The Twins will reportedly pick up the rest of Minter’s salary for the 2026 season, about $3.5 million, which saves the Mets about $8 million given the tax implications.

In return, the Mets received shortstop Bruin Agbayani and Billy Amick from the Twins, according to Will Sammon of the Athletic.  Agbayani is the son of former Met Benny Agbayani, and was a sixth-round pick in the 2025 draft. The 19-year-old is currently slashing .263/.432/.316 in Single-A, though he has been out with an injury since May. He’s played only 25 pro games since the Twins drafted him in the sixth round last year.

At the time of the trade, MLB Pipeline had Amick ranked No. 21 in the Twins system and Agbayani at No. 29. Sam Dykstra of MLB Pipeline says Agbayani will slot in at No. 22 in the Mets system and Amick won’t be ranked.

Amick is the more advanced prospect of the two. The Tennessee product was the Twins’ second-round pick in 2024, and has slugged 23 homers in Double-A this season. That is seven more home runs than any player in the Mets farm system.

Kyle Ross-Imagn Images

The Mets signed Minter, 32, to a two-year, $22 million contract in January 2025, luring him away from the Braves, where he spent eight years striking out 10.9 batters per nine innings while posting a 3.14 ERA and saving 36 games.

The only red flag with Minter was that he had missed the end of his final season in Atlanta after having surgery to fix a torn labrum in his left hip. But sure enough, after 13 appearances covering 11 innings where he allowed two runs, Minter threw his last pitch of 2025 on April 26 against the Nationals. He underwent season-ending surgery on his left lat muscle.

The rehab delayed his debut this year until May 26, but once he was back on the mound he was a steady presence out of the bullpen again even as the team has gone through a disappointing season.

“The sad part is it feels like I didn’t do my job,” Minter told Max Goodman of NJ.com on July 20. “My job was to come here, be healthy and help this team win. I didn’t do both. It’s a sense of wishing it could be different.”

“If I do get traded,” he told Goodman, “my job is to help bring back as much talent as I can back here. That’s the least I can do. I want to go out there, keep shoving and hopefully I can give them a nice little prospect back.”

The post Mets Trade Minter to Twins for Bruin Agbayani, Billy Amick appeared first on Metsmerized.

After dropping the first two games at Citi Field, the Mets used some clutch hitting and big hits to take the series finale and avoid the season sweep.

As a result, the Mets snapped a three-game losing streak. However, they are still 18 games below .500 with a 44-62 record.

With that, let’s recap everything from the Dodgers series in the latest edition of 3 Up, 3 Down…

May 18, 2026; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; New York Mets left fielder Tyrone Taylor (28) is congratulated by teammates after scoring a run during the second inning against the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-Imagn Images

3 UP

RED-HOT TAYLOR

Not only is Tyrone Taylor on a heater right now, but he’s probably also turning himself into a pretty valuable trade chip. The veteran outfielder was a spark plug throughout the Dodgers series. He gave the Mets a chance in Saturday’s game with a clutch two-run pinch-hit double. While those runs ultimately proved to be in vain in a close loss, Taylor did play a huge role in Sunday’s win. He hit a three-run bomb in the sixth inning to turn a 2-1 deficit into a 4-3 lead, a lead the Mets never relinquished. Furthermore, since returning from the IL in late June, Taylor has five homers in 18 games with a 1.403 OPS. He could be a tantalizing target for a contender in need of offensive depth and strong outfield defense.

DOING HIS BIT

Sean Manaea held up his end of the bargain on Friday night by delivering a more than solid outing on the mound. He allowed just one run on six hits with two walks and three strikeouts over six innings. In other words, Manaea largely shut down the vaunted Dodgers lineup. While the Mets still lost the game, Manaea’s quality start gave them every chance, and that’s all you can ask out of your starter.

CLOSING IT OUT

Other than Friday night, the bullpen delivered for the Mets over the weekend. While Brooks Raley and A.J. Minter gave the series opener away, others stepped up over the rest of the weekend. It started on Saturday when Daniel Duarte and Huascar Brazobán combined for three scoreless innings to keep the Mets in with a chance. Then, on Sunday, Cionel Pérez provided two scoreless innings of relief in a big spot. That was backed up by Raley, Luke Weaver, and Devin Williams coming together to shut down the Dodgers the rest of the way. No matter what, this bullpen finds a way to come through.

Juan Soto by Berto Carlo

3 DOWN

TIME TO SHUT DOWN?

Maybe it is time for the Mets to put Juan Soto on the shelf for the rest of the year. The superstar outfielder was placed on the IL on Saturday with a left calf strain. It is more severe than the right calf strain he suffered earlier in the season. Given that Soto is expected to miss up to four weeks of action, the Mets should do the sensible thing and shut him down until 2027. With nothing left to play for, it makes no sense to mess around with a guy who has now had two separate calf injuries this year, especially when talking about a player of Soto’s importance.

TIME TO SAY GOODBYE?

If Sunday’s game proves to be Freddy Peralta‘s last in a Mets uniform, then it will be a fitting farewell. In a mirror image of his entire season, Peralta struggled in the series finale. He gave up three runs – two earned – on six hits with two walks and three strikeouts. He also needed a whopping 93 pitches just to get through four innings. With a 4.99 ERA on the year, Peralta’s time with the Mets has been a monumental failure. It might be best for all parties to have a fresh start.

