The Mets, whose top prospects have battled an injury plagued 2024 season, look to get another one of their top prospects back on the field this season. The club got one of the big returns from the Justin Verlander trade in 2023, Drew Gilbert, back from a hamstring strain recently. Now, they look to see their top infield prospect Jett Williams back on the field to finish off the 2024 season.

Williams was hoping to originally avoid surgery, but eventually had to undergo right wrist surgery in early June, which gave him a return date of 8-10 weeks. About nine weeks later, he’s reportedly going to start a rehab assignment with Low-A St. Lucie this coming Wednesday, planning to play this weekend and return to Double-A Binghamton the following Tuesday, per @NickTheMetFan1 on Twitter/X. Williams is also planning to play in the Arizona Fall League to make up for his missed time this season.

The big league club clinched a series win against the Miami Marlins on Saturday behind a masterful performance from Luis Severino. The Mets started their day with a Francisco Lindor leadoff home run and followed that up by scoring a run in each of the first four innings. However, the story of the day was Severino, who threw the first Mets complete game since Jacob DeGrom in April of 2021. Severino completely blanked the Fish and gave the Mets’ bullpen a much needed break en route to a 4-0 win. Click here for the full in-depth breakdown of Saturday’s game.

Paul Blackburn (5-3, 4.43 ERA) will try to complete the sweep, as he goes against Valente Bellozo (2-1, 2.28 ERA) of the Marlins at 12:05 p.m. The Mets gained no ground on the third Wild card spot Saturdy night as the Braves took care of business against the Angels. The Amazins remain one game out of the final spot.

Photo by Ed Delany of Metsmerized

Latest Mets News

Mets OF prospect Nick Morabito has reached 50 stolen bases on the season. He had 11 SB in 24 games with Low-A St. Lucie and 39 SB in 78 games with High-A Brooklyn.

Mets manager Carlos Mendoza told reporters that there is a “good chance” Starling Marte is in the lineup on Sunday, per Zach Braziller of The New York Post.

Latest MLB News

MLB Hall of Famer Ryne Sandberg is officially cancer-free!

Ryno rings the bell: Hall of Famer Ryne Sandberg announces he is cancer-free! pic.twitter.com/nGDKI61EEh

— National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum ⚾ (@baseballhall) August 17, 2024

The Cincinnati Reds placed their flame-throwing ace Hunter Greene on the 15-day IL with right elbow soreness, retroactive to August 14. 

The Pittsburgh Pirates placed DH/OF Andrew McCutchen on the 10-day IL with left knee inflammation. 

The Tampa Bay Rays have placed RHP Zack Littell on the 15-day injured list with right shoulder fatigue, retroactive to August 15. The Rays recalled LHP Tyler Alexander from Triple-A Durham to take Littell’s spot.

The Detroit Tigers recalled the first overall pick from the 2022 draft, Spencer Torkelson, from Triple-A Toldeo. In Torkelson’s first at-bat since being recalled, he ripped a double into the right-center gap.

Forty-four-year-old LHP Rich Hill signed a minor league deal with the Boston Red Sox, per Ian Browne of MLB.com.

RHP José Soriano was placed on the 15-day IL with right arm fatigue by the Los Angeles Angels. Along with that, they reinstated RHP José Cisnero from the IL and outrighted OF Willie Calhoun to Triple-A Salt Lake.

The Houston Astros placed RHP Ryan Pressly on the 15-day IL with a low back strain, retroactive to August 14. Houston’s former closer has been the set-up man for Josh Hader this season, posting a 3.86 ERA in his 46 2/3 innings.

Latest On MMO

Jeff McNeil’s second half power surge continues. 

The Mets stay a game back in the NL wild card race. 

Luis Severino went the distance as he shut out the Marlins offense.

On This Date in Mets History

2019: Pete Alonso breaks the NL rookie home run record by bashing his 40th home run of the season. Alonso becomes the fourth Met to hit 40 home runs in a season, a list that includes Todd Hundley, Carlos Beltrán, and Mike Piazza.

2002: 1969 World Series champion Tommie Agee is posthumously inducted into the Mets Hall of Fame.

Birthdays: Justin Wilson (37), Pat Misch (43),  Terry Blocker (65)

The post Morning Briefing: Jett Williams to Start Rehab Assignment appeared first on Metsmerized.

