Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
Good morning, Mets fans!
Pete Alonso fell short in his attempt to defend his Home Run Derby crown, bowing out in the semifinals. Alonso snuck past Ronald Acuña Jr. in their first-round matchup, but couldn’t do much about Mariners phenom Julio Rodríguez cranking 31 homers in the semis. After their matchup, Alonso praised Rodríguez for his efforts, saying that Rodríguez “put on an absolute display of what a Home Run Derby should be.” Rodríguez went on to hit 18 more homers in the final round but was defeated by Juan Soto.
Jeff McNeil will bat ninth and start at second base in the All-Star Game tonight. He is starting for the injured Jazz Chisholm Jr..Alonso, Starling Marte and Edwin Diaz are also All-Stars. The game starts at 8 p.m. ET at Dodger Stadium.
The MLB draft also concludes today with rounds 11-20.
Latest Mets News
Ender Inciarte has cleared waivers and elected free agency. The former Gold Glover was designated for assignment last week.
Longtime Spanish-language radio announcer Juan Alicea passed away yesterday morning at the age of 85. Alicea first joined the organization in 1969 and called over 4,000 games for the team, also serving as a scout and in the front office.
On day 2 of the MLB Draft, the Mets drafted five right-handed pitchers in Brandon Sproat (Florida), Tyler Stuart (Southern Miss), Jonah Tong (Georgia Premier Acadamey), Dylan Tebrake (Creighton), and Zebulon Vermillion (Arkansas). They also drafted shortstop D’Andre Smith out of USC and third baseman Jacob Reimer from Yucaipa High School in California.
Latest MLB News
Shane McClanahan and Clayton Kershaw will start the All-Star Game on the mound today. This is the first time either pitcher has received the honor. It was also announced that if the game is tied after nine innings, the game will be settled in a Home Run Derby, where each manager will select three players who will get three swings each.
The Angels placed Mike Trout on the 10-day IL with rib cage inflammation. In other news surrounding Trout, he announced he will play for Team USA in the 2023 World Baseball Classic and will serve as the team’s captain. In more Angels news, the team claimed infielder Phil Gosselin off waivers.
Bruce Bochy will manage Team France in the World Baseball Classic. The three-time World Series champion was born in France but went to high school and college in Florida. He retired from managing following the 2019 season.
The U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee has sent a letter to Rob Manfred regarding Major League Baseball’s antitrust exemption. The committee wants to know if Manfred can ensure that the league won’t contract any more minor-league teams. Manfred has until July 26 to respond.
Latest on MMO
Alexis Farinacci breaks down a couple of the Mets’ draft picks from day 2.
John Sheridan explains why Kevin Parada shouldn’t be viewed as a replacement for Francisco Álvarez.
Nate Mendelson assesses how the Mets’ coaching staff has performed in his first-half report card.
On This Date in Mets History
1986: Ron Darling, Tim Teufel, Bob Ojeda, and Rick Aguilera are arrested in Houston in the early-morning hours after getting into a fight with off-duty police officers outside a bar. All four players are released in time for their game that evening though, with Darling and Teufel eventually getting fined $200.
2015: The Mets leave 25 men on base, but manage to escape Busch Stadium with a 3-1 win in 18 innings against the Cardinals. The game was scoreless until the 13th when Kevin Plawecki drives in Curtis Granderson with an RBI single, but Kolten Wong responds with a game-tying homer off Jeurys Familia. The Mets finally come through in the 18th with two runs on a sacrifice fly from Rubén Tejada and a squeeze bunt by Eric Campbell. Jon Niese pitches 7 2/3 shutout innings, and Carlos Torres gets the win by throwing two shutout innings of his own.
2016: Rene Rivera drives in the go-ahead run in the ninth inning with a single, and Jeurys Familia pulls a Houdini act as the Mets steal one from the Cubs at Wrigley Field, 2-1. Familia loads the bases with none out with two walks and a bunt single but induces Kris Bryant to ground into a game-ending double play.
2021: In a wild, back-and-forth affair, the Mets score five runs in the 11th inning to defeat the Reds at Great American Ballpark, 15-11. The Mets fell behind 7-3, but end up taking the lead thanks to homers from Dominic Smith, Michael Conforto, and James McCann. After Edwin Díaz allows a game-tying double to Jesse Winker in the ninth, the Mets retake the lead in the 10th on McCann’s RBI single, only for the Reds tie it again on Tyler Naquin‘s RBI single. In the 11th, Kevin Pillar hits a three-run homer, and Conforto follows with his second homer of the game. Anthony Banda ends up the winning pitcher.
