The Mets’ offense was nonexistent for the majority of the game against Adrian Houser, who was, in nice terms, not great for the Mets last year with a 5.84 ERA and a midseason DFA. He was dominant in Monday’s game, though, as he retired 16 consecutive batters without allowing much, if any, hard contact after a first inning double to Brandon Nimmo. His next baserunner came with two outs in the sixth inning when Francisco Lindor singled through the right side of the infield. Lindor was erased after Nimmo proceeded to strike out to end the inning.

Clay Holmes, meanwhile, did his best to keep the Mets in the game. He allowed just one run in 5 2/3 innings, the run occurring on a sacrifice fly in the fourth. Holmes pitched into the sixth inning, though he exited the game with two outs and the bases loaded after a pair of infield singles and a walk, all occurring with two outs. José Buttó came into the game and got the crucial final out of the inning, a massive one considering Buttó’s struggles with inherited runners this year.

Clay Holmes, Nasty 94mph Sinker. 😨 pic.twitter.com/Go832QCkNL

— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) May 26, 2025

The game remained 1-0 in favor of the White Sox into the seventh inning, when Houser experienced his first moment of vulnerability by walking Juan Soto and allowing a Pete Alonso single with no outs. That knocked Houser out of the game, bringing in the rookie lefty Brandon Eisert. A pair of fielder’s choices and a walk brought Jeff McNeil to the plate in the Mets’ best scoring chance yet with the bases loaded and two outs, but McNeil struck out looking at a borderline strike to end the inning and ensure Houser an outing of six innings and no runs allowed.

After failing to score in the seventh, the Mets got another chance to threaten in the eighth after Francisco Alvarez led off the inning with a base hit. Luisangel Acuña pinch ran and advanced to third base on a one-out single from Brandon Nimmo. That brought up Juan Soto in a massive spot, and Soto delivered with a sacrifice fly to get the Mets on the board and tie the game. The Mets subsequently loaded the bases with Brett Baty up at the plate, but he flew out to keep the game tied.

Edwin Díaz worked around a two-out walk in the ninth inning to send the game to the bottom of the inning, giving the Mets a chance to walk off a game that seemed for the longest time like it would be a devastating loss. Tyrone Taylor led off the inning with a booming double in the left-center field gap before Jeff McNeil was intentionally walked. Luis Torrens tried to bunt at first but swung away at the second pitch and singled into left field to load the bases with no outs.

That brought Francisco Lindor to the plate, and he skied one into right field deep enough to bring home Tyrone Taylor and secure the victory. Lindor’s walk-off RBI was already his third of the season, giving the Mets an unlikely win for their third in a row.

Stat of the Game: A New Career High for Holmes

With his outing in Monday’s game, Clay Holmes threw 102 pitches, a new high mark for his career. Holmes has obviously been a reliever for most of it, but he began his career as a starter with the Pirates. He has now pitched at least 5 2/3 innings in each of his last five outings and at least five innings in each of his last nine.

Player of the Game: Francisco Lindor

Lindor didn’t have his best game, going 1-for-4, but his sacrifice fly was the at-bat to seal the deal. Lindor has proven more than once this year that he’s the man you want at the plate in a walk-off situation, and he proved that right again when he won Monday’s game for the Mets.

On Deck

The Mets’ series with the White Sox continues Tuesday, with the first pitch scheduled for 7:10 p.m. ET. Tylor Megill (3-4, 3.56 ERA) will try to build off his previous solid start against the Red Sox, while Shane Smith (1-3, 2.36 ERA), who has been great this year, will go for Chicago. The game will air on SNY.

The post Mets Pull Out Gritty Walk-Off Win Over White Sox appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Player Data: Age: 30 (1/22/1994), B/T: R/R

Traditional Stats: 130 G, 345 PA, .248/.299/.401/.701, 79 H, 7 HR, 35 RBI
Advanced Stats: 98 wRC+, 23.2 K%, 5.5 BB%, .309 BABIP, .304 xwOBA, 1.2 fWAR

2024 Salary: $2,025,000

GRADE: B

2024 REVIEW

On December 20, the New York Mets traded right-handed pitching prospect Coleman Crow to the Milwaukee Brewers for starting pitcher Adrian Houser and outfielder Tyrone Taylor. What was once looked at as the “Adrian Houser trade” quickly turned as Houser was DFA’d in late July, and Tyrone was becoming a key cog in the Mets turn-around. Taylor, who was brought in as a fourth outfielder for this Mets club, established himself as one of the most reliable players on the squad.

