His season started in the worst way imaginable, going 0-for-26, but he rebounded in a huge way. His final numbers were outstanding, as he finished with a slash of .292/.421/.528/.949 with nine home runs, 33 RBIs, and 21 stolen bases. The 17-year-old has a bright future in the Mets organization and will look to keep the momentum going in 2026, when he could be playing stateside.

Triple-A

The Syracuse Mets had a rough series against the Indianapolis Indians, dropping four of six games to lose the series. The Mets have now dropped two consecutive series and are 33-18 in the second half and 64-62 overall.

Ryan Clifford had his best week yet in Triple-A, going 5-for-13 with two home runs. Clifford maintains the minors home run lead with 26, and has an .840 OPS in 10 games with Syracuse.

Jared Young also shined with a team-leading nine hits in 18 at-bats. He recorded three doubles and two home runs as he raised his season OPS to .964.

Joey Meneses only recorded three hits in the series, but all of his hits were home runs. He drove in a team-high four runs and scored a team-high five runs to improve his OPS to .775.

Jonah Tong‘s second start in Triple-A was nothing short of brilliant, as he tossed six scoreless innings with eight strikeouts. Tong has yet to allow a run in 11 2/3 innings over two starts since being promoted.

Tylor Megill impressed in another rehab start, allowing just a hit and a walk in five scoreless innings. He struck out four in the effort, and he continues to look good in his rehab.

Jonah Tong via Syracuse Mets

Double-A

The Binghamton Rumble Ponies split their six-game set with the Sea Dogs, being outscored 31-26. The Rumble Ponies, like the Syracuse Mets, are also 33-18 in the second half and 78-40 overall.

Jacob Reimer had an excellent week at the plate, going 8-for-17 with two doubles, a triple, and two home runs. He added three walks and a stolen base while driving in a team-high five runs. Reimer is becoming very comfortable at the Double-A level, and now owns an .857 OPS in 46 games.

A.J. Ewing recorded a whopping 12 hits in 27 at-bats over six games this series, recording five doubles, two walks, and four stolen bases. Ewing’s five runs were the most on the team as he raised his Double-A OPS to .895 over 12 games.

Kevin Parada had a strong series with the bat, going 6-for-20 with two doubles and a home run. Parada continues to provide optimism in a rebound season, as he owns a .760 OPS on the year.

R.J. Gordon delivered one of his best starts of the season, pitching seven scoreless innings with seven strikeouts. It was just Gordon’s seventh appearance (six starts) in Binghamton, and he owns a 3.29 ERA with the club.

Jack Wenninger also provided a quality start, allowing two runs in 6 1/3 innings. Wenninger allowed seven hits and a walk while striking out seven, and saw his ERA drop to 2.73.

Jonathan Santucci pitched just five innings in his start, but he didn’t allow a run and struck out three. Santucci has been brilliant in Double-A, owning a 2.34 ERA in seven starts.

Jacob Reimer. Photo by Rick Nelson

High-A

The Brooklyn Cyclones lost four of six games against the Aberdeen IronBirds in their latest series. The Cyclones are now 22-32 in the second half and 68-52 overall.

It was a generally rough week at the plate for Cyclones batters, but not for Trace Willhoite, who has been consistently great all season, mostly for Low-A St. Lucie. Willhoite went 5-for-16 with a double and a home run, the only long ball from Brooklyn in the series. He stole a base and scored four runs, raising his High-A OPS through 10 games to .994.

Colin Houck was the only other batter to have a respectable series, as he went 4-for-17 with a double and a triple. He also walked twice and drove in two runs. It’s been a struggle for Houck since joining Brooklyn, as he has just a .574 OPS in 45 games with the team.

Joel Díaz had the best start of the week for the Cyclones, tossing seven scoreless innings with just a hit and a walk allowed. He struck out six and lowered his ERA on the year to 3.71.

Will Watson also had a scoreless outing, his over six innings, and it led to a promotion to Double-A Binghamton. In Watson’s start, he allowed just a hit and two walks with five strikeouts. In 14 games (13 starts) with Brooklyn, he owned a sparkling 1.70 ERA.

Franklin Gomez was also impressive, allowing two runs (one earned) over five innings with seven strikeouts. Gomez has looked excellent since joining the Cyclones, recording a 1.96 ERA in four starts.

