Steve Cohen, tongue-in-cheek, urged fans to “get back to what matters – the black jerseys.” Marcus Stroman was “turnt right now.”

Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

The deal worked out well for the Mets, who signed Lindor to a 10-year, $341 million contract extension on the eve of Opening Day in 2021. It is, by total value, the seventh-largest contract in baseball history. Juan Soto‘s deal is first.

Lindor has slashed .261/.338/.462 with 141 home runs in five years in New York. He’s finished top 1o in the MVP vote four times, including a second-place finish in 2024, won two Silver Sluggers and earned his first National League All-Star nod in 2025. He’s currently fourth among Mets position players in team history with his 29.8 fWAR. Only David Wright (51.3), Darryl Strawberry (35.5) and José Reyes (33.2) are ahead of him.

He also hit a pair of the franchise’s most dramatic home runs over a nine-day period in 2024.

This two-run blast (“Linsanity again!” bellowed Gary Cohen) gave the Mets the lead in the ninth inning of a playoff-spot-clinching 8-7 win in Atlanta. This grand slam put the Mets ahead for good in the NLDS clincher against Philadelphia. (Howie Rose: “They were famished for the big hit all night and Francisco Lindor just provided a feast!”)

For good measure, he hit three home runs in a victory over the Yankees in September 2021.

The Others

Carrasco spent three years with the Mets, struggling in 2021 and 2023 but going 15-7 with a 3.97 ERA in 2022. Last season, he pitched to a 7.09 ERA over 45 2/3 innings combined between the Yankees and Braves.

Rosario, once a highly regarded Met prospect, has played for the Guardians and five other teams since the deal. Cleveland sent him to the Dodgers for Noah Syndergaard at the 2023 trade deadline. He hit .276/.309/.436 with six home runs in 191 plate appearances combined for the Nationals and Yankees in 2025.

Giménez won three Gold Gloves in four seasons in Cleveland, made the 2022 All-Star team and finished sixth in MVP voting that year when he hit 17 homers, stole 20 bases and posted an .837 OPS. The Guardians traded him to Toronto last offseason. He had a poor year offensively for the Blue Jays (.598 OPS) but filled in well for an injured Bo Bichette in the postseason.

The prospects, so far, have not panned out. Wolf, a right-hander, pitched to a 4.74 ERA in 57 innings for the Giants’ High-A affiliate this year. Greene, an outfielder, advanced as high as High-A in the Cleveland system. He posted a .722 OPS in 42 games in the MLB Draft League this year.

Final Grade: A+

This trade, five years later, should put a smile on your face.

The post Lindor Deal Looks Good Five Years Later appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

You are probably trying to convince yourselves that it can’t, but based on what we’ve seen over the first two months of the season, this is perhaps just the beginning of the bad times.

After all, it will only get worse before it gets better, as the old saying goes.

The Mets are the perfect picture of ineptitude right now, and an embarrassing stretch of losses and performances only continued in a three-game sweep to the Guardians.

The bats never really showed up, and when they did, the pitching was a horror show. This team also seems incapable of playing fundamentally sound baseball over sustained stretches.

As a result of the three losses in Cleveland, New York is now a season-worst seven games under .500.

All in all, things seem pretty bleak for the Mets right now. With no game until Friday, let’s linger in the losing for a while longer in the latest edition of 3 Up, 3 Down…

Francisco Alvarez. Photo by Ed Delany of Metsmerized

3 UP

REINFORCEMENTS 

Not a whole lot of good came out of Cleveland for the Mets, that’s for sure. However, there was some good news with Francisco Álvarez set to take batting practice soon. That’s a positive development for the catcher, who has been out for over a month following thumb surgery. New York has struggled to get any substantial offense from either Tomás Nido or Omar Narváez in Álvarez’s absence. As a result, the fact that Álvarez is closing in on a return sometime in June should be seen as a major boost for a beyond-struggling lineup.

MAKING HIS MARK

Mark Vientos has held up his end of the bargain since being recalled to the majors. The power hitter went a combined 3-for-7 in two games in Cleveland, hitting two doubles, one homer and scoring two runs. Since rejoining the Mets, Vientos is 7-for-21 with four doubles, one homer and three walks. He also owns a 1.067 OPS in six games since returning from Triple-A Syracuse. Vientos was given another chance and has run with it so far.

