Having previously lost four of five and seven of their last 11 going into the Rays series, the Mets were looking to stop the skid. They did exactly that by winning two out of three.

Without further ado, let’s recap everything from the three games in the latest edition of 3 Up, 3 Down…

Nick Morabito. Photo Credit: Rafael Suanes-Imagn Images

3 UP

DREAM NIGHT

Nick Morabito could not have scripted it any better. The rookie was called back up for the Rays series, and he made quite the impact on Wednesday night. Entering the game as a pinch-runner in the sixth inning, Morabito hit a bases-clearing double in the seventh. He added a single in the ninth and also made a superb diving grab in the outfield. While a small sample size, Morabito flashed promise that he could be an impactful everyday player in 2027.

DEBUT DELIGHT

Dylan Ross celebrated both his MLB debut and his 26th birthday on Tuesday night. His performance proved to be the perfect gift. Ross cruised through the dangerous Tampa lineup, needing just 11 pitches to put together a clean inning. Furthermore, Ross topped 99.2 mph on his fastball, while showcasing that he could become a part of this bullpen in the future.

BOUNCING BACK

Talk about rebounding. Robert Stock was shelled for seven earned runs in his last outing. However, on Monday, Stock was stellar on the mound. He tossed 5 1/3 scoreless innings, giving up just five hits with no walks and four strikeouts. It was a much-needed performance from the veteran, who earned his first MLB win since 2019. Plus, Stock’s excellent start set the tone for the rest of the series.

Freddy Peralta by Berto Carlo

3 DOWN

ONGOING REGRESSION

Sean Manaea is in a funk right now. The lefty has not been good for a hot minute now, and that continued in Tampa. He gave up five runs on 11 hits over just 5 2/3 innings of work on Tuesday, with three of those runs coming in the sixth inning. Manaea has now allowed 20 earned runs over his last five starts. It is confusing to try and work out what has gone so wrong for Manaea after he seemingly turned things around. Once again, Manaea’s future with the Mets appears to be very much up in the air.

REVENGE GAME

Compounding the Mets’ woes on Tuesday was an old face. Freddy Peralta, who was traded to the Rays earlier in the year, got his own back on his old team. He gave up just one run on three hits over six superb innings, while striking out seven hitters. It was exactly the type of start the Mets wished they had gotten more from Peralta during his time with the team. Overall, the Mets had no answer to their former starter, and it doomed them.

MELTING DOWN

Things were going smoothly for the Mets on Wednesday, with the entire team on cruise control. Owning a 6-0 lead, all was going to plan. However, it wouldn’t be the Mets without some drama. Chris Devenski entered the game and melted down, giving up three earned runs to make it a 6-4 game. Thankfully, the offense took over and put the Rays to the sword. But with that said, Devenski did not cover himself in any kind of glory.

The post 3 Up, 3 Down: Mets Take Down Rays appeared first on Metsmerized.

So, what is he doing differently, what has he improved, and what does this mean for the future?

Tong’s Breaking Pitches

One of the biggest throughlines of Tong’s season was whether or not he would be able to develop a good horizontal breaking pitch. He still has not really done that. His curveball does move close to seven inches on average but at 79.1 miles per hour with -12.3 inches of induced vertical break. He needs that pitch to either be faster with more spin, have more depth, or break further glove side, closer to 10 inches or better.

He has started to work in what looks like a gyro slider which over this stretch moved between three- and four-inches glove side at roughly 86 miles per hour. That is fine but not spectacular. It does tend to bleed into his cutter which comes in at 90 miles per hour with just shy of two inches of horizontal break. The cutter also profiles as a below average pitch.

What he has done well over the last eight starts is show consistency in the shape of these pitches. While none of the shapes are truly strong, that consistency has helped caused more separation between them. They are starting to look like three distinct pitches, not a blend of one-to-two pitches.

Personally, I question if Tong truly needs a plus breaking pitch to be effective as a major league starter at the major league level. We saw in his first major league start this season that increasing his curveball to 82 miles per hour helped elevate his other pitches. Naturally increasing the velocity also increased the spin rate. A faster curveball would lessen the speed differential between that pitch and his fastball making it more difficult to lay off that pitch, an issue he has faced even during this dominant stretch.

Currently, the curveball seems to exist just to make hitters see a different look at a pitch. If he threw it harder, it could turn into a pitch that is harder to read out of the hand in conjunction with his other pitches, elevating his entire arsenal.

In the meantime, though, his improved consistency with his breaking shapes has allowed him to better locate those pitches which has contributed to his success.

His Arm Angle Seems to be Back

Much was made of the fact when Tong returned to the majors his arm angle was much lower than in 2025. Steve Gelbs of SNY later revealed on a game broadcast that was not intentional. This drop in arm angle also lessened the movement profile and effectiveness of his fastball. I do not have exact arm angle readings for this recent stretch, but his release points seem to show that it is much closer to where it was in 2025 than in his 2026 major league stint.

With this arm angle return, his movement is back up on his fastball with it sitting near 19 inches of IVB in most of his starts. This has helped him run a 27.3% whiff rate on the pitch alongside a 39.8% whiff rate on his changeup. The whiff rate on both pitches are roughly 5% better than they were heading into this stretch.

