How have teams historically performed when they fire their manager in season? Who tends to replace them? And what can we gather from this? I looked through every manager who was fired in season since the start of the 2000 season to try to answer that.

Photo Credit: D. Ross Cameron-Imagn Images

Team Record After Firing

This is the part most people likely want to know: did the teams that fired their manager during the season have a better winning percentage after firing than they did before? From a straight wins vs losses all these teams averaged a .413 winning percentage before firing their manager, and a .457 winning percentage after. That is an improvement, but still a 74-win pace.

Of these teams 70% still had a losing record after firing their manager, 27% had a winning record, and 3% were exactly .500. 84% of teams performed better after firing their manager while 6% performed worse.

Only five of these teams made the playoffs, but two of them did make it to the World Series. Most of these teams likely had roster and organizational issues that went beyond just the manager, but in general it seems like a shake up did help the team’s performance. Though that could also be just correlation without causation – usually teams who have struggled enough to fire their manager are due for some positive regression to the mean as it is.

What were the biggest success stories though?

Matt Marton-Imagn Images

Most Successful Turnarounds

The obvious one to name is the 2003 Miami Marlins who won the World Series. The Marlins started 16-22 when they fired manager Jeff Torborg and hired the then retired Jack McKeon to manage the team. Under him the Marlins went 74-49 (98-win pace) to end the season 91-71, making it into the playoffs through the Wild Card round. They made it to the World Series and beat the New York Yankees in six games.

In 2022 the Phillies fired manager Joe Girardi in June when the team was 22-29 and promoted Rob Thompson to the manager spot. The same Rob Thompson who was just fired. Under Thompson that season the Phillies went 65-46 (95-win pace) to make the Wild Card round off an 87-75 record. They made it to the World Series but lost to the Houston Astros in six games.

The 2004 Houston Astros, 2009 Colorado Rockies, and 2022 Toronto Blue Jays also made the playoffs after firing their manager during the season.

Who Replaces the Manager?

Most of the new managers were the bench coach at the time of their predecessors’ firings. It makes sense that the second in command would take over. For the Mets that would be Kai Correa, who does have some experience managing games from when he was with the San Francisco Giants and he managed the last three games of the season.

Other teams promoted minor league managers into the major league manager spot. It also makes sense as they have experience managing a team and may already have relationships with some of the players on the team. Candidates there for the Mets include Syracuse Mets manager Dick Scott, who was previously a bench coach at the major league level.

Teams also looked to their bench coaches, hitting coach, or pitching coach to take over the job as manager. Justin Willard, the Mets pitching coach, Troy Snitker the Mets hitting coach, and Tim Leiper the Mets third base coach all joined the organization this year so the Mets may not want to have them change positions so quickly. Director of hitting Jeff Albert has been with the Mets since 2022 and could be an option to take over the manager position. Mets first base coach Gilbert Gómez has worked in the Mets organization since 2018 after previously playing in their minor league system and has managed in the Mets minor league system as well as the Dominican Professional Baseball League.

Finally, teams have looked to members of their front office to manage the team. Andy Green, the VP of Player Development, managed the San Diego Padres from 2016-2019 and previously interviewed for the Mets manager position alongside Carlos Mendoza. He would likely be considered the most qualified candidate for the role, but the Mets may not want to move him from a role he has thrived in.

Conclusion

Less than 10% of teams over the last 26 years have made the playoffs after firing their managers during the season but the majority of them did improve. Carlos Mendoza is in the final year of his contract, though the team does have an option on him for 2027.

Benefits for moving on from him now is that the Mets get the majority of a season to see how his replacement performs to decide if they want to invest further in that individual. A trial run of sorts.

A concern is the potential negative impacts it can have on the players as we are currently seeing play out through the media with the Boston Red Sox. Juan Soto, Francisco Lindor, and Devin Williams have already voiced their support for Carlos Mendoza.

But in the end the buck stops with the manager. This is still early in the season compared to when teams usually replace them, but two teams have already. It seems clear that Carlos Mendoza has at least until the end of this homestand based on his media availability, but we will see where the team goes from there.

The post The Effects of Firing a Manager In Season appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

While it is still April, this team appears to be broken. And there doesn’t appear to be any tangible sign of a turnaround on the horizon, either.

Instead, the Mets just keep taking backward steps. Take this weekend, for example. New York was swept at home by the Rockies. And, if you need reminding, Colorado lost 119 games in 2025.

The offense was an embarrassing no-show yet again. There were yet more defensive mistakes. And, more worryingly, is the fact that there just appears to be no energy, no pulse, and no real heartbeat with this team.

If things carry on the way they are, then it probably won’t be too long until drastic changes are made. After all, it is getting late early and the season already looks to be in grave danger.

Thanks to the series loss to the Rockies, the Mets are now tied for the second-worst start in franchise history at 9-19. Things are that bad, and they could get a whole lot worse.

