume is hurt by a lack of innings-pitched, Ryu was the no-doubt front-runner for most of the season. An injury, and later an implosion, hurt his chances, but he is still in the race thanks to his MLB-best ERA and MLB-best 1.2 BB/9. He is at an immense disadvantage to Scherzer and deGrom in many categories including strikeouts, FIP, and WAR, but if he can find voters that don’t care about strikeouts and disregard FIP in favor or ERA, he could garner votes.

These three aces will likely be the top three finalists in Cy Young voting, but many NL pitchers had outstanding seasons. These pitchers include Stephen Strasburg (18-6, 251 K, 6.5 bWAR), Jack Flaherty (33 GS, 2.75 ERA, 0.968 WHIP, 5.9 bWAR), Mike Soroka (13-4, 2.68 ERA, 0.7 HR/9, 5.7 bWAR), and Patrick Corbin (14-7, 33 GS, 238 K, 5.7 bWAR).

The post Final Look At NL Cy Young Numbers appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Good morning, Mets fans!

Today’s a sad day, Mets fans. There will be no more Mets baseball for the next six months.

Despite winning in dramatic fashion last night, the Mets’ 2019 campaign has come to a close. Dominic Smith played the hero, smacking a walk-off three-run shot in his first plate apperance off the IL.

Even though no October baseball will be played in Queens this year, the emergence of studs such as Pete Alonso, Jeff McNeil, and J.D. Davis and the continued success of cornerstones of Jacob deGrom and Michael Conforto gave the Mets hope towards the future.

Latest Mets News

Justin Toscano of NorthJersey.com looked the impact the Mets’ psychologist Trevor Moawadhas on J.D. Davis this season.

WCBS 880 collected some of the best radio calls from the 2019 season.

Pete Alonso offically won MLB’s home-run race with 53 dingers and placed 4th in the RBI leaderboard with 120 ribbies. Meanwhile, Jeff McNeil finished 4th in batting average with his .318 mark and Jacob deGrom ranked in the top-5 in bWAR, WHIP, H/9, K/9, IP, and strikeouts.

Tomas Nido will play winter ball this offseason per Anthony DiComo of MLB.com.

Latest MLB News

Craig Counsell named Brandon Woodruff as the Brewers’ Wild Card starter. The Nationals will counter with ace Max Scherzer.

The Cardinals clinched the NL Central yesterday after shutting out the Cubs 9-0. They’ll start their five-game set with the Braves on Thursday night while the Dodgers, the NL West champion, will face off against the winner of the NL Wild Card.

The Cubs have informed Joe Maddon that they will move on from him as skipper after the Cubs missed out on the postseason for the first time since 2015. Maddon has been connected to the Padres, Phillies and the Mets to replace their manager.

In further managerial news, the Pirates announced that their manager Clint Hurdle will not be returning to the team in 2019. Hurdle led the Pirates to a dissapointing 2019 campaign, a season where the team was in the news for all the wrong reasons.

The Rays DFA’d Cole Sulser. Sulser could be of interest to the Mets; his Triple-A numbers were rather strong this season (3.27 ERA, 12.1 K/9).

Latest in the NL East 

Wells Dusenbury of the South Florida Sun Sentinel notes that 2020 could be a make-or-break year for Lewis Brinson.

Latest on MMO

Rob Piersall writes an emotional tribute to the Captain, No.5, David Wright.

Piersall also looked at Alonso’s record-breaking rookie season.

On This Date in Mets History

1962: What better way to finish up their inaugural season than to hit into a triple-play on the last game of the season. Joe Pignatano was the unfortunate victim.

Birthdays: Dave Magadan (57)

135 days until Mets baseball returns!

The post Morning Briefing: Mets In Line For Important Offseason appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

As the regular season draws to a close, it is time to take a close look at the Cy Young Award. While Justin Verlander and Gerrit Cole duke it out in the American League, the National League has many serious suitors for the award.