Trace Willhoite. Photo by Ed Delany of Metsmerized

Low-A

The St. Lucie Mets were the only Mets minor league affiliate to win their series this past week, taking four of six games from the Palm Beach Cardinals. The Mets are on fire in the second half with a 37-17 record to put them at 71-48 overall.

Undrafted free agent John Bay had a scorching week at the plate, earning him a promotion to High-A Brooklyn. Bay went 10-for-20 with a double, two home runs, and 10 RBIs. Bay has done nothing but hit since joining St. Lucie, and he leaves for Brooklyn with a 1.057 OPS.

Yonatan Henriquez also mashed, going 11-for-26 with four doubles and a home run. He had two walks, two stolen bases, and a team-high seven runs scored. Henriquez now owns a .764 OPS for the year, but a .979 OPS in his last 37 games as he’s looked very good for a while now.

Daiverson Gutierrez had a good week at the plate, going 5-for-15 with two doubles, four RBIs, and four walks to no strikeouts. He scored five runs and raised his OPS for the year to .682.

Joel Lara made two great outings out of the bullpen, combining for six innings pitched and one run allowed. He walked five but struck out six as he now has an 0.87 ERA in four games for St. Lucie.

Channing Austin also looked good with two appearances (one start), in which he tossed three scoreless innings. He allowed just a hit and a walk while also hitting a batter, and he struck out two. Austin now has a 4.43 ERA in 19 games (10 starts) with the Mets.

Daiverson Gutierrez, Photo by Ed Delany of Metsmerized

DSL Mets

Both DSL squads played just one game this week as their season came to a close. The Orange team won to improve to 31-25, while the Blue team lost to drop to 19-37.

Organizational Leaders

Batting

AVG – A.J. Ewing (STL/BRK/BNG) – .314

OPS – Carson Benge (BRK/BNG/SYR) – .917

HR – Ryan Clifford (BNG/SYR) – 26

SB – A.J. Ewing (STL/BRK/BNG) – 65

Pitching

ERA – Jonah Tong (BNG/SYR) – 1.43

SO – Jonah Tong (BNG/SYR) – 179

WHIP – Zach Thornton (BRK/BNG) – 0.812

Players of the Week

Offense – John Bay, OF St. Lucie

John Bay came out of seemingly nowhere for the St. Lucie Mets, signing as an undrafted free agent out of Austin Peay. Bay went 10-for-20 with a double, two home runs, and 10 RBIs. From the minute he joined the team, he hit, and now he’s been rewarded with a promotion to the Brooklyn Cyclones.

Pitching – Joel Díaz, P Brooklyn

Joel Díaz is not a notable prospect, owning a 3.77 career professional ERA, including a 3.71 ERA this season, but his latest start was as dominant as you can get. He allowed just two baserunners and no runs in seven innings, by far his best outing of the year.

Upcoming Schedule – August 26-31

• Triple-A Syracuse: @ Scranton/Wilkes-Barre
• Double-A Binghamton: vs. Somerset
• High-A Brooklyn: vs. Hudson Valley
• Low-A St. Lucie: vs. Lakeland

The post Minors Weekly Report: Elian Peña Finishes First Pro Season appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

In other Mets minor league news, the team’s four full-season affiliates came back down to Earth a bit after they combined to go 21-2 last week.

Jonah Tong. Photo Credit: Matt Kipp

Triple-A

The Syracuse Mets lost their last series by dropping four of six games to the Buffalo Bisons. Offense wasn’t the issue, as the Mets scored 42 runs in the six games, including 18 in a shutout win. The 2-4 series record drops Syracuse to 29-34, which has them in seventh place in the 10-team International League East division.

Six Mets hit home runs, including David Villar, who led the team with two. Villar, who is a few weeks into his tenure in the Mets organization, recorded four hits and now owns an .844 OPS in seven games with Syracuse.

Luke Ritter had another breakout week, recording the highest slugging percentage on the team for the series. Ritter went 6-for-19 with two doubles, a home run, and three walks. He was also tied for the team lead with six runs scored. Ritter is really starting to turn it on, owning a .992 OPS in his last 17 games to raise his season OPS to .724.

Drew Gilbert led the team with six RBIs in the series, also recording a double, a triple, and a grand slam. Despite this, Gilbert went just 5-for-23 and had a .699 OPS in the series. His OPS on the season is now .655.