Despite throwing from a higher arm angle, he still has the horizontal movement across all of his pitches that he was flashing when his arm angle was lower. As mentioned above, none of his glove side movement is amazing, but it is still an improvement from where it was in spring training.

Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

What Has Gone Well and What Hasn’t?

Obviously, the results in terms of ERA and WHIP are great across this stretch. FIP does not like him sitting at 4.91 though the high walk rate is likely a large reason behind that. That walk rate is significantly ballooned by two outings where he walked four batters. In every other start he walked two or fewer. Across his last three starts Tong ran a better but still not great but better 9.5% walk rate which led to a 3.51 FIP.

Tong’s 29.8% whiff rate across his last eight starts sits in the 72nd percentile while his 31.1% called strike plus whiff rate sits in the 82nd percentile. He excelled at limiting contact in the zone with a 75.6% zone-contact rate (87th percentile), limited hard contact with a 27.5% hard-hit rate (88th percentile) and he attacked the zone with an above average 48.7% zone rate.

He did struggle to keep the ball on the ground with only a 31.4% ground ball rate (13th percentile). When batters did make hard contact, it was typically in the air which led to an 8.8%-barrel rate (18th percentile). He struggled to generate chase with only a 21.6% chase rate, though that does make some sense with how much more he attacked the zone. His 11.8% walk rate was in the 44th percentile.

What Does This Mean for the Future

We may not need to wait long to see Jonah Tong back in the majors to see how these changes stack up against major league hitting. You can find a large spectrum of analysis and thought on how these changes will translate to success or struggle from the fine folks at Baseball Prospectus, to analysts like Lance Brozdowski, as well as recent breakdowns from Baseball America.

My take is that Jonah Tong right now looks like he could be a backend starter that should not see the lineup a third time through. What is unclear is if this is a largely developed version of Tong, or a new foundation for him to build on. If he could get that velocity and spin up on his curveball, could he turn into more of a mid-rotation starter? Now that he has started to create some separation between his cutter and slider could he start to get more glove side movement? Is there another velocity jump coming in the offseason that raises the entire arsenal? As it stands, I would not be surprised to see Tong as a low four ERA starter the remainder of the season with natural small sample variance baked in.

The big questions the Mets will have to ask themselves to revolve around what Tong’s realistic ceiling is, and how that compares to his ceiling as a reliever. Say he only had to face one inning worth of batters and could gas his velocity up to 97-99, working as largely a two-pitch pitcher between his fastball and changeup. Could that be a legitimate leverage arm, potentially even a future closer? Is that more valuable than what he can do as a starter? This is likely something the Mets will want to determine sooner rather than later if they want him to make an impact on the 2027 team, so he has the entire offseason to prepare. Otherwise, they may find themselves utilizing his second option in the spring and facing these same questions in a year.

At the least while Tong has not yet taken the big step forward that we would have hoped to have seen by this point in the season, he has undoubtedly made improvements. He is finally showing some separation and consistency with his secondary pitches and is doing so without losing the profile that made his fastball so exciting. He should be in the majors soon to put all of this to the test.

The post Analyzing Jonah Tong’s Recent Dominant Stretch appeared first on Metsmerized.

The Mets lost two out of three to Houston for their third straight series loss. As a result, they have now lost four of five and seven of their last 11.

Still, it is hardly about wins and losses at this point. There were some positives to take from the three games against Houston.

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

Nolan McLean by Berto Carlo

3 UP

RETURN OF THE KING

Juan Soto was activated from the IL over the weekend, and he made his presence immediately felt. The superstar recorded an RBI single in his first game back on Saturday. He followed that up with a solo home run on Sunday. In all, Soto finished with two runs scored and two RBIs over his first two games back. Even with nothing to play for, Soto’s return to the lineup ensures that games are still worth watching.

DOING THEIR JOBS

Both Nolan McLean and Zac Thornton stepped up to the plate in their respective starts in this series. McLean was stellar on Saturday, tossing seven innings of one-run ball with two hits, three walks, and four strikeouts. That marked McLean’s fourth straight quality start. Meanwhile, Thornton also did his part, providing five solid innings with two runs and five strikeouts on Sunday. With the end of the season nearing, McLean and Thornton keep providing hope for the future.

YOUNG AND FREE

Okay, yes, Jared Young committed an error on Sunday that led to two runs scored. That wasn’t great, although the Mets’ offensive struggles was the biggest reason for the loss. In any case, Young deserves to be in this category for his exploits on Saturday. The infielder recorded his first career three-RBI performance to go along with a three-hit day. Young proved to be the heart of the offense in the Mets’ only win of the series. Furthermore, he continues to show he can be a full-time contributor for this team.

Christian Scott by Berto Carlo

3 DOWN

MELTING DOWN

The bullpen was not great in this series. Nate Lavender allowed three inherited runs to score in the loss on Friday. Daniel Duarte gave up a home run in his outing on Saturday. Then, on Sunday, Jonathan Pintaro and Jefry Yan combined to allow four runs across just two innings. It is probably fair to expect some down days from the bullpen this late in the season.

