Player Data: Age: 23 (11/13/1999), B/T: L/R

Primary Stats: 389 PA, .212/.275/.323/.598, 75 H, 9 HR, 34 RBIs

Advanced Stats: 68 wRC+, 28% K%, 7.5% BB%, .280 BABIP, .300 xwOBA, -0.5 fWAR, -0.8 bWAR

2023 Salary: $720,000 (prorated)

GRADE: D

2023 REVIEW

When the 2023 season began, Brett Baty appeared to be the clear answer for the Mets’ future at third base. After hitting .325/.460/.425 in 40 spring training at-bats, Baty was optioned to Triple-A Syracuse, where he hit .400/.500/.886 with five home runs in 35 at-bats. With Eduardo Escobar struggling, the Mets recalled Baty on April 17 and made him their starting third baseman.

Baty continued to thrive offensively after his call-up. In his first 15 games, the rookie hit .319/.385/.511 with five extra-base hits. Despite the hot start, things quickly took a turn in the wrong direction for Baty. Over his next 24 games, he hit just .173/.253/.284 while racking up 24 strikeouts.

The Mets’ third baseman showed slight signs of improvement in June, which made the Mets feel comfortable enough to trade Escobar to the Angels late in the month. Baty hit .257/.321/.338 for the month. While the power was lacking and the strikeouts continued to pile up, it was a step in the right direction after struggling in May. He was unable to build on this, however, as he found himself in another extended slump when the calendar turned to July.

In his next 28 games, Baty hit .149/.229/.253 while striking out 32 more times. The slump brought his slash line for the season down to .216/.289/.331 and resulted in Baty being demoted back to Syracuse on August 7. After being given an extended chance to prove himself as the Mets’ third baseman of the future, the Texas native was back in the minors while Danny Mendick, Jonathan Araúz, and Mark Vientos were starting games at third base for the Mets.

When he returned to Syracuse, Baty picked up where he left off before his April call-up. He finished the year hitting .298/.388/1.013 with 10 home runs in just 26 Triple-A games. On September 1, Baty rejoined the Mets. Things did not go well for Baty initially after the call-up, going just 4-for-31 in his first 10 games back in the majors, but he was able to find success over his final 12 games. Despite not drawing a walk, Baty hit .250 with two home runs and a double (.409 slugging percentage) to close out a disappointing season on a high note.

While Baty’s defense has never been a strength, and still isn’t, he did take a step in the right direction in 2023. After seeking out Troy Tulowitzki to work on his defense in the offseason, Baty showed a marginal improvement defensively compared to 2022. After posting -3 DRS and -1 OAA in 93 innings in 2022, Baty had -5 DRS and -4 OAA over 808 2/3 innings in 2023. While there were clear signs of improvement, it is a part of Baty’s game that certainly still needs work.

WHAT A PLAY BY BRETT BATY TO END THE GAME! pic.twitter.com/pCcR5oWJpc

— SNY (@SNYtv) September 6, 2023

Baty’s 2023 season was nearly F-worthy. His terrific start and a strong finish to the season salvaged what was essentially a lost year for the 23-year-old third baseman. When the season started, Baty was viewed as a clear choice to be the Mets’ third baseman of the future after the Carlos Correa deal fell apart. His disastrous season has opened the door for Vientos or Ronny Mauricio to take that spot or for the Mets to look outside the organization for their next third baseman.

2024 OUTLOOK

Assuming the Mets don’t sign or trade for a third baseman in the offseason, Baty should once again go into spring training in 2024 with a chance to win the starting third base job. While 2023 was not the year anyone would have expected from Baty, he will be just 24 years old next season. Baty is a former first-round pick who was one of the top prospects in all of baseball going into the season, and that is not something that happens by accident. While that does not guarantee a successful MLB career, a poor rookie campaign does not guarantee a poor career.

While Vientos and Mauricio are capable of playing third base, the Mets should hope that Baty can reclaim the job this spring. While his defense leaves more to be desired, he is a better option defensively than Vientos. Offensively, he may not have the speed Mauricio has or hit tape-measure homers the way Mauricio can, but Mauricio’s lack of plate discipline has always been a cause for concern for his future as a major leaguer. After a difficult year, it may be less certain that Baty has the highest ceiling of the three, but he likely has the lowest floor as the most well-rounded player of the bunch.

The post 2023 Mets Report Card: Brett Baty, 3B appeared first on Metsmerized.