Brandon Sproat looked phenomenal against Buffalo, striking out four over six shutout innings. Sproat now has a 2.25 ERA in his last three starts but still owns a 5.33 ERA on the season. He’s trending the right way.

Frankie Montas made two rehab starts as he looks to work his way to the major league team for his Mets debut, but neither start went well for the longtime major leaguer. In 7 2/3 innings, Montas allowed eight runs, including a whopping six home runs. The stats aren’t pretty, but the most important thing is Montas shakes the rust off and feels healthier each time he pitches.

Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

Double-A

The Binghamton Rumble Ponies continued their rollicking start to the season with a series win over the Somerset Patriots, grabbing five of the six games. Binghamton has built a formidable lead in the Eastern League Northeast Division, sitting at 38-18 with an 8.5 game lead.

Ryan Clifford and Kevin Parada each hit two home runs in the series, leading the team. Clifford’s home runs were most of his damage, as he recorded just three hits in the series, but he also walked eight times while striking out twice. Parada, meanwhile, did more damage with the bat by recording six hits. He also walked four times and stole a base. Clifford maintains a solid .792 OPS while Parada’s is creeping up and sits at .634.

Jett Williams played really well in the series, even after getting hit on the helmet with a fastball. He finished the week with six hits, including two doubles, and also had five walks and a stolen base. Williams owns a stellar .849 OPS.

D’Andre Smith also had a fantastic week, leading the team with seven RBIs. Smith added three doubles, a triple, a home run, three walks, and a stolen base. Smith, whose RBI total jumped from four to 11, now owns a .747 OPS.

In addition to what Jonah Tong did this week, Zach Thornton added yet another gem to what has been a brilliant season, allowing one run over 6 2/3 innings while striking out eight. Through seven starts in Binghamton, Thornton owns a 2.13 ERA. In 11 starts total, he owns a 1.53 ERA.

Photo by Ed Delany of Metsmerized

High-A

The Brooklyn Cyclones cooled off a bit, splitting their series with the Wilmington Blue Rocks. At 39-18, they retain a tight lead in the South Atlantic League North division, up 1.5 games.

Offense was hard to come by for the Cyclones, but Carson Benge still had a solid week. Benge led the team in several categories, including hits (six), doubles (three), runs (five) and tied for RBIs (four). Benge also recorded a stolen base.

Despite poor performances with the bats, the Cyclones still did some damage on the basepaths. Marco Vargas led the team with five steals, while A.J. Ewing and Chris Suero swiped four bags each. Ewing extended his organizational lead in stolen bases as he now has 41 in 51 games.

Jonathan Santucci delivered arguably the best start of the week for the Cyclones, continuing his resurgence after a rough start to the year. Santucci struck out five over 5 1/3 innings, lowering his ERA to 4.32. His ERA over his last four starts is 0.44.

Nate Dohm and Joel Díaz also delivered solid starts. Dohm struck out six over five scoreless innings while Díaz allowed one run in five innings. Dohm now has a 2.51 ERA in Brooklyn and a 2.95 ERA overall, while Díaz lowered his ERA to 3.83.

Sean Manaea made his first rehab start of the year as he also looks to work his way back to the major league team for his 2025 debut. Manaea struggled, allowing four runs (three earned) in 1 2/3 innings. He also hit a batter and struck out two. Like with Montas, the most important thing for Manaea is feeling comfortable and healthy, and the Mets will take their time with his rehab as their rotation continues to excel.

Jonathan Santucci. Photo by James Villani, MMO

Low-A

The St. Lucie Mets lost four of their six games against the Dunedin Blue Jays, recording just 15 runs in what was a quiet series. The Mets are now 30-26 and own a four-game lead in the Florida State League East division.

Yohairo Cuevas stood out for the Mets, tying Colin Houck for the team lead with six hits while also leading the team with four runs. Cuevas raised his OPS on the year to .755.

Houck also had a solid week, going 6-for-17 with a double, two walks, and a stolen base. Houck has been a lot better lately than he was earlier in the season. Going back to May 2, Houck has an .853 OPS in 29 games and owns a .771 OPS for the season.

In his first start with the St. Lucie Mets after starting the year with the FCL Mets, Jose Chirinos delivered by striking out seven over 4 2/3 scoreless innings. Chirinos has made just five appearances (four starts) this year across these two levels, but he’s looked fantastic. He currently owns a 1.80 ERA.