On Wednesday night, former Mets pitchers and twice teammates faced off deep in the heart of Texas, as Justin Verlander of the Houston Astros and Max Scherzer of the Texas Rangers went head-to-head. Verlander had a big bounceback start as he went seven stellar innings, just giving up two runs (one earned) and holding the vaunted Rangers lineup to only four hits.

Scherzer, on the other hand, did not have as encouraging of a performance. The veteran struggled in yet another big game as he got barraged by the Astros offense, only lasting three innings. He gave up seven earned runs on six hits in his short night. Scherzer gave up home runs to Yordan Álvarez and Michael Brantley in the first two innings, but “the straw that broke the camel’s back” was a third inning grand slam from José Abreu. While Scherzer has done well since being dealt to Texas, the veteran is yet again facing injury issues as he felt forearm tightness in his previous start, and in a big divisional matchup for the Rangers he fell flat yet again. 

In Washington on Wednesday night, the Mets lost in walk-off fashion as they lost the second of two games to the Nationals by a score of 3-2. José Butto, who has not made a big league appearance since August 15, gave the Mets a solid outing as he went 6 1/3 IP while allowing two runs on six hits and racking up six strikeouts in the process. However, the Mets offense was not able to crack the Nats bullpen, leaving the door open in the ninth inning. Nationals rookie Jacob Young took advantage of the opportunity as he chopped an RBI single up the middle to plate the winning run.

The Mets, who fall to 64-75 on the season, will have an off day as they travel north to take on the Minnesota Twins in a three-game set over the weekend. 

Latest Mets News

In a Baseball America article where their staff ranks the 20 hottest prospects from the previous week, Mets pitching prospect Dominic Hamel found himself at No. 10 on the list. Hamel, who has spent the entire season with Double-A Binghamton, went six scoreless innings while only allowing three hits and racking up 11 strikeouts in his latest outing.

Baseball America also put together an article where they had managers, scouts, and executives vote on the “Best Tools” of 2023. A couple of Mets made an appearance as Pete Alonso was ranked third for “Best Power,” Jeff McNeil came at third for “Best Hit-and-Run Artist,” David Peterson in third place for “Best Pickoff Move,” and finally Francisco Lindor grabbed second place in the “Best Defensive SS” category. 

Luis Guillorme, who has been on the sideline since late July with a calf injury, is progressing in his rehab as he plans to begin a rehab assignment. Mets skipper Buck Showalter told the media that Guillorme should be starting his rehab assignment this Friday in High-A Brooklyn as he looks to return before the season’s end.

The Mets also received some more encouraging news on the injury front as their closer Edwin Díaz threw sliders during his bullpen session on Wednesday for the first time since his surgery in March, per Tim Healey of Newsday. Díaz, who tore his patellar tendon in the World Baseball Classic, has been meeting key marks in his recovery over the last few months as he steadily progresses towards getting back on the mound.

Latest MLB News

Dodgers starting pitcher Julio Urías was placed on paid administrative leave by Major League Baseball on Wednesday, which was first reported by Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic. This is following an incident on Sunday Night where Urías was arrested on suspicion of a felony charge of corporal injury of a spouse, in which he was released on Monday morning on $50,000 bond. Urías was suspended for 20 games due to suspicion of domestic battery in 2019, although not formally charged, making this his second offense according to MLB.

The Miami Marlins, who are in the thick of the NL Wild Card race, faced two big blows on Wednesday as they had to place both Sandy Alcántara and Jorge Soler on the IL. The 2022 Cy Young award winner, Sandy Alcántara, is going on the 15-day IL with a right forearm flexor strain following him expressing arm discomfort after his start in Washington on Sunday, per Craig Mish of Herald Sports. Soler, who leads the team with 35 home runs, will be hitting the 10-day IL with a right oblique strain which initially came up on August 29 when he left the game with discomfort following a swing, per Jordan McPherson of the Herald Sports.

The Arizona Diamondbacks are calling up the 10th-ranked prospect in all of baseball, and the best prospect in their system, Jordan Lawlar, per Nick Piecoro of The Arizona Republic. Lawlar, who was the sixth overall pick in the 2021 draft, has spent his last 16 games in Triple-A where he has really thrived, holding a .358 batting average with a 1.050 OPS in his short stint there.