Player Data: Age: 21 (11/19/2001), B/T: R/R
Primary Stats: 123 G, PA, 382 AB, .209/.284/.437/.721, 80 H, 25 HR, 63 RBI

Advanced Stats: 97 wRC+, 26.0% K%, 8.0% BB% .222 BABIP, .304 xwOBA, 0.9 fWAR, 2.7 bWAR
2022 Salary: $720,000

GRADE: B

2023 REVIEW

When the 2023 season began, Francisco Álvarez did not have a clear path to regular at-bats in the majors. The Mets signed Omar Narváez to a two-year deal (with a player option for 2024) before extending Tomás Nido to a team-friendly deal for two years. Álvarez was sent to Triple-A Syracuse after hitting just .107 with three singles in spring training. Injuries to both Narváez and Nido thrust Álvarez into the starting role, though, and the 21-year-old never gave that job up.

Álvarez was called back up to the majors on April 7 when Narváez went on the injured list with a calf strain. He struggled initially, going just 1-for-15 to start his season and appeared to be overmatched at the plate. In his second game of the season, he came to the plate against Josh Hader trailing 4-2 with two outs and the tying runs on second and third. Hader threw seven fastballs above the strike zone, but Álvarez chased four of them and struck out to end the game. After failing to earn a spot on the roster in spring training, Álvarez did not look MLB-ready in his first big spot of the season.

Although he did not have a promising start to his season, Álvarez quickly rebounded and showed why he was one of the top prospects in baseball. He went 6-for-17 (.353) with a home run in his final seven April games, and he followed it with a monster May. The Venezuelan catcher hit .292/.363/.667 with seven homers and came through in a pair of late-game spots.

With the Mets down to their last out and trailing the Rays 5-2, Álvarez once again came to the plate as the tying run. Unlike in his at-bat against Hader, the moment was not t0o much for him as he launched a game-tying three-run home run to help the Mets steal a win. Two days later, the Mets found themselves trailing the Guardians and down to their last out again. Álvarez, who had already homered earlier in the game, came to the plate against Emmanuel Clase with the tying run on second base. For the second time in as many games, he came through to tie the game, setting up another comeback victory for the Mets.

FRANCISCO ÁLVAREZ! pic.twitter.com/tEt7AZDRPq

— Metsmerized Online (@Metsmerized) May 18, 2023

After an incredible May, Álvarez wasn’t able to carry that success into June. He hit just .151/.205/.329 with four homers over the month and saw his batting average drop from .259 to .215, but just as quickly as he went cold, he was able to heat up again. The rookie hit .275/.351/.623 while adding eight more home runs in July. Just as he did in May, Álvarez came to the plate against the Diamondbacks with the Mets down to their final out and delivered another game-tying homer to spark a come-from-behind win.

This kid is an absolute STUD💪 pic.twitter.com/gb1b8mjAC1

— New York Mets (@Mets) July 6, 2023

After July, things went downhill for Álvarez again. He hit just .167/.265/.318 over his final 45 games of the season, and the Mets began to limit his workload as he reached a career-high number of games played. Despite the poor finish, Álvarez was able to finish his season on a high note.

In the second-to-last game of the season, he launched two home runs, including his first career grand slam, to reach 25 homers for the season. Only Johnny Bench (26) hit more home runs in a season as a 21-year-old catcher.

His Defense Made Strides, Too

Álvarez’s power was well known as he made his way through the Mets’ system, but his defense had always been viewed as a weakness. In 2023, he made significant strides behind the plate. Álvarez ranked fourth in baseball with 9 catcher framing runs saved. His work on defense did not go unnoticed by Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer, as the two future Hall-of-Famers both spoke highly of the young catcher during their time with the Mets this past season.

“I can’t say enough great things about him,” Verlander said about Álvarez in May. “He cares, number one, which shows big time behind the plate in the prep work. That goes miles for pitchers. I think we all know that the bat is going to be there, but the work he’s done behind the plate and the improvements he’s made are a great sign for him as a future major leaguer.”

All in all, Álvarez’s rookie season earned him a B. He had stretches of brilliance, and showed that he can quickly learn and improve his game on both sides of the ball. It was easy to see why Álvarez was the Mets’ top prospect, but the lack of consistency left a little more to be desired despite the historic power for a 21-year-old at his position.

2024 OUTLOOK

Álvarez will undoubtedly be the Mets’ starting catcher going into the 2024 season. After showing the ability to learn and make adjustments along with the commitment to putting in the necessary work, the sky is the limit for Álvarez. A 30-homer campaign or a first All-Star Game appearance are both realistic possibilities for the Mets’ backstop, but consistency will be key.