Edgar Moreta continued his great season, striking out eight and allowing one run in 5 2/3 innings. Moreta lowered his ERA in St. Lucie to 3.27.

Franklin Gomez also shined in his start, striking out six over 3 2/3 hitless innings. Gomez owns a 3.15 ERA in six appearances this year, looking better than he did last year when he accumulated a 4.28 ERA.

FCL Mets

The FCL Mets had a good week, going 3-1 to improve their record to 9-13. They are tied in last place with the FCL Marlins in the Florida Complex League East division.

• Randy Guzman played great in three games, recording two home runs and five RBIs. The outfielder has a .934 OPS in 19 games.
• Jeffry Rosa also had a good week, recording a home run in nine at-bats. Rosa owns an .807 OPS in 14 games.
• Jace Hampson, the Mets’ 18th-round pick in 2024, allowed one run in four innings in his start. He owns a 2.77 ERA in five appearances.
• Jose Guevara also looked great, allowing an unearned run in three innings in his start. He has a rough 9.00 ERA in five appearances.

DSL Mets

The DSL Mets Orange went 2-3 this past week, putting them at 3-3 on the young season. The DSL Mets Blue, meanwhile, went 0-5 and are now 0-6 to start their season.

Six games into his professional career, Elian Peña has yet to collect a hit. The highly touted international prospect is 0-for-17 with two RBIs, two walks, and three stolen bases.

Yunior Amparo (1.375 OPS) and Alex Acosta (1.121 OPS), both playing for DSL Mets Blue, have been impressive in a very small sample size. Osiris Calvo (0 ER, 3 1/3 IP) and Deivy Victora (1 ER, 5 2/3 IP), both pitching for DSL Mets Orange, have also impressed.

Organizational Leaders

Batting

• AVG – A.J. Ewing (STL/BRK) – .34
• OPS – Jacob Reimer (BRK) – .96
• HR – Jon Singleton (SYR) – 1
• SB – A.J. Ewing (STL/BRK) – 41

Pitching

• ERA – Zach Thornton (BRK/BNG) – 1.53
• SO – Jonah Tong (BNG) – 83
• WHIP – Zach Thornton (BRK/BNG) – 0.699

Players of the Week

Offense – Luke Ritter, IF/OF Syracuse

Offense was hard to come by this week for the Mets’ minor league affiliates. Ritter didn’t have a jaw-dropping set of games, but he did enough to earn offensive player of the week. Ritter started the season off on a poor note after a strong 2024, but he’s rebounded nicely recently.

Pitching – Jonah Tong, P Binghamton

Jonah Tong is dominating pretty much every time he takes the mound. He’s a strikeout artist whose WHIP is just north of 1.000. He’s allowed 11 earned runs in 10 starts this season and is making his case to move on to Syracuse.

Upcoming Schedule – June 10-15

• Triple-A Syracuse: @ Scranton/Wilkes-Barre
• Double-A Binghamton: @ Richmond
• High-A Brooklyn: vs. Asheville
• Low-A St. Lucie: @ Daytona

The post Minors Weekly Report: Jonah Tong Delivers Another Hitless Performance appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

On Friday, the National Baseball Hall of Fame announced the cap selections for the Hall of Fame class of 2024. Todd Helton and Joe Mauer are naturally going in with Rockies and Twins caps respectively, since those are the only teams they played for during their careers. Manager Jim Leyland, who managed four teams during his career, will go in with a blank cap while Adrián Beltré, who played for four teams during his career, will enter with a Rangers cap.

Latest Mets News

Jon Heyman of the New York Post reported on Friday that the Mets and RHP Shintaro Fujinami were in agreement on a one-year deal worth $3.35 million. Between the A’s and Orioles in 2023, Fujinami posted a 7.18 ERA. Fujinami, though, recovered after a dreadful start to the season so his ERA doesn’t demonstrate the strides he made during the season. Fujinami averaged a 99 mph fastball in 2023, so he will be bringing some much-needed heat to the Mets bullpen.

The Mets agreed to terms with another reliever on Friday, inking lefty Jake Diekman to a one-year deal worth $4 million, per SNY‘s Andy Martino. Mike Puma of the New York Post reported that Diekman has a vesting option for another $4 million in 2025 if he appears in at least 58 games for the Mets. Diekman spent 2023 between the White Sox and Rays and, like Fujinami, found more success with his second team. Diekman finished the year with a 3.34 ERA, but had a 2.18 ERA in 50 appearances with the Rays. While Diekman excels at limiting hard contact, he struggles with walking batters. He joins Brooks Raley as another lefty out of the Mets bullpen.