GETTING TIRED?

Christian Scott may benefit from some extra rest down the stretch. The young starter is nearing the end of his first season post-Tommy John surgery, and it is possible that fatigue may be settling in. Scott held the Astros to just one run through the first five innings of Friday’s game, but walked three straight in the sixth to load the bases. That led to the deciding runs being scored. Scott just lost the zone, and he’s faded late in games before. This could be a situation worth keeping an eye on.

CONTINUED STRUGGLES

A.J. Ewing‘s slump at the plate continues. He went 0-for-7 with three strikeouts in the first two games of the series. Now,Ewing did finish strong with a walk, a double, a run scored, and a stolen base in the series finale. Still, he’s hitting just .152/.204/.378/.174/.378 over his last 12 games. Hopefully, Ewing can use his performance on Sunday to get the trainback on the tracks offensively.

The post 3 Up, 3 Down: Mets’ Struggles Continue in Series Loss to Astros appeared first on Metsmerized.

Obviously, if everything was going well Clifford would not have been put on this list. On the season Clifford is slashing .175/.267/.344 (.611 OPS). Both his 72.9% zone-contact rate and 37.9% strikeout rate are the worst in Triple-A while his 34.6% whiff rate is in the bottom five percent in Triple-A. He has been put on this list because there is something he needs to fix.

But what is the development list and what players have come off it to have success?

So What is the Development List?

Created in 2021 the development list allows minor league organizations to monitor prospect’s usage and development, while allowing the player to stay with the team to continue learning. It has been used for anything from helping to limit a pitcher’s pitch count to making large swing overhauls. It is for healthy players the team want to get more hands on instruction outside of game play.

Utilizing this list removes the player from that minor league team roster, also opening up a spot for another player to get playing time. In the case of Ryan Clifford, that player was Billy Amick. Instead of putting the player on the injured list with a “phantom injury” they can be put on the development list. Players also get to keep the salary for the level they are at while on the list.

Ryan Clifford. Photo Credit: James Farrance

What Players Have Had Success After Being on This List?

The biggest success story of a player put on the development list for performance is probably Geraldo Perdomo who was put on the list July 8, 2021. At the time Perdomo was slashing .151/.305/.204 (.509 OPS) in Double-A. When he returned from the list between Double-A and Triple-A across the remainder of the season he slashed .329/.414/.521 (.935 OPS) and even got the call to the majors at the end of the season slashing .258/.378/.419 (.797 OPS) across 11 games.

Perdomo has gone on to be a .253/.350/.374 (.724 OPS) hitter across 690 games which includes an all star appearance in 2023 and a fourth-place MVP finish and Silver Slugger Award in 2025. His major league success helped him earn a four-year $45 million contract.

A recent debut who was put on the list for offensive struggles was Joshua Baez. He was placed on the development list on July 30, 2024 and there were questions at the time about whether or not he would be protected in the rule five draft. At the time he was slashing .225/.306/.388 (.694 OPS) and was coming off a month where he hit .171 with only three extra bases. In his fifteen games after going on the list he slashed .340/.459/.500 (.959 OPS) and by the time he debuted in the majors he was considered one of the best prospects in the game. He started off his major league career with four home runs and while he has not done a ton in the few games since, he has the tools to have a strong major league career.

Evan Carter is a bit more of a mixed bag. He was put on development list on June 2, 2023 after struggling through May slashing .226/.321/.269 (.590 OPS). By the end of that season he debuted in the majors slashing .306/.413/.645 (1.058 OPS) across 23 games, playing a huge part in the Texas Rangers 2023 World Series win. He struggled in 2024 and has battled injuries across the last few seasons, but had a decent 2025 slashing .247/.336/.392 (.728 OPS).

A player who has not debuted but has drastically improved his stock is Arjun Nimmala who was placed on the development list May 14, 2024 while slashing .167/.280/.306 (.586 OPS). He returned in June and for the remainder of the season slashed. .263/.346/.565 (.911 OPS). MLB Pipeline currently has him ranked the 38th-best prospect in baseball and he was the centerpiece in the Jose Soriano trade at the most recent trade deadline.

Some players are moved for load management reasons like Jackson Merrill who performed well in 2023 with a .782 OPS before going on the list or Braxton Ashcraft in 2023 who at the time had thrown a career high innings pitched but had a 1.35 ERA in Double-A.

What Does This Mean for Ryan Clifford?

Going on the development list is not a death sentence. What it means is that he has legitimate issues that need to be addressed that the team felt could not be addressed through playing Triple-A games. We have seen him struggle and bounce back before. With the Mets in 2023 he slashed .188/.307/.376 (.683 OPS). He followed that up with seasons where he put up a .793 and then .826 OPS.

Clifford needs to figure out why he is struggling so heavily to make contact and see the ball. He still has incredible power but he is not walking in the minors at near a high enough rate (10.9%) to be a three true outcomes player. He also does not have the defensive profile that some of the players noted above have to fall back on. If he is unable to correct these issues it is possible he may not even be protected in the rule five draft. But it is still possible the Mets find the issue and are able to address it with time for Clifford to end 2026 on a high note.