Pittsburgh Pirates veteran outfielder Andrew McCutchen will be missing the last month of the season with a partial tear in his left Achilles, per Justice delos Santos of MLB.com. McCutchen, who is sitting at 299 career home runs, said “I’m not worried about it. I should be good” after leaving Monday’s game with left Achilles tightness. Unfortunately, the injury is more serious than the former MVP hoped, as he will be in a walking boot for the next six weeks and will have to wait until next year to reach the 300 career home run mark.

According to Jon Morosi of MLB Network, lefty starting pitcher Shōto Imanaga for the Yokohama DeNa Baystars of Japan’s NPB will be posted this offseason for all 30 major league teams. The 30-year-old started the championship game of the WBC for Japan as they claimed gold against team USA in March, and since then has posted a 2.57 ERA in 20 starts for the Baystars. The Mets have shown interest and scouted the veteran lefty, according to Mike Mayer of Metsmerized Online.

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Jorge Eckardt took a closer look at the news of Shōto Imanaga’s posting. 

Ross Bentley looked into Buck Showalter’s comments about Brett Baty‘s future playing time.

Chris Bello highlighted how Franisco Álvarez is chasing history after breaking out of his month long slump. 

On This Date In Mets History

2015: The Mets win a pivotal game against division rival Wahington Nationals behind a three-run seventh inning, which included a David Wright RBI single and a Yoenis Cespedes RBI double. Michael Conforto, Yoenis Cespedes, and Kelly Johnson all took Max Scherzer deep in route to the 8-5 win. 

2006: José Reyes hits his one and only career inside-the-park home run against Dodgers starting pitcher Brad Penny in the bottom of the sixth inning. Reyes bolted a ball off the center field wall in Shea Stadium, which got by center fielder Matt Kemp on the ricochet, and he dove head first into home as he scored without a throw. 

1984: Dwight Gooden takes control of the National League rookie record for most strikeouts in a season. With his second inning strikeout of Chicago Cubs third baseman Ron Cey Gooden amassed his record-setting 228th strikeout while officially passing Grover Cleveland for the record.   

Birthdays: Brian Stokes (44), David Newhan (50), Jason Isringhausen (51), Darren Bragg (54), Rick Sweet (71)

The post Morning Briefing: Scherzer Struggles in Showdown Against Verlander appeared first on Metsmerized.

Tylor Megill. John Hefti-USA TODAY Sports

On a night when the Mets desperately needed a deep outing from their starter, Tylor Megill struggled to dodge the traffic on the base paths. The right-hander failed to make it out of the fourth inning and wound up being charged with nine runs (seven earned) while only striking out one batter as the Mets dropped their seventh straight game.

Megill allowed a one-out single to Bryan Reynolds in the bottom of the first inning but was able to escape the inning unscathed after striking out Andrew McCutchen and getting a groundout from Carlos Santana. Staked to a 1-0 lead, the right-hander retired Jack Suwinski to begin the second inning but gave up a single to Ke’Bryan Hayes before walking Ji Hwan-Bae. After Josh Palacios flew out to the centerfield fence and a double steal by Hayes and Bae, Austin Hedges gave the Pirates the lead on a ground-rule double.

After the Mets tied the game in the third inning, Megill set down Reynolds to lead off the frame before giving up an infield single to McCutchen. Megill induced a double-play grounder from Santana, but Francisco Lindor failed to pick it up cleanly, giving Pittsburgh extra lives. Megill walked Suwinski, then Hayes lined an 0-2 slider into left-center field to give the Pirates a 4-2 lead. The Mets’ defense didn’t help Megill out on Bae’s squeeze bunt, which Eduardo Escobar threw down the right-field line, allowing two more runs to score and Bae to get all the way to third. The bleeding didn’t stop there, as Palacios lined the first pitch he saw into right field to bring in Bae with the fifth run of the inning. The inning mercifully came to an end when Megill got Hedges to ground into a double play.

Megill set down the first two batters in the bottom of the fourth, but the roof caved in on him once again. He walked McCutchen and allowed a single to Santana before being pulled from the game. Zach Muckenhirn delivered the final blow to Megill’s line, allowing a two-run double to Suwinski to bring home both inherited runners.

When asked why he’s felt he’s lacked consistency, Megill said, “Walks, hits, and getting taken out of the game. As simple as that.”

Megill’s fastball velocity was up in his outing, averaging 95.1 miles per hour compared to his season average of 94.4. However, he generated just one whiff on 17 attempts against his heater, and he only got two whiffs on his slider. Megill didn’t get a single swing-and-miss on his curveball or change-up, giving him a weak eight percent whiff rate on the night. The Pirates’ average exit velocity of 87.6 MPH against Megill was lower than his season average of 89.1, but his failure to miss bats led to the Pirates racking up eight hits in 3 2/3 innings.