If Álvarez can avoid the prolonged slumps that plagued in 2023, he has the ability to put together a season that the Mets haven’t seen from the catcher position since Mike Piazza.

The post 2023 Mets Report Card: Francisco Álvarez, C appeared first on Metsmerized.

That power surge came during Wednesday’s doubleheader against the Marlins. Lindor slugged his 28th home run of the season off Braxton Garrett in the opener of the doubleheader. In the nightcap, he connected on two solo shots, his 29th and 30th of the season, in his first two at-bats off Johnny Cueto to become the fourth Met to join the 30-30 club. He joins David Wright, Howard Johnson (three times), and Darryl Strawberry as the only Mets to reach 30-30.

With his third home run of the day, Francisco Lindor joins the 30-30 club and re-ties the game with one swing!
pic.twitter.com/7YElUNJ8X3

— Metsmerized Online (@Metsmerized) September 28, 2023

“Francisco has a great grasp of baseball history,” Buck Showalter said following the doubleheader. “He loves being a part of it.”

Along with his 30 doubles, he joined a short list of shortstops to put together this kind of well-rounded season.

The five seasons in Major League Baseball history by a shortstop with at least 30 HR, 30 2B, and 30 SB:

2023 Francisco Lindor
2008 Hanley Ramírez
2007 Jimmy Rollins
1998 Alex Rodríguez
1996 Barry Larkin

— Mike Mayer (@mikemayer22) September 28, 2023

“I don’t play for numbers, but it’s really hard not to play for numbers here in New York,” Lindor said on Wednesday. “Numbers come up a lot here. But it means a lot. To be in the category with guys that I idolized growing up like [Barry] Larkin and [Carlos] Beltrán, those guys to me are very special in my life. And to be in the same category as them is pretty cool.

Needing three homers in the season’s final six games, the chances of Lindor reaching the milestone looked bleak as time was running out. Fortunately for Lindor, he had a premier power hitter in the clubhouse in Pete Alonso.

“I asked Pete, ‘Pete, how do I hit this guy?’” Lindor said. “He gave me his approach and plan, and I went into the box trying to be like Pete in a way, and it worked out.”

While the new rules put in place by MLB certainly helped Lindor reach 30-30 for the first time in his career, it should not take away from the amount of hard work that goes into putting a 30-30 season together. Along with the combination of power and speed, the ability to be in the lineup every day has made this 30-30 season possible for Lindor, something that his manager made note of on Wednesday.

“He does get more chances because he posts up,” Showalter said. “What a great example he is for these young players up here to see how important it is. Good things can happen if you keep posting up.”

Photo by Roberto Carlo

Lindor became the third player this season to reach 30-30, joining two of the game’s top young stars in Atlanta’s Ronald Acuña Jr. and Seattle’s Julio Rodríguez. All three players have already reached 150 games played this season.

2023 was another terrific individual year for Lindor, but with the Mets having already been eliminated from postseason contention, the Mets’ shortstop is already thinking about how he and his team can be better in 2024.

“He’s all about baseball and the Mets and to put together something to be the last team standing,” Showalter said. “That’s what we’re all trying to do here. It’s been challenging for him this year, but he’s never given in. I’m awfully proud of him. We’re lucky to have him.”

The post Francisco Lindor Joins 30-30 Club With Three-Homer Doubleheader appeared first on Metsmerized.

Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports

The start of Senga’s night could only be described as shocking. Jon Berti, who had hit just six home runs over in 374 at-bats this season, jumped on a forkball that stayed in the strike zone and sent it over the wall in left-center field for his seventh home run of the year. It was the first time all season that anyone had homered on Senga’s signature ghost fork.

Following the home run by Berti, Senga quickly found his groove. He did not allow another hit over the first three innings, including a stretch where he struck out five straight batters to bring his season total to 199. He finished the third inning by striking out Jake Burger to reach 200 strikeouts on the season. Senga joined Dwight Gooden as the only Mets rookies to strikeout 200 batters in a season, and he joined Yu Darvish, Daisuke Matsuzaka and Hideo Nomo as the only Japanese rookies to accomplish the feat.

With this strikeout of Jake Burger, Kodai Senga notched his 200th K of the season in his rookie year 👻
pic.twitter.com/VRnrx6Yc4v

— Metsmerized Online (@Metsmerized) September 28, 2023

Despite allowing another homer to Jesús Sánchez, Senga was brilliant over five innings in his final start of his rookie season. He allowed just the two runs on three hits and three walks while striking out eight batters.