In the meantime, let’s go over everything from another tough weekend in the latest edition of 3 Up, 3 Down…

Apr 26, 2026; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets starting pitcher Nolan McLean (26) pitches in the first inning against the Colorado Rockies at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

3 UP

OFF DAY

After yet another awful weekend, maybe an off day on Monday is what this team needs. Okay, that’s probably a stretch, but we’re in short supply when it comes to positives. Very few things went right for the Mets over the weekend. And, with the season continuing to spiral, an opportunity for everyone to come together and try to come up with some much-needed answers with no game to worry about may not be a bad thing.

LONE BRIGHT SPOT

At least the Mets have Nolan McLean. With few other positives to cling to, at least Mets fans know they have a true stud in the rotation. McLean delivered again, allowing just two runs (one earned) with two walks and seven strikeouts over five innings. Sure, he isn’t getting a lot of run support. And McLean’s struggles the third time through the order are a little concerning. He owns a 10.40 ERA against an order a third time through. However, with that said, once McLean learns how to maintain his stuff, then he looks set to be unstoppable. He’s the only good thing about this Mets team right now.

SAVING GRACE

For everything that went wrong throughout the doubleheader on Sunday, at least the bullpen wasn’t a net negative. Six relievers combined to allow just one run over 10.1 innings in the two games combined. Carl Edwards Jr., who was called up over the weekend, did walk three in the final game of the series, but also didn’t allow a run and struck out five over 3.1 innings of work. Devin Williams tossed a perfect inning to silence the noise after a couple of rough outings. Luke Weaver looked good, as did Austin Warren. All in all, the bullpen was incredibly effective and did its job on a busy Sunday.

Apr 26, 2026; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets third baseman Bo Bichette (19) talks with catching coach J.P. Arencibia (68) following a 3-0 loss to the Colorado Rockies at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

3 DOWN

SOMETHING HAS GOT TO GIVE

This can’t go on any longer, can it? The Mets are a broken team and have now lost 15 of their last 17 games. Furthermore, they don’t look close to turning things around. Not only is this a fundamentally bad baseball team, but the players also seem incapable of adjusting on the fly. We’re seeing the same old mistakes and fatal flaws game in and game out. If that wasn’t bad enough, there just seems to be a real lack of effort and hustle, as well as no real pulse or heartbeat. This team isn’t doing anything with any real energy. With the season already on the brink, something seismic may have to happen in order to jolt the Mets out of their current malaise. Otherwise, it could be a very long and rough summer.

SAME OLD STORY 

How can an offense with the likes of Juan Soto and Bo Bichette be this bad? Against a team that lost over 110 games last year, the Mets lineup scored just one run over 18 innings on Sunday and were shut out for the fifth time this year. Furthermore, the offense managed just four runs in three games against Colorado, and has now put up a measly 38 runs in their last 16 games. If you want more damming evidence of just how bad the Mets are offensively, they’ve now scored one run or fewer 10 times. They’ve also scored two runs or fewer 14 times, and have lost on all 14 occasions. As a result, the 92 runs the Mets have scored this season are the fewest in all of baseball, as is the 3.28 runs per game average.

Stats aside, the eye test paints a more damming and concerning picture. The majority of the at-bats just look non-competitive, and the entire lineup seems to be stuck in a never-ending funk. Too many players are showing flashes only to then go ice-cold for prolonged stretches. There is no clear answer for why the lineup is struggling as badly as it is, and there appears to be no clear fix, either.

(NOT) GOING LONG

Freddy Peralta has been solid enough so far this year. In other words, he’s been good, not great. Or, rather, he’s started out great but then faded fast. As was the case on Friday night. Peralta pitched four scoreless innings but ran into trouble in the fifth and was soon pulled. Through his first six starts as a Met, Peralta has only pitched a full six innings once. He’s also pitching to a 3.90 ERA. It goes without saying that if the Mets are to salvage anything from this season, then they need Peralta to start offering both quality and quantity in his starts.

The post 3 Up, 3 Down: Mets Hit New Lows After Rockies Sweep appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

After the losing streak hit 12 consecutive games, the Mets finally put an end to the downslide by taking two out of three from the Minnesota Twins.

It wasn’t always pretty or straightforward, and the series win did come with a cost with Francisco Lindor picking up a potentially serious injury. However, it was important that the Mets stopped the losing and began to take positive steps forward.

On that note, let’s recap everything from the Minnesota series in the latest edition of 3 Up, 3 Down…

Photo By: Roberto Carlo

3 UP

ENDING THE STREAK

The nightmare officially came to an end on Wednesday night. After enduring a miserable 12-game losing streak, the Mets finally won a game of baseball. It wasn’t exactly a work of art, but the main thing was ending the slide and getting back in the win column. Then, this team managed to win again on Thursday for their first series win since the start of the month. The Mets still have a long way to go, but they took two positive steps forward against Minnesota.

COMING THROUGH

Even in snapping the losing streak on Wednesday, the Mets still struggled offensively. Therefore, it was a one-run game entering the final two innings, and Citi Field was on red alert. Enter Luke Weaver. The reliever worked out of a bases-loaded jam in the eighth, before coming back out for the ninth. He was stellar, striking out Byron Buxton to get the job done and secure the win. When his team needed a stabilizing presence with the pressure on, Weaver delivered and played a huge role in picking up a crucial win.