Megill’s ERA is now up to a season-worst 5.14, but it doesn’t seem likely that he’ll lose his spot in the rotation spot any time soon. He is far from the only Mets pitcher who’s struggled on this road trip, as the staff has allowed 40 runs through the first four games of the trip. Megill’s next start is slated for Friday at home against the Cardinals.

The post Tylor Megill Fails to Limit Damage Against Pirates appeared first on Metsmerized.

Tommy Pham

Position: OF

Bats/Throws: R/R

Age: 34 (03/08/1988)

2022 Traditional Stats: 144 G, .236/.312/.374, 17 HR, 23 2B, 63 RBI, 131 H

2022 Advanced Stats: 87 OPS+, 89 wRC+, 0.4 rWAR, 0.6 fWAR, .304 BABiP, 9.0% BB%, 26.9% K%, .311 xwOBA, 0 DRS, -6 OAA

Rundown

In his age-34 season, Tommy Pham had the worst full season of his life. He had the highest strikeout rate of his career while setting career lows in walk rate, on-base percentage, slugging percentage, ISO, xBA, xSLG, xwOBA, and xwOBACON. Excluding the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, Pham had never recorded an OPS+ below 103 or a wRC+ below 102, but he recorded marks of just 87 and 89, respectively, in 2022.

However, some metrics show that Pham could be due for a bounce-back in 2023. His average-exit velocity jumped back up to 92.2 MPH, which ranked in the 93rd percentile of the league and is a solid increase from his 90.8-MPH mark in 2021. Also, his hard-hit rate jumped from 47.6% to 48.2%, which pegged him in the 89th percentile.

After struggling against fastballs in 2021, Pham registered a solid plus-9 run value and a 62.1% hard-hit rate against heaters in 2022. Pham was still effective against lefties too, recording a .273/.338/.446 batting line in 154 plate appearances against southpaws.

Defensively, Pham only played left field and nearly identical metrics to his 2021 numbers, with 0 DRS and negative-6 OAA. His arm strength improved though, increasing his average velocity on his throws from 86.0 MPH to 88.4.

Lastly, while his foot speed isn’t as fast as it used to be, Pham still rates as an above-average base runner with 1.9 BsR and swiping eight bases in 11 tries.

Tommy Pham. David Kohl-USA TODAY Sports

Contract

Spotrac projects Pham to sign a two-year contract worth $16.7 million this off-season. He made $6 million this past season before the Red Sox bought out his contract at the end of the year.

Considering that Andrew McCutchen only received $5 million from the Pirates, and that Pham is coming off the worst season of his career, it’s hard to envision him getting a pay raise or more than a one-year deal.

However, he could provide to value to teams as a right-handed bench bat who can start once or twice a week to give other players some rest. Considering that he still has some speed too, Pham could get some shots as a pinch-runner in late-game situations.

Recommendation

The Mets have been searching for right-handed bats and a fourth outfielder for quite some time now, and Pham presents another intriguing option. He may not have another 20-20 season, or put up over 6.0 WAR again, but he could provide the depth they need.

If he’s willing to accept a bench role and take a one-year contract, Pham would be a solid signing for the team. He hits the ball hard, doesn’t chase and generates walks, and is a decent baserunner. All the tools to be a solid fourth outfielder and bench bat.

The post MMO Free Agent Profile: Tommy Pham, OF appeared first on Metsmerized.

Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

Good morning, Mets fans!

The Mets’ priority at this stage of free agency continues to be a fourth outfielder and on Friday, Jon Heyman of the New York Post reported that the Mets are considering signing Tommy Pham for that role. Heyman also mentioned the possibility of Trey Mancini, Adam Duvall, Jurickson Profar, or Tyler Naquin. It was previously reported on Thursday that the Mets had been in contact with Andrew McCutchen, but he wound up signing with the Pirates on a one-year, $5 million deal.

Pham and Duvall especially have had success against lefties, an area in which the Mets struggled last year, so it’s no surprise to hear that the Mets are potentially interested in adding one of their bats to the bench. Even at this stage of free agency, the Mets have plenty of options to choose from for their fourth outfielder next year.