From the beginning, Tyrone Taylor showed that he could and would be a spark plug for this 2024 Mets team, knocking in the game-winning RBI in the Mets first win of the season over the Tigers. His .288/.306/.441 slash line during the month of April immediately launched him into a semi-regular spot in the lineup, combined with the struggling bat of DJ Stewart. 

Despite seeing a severe downswing at the plate, having a .347 OPS during May, the new Met was so valuable and versatile in the outfield that he was still seeing regular playing time. This only continued to pick up during the summer months when both Harrison Bader and Starling Marte missed time due to injuries of their own. While the Mets were putting together a run with the best record in baseball, Taylor was in the middle of it, playing superb defense at all three outfield spots and playing above league average baseball at the plate.

To finish off his regular season, Tyrone had a scorching hot September where he finished with an impressive .283/.356/.434 line and helping the Mets clinch a playoff spot. While seeing a dip in the postseason, his presence was still felt in the field, making several run-saving grabs and throws throughout the Mets miracle run.

2025 Overview

While the 2024 counting numbers don’t scream that Tyrone is a “must keep” player; when you get a league average bat from a player who logged 5 OAA, a 90.8 percentile arm strength, and 90th percentile sprint speed, the impact truly can’t be measured by basic stats. Tyrone Taylor was as consistent as they come, coming to the ballpark everyday with the ability to play all three outfield spots at a high level and providing a timely bat.

Taylor is still under contract for the 2025 season, however, the extent of his role on the 2025 Mets is still in limbo as of now. The signing of Jose Siri, who is one of the best defensive outfielders in the league, takes Harrison Bader’s spot from last year. With a possible Juan Soto signing, Taylor could see himself entering the season as a fifth outfielder.

But with an aging Starling Marte, and injuries bound to happen to most during a 162-game marathon, Tyrone is the type of player that could come in and provide reliability at the snap of a finger. Tyrone Taylor is a winning player and will continue to have a large impact on the Mets success, no matter the role the club puts him in going forward. 

The post 2024 Mets Report Card: Tyrone Taylor, OF appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

While the Mets’ bullpen has hit its stride post All-Star break, one of the lone bright spots in the Mets’ ‘pen during the early part of the season could make his return very soon. Reed Garrett, who posted a 1.04 ERA in his first 26 innings of his 2024 season, was placed on the 15-day IL with right elbow inflammation on July 10. Garrett had a steep decline prior to being placed on the IL, climbing to a 3.64 ERA and 1.43 WHIP. 

The Mets are hoping to get the high-end reliever that they saw early in the season upon his return. Mets manager Carlos Mendoza told the media that there is a “good chance” the 31-year-old RHP will return to the team during their upcoming weekend series in Seattle. Garrett struck out three in a scoreless frame during his second rehab appearance and looks to add to the backend of the Mets’ bullpen.

Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

The Mets tied up their series in Colorado on Wednesday night as they beat the Rockies by a score of 5-3. Paul Blackburn had another wonderful outing, only giving up two runs (one earned) on five hits in his second start as a Met. After scoring two runs in the first two innings, the Mets’ offense went quiet up until the ninth inning. However, with the bases loaded in a 2-2 game, Francisco Lindor came up clutch again with a two-RBI base hit and Jesse Winker added on an RBI single to hand the Mets a three-run lead. Despite giving up a run in the ninth, Edwin Díaz completed the Mets’ win with his 14th save of the season.

The Amazin’s, who are now only 0.5 GB of the Braves for the third Wild Card spot, will look to take the rubber game in Colorado on Thursday. David Peterson (5-1, 3.47 ERA) of the Mets is set to face Austin Gomber (3-7, 4.66 ERA) of the Rockies for a 3:10 p.m. ET start at Coors Field.

Latest Mets News

The Mets come in 10th in Baseball America‘s midseason farm system ranking.

Mets pitching prospect Brandon Sproat will make his Triple-A debut as he will pitch for the Syracuse Mets at 6:35 p.m. on Thursday.

Starling Marte singled in his first plate appearance with Low-A St. Lucie during his rehab assignment, and followed it up by stealing second base. For more on Marte’s rehab assignment, click here.

Luisangel Acuña hit his sixth home run of the season for Triple-A Syracuse on Wednesday. It was his third consecutive at-bat with an extra-base hit.

Luisangel Acuña launched his sixth homer of the season for Triple-A Syracuse.

It was his third consecutive at-bat with an XBH.
pic.twitter.com/YK86e34Z7t

— Metsmerized Online (@Metsmerized) August 7, 2024

Latest MLB News

Former Met J.D. Davis signed with the Baltimore Orioles, per Jon Heyman of The New York Post. Davis was most recently released by the Yankees and is hitting .218/.293/.338 on the season.

