Sandwiched between the free agent signing of superstar outfielder Juan Soto a month prior, and the re-signing of fan favorite Pete Alonso a month later, Alzolay joining the Mets was more of a notch on the team’s transaction page than anything/(than a marquee acquisition?)

Alzolay was picked up by the Mets after a disappointing 2024 season with the Chicago Cubs, which concluded with the Venezuelan-born pitcher undergoing Tommy John surgery in August of that year, followed by a designation for assignment and ultimately non-tendering.

Signed as an international free agent in 2013, Alzolay made his MLB debut for the Cubs in 2019 against the Mets, where he picked up his first major league win after firing four innings of one-run ball in relief.

Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

It wasn’t until 2021 that Alzolay got an extended look in the majors, however. In 29 games that year (21 starts), Alzolay was a mixed bag, pitching to a 4.58 ERA over 125 and 2/3 innings.

2022 was a lost season for the righty as he missed almost the entirety of the campaign with a shoulder strain, but just a year later, he finally burst on the scene.

Healthy and pitching exclusively in relief, Alzolay earned the nickname “The People’s Fist” after locking down 22 saves, each one ending with a celebratory fist pump.

A 2.67 ERA, 0.7 HR/9 and a minuscule 13 walks over 58 games established the-then 28-year-old as one of the more exciting arms in the game.

Taking a look at Alzolay’s Baseball Savant page from that season, there’s a lot to like: 79th percentile in chase rate, 92nd percentile in walk percentage, 81st percentile in walk percentage. It seemed as though Alzolay had finally arrived, but his injury history caught up to him again.

The Mets are banking on reclaiming some of that 2023 magic Alzolay flashed in Wrigleyville.

With the uncertainty surrounding the Mets’ bullpen after long-time closer Edwin Diaz signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers last week, as well as the rest of the team’s bullpen in flux, Alzolay is an arm who is a low-risk, high-reward lottery ticket for the 2026 team. H

Alzolay is back healthy and pitching in the Venezuelan Winter League this offseason. He’s made three appearances, including back-to-back scoreless outings in his last two.

The Mets have already welcomed former Brewers closer Devin Williams into the fold as one high-leverage piece. They are sure to add at least a couple more, especially with Díaz gone, but they may already have one upside arm in-house.

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Jerad Eickhoff, Credit: Anthony DiComo, MLB.com

With four games in three days this weekend, and another four over the next three days, the Mets needed pitching reinforcements.

On Sunday, they added a fresh arm in the form of right-handed pitcher Jerad Eickhoff. To make space on the 26-man roster, the team designated outfielder Mason Williams for assignment.

Eickhoff, 31 next month, has started eight games for the Mets’ Triple-A affiliate in 2021, and has a less than appealing 5.32 ERA in 44.0 innings. The Mets pitching corps in the upper level of the minors, specifically on the starting pitching front, are extremely thin, so their options were limited.

Mets’ manager Luis Rojas said Eickhoff will be available out of the bullpen on Sunday, but depending on how he’s used, could be utilized in some capacity for the team’s doubleheader against the Atlanta Braves on Monday.

Eickhoff will wear No. 43.

Williams, 29, appeared in 17 games for the Mets and was worth 0.1 rWAR while logging a .631 OPS.

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Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports

The New York Mets and Toronto Blue Jays swapped right-handed pitchers on Saturday.

New York sent Jacob Barnes, who was designated for assignment on June 14, north of the border in exchange for minor leaguer Troy Miller, the team announced in a press release.

Barnes, 31, was claimed off waivers by the Mets from the Milwaukee Brewers this offseason, and cracked the team’s opening day roster.

In 19 appearances, Barnes locked down two saves, but was overall ineffective, as he had a -0.4 fWAR, 6.27 ERA, 6.22 FIP and 4.29 xFIP in 18.2 innings tossed.

The six year MLB veteran is eligible for free agency in 2023.

Miller, 24, was originally signed as an undrafted free agent by the Blue Jays in 2018.

The California native has split the 2021 season between Toronto’s High-A and Double-A affiliates, and has logged a cumulative 4.93 ERA in seven games (six starts).

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Ronny Mauricio, Photo by Dan Fritz

MMO Fan Shot By: Bill D’Angelo

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The Mets may be getting a couple of their offensive stalwarts back sooner rather than later.