SIGNS OF LIFE

I’m still not convinced that this lineup will be consistently dangerous over the long haul, but it did show some signs of life in Cleveland. Aside from being limited to just one run on six hits in the opening game, the offense did some damage in this series. The Mets hit three home runs in the second game, scoring six runs in total. That arguably would have been enough to clinch the win were it not for another mammoth Adrian Houser stinker on the mound. Then, on Wednesday, the lineup hit three home runs for the second consecutive game. Again, pitching proved to be the downfall. However, arguably the biggest positive was the struggling Jeff McNeil hitting homers in back-to-back games—something to build on for both McNeil and the lineup in general.

Photo by David Richard-USA TODAY Sports

3 DOWN

FINDING NEW WAYS TO LOSE

Okay, it’s time for the painful part of this feature—the bad stuff. And, spoiler alert, there was plenty of bad and a lot of ugly from the three-game set in Cleveland. Let’s start with a more general point: this team keeps finding new ways to lose. If it wasn’t putting up just one run and being embarrassingly awful on the basepaths, it was being outscored thanks to another collapse on the mound. Then, and perhaps worst of all, the Mets clubbed three homers in the finale and seemed in control, only to implode and end up losing anyway. The fact that former Met Andrés Giménez clubbed the game-tying three-run homer just adds insult to injury. As a result of the sweep, the Mets have lost 20 of their last 29 games and 10 of the last 13. They are seven games under .500.

With a tough stretch coming back at Citi Field, things could get even bleaker for New York.

CRUSHING BLOW

It is official. Brooks Raley is officially done for the year. The lefty reliever will undergo season-ending elbow surgery next week, it has been confirmed. What that means for the long-term future of the 35-year-old pending free agent remains to be seen. What we do know, however, is that losing Raley for the year is a crushing blow for the bullpen. The lefty hadn’t given up an earned run in eight outings this year. While other left-handed options are available in the bullpen, Raley’s loss can’t be overstated for what is already a taxed pen.

THE END IS NIGH

Adrian Houser may as well be a cat. With the amount of chances he keeps getting in the rotation, he sure is leading nine charmed lives. However, after another stinker on Tuesday, it has to be a matter of time before Houser’s future with the Mets comes into real doubt. The righty was shelled for six earned runs on six hits, elevating his ERA to an ugly 7.88. Furthermore, Houser’s latest implosion doomed the Mets despite the best efforts of the lineup. With a bad outing out of the bullpen to boot, has Houser now used all nine of his lives?

The post 3 Up, 3 Down: Mets Reach New Lows In Cleveland Sweep appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

The Mets made history yesterday! Unfortunately, as per usual, the Amazins were on the wrong side of history.

With Thursday’s loss to the Cleveland Guardians, it was the first time in franchise history that the Mets were swept by Cleveland. This continued the Mets’ freefall as of late, continuing to lose series as they drop to seven games under .500, their lowest point of the season thus far.

Despite holding a 3-0 lead going into the bottom of the sixth and having one of his better performances of the season, José Quintana would give up a three-run blast to former Met Andrés Giménez to tie the game. The Mets were shut out the rest of the way, ending up in yet another loss. For a full breakdown of the game, click here.

Luckily, the Mets will return to Queens for a 10-game home stand, hosting three West Coast teams in hopes of grasping some sort of momentum. They start off with the Giants on Friday, with Christian Scott expected to get the ball for a 7:10 p.m. ET start time.

David Richard-USA TODAY Sports

Latest Mets News

Mets catcher Francisco Alvarez is scheduled to take batting practice during the Mets’ next homestand which starts Friday, per Mike Puma of the New York Post. To learn more about Alvarez’s rehab progression, click here.

Mets two-way prospect Nolan McLean made his Double-A debut on the mound for the Binghamton Rumble Ponies. His line: 4 IP, 7 H, 3 R, 0 BB, and 5 K.

Latest MLB News

The MLB and MLBPA announced an expansion of financial programs to support living Negro Leagues players. The benefits are extended to alumni who played in fewer than four seasons in the Negro Leagues. 

Dallas Keuchel was released by the Mariners Triple-A affiliate Tacoma Rainiers. The 36-year-old veteran starting pitcher made seven starts, posting a 4.74 ERA.

The San Diego Padres placed INF Xander Bogaerts on the 10-day IL, retroactive to May 21, with a left shoulder fracture. He intends to play again this season, per Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune.

The contract of outfielder David Peralta was selected by the San Diego Padres. 

White Sox outfielder Eloy Jiménez was placed on the 10-day IL with a left hamstring strain. 

The Texas Rangers signed RHP Nabil Crismatt to a minor league deal, per Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News.

The Seattle Mariners acquired RHP relief pitcher Mike Baumann from the Baltimore Orioles for catcher Blake Hunt, per Jeff Passan of ESPN.