The Chicago Cubs signed former Mets pitcher Adrian Houser to a minor league deal, per MLB.com. Houser finished his short Mets tenure in the bullpen, posting a 5.84 combined ERA as a starter and reliever.

Free-agent pitcher Rich Hill is throwing for interested teams on Friday, August 9 in Waltham, Mass., per Robert Murray of FanSided. The Dodgers and Yankees are among the teams that have shown interest in the 44-year-old pitcher.

Brusdar Graterol, who seemed to have suffered a possible season-ending hamstring injury in his first outing of the season, might be able to return this season, per Dodger Insider. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said the MRI showed it was a grade 1 hamstring strain and they are hopeful to have Graterol back this season.

The Baltimore Orioles placed OF Heston Kjerstad on the 10-day IL with a concussion, retroactive to August 1. The club also placed RHP Grayson Rodriguez on the 15-day IL with right lat/teres discomfort, retroactive to August 4.

The Boston Red Sox placed OF Tyler O’Neill on the 10-day IL, retroactive to August 4, with a left leg injection. They also called up INF/OF Enmanuel Valdez from Triple-A Worcester and recalled RHP Chris Martin from the 15-day IL.

With his home run in the Orioles’ 7-3 win over the Blue Jays on Wednesday night, Jackson Holliday became the youngest player in American League history to homer in three straight games.

Latest on MMO

The Mets’ deadline acquisitions have been put to the test early on. 

Luisangel Acuña delivers the walk-off knock for Syracuse.

Starling Marte returns to action in St. Lucie.

On This Date in Mets History

2014: Bartolo Colón records the 200th win of his career as he throws eight innings of one-run ball in a 5-4 Mets win against the Phillies. He joined Juan Marichal and Pedro Martínez as the only Dominican-born pitchers to reach the 200 win milestone.

2011: The Mets come back from a four-run deficit in the eight inning, scoring five runs in the final two innings to beat the Padres by a score of 9-8. Lucas Duda smacked a two-RBI walk-off single off Heath Bell to win the game. Jason Bay also hit his 200th career home run during this game.

1997: The Mets trade Lance Johnson, Mark Clark, and Manny Alexander to the Cubs for Turk Wendell, Mel Rojas and Brian McRae. Wendell would go on to be a big piece of their 1999 and 2000 playoff runs, posting a 2.84 ERA in the 13 postseason games he pitched in during those two runs. 

Birthdays: John Hudek (58)

The post Morning Briefing: ‘Good Chance’ Reed Garrett Returns Against Seattle appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

With a struggling bullpen and an influx of moves on the horizon, the Mets DFA’d both RHP Adrian Houser and RHP Shintaro Fujinami on July 26. While Fujinami cleared waivers and was outrighted to Triple-A Syracuse on Tuesday, Houser was released by the club on Wednesday, per Will Sammon of The Athletic. The Mets also released RHP Ty Adcock. 

Houser, who was acquired along with Tyrone Taylor from the Brewers in the offseason, had his ups and downs throughout his short Mets tenure. The veteran started in the Mets’ rotation, where he struggled severely, having his ERA balloon up to 8.37 at its highest. The Mets then moved him to the bullpen, where he thrived for a short period, but he came back down to Earth recently, and his subpar performance made him expendable. Houser posted a 5.84 ERA, 1.53 WHIP and 1-5 record in his 69 1/3 innings and 23 games with the Mets.

At Citi Field on Wednesday, the Mets finished their homestand and series against the Minnesota Twins in disappointing fashion. While a Mark Vientos home run gave the Mets an early 2-1 lead in the second inning, it would all go downhill from there. Luis Severino had one of his worst outings in Queens, only lasting three innings while giving up six runs on six hits, leading to an 8-3 Mets loss. However, the Mets leave Citi Field with the series win and a 4-3 record during their homestand. Click here for a full game recap. 

The Mets are now going on a West Coast trip. Their first stop will be in Anaheim, where they will take on the Los Angeles Angels for three games. They will have Thursday off and be back in action on Friday night when Paul Blackburn will make his Mets debut on the mound. 

Photo by David Richard-USA TODAY Sports

Latest Mets News

Baseball America ranked all 89 prospects dealt at the trade deadline. Here is where the pieces the Mets parted with landed: RHP Tyler Stuart (35), RHP Kade Morris (41), RHP Paul Gervase (75), OF Rhylan Thomas (82) and INF Wilfredo Lara (86).

The Mets optioned newly acquired right-handed relief pitcher Tyler Zuber to Triple-A Syracuse prior to Wednesday’s game. They also optioned LHP Matt Gage to Syracuse and activated former Marlin RHP Huascar Brazobán.