The post What Is The Development List? appeared first on Metsmerized.

Over the course of the three-game set, the Mets scored just five runs. In all, they were outscored 19-5 by Milwaukee. Furthermore, there was also some bad pitching with the Brewers mainly beating up on their hosts.

Wins and losses don’t matter, of course, but we are starting to see the Mets come back to earth somewhat following a hot streak post-Trade Deadline.

On that note, let’s dive into the Brewers series in the latest edition of 3 Up, 3 Down…

Jared Young by Berto Carlo

3 UP

EARNING HIS PLACE 

No matter what happens now, Jared Young has secured his place on the Mets’ 2027 roster. The only question is just how big a role he will end up playing. Young recorded a hit in two of the three games against the Brewers, including an RBI double in the finale. More importantly, the former KBO player has proved to be a steady presence at first base. If the Mets go out and trade for a first baseman, then Young could offer useful depth. Or, if the Mets decide not to address first base, then Young has proven he’s up to the task. He’s a better fit there than Mark Vientos and Jorge Polanco, and he just keeps on producing.

THAT’S MORE LIKE IT

Francisco Lindor is proving that all the concerns over his struggles were overblown. The shortstop has looked more like himself lately, culminating in a statement game on Tuesday. Lindor had his fingerprints all over the walk-off win. He hit a solo home run and scored on the deciding play. However, more importantly, Lindor made just a stunning leaping grab in the ninth to save the game for the Mets. Lindor has struggled defensively this year, but his stellar play showed that he’s still a very good defender. Get ready for a monster Lindor season in 2027.

TRENDING UPWARDS

Zac Thornton continues to flash why he could be a real solid starter with strong upside in 2027. The rookie was solid in his latest start, shutting the door in the Mets’ only win of the series. Thornton allowed just one run over six innings, giving up seven hits while striking out four hitters with no walks. Thornton worked around plenty of trouble, showing once again that he has the makeup needed to gut out even tough starts. Furthermore, with a 2.88 ERA over his first 10 career starts, the lefty looks like the real deal. 

Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

3 DOWN

UNCLEAR FUTURE

Robert Stock was not good last time out. The veteran was shelled on Wednesday, giving up seven earned runs on 10 hits with two walks and two strikeouts across four innings. It was the second time in four starts that Stock had allowed seven or more earned runs. Furthermore, he has yet to really go deep in games. It is clear at this point that Stock has no real future in this rotation. While he will get at least one more start, maybe it would behoove the Mets to call up one of their young arms instead.

REAL REGRESSION

The Mets might have a Sean Manaea problem again. The lefty looked to have turned a real corner. However, his struggles from earlier in the year have seemingly returned. Manaea gave up six earned runs on eight hits with just three strikeouts over 5 2/3 innings. His struggles from the outset ultimately doomed the Mets. Consequently, Manaea has now allowed 14 earned runs over his last three starts. That is concerning, and it raises the question of who the real Manaea is. 

NO-SHOW

The offense didn’t really give the Mets a chance in this series. Even in the one win, the bats managed just three runs. In total, the Mets scored just five runs all series. They struggled to cope with Brewers ace Jacob Misiorowski, which is one thing. But they were also shutdown by Robert Gasser, who came in cold after Dustin May got hurt in the first inning. Furthermore, the big hit constantly eluded the Mets, who went a combined 3-for-21 with runners in scoring position, leaving a whopping 24 runners stranded on base. It seems that against tougher opponents, the lineup is coming back to earth. 

The post 3 Up, 3 Down: Mets’ Bats Struggle In Brewers Series Loss appeared first on Metsmerized.

Through 10 MLB starts, Thornton has pitched 56 1/3 innings with a 2.88 ERA and a 1.15 WHIP. Thornton is yet another success story for the pitcher development side, following in the footsteps of Nolan McLean and Christian Scott. And while Thornton has had tremendous surface level success, it was only until recently that the underlying metrics began to mirror the results.

Zac Thornton vs. Brewers

Over his last two starts, Thornton has made two dramatic adjustments.

First, Thornton has tapped into more raw velocity. His four-seam fastball averaged 91.9 mph across his first eight starts; over his last two outings, it has averaged 92.6 mph. While a 0.7 mph jump might seem modest, for a pitcher in the 16th percentile in average fastball velocity, that extra tick creates vital separation between his fastball and his cutter, his second most frequent offering.

Second, Thornton has adjusted his pitch mix. In his first eight starts, Thornton leaned heavily on his cutter (38.7%) and his fastball (35.8%) while throwing his slider 19.7% and virtually never throwing his curveball (2.3%). Over his last two starts, Thornton has pumped his curveball usage up to 7.5% and his slider to 21.3%.

This shift aligns with his Stuff+ metrics. Per Fangraphs, Thornton’s best pitch is his curveball (115, where 100 is league average). In contrast, his fastball is a 95 according to the Stuff+ model. By leaning more heavily into his high graded breaking stuff, 115 Stuff+ curveball and 97 Stuff+ slider, Thornton is leaning into his strengths and expanding his arsenal.