Latest on MMO

Mark Vientos has been making the most of his opportunity. 

Francisco Alvarez is on his way back to the field.

See what MMO readers had to say about Nolan McLean’s first start in Double-A.

On This Date in Mets History

2010: The Mets beat the Yankees behind 7 2/3 innings of one-run ball from Johan Santana and two Jason Bay home runs.

2009: Omar Santos hits a go-ahead two-run homer off of Jonathan Papelbon, who had not blown a save up until that point in the season. 

1999: The Mets rally for five runs in the ninth inning to take a one-run lead against Curt Shilling, who had thrown eight scoreless innings prior.

Birthdays: Vic Black (36), Ricky Gutiérrez (54), Butch Metzger (72), Pepe Mangual (72)

The post Morning Briefing: Mets Get Swept in Cleveland For First Time appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

The numbers have taken a drastic turn in just a year; his 2023 OPS sits at .668, putting him at 15th among all second basemen in the game. In 2022, he finished third, with a .836 OPS, just behind Jose Altuve and former Met, Andrés Giménez. At the plate this year, he has not looked like the hitter who helped his team secure a spot in the postseason and produce a 101-win season. However, since July 21, things have begun to turn a corner for McNeil. Since then, he’s batting a much more McNeil-like .290/.364/.435 with 20 hits, 12 runs and 10 RBIs. More importantly, he’s had five multi-hit games in that span, something that’s been lacking.

What’s To Come For The Flying Squirrel?

McNeil signed a four-year, $50MM extension this past offseason with the Mets, securing his place in Queens for potentially the rest of his career. However, it’s not hard to wonder where McNeil fits into the Mets’ plans with their new influx of elite prospects.

Since his debut in 2018, Jeff has been one of the most versatile players in the game. He can play almost any position in the field and does so at a gold glove caliber level. While he’s settled in primarily at second base or the corner outfield spots, he can slot in at third or even shortstop in a pinch. But with budding prospects like Luisangel Acuña, Ronny Mauricio, Drew Gilbert, and even rookies Brett Baty and Mark Vientos, it’s hard to see where everybody fits in on the roster soon.

WHAT A CATCH BY JEFF McNEIL! pic.twitter.com/h4171E7keB

— SNY (@SNYtv) July 27, 2023

Because of McNeil’s defensive flexibility, he will play every day; just where is the question? Players like Mauricio might need to find a set position to make their way to the show. McNeil, however, can and has flourished in any role taken on the field. His bat is no need for concern – a similar situation happened in 2021. He finished that year batting .251/.319/.360 and came back the following year to win a batting title.

Newcomers might even look to McNeil for inspiration on making the best out of the unknown and unexpected. A 12th-round pick in the 2013 draft, McNeil wasn’t even on the Mets Top 30 Prospect ratings a year before he made his debut.

Going… Going… Gone?

While McNeil is part of the Mets’ core, there is a world where the front office decides to continue their trading spree come the offseason. While it still feels unlikely, the Mets might not be able to reject an offer they receive. The Mets might dip McNeil’s name in the trade pool to see what they can net. After all, they rejuvenated their entire farm system in a single trade deadline. They might want to keep going. In the end, however, he most likely will have more value to the team in the long run, as both a player and leader.

The post With McNeil Back on Track, What’s Next? appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Photo by Ed Delany of Metsmerized

Good morning, Mets fans!

Today is the last day before the 2023 baseball season officially begins. So enjoy this last free day, get caught up with all our articles previewing the season, and bring on some baseball!

Latest Mets News

Relief pitcher Bryce Montes de Oca will undergo arthroscopic surgery today to remove bone fragments from his right elbow, sources tell BallySports’ and Stadium‘s Russell Dorsey. Recovery time is four months with a possible return to action mid-August.

Tim Healey of Newsday said on Twitter that catcher Kevin Parada and righthander Blade Tidwell will open the year with with High-A Brooklyn. Parada was the Mets’ top draft pick last year and Tidwell was the second-rounder and is the organization’s top-ranked pitching prospect.

Do you remember McFadden’s? The location that was home to many fans during the 2015 postseason run will be open once again as The K Korner. The bar will operate in the former McFadden’s location on Seaver Way, opens to fans on Thursday, April 6 for the home opener. Fans can enjoy food and beverages at The K Korner before, during and after all home games this season. The news was announced via the New York Mets on Twitter.