ERROR CITY

It wouldn’t be the 2026 Mets without an error-laden game. With the first two games of the series both being decided by two runs or less, small margins were going to be key. Well, as has been the case this year, the Mets couldn’t get out of their own way in that regard. Take Saturday’s game, for instance. With the game scoreless in the third inning, Brett Batyand Nolan McLean both made critical mistakes, effectively handing the game and series to the Dodgers. Sloppy play continues to doom the Mets.

The post 3 Up, 3 Down: Mets Use Big Bats To Avoid LA Sweep appeared first on Metsmerized.

After finishing the road trip strong, the Mets dropped the first two games to St. Louis at Citi Field. Granted, the bats did wake up to avoid a series sweep.

However, all in all, the three-game series against the Cardinals was another reminder that the Mets have a lot of work to do just to get to .500.

On that gloomy note, let’s recap everything from the last three games in the latest edition of 3 Up, 3 Down…

Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images

3 UP

LEADING BY EXAMPLE

When his team needed him, Juan Soto really stepped up on Thursday. Facing a series sweep, Soto had a big day at the plate to ensure that particular scenario was avoided. The superstar hitter went 2-for-4 with a home run and a double in the finale. Soto’s solo shot came in the seventh inning and proved to be the deciding run. Granted, Soto went 1-for-6 in the previous two games, but his ability to come through in big moments meant that the Mets at least salvaged something from the series.

CLOSING IT OUT

One positive to emerge from this series was the performance of the bullpen. Granted, the bullpen game on Wednesday didn’t go to plan. But, outside of that, there were some money outings. Cionel Pérez tossed scoreless outings in back-to-back days. Then, on Thursday, A.J. Minter, Brooks Raley, Luke Weaver, and Devin Williams combined to throw 4 1/3 innings of scoreless relief in Thursday’s win. Minter, Weaver, Raley and Williams have all been stellar as of late and are doing what has been asked of them.

IMPORTANT ROLE PLAYER

Jared Young has emerged as quite the contributor for this team. The veteran has stepped up and made the first base job his own. Furthermore, Young has gotten off to a hot start in June. He homered in the series finale against the Cardinals – his third homer this month. He also made it a tied game in the fifth with an RBI single. All in all, since returning from the IL, Young has provided a much-needed and unexpected offensive spark.

Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images

3 DOWN

TIME TO PANIC?

This is not the Freddy Peralta the Mets thought they were getting. The veteran has been solid so far in Queens, but nothing more than that. However, he has struggled as of late, culminating in another rough outing on Tuesday. Peralta allowed six runs on six hits over six innings of work. He has now allowed at least four runs in three of his last four starts. Yikes, that isn’t good. What the Mets decide to do with Peralta remains to be seen. But, if he continues pitching like this, then his trade value will be at an all-time low by the time the trade deadline arrives.

DOWNWARDS TRAJECTORY

The David Peterson problem continues to worsen for the Mets. Serving as the bulk reliever for Wednesday’s game, Peterson got beat up. He allowed six earned runs on seven hits, including a pair of home runs, over 3 2/3 innings. As a result, Peterson has now allowed 12 runs in his last 12 2/3 innings. He owns a 5.75 ERA and appears to be trending in the wrong direction yet again. Peterson has now allowed at least six runs in four of his last 14 appearances, something he had never done more than three times previously in his career. And, with his command continuing to be an issue, it remains to be seen where the Mets go with Peterson from here.

SAME OLD STORY

At this point, we are where we are with the Mets offense. It was non-competitive for the first two games of the series, recording just two runs and eight hits. You can’t win games with an offense that ice cold. Sure, the bats did wake up somewhat in the series finale, but the damage was already done by that point. Over the first two games, we saw more of the same: no pulse, no adjustments, and a real lack of clutch hitting. Unless this offense can find some consistency, and that is hard to believe right now, then this team will continue to go nowhere.

The post 3 Up, 3 Down: Mets Evade Sweep Against Cardinals appeared first on Metsmerized.

Lorusso, 25, of Carmel, N.Y., plays first, second and third base and was a ninth-round pick in 2023 out of the University of Maryland.

Nick Lorusso. Photo credit: Rick Nelson

Triple-A

Buffalo Bisons (25-25) 6, Syracuse Mets (26-23) 4, 7 innings

Game 1 Box Score

• LF-1B Jared Young, 1-for-4, RBI (.563 OPS)
• 1B-LF Ryan Clifford, 2-for-3, HR (9), 2B, 2 R (.748 OPS)
• C Kevin Parada, 1-for-3, R, K (1.009 OPS)

Clifford, 22, would homer again in the second game of the doubleheader. He ended the day slashing .226/.305/.458/.763. He leads the International League in strikeouts with 72 in 177 at-bats.

• RHP Jack Wenninger (2.20 ERA) 5 1/3 IP, 6 R (4 ER), 5 H, 2 BB, 5 K, 2 HR, L
• LHP A.J. Minter (2.35 ERA) IP, K

Wenninger, who was considered for a big-league call up after Clay Holmes was injured, had his worst outing of the season. He had not allowed more than two runs in any of his previous eight starts.