“You think about all the challenges he faced coming over here,” Buck Showalter said of Senga after the game. “We’re so produd of him. He’s worked so hard to make everybody proud of his efforts.”

While Senga was making history on the mound, Lindor was doing it with the bat. After hitting his 28th home run of the season in the first game of the double header, the Mets’ shortstop launched two solo-shots off of Johnny Cueto in his first two at-bats of the nightcap to give him 30 on the season. Lindor became the first Met to join the 30-30 club since David Wright (30 home runs, 34 stolen bases) in 2007. He joins Wright, Howard Johnson (three times) and Darryl Strawberry as the only Mets in the 30-30 club.

With his third home run of the day, Francisco Lindor joins the 30-30 club and re-ties the game with one swing!
pic.twitter.com/7YElUNJ8X3

— Metsmerized Online (@Metsmerized) September 28, 2023

With the score even at 2-2 in the top of the seventh inning, the Marlins had an opportunity to break the game open. Burger, who came into the day hitting .313 since being acquired by the Marlins, came to the plate with the bases loaded after Phil Bickford allowed a single, a walk and a hit-by-pitch with two outs in the inning. With the count at 1-2, home plate umpire Ramon De Jesus rung up Burger on a ball that was outside and wasted little time before ejecting the Marlins’ hottest hitter.

The Marlins loaded the bases with nobody out in the ninth inning against Adam Ottavino, but Yuli Gurriel came to the plate in place of the ejected Burger. Gurriel hit a ground ball to third base that looked like it would be a sure 5-2-3 double play, but Brett Baty misplayed the ball with the speedy Xavier Edwards running home to bring in the go-ahead run. The Marlins would add one more on an RBI single from Bryan De La Cruz to extend their lead to 4-2.

The Marlins sent Andrew Nardi to the mound looking to pick up just his third save of the season. After walking Rafael Ortega with two outs to bring up the tying run, the left-hander struck out Francisco Álvarez to close out the win for the Marlins and bring them into a tie with the Cubs for the final NL Wild Card spot.

PLAYERS OF THE GAME: KODAI SENGA AND FRANCISCO LINDOR

It was a historic night for Mets’ top pitcher and position player. Senga finished his rookie season with a 2.98 ERA and 202 strikeouts over 166 1/3 innings. In what was a phenomenal rookie campaign, Senga will surely receive some Cy Young Award votes. While a Rookie of the Year Award may be long shot due to the incredible season Corbin Carroll has had in Arizona, Senga should finish no worse than second in the voting.

For Lindor, his 30th home run put him in a small group of shortstops to accomplish what he has in 2023. It has been another terrific season for Lindor in 2023, showing a combination of power, speed, and defense that is rare for a player at a premium position. After a down year in 2021, Lindor has shown over the past two seasons why the Mets were willing to make him the highest paid shortstop in baseball with his.

The five seasons in Major League Baseball history by a shortstop with at least 30 HR, 30 2B, and 30 SB:

2023 Francisco Lindor
2008 Hanley Ramírez
2007 Jimmy Rollins
1998 Alex Rodríguez
1996 Barry Larkin

— Mike Mayer (@mikemayer22) September 28, 2023

ON DECK

The Mets and Marlins will wrap up their three-game series on Thursday night at 7:10 p.m ET. David Peterson (3-8, 5.37 ERA) will start for the Mets against Jesús Luzardo (10-9, 3.73 ERA) for Miami.

Peterson and Luzardo faced each other in the second game of the season at loanDepot park in Miami. Peterson allowed just one run over five innings, but took a tough-luck loss as Luzardo pitched 5 2/3 scoreless innings to pick up the win.

The game will be broadcast on SNY with pregame coverage beginning at 6:30 p.m. ET, and the radio call will be on WCBS 880.

The post Senga, Lindor Make History But Mets Drop Game 2 to Marlins, 4-2 appeared first on Metsmerized.

While all three of the rookies produced on Wednesday, it was Vientos who stole the show. The 23-year-old went 2-for-4 at the plate, hitting his sixth and seventh home runs of the season. As if his first career multi-homer game was not impressive enough, he hit both home runs on 0-2 pitches.

Jim Rassol-USA TODAY Sports

While 2023 has been a difficult year for Vientos at the major league level, he is playing his best baseball of the year as he has gotten consistent playing time in the season’s final month. Over his last 17 games, Vientos is hitting .306/.348/.581, with five of his seven home runs coming in that span.