Latest MLB News

According to ESPN and Jeff Passan, second baseman Andrés Giménez and the Cleveland Guardians are finalizing a long-term contract extension, sources familiar with the deal tell ESPN. Giménez, 24, was a first-time All-Star and Gold Glove winner last year. The former Met, who was packaged along with Amed Rosario for Francisco Lindor, will be signed for seven years and $106.5 million, including a club option for the 2031 season. The deal starts next year and covers Giménez’s three arbitration years and potentially five free agent seasons.

Twenty-six-year-old Cuban pitcher Yariel Rodriguez left his contract with the Chunichi Dragons and the Cuban Baseball Federation and will seek to sign with an MLB team in the near future, according to MLB‘s Francys Romero. According to MLB scouts, Rodríguez could sign a contract in the range of $50M and five years. He’s a potential 3-5 spot starter in an MLB rotation.

Amazon announced they will be broadcasting 20 MLB games this season that will all be available on Amazon Prime for no additional cost, according to cordcuttersnews.com. The 20 games are all New York Yankees games and will all be produced by YES Network, the flagship home of the Yankees broadcasts. Additionally, fans watching these games through Amazon will be able to access line in-game stats about the players and the teams. The first broadcast available from Amazon will be Tuesday, April 4, against the Philadelphia Phillies. The broadcasted games will also be made available for up to 48 hours after the game’s original broadcast.

Negro League players like Satchel Paige and Jackie Robinson will be made available in newest installment of MLB The Show as playable characters. The game will feature a narrative story mode that will feature short videos about the players along with gameplay focused on the epic moments of their careers. Players like Buck O’Neil, Rube Foster, Hilton Smith, John Donaldson, Hank Thompson and Martin Dihigo will also be available to play as.

Latest on MMO

Christian De Block previews the Washington Nationals.

On This Date in Mets History

2000: Mets and Chicago Cubs play open MLB season in Japan’s Tokyo Dome.

Birthdays: Scott Atchinson (47), Alex Ochoa (51), Eric Gunderson (57), Billy Beane (61)

The post Morning Briefing: Happy Opening Day Eve! appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

The Cleveland Guardians and All-Star Andrés Giménez have agreed to a contract extension that will lock the second baseman to the Guardians through potentially the 2031 season, according to ESPN‘s Jeff Passan.

The extension, which will start in 2024, is for seven years and $106.5 million. The Guardians have a club option for 2031, as well. As Passan points out, the deal will buy out Giménez’s three arbitration years and potentially five years of free agency. He will make just above the league minimum in 2023.

The 24-year-old Giménez posted a massive 7.4 bWAR season in 2022 with a .297/.371/.466/.837 slash line, 141 OPS+ and elite defense at second base. He earned his first All-Star selection last year, too. The Guardians acquired Giménez from the Mets in January 2021 along with Amed Rosario and prospects Josh Wolf and Isaiah Greene in exchange for Francisco Lindor and Carlos Carrasco. If you ask both teams, they probably feel they won their side of the trade.

In 2024, Giménez can theoretically move to shortstop and provide the team a boost defensively there after Rosario hits free agency. If Giménez maintains solid offensive production and plays Gold Glove-caliber defense at short, this would be an extremely team-friendly contract in a world where top shortstops are earning $300 million contracts.

Giménez was signed by the Mets out of Barquisimeto, Venezuela, in 2015 for $1.2 million. Over the next five years, he developed within the Mets system and debuted in 2021 after becoming one of the team’s top prospects. He showed enough promise playing as a regular in 2020 to become a centerpiece of the team’s trade for Lindor. He struggled his first year in Cleveland, but he showed his full potential a year later, culminating in an extension that will secure him over $100 million.

The post Andres Gimenez Signs Massive Extension with Cleveland Guardians appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Jim Rassol-USA TODAY Sports

Good morning, Mets fans!

The Mets suffered their first big loss this season as they will be without starting pitcher José Quintana until at least late July, according to the New York Post‘s Mike Puma. Mets general manager Billy Eppler said the pitcher will be shut down for three months as he stays out of the Mets rotation due to a lesion on his rib. Quintana will have bone graft surgery in the area where the injury occurred.

The Post originally reported Quintana had a stress fracture on his rib that would have the Mets shut him down for at least three months. The Mets signed the 34-year-old Quintana to a two-year contract for $26 million this offseason.

The logical replacements to fill that spot vacated by Quintana would be Tylor Megill and David Peterson, both young pitchers who have had starting opportunities with the Mets. Mets brass, per Puma, are “intrigued” with Megill, their opening day starter last year. Peterson has thrived this spring, however, including Tuesday when he threw four scoreless innings.