These usage adjustments are already paying dividends in his plate discipline and batted-ball profiles:



Earlier in the year, Thornton’s pristine ERA was largely the result of favorable batted ball luck resulting in a .256 opponent BABIP (he has a .375 BABIP in his last two starts). He wasn’t striking hitters out much with only 29 strikeouts in 45 1/3 innings, wasn’t generating a high groundball rate 40.8%, ( Clay Holmes sits at 56%), and allowed hard contact (9% barrel rate and 41% hard hit rate).

In his last two starts, despite throwing more strikes in the zone (54.3%), his is generating significantly more chase (34.9%) and inducing softer contact (84.4 average exit velocity). The result is an underlying profile that finally validates his performance: 3.27 ERA backed by a 3.23 xERA and a 2.87 SIERA.

Ten starts remain a small sample size, and these numbers will continue to shift over the final month of the season. But if Thornton can maintain this velocity bump while continuing to optimize his pitch mix, the Mets may be able to write his name into the 2027 rotation in pen rather than pencil.

The post Zac Thornton Through 10 MLB Starts appeared first on Metsmerized.

The Milwaukee Brewers, who own the best record in MLB, are set to arrive in New York for a three-game series. New York will have to contend with some of the Brewers’ best pitchers, including the formidable Jacob Misiorowski.

There is plenty to get into, so let us dive into it!

Zac Thornton vs. Brewers

Tuesday: Zac Thornton (3-4, 3.04 ERA) vs. Kyle Harrison (10–3, 2.84 ERA)

• In his latest start, Thornton ran into a bit more trouble than he has been used to in 2026. Against the Padres, the lefty surrendered three earned runs and gave up seven hits. However, Thornton also struck out seven batters and only walked one batter. Outside of being tagged by the long ball, the lefty has been rock solid and a key piece of the Mets’ rotation. He has done a great job mixing pitches and attacking batters; his 7.0% walk rate is in the 73rd percentile in the sport this season. Thornton threw six shutout innings against the Brewers back in July.
• Kyle Harrison has been simply fantastic for the Brewers, and he has been rolling throughout the month of August. Harrison twirled five innings of shutout baseball against the Mariners in his last start, striking out eight batters in the process. On the year, the lefty has 122 strikeouts and a 30.3% strikeout rate. The Brewers acquired him in the offseason from the Red Sox for Caleb Durbin.

Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

Wednesday: Robert Stock (0–2, 5.40 ERA)  vs. Dustin May (6–8, 4.57 ERA)

• Robert Stock, outside of one blowup start, has been solid for the Mets through four starts. In his most recent outing against the Padres, Stock went 4 1/3 innings, allowed two hits, allowed only one run, and struck out six batters. He did walk three batters, but he worked around the baserunners and helped the Mets stay in the game. Stock will not blow batters away, but he avoids hard contact at a high rate (27.1%) and generates whiffs at a good rate of 26.8%.
• Dustin May has had his struggles in 2026, but when he is right, the pitcher has some of the best pure stuff in baseball. August has been a month full of struggles for May, as he has a 6.00 ERA and given up seven runs in his last start. Outside of that outing, though, May has struck out five or more batters in four of his last five starts.

Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images

Thursday: Sean Manaea (4–5, 4.31 ERA) vs. Jacob Misiorowski (13–5, 1.68 ERA) 

• Manaea has been tagged in his past two outings, but he is still giving the Mets decent length on a consistent basis. Against the White Sox, the lefty allowed four runs on five hits, including three home runs. However, he still went six innings and struck out four batters, taking a no-decision in the process. Manaea, no matter the opponent, has given the Mets solid innings at the back end of the rotation.
• The Miz has not been invincible, but he has been the best pitcher in baseball this season. In 24 games, the dominant right-hander has a whopping 216 strikeouts and 13 wins on the season. Misiorowski has averaged 100.6 miles per hour on his fastball, has a 35.3% chase rate, and a 37.9% whiff rate. Simply put, the Mets are in for the challenge of all challenges to close out this series.

The Main Storyline

Ahead of this series, my main storyline to watch is the continued progression of the lineup.

Carson Benge has been playing like a superstar lately.A.J. Ewing continues to progress as a player, while Francisco Lindor is a mainstay in the middle of the lineup for New York. Bo Bichette and Luis Robert Jr., along with Jared Young, have been very solid as of late.

New York needs to keep building the foundation for their 2027 lineup. The overall group has the potential to do damage next season, and with the correct focus and progression, they can build to a point where they hit the ground running in 2026. For that reason, and more, it is my main storyline of the week.

Player to Watch 

In the latest early-week series for the Mets, I am concentrating on Bo Bichette.

Through this point of August, the third baseman is hitting .316 with a .929 OPS. He has four home runs and 13 runs batted in, along with drawing seven walks. Working with a much better approach at the plate, Bichette looks locked in and is playing at the best level that he has all season long.

The post Series Preview: Mets to Host MLB’s Best Brewers appeared first on Metsmerized.

Both losses were nail-biters, while the Mets’ only win of the series featured a home run explosion. Still, it was a crushing way to lose a series.

