Morning Briefing: Let The Bidding Begin!

Photo: NY Times

Good Morning, Mets fans! As spring training 2.0 continues, we are getting closer to regular season baseball games.

Let’s take a look at what went on with the amazins’ and the rest of the league on Wednesday!

Latest Mets News

Prospective buyers for the Mets are supposed to have their bids in by today according to MLB Insider Jon Heyman who says Steve Cohen appears to be the current favorite to purchase the team after he has reportedly settled his differences with the current ownership group.

Mets TV and radio announcers will broadcast from Citi field for both home and away games, per Neil Best of Newsday.

Manager Luis Rojas confirmed that reliever Brad Brach has not been in camp yet (tweet from Justin Toscano of The Record).

Based off observations, The New York Daily New’s Deesha Thosar says Dellin Betances looked to be throwing harder during his scoreless inning of simulated play yesterday.

Steven Matz worked out with a group of MLB players including Brach in Nashville and spoke about how it has gotten him ready for live game action (story from SNY).

Rojas told the media he is very thankful that the Mets have several options at closer this season (story per SNY).

Jeff McNeil has showcased his power “crushing baseballs over the wall,” in batting practice so far in spring training round 2, per Anthony DiComo of MLB.com.

After missing camp over the weekend, bench coach Hensley Meulens has been back at camp for the past few days, says Tim Healey of Newsday.

Reliever Jacob Rhame was claimed off waivers by the Anaheim Angels. As a result, the Mets have added Ryley Gilliam to their player pool as the 51st player, per Jacob Resnick of MMO.

Yesterday marked the one year anniversary of Pete Alonso capturing the Home Run Derby title as a rookie (Tweet from Cut4).

Latest MLB News

According to ESPN’s Marly Rivera, during the MLB’s 8 day intake process, 3,740 saliva tests were conducted with only 58 players and 8 staff members testing positive for Covid-19 or (1.8%). In the first round of the next batch there was 2,111 tests with only 10 testing positive, 8 players, and 2 staff members.

Former Oakland Athletic’s catcher Bruce Maxwell declined general manager Billy Beane‘s offer to return to the team and is now calling out protesters asking where they were back in 2017, story from ESPN.

Cardinals pitcher Jack Flaherty plans on being more vocal in the hope to spread awareness towards racial injustice, story by Derrick S. Goold of The St.Louis Post-Dispatch.

Latest NL East News

After J.T. Realmuto went yard in his team’s scrimmage today, Bryce Harper could be heard from the dugout echoing to “sign him!” (Tweet from NBC Sport’s Jim Salisbury.)