WBC Scores

Nicaragua 1, Venezuela 4

• Former Met Andrés Giménez: 1-for-4, RBI single in the bottom of the fourth

Canada 5, Colombia 0

• Former Met Dilson Herrera: 0-for-2

Dominican Republic 10, Israel 0

• Former Met Robinson Canó: 1-for-1
• Former Met Ty Kelly: 0-for-2

Mexico 2, Great Britain 1

• Former Met Taijuan Walker: 4.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 8 K

Latest Mets News

Rule 5 pick Zach Greene has cleared waivers and is heading back to the New York Yankees, according to MLB.com‘s Anthony DiComo. Greene had been in limbo since the Mets placed him on outright waivers over the weekend.

The Queens Public Library and the Mets are teaming up to bring fans free special edition Mets library cards that will be available at all Queens Public Library locations starting Saturday, March 25, which also celebrates Mets Amazin’ Day. 

Amazin’ Day is a celebration for “the greatest city in the world and the greatest fans in the world.” Fans wearing a Mets cap will grant them access to experiences in select locations around New York City.

A special event will take place at Central Library (89-11 Merrick Boulevard in Jamaica) at 9 a.m. on Amazin’ Day, where fans can hang out with special guests and pick up your special edition Mets library card.

Latest MLB News

Marly Rivera of ESPN says that the Detroit Tigers have put some more limitations on Miguel Cabrera’s continued participation in the World Baseball Classic. Those limitations remain to be determined as Venezuela goes forward in the tournament, but may be as limiting as only one at-bat per game.

Sticking with the Tigers, Eduardo Rodriguez isn’t allowed to pitch for Venezuela the rest of the tournament, their manager, Omar Lopez, said. Reported by Alden Gonzales of ESPN, it’s a mandate from the Tigers. Lopez said he’s going to speak with them to see if they might make a concession for the final, which is when he’d be lined up.

“We have an agreement,” Tigers manager A.J. Hinch said to Jason Beck of MLB.com. “If Venezuela’s still there, he certainly can go back and support that team. But he’s going to pitch once.”

Latest on MMO

Chris Bello recaps the Mets 5-0 loss to the Washington Nationals.

On This Date in Mets History

2018: Ed Charles, also known as “The Glider,” passes away.

The post Morning Briefing: Mets Looking For In-House Quintana Replacement appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Francisco Lindor. Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-USA TODAY Sports

All is forgiven for Francisco Lindor following a terrific bounce-back season in his second year with the New York Mets. Thumbs down and boos gave way to cheers as Mr. Smiles lived up to the expectations of an all-around player and team leader. On a team that ranked fifth in the majors in runs scored, Lindor was the second-biggest driver of those runs, as expected when he signed his 10-year, $341 million extension.

Following Lindor’s 2021 season, the trade in which the Mets acquired him from Cleveland didn’t appear too great. Sure, Lindor played much better in the second half of the season and his underlying metrics indicated that he got somewhat unlucky. Still, a 100 OPS+ is not what the Mets had signed up for.

Let’s reexamine that trade again, two years later. How are both sides looking? Who “won” the trade?

The Prize: Lindor

Obviously, the impetus for this trade was Lindor. The Guardians knew they could not afford to retain him in free agency and therefore unloaded him for the best deal they could get.

In six seasons with Cleveland, Lindor slashed .285/.346/.488/.834, averaging 29 homers and 85 RBI per 162 games (he played 99 games in 2015 and 60 in the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, so he had the equivalent of five years of service time). His OPS+ was 118, and he compiled 28.1 bWAR.

Lindor’s first season with the Mets did not go as planned. He hit just .230/.322/.412/.734 with a dead-average OPS+ of 100. He totaled just 3.1 bWAR, the lowest total of his career (excluding the pandemic year).

Furthermore, because Lindor’s OPS was just .698 in the first half of the season while the Mets were still competitive, there was a perception that he could not handle the pressure of New York. In this area, Lindor did himself no favors when he and Javier Baez made the thumbs-down signal to each other in a game, signaling their defiance towards the fans’ displeasure.

Lindor also had stark splits between the Mets’ wins and losses in 2021. In 62 wins, he hit .288/.397/.550/.947, but in 63 losses, he hit .174/.273/.278/.521. His OPS+ was 124 in wins and 73 in losses. When the Mets were ahead in games, he hit .271/.357/.556/.914; when they were behind, he hit .195/.281/.289/.570. This also furthered the idea that Lindor could not hit in big spots to help the team get over the hump.

Ironically, Lindor hit significantly better at home than on the road in 2021, which means the home fans got to see the better version of him, at least. At home, he hit .244/.335/.453/.788, certainly not an ideal batting average but actually similar to his overall 2022 output in terms of OPS. On the road, though, those numbers went down to .216/.310/.370/.680. That puts into question the narrative that the pressure of New York was too much for him.