Two new promotions were added to the Mets’ schedule for their mid-August homestand. On Saturday, August 17, against the Marlins, the first 15,000 fans will receive an “OMG” T-shirt, and fans can get an “OMG” foam finger through a special ticket offer for the game on Tuesday, August 20th, against the Orioles.

The Mets’ newest starter, Paul Blackburn, will make his first start for the Amazin’s on Friday against the Angels. Tylor Megill, slated to start that game, has been put in the bullpen. He went two innings while giving up one run on three hits during his first appearance out of the ‘pen on Wednesday against the Twins. Click here to learn about Blackburn.

Reed Garrett looked “really good” in his live session on Wednesday, per Joe Pantorno of amNewYork. Garrett, who hit 97 mph in his live session, will be making a rehab appearance on Saturday for the Syracuse Mets. 

Sean Reid-Foley was on point during his rehab appearance for Double-A Binghamton, getting all three batters he faced to strike out swinging. 

Brandon Nimmo left Wednesday’s loss to the Minnesota Twins after fouling a ball off his foot in the sixth inning. Mets manager Carlos Mendoza told reporters after the game that X-rays were negative and Nimmo should be good to go for Friday. Click here for more on Nimmo’s injury.

The Mets signed 18 of their 20 draft picks in the 2024 MLB Draft. The only players the Mets did not sign were ninth-rounder RHP Jaxon Jelkin and 20th-rounder SS Adam Haight.

Latest MLB News

The Houston Astros DFA’d former Mets pitcher Rafael Montero, per Chandler Rome of The Athletic. The flame-throwing right-hander was in year two of his three-year, $34.5 million deal.

St. Louis Cardinals veteran RHP Lance Lynn was placed on the 15-day IL with right knee inflammation. Lynn has a 4.06 ERA and 1.36 WHIP in 106 1/3 innings of work this season.

Jackson Holliday‘s first career home run was a grand slam, which he rocketed deep into right field, onto Eutaw Street.

JACKSON HOLLIDAY!

His first big league homer is a grand slam! pic.twitter.com/UhYSrT2MiQ

— MLB (@MLB) July 31, 2024

Baltimore Orioles third baseman Jordan Westburg fractured his hand after getting hit by a pitch in the fifth inning of Wednesday’s game, per Steve Melewski of MASN Sports. The club hopes he can return by the end of the season.

Former Mets catcher James McCann played in Wednesday’s Orioles game with multiple nasal fractures after taking a 95 mph fastball to the face on Monday. McCann sported a new mask to do so.

Latest on MMO

See what MMO writers graded the Mets’ trade deadline.

The Mets activated their newest reliever, Huascar Brazobán.

More on the news of Nimmo fighting off an injury scare.

The Mets signed 18 of their 20 draft picks.

On This Date in Mets History

2015: Lucas Duda drives in all three Mets runs as his two home runs and eighth-inning go-ahead RBI double power the Mets past the Nationals. This win puts the Mets one game back of the Washington Nationals for first place in the NL East. 

2010: 1986 World Series champions Darryl Strawberry, Dwight “Doc” Gooden, Davey Johnson, and Frank Cashen are inducted into the Mets Hall of Fame.

1999: Pitcher Pat Mahomes gives the Mets a 13th-inning lead with a two-out base hit and gets the save in the bottom of the frame to beat the Cubs in Wrigley. 

1989: Kevin McReynolds finishes off the fifth cycle in Mets history with his ninth-inning triple.

Birthdays: Brian Bohanon (56), Gregg Jefferies (57)

The post Morning Briefing: Mets Release Adrian Houser appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Megill was efficient and dominant the first time through the order. He made quick work of the Braves, striking out three of the four hitters en route to three perfect innings. But things quickly changed the second time through the order. After getting the first two outs in the fourth, Marcell Ozuna hit a home run to left-center field. Four pitches later, Matt Olson also hit a home run to left-center field. Megill looked great early on, but within a matter of minutes, the Mets trailed 2-0.

The Braves added a third in the top of the fifth, thanks to an RBI single from Orlando Arcia. Megill was able to pitch into the seventh inning thanks to his low pitch count. Eddie Rosario, who nearly hit a home run down the right field line earlier in the game, was not going to miss one again. He went down to get a 85 mph slider at the bottom of the zone, hitting it over the right field wall. Megill’s day finished on a sour note. Six innings, four runs allowed on five hits, three of which were home runs.

“I wouldn’t say it was terrible. Obviously three solo shots. One to Ozuna, bad pitch. And then just tip your cap to Rosario and Olson. Besides that, I filled up the zone. Attacking hitters, had a couple walks but was able to stop the damage to get into the seventh,” Megill said after his performance.

