Morning Briefing: Mets Head to Denver Hoping For a Miracle

Good morning, Mets fans!

On Monday, the Mets will kick off an important three-game set with Rockies. Steven Matz (10-8, 3.84 ERA) gets the ball against Antonio Senzatela (9-10, 6.87 ERA). Matz has quietly been one of baseball’s best pitchers in the second half, compiling a 5-2 record with a 2.52 ERA and 3.17 FIP in 11 second-half outings. The game can be viewed at 8:40 p.m. on SNY and WCBS 880.

Last night, in what was basically a must-win game, the Mets lost a heartbreaker. They carried a 2-1 lead into the eighth inning, but the usual dominant duo of Justin Wilson and Seth Lugo fell apart.

NL Wild Card Update:

Welp, this isn’t fun to type out.

The Nationals, Cubs and Brewers all won, dropping the Mets to four games behind the Cubs, who own the second Wild Card spot. After yesterday’s victory, the Brewers still sit only a game behind Chicago. With only 13 games left in the regular season, that four game deficit might be too much for our Metsies to overcome.

Thanks to double-agent Jason Vargas, the Phillies lost the Red Sox 6-3, dropping them to 4.5 games behind the Cubs.

Latest Mets News

Joe Torre won’t allow Mets players to wear hats commenting 9/11 because “[MLB] doesn’t want to be in the position to determine which tragedies qualify for special hats” per Laura Albanese of Newsday.

Robert Gsellman could be back by the end of September reports Deesha Thosar of The New York Daily News.

Latest MLB News

Mike Trout, who was in line to receive his third career AL MVP award, will require foot surgery and miss the remainder of the season.

Mark Feinsand of MLB.com polled MLB executives to determine if Gerrit Cole or Anthony Rendon will be the top earners in this winter’s free-agent market.

The Giants placed Tony Watson on the 60-day IL, ending his season. Watson suffered a wrist fracture on his pitching hand in early September.

Anthony Rizzo left yesterday’s game after badly spraining his ankle fielding a bunt in an ugly-looking play. An MRI taken today will reveal the severity of the injury.

Dellin Betances made his season debut yesterday, striking out the only two batters that he faced.