Second baseman Jeff McNeil is beginning a rehab assignment with Single-A Brooklyn on Sunday, where he is expected to get two or three at-bats at the plate and play around five innings, manager Luis Rojas said prior to Sunday’s series finale with the San Diego Padres.

McNeil, 29, was placed on the injured list on May 17 with a hamstring strain after dealing with leg cramps for several games prior to the strain.

The Santa Barbara, Calif. native has progressed well and general manager Zack Scott said on Friday that they expect McNeil to return this upcoming weekend.

The four-year MLB veteran has appeared in 32 games for New York so far this season and owns a triple slash of .242/.336/.374 with a 106 wRC+ and .318 wOBA.

Trailing Jeff McNeil is Michael Conforto, who ran the bases on Saturday at “95-100 percent,” according to manager Luis Rojas.

Rojas added that Conforto, 28, could begin a rehab assignment earlier this week. The outfielder had planned to talk to Rojas this morning to see what the next steps would be, according to Mike Puma of the New York Post.

“I’m getting the itch,” Conforto said.

The Seattle, Washington native has been worth 0.3 fWAR through 34 games with the Mets this season. Like McNeil, Conforto was placed on the injured list on May 17 with a strained hamstring.

The outfielder owns a .230/.356/.336 triple slash, a 106 wRC+ and .317 wOBA.

Having both McNeil and Conforto back would give the team nearly a fully healthy lineup, with just Brandon Nimmo and J.D. Davis on the sidelines.

It doesn’t appear either Nimmo or Davis are close to returning, however, as they are currently just beginning to take dry swings, which means no baseballs are involved, manager Luis Rojas said on Sunday.

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Real Mets Legends, the Twitter account responsible for the Mets Legends Cast, was founded by MetsMerized executive editor Rob Piersall with one goal in mind: to highlight former and current Mets players who are quirky, forgettable and all around unheralded.

Rob always got a kick out of reminiscing about Mets from years past, and in 2018, created the Twitter account “Random Mets Players.”

The name didn’t roll off the tongue, but it still boasted a moderate following of over 3,000 people. Ultimately, Rob deactivated the account, but missed it so much he created a new one seven months ago and rebranded it as the tongue in cheek “Real Mets Legends.”

Rob brought his college buddy Mike Rosen along to run the account, as well as a fan of the page, Michael Jennings, who now co-hosts the podcast with Rob and Mike and creates graphics for our page.

Take a stroll down memory lane and follow us on Twitter: @MetsLegends to be reminded of some forgotten Mets, and listen to our weekly podcast which is released on Thursdays where we talk about the state of the Mets and the delve into some offbeat Mets moments.

Check out the most recent podcast.

We are excited to partner with the great folks at MetsMerized!

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Nine years ago today, Johan Santana took the mound against the St. Louis Cardinals and tossed one of the most memorable games in New York Mets history.

It was a beautiful Friday night, and as a Mets fan, before every game, you always think to yourself: “Maybe tonight will be the night they finally do it.” Because up until that point, no Mets pitcher had ever thrown a no-hitter (as we all know).

So Santana is dealing, and he is setting down these Cardinal hitters and escaping each inning unscathed, despite allowing a few walks.

It didn’t get serious for me until after he finished off the sixth inning. “Johan only has nine more outs to go. There’s a real possibility we might see history tonight.” I said to myself.

Then in the seventh inning, Mike Baxter made that magnificent catch going back on a line drive blast off the bat of Yadier Molina. I watched as Baxter slammed against the left field wall and injured his shoulder with that incredible grab, a sacrifice that would end up sidelining him for two months.

After that game-saving play, I knew… I could feel it… Every no-hitter has that one outstanding defensive play to keep the no-hitter intact. (See Dewayne Wise, Hunter Pence, Steven Souza).

Nail-biting time as Santana gets through the eighth, and goes back out for the ninth, despite his high pitch count. He retired the first two batters with relative ease and now it was just David Freese standing between Johan and history.

When Freese struck out to end the game, it was euphoric. Nothing else mattered in that moment. After 8,019 regular season games and fifty years into the Mets franchise history, no one had done what Santana had just accomplished for the Amazins. Tom Seaver never did it, Dwight Gooden never did it, but Johan Santana on that June night four years ago, today finally did it.