Buffalo Bisons (25-26) 0, Syracuse Mets (27-23) 1, 7 innings

Game 2 Box Score

• RF Ryan Clifford, 1-for-3, HR (10), 2 K (.763 OPS)
• CF Jihwan Bae, 0-for-3, K (.791 OPS)
• 1B Eric Wagaman, 1-for-2, 2B, K (.705 OPS)

The teams combined for five hits. See Clifford’s team-leading 10th homer here. And see his Game 1 homer here.

• RHP Danis Correa (0.00 ERA) 2 IP, H, BB, 2 K, W
• RHP Ryan Lambert (5.79 ERA) IP, BB, 3 K
• LHP Nate Lavender (3.38 ERA) IP, BB, K
• LHP Anderson Severino (1.37 ERA) IP, K, SV

Five pitchers combined on the two-hit, seven-inning shutout.

Double-A

Binghamton Rumble Ponies (16-29) 2, Richmond Flying Squirrels (31-13) 1

Box Score

• RF José Ramos, 2-for-3, HR (7), BB, K (.722 OPS)
• 3B Nick Lorusso, 1-for-4, HR (8), 2 K (.751 OPS)
• CF Eli Serrano III, 1-for-4, 2B, outfield assist (.691 OPS)

Ramos, 25, is from Panama and was signed by the Dodgers as an international free agent in 2018 as a 17-year-old. He played six seasons for Dodger minor-league affiliates before electing free agency last offseason after hitting 18 homers and posting a .782 OPS combined at Double-A and Triple-A. The Mets signed him to a minor-league deal in November. See his home run here.

• RHP Bryce Conley (5.06 ERA) 5 IP, 4 H, BB, 5 K
• RHP Dan Hammer (1.93 ERA) 1 2/3 IP, ER, 2 K, W
• LHP Felipe De La Cruz (1.98 ERA) 1 1/3 IP, 2 H, K, SV

De La Cruz, 24, has struck out 18 and walked seven in 13 2/3 innings.

High-A

Hudson Valley Renegades (21-23) 0, Brooklyn Cyclones (13-31) 4, 7 innings

Box Score

• SS Mitch Voit, 1-for-3, R, BB, CS, 2 K (.655 OPS)
• 3B Yonatan Henriquez, 1-for-3, RBI, R, 4 SB, K (.467 OPS)
• C Ronald Hernandez, 1-for-2, R, 4 SB, 2 BB (.718 OPS)
• DH Daiverson Gutierrez, 0-for-2, 2 SB, BB (.532 OPS)

In this episode of “only in the minor leagues,” the Cyclones stole 10 bases, went 1-for-14 with runners in scoring position, and the game was called in the seventh inning because the field was too wet. Henriquez and Hernandez each stole four bases to tie a franchise record.

• RHP Adbert Alzolay (0.00 ERA) IP, H, BB
• LHP Gregori Louis (2.70 ERA) IP, BB, 3 K
• RHP Bryce Jenkins (0.59 ERA) IP, H, K

Seven pitchers combined for the three-hit, seven-inning shutout. Jenkins, 25, has given up one run on six hits in 15 1/3 innings this year, struck out 15 and walked three.

Low-A

Palm Beach Cardinals (24-21) 4, St. Lucie Mets (20-25) 5

Box Score

• SS Elian Peña, 1-for-3, R, BB, K (.786 OPS)
• 3B Antonio Jimenez, 1-for-4, 2B, RBI, K (.750 OPS)
• 1B Yohairo Cuevas, 1-for-4, 2B, R, 2 K (1.088 OPS)
• LF Branny De Oleo, 1-for-3, RBI, R, BB, K (.756 OPS)

Peña entered Sunday slashing .191/.313/.265 with one home run in May after hitting .353/.467/.482 with one homer in April.

• RHP Justin Armbruester (0.00 ERA) 1 1/3 IP, H, W
• RHP Emilio Obispo (3.14 ERA) 3 1/3 IP, 2 ER, 6 H, 7 K, HR

Obispo, a 19-year-old from the Dominican Republic, has fanned 18 in  14 1/3 innings.

The post Mets Minors Recap: Nick Lorusso Homers in Third Straight Game appeared first on Metsmerized.

Zach Thornton
Photo by Ed Delany of Metsmerized

Triple-A

Syracuse Mets (22-20) 8, Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders (22-19) 2

Box Score

• LF Ryan Clifford, 0-for-5, R, K (.726 OPS)
• CF Nick Morabito, 3-for-5, RBI, K (.759 OPS)
• 3B Yonny Hernandez, 1-for-4, HR (2), 3 RBI, SB (.636 OPS)
• RF Cristian Pache, 2-for-4, HR (5), 2 R, K (.802 OPS)
• C Ben Rortvedt, 2-for-4, HR (1), 2 R (.544 OPS)

Morabito, 23, was hitless in his previous five contests before his first three-hit game of the season. He has stolen 14 bases in 16 attempts.