There are seven qualifying NL starting pitchers with an ERA under 3.00, three with a FIP under 3.00, seven with more than 200 strikeouts, and seven with a WHIP under 1.050 — All Cy Young-caliber numbers. While some pitchers have performed better than others, nobody has singled themselves out as the clear frontrunner. Let’s take a look at each starter, their numbers, and their NL ranks in each stat.

Jacob deGrom: 9-8, 2.70 ERA (4th), 2.84 FIP (2nd), 1.027 WHIP (2nd), 231 K’s (1st), 183 IP (4th), 5.9 bWAR (2nd)

The defending champion, Jacob deGrom continues to strengthen his chances for the award. Coming off a seven inning start in which he allowed one run on three hits while striking out 11, he got back on the right track after back-to-back starts allowing four runs in seven innings that inflated his ERA from 2.56 to 2.76. A few more strong starts from him and it will be tough for anyone to argue he doesn’t deserve his second straight Award.

Max Scherzer: 10-5, 2.56 ERA (2nd), 2.32 FIP (1st), 1.002 WHIP (1st), 219 K’s (3rd), 154.2 IP (26th), 6.0 bWAR (1st)

The fact that Scherzer has the highest bWAR despite having made only 24 starts speaks volumes. If anything is hurting his chances it’s that his competition will make five or six more starts than him, but his 12.6 K/9 and 7.20 K/BB ratios also ranks as best in the National League. His peripherals are outstanding and he’s making a strong case for his fourth Cy Young. At the very least, he is sure to finish in the top-5, as he’s done every year since 2013.

Stephen Strasburg: 16-6, 3.50 ERA (15th), 3.20 FIP (5th), 1.049 WHIP (5th), 222 K’s (2nd), 185 IP (2nd), 5.3 bWAR (4th)

The second of three Washington Nationals on this list, Stephen Strasburg is very quietly putting together a strong case for the Award. His 3.50 ERA isn’t flashy, but his strong 3.20 FIP, 10.8 K/9 ratio, and durability help his cause. In his last four starts he is 1-1 with a 1.67 ERA in 27 innings with 37 strikeouts as he looks to finish strong. Strasburg leads the NL in wins, so at the very least, that San Diego writer that cost deGrom the unanimous Award in 2018 will probably vote for him.

Patrick Corbin: 11-7, 3.16 ERA (8th), 3.38 FIP (7th), 1.141 WHIP (17th), 210 K’s (4th), 179.2 IP (5th), 5.5 bWAR (3rd)

The last of three Nationals on this list, Corbin’s case for Cy Young is quieter than Strasburg’s but possibly stronger. Getting out of hitter-haven Arizona has done him good, and sharing a rotation with Scherzer and Strasburg has probably taken the pressure off as well. He has stayed healthy all season and has great numbers across the board and is finishing strong with a 2.13 ERA in his last six starts.

Sonny Gray: 10-6, 2.75 ERA (5th), 3.37 FIP (6th), 1.100 (9th), 181 K’s (12th), 157.1 IP (T-21st), 5.3 bWAR (5th)

Gray is another quiet but strong suitor for the award. His 6.5 H/9 is the best in the National League, which paired with his strong peripherals, shows his effectiveness this season. He is finishing remarkably strong with an 0.84 ERA across his last seven starts, striking out 51 batters in 41 2/3 innings. Keep an eye on the 29-year-old as more strong starts down the stretch could make him a serious contender for the Award.

Walker Buehler: 12-3, 3.28 ERA (11th), 2.96 FIP (3rd), 1.036 WHIP (4th), 190 K’s (T-9th), 159.1 IP (18th), 4.5 fWAR (5th)

After three Nationals, here come three Dodgers. The fact that Buehler’s strong 3.28 ERA ranks 11th in the NL speaks volumes about the Cy Young race we’re watching unfold. Buehler has outstanding strikeout numbers with 10.7 K/9 and an even more impressive 6.79 K/BB ratio. He allowed six earned runs in his last start which raised his ERA from 3.03 to 3.28 where it currently stands, but a strong finish from the 25-year-old could catapult him into all of the Cy Young discussions.

