3 UP

1. Cespedes Shows Signs of Life

After not having hit a homer in 90 plate appearances, Yoenis Cespedes finally hit a homer on Tuesday. Just for good measure, Cespedes would hit a Little League homer later in the game.

In actuality, the Little League home run was a triple and an error. The triple was Cespedes’ second triple in as many games.

During the four game set, Cespedes looked more like the Cespedes of old going 6-15 with three runs, two doubles, two triples, a homer, and five RBI while drawing two walks.

2.  Trade Interest Picking Up

With the trade deadline fast approaching, the Mets have gone from a team with pieces teams had little to no interest to a team with pieces that could help a contender.

Curtis Granderson has been linked to the Brewers. The Cubs have interest in Rene Rivera and Seth Lugo. There are reportedly at least three teams interested in Asdrubal Cabrera. Seemingly everyone wants Addison Reed. While the Jay Bruce market has been dormant, a suitor may well emerge with Bruce. With Duda gone, he is playing first base showing some defensive versatility. His homering yesterday doesn’t hurt either.

Sandy Alderson has shown the ability to sell in the past. With teams now showing interest, Alderson now has an opportunity to get some interesting prospects in return.

3.  Hansel Is So Hot Again

After a dominant start to the season, Hansel Robles had a three game stretch that saw his ERA balloon from 1.42 to 6.23. Robles similarly struggled when he was demoted to Triple-A.

Finally, he began to piece things together. Between that and a need in the bullpen, Robles was recalled to the majors.

Since coming back up, he’s 2-0 with a 1.59 ERA, 0.705 WHIP, and a 14.3 K/9.

With the Mets selling, there will soon be spots available in the back-end of the bullpen. If Robles pitches like this, and we know he’s capable of it, he deserves a larger role – at least as an audition for a bigger role next year.

3 DOWN

1.  Reed Overworked and Teams Noticing

Addison Reed is the Mets biggest trade chip at the deadline, so everything he does is magnified. Soon after he struggled in consecutive appearances, reports emerged from unnamed scouts there was concern Terry Collins had over-worked the closer.
While you can seemingly always find an unnamed scout to say what you need them to say, there is some validity to this point.

Since joining the Mets in 2015, Reed has pitched 141.0 innings, which is the fourth most in baseball over that span. His 47 appearances this year are the most among MLB closers, and his 48.0 innings pitched are second among closers.

Irrespective of the workload, Reed has been as dominant a reliever as there has been in baseball since joining the Mets. Accordingly, he should still bring the Mets an impressive haul before the trade deadline passes.

2. Flexen Struggled

Chris Flexen‘s first career start was an adventure. There were two outs made at home plate in the first inning. In the second, Cabrera couldn’t pick up a ball allowing a runner to score. By the time he settled down in the third, he had already thrown 69 pitches leading to Collins to lift him from the game.

Flexen’s final line was three innings, five hits, four runs, three earned, four walks, and two strikeouts.

It certainly wasn’t the start neither Flexen nor the Mets imagined he would have.

Still, no one should dwell too much on this one start. Flexen has an immense amount of talent, and he should be better in his next start.

3. Duda Traded

Lucas Duda had been traded to the Tampa Bay Rays as the first step in the Mets fire sale. This isn’t really a down overall, more of a down because of the longest tenured Met now moving on and the first sign that Mets front office realizes this season is lost.

Duda had a good, underrated, and eventful Mets career. He was the right fielder the night of Johan Santana‘s no-hitter. He had one of those classic hot streaks in late July 2015 to lift the Mets to first place in the National League East. He hit a grand slam in the division clincher, and a three-run homer in the pennant clincher. Yes, there was also the throw.

With the Mets trading him, a homegrown player is gone; a player who apparently loved being a Met. Another piece of a beloved 2015 team is missing.  The “We Follow Lucas Duda” videos are gone as well.

Duda leaves as the Mets all-time leader in HBP, and he’s the all-time leader in homers at Citi Field.

Sooner or later, it’s time for Dominic Smith – preferably sooner. For now, it’s time to reflect upon a good Mets career and wish Duda well.