In 2022, though, Lindor returned to his old excellent form. His overall slash line of .270/.339/.449/.788 and 125 OPS+ understate his value to the Mets. He posted 5.4 bWAR and 6.8 fWAR, which do a better job of describing how much the Mets needed him, as those numbers led the team. He also put up 26 homers and 107 RBIs, bringing the power element to a team that needed it.

As described in a previous article, many of Lindor’s underlying metrics were actually worse in 2022 than 2021. However, they were also more in keeping with his career norms: not hitting the ball quite as hard or as high, but making good contact in the zone and outperforming some of his expected metrics.

It also cannot be overstated how much value Lindor brings the Mets as a switch hitter. They feel comfortable slotting him in at the top of the lineup regardless of the handedness of the pitcher since he can hit both ways. In 2022, Lindor was remarkably consistent from both sides of the plate, hitting .269/.343/.446/.789 from the left side and .271/.327/.457/.784 from the right. His ability to hit lefties was a huge boon for a team that struggled to find consistency vs. southpaws.

After one difficult season and one strong one, there is no way to know for certain where Lindor will head in 2023. However, he had already started to come on in the second half of 2021, which means he has posted a year and a half of Lindor-like numbers. The ZiPS projections forecast 6.1 fWAR for him in 2023.

So far, this part of the deal seems to be working out for the Mets.

Carlos Carrasco

The Mets were thrilled to receive Carlos Carrasco as part of the Lindor package. Cookie was coming off a bounce-back Covid year in which he posted a 2.91 ERA (3.79 xERA), 3.59 FIP, and 1.5 WAR in 68 innings across 12 starts. From 2014-18, Carrasco was a rock-solid starter, posting ERAs no higher than 3.63 and FIPs as low as 2.44. He had a rocky 2019 before his leukemia diagnosis, but rebounded in 2020.

However, Carrasco’s first year in orange and blue never really got off the ground. He missed the first three-and-a-half months of the season with various injuries. When he returned, he pitched just 53.2 innings across 12 starts, posting a 6.04 ERA, 67 ERA+, and a 5.22 FIP. He was particularly terrible against right-handed batters, allowing a .296/.347/.600/.947 line (155 OPS+) in his supposed platoon advantage.

In Carrasco’s second season with the Mets, he was penciled in as the fourth or fifth starter during spring training. He often functioned as a third starter during the season, though, due to injuries up and down the Mets rotation throughout the year.

On the surface, 2022 was another bounce-back season for Carrasco. He pitched 152 innings across 29 starts, posting a 3.97 ERA and 3.53 FIP. However, his 1.32 WHIP meant that he was working in and out of trouble every game. In addition, his 97 ERA+ indicates that he was slightly below average in ERA when adjusting for the ballparks he pitched in. He put up 2.4 fWAR, which is okay for a fifth starter.

Carrasco’s biggest asset as a pitcher was getting batters to chase pitches out of the zone, placing in the 94th percentile. He was also above average in whiff rate (65th percentile) and the spin on his curve (75th). However, his poor hard-hit rate (32nd) was one of the drivers of his high WHIP, which put pressure on his defense and led to many high-leverage pitching situations.

Overall, Carrasco’s part in the Lindor deal has been uneven. He battled injuries and poor performance in 2021, but the sum total of his performance in 2022 was close to what the Mets could have realistically expected from him at his age and given his career trajectory.

There has been some trade speculation about Carrasco this offseason. However, there does not appear to be anything imminent in the works. As of now, Carrasco will likely play out his one-year team option for $14 million in his age-36 season and then become a free agent.

The Mets would be thrilled if Carrasco can give them a repeat performance from last year. He once again enters spring training as the fifth starter. Given his age and injury history, along with the ages of the Mets’ other starters, the team will likely end up relying significantly on their starting pitching depth, including David Peterson, Tylor Megill, Joey Lucchesi, and Elieser Hernández.

Carrasco’s ZiPS projection forecasts 140 innings pitched for Carrasco with a 4.35 ERA, 4.24 FIP, and 1.1 fWAR. The Mets would be happy with those innings numbers but hope for some better production. However, the amount of hard contact Carrasco allowed in 2022 would tend to indicate that his .337 BABIP was not fluky and will correlate with worse results as he continues to age.

Andrés Giménez

Many Mets fans liked Andrés Giménez, who displayed a plus glove and some intriguing hitting skills in his time with the Mets. However, a price had to be paid for Lindor, and New York now had two shortstops who were rendered redundant in Gimenez and Amed Rosario.