SHOWING LIFE

As already mentioned, the offense wasn’t exactly great in the win on Wednesday night. However, it was a different story on Thursday. The lineup exploded for 10 hits and 10 runs. Brett Baty led the way with a momentum-shifting, game-changing three-run homer in the first to set the tone. He finished the game with two hits, two runs scored, and an RBI. Carson Benge had arguably his best game in a Mets uniform with a home run, two runs scored, and an RBI. And then the Bo Bichette show happened. After the bullpen allowed the Twins to make it a tied ballgame, Bichette came up with his biggest moment as a Met with a three-run double that effectively won the game.

It was without a doubt Bichette’s breakthrough moment, with the infielder finishing with three hits, two runs scored, and three RBIs. Hopefully, Thursday night’s explosion can act as the turning point for both Bichette and the offense in general.

Apr 23, 2026; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets pitcher Christian Scott (45) delivers a pitch during the first inning against the Minnesota Twins at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

3 DOWN

HAMMER BLOW

Even when things go right for the Mets, things still go wrong. While finally winning on Wednesday should have been the headline, Lindor’s injury overshadowed everything else. The shortstop was forced to leave the game with a left calf strain. He is now on the 10-Day IL and admitted that there is concern around the injury. When Lindor will be back remains to be seen, but it doesn’t look to be any time soon. Just look what happened to this team when Juan Soto missed three weeks. Lindor looks set to miss more than that, which is a shame considering that he was showing signs of turning things around. He recorded four RBIs in the first two games against Minnesota. Now, the Mets will need to navigate life without one of their best players for the foreseeable future.

UNWANTED START

As one of the moves made to try and stop the losing, David Peterson was bumped from his latest start with Christian Scott getting called up. However, things didn’t exactly go to plan for both the player and the team. Scott was all over the place, walking five batters, hitting one, and also giving up a balk. He threw 33 pitches in the first inning alone. Granted, Scott only gave up one run, but he also lasted just 1 1/3 innings. Now, it may be possible that Scott was just too amped up for his first MLB start since 2024. Either way, Scott hardly did his chances of fighting his way into the rotation any good.

CONFUSION IN THE AIR

When you are chasing a second-straight win after dropping 12 in a row, the last thing you want is chaos in the bullpen. Well, that’s exactly what the Mets got on Thursday night. Huascar Brazobán, who had given up a grand slam in the eighth, came back out in the ninth only to hear Devin Williams‘ closer music playing. Brazobán was on autopilot mode and forgot the plan that he would only come back out if it was a tied game. However, having crossed the foul line, Brazobán was told that he must face one batter before Williams would be allowed to enter the game. Brazobán did his bit, retiring Austin Martin before Williams came in for the final two outs.

The Mets eventually got the win but not until after Williams gave up one run and three hits. That came after Williams had imploded in the ninth inning of Tuesday’s loss. Tasked with getting just two outs, Williams still nearly blew another lead. It is clear that the confidence issues that were impacting him early with the Yankees are impacting him now. Going forward, I’m not sure the Mets can afford to have a long leash on Williams.

The post 3 Up, 3 Down: Mets Snap Skid With Twins Series Win appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

The Mets look to win a series for the first time in what feels like 37 years tonight!

Last night, the Mets squeaked by the Twins 3-2 to snap their 12-game losing streak. It was a bittersweet end to a tough stretch as Francisco Lindor injured his calf and is now on the injured list. So once again, the Mets head into play tonight with one of their key bats. Ronny Mauricio is rejoining the team, and he’s coming off a tremendous game this week in which he hit three home runs. There’s a lot working against the Mets right now, but hopefully the team can push through!

Photo by: Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports

Mets Lineup

1. Bo Bichette – 3B
2. Juan Soto – DH
3. Francisco Alvarez – C
4. Luis Robert Jr. – CF
5. Brett Baty – RF
6. Mark Vientos – 1B
7. Marcus Semien – 2B
8. Ronny Mauricio – SS
9. Carson Benge – LF

Starting Pitcher: Christian Scott

Christian Scott returns to the majors! Scott made nine starts for the Mets in 2024, pitching 47 1/3 innings with a 4.56 ERA, 4.60 FIP, 1.204 WHIP and an 87 ERA+. He tore his UCL and spent all of 2025 recovering from Tommy John surgery. He’s made three starts in Syracuse this season with a 5.27 ERA over 13 2/3 innings. Home runs have been an issue (3), but he has struck out 17 batters. Only Josh Bell (1-for-5, BB, K) has faced Scott in a Major League game before.