There was some good and bad to his start on Saturday. Megill has a 5.46 ERA in the first inning for his career, yet he able to complete that inning with ease. He was also throw six-plus innings, something he had not done since late May. On the other hand, his home run issues appear to still exist. Megill has now allowed five home runs over his last three big league starts. It is always going to be difficult to win if he can’t solve that.

The bottom-line, as a starter, Megill has not been good enough throughout his career. His career big-league ERA is encroaching on 5.00 at 4.79. Meanwhile, his FIP is 4.58. This season, in 2024, he owns a 5.20 ERA and 4.38 xERA. A replacement in the rotation, if New York wants to contend this season, would be very wise.

Adrian Houser was used as a long man in the bullpen, but he was designated for assignment earlier this week. Megill has strong stuff (107 Stuff+), but as the game goes on, hitters seem to have more success against him. An argument can be made that he could be more impactful in a bullpen role where he would only be facing hitters once. Megill had nine relief appearances in 2022. But for now, he is expected to make his next start, on the road against the Los Angeles Angels.

The post Tylor Megill Continues To Struggle Despite Rotation Spot Opening appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

With the Mets’ (55-48) 8-4 victory over the Braves (54-48) Friday night, New York took over the top Wild Card spot, surpassing the Braves in the standings. The Mets were as many as 10 games behind the Braves in early June but have now overtaken Atlanta, who are the losers of six in a row.

Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports

Latest Mets News

J.D. Martinez, Mark Vientos and Francisco Alvarez each homered off of Charlie Morton in the third inning, putting up seven runs and knocking him out of the game. Kodai Senga looked fantastic in his season debut, striking out nine in 5 1/3 innings pitched, but he left the game with a calf strain. The Baseball Prospectus Recovery Dashboard shows that players with calf strains miss an average of 34 days.

The Mets and Braves will go at it again at 4:10 p.m. ET on Saturday. Tylor Megill (2-4. 5.08 ERA) will take the mound for the Mets while Spencer Schwellenbach (3-5. 4.62 ERA) will go for the Braves.

The Mets acquired reliever Ryne Stanek from the Mariners in exchange for outfield prospect Rhylan Thomas. Stanek owns a 4.38 ERA this year but has pitched better than his numbers indicate. He joins another former Astro in Phil Maton as the newest additions to the bullpen.

The Mets also made a flurry of roster moves prior to Friday’s game. The team activated Kodai Senga from the injured list in time for his start, but they also placed Dedniel Núñez on the 15-day injured list retroactive to July 24 with a right pronator strain.

Additionally, the Mets recalled Eric Orze from Triple-A and designated both Adrian Houser and Shintaro Fujinami for assignment.

Per Mike Puma of the New York Post, the Mets have called the Giants about Michael Conforto. Conforto would fit the Mets’ need of a lefthanded hitting outfielder.

Latest MLB News

The Phillies announced that they completed a trade with the Orioles, sending Seranthony Domínguez and Cristian Pache to Baltimore for Austin Hays. Hays has three home runs and a .711 OPS in 63 games played this year, while Domínguez has a 4.75 ERA in 38 games and Cristian Pache has a .557 OPS in 50 games, though Pache is an excellent defensive outfielder.

The Orioles made another trade, sending three prospects to the Rays for Zach Eflin, who is 5-7 with a 4.09 ERA this year.

Another trade out of the AL East included Yimi García being sent to the Mariners for prospects Jonatan Clase and Jacob Sharp.

The Dodgers sent starting pitcher James Paxton, who was recently DFA’d, to the Red Sox for 17-year-old infielder Moises Bolivar. Paxton, who spent the 2023 season in Boston, was 8-2 with a 4.43 ERA but was the odd man out with Clayton Kershaw and Tyler Glasnow returning from injury. Robert Murray of FanSided was first on the deal.

Astros general manager Dana Brown told reporters that the team is “working our tails off” to acquire a starting pitcher. He said that he’d prefer not to trade anyone from the major league roster and that no prospect is untouchable. Brown also added that prices remain high, noting it’s a seller’s market.

Freddie Freeman was scratched from the Dodgers’ lineup on Friday and flew back to Los Angeles with the team currently in Houston. His three-year-old son has been in the hospital and there is no timeline on when Freeman is expected to return.

Latest on MMO

Michael Famulari recaps the brilliant performance from José Buttó in Thursday’s victory over the Braves.

Christian De Block profiles Marlins closer Tanner Scott as a potential trade target for the Mets.