• LHP Zach Thornton (2.25 ERA) 6 IP, 3 H, 9 K, BB, W
• LHP A.J. Minter (1.80 ERA) IP, K

This was Minter’s first appearance since he felt pain in his left hip after a rehab outing for Syracuse on May 3. He was initially on rehab from lat surgery that he underwent last season.

Double-A

Binghamton Rumble Ponies (12-25) 3, Somerset Patriots (18-19) 7

Box Score

• 1B Chris Suero, 2-for-3, HR (7), 2 RBI, SB, HBP (.865 OPS)
• CF Eli Serrano III, 1-for-4, R, 2 K (.686 OPS)
• 3B Jacob Reimer, 1-for-4, HR (3), 3 K (.701 OPS)

Reimer’s third homer came in his 30th game. The 22-year-old hit nine homers in 61 games for Binghamton last year and posted an .853 OPS.

• RHP R.J. Gordon (24.30 ERA) 1 2/3 IP, 6 ER, 7 H, BB, K, HR, L

The 13th-round pick in 2024 out of the University of Oregon is having a rough season. He has surrendered 17 earned runs in seven innings over five appearances.

High-A

Brooklyn Cyclones (10-26) 8, Rome Emperors (20-17) 5

Box Score

• 1B Corey Collins, 2-for-4, HR (3), 3B, 2 R, BB (.726 OPS)
• SS Mitch Voit, 2-for-4, R, BB, 2 K (.665 OPS)
• 2B Colin Houck, 1-for-4, 2B, R, CS, BB, 3 K (.621 OPS)
• LF Trace Willhoite, 1-for-4, HR (3), 2 RBI, SF, 3 K (.724 OPS)
• C Ronald Hernandez, 2-for-5, 3 RBI (.776 OPS)

Voit, a first-round pick last year out of Michigan, had his fifth multi-hit game of the season. He has stolen 12 bases in 13 tries.

• RHP Noah Hall (5.56 ERA) 4 IP, 2 ER, 4 H, 5 BB, 4 K

Hall, 25, a seventh-round pick in 2023 from the University of South Carolina, has struck out 37 in 34 innings pitched.

Low-A

Jupiter Hammerheads (23-14) 9, St. Lucie Mets (14-23) 7

Box Score

• SS Elian Peña, 0-for-3, R, BB, K (.825 OPS)
• DH Jared Young, 1-for-4, R, 2 K (.500 OPS)
• CF JT Benson, 2-for-5, HR (5), 2B, 4 RBI, 2 R, SB, K (.969 OPS)
• RF Simon Juan, 1-for-4, HR (3), 2 K (.536 OPS)
• LF AJ Salgado, 3-for-5, RBI, SB (.775 OPS)

Peña has cooled off. The 18-year-old entered Friday hitting .186/.300/.302 in 11 games in May. He also committed his fifth error in 32 games at shortstop. Young made his first rehab appearance. He has been on the injured list since April 15 with a meniscus tear in his left knee.

• LHP Daviel Hurtado (6.00 ERA) 2 IP, 4 R (3 ER), 5 H, BB, 2 K
• RHP Cam Tilly (6.21 ERA) 5 IP, ER, 4 H, 3 BB, K

The post Mets Minors Recap: Thornton Fans Nine for Syracuse appeared first on Metsmerized.

The Mets (18-26) lost the Subway Series opener at Citi Field, but the bigger blow came after the game when it was revealed that Clay Holmes broke his right fibula on a 111 mph comebacker hit by Spencer Jones in the fourth inning. Carlos Mendoza said the dependable Holmes, who will be added to the injured list with a 2.39 ERA, will “be down for a long time.”

Holmes (4-4) was visited by the trainer after the play, but stayed in the game for another inning. X-rays later showed the broken bone in his leg. He gave up four earned runs on seven hits, walked two and struck out eight over 4 1/3 innings. Robert Colonna has more here on where the Mets could go with Holmes’ spot in the rotation.

Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

Cam Schlittler struck out nine over 6 2/3 innings and gave up one run on Juan Soto‘s 250th career homer, his sixth of the year. Nathan Cooper has more on the loss here.

Lefty Carlos Rodón (0-0, 6.23 ERA) will go for the Yankees Saturday in a 7:15 p.m. ET start at Citi Field. The Mets haven’t named a starter, but David Peterson is expected to pitch in bulk relief. The game will air on FOX.

Latest Mets News

Jorge Polanco received a platelet rich plasma injection about a month ago to help with his Achilles bursitis, per Will Sammon of The Athletic. Polanco is taking batting practice, but a return date is unknown. “We want to have more good days than the days I don’t feel so good,” Polanco told Sammon in an interview. “That’s when I know I’ll be ready to go.”

A.J. Minter threw a perfect inning with a strikeout for Triple-A Syracuse in his first outing since May 3. He reported pain in his left hip after that appearance. He is coming back from lat surgery that he underwent last season.

Jared Young went 1-for-4 with a run scored and struck out twice for Low-A St. Lucie in his first rehab appearance. He was placed on the injured list on April 15 with a meniscus tear in his left knee.