Giménez’s first season in Cleveland went far less swimmingly than even Lindor’s in New York. He hit .218/.282/.351/.633 in 210 plate appearances for the Guardians, posting a 74 wRC+ and 0.8 fWAR while striking out 25.7% of the time. Defensively, he played a fine shortstop, posting 5 OAA and 4 DRS in 322 innings. He was not as good at second base, putting up -1 OAA and -2 DRS in 196 innings.

It appeared that Giménez was never going to make it as a hitter enough to develop as a starting-caliber middle infielder. However, he was still just in his age-23 season and had time to grow as a hitter.

2022 was a totally different story for the diminutive Giménez. In 146 games, a full starter’s slate, he made the All-Star team and looked like the player the Mets had seen glimpses of at times when he was a rookie. Giménez hit .297/.371/.466/.837 with 17 homers, 69 RBI, and 140 wRC+. His 6.1 fWAR was among the top for middle infielders.

Interestingly, Giménez’s Statcast numbers read somewhat similarly to Jeff McNeil‘s, as he recorded a .353 BABIP, which was identical to McNeil’s. He was also below average in both hard-hit rate, barrel rate, and average exit velocity, although not quite as low as McNeil. The main difference is their batting eye and expected batting average: McNeil was in the 99th percentile in strikeout rate and the 91st in whiff rate, while Giménez was in the 56th and 39th in those areas, respectively.

Still, Giménez seems like a typical Mets prospect: a seeing-eye hitter who can hit it where the fielders aren’t. If he can keep that up, the Guardians will have gotten back a player who can make up for a lot of what they lost in Lindor. Indeed, Giménez’s 17 homers and .837 OPS show that he’s not even that far behind Lindor in the power department (if at all). Not bad at all for what was supposed to be a one-sided trade.

Of course, Giménez needs to show that he can sustain his success rather than be a one-year wonder. His ZiPS projection for 2023 is .266/.336/.416/.752 and 4.9 fWAR, which is a significant drop-off from his 2022 height (although still solid). However, since ZiPS takes into account the previous three seasons in the projection, Giménez can outperform it significantly if 2022 was a true breakout.

Amed Rosario 

The other major leaguer involved in the deal was Amed Rosario, another shortstop who had shown flashes of potential with the Mets. However, after a strong finish to 2019, Rosario reverted back to his high-strikeout, low-contact prior ways in 2020.

Rosario has been just about an average player for Cleveland in both of his seasons with them. His slash lines of .282/.321/.409/.730 and .283/.312/.403/.715 are about what you’d expect from a player with his hitting profile. He posted an identical WAR of 2.4 and wRC+ of 99 and 103, respectively. That is pretty much textbook average.

Statcast metrics for Rosario are all over the map. He doesn’t hit the ball that hard (41st percentile in hard-hit rate and 39th in average exit velocity) or barrel many balls (18th) and his chase rate is terrible (4th), but his whiff rate is above average (74th) and he did not strike out a lot in 2022 (79th). His batting eye has seemingly improved since his days with the Mets, but the results aren’t all that different.

Rosario placed in the second percentile in OAA in 2022, which makes him a very poor defensive shortstop.

Overall, Rosario is a competent major-league starter who seems unlikely to develop into anything more than that. His defense is a liability that lowers his value, but his hitting is good enough to keep him in the lineup. He was a decent complementary piece for Giménez in the deal.

OF Isaiah Greene and RHP Josh Wolf

These two were minor leaguers of little consequence for the Mets. Both were in A-ball in 2022. Isaiah Greene hit .226/.393/.340/.733 in 114 minor league games last season. Josh Wolf had an ERA over 6.00 between rookie ball and Class-A. They are 21 and 20 years old, respectively, so there may be some time for them to develop, but neither appeared on the Guardians’ MLB.com top 30 prospects list in 2022.

Who Won the Trade?

After two years, the Mets still received the biggest star of the deal. Lindor’s combination of power, defense, clutch hitting, speed, and leadership cannot be underestimated. He has a solid history of above-average play. Carrasco also provided the Mets with value.

However, this trade has not turned out quite as one-sided as it appeared at the time, at least as of now. Giménez had a year that rivaled Lindor’s in many areas. Rosario is almost as serviceable a hitter as Carrasco is a pitcher, and he’s 27 years old to Cookie’s near-36.