Per Mike Puma of the New York Post, former Met Daniel Murphy will join the booth for at least two games during spring training, replacing Ron Darling and Keith Hernandez.

The Mets announced that they traded catcher Tyler Heineman to the Red Sox for cash considerations. Heineman had recently been designated for assignment after the Mets added Adam Ottavino to the 40-man roster.

Latest MLB News

Former Red Sox general manager Theo Epstein is re-joining the Red Sox as a part owner and senior advisor. Epstein’s return is the best news of what has been an inauspicious offseason for Boston, after Red Sox chairman Tom Werner vowed the Red Sox would go “full throttle” in their efforts to improve the team.

Jon Heyman of the New York Post announced that the Braves are signing Ken Giles to a minor league deal with an invite to spring training. Giles has the opportunity to make $1.75 million if he reaches the majors in 2024. Giles was once one of the best closers in the game, but he has not pitched regularly in the major leagues since 2019.

Andrew Baggarly of The Athletic announced that the Giants traded starting pitcher Ross Stripling to the A’s. The Giants announced that they would be sending cash along with Stripling, and their return would be outfielder Jonah Cox, a 22-year-old who was a sixth-round pick of the A’s in the 2023 draft. In 2023, Stripling alternated between starting and long relief, recording a 5.36 ERA across 89 innings.

Robert Murray of FanSided reported that there are five teams showing interest in former Met Dominic Smith. Smith hit 12 home runs and recorded a .692 OPS in 2023 with the Nationals, but hit six home runs and had an .846 OPS over the final month of the season.

Per Steve Adams of MLB Trade Rumors, the White Sox are signing former Met Kevin Pillar to a minor league deal. He can make $3 million if he reaches the big league roster.

Darren Wolfson of Skor North reports that the Twins signed Carlos Santana to a one-year deal.

The Yankees announced on Friday that they have scheduled a two-game exhibition series with the Diablos Rojos del México for March 24 and 25. The games will be played at Alfredo Harp Helú Stadium in Mexico City.

Latest on MMO

Michael Mayer analyzes the latest ESPN and Baseball America farm system rankings, with the Mets coming in at no. 11 and no. 8 respectively.

On This Date in Mets History

1983: The Mets signed Ed Hearn to a minor league deal on this day 41 years ago. Hearn worked his way up the minor leagues for a few years before becoming Gary Carter‘s backup in early 1986. Hearn had a very brief career, but he will always be a member of the 1986 World Series champion Mets.

Birthdays: Lucas Duda (38)

The post Morning Briefing: National Baseball Hall of Fame Announces 2024 Class Cap Selections appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

In winter ball action, Starling Marte went 1-for-3 with a single and reached base twice on hit-by-pitches. Notably, Marte played the entire game defensively in right field for only the second time since playing winter ball this offseason.

Marte is hitting .300 with a .812 OPS in six winter games.

Latest Mets News

The Mets officially announced the signing of pitcher Sean Manaea. In a corresponding move, they designated Diego Castillo for assignment.

On Friday, Mike Puma of the New York Post reported that Ronny Mauricio prioritized playing winter ball against the wishes of the Mets due to financial reasons. According to Puma, the Mets tried to persuade Mauricio to skip winter ball or at least wait until January to start playing, but Mauricio chose to play for the money. Mauricio’s financial struggles reportedly stem from an agent and family member who have control of his finances and keep most of the money away from him. Mauricio wound up tearing his ACL while playing winter ball and is now expected to miss the entire 2024 MLB season in what would have been a crucial year for the 22-year-old.

Mauricio, however, made an Instagram post Friday evening that appears to be disputing this claim, though he didn’t mention the Puma report specifically. It’s unclear whether he’s saying that Puma’s entire report is completely false, or just a certain part of it.

The Mets are commemorating the life of Bud Harrelson with a digital sign on the outside of Citi Field.

Héctor Gómez became the second reporter on Friday to write about the Mets showing interest in designated hitter Jorge Soler. The Mets currently do not have a true, reliable power hitter on the roster outside of Pete Alonso, and Soler would certainly add pop to a lineup that desperately needs it.