Latest MLB News

Tarik Skubal is playing catch two weeks after he had surgery to remove a bone chip from his elbow and could be back in a month. The procedure typically keeps a pitcher out two to three months. Skubal is believed to be the first pitcher to have the surgery done with a NanoScope, which is designed to make the procedure less invasive.

Dodgers LHP Blake Snell will be placed on the injured list with loose bodies in his left elbow.

Yankees LHP Max Fried will be placed on the injured list with a left elbow bone bruise.

Orioles infielder Jordan Westburg had Tommy John surgery on his right elbow and will miss the season.

The Rockies placed RHP Chase Dollander on the 15-day injured list with a right elbow sprain.

Latest on MMO

Robert Colonna was up to write his first “3 Up, 3 Down.” A.J. Ewing and Bo Bichette were mentioned.

Kai Chang has details on the offense finding its way. (This piece was written prior to Friday’s game.)

Christian De Block previewed the Subway Series. He predicted the Mets to take two of three.

Sean Kenny covered Thursday’s minor-league action. Jonah Tong (six earned runs) had a poor showing.

On This Date in Mets History

2015: Jacob deGrom gets run support. Wilmer Flores hits a grand slam, Kevin Plawecki and Curtis Granderson also homer and deGrom goes 3-for-3 at the plate while throwing six innings of one-run ball in a 14-1 romp of the Brewers.

1995: Bobby Jones and Doug Henry combine for a three-hit shutout in a 1-0 victory over the Astros, with a Brett Butler RBI single accounting for the only run.

1983: Darryl Strawberry hits his first major league homer off of Lee Tunnell in an 11-4 win over the Pirates. He will finish the season with 26 homers, 74 RBIs, a .257/.336/.512 slash line, and win Rookie of the Year.

Born on This Date: Jerrod Riggan (1974), Frank Seminara (1967), Rube Walker (1926).

The post Morning Briefing: Holmes Out For ‘A Long Time’ appeared first on Metsmerized.

The New York Mets’ offense continues to struggle.

New Yorktook a 1-0 lead early last night but then couldn’t do anything else as they fell 2-1 to the Arizona Diamondbacks. Sunday, the Mets have a chance to win their third consecutive series and end this long, West Coast road trip on a happy note.

Mets Lineup

1. Juan Soto – DH
2. Bo Bichette – SS
3. Austin Slater – LF
4. Mark Vientos – 1B
5. Marcus Semien – 2B
6. Andy Ibáñez – 3B
7. Tyrone Taylor – CF
8. Carson Benge – RF
9. Luis Torrens – C

Starting Pitcher: Huascar Brazobán

The Mets will be using Huascar Brazobán as an opener with David Peterson set to take on the bulk of the work Sunday afternoon. Over eight games and 34 1/3 innings, Peterson has a 6.29 ERA, 3.25 FIP, 1.602 WHIP, and a 64 ERA+. In 11 innings as a reliever, he has a 2.45 ERA and a 1.000 WHIP. His K/BB rate goes from 2.00 as a starter to 9.00 as a reliever.

Peterson had a tough start against the Diamondbacks earlier this season allowing five runs over five innings from six hits and two walks. The Diamondbacks have the following career numbers against him:

• Nolan Arenado 2-6, 2 K
• Jorge Barrosa 1-3, 2B, BB, K
• Corbin Carroll 4-12, 2 2B, 3 K
• Jose Fernandez 1-2, K
• Lourdes Gurriel Jr. 4-10, 2B, 2 HR
• Ketel Maarte 3-13, 2B, HR, 5 K
• James McCann 0-0, BB
• Gabriel Moreno 1-4, 2 K
• Geraldo Perdomo 3-9, 2B, 4 BB, K
• Tim Tawa 0-2
• Ildermaro Vargas 5-14, 2 2B, K

Diamondbacks Lineup

1. Ketel Marte – 2B
2. Corbin Carroll – RF
3. Geraldo Perdomo – SS
4. Adrian Del Castillo – C
5. Ildemaro Vargas – 1B
6. Nolan Arenado – 3B
7. Jared McCann – C
8. Jorge Barrosa – CF
9. Ryan Waldschmidt – LF

Starting Pitcher: Eduardo Rodríguez

Eduardo Rodríguez has made seven starts totaling 39 2/3 innings with a 2.50 ERA, 4.42 FIP, 1.286 WHIP and a 168 ERA+. In his last two starts he has allowed two runs from 7 hits over 11 2/3 innings while striking out 11 batters. He was solid against the Mets earlier this season holding the Mets to one run over six innings, scattering five hits and two walks. The Mets have the following career numbers against him:

• Francisco Alvarez 1-9, 2 K
• Brett Baty 1-3
• Bo Bichette 6-15, 2B, 2 HR, 2 BB, 4 K
• Vidal Bruján 0-0, BB
• Andy Ibáñez 3-5, 2 2B, HR, K
• MJ Melendez 1-9, BB, 6 K
• Marcus Semien 7-28, 2B, 3 BB, 10 K
• Austin Slater 1-6, 2 K
• Juan Soto 0-4, 2 BB, 2 K
• Tyrone Taylor 3-4, 2 2B
• Luis Torrens 1-5, K
• Mark Vientos 0-8, K

Game Notes

Prior to the game, manger Carlos Mendoza confirmed that Luis Robert Jr. has yet to resume baseball activities. He also confirmed there is no timetable on Jorge Polanco‘s return. Polanco is having, “good days and bad days.”