On This Date in Mets History

2003: Gary Carter, the catcher for the 1986 World Series champion Mets, was inducted into the Hall of Fame. Carter spent five seasons with the Mets and was named an All-Star four times in that span. He also won two Silver Slugger awards during his time in New York.

Birthdays: Max Scherzer (40)

The post Morning Briefing: Mets Take Over Top Wild Card Spot appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

The Mets also announced they have designated reliever Adrian Houser for assignment. Houser was recently moved out of the starting rotation and into the bullpen. The team also designated Shintaro Fujinami for assignment. With the injury to Núñez and Houser DFA’d, the Mets will recall Eric Orze from Triple-A Syracuse.

Photo by Jordan Godfree-USA TODAY Sports

Impact Of Losing Núñez

Núñez’s injury is the latest blow to a bullpen that lost Brooks Raley and Drew Smith for the season. Additionally, Sean Reid-Foley and Reed Garrett are still on the injured list. Núñez has been dynamic since bursting onto the scene this season. He’s compiled a 2.43 ERA in 24 games with 45 strikeouts in 33 1/3 innings of work. With injuries, Edwin Díaz‘s inconstancies, the struggles of Adam Ottavino and Jake Diekman, and the overall struggles of the bullpen, Núñez was a bright spot for a group that desperately needed it. 

Houser struggled as a starter with an 8.16 ERA. He had an ERA of 4.2o since moving to the bullpen. José Buttó has now emerged as a multi-innings reliever out of the bullpen. Fujinami came to the Mets with potential but continued to struggle with command. Overall, the bullpen continues to be a glaring hole that David Stearns is going to have to fix soon.

The post Núñez Lands on IL; Houser, Fujinami DFA’d appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

After taking two of three from the Rockies, the Mets are over .500 at 49-46. They are also in sole possession of the third Wild Card berth in the National League.

Granted, New York missed the opportunity to sit pretty at the halfway point with 50 wins after dropping the series finale to Colorado on Sunday. However, it was still an impressive homestand, with the Mets going 5-1. They outscored the Nats and the Rockies by a combined 39-24.

All eyes will now be on the Home Run Derby and the All-Star Game – as well as the remainder of the Draft. But before we switch our attention fully, let’s recap the Colorado series in another edition of 3 Up, 3 Down …

3 UP

Jul 12, 2024; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets center fielder Harrison Bader (44) celebrates in the dugout after hitting a solo home run in the second inning against the Colorado Rockies at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports

MR. CLUTCH

You can always count on Francisco Lindor. The leader of this team can come through in the clutch when his team needs him the most. He did it again on Saturday. With the offense struggling, Lindor stepped up to the plate in the eighth inning and blasted a three-run bomb. It was a dagger to the hearts of the Rockies, effectively icing the game there and then. Star players carry that label because of their ability to deliver in the biggest moments. Lindor did that Saturday, signing the Mets a series win. He’s also done it time and time throughout his time in Queens.

DYNAMIC DUO

Christian Scott was on a short leash on Saturday, pulled after just four innings after giving up a pair of homers. Enter José Buttó, who stepped up out of the bullpen. The starter-turned-reliever delivered 2.2 innings of near-perfect relief work, allowing just one hit while striking out five. Then, in the second installment of a daring double act, Dedniel Núñez came in to finish the job. The righty threw two hitless innings with no walks and three strikeouts to seal the win. It was a much-needed boost for a bullpen that struggled in this series.

UNSUNG HERO

To be successful in the MLB, you need your role players to step up here and there. The Mets have that in Harrison Baderand then some. The Gold Glove defender has been an unexpected but welcome plus on the offensive side of the ball. That was evident in the series opener on Friday when Bader went off offensively. The eight-year veteran – who has never hit more than 16 homers in a single season – blasted two home runs in a single game for the second time in his career.

Both of Bader’s blasts were important. One gave the Mets a 3-2 lead, while the other blew the game wide open. All in all, Bader has been providing consistent contributions from the nine-hole in the lineup all year, and that’s been a vital ingredient in why this offense has been red-hot.

3 DOWN

Jul 14, 2024; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets starting pitcher Jose Quintana (62) delivers a pitch during the second inning against the Colorado Rockies at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports

BEATEN UP

José Quintana entered Sunday’s game with a 2.82 ERA over his previous ten starts. Then the wheels fell off. The veteran was shelled for five earned runs on six hits, including giving up four homers. It was the first time in his career that Quintana had allowed four home runs in a single game. As a result, the Mets had no chance of winning the game and missed the opportunity to enter the All-Star break at 50 wins. For Quintana, he will hope Sunday was just a blip as he looks to either raise his value as a trade chip or continue to help this team down the stretch.