Opposing Lineup

1. Byron Buxton – CF
2. Trevor Larnach – LF
3. Josh Bell – DH
4. Ryan Jeffers – C
5. Kody Clemens – 1B
6. Austin Martin – RF
7. Luke Keaschall – 2B
8. Brooks Lee – SS
9. Tristan Gray – 3B

The Mets’ bats draw the ace of the Twins staff, Joe Ryan. Ryan has made five starts this season, totaling 27 1/3 innings with a 3.29 ERA, 2.44 FIP, 0.878 WHIP and a 135 ERA+. Ryan has allowed only three earned runs, four total in his last two starts (13 innings). Last season, Ryan held the Mets to one run over five innings. The Mets have the following career numbers against Ryan:

• Bo Bichette 3-10, 2 BB, 3 K
• Francisco Lindor 1-3, K
• MJ Melendez 1-15, 4 BB, 10 K
• Tommy Pham 1-5, 3 K
• Luis Robert Jr. 0-9, BB, 6 K
• Marcus Semien 1-7, R, BB, 2 K
• Juan Soto 0-6, 3 K
• Tyrone Taylor 0-2, 2 K
• Luis Torrens 0-2, 2 K
• Mark Vientos 0-2

Game Notes

• The Mets sent Austin Warren to Triple-A Syracuse to make room for Scott.
• Ronny Mauricio is expected to get most of the playing time at shortstop while Francisco Lindor is on the injured list. Bo Bichette will remain at third base.
• Carlos Mendoza said he spoke to Mark Vientos about his base-running blunder on Wednesday, and Vientos now understands that he doesn’t have the green light to ignore signs from base coaches. Vientos said after Wednesday’s game that it was his “instinct” to try to score on Marcus Semien’s sixth-inning double despite getting a stop sign from third base coach Tim Leiper.

Three Things To Watch For

1. Juan Soto. Juan Soto went 1-for-3 with a walk at the plate yesterday. His single was the weakest ball that he hit all night, leaving his bat at 74.2 mph but with an xBA of 0.570. His other two outs were loud, though. He had a 104.3 mph lineout with a .680 xBA and a 104.2 mph flyout out with a .730 xBA. Here’s hoping he makes more hard contact this evening!
2. Sean Manaea. Manaea hasn’t pitched for the Mets since last Friday, and it was his worst outing of the season so far. He allowed five runs on six hits and a walk over four innings. It was a game in which Kodai Senga allowed the Cubs to take the lead early, and Manaea put the game out of reach for the offense at the end. Before that outing, Manaea allowed only three runs on 10 hits with six walks over 12 innings while striking out 10.
3. Contain Byron Buxton. Byron Buxton has gone 2-for-10 this series, hitting a critical home run in each game. Last night, Luke Weaver was able to get Buxton out to end the game last night, but he’s been a constant threat this entire series.

Let’s go Mets!

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After being swept by the Cubs in Chicago, the Mets have now lost 11 consecutive games and are 7-15 on the season. That’s tied for the worst record in all of baseball.

Furthermore, the Mets rank last in a number of statistical categories, including the most important one: runs. They also look incompetent in almost every single department.

With no signs of hope that a turnaround may be on the horizon, it remains to be seen just how much worse things could get. And, if they do, what changes, if any, may be in the offing.

For now, though, let’s recap everything from a third straight series sweep in this week’s 3 Up, 3 Down…

Matt Marton-Imagn Images

3 UP

SPARK PLUG

MJ Melendez hasn’t stopped hitting since getting called up from Triple-A. He’s the only member of the Mets who is hitting right now. He recorded a pair of hits in the series opener before hitting a home run in the finale on Sunday. Melendez has looked good at the plate so far, and he’s proving that he can be a contributing piece for this ballclub.

OPENING UP

The Mets went with an opener for Sunday’s game, with Tobias Myers providing some much-needed stability. The righty tossed two scoreless innings, striking out two while allowing just one hit and one walk. Given what happened earlier in the series on the pitching side, Myers not putting his team in an early hole should be considered a big positive.

RIGHTING THE SHIP

Moved out of the rotation on Sunday, having struggled to start the season, few could have blamed David Peterson for being ticked. Well, if he was, he didn’t show it. The lefty pitched out of the bullpen in relief, giving the Mets 3.2 scoreless innings of relief in the finale. It was a much-needed outing for Peterson, given his recent struggles. Hopefully, he can use it as a springboard to pitch in the rotation effectively.

Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

3 DOWN

ALL-TIME LOW

Forget rock bottom, the Mets are digging beneath it right now. They’ve lost 11 in a row, which is tied for the seventh-longest losing streak in franchise history. Historically, not many teams have been this bad and still made the postseason. Forget all the historical context, though. The most damming aspect about this historical streak is just how fundamentally bad this team looks from top to bottom. Hitters aren’t performing to the back of their baseball cards. The starting pitching has been a mess outside of the top two arms. We’re seeing mental mistakes and routine errors every single day. We’re still in April, but it is hard to see how the Mets are going to turn this around.

EMBARRASSING 

There isn’t much left to say about how bad this offense is. And nothing seems to be changing. The approach at the plate is the same, despite the lack of success and results. The Mets aren’t generating enough baserunners, and they are a non-threat on the basepaths when they do. There is no power. There is no making things happen. And the entire lineup seems incapable of adjusting on the fly. Consequently, the offense was a no-show again in Chicago, scoring a total of seven runs. The lineup also went a combined 5-for-26 with RISP. Furthermore, the Mets have now scored two runs or less in nine of their last 11 games. As a result, they rank second-worst in runs scored (72) in baseball, while owning the second-worst OBP (.288), SLG (.336), and OPS (.624).