Prior to the game, manager Carlos Mendoza also said RHP Kodai Senga will throw a bullpen Sunday. Additionally, LHP A.J. Minter threw a bullpen Saturday. He recently had his “rehab clock” restarted due to hip soreness.

Three Things To Watch For

1. Huascar Brazobán. Brazobán pitched a scoreless first inning against the Colorado Rockies a few days ago opening up a game where David Peterson got the bulk of the work. Hitters are just not making solid contact right now against Brazobán who is in the 97th percentile for average exit velocity (84.8 mph). Hitters are barreling the ball only 2.0% of the time (95th percentile), getting a hard-hit 26.5% (96th percentile), and grounding out 55.1% (90th percentile).
2. Offense. The 2026 Mets have scored 138 runs this season, good for 29th in the major leagues. Their pitching is tied for the ninth-fewest runs allowed, at 165. The Mets don’t need a crazy bump in offense to turn things around, but they need something, anything, to give them a spark.
3. Luis Torrens. Torrens may be the secret to David Peterson. In 26 2/3 innings throwing to Alvarez this season, Peterson has a 7.42 ERA. In 7 2/3 innings throwing to Torrens, Peterson has a 2.35 ERA. The numbers weren’t as stark last year, but the trend was there as well. Peterson had a 4.95 ERA with Alvarez catching compared to a 3.52 ERA with Torrens. Torrens has continued to excel at catching base runners, throwing out three already, putting him in the 98th percentile.

The post Game Thread: Mets vs. Diamondbacks, 4:10 P.M. appeared first on Metsmerized.

Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Francisco Lindor

After manager Carlos Mendoza stated that Francisco Lindor will wear a walking boot for the next week and be reevaluated in three weeks after suffering a left calf strain on Wednesday and being placed on the 10-day injured list, Stearns couldn’t provide a best-case scenario for his return timeline. He did, however, mention that Lindor could progress rather quickly depending on how the healing process transpires.

“I can’t even answer that right now,” Stearns said. “I think we are not going to be able to provide really more substantive information for three weeks, I think we got to see where this is in three weeks. See how the healing goes and then we’ll be able to provide hopefully some more clarity. From my understanding there, if all goes well, we can see a relatively quick progression there. But we’ll see where we are in three weeks.”

Lindor was hitting .316/.333/.500 with two home runs in his last 10 games prior to going down with his injury. On the season, he is slashing .226/.314/.355.

It goes without saying that losing Lindor for any period of time as the club is scuffling is a huge blow. Ronny Mauricio has started at shortstop in each of the two games he has missed up to this point, though Bo Bichette could also move back to his natural position on occasion depending on how the former performs.

Lindor mentioned that he would like to return before the All-Star break, but the timeframe for his return won’t come into full view until he gets reevaluated. Juan Soto missed 15 games earlier this month with a calf strain of his own, though Lindor’s is considered to be more serious.

Jorge Polanco

Regarding Jorge Polanco, who was placed on the 10-day IL with a right wrist contusion on April 18 (retroactive to April 15), Stearns revealed that he begun baseball activities on Friday. The 32-year-old is set to undergo more testing over the weekend, and his status was described as being “week-to-week”.

“Every day, we get a little more information,” Stearns said. “He’ll go through some more testing this weekend. My expectation would be Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday next week, we’ll be able to have a little bit more clarity, but the best we know right now is week-to-week.”

Polanco signed a two-year deal worth $40 million with the Mets in free agency this past offseason after hitting 26 home runs with an .821 OPS for the Seattle Mariners in 2025. He had been battling through Achilles bursitis before suffering his wrist injury, which noticeably hampered him while keeping him out of the lineup for games at a time. Polanco has batted .179/.246/.286 in 61 plate appearances so far this year.

A.J. Minter

Left-handed reliever A.J. Minter is in the midst of a rehab assignment, during which he’s put up a 1.93 ERA over 4 2/3 frames between Triple-A Syracuse, High-A Brooklyn and Low-A St. Lucie, after missing a majority of the 2025 season with a left lat injury. In 13 appearances last year after agreeing to a two-year deal worth $22 million with the Mets, he logged a 1.64 ERA over 11 innings.

Minter isn’t too far away from rejoining the big-league club, with Stearns stating that early May is a reasonable timeline for his return.

“We’re still on the same timeline,” Stearns said. “Early May. First week, 10 days of May I think is realistic. That’s roughly, I believe, where his rehab stint goes through. A couple of benchmarks we still gotta clear — two out of threes, we gotta clear back-to-backs, sort of the dirty inning cleanup, those types of things. Make sure he feels good and then we’ll get him back here and he can help us.”

The post David Stearns Gives Updates on Lindor, Polanco & Minter appeared first on Metsmerized.

Nolan McLean was excellent, but the bullpen was not. McLean struck out eight over 6 1/3 innings and exited with a 1-0 lead, but Luke Weaver couldn’t hold it and Luis García didn’t have it. The Mets (7-6) dropped the rubber game to Arizona, 7-1. Read Michael Simon’s a full recap here.