SAME OLD STORY

At this point, we may as well reserve a spot in this section for the bullpen. Because, as of right now, we’re guaranteed at least two implosions a series from the pen. Other than Saturday, the bullpen continued its struggles in this series. Jake Diekman and newly-acquired Phil Maton combined to allow three earned runs on three hits on Friday. Thankfully, Edwin Díaz got the job done in the ninth. Then, on Sunday, Adrian Houser‘s recent struggles continued as he allowed two home runs out of the bullpen. He has given up three earned runs in each of his last two outings. The trade deadline can’t come soon enough for this beaten-up bullpen.

SLUMP CITY

J.D. Martinez has cooled off considerably. The DH was in a groove in June but has become entrenched in a slump over the past few weeks. The veteran didn’t record a single hit against the Rockies, going a combined 0-for-9 with six strikeouts in the series. Furthermore, over the last 14 days, Martinez is hitting just .189/.318/.324/.643. As a result, the All-Star break has probably come at the perfect time for the 14-year vet. Sometimes, rest is the best medicine.

The post 3 Up, 3 Down: Mets Enter All-Star Break Over .500 appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

After splitting their series against the Nationals, the Mets also had to settle for a series split with the Pirates to finish 4-4 on the road trip.

There were yet more implosions from a bullpen teetering on the edge, while an up-and-down offense also contributed to a disappointing finish to a long week.

And, on that note, let’s dive into another edition of 3 Up, 3 Down…

3 UP

Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

UNLIKELY HERO 

Luis Torrens continues to make big-time contributions for the Mets. Getting the start in Saturday’s game, the veteran went 3-for-4 at the plate in an offensive outburst. More importantly, he delivered a clutch two-out, three-run double that helped New York secure a 5-2 win. Torrens has been arguably the pickup of the year for the Mets, and his offensive upside makes him a valuable weapon to have in reserve.

COMEBACK KING

Edwin Díaz‘s absence was certainly felt. Serving a 10-game suspension for sticky stuff, the closer made his return on Saturday and made an immediate impact. Díaz fired a scoreless ninth to record his eighth save of the year. He also pitched the following day, blowing the save in the eighth before going back out and working a perfect ninth to secure the win. All in all, having Díaz back will help a bullpen that is clinging for life. Especially if he can pitch consistently at a peak level the rest of the way.

STARTING EXCELLENCE

In a series where the pitching was unreliable, Sean Manaea proved dependable in his start on Sunday. The lefty was excellent on the mound, putting together six scoreless innings while giving up just two hits with three walks and six strikeouts. As a result, he now owns a 3.43 ERA on the year. And, with the Mets needing attractive assets in order to acquire bullpen help, Manaea did his trade value no harm at all with a third consecutive impressive outing.

3 DOWN

Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

LEARNING ON THE JOB

Manager Carlos Mendoza had a tough day on Monday. He pulled Christian Scott from the game, who was in his groove and had thrown only 77 pitches. However, despite giving up just two earned runs over 5.2 innings, Scott was on a pitch count and that game plan had to be stuck too. But, best laid plans and all that. Eric Orze, making his MLB debut, came in and instantly gave up three runs on two hits. Adrian Houser didn’t do any better, allowing three earned runs of his own.

It was a nightmare sixth inning for the Mets, and Mendoza was criticized for going to a taxed bullpen too early. Now, you can argue that Scott was pitching on four days’ rest for the first time in his career. He had also thrown 99 pitches in his last start. In my opinion, pulling Scott wasn’t the issue. Putting Orze into the game to face the most lethal part of Pittsburgh’s lineup in his first MLB outing was the mistake by Mendoza. Jake Diekman was available against a string of lefties (he’s actually good against them), and Adam Ottavino pitched just once in the six days leading up to Sunday. And that’s the error he should be held accountable for.

But, hey, Mendoza is just 89 games into his first job as a big league manager. Mistakes will happen. Unfortunately, it cost the Mets a game they really had to have.

FAMILIAR STORY

Let’s stick with the bullpen. Because we kind of have to at this point. Besides the sixth inning meltdown on Monday, the pen also collapsed in the series opener, with Jake Diekman and Ty Adcock combining to allow seven earned runs in just an ugly implosion after Luis Severino had already laid an egg in his start. After splitting in Washington, the Mets really needed to record a series win in Pittsburgh. Instead, they had to settle for another split thanks to more bullpen dramatics. With the price for bullpen help likely to be high given the market, it is hard to see things getting any better any time soon for a group of relievers that are about to fall off the cliff completely.