And, while the pending return of Juan Soto will help, relying on one player to solve everything will only mean that this team really is in a whole world of trouble.

SALT IN THE WOUNDS

When you are on the kind of losing streak the Mets are, everything that can possibly go wrong will go wrong. We saw that on Sunday. Within touching distance of snapping a 10-game losing streak, Devin Williams allowed a game-tying RBI double in the ninth. The fact that it came off the bat of former Met Michael Conforto made it even worse. Then, in extra innings, Craig Kimbrel allowed the ghost runner to score to cap off what was yet another miserable weekend. That came after Brooks Raley gave up his first home run since 2023 to change the entire complexion of Saturday’s game. When it rains, it pours for the Mets right now.

The post 3 Up, 3 Down: Mets Swept By Cubs As Woes Continue appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

So, let’s check in on Christian Scott, Jonah Tong and Jack Wenninger, and see how they’ve been doing.

Christian Scott Photo by Ed Delany of Metsmerized

Christian Scott

Scott’s surface numbers aren’t good, but there’s significant context needed here. In three starts and 13.2 innings, Scott has a 5.27 ERA and 1.10 WHIP with 17 strikeouts and two walks. In his first start of the season, and his first non-spring training start since July 2024, Scott gave up nine hits and six earned runs in 3 and 1/3 innings. In his next two starts, he gave up four hits and two earned runs in 10 and 1/3 innings.

He got roughed up in his first start back from an elbow injury that cost him about a year and a half. You can pretty much toss that one in the trash. In his next two, he looked much better. Take a look at how his first start compared to the next two:

Images courtesy Thomas Nestico @TJStats on X.

Honestly, there’s no crazy difference in the quality of his stuff. His four-seam and sweeper both look good, with the only noticeable difference being in his hard slider and splitter. Even the chase and whiff rates looked great. The only true difference is that he simply got hit harder. This could have happened because he didn’t have his slider and splitter working as he would have liked in his first start, impacting the rest of his outing, or it could just be small sample size randomness. In his next two starts, he looked fantastic.

The splitter is the most interesting part of this picture. He threw it the last time we saw him in the big leagues, but it got hit HARD. He throws it almost exclusively to left-handed hitters, and he’ll need it to have success at the next level. In his nine MLB starts in 2024, Scott allowed a .942 OPS to lefties and a .532 OPS to righties. The splitter is important. If he can rely on it to get lefties out, he has a good chance at being a good MLB starter. If he can’t … he might struggle.

Scott is the closest to being MLB-ready. There’s a non-zero chance he starts for the New York Mets on Thursday in Senga’s spot. What that would mean for Senga, who knows. But that’s not Scott’s problem. And while that’s ultimately unlikely, he’s still the clear frontrunner to be the first one of the trio to get a call-up.

Jonah Tong
Photo by Ed Delany of Metsmerized

Jonah Tong

Tong’s stats have been bad; there’s no sugar-coating it. Through four games and 15 and 1/3 innings, he has a 7.04 ERA and 1.37 WHIP with 23 strikeouts and 10 walks. His FIP is 5.88, and his xFIP is 3.66, so maybe he’s gotten a bit unlucky, but he’s also given up hard contact, making it hard to chalk much up to luck.

With Tong, it’s important to remember he’s at Triple-A to work on pitches that aren’t his four-seam fastball and changeup. It might seem silly to say this, but the results aren’t the most important thing. They’d be nice! But really, what matters for Tong is just getting reps in throwing his cutter and curveball.

Take a look at how his arsenal has looked this year:

Images courtesy Thomas Nestico @TJStats on X.

I’m not going to pretend to be an expert on pitch shapes, but something here felt off. The initial card (left) had Tong throwing a slider, but it really looked like some cutters and some curveballs were being classified incorrectly. The seven “sliders” that I reclassified as cutters averaged 87.6 mph, well within the range of his other cutters. The seven “sliders” that I reclassified as curveballs averaged 80.4 mph, well within the range of his other curveballs.

After that, the new card (right) looks a little cleaner and gives Tong a definitive four-pitch mix. Who knows? Maybe he is actually throwing two different variations of a slider. I’m more confident in the ones reclassified to curveballs, but some of the reclassified cutters do have unique shapes. Maybe those actually are attempts to throw a slider. Some cutters look to blend in with his four-seam, but those were left unchanged.

It seems to me, though, that it’s more likely his cutter and curveball are inconsistent. He’s working on them, and in the process, some are being tagged incorrectly.

Now, onto the results of the new pitches. The good news is the cutter looks like it’s working. It’s creating a lot of swings and misses, and when hitters make contact, they’re not doing much damage off of it. The bad news is that the other three pitches have gotten crushed, including the four-seam and changeup. Those two are his two plus pitches, and they’re at least producing good whiff rates, so maybe it can be chalked up to small sample sizes. It could also simply be growing pains as he’s not only refining two pitches, but learning how to sequence with this new-look arsenal.