Jeff McNeil, the 2022 batting champ, the two-time All-Star, the homegrown squirrel, is making his return this weekend. The Mets host the Athletics Friday at 7:10 p.m. ET. Clay Holmes (2-0, 1.42 ERA) faces RHP J.T. Ginn (0-0, 5.14 ERA). The game will air on WPIX.

Keep reading for an update on how the Mets’ payroll stacks up.

Latest Mets News

Jorge Polanco, who is suffering from left Achilles tendinitis, was out of the lineup Thursday and Carlos Mendoza said he could go on the injured list if his condition doesn’t improve.

LHP A.J. Minter threw a perfect inning with a strikeout and earned a win for Low-A St. Lucie in his first rehab appearance of the season. He threw six of nine pitches for strikes. MMO’s Mathias Altman-Kurosaki has more here on Minter’s outing plus news on Nate Lavender, Craig Kimbrel and Tommy Pham.

The Mets’ $352.2 million payroll topped MLB for the fourth straight year, according to an Associated Press study released Thursday. The figure is below the record-setting $355.4 million the Mets spent in 2023 and up from the $322.6 million they spent last year. The lowest-spending team is the Guardians at $62.3 million, which is less than a million more than what the Mets will pay Juan Soto this season.

Soto, 27, is the highest-paid player in MLB at $61.9 million this season. Second is Cody Bellinger ($42.5 million). Bo Bichette and Zack Wheeler are tied for third ($42 million), Vladimir Guerrero Jr. ($40.2 million) is fifth and Aaron Judge ($40 million) is sixth. MLB’s average salary rose 3.4 percent on Opening Day to a record $5.34 million, according to the AP.

After the Mets came the Dodgers ($316.6 million), Yankees (297.2 million), Phillies ($282 million) and Blue Jays ($269 million). The Dodgers’ payroll would be $395.2 million if it weren’t for deferred money in nine players’ contracts, per the AP. The Mets have deferred money in three contracts and their payroll would be $360 million.

The Mets had the fifth-highest payroll increase compared to the previous year. The top four were the Tigers, Braves, Cubs and Blue Jays. The Twins cut their payroll the most, followed by the Cardinals, Guardians, Rangers and Nationals.

Juan Soto Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

Latest MLB News

Tigers center fielder Parker Meadows was hospitalized after colliding head-to-head with teammate Riley Greene on an outfield fly. Manager A.J. Hinch said he had a concussion.

Brent Rooker of the Athletics left Thursday’s game against the Yankees after fouling off a pitch. He has played in 214 consecutive games.

Triple-A Salt Lake (Angels) signed LHP Joey Lucchesi to a minor-league contract and reinstated LHP Angel Perdomo from the development list.

Latest on MMO

Jordan Baron writes about the scuffling David Peterson. His ERA is 6.30 in 15 starts since the 2025 All-Star break.

While it is too early to panic on Peterson, Robert Colonna looks at the starting pitching depth, you know, just in case the time to panic arrives at some later date.

Dave Melendi recapped Wednesday’s Met minor-league action. Jonah Tong and Jack Wenninger pitched well. A.J. Ewing and Chris Suero are off to hot starts at the plate.

On This Date in Mets History

2008: Angel Pagan‘s walk-off single in the 12th inning beats the Phillies, 4-3. José Reyes and Ryan Church have two hits apiece and John Maine throws six innings of one-run ball.

1999: Todd Pratt singles home Matt Franco in the 11th inning to help lift the Mets to a 4-3 victory over the Expos. John Olerud goes 3-for-5 and John Franco earns the save.

1969: Tommie Agee sends one into the upper deck in left field for what will stand forever as the longest home run in Shea Stadium history. The Mets beat the Expos 4-2 in front of 8,608.

Born on This Date: Phil Hennigan (1946), Leroy Stanton (1946), Frank Lary (1930).

The post Morning Briefing: Mets Top MLB in Payroll for Fourth Straight Year appeared first on Metsmerized.

The first half of the 2025 MLB season is officially in the books. And, at the break, the Mets are well-positioned. They sit half a game out of first in the NL East with a 55-42 record.

It was undoubtedly a wild first half for New York. A scorching start was followed by an all-time slump in June. That included 14 losses over a 17-game stretch. With injuries piling up on the pitching side, the Mets’ train was threatening to fall off the tracks completely.

However, taking two out of three from the Yankees over the July Fourth weekend sparked a resurgence of sorts. The Mets went 7-5 in the first half of July, while offering plenty of hope for the second half of the season.

For now, though, let’s look back on the good, the bad and all the in-between from the first half of 2025…

Juan Soto (22) Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

3 UP

HISTORY MAKER

We are on the cusp of witnessing something truly historic. Pete Alonso (247) is just six home runs away from surpassing Darryl Strawberry (252) for the most homers in franchise history. When Alonso achieves that significant milestone, it will mark a very special day for all connected with the Mets. Alonso inching closer to becoming the Mets’ new home run king will be the biggest storyline heading into the second half. Breaking the record will also be the highlight of what has been a productive year for the slugger so far.

