Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports
Good morning, Mets fans!
The New York Mets fell to the Philadelphia Phillies by a score of 4-2 on Friday night and now find themselves 0.5 games out of the lead in the National League East division. It’s the first time since May 7 the Mets have not led the division.
The Mets bats were silent again, registering just five hits. Marcus Stroman threw five solid innings giving up just two earned runs but got the loss. Their record is now 56-53 and they have lost seven of their last ten games.
Rookie Tylor Megill (1-1 2.68) looks to right the ship for the Mets on Saturday. Megill has made eight starts in his career and was solid in his first seven but was beat up in his last start against the Miami Marlins, giving up four earned runs in five innings. Left-hander Ranger Suarez pitches for the Phillies. Suarez was recently added to the Phillies rotation, making just one start in 2021. He has pitched in the Phillies bullpen for the majority of the 2021 season and has been solid, registering an ERA of 1.04 in 43.1 innings. He has a staggering WHIP of .082.
Latest Mets News
The mystery behind Mets prospect Mark Vientos has been solved. Vientos was pulled in the fourth inning of Tuesday’s Binghamton Rumble Ponies game, the Mets Double-A affiliate. For the past two days there was no update as to why he was pulled and Vientos was not in the lineup on Wednesday or Thursday for the club. Finally on Friday Anthony DiComo from of MLB.com solved the mystery. DiComo says Vientos was pulled from the game due to ‘health and safety protocols.’ There is no word on how long Vientos will be out.
MLB.com currently lists Vientos as the Mets seventh best prospect. He is hitting .279 with 20 homers and 52 RBIs in 62 games for Double-A Binghamton this season.
Latest MLB News
Oakland Athletics outfielder Ramon Laureano has been suspended 80-games for violating MLB’s substance abuse policy. According to ESPN’s Jeff Passan he tested positive for Nandrolone. Laureano was hitting .246 with 14 HRs 39 RBIs in 88 games for the A’s in 2021. He will not be eligible to return until May of the 2022 season.
The Los Angeles Dodgers made a flurry of roster moves prior to their Friday night game against the Los Angeles Angels. The club activated shortstop Trea Turner and placed left-handed relief pitcher Victor Gonzalez on the IL with right knee inflammation. They also transferred right-handed-pitcher Jimmy Nelson to the 60-day IL. Nelson will undergo season-ending elbow surgery and will have surgery to repair a right flexor tendon.
Former Mets pitcher Nick Tropeano has signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers. Tropeano pitched one game for the Mets this season after the club claimed him off of waivers from the San Francisco Giants on June 11. Jon Heyman broke the news.
The Houston Astros have placed first baseman Yuli Gurriel on the 10-day IL retroactive to August 3. Gurriel has been dealing with a stiff neck. The Stros also optioned infielder Robel Garcia to Triple-A Sugar Land. They brought up infielders Taylor Jones and Jacob Wilson to fill Garcia’s and Gurriel’s spots on the roster.
Latest NL East News
The Atlanta Braves beat the Washington Nationals 8-4 on Friday to keep pace with the Phillies and to pull within a game of the National League East division lead. Freddie Freeman, Austin Riley and Adam Duvall drove in two runs a piece. The Braves record is now 56-54.
After getting hit by a pitch in Friday night’s game against the New York Mets, Philadelphia Phillies shortstop Didi Gregorius told manager Joe Girardi that he would not be able to bat again and was pulled for pinch hitter Luke Williams. Gregorius was hit in the elbow by Mets reliever Aaron Loup in the 6th inning. The team is unsure if he can play in Saturday’s matchup. Rhys Hoskins, who would be an option to play shortstop for the Phillies, was out of the lineup on Friday due to groin soreness. No word on Hoskins’ status for Saturday either.
Latest on MMO
Michael Conforto is going through a rough stretch. Mike Muscio breaks down an emerging trend with Conforto that could answer some questions as to what is going on with the Mets slugger.
Kyle Ziefert lets you know the latest from the Mets minor league affiliates in this Mets Minor Recap.
On This Date in Mets History
Jim Hickman becomes the first New York Met to hit for the cycle when he accomplished the feat on this date in 1963. Hickman singled in the first inning, doubled in the second and hit a triple in the fourth all off of Cardinals starter Ernie Broglio. He then homered in the sixth inning off of reliever Barney Schultz to accomplish the feat. The Mets beat the Cardinals 7-3 at the Polo Grounds.
On this date in 1971, the Mets scored 20 runs to beat the Atlanta Braves by a score of 20-6 at Atlanta Stadium. Don Clendenon homered, and Ken Boswell hit a grand-slam off of Mike McQueen to help get the Mets a 10-1 lead in the second inning. Nolan Ryan gave up six earned runs in eight innings but benefitted from the Mets outburst to record his ninth win of the season. Ron Taylor finished off the game for the Mets.
Tom Seaver threw a complete game shutout to help the Mets beat the Montreal Expos on this date in 1975. Seaver earned his 15th win of the season and gave up just three hits while striking out seven. It was the organization’s first win under new manager Roy McMillan, who replaced a fired Yogi Berra the day before. Shortstop Mike Phillips drove in three runs and the Mets scored seven all together to beat the Expos.
The Mets extended their lead in the NL East to 6.5 games on this date in 1988 with a 6-2 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates at Three Rivers Stadium. David Cone got the win going eight innings and giving up just one earned run. Mookie Wilson homered off of Pirates starter Mike Dunne in the top of the seventh. The game was tied at 2 in the ninth but Kevin McReynolds put the Mets ahead with an RBI single to score Kevin Elster. The Mets scored three more in the ninth and Roger McDowell tossed a scoreless ninth inning to win it for the Amazins.
Birthdays: Kirk Nieuwenhuis (34), Tyler Yates (44), Danny Graves (48)
Let’s go Mets!