Latest Mets News

Pete Alonso and the Mets agreed to a one-year, $14.5 million contract to avoid arbitration. According to ESPN’s Jeff Passan, it is the largest deal ever for a first baseman in arbitration. In total, the Mets settled with six of their seven arbitration-eligible players.

In an article on MLB.com, Jim Callis noted about Brett Baty: “New York should give him its third-base job at some point in 2023 because he’d offer more offense and at least as much defense as 34-year-old incumbent Eduardo Escobar.”

The Mets announced that they are receiving Luis De La Cruz from the Orioles as the PTBNL in the James McCann trade.

The Mets’ organizational managers for 2023 have become official with Dick Scott managing Triple-A Syracuse, Reid Brignac managing Double-A Binghamton, Chris Newell managing High-A Brooklyn, and Gilbert Gómez managing Low-A St. Lucie.

The Mets re-signed Connor Grey to a minor league deal.

Latest MLB News

Juan Soto and the Padres agreed to a one-year, $23 million contract to avoid arbitration.

Lucas Giolito and the White Sox agreed to a one-year, $10.4 million contract to avoid arbitration.

Brandon Woodruff and the Brewers agreed to a one-year, $10.8 million contract to avoid arbitration.

Other notable players who signed contracts to avoid arbitration with their teams include Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Rhys Hoskins, Josh Hader, and Tyler O’Neill.

The Twins signed pitcher Chris Paddack to a three-year, $12.5 million contract extension.

Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic interviewed Carlos Correa, asking him about his unprecedented free agency experience.

Latest on MMO

Michael Mayer wrote about the Andrew McCutchen signing, including some other players who make sense for the Mets now that he is off the board.

Michael Mayer also wrote about the Mets’ interest in Tommy Pham.

Michael Famulari analyzed the importance of Brett Baty and Eduardo Escobar to the 2023 Mets in the aftermath of the Carlos Correa deal falling through.

On This Date in Mets History

1998: The Mets signed Japanese pitcher Masato Yoshii to a one-year deal. He would go on to pitch to a 6-8 record with a 3.93 ERA during his debut season, earning a contract extension from the team.

Birthdays: Aaron Altherr (32), Mike Pelfrey (39), Ross Jones (63)

The post Morning Briefing: Mets’ Focus Stays on Fourth Outfielder appeared first on Metsmerized.

Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports

According to Jason Mackey of the Post-Gazette, veteran outfielder Andrew McCutchen is signing a one-year deal with the Pittsburgh Pirates. The deal is pending a physical. The deal is for $5 million according to Mackey.

McCutchen had been one of the outfield depth pieces the Mets were considering. The top of the outfield market now consists of Adam Duvall, Jurickson Profar, and Trey Mancini.

McCutchen, 36, slashed 237/.316/.384 in 134 games a season ago for the Brewers, posting career lows in on-base percentage, slugging percentage, and OPS. However, he did still hit 17 homers and collect 69 RBIs.

While he used to be a premier center fielder, McCutchen is now really only a corner outfield option, although he did play all three spots for the Brew Crew in 2022. Despite his age, he finished with plus-4 DRS in the outfield a season ago.

Cutch still held his own against lefties in 2022 with a .738 OPS, and the season before he crushed them to the tune of 1.027 OPS. For his career, Cutch is a .300/.394/.542 hitter against left-handed pitching.

McCutchen returns to the organization that drafted him in the first round of the 2005 draft. He hit 203 home runs and posted a 40.4 WAR in nine seasons with the Pirates from 2009 through 2017.

The post Andrew McCutchen Returns to Pittsburgh appeared first on Metsmerized.

Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports

The Mets are considering former NL MVP Andrew McCutchen for added depth in their outfield, according to the New York Post’s Jon Heyman.

McCutchen, 36, slashed 237/.316/.384 in 134 games a season ago for the Brewers, posting career lows in on-base percentage, slugging percentage, and OPS. However, he did still hit 17 homers and collect 69 RBIs.

While he used to be a premier center fielder, McCutchen is now really only a corner outfield option, although he did play all three spots for the Brew Crew in 2022. Despite his age, he finished with plus-4 DRS in the outfield a season ago.

The Mets lack any true outfield depth outside of their projected starters in Mark Canha, Brandon Nimmo, and Starling Marte. Jeff McNeil is a capable outfielder but is locked in as the team’s starting second baseman. Darin Ruf played some outfield as well last year, although it’s unclear if he’ll even be on the major league roster on Opening Day. The only other outfielder on the team’s 40-man roster is prospect Khalil Lee. The team did sign speedster Tim Locastro to a minor league deal earlier this week.