When it comes together, and it will, it will be time for him to return to the big leagues. Until then, though, he should keep working on it in Triple-A.

Jack Wenninger. Photo by Ed Delany of Metsmerized

Jack Wenninger

Wenninger is emerging as a top-end MLB prospect. He’s already a top 100 prospect on some lists, and by the mid-season update, he should be on all.

Through three starts and 13.2 innings this year, he has a 1.26 ERA and 1.19 WHIP with 15 strikeouts and 6 walks. Here’s what the mix has looked like this season:

Image courtesy Thomas Nestico @TJStats on X.

The fastball is fine, and the rest of the breakers are good. His calling card is his splitter (labeled a changeup here), a pitch Baseball America slaps a 70-grade on. It’s a filthy pitch. The other breakers also play, and he uses them throughout his starts. It would be nice if he were in the zone a bit more, but it’s not overly concerning as of now.

He’s reliable, gives a good innings floor, and turns in a good start seemingly every time out. In his three starts so far this year, he’s gone between 4 and 1/3 innings and 5 1/3 innings while allowing one earned run or fewer. Don’t worry about the slight lack of length either; it’s early in the season, and pitchers are still building up. Especially in the minor leagues.

Wenninger simultaneously has the highest floor and the lowest ceiling of this trio. That’s not a knock on him either. Wenninger is probably the highest-probability MLB starting pitcher still in the minor leagues for the Mets. He is really, really solid, and even if he doesn’t have an elite overall ceiling, he should have a good chance to stick in a big league rotation. Don’t be surprised to see him up before Tong, either. He’s much “safer,” and if Tong is still trying to nail down his cutter and curveball and the Mets have a need, it could be Wenninger.

The post Checking in on Scott, Tong and Wenninger in Syracuse appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

The manager can’t hit, he doesn’t blow saves and there is nothing he can do to heal Juan Soto. So I don’t think Carlos Mendoza is the problem with the Mets. There are many. But I think he is a problem, and it’s time for him to go.

Tiebreakers decided the Mets’ playoff fate last year, and in 2024, and if the Mets are going to turn this season around, it could very well come down to the wire again. I thought a handful of Mendoza’s questionable-at-best decisions cost the Mets a playoff spot last season. The extra-inning loss to the Cubs on Sunday was the second time this year I couldn’t make sense of Mendoza’s line of thinking.

Tie game, 10th inning, runner on third and one out, and Nico Hoerner is up. I don’t think pitching to him is even debatable. You set up the double play, and on deck is Michael Busch. Mendoza said after the game that if he put him on, Hoerner would take second base, so the double play would be out of order.

Well, first, I don’t agree with that assumption. (Do the Cubs want to risk Luis Torrens throwing him out?) But OK, let’s go with that. If we are to assume Hoerner takes second, then it seems fair to assume Craig Kimbrel threw a called strike. And if we take it that far, then would you rather see Hoerner (hitting .325) or Busch (hitting .164) with a 0-1 count? I’d take the free strike. (You could also walk two batters, which would set up the double play, and pitch to Alex Bregman. Not my cup of tea, but I’d still prefer that to going to Hoerner.)

In the third game of the season, Mendoza went to new Washington Nationals reliever Richard Lovelady to start the 10th inning, leaving Devin Williams, among others, unused. (He said after the Mets lost that game 4-3 that Williams was unavailable because he pitched the previous day and had warmed up two days before that, an explanation that I found lacking.)

Mandatory Credit: D. Ross Cameron-Imagn Images

I like Mendoza overall. I like that he seems to be a steadying presence in media interviews, even after tough losses like Sunday. I even like that he shuffles the batting order in ways I would never consider. Jared Young third? OK! Carson Benge leadoff? Get the rookie going! I keep in mind that a) the manager sees things I don’t, maybe Young looked wonderful in batting practice, and b) if you asked 10 Mets fans how to set the batting order, you would get 10 different answers.

But I fear sticking with Mendoza will continue to cost the Mets games here and there throughout the season. And that could be the difference between playing or watching come October. It may sound crazy to some, but I think with 140 games to go, all is not yet lost.

The post Is It Time to Move on From Carlos Mendoza? appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

When looking back in team history, the Mets still have a decent ways to go to match the franchise’s longest stretch of losing. In their inaugural season the Metropolitans lost 17 in a row culminating in a 40-120-1 record. To this day that 1962 season is one of the worst regular seasons in baseball history while also, unsurprisingly, features the longest stretch of losing in Mets history.

New York also has a pair of 15-game losing streaks (1963, 1982), a pair of 13-game losing streaks (1962, 1980), a 12-game losing streak (2002), and five 11-game losing streaks (1962, 1963, 1965, 1991, 2004). Specifically, on Saturday, it marked the third time the organization has suffered a 10-game losing streak (1965 twice).

Among the 13 losing streaks above which occurred over eight different seasons the Mets did not make the postseason in any of them. Actually, in each of those seasons they finished in either last or second-to-last in their division.