I believe that each side is likely satisfied with what they have. Should the Guardians have gotten a higher-ceiling prospect than Rosario in return for one of the best shortstops in the league? Likely, but they did not have leverage due to their noted inability to pay Lindor and the influx of top shortstops hitting the free-agent market the following offseason. Considering that trade position, if Giménez can sustain his 2022 success, it will truly be a win for the Guardians, as well.

The one regret that the Mets might end up having is giving up Giménez instead of Ronny Mauricio. At the time, Mauricio was considered the Mets’ second-best prospect, as he was No. 67 on MLB.com’s top 100 list in 2021. It was quite the coup not to have to give him up for Lindor. However, Mauricio has now fallen out of the top 100 (although he is still on Keith Law’s list at No. 87), and there are questions about his long-term prospects in the majors.

Hindsight is always 20-20, but imagine this Mets team with Lindor at shortstop, Gimenez at second, and McNeil in left field (or wherever else the Mets chose to place him on any given day). Still, you’ll hear few complaints from Mets fans who have their second- or third-best hitter locked down for a decade.

We’ll continue to revisit this trade as the years go by. For now, consider Steve Cohen’s first big splash with the Mets a good one.

The post A Look Back At Mets’ Trade for Francisco Lindor, Two Years Later appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Jul 9, 2022; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor (12) throws his bat after hitting a two run home run in the sixth inning against the Miami Marlins at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports

It was the first significant move of the Steve Cohen era. Francisco Lindor had been rumored to be a trade candidate that offseason and speculation was that the New York Mets were an ideal fit. But when news broke that the Mets had acquired the superstar shortstop from Cleveland, there was little notice it was going to happen.

Nevertheless, the surprise was certainly a pleasant one for Mets fans. This was a clear indication that new ownership was making good on its commitment to build a championship roster and operate, at last, as a big-market organization. Two years later, those promises are continuing to be fulfilled — with Lindor among the key pieces.

The trade also brought Carlos Carrasco to bolster the rotation. The Mets sent a pair of promising shortstops in Amed Rosario and Andrés Giménez to Cleveland, along with prospects Isaiah Greene and Josh Wolf.

In Lindor, New York got one of baseball’s elite performers — not to mention a charismatic star that seemed built for the Big Apple. Prior to the shortened 2020 season, he had reeled off four straight seasons in which he had amassed a WAR above 5.0. He was an All-Star four times, a Gold Glove winner twice, and a Silver Slugger recipient twice.

That was just step one in ensuring Lindor would be a Met long-term. As spring training began, the talk then centered around the Mets potentially giving Lindor the contract extension Cleveland wouldn’t. With free agency looming at the end of the season, it would have been a topic of conversation year-round.

On the night before Opening Day, the two parties agreed on a club record 10-year, $341 million contract extension. There was going to be immense pressure on Lindor regardless if there was a new deal or not. Now minted as a face of the franchise, it was heightened. And that first season couldn’t have started much worse.

Through the end of May, Lindor had slashed .194/.294/.294 with just 11 RBIs. The distress of some impatient fans worsened as the year went on and Lindor couldn’t get out of his funk, despite still being defensively solid. Although he recovered more to his typical level at the plate, an injury in July derailed that progress. It was also a significant blow to the Mets who fell out of first place while Lindor was healing. Despite a less than satisfying debut year, he delivered a signature performance in the Subway Series that September with a three-homer night.

Similar to a high-profile Mets acquisition of the past, Carlos Beltrán, Lindor bounced back with a terrific 2022. It was easy to tell Lindor was a more comfortable player. The numbers were evidence of that: a 5.4 WAR, a 125 OPS+, 26 homers and 107 RBIs. He was arguably the most valuable player on a team that won 101 games.

Lindor’s marked improvement can be credited to the additional upgrades the front office made which lessened the burden on him. Starling Marte, Eduardo Escobar, Mark Canha, and especially Max Scherzer. These were just more examples that the Mets would be significant offseason buyers for years to come. And it’s why January 7, 2021 is a landmark date in team history.

The post OTD 2021: Francisco Lindor Becomes a Met appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Mandatory Credit: Robert Deutsch-USA TODAY Sports

Good morning, Mets fans.

The Houston Astros and Philadelphia Phillies are each one win away from meeting in the 2022 World Series. The Astros defeated the Yankees 5-0 on Saturday, increasing their series lead to 3-0. Meanwhile, the Phillies won 10-6 on Saturday, increasing their series lead to 3-1.

Each can wrap up their respective series Sunday. Game 5 of the NLCS in Philadelphia is 2:37 P.M. ET and Game 4 of the ALCS is 7:07 P.M. in the Bronx.

Latest Mets News

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