In addition to being a fourth outfielder, McCutchen could also be a right-handed DH option for the Mets against left-handed hitters as Daniel Vogelbach is likely only to start against righties. McCutchen is a career .300 hitter against lefties.

Other veteran outfield options besides McCutchen still on the market for the Mets include the likes of Adam Duvall, Tommy Pham, Jurickson Profar, David Peralta, Tyler Naquin, Raimel Tapia, Kole Calhoun, and Lorenzo Cain.

The post Report: Mets Considering McCutchen For Outfield Depth appeared first on Metsmerized.

Andrew McCutchen. Photo via USA Today.

Andrew McCutchen

Position: OF

Bats/Throws: R/R

Age: 36 (10/10/1986)

2022 Traditional Stats: 134 G, 580 PA, .237/.316/.384, 17 HR, 25 2B, 69 RBI, 122 H

2022 Advanced Stats: 99 OPS+, 98 wRC+, 1.1 rWAR, 0.3 fWAR, .278 BABiP, 9.8% BB%, 21.4% K%, .325 xwOBA, 4 DRS, 0 OAA

Rundown

Andrew McCutchen has had a storied career. Though, the 36-year-old outfielder had the worst year of it in almost every metric last season.

He posted career lows in on-base percentage, slugging percentage, OPS, ISO, xSLG, wOBA, xwOBA, and xwOBACON. As a result, McCutchen had his first below-average season in OPS+ and wRC+. Additionally, while his walk rate remained solid, it dropped from 14.8% in 2021 to 9.8% in 2022, which is the lowest it’s been over the course of a full season.

However, it wasn’t an entirely lost season for McCutchen. His strikeout rate dropped from 23% to 21.4% and his whiff rate dropped from 25.9% to 24.2%. Additionally, his hard-hit rate and average exit velocity both increased. Lastly, he still hit fastballs well, turning in a plus-7 run value against heaters.

McCutchen also improved defensively. He went from a negative-7 DRS to plus-4 DRS and from negative-7 OAA to 0 OAA. This despite playing fewer innings in the field.

As for his splits, while his numbers against lefties took a step back this past season, McCutchen is a career .300/.394/.542 hitter against southpaws. This is something the New York Mets can desperately benefit from. An area they seemingly struggle in.

Interestingly enough, despite the overall struggles, McCutchen was at his best with two outs and runners in scoring position. He slashed a strong .323/.389/.600 in those situations, which would be another immediate boost to a Mets’ team that can always get better with runners in scoring position.

Andrew McCutchen. Photo by USA Today.

Contract

Spotrac.com has McCutchen projected to sign a one-year contract worth $7.6 million. He earned a similar contract in 2022 from the Brewers, making $8.5 million.

Going into his age-36 season, McCutchen is nearing the end of his career, but it’s not as if he’s entirely ineffective. Most teams, especially contenders, could use an extra right-handed bat off the bench and he can still play the field at an average-to-above-average level.

Unless he’s actively looking for a multi-year offer, it’s very likely McCutchen ends up signing a one-year deal with a club.

Recommendation

The Mets have made it clear they want to sign a fourth outfielder, and with how badly Darin Ruf struggled down the stretch, the team could use a right-handed designated hitter. While his days of being an MVP are in the rear-view mirror, McCutchen could be a useful weapon as a platoon bat who can occasionally give rest to Mark Canha or Starling Marte in the corner-outfield positions.

The post MMO Free Agent Profile: Andrew McCutchen, OF appeared first on Metsmerized.

Credit: Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports

It has already been a frantic and monumental offseason for the New York Mets who continue to take big swings under owner Steve Cohen. However, with spring training now only a couple of months away, the front office still have some business they need to take care of. Let’s take a look at what’s remaining on the to-do list…

Matt Krohn-USA TODAY Sports

Solve Carlos Correa Saga 

This is an obvious one. In a long running saga that Netflix would be proud to stream on its network, the Mets still can’t say they have their man when it comes to Carlos Correa. Despite coming to an agreement on a blockbuster 12-year, $315 million deal with the superstar shortstop before Christmas, we’re all still waiting for a resolution.