Although there were plenty of positives to take from Chicago, the Mets are now 59-72 on the year.

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

Bo Bichette by Berto Carlo

3 UP

BO TO THE FUTURE

It would be stunning if Bo Bichette doesn’t opt in next season. He’s owed $42 million, and he won’t get that on the open market. While that is a hefty price tag, Bichette opting in would be good news for the Mets. Yes, he got off to just an awful start in a Mets uniform, but he’s been red-hot in the second half of the season. The infielder is hitting .297/.340/.467 over his last 84 games. Furthermore, over his last 32 games, Bichette is slashing .310/.357/.473 with seven doubles, four homers, 16 runs scored, and 15 RBIs. We saw just how locked in Bichette is over the weekend. He hit homers in back-to-back games. More importantly, the veteran is looking more and more comfortable, and he’s clicking at the right time. That’s a very good sign for 2027.

TO THE MOON

Luis Robert Jr. clearly enjoyed his return to Rate Field over the weekend. The outfielder was booed upon his homecoming, but got the last laugh. Robert Jr. launched a couple of monster home runs, with both shots leaving the bat at 109 mph and traveling over 400 feet. It was the outfielder’s first multi-home run game for the Mets. Furthermore, Robert Jr.’s big night was a reminder of the talent he possesses. His power can take over games, as was the case on Saturday.

DOING HIS JOB

Nolan McLean certainly did all he could on Sunday. The righty was stellar in the series finale, tossing six scoreless innings. McLean walked four batters but struck out six, allowing just one hit. Consequently, he has now allowed one run or fewer over his last three starts. Furthermore, McLean owns a 1.97 ERA over his last 10 starts with 62 strikeouts over that span. In other words, McLean is trending in the right direction and is looking more and more like an ace.

John Jones-Imagn Images

3 DOWN

PITCHING MELTDOWNS

Both of the Mets’ losses were nail-biters, and pitching cost them on both occasions. In the opener on Friday, Sean Manaea cruised through five innings before giving up three consecutive home runs. Jefry Yan, who celebrated a strikeout prematurely before walking a batter, then gave up the walk-off two-run shot. Then, on Sunday, Kodai Sengawas asked to pitch on back-to-back days for the first time this season. However, the plan backfired with Senga allowing a walk-off homer to end the game. The Mets were walked off twice in this series, and bad pitching was at the heart of it.

ROOKIE SLUMP

A.J. Ewing has been a revelation ever since being called up earlier this year. However, he’s now mired in his first rookie slump. Ewing has clearly hit a wall, hitting just .130/.216/.152/.368 with 18 strikeouts, one extra-base hit, and no RBIs over his last 12 games. The struggles stretch back a little further too. Ewing looks lost at the plate, and he struck out with the bases loaded late in the finale. Slumps are normal for all rookies, but the Mets will be hoping Ewing can break out of his sooner rather than later.

DOWNWARD TRAJECTORY

It is time to be really concerned about Francisco Alvarez. The catcher is struggling at an alarming clip. He was a non-factor in Chicago outside of a walk and a hit in the middle game of the series. In total, Alvarez struck out seven times against the White Sox. As a result, he’s now struck out at least twice in 11 of the 17 games he’s played in August so far. That isn’t good. Alvarez clearly has power and talent, but he’s swinging at everything and has no plate discipline whatsoever. If he’s going to be a factor for this team going forward, Alvarez will need to make major changes during the offseason.

The post 3 Up, 3 Down: Mets Endure Double Heartbreak In Chicago appeared first on Metsmerized.

Matt Marton-Imagn Images

Offensive Player of the Week: Luis Robert Jr., OF

When a player closes in on slugging close to 1.000 over a week, it is hard to argue anyone else has earned the title over them. Between August 17 and 23, Luis Robert Jr. slashed .313/.429/.938/1.366 with three home runs, four runs scored and five runs batted in. He did this while taking some of the first reps in left field of his career.

SO NICE, HE DID IT TWICE!

Luis Robert Jr. CLOBBERED his second home run of the night in his return to Chicago. 💣

This time off former Met, Huascar Brazobán. pic.twitter.com/OAeJaibHbw

— Metsmerized Online (@Metsmerized) August 23, 2026

Luis Robert Jr. accomplished this by hitting the ball extremely hard. Over the week, his 98.9 miles per hour average exit velocity was the best in baseball; his 114.6 miles per hour single off White Sox pitcher Erick Fedde was one of the hardest-hit balls of the week, and his 109 miles per hour 90% exit velocity was in the top three percent. Both his 69.2% hard-hit rate and 38.5% barrel rate led MLB last week.

When Luis Robert Jr.’s ceiling is discussed, this is what has analysts salivating.

Rafael Suanes-Imagn Images

Pitcher of the Week: Nolan McLean, SP

Nolan McLean made two starts over the last week, allowing only one run to score across his 12 innings of work. With his 0.75 ERA and 1.25 WHIP, his season ERA is creeping closer to 3.00 as he establishes himself as a true candidate for Rookie of the Year. He struck out nine, and his only blemish was walking eight.