Hyun-Jin Ryu: 12-5, 2.45 ERA (1st), 3.18 FIP (4th), 1.058 WHIP (7th), 142 K’s (T-26th), 161.2 IP (16th), 4.0 bWAR (11th)

On August 16th, the Award was Ryu’s to lose. He was 12-2 with a 1.45 ERA across 22 starts and nobody’s ERA came close. In four starts since then, Ryu is 0-3 with a 9.95 ERA, allowing 21 earned runs in 19 innings. He still leads the world with a 2.45 ERA, but like Scherzer, his lack of innings pitched will hurt him. It also doesn’t help his cause that he’s not a strikeout pitcher with just a 7.9 K/9 ratio. The Dodgers are skipping his next start, so unless he returns to form in his last few starts, it’s getting harder to see him win this award.

Clayton Kershaw: 13-5, 3.06 ERA (7th), 3.74 FIP (15th), 1.050 WHIP (6th), 171 K’s (15th), 159 IP (19th), 3.0 bWAR (17th)

It is strange how many people have forgotten about Clayton Kershaw, the greatest pitcher of our generation. Perhaps it is because he’s in his fourth injury-shortened season, but despite that, he has continued to pitch well. The strikeout numbers aren’t there like they were in 2015 when he struck out 301 batters, but he has pitched well enough to put himself into position for the Award with a strong finish. He is 1-3 with a 5.73 ERA over his last four starts, so he must turn it around to have a chance.

Mike Soroka: 11-4, 2.67 ERA (3rd), 3.50 FIP (10th), 1.109 WHIP (12th), 126 K’s (34th), 158.2 IP (20th), 5.2 bWAR (6th)

The likely NL Rookie of the Year runner-up has had a great season for the surging Atlanta Braves and his catapulted himself into not only the ROY conversation, but the Cy Young debate as well. The strength of his resume depends on what you value, as his ERA, bWAR, and W-L% are outstanding, however his FIP, WHIP, and strikeout numbers leave much to be desired. Only one qualifying starter in the National League has less strikeouts than Soroka, so if you want your Cy Young winner to miss bats, Soroka isn’t your guy. He does lead the NL with a 0.7 HR/9 ratio, all the more impressive considering the times.

Luis Castillo: 14-6, 3.21 ERA (10th), 3.63 FIP (12th), 1.129 WHIP (15th), 208 K’s (5th), 173.2 IP (8th), 4.6 bWAR (8th)

The second of two Cincinnati Reds on this list, Castillo’s ERA sat at 2.63 on August 10, but after recording a 5.40 ERA in his last six starts, his chances of winning the award are becoming slim. The strikeouts and innings-pitched are there, so if he can bring his peripherals down with a few strong starts down the stretch, he can re-insert him into the discussion. Right now, though, he doesn’t stand much of a chance.

Jack Flaherty: 10-7, 2.99 ERA (6th), 3.66 FIP (13th), 1.028 WHIP (3rd), 196 K’s (8th), 168.1 IP (10th), 4.4 bWAR (9th)

Last and certainly not least, Jack Flaherty has rocketed himself into serious contention for the Award thanks to a remarkable run. On July 6th, Flaherty had a 4.90 ERA. Since then, in 12 starts, Flaherty has allowed only seven earned runs in 78 1/3 innings-pitched (0.80 ERA) with 95 strikeouts. Opposing hitters are slashing .146/.212/.228 against him during that span as his numbers continue to improve at an amazing rate.

The post NL Cy Young Update: Jacob DeGrom, Max Scherzer Battling Again appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Photo by @KristinBasnett

According to Anthony DiComo of MLB.Com, the Mets are promoting former first-round pick Anthony Kay to Triple-A Syracuse. Kay, 24, has gone 7-3 with a 1.49 ERA in 12 starts for Binghamton on the season. Kay threw seven no-hit innings on May 20, and hasn’t allowed more than four earned runs in a start this season.