“It’s all about the confidence and just being comfortable,” Vientos said following his two-homer game. “I’m seeing the ball well and just trying to ride the wave and finish the season strong.”

Mark Vientos with an absolute rocket for his second home run of the night! 💥
pic.twitter.com/r283Hsw2oU

— Metsmerized Online (@Metsmerized) September 21, 2023

While Mauricio’s line-in-the-box score may not look as flashy, it was still an encouraging night for the 22-year-old. Over his first 15 games, Mauricio drew just three walks, but on Wednesday night alone, he drew two more walks while going 1-for-3 and scoring two runs.

Mauricio has shown that he has the tools necessary to stick around in the big leagues, but it is no secret that his plate discipline has been one of his biggest flaws. His chase rate was near 40% in the minors this season, and that has not changed for the Dominican infielder since his call-up to the majors. Despite this, Mauricio has hit .300/.354/.400 since joining the team at the start of the month.

While Baty had just one hit in his return to the lineup, it was certainly the loudest of the night. Facing Johnny Cueto in the eighth inning, he launched his eighth home run of the year 440 feet into the upper deck in right field. The ball was hit with an exit velocity of 113.1 MPH, making it Baty’s longest and hardest-hit home run of the season. The homer was Baty’s first in the majors since July 19.

“He crushed that ball,” Vientos said of his teammate’s mammoth home run.

Brett Baty parks one for his 8th homer of the year!
pic.twitter.com/V0WIJnYdrQ

— Metsmerized Online (@Metsmerized) September 21, 2023

The Baby Mets have all had their moments in 2023. Steve Cohen’s plan to be the East Coast Dodgers made it clear that developing young talent would play a big role in the team’s future. Along with Francisco Álvarez, the production from the four young rookies has helped the Mets go 10-8 in September, giving fans a taste of what the future could look like for the organization.

“We have a pretty good team,” Vientos said. “I feel like this is just a glimpse of what we can do.”

The post Baby Mets Come Through In Series Finale vs. Marlins appeared first on Metsmerized.

Jim Rassol-USA TODAY Sports

Senga did not have his best stuff on Wednesday night. He allowed seven hits and walked two in his six innings of work while only striking out three batters, and did not have a single 1-2-3 inning. Despite this, Senga was able to limit the damage. The Japanese right-hander made his pitches when he needed to strand runners on base all night and pick up his 12th win of the year. Senga’s ERA moved to 2.96, which is now second in the National League and fourth in MLB after a poor outing from Justin Steele on Wednesday.

Along with his timely pitching, Senga was aided by brilliant defense in right field from Jeff McNeil. McNeil was originally scheduled to start in left field, but with DJ Stewart being scratched just before the start of the game, McNeil was moved to right field. In the fifth inning, he threw out Jazz Chisholm Jr. attempting to stretch a single into a double. One batter later, he threw out Jorge Soler at home attempting to score on sacrifice fly. He recorded all three outs in the inning, and became the first Met to record two outfield assists in an inning since Bernard Gilkey in 1996.

Mets with 2 OF assists in an inning:

Today Jeff McNeil, 5th inning
8/5/96 Bernard Gilkey, 1st inning
4/11/62 Gus Bell, 3rd inning (1st game in franchise history!)

— Sarah Langs (@SlangsOnSports) September 21, 2023

The Mets got the scoring started in the second inning when Vientos lined a solo shot over the left field wall to give the Mets an early 1-0 lead. In the sixth inning, he launched his second home run of the night on a hanging slider. The two home runs, which both came on 0-2 pitches, brought his season total to seven homers.

Mark Vientos with an absolute rocket for his second home run of the night! 💥
pic.twitter.com/r283Hsw2oU

— Metsmerized Online (@Metsmerized) September 21, 2023

Brett Baty made his return to the lineup after missing a week due to stiffness in his groin. In his first game back, the third baseman went 1-4 with a mammoth home run 440 feet into the upper deck of loanDepot park. The home run was Baty’s eighth of the season.

Brett Baty parks one for his 8th homer of the year!
pic.twitter.com/V0WIJnYdrQ

— Metsmerized Online (@Metsmerized) September 21, 2023

Brandon Nimmo had another big game in the Mets’ win. He collected three more hits, adding his 24th home run of the season. In the series, Nimmo went 7-for-14 with three extra-base hits.