According to the latest reports from Andy Martino of SNY, the Mets have become “very frustrated” in their negotiations with powerhouse agent Scott Boras, and could opt to walk away from any potential deal. However, despite all of that, a source did tell Martino that they believed “the sides stood a strong chance of reaching an agreement.”

Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic had previously reported that any potential deal would now look “dramatically different” to the original offer, due to ongoing concerns over an old lower right leg injury that Correa had suffered. Mets fans grow more and more nervous by the day, and it remains to be seen just how determined owner Steve Cohen is to get his man.

It goes without saying that the Mets will be a better team with Correa on the roster than without. The star infielder hit .291/.366/.467 with 22 home runs and a 5.4 WAR in 136 games for the Minnesota Twins in 2022. Boasting an excellent glove, Correa would give the Mets one of the most elite infields in all of baseball.

He also seems built for the big stage in New York. However, we’ve reached a point where both parties need to find a solution to this drawn-out saga and quick so everybody can move on. Let’s just hope it is the outcome the Mets desire.

Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

Retain Eduardo Escobar & Carlos Carrasco

As busy as the front office have been in upgrading the roster significantly for the 2023 season, multiple reports have suggested they could have plenty of work ahead of them in terms of dealing away pieces. Having already traded catcher James McCann to the Baltimore Orioles this offseason, it seems that another pair of veterans could be moved at some point before spring training.

Due to the pursuit of Correa, there have been reports that the Mets could look to shop Eduardo Escobar with Correa becoming the team’s new everyday third baseman. This would be a huge mistake. For starters, you can’t have enough depth in baseball and, over a 162-game season, you are bound to suffer injuries at key positions. Escobar would act as an instrumental depth piece who could be called upon when needed.

Plus, as we explored in depth here, Escobar could be used to solve another fatal flaw in the pinch-hitting department. The Mets got little to no production from their pinch hitters in 2022, who collectively hit just .145/.268/.217 with one home run in 98 at-bats. The Mets used pinch hitters a total of 98 times in 2022, but they earned a hit on just 12 occasions and walked just 14 times.

As a result, manager Buck Showalter could look to use Escobar as a lethal switch-hitting weapon to come off the bench late on in games and in high-leverage situations. That’s a luxury not too many other teams have.

All of the above applies to Carlos Carrasco too. Having completely rebuilt the rotation thanks to the additions of Justin Verlander, José Quintana and Kodai Senga, coupled with the losses of Jacob deGrom, Chris Bassitt, and Taijuan Walker, the future of Carrasco came into doubt. According to Joel Sherman of The Post, the Mets are listening to offers on Carrasco and he’s an attractive piece given that he will earn just $14 million in 2023.

However, like Escobar, Carrasco can still hold tremendous value for the Mets. He went 15-7 with a 3.97 ERA in 2022 and was one of the team’s most consistent pitchers having pitched 152 innings. He boasts a wealth of experience, he is a very, very good No. 4 or No. 5 starter and he can also act as somewhat of a safety net if Senga struggles to quickly adapt to life in the majors. Plus, you can never have enough pitching depth.

If Cohen and the Mets really are serious about being all in to win in 2023, then ensuring this team has depth, and quality depth at that, in every single area is an absolute must. As a result, the front office need to ensure that they put the phones down and stop trying to shop Escobar and Carrasco. Both players will have major roles to play for the Mets as they hunt down a World Series in 2023, and you can never have too much depth.

Continue To Bolster Bullpen

You can’t expect to be successful in the majors unless you have a very good bullpen. That has been proven time and time again and the Mets found out what happens if you don’t have a good bullpen. Having failed to acquire a top left-handed reliever at the 2022 trade deadline, the front office could only watch on in horror as the bullpen failed to deliver the goods in big spots both down the stretch and in the postseason.

The Mets bullpen in 2022 was not good, outside of star reliever Edwin Diaz and the reliable Adam Ottavino. Both players are back for the 2023 season, while the front office also went out and signed veteran reliever David Robertson to a one-year, $10 million deal. The Mets acquired lefty reliever Brooks Raley in a trade with the Tampa Bay Rays too. However, again, if winning a World Series is the aim, then more needs to be done ahead of spring training.

There are still plenty of options out there. From Andrew Chafin to Michael Fulmer to Zack Britton to Matt Moore, the Mets still have the opportunity to go out and really bolster their bullpen with high-leverage arms that could help this team really compete for a championship in 2023.