The Mets claimed pitcher Max Kranick off waivers from the Pirates. In a corresponding move, they designated Cooper Hummel for assignment. In addition, the Mets signed pitcher Danny Young to a minor league contract.

Sam Dykstra of MLB Pipeline interviewed Grant Hartwig this week, who talked about his major league debut during the 2023 season.

Latest MLB News

The Braves announced on Friday that they agreed to a contract extension with general manager Alex Anthopolous that will keep him signed with the team through the 2031 season.

Per Jeff Passan of ESPN, the Giants signed Jordan Hicks to a four-year, $44 million contract. Hicks, who spent 2023 between the Cardinals and Blue Jays, is expected to be used as a starter in San Francisco.

The Dodgers hired former big leaguer Raúl Ibañez as their VP of Baseball Development and Special Projects.

Jon Heyman of the New York Post reports that Charlie Culberson is signing a minor league contract with the Braves, but as a relief pitcher. The 34-year-old Culberson has been in the big leagues since 2012 as a position player, but has a 1.23 ERA in 7 1/3 career innings as a mop-up pitcher.

Sam Blum of The Athletic wrote about Max Stassi and how the premature birth of his son overtook baseball as his biggest priority during the 2023 season.

Robert Murray of FanSided reported that Drew VerHagen signed a one-year contract with a player option with the Nippon-Ham Fighters in Japan. Murray reports that VerHagen can make as much as $8 million over the two seasons.

Latest on MMO

Allison Waxman profiles reliever Wandy Peralta, who is a potential free agent target for the Mets.

In an MMO Fan Shot, Petey Pete asks if the Mets should trade for an ace.

On This Date in Mets History

Birthdays: Heath Hembree (35), Elmer Dessens (53), Kevin Mitchell (62)

The post Morning Briefing: Starling Marte Reaches Base Three Times appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

The free agency saga of Shohei Ohtani took many turns on Friday. It was first reported Friday morning by Jon Morosi of the New York Post that Ohtani’s free agency decision was “imminent.” J.P. Hoornstra of Dodgers Nation then reported that Ohtani made his decision and was signing with the Blue Jays. Morosi then claimed that Ohtani was en route to Toronto which prompted the entire baseball world to think that Ohtani was going to be a Blue Jay. However, these reports were debunked by several reporters, including Bob Nightengale and Jon Heyman, who claimed that Ohtani was not going to Toronto, but was rather home in southern California. He may or may not wind up a Blue Jay, but the reports by Hoornstra and Morosi appeared to be a bit premature. For MMO’s live reporting of this series of events, click here.

Morosi later apologized to the baseball community for reporting false information.

Kiyoshi Mio-USA TODAY Sports

Latest Mets News

On Friday, the Mets announced that they signed outfielder Taylor Kohlwey to a minor league deal. The 28-year-old Kohlwey was a career minor leaguer before making his major league debut this past season with the Padres, though he only saw 13 at-bats. He is a career .296/.387/.444 hitter at the Triple-A level.

MMO’s own Mike Mayer reported on a few coaching changes in the Mets’ minor league system. According to Mayer, A.J. Sager will be the pitching coach for Triple-A Syracuse. Sager spent last season as the pitching coach for Double-A Binghamton, and will be replacing Kyle Driscoll who has accepted a job as pitching coordinator in the Diamondbacks organization. Mayer also reported that Gilbert Gomez, a former Mets prospect, will manage High-A Brooklyn this year. He most recently served as the manager for Low-A St. Lucie.

Latest MLB News

The Cardinals announced that they traded outfielder Tyler O’Neill to the Red Sox in exchange for pitchers Nick Robertson and Victor Santos. Jon Heyman of the New York Post was the first to report O’Neill being sent to Boston. O’Neill had a huge year in 2021 when he recorded a .912 OPS, but has struggled the past two seasons. He replaces Alex Verdugo in the Boston outfield and will hope a change of scenery can allow him to return to his 2021 form.

Jon Heyman also reported that the Giants signed Yoshi Tsutsugo, who spent part of the 2023 season in their minor league system.

Jeff Passan of ESPN reported that the Braves acquired infielder David Fletcher and catcher Max Stassi from the Angels in exchange for infielder Evan White and pitcher Tyler Thomas.

The Tigers signed catcher Anthony Bemboom to a minor league deal with an invitation to spring training. Bemboom spent 2023 in the Orioles’ system and received 11 at-bats at the big league level.