McLean continues to limit hard contact and over these two starts ran a 32.3% hard-hit rate, which was in the top fourteen percent. He did not run gaudy strikeout numbers, but kept the ball on the ground at a 48.4% rate. This is likely because he relied heavily on his sinker, throwing it 36.9% of the time. When he did want swing-and-miss, he relied on his curveball, which ran a 40% whiff rate. It was his second most used pitch and is arguably his best. He kept hitters off balance, throwing seven different pitches, with the hardest reaching 97.9 miles per hour.

Carson Benge by Berto Carlo

Honorable Mention: Carson Benge, OF

Carson Benge would have been the clear offensive option if Robert Jr. did not have the week he did. Benge has been forcing his name into deeper Rookie of the Year consideration, and his week slashing .375/.375/.667/1.042 has helped catapult him up the ROTY rankings. This included two home runs, five runs scored, four runs batted in, and a stolen base. Since making a swing change in May, Benge has been one of the best hitters in the sport.

From August 17 to 23, Benge showed off his incredible contact ability with a 91.2% zone-contact rate, placing in the 90th percentile. His 12% whiff rate was in the 97th percentile. He did not have one of the hardest-hit balls, maxing out at 106 miles per hour, and both his barrel and hard-hit rate were around average, but his 105.5 miles per hour 90% exit velocity was in the 74th percentile. While he has not had crazy high-end velocities, Benge has shown he can reach the upper end of his exit velocities, and his 90% EV showed he continued this last week.

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The 2025 Dodgers’ World Series Roster contained only one primary reliever making over $10 million must have been an anomaly, as long as you ignore the 2024 Dodgers’ World Series roster where their highest-paid reliever, Joe Kelly, who was making $8 million, was not even on the roster. The 2023 Rangers’ top reliever was making $6.25 million dollars. The 2022 Astros are the most expensive bullpen of recent years, with two relievers making over $10 million and Hector Neris making $8 million.

In addition to that, the Brewers and Rays year after year have some of the least expensive bullpens, but rank among the top performers in the sport. Not that having an expensive bullpen full of established relievers is a bad thing to be clear. Just that the league has seen that it is not a secret equation to build a great bullpen.

So what is the similarity between these high-performing bullpens if teams are not just stocking up on the most expensive and established arms like they are infinity stones?

Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns explained what goes into a good bullpen at the Winter Meetings before the 2024 season, saying, “I think there’s a desire to have a diversity of looks and stuff out of a reliever. Velocity is a part of that. Velocity is not the entire package there. So, yeah, I’d like to have a couple of guys who can really bring it out of the pen. I’d also like to have some different looks. And there are plenty of guys throwing in the high 80s that are doing a good job in the bullpens these days.” In September of that 2024 season, Will Sammon of the Athletic broke down how that philosophy shaped the Mets bullpen.

At first there were some growing pains for the Mets, who under Stearns had to largely build that bullpen from scratch. Their bullpen across 2024 ranked seventeenth in ERA and thirteenth in Fangraphs WAR. In 2025, they were fifteenth in ERA but were sixth in WAR. So far in 2026, it is sixth in ERA and eighth in WAR.

Mets bullpens have also changed significantly as each individual season has gone on. Stearns has no issue cutting bait with a reliever if it is not working and adjusting around what is working. After a rough first few months, in the second half of 2024 the Mets were eleventh in ERA and tenth in WAR. Before the 2025 trade deadline, the Mets were sixth in ERA and sixth in WAR. If there is ever an argument for not prioritizing a name value reliever, the Ryan Helsley trade is the poster child.

Since the 2026 trade deadline, despite trading away most of their established arms and losing their closer, Devin Williams, to injury, the Mets have the sixth-best ERA and are eleventh by WAR with a bullpen full of names that make many Mets fans each night look at the box score and go “who?”

The New Closer

Let us start at the top with the current closer Kodai Senga. After struggling to return as a starter in 2026, undergoing yet another injury, the Mets have finally converted Senga into a single-inning reliever. Across six games, he has a 1.50 ERA and a 1.00 WHIP with four saves in four opportunities. It is a very small sample size, but we have seen how pitching in short outings drastically improves his pitch mix and effectiveness.

In this role, he is able to juice his velocity up to 97 miles per hour, which creates further separation from his forkball, making that pitch play up. Heading into August 21, that forkball was running a 66.7% whiff rate. He has thrown his fastballs and forkball 90.6% of the time as a single-inning reliever, seldom mixing in his sweeper, slider, and cutter. He is at his best when he is throwing his best pitches more.

His forkball is such a unicorn in baseball, and his ability to pair that with a high-velocity fastball as a reliever puts him alone at the top here.

Low Slot Pitch Diversification

Jonathan Pintaro (23 degrees) and Austin Warren (26 degrees) are both right-handed pitchers who throw six different pitches. The arm slot and ability to flummox batters with a deep pitch mix is all these two share in common, though. Pintaro is a cutter-heavy starter who throws three different fastball shapes while mixing in a changeup, sweeper, and curveball. This has helped him pitch to a 3.72 ERA and 1.09 WHIP. Since returning to the bullpen in August, he has pitched to a 1.29 ERA.