STREAKY  

A red-hot offense in June has started to come back down to earth in July. The Mets lineup put up just two runs in both of their losses in Pittsburgh. Additionally, they could only squeeze out three runs in a win on Saturday. In reality, a regression from an exhilarating June was always to be expected. But, with the bullpen in the current state it is, the offense needs to put up a bunch of runs just to stand a chance in any given game. Plus, too many key hitters are going cold at the same time. Pete Alonso hasn’t been great. J.D. Martinez has cooled off. There’s still little to no production from Jeff McNeil. The DJ Stewart experiment is also probably over. All in all, the bats cooling off didn’t help matters in Pittsburgh.

The post 3 Up, 3 Down: Mets Split Winnable Series in Pittsburgh appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

But as it’s done all season, the bullpen halted the momentum. Abruptly as well.

With two outs in the sixth and 77 pitches thrown (he was on a pitch count), Scott was pulled for Eric Orze by Carlos Mendoza.

Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

Orze—making his major league debut—couldn’t record a single out. He walked Bryan Reynolds to start his relief appearance, then allowed consecutive hits to Oneil Cruz and Rowdy Tellez to put the Pirates in front 3-2.

Mendoza had seen enough and opted to pull Orze in favor of Adrian Houser. The righty had been lights out in June, pitching to a 1.08 ERA in 16 2/3 innings, and Mendoza hoped the righty could secure one final out to send the Mets to the seventh.

Unfortunately, Houser mirrored Orze’s performance. Nick Gonzales doubled to right field to bring in both Cruz and Tellez, later coming around on a wild pitch.

The Pirates’ barrage didn’t end there. Joshua Palacios launched a no-doubt homer to right field, rounding to the bases to extend the Pirates’ lead to 7-2. The Mets, who were tied 2-2 and one out away from the seventh, trailed by five runs in the blink of an eye.

The Mets couldn’t recover from the bullpen implosion in the sixth, and eventually fell to the Pirates 8-2, earning a series split with the Pirates. The game marked the end of an eight-game stretch on the road where the Mets went 4-4, mostly due to the bullpen failing to get important outs.

Two games specifically came in Washington on July 3 and the opening game against the Pirates. In D.C., the Mets held a 5-0 lead over the Nats, but Tylor Megill and the ‘pen squandered the lead.

In Game 1 against the Pirates, Luis Severino was pulled in the seventh inning after loading the bases with the Mets trailing 4-2, but Jake Diekman allowed a grand slam to Reynolds to put the game out of reach.

Both losses were gut punches. And they came against teams chasing the Mets in the wild-card race. But failing to meet expectations has been a theme of the Mets bullpen throughout the season. Especially recently.

Since June 23, the Mets bullpen has pitched to an 8.12 ERA, blowing two five-run leads and losing four games in which the Mets were either tied or winning. It’s been the biggest hole on this 2024 roster and something that was addressed after the loss to the Pirates on Sunday.

Speaking to the media after the loss, Nimmo on the inability to lock down wins.

“Definitely some games that got away from us,” Nimmo told the media. “But honestly that’s the story of the year so far. We haven’t been able to lock down wins. And that’s a problem. We’re hoping to address it.”

Addressing the bullpen will certainly be a top priority for David Stearns. Outside of Dedniel Núñez and Sean Reid-Foley, nobody in the ‘pen has an ERA under 3. That’s not a recipe for success.

Edwin Díaz returning from his 10-game suspension and Reid-Foley eventually from his injury will help, but at least one arm is needed to bolster a postseason-hopeful team. It’s so apparent that Nimmo petitioned Steve Cohen and the front office to make moves to help the Mets torrent offense.

Still, even with the bullpen struggling, and help potentially weeks away, Nimmo kept things positive. He acknowledged the tough road stretch and pointed out the Mets faced quality pitching.

“Honestly, going into this series we knew we were going to face really good pitching, even with the Nationals. So I was kinda thinking like, I know everybody thinks we were supposed to go 6-2 on this road trip, but honestly, 4-4 is not the worst would have loved 5-3. But with the pitching that we faced and the offensive production that the team’s put up, I think coming away with it we can still look at it positively.”

While the Mets went 4-4 against the Nationals and Pirates, Nimmo’s perspective was factual. The Mets faced tough pitchers in MacKenzie Gore, Jake Irvin, Paul Skenes, Luis Ortiz, and Mitch Keller, yet still averaged a respectable 4.13 runs per game.

The talent is there with this team, which they showed during an outstanding 16-8 June against worthy opponents. But there’s still work to be done. The Mets come home to face the Nationals again with a 44-45 record. They still remain out of the third wild card spot, and if they want to be buyers at the deadline, they’ll need to finish the first half of the season strong.

The post Bullpen, Once Again, Halts Mets Momentum on Sunday appeared first on Metsmerized Online.