The Mets added two more runs in the third inning thanks to a pair of defensive miscues from the Marlins. With Nimmo on first base, Ronny Mauricio lined a base hit to right field. With Nimmo going from first to third on the hit, Jesús Sánchez made a wild throw to third base that got away from Jake Burger. Nimmo went home on the errant throw, and Burger made a poor throw of his own to the plate that allowed Mauricio to move all the way to third on the single. Pete Alonso followed with a sacrifice fly to give the Mets a 3-0 lead.

Alonso added another RBI, his 114th of the season, on an RBI single in the top of the seventh. Francisco Lindor followed with a fielder’s choice to bring in the Mets’ sixth run of the night and his 88th RBI of the year.

After six innings from Senga, the Mets used four relievers to close out the win. Drew Smith worked a scoreless seventh inning, and after Brooks Raley and Phil Bickford worked through the eighth, Trevor Gott pitched the Mets’ first 1-2-3 inning of the night in the ninth to close out the Mets’ victory. With the win, the Mets moved to 71-81 on the season.

Player of the Game: Mark Vientos

Vientos went 2-4 with two home runs in the Mets’ win over the Marlins on Wednesday night. Vientos, who grew up near loanDepot park in Pembroke Pines, had his first career multi-homer game on Wednesday night in Miami. In his last 17 games, Vientos has hit .311 with five home runs. While 2023 has been an overall difficult year for the rookie, he is finishing the year on a high note.

“I’ve been saying this whole series that I needed to at least hit one for my fam and friends out here, and I got two,” Vientos said following the win. “We came out swinging the bats today and got the job done, so that’s all I could ask for.”

On Deck

The Mets will travel to Philadelphia to take on the Phillies on Thursday night at 7:15 p.m ET. David Peterson (3-8, 5.22 ERA) will start for the Mets against Ranger Suarez (3-6, 3.80 ERA) for the Phillies.

Peterson has racked up the strikeouts over his last two starts. On September 9, he struck out eight Twins matching his then-season high. In his next start on September 15, he struck out 10 Reds, his fourth career double-digit strikeout game and his first since July 1, 2022.

The game will be broadcast on WWOR, and the radio call will be on WCBS 880.

The post Mark Vientos Blasts Two Homers As Mets Knock Off Marlins, 8-3 appeared first on Metsmerized.

In his first start since August 18, Lucchesi threw seven-plus impressive innings against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Citi Field on Wednesday night. The Mets’ left-hander kept the Diamondbacks’ heavily right-handed lineup guessing all night by mixing his pitches and pitching to contact. Despite striking out just two batters on the night, he held the Diamondbacks to just five hits, three walks and one unearned run while leading the Mets to a 7-1 win.

Gregory Fisher-USA TODAY Sports

Lucchesi pitched into the eighth inning for the first time in his MLB career. After a leadoff walk to start the eighth, he got what looked like a sure double-play ball, but a huge hop sent the ball past Francisco Lindor for an error and ended the Mets’ starter’s night. Lucchesi was well on his way to the best start of his MLB career, but he had to settle for his second outing of seven innings and no earned runs this season, matching his first start of the year in San Francisco on April 21.

“Joey Fuego looked good today,” Mark Vientos said following the Mets’ win. “He’s a dog.”

It has been a strange first year back from Tommy John surgery for Lucchesi. He has pitched well at the MLB level, pitching to a 2.83 ERA in his seven starts, but he has not had the same success in the offense-heavy Triple-A International League. His ERA in Triple-A is 4.74, and he feels the automated ball and strike calling system contributes to that discrepancy.

“They have an ABS system and if I’m being honest, no one really likes it,” Lucchesi said after his start on Wednesday. “They just changed it for the second time. I don’t think it’s very realistic to be up here. I like this type of baseball, but that type of baseball is a little different with the zone.”

While the Mets cannot completely ignore what he has done in Triple-A when deciding how they value Lucchesi this offseason, they can certainly keep in mind that he has flourished in his limited major-league opportunities. It remains to be seen if Lucchesi will make another start for the Mets, but after his second straight scoreless start, albeit nearly a month after the first one, he most likely deserves a chance to make another start in the majors.

“I didn’t play all last year, so I had to show them I still had that fight in me,” Lucchesi said. “I believe I have a lot of life left in my body and a lot of fight, so hopefully, they recognize that and see it, and it works out for me. I obviously want to be up here and pitch with these guys. I can only just pitch to the best of my ability and let them decide.”

The post Joey Lucchesi Gives Mets Another Strong Start appeared first on Metsmerized.