Walks have been an issue for Kay this season, as he’s walked at least one batter in every start he has made this year, but so few hits allowed allows for a WHIP 0.92 in over 66 innings. Kay strikes out more than a batter an inning.

The Mets also promoted reliever Ryley Gilliam to Syracuse with Kay, according to Andy Martino of SNY. Gillam, 22, was a fifth-round pick from Clemson last season and has flown through the Mets system quicker then anyone could have foreseen.

Between Binghamton and St. Lucie, Gillam is 3-0 with a 3.68 ERA and a WHIP of 1.09. Gillam, a right-handed pitcher, has been a strikeout machine for the Mets this season, striking out 44 batters in 29.1 innings.

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As the Mets get ready to break camp shortly, the one aspect of this team that brings confidence to the ears of every Met fan is their pitching staff which is talented and ready to tackle the National League East.

Jacob deGrom (1.70 ERA, 0.912 WHIP, 9.0 fWAR) is not only coming off a Cy Young season—but one that should be categorized as legendary in the history of baseball. But don’t think for a moment he is resting on his laurels as he has come to spring training with the intention of actually improving his game, telling me on numerous occasions he is hell bent on showing ace-like numbers once again in 2019.

Noah Syndergaard (3.31 ERA, 1.212 WHIP, 4.2 fWAR) was talked about in the media ad nauseum in the off-season with trade rumors flying but if the truth be told, Brodie Van Wagenen never brought up his name—he only listened as other GM’s brought it up and politely said thanks but no thanks. The thing Thor has been working on in spring training is trying to command the upper half of the strike zone while also trying to curb the running game by working on his delivery style with runners on base. Pitching Coach Dave Eiland wants him to vary the amount of time he holds the ball in the set position so that the base runners timing will be thrown off.

Speaking of Eiland, his work with both Zack Wheeler (3.31 ERA, 1.124 WHIP, 4.2 fWAR) and Steven Matz (3.97 ERA, 1.247 WHIP, 0.9 fWAR) hit the mark last year as both did a much better job of commanding the inside of the plate. Wheeler’s numbers were off the charts and as he heads into walk year he will be very motivated to continue his outstanding pitching. Matz could be a real key as last year he proved he could be durable and now must improve his numbers, which I think will depend on how much he commands his breaking pitches which seems to be a forgotten piece of his repertoire.

I know Met fans have been begging for Jason Vargas (5.77 ERA, 1.413 WHIP, 0.2 fWAR) to be replaced as the fifth starter, but his spring has looked very much like he ended the season—good control, super command, and keeping the ball in the park. Which makes the Mets feel good about his spot on the roster.

This division is loaded with starting pitching but to me the Mets have the deepest rotation in the entire National League, possessing strong arms that are very good listeners when Dave Eiland counsels them, and that is why the Mets could be favorites to win the NL East.

2019 Projections

• Jacob deGrom – 2.76 ERA, 189.0 IP, 1.090 WHIP, 10.3 K/9
• Noah Syndergaard – 3.21 ERA, 140.0 IP, 1.200 WHIP, 9.5 K/9
• Zack Wheeler – 3.83 ERA, 160.0 IP, 1.250 WHIP, 8.8 K/9
• Steven Matz – 4.19 ERA, 144.0 IP, 1.278 WHIP, 8.6 K/9
• Jason Vargas – 4.65 ERA, 124.0 IP, 1.363 WHIP, 7.6 K/9
• Seth Lugo – 3.60 ERA, 95.0 IP, 1.221 WHIP, 8.4 K/9
• Corey Oswalt – 4.72 ERA, 82.0 IP, 1.305 WHIP, 7.8 K/9

Tomorrow, I will break down the Mets bullpen, which also has the depth and talent to perform at a high level in 2019.