What made it all the more amazing was Santana did this in his first season back from a shoulder surgery that sidelined him for the entire 2011 season. It reminded fans what Santana was capable of, and brought them back to how he had consistently dominated when he first joined the Mets in 2008.

To top it all off, a Mets fan wearing a 1986 Gary Carter jersey ran on to the field after the last out and joined the Mets celebration around Santana. He was subdued by team security, but it seemed to me a sign that Carter was there that night watching over the team. He had passed away a few months prior after losing his prolonged battle with brain cancer.

This would be Johan Santana’s last shining moment as a Met, however, and after a few more starts he was placed on the disabled list for the remainder of the season. It also marked the end of his Mets career. He re-injured his shoulder in 2013 and missed the entire year. The Mets cut him loose at the end of that season, and he hasn’t appeared in the majors since.

Terry Collins gets a lot of heat for allowing Johan to throw all those pitches to accomplish that unforgettable feat, but I don’t look at it that way. Santana was dealing all night and later said he was feeling it. It was a once in a lifetime opportunity, and I’m glad Santana was the one to throw it… and I’m sure he is too.

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During the shortened 2020 season, Mets’ catcher Tomas Nido showed a sliver of what he was capable of.

In just seven games, the Puerto Rico native logged 0.3 fWAR, but wound up missing the remaining 50 or so games after contracting COVID-19 and dealing with its subsequent side effects.

Regardless, Nido has come back in 2021 ready to play.

Despite the fact that 16 players are currently on the injured list for the Mets, Nido and crew have persevered and have made a most of their new found playing time.

In fact, Nido has played so good, the Mets don’t want him out of the lineup. This has led to offseason acquisition James McCann being shifted over to first base to allow Nido to continue to catch.

In 22 games so far in 2021, the 27-year-old has been worth 0.7 fWAR, a career high, and owns an appealing 124 wRC+, .346 wOBA and .356 xWOBA.

Behind the dish, Nido has also proved to be a strong defender, and his framing ranks in the upper sixth percentile of the league, according to Baseball Savant.

While this is technically Nido’s fifth season in the big leagues, he hasn’t played more than 50 games in any given year. Those 50 games came back in 2019 when he backed up Wilson Ramos.

But now, Nido is getting his time to shine. Entering his “prime years,” Nido has become an integral part of the ReplaceMets, who have helped the team remain in first place and are a big part of why they are 25-20 while the big boppers are sidelined.

Nido’s swing coach, Lorenzo Garmendia, talked to The Record‘s Justin Toscano this offseason and predicted that last year’s small sample wasn’t a fluke.

“I think if Nido can string some games together where he gets a good amount of playing time, I think everybody is going to be shocked. You’re going to get to see what you saw last year,” Garmendia said. “That wasn’t by accident. What happened last year, and that sample size, isn’t by accident. That’s going to be him.”

Nido was originally drafted in 2012, but was more known for his defensive prowess. However, in 2016 when Nido was with Single-A St. Lucie, his bat started to come around, and ultimately led to him winning the Florida State League batting title.

I think I just tried to not swing too hard, battled through long at-bats and ended up winning [those] longer at-bats while also taking the ball the other way. I had better at-bats and wasn’t overly-aggressive and swinging at the first pitch too many times,” Nido told me in 2017.

Then, prior to the 2019 season, Nido underwent Lasik eye surgery to correct his vision after having blurriness and contact lens issues.

“It’s been a long road,” Nido said, according to Anthony DiComo of MLB.com. “I didn’t realize how much effect it had on me. It’s been a big difference just getting used to seeing the ball better. It’s a lot more fun now.”

When you take into consideration Lasik surgery, a new swing coach and a comfortability at the MLB level, it makes sense that the hard work and perseverance has culminated for Nido.

And here’s a little tidbit for how things have gone hyper recently for the backstop:

Nido is batting .269/.321/.519 with six extra-base hits and nine RBI in 21 games this year. He has safely hit in seven of his last eight games, going 9-for-26 with four runs, two doubles, two home runs and six RBI. He owns an .810 OPS in 15 starts this season. He is batting .333 (3-for-9) with runners in scoring position with one home run and five RBI.

Nido has become a fan favorite and a staple for this makeshift Mets’ squad. Hopefully, we continue to see him blossom.