Gregory Fisher-USA TODAY Sports

Lucchesi was making his first start since throwing 5 2/3 scoreless innings against the Cardinals on August 18. Despite striking out just two batters, Lucchesi kept the Diamondbacks’ offense in check. He pitched into the eighth inning for the first time in his MLB career, and only was pulled after a double play ball got away from Francisco Lindor due to a bad hop on the infield dirt. Despite pitching to a 4.74 ERA in Triple-A Syracuse, Lucchesi improved his MLB ERA to 2.83 with his dominant outing.

Lucchesi brought his A-Game!👌👌 #LGM pic.twitter.com/vCkIQ1RsB2

— Metsmerized Online (@Metsmerized) September 14, 2023

Gallen, who entered the night as one of the favorites in a tight N.L. Cy YoungAward race, was coming off a complete-game shutout against the Cubs at Wrigley Field in his last start. The Mets wasted no time getting to the Diamondback’s ace, and they could have had a big first inning if not for stellar defense from Jake McCarthy in center field. Lindor doubled off the wall, and Alonso drove him in with a single. However, McCarthy made diving catches to rob Brandon Nimmo and Jeff McNeil of hits to start and end the inning and hold the Mets to just the lone run in the first.

The Mets doubled their lead in the bottom of the fourth inning on back-to-back two-out hits from McNeil and Rafael Ortega. After McNeil singled, Ortega laced a double into the right field corner. Joey Cora aggressively sent McNeil home, but a poor relay from Tommy Pham and Ketel Marte and a terrific slide from McNeil gave the Mets their second run of the night.

Rafael Ortega doubles and Jeff McNeil comes flying home to score from first for the Mets’ second run!pic.twitter.com/r0r4qncmJy

— Metsmerized Online (@Metsmerized) September 14, 2023

Alonso continued his big day in the fifth inning. With a 1-2 count, the Mets’ first baseman ripped a 109.8 mph line drive into the gap to bring in two more runs on his 17th double of the season. Alonso finished the day going 2-for-5 with three RBIs. It was the second consecutive day that he had a multi-hit game.

The two Baby Mets in the lineup both contributed to the Mets’ big offensive day. Mark Vientos followed his two-hit game on Tuesday with a two-run homer against Gallen on Wednesday, and Brett Baty collected two base-hits to break an 0-for-18 skid. Baty came out of the game with a trainer prior to the top of the seventh inning with left groin soreness. After the game, Buck Showalter said Baty’s groin stiffened when he was running the bases.

The Mets’ big offensive day may have taken Gallen out of the Cy Young Award race. The Diamondback’s right-hander went five innings, allowing seven runs (six earned) on eight hits and two walks.

Trevor Gott inherited the bases loaded, nobody out jam when Lucchesi came out of the game in the eighth and nearly got it of it unscathed. After retiring the first batter, Gott got a double-play ball from Pham, but McNeil’s throw to first was wild and allowed the runner on third to score.

Drew Smith threw a hitless ninth inning to close out the Mets’ victory. With the win, the Mets moved to 67-78 and secured at least a split in the four-game series.

Player of the Game: Joey Lucchesi

Lucchesi was terrific for the Mets on Wednesday night. He went seven shutout innings allowing just five hits, three walks and one unearned run with two strikeouts. It was the second time this season Lucchesi had gone seven scoreless innings, with his first start of the season on April 21 in San Francisco being the other. The win was Lucchesi’s third of the season, and he was one bad hop away from potentially having the best start of his MLB career.

On Deck

The Mets will look to win their four-game series with the Diamondbacks on Thursday afternoon at 4:10 p.m. ET. Kodai Senga (10-7, 3.07 ERA) will make the start against Merrill Kelly (11-6, 3.16 ERA) for Arizona. Senga threw eight innings allowing just one run on four hits while striking out 12 in his July 5 start against the Diamondbacks in Arizona. The rookie right-hander has pitched to a 2.72 ERA over 10 starts in the second half.

The game will be broadcast on SNY with pregame coverage beginning at 3:30 p.m. ET, and the radio call will be on WCBS 880.

The post Lucchesi’s Excellent Start, Offensive Outburst Lead Mets to 7-1 Win vs. D-Backs appeared first on Metsmerized.

Butto had the best start of his MLB career on Wednesday, holding the Nationals to just two runs on six hits and a walk over 6 1/3 innings. After throwing six scoreless innings, the right-hander returned for the seventh inning. He allowed two singles and was lifted for Trevor Gott, who allowed both inherited runners to score. His first MLB win was in sight before the Mets’ bullpen faltered down the stretch.