Add Outfield Depth

According to Jim Bowden of The Athletic, the Mets want to add a backup outfielder once the deal with Correa is signed, sealed and delivered. With the outfield currently consisting of Brandon Nimmo, Starling Marte and Mark Canha, the lack of depth in that area is a concern with Khalil Lee effectively the fourth outfielder.

Darin Ruf also remains in the equation for now, too.

As has been the common theme throughout this article, depth throughout the major league roster is crucial for success and the front office is wise to want to go out and add a backup outfielder. Trey Mancini, Adam Duvall, AJ Pollock, Jurickson Profar, Jackie Bradley Jr., and Andrew McCutchen are all potential options. Having adequate cover in the outfield will be a key ingredient for the Mets if they want to taste success in 2023.

Sep 19, 2022; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; New York Mets first baseman Pete Alonso (20) celebrates after the Mets clinched a playoff spot by beating the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports

Sign Pete Alonso To An Extension

While Aaron Judge got most of the attention in 2022 for his home run hitting exploits, it is important to not forget how good a year Pete Alonso had too. The slugger set the Mets’ all-time RBI record in 2022 with 131, he also hit 40 home runs and he has hit a grand total of 146 homers over the past four seasons. He leads all of baseball in home runs since his rookie year in 2019. He’s also incredibly durable having missed just 16 games over a four-year span.

Alonso is two years away from free agency and he’s projected to make $16 million in arbitration in 2023. There is no doubt that Alonso is a key piece of this team, and he’s going to play a major role in any success the Mets go on to enjoy over the next few years.

As a result, by offering their star first baseman an extension now, the front office would put the franchise in a better financial position now and further down the road, while locking up an important player in the process. It would also remind the rest of baseball that the New York Mets really do mean business in 2023.

The post Mets Remaining To-Do List This Offseason appeared first on Metsmerized.

Credit: Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports

It’s been a historic 2022-2023 Mets and we still haven’t reached the New Year. They have re-signed and added numerous MLB stars and could potentially add Carlos Correa as their third baseman.

With all of these signings, including Correa, the Mets are estimated to have a $384 million payroll, and close to $500 million after competitive balance taxes are included.  While a normal owner wouldn’t spend another dime, Steve Cohen is a different animal, and will most likely spend more.

Down below, wee highlighted the top remaining free agents available ahead of the 2023 season and how they fit on the current Mets roster.

AJ Pollock

AJ Pollock had a down year for the Chicago White Sox in 2022. He recorded a 91 OPS+ and .389 slugging percentage in 138 games. However, Pollock slashed .286/.316/.619/.935 against lefties in 2022 and clubbed 11 home runs in 126 at-bats against south-paws.

Adam Duvall

Adam Duvall had a forgettable 2022 season after only playing in 86 games due to injury. He is a perfect bounce-back candidate for the Mets, due to his home run prowess and ability to play all three outfield positions. Duvall was also fantastic in the 2021 season, where he clubbed 38 home runs and led the NL with 113 RBI.

Andrew McCutchen

Andrew McCutchen had an average season with the Brewers in 2022. He recorded a 99 OPS+ and hit 17 home runs. However, McCutchen recorded a respectable .316 OBP and 4 DRS in left field last season. He could provide the Mets with veteran leadership in the clubhouse and would be the cheapest option out of the remaining outfielders.

Michael Fulmer

Michael Fulmer has come a long way since winning the rookie of the year in 2016. He made the switch to the bullpen in 2020 and put up respectable numbers between the Tigers and Twins in 2022. Fulmer recorded a 3.39 ERA and 113 ERA+ in 63 2/3 innings in 2022 and would be a solid add for the Mets, who originally drafted him in 2011.

Zack Britton

Zack Britton has missed significant time the past two seasons due to a bone chip in his elbow and Tommy John surgery. According to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, Britton is looking for a one-year deal before the 2023 season. Britton could reunite with his old manager Buck Showalter in Queens and rebuild his numbers in low-leverage situations.

Trey Mancini

Trey Mancini had an eventful season in 2022. He was traded mid-season by a Baltimore team in the playoff race and then won a World Series with the Astros after slashing a miserable .176/.258/.364/.622 in Houston. While he is projected to make the most money out of the noted free agents, Mancini fits the profile that the Mets have been looking for out of the DH position. He clubbed 114 home runs during his tenure in Baltimore and has played for Buck Showalter in the past.

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