The post Tomás Nido Is Blossoming Right Before Our Eyes appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Sunday night’s Mets game vs. the Atlanta Braves has been postponed, team owner Steve Cohen said on Twitter. A make-up game has yet to be announced.

With yet another postponement, it brings the Mets’ cancellations to 11 games this season. They have played just 45.

New York was also rained out on Friday, but sandwiched between cancellations, the team laid a smackdown on the Braves Saturday night in a 13-2 rout at Citi Field.

Here’s how the makeup dates will shake out:

The Mets say they will make up Friday and Sunday's games as part of doubleheaders on June 21 and July 26.

The Mets had been trying to avoid June, because they now have three doubleheaders in a seven-day stretch that month. But Mother Nature had other plans.

— Anthony DiComo (@AnthonyDiComo) May 30, 2021

The team will now embark on a west coast road trip, beginning Monday night in Arizona, followed by a stop in San Diego and then two with the Baltimore Orioles before returning home.

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Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

It’s no secret the Mets have been decimated by injuries to this point, with a whopping 16 players posted up on the injured list.

However, the ReplaceMets have persevered, as going into Sunday, the team has a 3.5 lead in the National League East and own a respectable 25-20 record. With all the adversity they have faced, they have managed to stay afloat, and if they can do such until some of their injured teammates return, they will be in good shape.

With that being said, with so many men being hurt, it’s easy to forget who is out for how long and when we can expect certain players to return. So, here are the 16 injured Mets and how they are progressing in their recovery.

Dellin Betances

Dellin Betances, 33, signed a two-year deal with the Mets prior to the 2020 season, but hasn’t found the success he once had as a power arm in the Yankees’ bullpen.

The New York City native had a 7.71 ERA in 15 appearances for the Mets in the shortened 2020 season, and appeared in just one game way back on April 7 for the Amazin’s this year.

The team currently has Betances on the 60-day injured list with a right shoulder impingement. However, on May 23, Betances threw a side session as he looks to work his way back from the injury.

The concern, of course, is if and when Betances does return, if he can be effective. His fastball velocity has plummeted and he has looked like a shell of the pitcher he once was.

Carlos Carrasco

Carlos Carrasco, 34, was acquired along with shortstop Francisco Lindor in a blockbuster deal this past winter. However, the longtime starting pitcher hasn’t appeared in a game yet for the Mets, as he has been sidelined since Spring Training with a torn right hamstring.

Initially, it sounded as if Carrasco would be back around Memorial Day/early June, but three weeks ago, he was transferred to the 60-day injured list and the team is currently approaching it at a week-to-week basis.

Carrasco is signed through next season, and the Mets have a club option on the pitcher for 2023.

Tommy Hunter

Tommy Hunter, 34, has endeared himself to Mets fans so far this season with his quirky and lighthearted personality both on and off the field.

The Indiana native has risen to occasion for the Mets in every aspect they’ve needed him: as an opener, as a long man, as a middle reliever, and has even chipped in a walk and his first big league hit at the dish.

The right-hander was placed on the 10-day injured list on May 21 with lower back pain. However, on May 26, manager Luis Rojas said Hunter was in good spirits and was mobile, and that he could potentially join the team sooner rather than later.

Photo by Ed Delany of MMO

Seth Lugo

Seth Lugo, 31, has been sidelined since before Spring Training after undergoing surgery on his elbow. However, he has ramped up his rehab and could join the team as soon as Monday when the Mets embark on a nine-game road trip, beginning in Arizona.

Lugo has allowed one run in 3.1 innings in his three rehab assignments so far, and in his most recent performance topped out at 95 mph.

“His ability to throw two innings in the middle of the game or even later — have a two-inning save — a guy like that is very valuable,” Rojas said. “It will keep guys we’ve been using a lot even fresher. He can offer so much and he can make us an even better bullpen when he joins us.”

Noah Syndergaard

Noah Syndergaard, 28, figured to be a big piece of the puzzle for the Mets in 2021, as he worked his way back from 2020 Tommy John surgery.

Syndergaard began a rehab assignment this month and was aiming for a return of early June, but after throwing just one inning in what was supposed to be a five frame appearance this past week for Single-A St. Lucie, Syndergaard was removed from the game with elbow inflammation.

While no structural damage was found, Syndergaard has been shut down from his throwing program for several weeks and if he does return this season, it likely won’t be until August at the earliest.