The post Mets Season Preview Part 1: Rotation Features Three Aces appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

As of Friday at 8 P.M., roughly 30 major leaguers became unrestricted free agents, as they were non-tendered by their teams during the arbitration process. This year’s class seems to be one of the strongest ever, with a handful of household names on the market, and some under-the-radar names that are building solid major league careers now up for grab. Which of these now teamless players can best help the Mets?

1. Shelby Miller RHP

• 2018 Stats: 0-4, 10.69 ERA, 16 IP, 2.00 WHIP, 6,35 FIP, 41 ERA+
• Age: 28

Miller missed most of the 2018 season following Tommy John surgery in 2017 and subsequent elbow inflammation following his return to the majors in June. Prior to the procedure, Miller was one of the better starters in baseball.

He finished third in the 2013 Rookie of the Year voting, and made an All-Star appearance in 2015. He had a career ERA of 3.67 from 2012-2017, a WHIP of 1.3, and started 120 games in the 5 year span.

In arguably his best year, Miller received the 2013 Matt Harvey run treatment, as he lost 17 games, and posted an ERA of 3.02 and a WHIP of 1.25 in his 2015 campaign. Miller was then moved in the Dansby Swanson trade to Arizona, where he never returned to form.

2. Jonathan Schoop INF

• 2018 Stats: .233/.266/.416, .682 OPS, 85 OPS+, 
• Age: 27

Schoop burst on the scene in with Baltimore in 2015 after being unimpressive in his first two seasons. He was an important part of the 2014 playoff run for the Orioles after hitting .300 in the ALDS, and lead them to their series win over the Tigers.

Schoop has predominantly been a second baseman in his Major League career, but has also seen time at both shortstop and third base. Schoop was dealt to the Brewers from the Orioles at the trading deadline, where he went on to split time between all three positions.

He struggled at the plate, only hitting .202 for the Brewers after hitting .262 for the Orioles, and his obvious struggles lead to his non-tendering. Schoop is a solid bounce-back candidate for any team in the market.

3. Xavier Cedeno LHP

• 2018 Stats: 2-0, 2.43 ERA, 33.1 IP, 1.26 WHIP, 2.95 FIP, 175 ERA+
• Age: 32

Cedeno has had an up and down Major League career, but enjoyed success last season in his first with the White Sox. The lefty was on his fifth team and had his first sub-3 ERA since 2015 with the Nationals and Rays.

He also spent time with the Brewers during their playoff push, and allowed only one run in eight total innings of work over 15 games. Cedeno has been a LOOGY throughout his career, and an effective one at that.

Lefties have a career .223 batting average since he debuted in 2011 and an OPS under .600. Cedeno can be a very quiet signing that pays dividends for the Mets.

4. Yangervis Solarte INF

• 2018 Stats: .226/.277/.378, .655 OPS, 80 OPS+
• Age: 26

Solarte started off his career in 2014 between the Yankees and Padres and recorded a WAR over 1.0 every season except for one, where he still posted a positive WAR. Solarte has played 40 or more games at every infield position, but the most at third base and second base.

Solarte posted an OPS under .700 for the first time in his career, and has been a replacement level player since he debuted, and can fill the hole of a right-handed bench role for the Mets. There’s still room for him to grow due to his age, so he’ll likely get a multi-year deal. But his age and versatility give the Mets some reason to explore his services.

5. RHP Blake Parker

• 2018 Stats: 2-1, 3.26 ERA, 66.1 IP, 1.23 WHIP, 4.40 FIP, 128 ERA+
• Age: 33

Blake Parker has been up and down between the Majors and the Minors since his debut in 2012. Now looking for his fifth team, Parker revitalized his career with the Angels and recorded 14 saves in 67 games.

He has spent the last two seasons in Los Angeles with the Angels, where he posted a 2.90 ERA in 138 (yes, one-hundred and thirty-eight) games, and posted a WHIP of 1.03, which is very impressive.