Despite a difficult free agency, Alonso has been at his slugging best, heading into the break with 21 home runs, 26 doubles and 77 RBIs. Granted, there have been some slumps – the first baseman went 16 games without a home run in May. But, overall, Alonso has been great for the Mets so far in 2025. He’s now set for a truly special second half of the year.

EXACTLY AS ADVERTISED

The pressure was always going to be on Juan Soto after he signed a record-breaking $765 million contract during the season. Therefore, it wasn’t a surprise that the noise was so loud when the superstar hitter got off to a slow start in Queens. Even so, Soto wasn’t as bad as many people were making out. But, when you get paid the big money, even bigger things are expected and Soto just wasn’t playing to the back of his baseball card.

Then, just like that, it all changed. The generational hitter carved out an all-time June, hitting .322/.474/.722/.1.196 with 25 runs scored, 11 home runs, 20 RBIs, and 25 walks. He has stayed hot since, and has looked like the true superstar we all know he is. Furthermore, the fact that Soto isn’t an All-Star should mean he’s well rested for the second half. He will need to be at the very peak of his powers if the Mets want to accomplish something special in October.

PITCHING CARRIED AT TIMES

The perceived strength of this team entering the season was its offense. Given all the question marks hovering over the rotation, it was believed that the lineup would carry the Mets. However, for most of the first half, the opposite proved true. The Mets owned the best team ERA in all of baseball for a substantial amount of time. That’s despite being without a slew of key starters. The highlights? Kodai Senga pitched at a Cy Young level. Clay Holmes handled his transition from reliever to starter with ease, pitching to a 3.31 ERA. And David Peterson has been the story of the year so far, owning a 6-4 record with a 3.06 ERA. Furthermore, Peterson has been the steady and reliable arm this team has needed amongst the chaos of all the injuries.

On the bullpen side, Edwin Díaz has been dominant. The closer has converted 19 of his 20 saves, pitching to a stellar 1.66 ERA with a 0.87 WHIP and 55 strikeouts across 38 innings. He has also allowed just one earned run in 27 appearances since April 21. Max Kranick emerged as quite the story early on following a strong spring, but has since flamed out. And the likes of Reed Garrett, Ryne Stanek, and Huascar Brazobán have all had as many downs as ups. With that said, the pen has done well to stay afloat given the sheer amount of workload it has had to take on during the first half.

Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

3 DOWN

ADVERSITY OVERLOAD

The Mets were simply decimated by injuries throughout the first half of the season. Sean Manaea and Frankie Montas went down during spring training. A.J. Minter and Danny Young were lost early. Griffin Canning was lost for the year after a strong start. Tylor Megill is currently on the 60-Day IL. Dedniel Núñez is now set for his second Tommy John surgery. Max Kranick and José Buttó are on the IL. On the offensive side, Jesse Winker has struggled to stay healthy and is now back on the IL. And a raft of injuries have also impacted the performances of a slew of other players on the roster. Consequently, the bullpen has been taxed due to the number of starters who have been injured. Plus, Winker’s absence has hurt the bottom of the lineup. The Mets will be hoping for a healthier second half.

TAKING A STEP BACK

Mark Vientos and Francisco Alvarez were both significant X-Factors entering 2025. They were supposed to help carry this offense behind the Big Three at the top of the lineup. Instead, both players have regressed significantly. Vientos has not looked like the player who mashed at a high level in 2024. Instead, he’s looked lost at the plate, hitting just .223/.280/.361 with a .640 OPS and just six home runs. Additionally, his defense, which was already below average, has also taken a considerable step back. Vientos did show signs of life in Kansas City right before the break, coming up with a clutch hit in the opener. The Mets need more from the middle and bottom of the lineup in the second half, and Vientos will be key to that.

As for Alvarez, the catcher saw his play fall off a cliff. Getting hurt in spring training didn’t help. But the combination of missing time and a new swing approach combined to sink the catcher. He wasn’t hitting for any power, producing just three homers while hitting .236/.319/.333. There was a concerning trend with the framing numbers behind the plate, too. As a result, Alvarez was sent down to Triple-A in order to hit the reset button. Since then, the slugger has hit eight home runs and 18 RBIs for Triple-A Syracuse, while he owns a 1.196 OPS in July. A return to the big leagues could be on the horizon. But, overall, New York needs a lot more from both Vientos and Alvarez in the second half, especially offensively.

FALLING SHORT

For all of the offseason hype, the offense hasn’t been all that great so far in 2025. Heading into the All-Star break, the Mets were averaging 4.39 runs per game, which ranks 14th in all of baseball. The lineup has just been maddeningly inconsistent, with the team’s best hitters all going through lengthy slumps. Meanwhile, the bottom of the lineup has almost been a net negative.

However, the biggest concern on the offensive side has been the struggles with runners in scoring position. The Mets have stunk with RISP all year long. They just have. At the break, New York is hitting .230 with RISP. Even Juan Soto is hitting just .183 with runners in scoring position. The lack of clutch hitting has cost games. Be it an approach or mentality issue, something has to change. Because, in close games in the postseason, an inability to cash in with runners on could hurt this team in the biggest way.

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