To further put their current 10-game losing skid in context, noted by Jeff Passan of ESPN, four teams in MLB history have lost 10 or more games in a row and made the playoffs. The last was the Guardians in 2025. Only one of those teams had a skid in April and still made the postseason: the 1951 Giants, who lost 11 consecutive.

The 10-game skid the Mets currently find themselves enduring would make a lot more sense if the team didn’t have sky-high expectations entering the season. New York was favored to win the National League East, trailed only the Dodgers in odds to win the National League pennant, and had one of the best odds to win the World Series. Now, history points to the team not even making the playoffs. It also extends a longer stretch of losing as the Mets are now 45-69 since beginning 45-24 in 2025. That 45-69 record is one of the worst in the big leagues over that time which is extremely disappointing given how high of expectations the organization has had over the last year-plus.

If there is any saving grace to the extremely grim picture manager Carlos Mendoza and his team finds themselves in, there are still 141 games to play. If you are going to have a lengthy losing streak, it is better to do it now than later in the season. However, it is also not encouraging in the slightest to have dug yourself a hole this large not even a month into the season. Hopefully, Sunday marks a type of turnaround for one of the most expensive teams in baseball.

The post How The Mets’ Current 10 Game Losing Streak Stacks Up In Team History appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

So far, he’s slashed .203/.197/.288/.485 across his first 16 games in 2026. He has yet to walk once.

Is this largely small sample size bad luck? Did he change anything with his swing? Or was last year largely just batted ball luck?

Let’s take a deeper look.

How Real Was 2025

From mid-April onwards, Baty showed off plus power metrics:

• 115.6 miles per hour Max Exit Velocity (91st percentile)
• 13% Barrel Rate (83rd percentile)
• 107.2 miles per hour 90% Exit Velocity (80th percentile)
• 90.5 miles per hour Average Exit Velocity (67th percentile)
• 46.8% Hard-Hit Rate (65th percentile)

He utilized this power to make up for his poor 80.1% zone-contact rate and below-average pull fly ball rate of 12.2%. While Baty did whiff more than you would like, he ran a well above average 23.9% chase rate.

Alongside his plus damage rates, Baty ran plus selectivity rates, including an 81st percentile 27.9 SEAGER (Selective Aggression Engagement Rate). He also performed well against fastballs, hitting .278 with a .459 SLG and he overall attacked hittable pitches.

Baty 2025underlying metrics seemed to largely match with his 2025 results. There may even be arguments that his SLG should have been even higher based on his damage rates.

So what changed in 2026?

2026 Damage Rates

So far in 2026, Baty has not been hitting the ball hard. Look at the same metrics from 2025:

• 110.6 miles per hour Max Exit Velocity (67th percentile)
• 7.3% Barrel Rate (46th percentile)
• 103.4 miles per hour 90% Exit Velocity (35th percentile)
• 89 miles per hour Average Exit Velocity (49th percentile)
• 36.6% Hard-Hit Rate (22nd percentile)

Part of Baty’s issue is that while he is still hitting fastballs well, he is struggling heavily against secondary pitches with his whiff rate climbing from an 27.9% to a well below average 37.7%

Baty is also pulling the ball in the air even less than he was in 2025, going from a 12.2% pulled fly ball rate to a 4.9% pulled fly ball rate.

Overall he is doing significantly less damage than he did last year when he makes contact, and he is not making enough contact for his poor damage rates.

Swing and Stance Change

Brett Baty has changed his stance since 2025. He is far less open going from 26.1 inches and 8 degrees from mid-April 2025 onwards to 23.3 inches and 2 degrees so far in 2026. In 2025, Baty’s highest whiff rates were on the outside part of the plate as well as the top of the zone. This stance change has helped in those areas, but it does not seem like an overall offensive improvement. He is striking out more than 2025, chasing more, and doing less damage. Baty also moved closer to the plate, likely also to try to cover the outer half better.

Typically a more open stance makes it easier to track pitches. It made sense in 2025 for a player like Baty who has plus bat speed but not plus pitch recognition to open his stance while taking the ball deeper because he could use that plus bat speed to still pull the ball when he wanted to.

But Baty moved his intercept point from -3.4 inches to +0.7 inches out in front of the plate. He is not taking the ball as deep in the zone as he did in 2025. This type of change is typically done to increase a player’s pull rate, the opposite of what his closed stance should do.

In theory, these changes should close some of the holes in the zone for him and increase his power output. But these changes typically need to go hand in hand with a level of pitch recognition that I cannot say with confidence Baty has.

Can Baty Turn it Around?

Through this date last year Baty did look worse under the hood in many important areas than he does right now.

2025 vs 2026:

• 76.1% vs 79% Zone Contact Rate
• 31.9% vs 28.9% Whiff Rate
• 41.9% vs 32.8% Strikeout Rate
• 0% vs 7.3% Barrel Rate
• 107.1 vs 110.6 miles per hour Max Exit Velocity
• 22.2% vs 29.3% Launch Angle Sweet Spot

Baty did pull the ball slightly more at this point last year – expected with the swing change – and had a better hard hit rate, though the sample size is small enough that the difference is not as meaningful as it looks at first glance. His chase rate is about the same and his walk rate of 0% is the same.