Warren meanwhile relies heavily on his sweeper as his primary pitch while his sinker generates weak contact on the ground. He goes to his four-seam fastball when he wants whiffs and mixes in a curveball, cutter and changeup. He was dominating before the two outings that led to his injured list trip, and his return to the bullpen is welcomed.

Glove Side Lefties

Both Nate Lavender, with his 0.00 ERA and 0.39 WHIP, and Jefry Yan, with his 4.26 ERA and 1.89 WHIP, throw sliders with good glove side movement and fastballs with roughly 17 inches of induced vertical break and six inches of arm side movement. Where they differ the most is velocity, with Yan topping out over 100 miles per hour and Lavender sitting around 92-93. Yan throws two fastball shapes between his sinker and four-seam while Lavender throws a sweeper and a changeup. Both have arm angles in the 40s and have success built around strong whiff rates.

I would argue that Lavender’s deceptive delivery, pitch mix, and extension should make him the better option for leverage – something that the most recent outing potentially exemplifies – but in general their differences complement each other. So far, Nate Lavender has made the full argument to be in the 2027 opening day bullpen while Jefry Yan is definitely in the conversation for the second lefty spot. At the worst, with his options, he has the opportunity to earn plenty of innings over the next few years.

Chase the Sweeper

While Lavender and Yan have built their games around high whiff rates, neither Daniel Duarte nor Jack Weisenburger generate much swing and miss, both sitting around 23%. This does give me some pause in projecting their future success, as chase rates around 40% like they are both running tend not to be sticky, but being able to cycle up and down relievers with this trait is beneficial to the overall bullpen build. Weisenburger was running a 56.3% chase rate on his sweeper before he got optioned, while Duarte has been running a 44.9% chase rate. Weisenburger also gets significant chase on his sinker, while Duarte gets significant chase on his cutter. Duarte has been nearly perfect with the Mets running a 0.82 ERA and 0.59 WHIP, while Weisenburger’s 2.08 ERA and 1.15 WHIP across his 4 1/3 innings of work was a great first look in the majors for the 28-year-old.

Overpower With Stuff, Wherever it Goes

Chayce McDermott has some of the best stuff of any Mets reliever, with stuff models from both TJStats and Fangraphs logging him with multiple elite-ranking pitches. His issue is that he struggles to command most of his pitches. With the Mets, he has begun to attack the zone more, but he is still below average. But when he is commanding his pitches, he overpowers hitters, running both high whiff rates and significant chase. Multiple teams now have taken a shot on him because of how he can pepper the top of the zone while also getting outs on pitches outside the zone. He also tunnels his cutter and slider well, which helps him generate both whiff and chase on both pitches.

Over the Top Weak Contact

It may be a stretch calling Xzavion Curry over the top, but his 56-degree arm angle is on the higher side. Tobias Myers and his 64-degree arm angle fit that better; he will likely get some time in the bullpen to end the year, is more over the top but also fits a lot of what I have to say about Curry.

Curry does not rely heavily on whiff or chase and typically pitches to contact. He utilizes a deep pitch mix and multiple breaking balls to generate weak contact, mostly in the air. His unusual arm angle helps him to confuse hitters even when he sees them a second time. Curry was optioned but likely will get more innings as needed.

A Simple Power Pitcher

I am not going to pretend the results have been good for Dedniel Núñez in his 5 1/3 innings of work with his 10.13 ERA and 2.25 WHIP. At the same point, he is returning from Tommy John surgery and probably deserves a bit of an adjustment period.

What he does provide is both velocity and spin to overwhelm hitters. His spin rates on his slider are not the elite level they were before surgery, but they have increased since his first rehab assignment and ideally will continue to climb. He is still overpowering batters with a 45.5% chase rate and 47.1% whiff rate on the pitch. He has thrown as hard as 98.4 miles per hour on his fastball and is running a 30% chase rate, though the swing and miss is not there yet. Both pitches still rate above average, and he is attacking the zone and limiting walks.

What Can We Learn From This?

What we see here is how a bullpen that has many different looks can confuse hitters and keep them off balance. Imagine going from Yan throwing 100-mile-per-hour fastballs and heavy sliders from the left side to Daniel Duarte peppering six different pitches around the zone and medium to low velocity. Then the next night you see Dedniel Núñez overpowering with velocity and spin from the right side, followed by Nate Lavender throwing from the left side with a deceptive delivery that plays up his lower velocity mix and then handing it off to Senga and his unique forkball to close out the game.

When you have a bullpen that complements itself well, you can have success no matter the dollar amount. The Mets bullpen since Devin Williams went on the injured list has sat around only $20 million, and the majority of that is Kodai Senga. He is also the only truly established arm in the bullpen, and even he is relatively new to being a reliever.

Finally, being able to adapt, ride the hot hand, and adjust to changes across the bullpen will help the Mets continue to have success. We will likely see multiple more arms join this bullpen with guys shuffling up and down as the Mets continue to evaluate who should be on their 2027 roster. But so far, they have performed as well, if not better than, they did with Luke Weaver, Brooks Raley, and Huascar Brazobán, all of whom have not performed as well with their new teams as they did with the Mets.

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