When Butto made his two starts in April, he struggled with command. Despite managing to limit the damage to just three runs in his 9 2/3 innings over his first two starts, he allowed 10 walks over those two starts. He allowed four walks in his first start of the season, then followed with six walks in his next start. Butto managed to avoid those control issues on Wednesday, allowing just one two-out walk in what was by far the longest outing of his MLB career.

Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports

“He stayed in attack mode,” Buck Showalter said of his starting pitcher’s ability to limit free passes. “That was as much as much as you could expect him to do.”

Limiting walks was a clear area of improvement for Butto, but that is not the only he had going for him in his start on Wednesday. Along with his improved control, he had an uptick in velocity that helped him wrack up his career-high six strikeouts. His average fastball velocity was up 1.3 mph from its yearly average, and his slider was up 1.4 mph.

Butto cruised through his first six innings of work. Despite not having a 1-2-3 inning until the sixth inning, he did not find himself in much trouble. He only allowed one base runner in each of the first five innings, and both of the runners who made it into scoring position did not get there until there were already two outs in the inning.

The Mets will have plenty of options to complete the rotation over the season’s final month. They have given Joey Lucchesi and Denyi Reyes opportunities to start. They have Mike Vasil waiting in Triple-A. Wednesday’s performance from Butto should earn him another start in the big leagues.

“To see him make that type of contribution, that was good to see,” Showalter said. “It bodes well for him and hopefully for us.”

The post José Butto Throws Gem vs. Nationals appeared first on Metsmerized.

Stewart had another big night in Wednesday’s 6-5 win over the Texas Rangers. He went 2-for-4, launching two more home runs, drove in four runs, made a game-saving catch, and brought home the winning run with a walk-off hit-by-pitch.

Stewart got his excellent night started in his first at-bat of the game. Stewart turned on an up-and-in fastball from Dane Dunning for his eighth homer of the season and the second of back-to-back homers with Daniel Vogelbach to give the Mets a 2-0 lead.

Photo by Roberto Carlo

With one out in the eighth inning and the Mets trailing 5-3, Stewart came to the plate against Jose Leclerc as the tying run. Like Dunning, Leclerc challenged Stewart with a fastball up. Like Dunning, Leclerc saw his high fastball soar over the right field wall. Stewart’s second home run of the night, a two-run shot, tied the game with the Mets down to their last five outs.

After turning the game around with his bat in the bottom of the eighth, Stewart decided it was time to make an impact with his glove. With the speedy Leody Taveras on first base, Marcus Semien hit a fly ball to the wall in right field. Stewart made a running catch while crashing into the wall to rob the Rangers’ second baseman of what would have been at least an RBI double, leading to the Citi Field fans chanting his name.

“It was awesome,” Stewart said of the fans’ cheers. “For me to start the season in Syracuse and come up here and hear that, it’s really awesome.”

With the bases loaded and nobody out in the bottom of the 10th inning, Stewart had a chance to finish his incredible day against Aroldis Chapman. Stewart had understandably struggled against Chapman in his career, going 0-for-4 with three strikeouts in four at-bats. Fortunately for Stewart, he did not have to do much to be the hero. Chapman’s first pitch hit Stewart on the elbow to give Stewart his fourth RBI of the game and give the Mets the walk-off win.

“I’ve faced him a lot with Baltimore and not much success,” Stewart said. “So if he’s going to give it to me, I’m going to take it.”

There isn’t much more that can be said about Stewart’s hot streak other than that it is simply incredible. In August, Stewart hit .303/.378/.727 with eight home runs in 66 at-bats. Those numbers are even more incredible when you remember that he began the month going just 3-for-21 while dealing with a wrist injury. In his last 13 games, Stewart has hit .378/.429/.978 with all eight of his homers this month coming in that stretch.

“I feel really good about the work that I’m putting in in the cage,” Stewart told SNY’s Steve Gelbs following the win. “I’m confident that it’s working … When you’re confident and you go into the box, it slows down for you.”

The 29-year-old is playing for his next contract after signing a one-year minor league deal with the Mets in February. While he did not have much success in the beginning of his MLB career in Baltimore, Stewart is showing the tools that got him selected in the first round of the 2015 draft. Time will tell if this run is a flash in the pan or if Stewart finds his footing in MLB as a late bloomer, but it has likely earned Stewart a contract with somebody for 2024, and he would like it to be with the Mets.

“I love New York.” Stewart said. “I really enjoy being here. My family enjoys it, so I’m hoping I’m doing enough to stay here. I’m playing for everyone, but I’d like to be here.”

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