Good morning Mets fans! The New York Mets (38-47) had an off day on Monday after breaking their seven-game losing streak on Sunday with a win over the Atlanta Braves (50-35) at Citi Field. They will continue their eight-game homestand by playing host to the first-place New York Yankees (54-28) for two games. 

Latest Mets News

Zack Wheeler (6-5, 4.51 ERA) will toe the rubber for the Mets in the series opener on Tuesday at 7:10 p.m. EDT. He will be opposed by James Paxton (5-3, 4.34 ERA). The game can be followed on WPIX, WCBS 880 and ESPN Deportes 1050 for the Mets, and on YES, WFAN 660/101.9 and WADO 1280 for the Yankees.

Ernest Dove of Mets Minors reported that Thomas Szapucki has been promoted to Advanced-A St. Lucie.

Brett Baty, the Mets’ 2019 first-round draft pick, hit a grand slam for his first professional home run.

Aside from the Yankees, Mike Puma of the New York Post views the Milwaukee Brewers, St. Louis Cardinals, Minnesota Twins, Tampa Bay Rays and Boston Red Sox as potential trade deadline suitors for Wheeler. Puma anticipates that they will be tuned in to Wheeler’s start against the Yankees.

Latest MLB News

The Los Angeles Angels announced that Tyler Skaggs passed away. Our thoughts and prayers here at MMO go out to all of his family and friends.

The Angels game against the Texas Rangers was postponed in wake of Skagg’s passing.

Josh Bell hit three home runs against the Chicago Cubs on Monday.

The Brewers moved into sole possession of first place in the NL Central with their victory over the Cincinnati Reds and the Cubs’ loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates.

The Brewers signed Drew Smyly to a minor league deal per Robert Murray of The Athletic.

Sahadev Sharma of The Athletic wrote a story on the comeback of Danny Hultzen. The former 2011 second overall draft pick has had injuries prevent him from making the majors, but now has put himself in a situation where a MLB call-up is within reach.

Latest NL East News

The entire NL East had off on Monday. The Braves (50-35) remain atop the standings followed by the Philadelphia Phillies (44-40; 5.5 games behind), Washington Nationals (42-41; 7.0 games behind), Mets (38-47; 12.0 games behind) and Miami Marlins (32-50; 16.5 games behind).

The Braves announced that Ender Inciarte started a rehab assignment with the Advanced-A Florida Fire Frogs.

Connor Byrne of MLB Trade Rumors wrote a piece about how the Marlins’ trade for Caleb Smith and Garrett Cooper has worked out highly in their favor thus far.

Byrne also wrote about the decline of Jake Arrieta.

Latest on MMO/MMN

Mojo Hill analyzed Noah Syndergaard‘s start from Sunday.

Ryan Finkelstein wrote about MMO’s players of the week: Wheeler and Dominic Smith.

Finkelstein also wrote about how Brodie Van Wagenen’s biggest offseason blunder was not valuing Jeff McNeil.

Jayson Love released the sixth episode of the “Greener Grass Mets Podcast.” Love and Charles St. Clair also interviewed Mets farmhand Bryce Hutchinson during the podcast.

Matt Musico compared the Mets’ current June woes and bullpen woes to years past.

Tim Donner reflected on the Mets’ horrific June.

John Sheridan continued his “3 Up, 3 Down” series following the Mets’ three-game set with the Braves.

Sheridan also wrote about the top performers at each level from the Mets minor league affiliates.

This Day in Mets History

2000: Gregory Sweeney, a 26-year-old Brooklyn man, was arrested and charged with reckless endangerment after throwing a ball onto the field at Shea Stadium. The ball was originally thrown into the stands by Braves reliever John Rocker. Queens District Attorney Richard Brown exonerated Sweeney after concluding that he was simply following a baseball tradition of throwing back an unwanted baseball.

Birthdays: Angel Pagan turns 38 and Tim Spehr turns 53. Hal Reniff was also born on this day in 1938.