Parker is on the best run of his career and could be just reaching his peak. He is another under-the-radar name on the reliever market that can become a valuable asset in the Mets’ bullpen.

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As the 2018 Minor League Seasons comes to an end, the Mets Minors staff made an All-Star team of minor leaguers. This list is strictly based on numbers, age and prospect status did not play a role into our decisions. We want to give recognition to all players that had a good season in the minors. We started with the team with our starting lineup.

Justin Dunn, RHP

Level: St. Lucie & Binghamton
Stats: 8-8, 3.59 ERA, 24 G, 24 GS, 135.1 IP, 156 K, 1.330 WHIP, 3.5 BB/9, 10.4 K/9
MMN Rank: 3

Dunn put a disappointing 2017 season behind him by dominating right out of the gate. With St. Lucie, he had a 2.36 ERA in nine starts prompting his promotion to Double-A. With Binghamton, Dunn continued to post impressive strikeout numbers striking out 10.5 batters per nine innings. Overall, he had all of his pitches working for him, and he began going deeper into games averaging 6.0 innings per start for Binghamton. In total, Dunn looked like the guy once considered a Top 100 prospect. More importantly, he looked like a staff ace.

Jaison Vilera, RHP

Level: Brooklyn
Stats: 5-2, 1.83 ERA, 13 G, 13 GS, 73.2 IP, 78 K, 0.977 WHIP, 2.7 BB/9, 9.5 K/9

Arguably, Vilera was the most dominant pitcher in the New York-Penn League leading the league in ERA, WHIP, and strikeouts. Even with all the outstanding performances in the Mets minor leagues this season, there was no pitcher who led their league in all three categories. This continues the pattern of dominance Vilera has followed since he made his debut in the DSL two years ago.

Junior Santos, RHP

Level: DSL & Gulf Coast
Stats: 1-1, 2.52 ERA, 14 G, 10 GS, 50.0 IP, 39 K, 0.900 WHIP, 1.1 BB/9, 7.0 K/9

While he has been overshadowed by some of the bigger names from last year’s impressive international signing class, Santos has been making a case for himself. The 16 year old has pitched beyond his years by not just controlling his pitches well, but also by showing a slider and changeup beyond his years. The end result was him being stingy in issuing free passes, his keeping the ball in the ballpark, and his posting a simply outstanding 6.50 K/BB ratio.

Willy Taveras, RHP

Level: Gulf Coast & Kingsport
Stats: 7-1, 2.35 ERA, 11 G, 11 GS, 65.0 IP, 57 K, 1.015 WHIP, 1.9 BB/9, 7.9 K/9

When looking at Kingsport, we have seen the tremendous offense discussed at length. Those discussions have overlooked the contributions and simply dominant stretch put together by Taveras. The 20 year old was undefeated with a 5-0 record in seven starts. In those seven starts, he averaged 6.0 innings while walking one or fewer batters in five of those seven starts. He would not walk more than two batters in a game. More impressive than any of that was Taveras was at his best in pressure situations. With runners on base, Taveras limited opposing batters to a .139/.191/.198 batting line.

Christian James, RHP

Level: Binghamton, St. Lucie, Brooklyn
Stats: 4-3, 1.90 ERA, 15 G, 15 GS, 80.2 IP, 54 K, 1.066 WHIP, 2.3 BB/9, 6.0 K/9
MMN Rank: 14

The Mets had so much faith in James and his abilities, they had him pitch for Binghamton and St. Lucie before having him start the opener for Brooklyn. That was the start of a terrific season for James where he was just a hair behind his teammate Vilera on the leader boards. In fact, James was second in the league in ERA, sixth in WHIP, and fifth in innings pitched. What really stands out is how strong James ended the season going 2-1 with a 1.38 ERA while limiting opposing batters to a .151/.221/.186 batting line over his final four starts.

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