Jordan Yamamoto

Jordan Yamamoto, 25, started for the Mets last Sunday in Miami, but was removed from the game after a poor performance with right shoulder soreness.

The Mets placed, and subsequently moved, Yamamoto to the 60-day injured list, the latter of which occurred when the team acquired outfielder Billy McKinney from the Milwaukee Brewers several days ago.

Yamamoto now won’t be able to return until likely the beginning of August.

Pete Alonso

Like Seth Lugo, the Mets are hoping to activate Pete Alonso prior to the team’s series in Arizona that begins on Monday.

Alonso, 26, was placed on the IL with a right wrist sprain 11 days ago, an injury that was plaguing him for a couple weeks prior to being sidelined.

The Mets are hopeful that Alonso can return Monday and won’t need a rehab assignment.

For a team who are missing many of their big boppers in the lineup, getting Alonso back would be a huge boost.

“[Alonso] is trending well, he is swinging, he already faced some coaches BP and he did high [velocity] machine and checked out, everything is good,” Rojas said. “He was looking good right now. He is real excited about the results on the progression that he’s done the last couple of days.”

J.D. Davis

J.D. Davis, 28, began a rehab assignment 10 or so days ago as he worked his way back from a hand injury.

However, Davis’s rehab came to a halt when he started feeling soreness again and instead returned to New York for treatment. The hope was to have Davis start swinging a bat this weekend, but it is unclear if that happened or not.

Prior to his injury, Davis was one of the most reliable offensive players for the Mets, as he was hitting .390/.476/.610 before he was sidelined.

Luis Guillorme

Luis Guillorme, 26, was placed on the injured list over a month ago with an oblique injury.

However, the plan is for the middle infielder to soon begin a rehab assignment with the Syracuse Mets.

Guillorme has been swinging in the batting cages, and the next step is for him to swing on the field and see where things go from there.

Jeff McNeil

Jeff McNeil, 29, went down with a hamstring injury on May 24, and he is expected to miss at least a month.

An encouraging sign, however, was that McNeil was on the field on Saturday prior to the Mets’ bout with the Atlanta Braves:

This is a good sign for Jeff McNeil. 👀pic.twitter.com/2Nv5XrJxGq

— Locked On Mets (@LockedOnMets) May 29, 2021

McNeil had put up 0.8 rWAR prior to his injury.

Albert Almora Jr.

Albert Almora, 27, recently started ramping up his baseball activity as the outfielder began swinging. Currently, he is about a week away from a rehab assignment, according to manager Luis Rojas.

Almora originally hurt his shoulder earlier this month when he rammed into the outfield wall flagging down a fly ball.

Mandatory Credit: Kam Nedd-USA TODAY Sports

Michael Conforto

Like McNeil, Michael Conforto has been sidelined with a hamstring injury since last weekend’s series with the Miami Marlins and likely won’t return for at least a month.

“Every time I go into the training room, they’re in the training room,” Luis Rojas said about Conforto and McNeil. They are still approaching those guys week-to-week, and they are undergoing treatment.

Johneshwy Fargas

Like Almora, Johneshwy Fargas hurt himself this past week when he hit the outfield wall hard making a catch.

Fargas suffered an AC joint sprain and is currently on the 10-day IL. There is not currently a known timetable for his return.

“I’ve been crashing into the wall a lot,” he said, “but this is the first time the wall beat me.”

José Martínez

Jose Martinez, 32, underwent knee surgery in late March and is expected to miss at least two more months, given the four month recovery timeline from the surgery.

Brandon Nimmo

Brandon Nimmo, 28, has been sidelined for nearly a month (May 5) with a nerve issue in his finger.

On May 22, however, it seemed as though Nimmo was progressing to the point of managing the pain and could soon embark on a rehab assignment. However, there hasn’t been an update since then, eight days ago.

Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

Kevin Pillar

Kevin Pillar, 32, has become a fan favorite, after being an original member of the beloved “Bench Mob” and later a ReplaceMet.

Pillar was drilled in the face 12 days ago with a 94 mph fastball when the Mets were down in Atlanta and suffered multiple fractures, which he would later undergo surgery on.

Pillar is seemingly approaching a return and is ramping up activities, as well as finding a suitable face mask that he can play with.

The post Where the Mets’ 16 Injured Players Stand In Their Road to Recovery appeared first on Metsmerized Online.