Baty showed in 2025 that he can address issues with his swing and fix them in season. In mid-April 2025, he opened his stance more, changed his attack angle, adjusted his bat tilt, moved his intercept point back, and swung harder overall. These all seem like changes that could help Baty again in 2026.

Maybe his swing changes to start this season will work and just need time for him to settle into them. Maybe he makes a mid-April swing change similar to 2025. Or maybe the Mets need to utilize his final option and send him to Syracuse to work through these issues, similar to what they did to fix the swing Francisco Alvarez created before the 2025 season with J.D. Martinez and his coaches at Maven.

It is too early to give up on Brett Baty for the 2026 season, but there are definitely reasons for concern. Ideally though, the step forward for him could be a swing adjustment away.

The post Analyzing Brett Baty’s Offensive Struggles appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

While still early, the last couple of weeks have been ugly, and the struggles continued with the Mets being swept by the Dodgers in LA. Over the course of the three games, New York was outscored 14-3. In all, the offense has managed a measly three runs over the last 38 innings.

Furthermore, mental errors continue to plague this team. The Mets are playing fundamentally bad baseball every single night. Players are making inexcusable, costly mistakes on a daily basis. It is just hard to watch.

So, let’s try to find a few positives while recapping all the negatives in the latest edition of 3 Up, 3 Down…

Photo Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

3 UP

TIMELY BOOST

While not directly related to the Dodgers series, the Mets did get some positive news in LA. Juan Soto, out with a right calf strain, resumed running this week. Furthermore, he took part in some live at-bats at Citi Field on Wednesday. As a result, the superstar hitter could return in time for the Mets’ next homestand. Given how lifeless this offense has been, Soto’s return can’t come quick enough.

ADDING A SPARK

Due to injuries, MJ Melendez was recalled from Triple-A and made his Mets debut on Wednesday. It was a debut to remember. The outfielder hit two doubles and finished with an RBI. With the rest of the lineup going a combined 3-for-28 with 12 strikeouts, Melendez at least tried to provide a much-needed spark. While it didn’t amount to anything, Melendez did show that he could be a contributor for the Mets at the Major League level.

THE NOLAN SHOW 

Nolan McLean is legitimate. Like, he really is the real deal. The rookie entered this season with high expectations, and he’s quickly justifying all of the hype. McLean was lights out in his latest start, allowing just one run on two hits with eight strikeouts over seven stellar innings. He gave his team every single opportunity to win. It was just a shame his offense didn’t get the memo. Nevertheless, McLean is continuing to show why many feel he could be the future face of this franchise. He flashed filthy stuff against LA while impressing with both his arsenal and his command. When McLean is operating at the peak of his powers, as he was on Tuesday, he’s going to be hard to beat no matter the quality of the opposing lineup.

Photo Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

3 DOWN

NO PULSE

There are few words remaining to accurately describe just how bad the offense is at the moment. Even without Juan Soto, there are no excuses for this lineup being this bad. Yet, 19 games in, and we’re approaching panic time with just how lifeless the entire offense is. Across the three games in LA, the Mets scored just three runs while being held to only 12 hits. Furthermore, they have managed just three runs total over the last 38 innings. If that wasn’t bad enough, the at-bats look lifeless and there appear to be no tangible signs of a turnaround. There is a lot of swing-and-miss with this team, not to mention a real lack of an offensive identity. Unless things turn around soon offensively, then the Mets could be in a lot of trouble.

AN UGLY MESS

“We’re not playing good baseball right now.” And manager Carlos Mendoza wins the most captain obvious statement of the entire year. Yes, the Mets aren’t playing good baseball right now. They are playing incredibly ugly baseball. They are whiffing on the very basic fundamentals of the game. And they are making sloppy errors that you would struggle to find in Little League. It is just a hot mess. Francisco Lindor failed to charge down a groundball that led to LA hitting a grand slam late in the series finale.

Francisco Alvarez was thrown out at second after misreading a play in the same game. Devin Williams struggled out of the bullpen on Wednesday. David Peterson threw yet another clunker in his latest start. All in all, the Mets aren’t helping themselves right now due to an inability to get even the basic fundamentals of the game right.

PILING ON

Everything tends to go wrong during the course of a losing streak. As so proved during the three-game stretch in LA. First, the Mets lost Jared Young for anywhere between 6-8 weeks with a left meniscus tear. Now, while not a major piece, Young has provided solid depth this year with a .391 on-base percentage. Perhaps more consequential was the news that a stint on the IL still hasn’t been ruled out for Jorge Polanco. The veteran was out of the lineup again on Thursday as he continues to deal with Achilles bursitis. Not only has Polanco been unable to log many reps at first base, but he’s also not produced offensively. He’s hitting just .179/.246/.286/.532 with one home run. There might be some concern that this lingering injury could lead to diminished production for the entire year.

The post 3 Up, 3 Down: Mets’ Woes Continue With LA Sweep appeared first on Metsmerized Online.