Latest on MMO

Brian Wright makes the case for Bobby Abreu to make the Hall of Fame. Abreu was a longtime Phillie but ended his playing career with the Mets.

The latest preview in MMO’s Mets Madness series features the 2016 Mets matched up against the 1988 Mets.

On This Date in Mets History

2000: Mike Hampton signed an eight-year, $121 million deal with the Colorado Rockies, just two months after helping the Mets reach the World Series. It was the largest contract in major league history at the time.

Birthdays: Geoff Hartlieb (30), Adam Wilk (36), Buddy Baumann (36), Fred Lewis (43), Jeff Duncan (45), Tony Tarasco (53), Mike Fyhrie (54), Juan Samuel (63), Bruce Boisclair (71), Doc Medich (75), Jerry Cram (76), Del Unser (79)

The post Morning Briefing: Ohtani Saga Takes Wild Turns Before Coming to Standstill appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

On Friday, Japanese pitcher Shota Imanaga officially got his posting request approved by the DeNA Baystars of Nippon Professional Baseball, meaning he will be allowed to sign with an MLB team this winter. The 30-year-old lefty has a career 2.96 ERA across eight seasons in Japan and figures to be in for a big pay day. MLB Trade Rumors predicts that he will sign a five-year deal worth $85 million.

Shota Imanaga, Photo by Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports

Latest Mets News

Andy Martino of SNY reported that the Mets will be “all over” Yoshinobu Yamamoto as they attempt to sign the Japanese ace in free agency.

The Mets re-signed minor league infielder José Peroza, who hit .249/.347/.419 across three minor league levels last season.

Latest MLB News

Yoshinobu Yamamoto won Nippon Professional Baseball’s 2023 Mitsui Gold Glove Award in the pitcher category, his third consecutive year winning the award.

ESPN’s Buster Olney reported that Juan Soto is “100%” going to be traded before the 2024 season.

The Nationals announced their coaching staff for the 2024 season, including former Mets’ minor league infield coordinator Miguel Cairo as the team’s bench coach and former National Gerardo Parra as the team’s first base coach.

The Giants announced the new hires to their coaching staff for this season, including Ryan Christenson as bench coach, Matt Williams as third base coach, and Pat Burrell as hitting coach.

Latest on MMO

Jorge Eckardt lists the former Mets coming to Citi Field for the Dominican Winter League’s Titans of the Caribbean Series.

Jack Markowski breaks down the teams who serve as the best trade partners for the Mets.

MetsMinors.net conducts an exclusive interview with Mets’ 2023 draft pick Boston Baro.

Michael Famulari profiles former Met Seth Lugo as a potential free agent target for the Mets.

On This Date in Mets History

1998: The Mets sent reliever Mel Rojas to the Dodgers in exchange for Bobby Bonilla, bringing him back for a second stint with the team. Bonilla greatly disappointed during the 1999 season with a .160 batting average and .579 OPS in 60 games.

Birthdays: P.J. Conlon (30), Vinny Nittoli (33), Mike Bacsik (46), Damion Easley (54), Dave Telgheder (57), Roberto Hernández (59)

The post Morning Briefing: Shota Imanaga Has Posting Request Approved appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

A postseason that hasn’t had many exciting moments received its fair share of excitement on Friday night, as both the Astros and the Diamondbacks won their League Championship Series matchups in comeback fashion.

Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports

In the ALCS, the Rangers took a 4-2 lead into the ninth inning but José Altuve provided yet another iconic postseason moment as he launched a three-run homer into left field, putting the Astros ahead for good. The 5-4 Astros victory puts the team ahead in the series 3-2 and within one win of a World Series berth.

Later in the night, the Phillies held a 5-2 lead over the Diamondbacks in the seventh inning, threatening to move within one win of a World Series berth as well. The Diamondbacks didn’t give up, though, as they scored a run on a walk in the bottom of the seventh, and then added on three more in the eighth via a pinch-hit two-run homer by Alek Thomas and an RBI single by Gabriel Moreno. That put Arizona up 6-5, which would remain the score for the rest of the game. Suddenly, a Diamondbacks team that looked outmatched in Philadelphia now has the series all knotted up at 2-2.

Latest Mets News

The Mets placed six players on outright waivers, according to Anthony DiComo of MLB.com. Anthony Kay, Vinny Nittoli, Michael Pérez, Rafael Ortega, Jonathan Araúz, and Danny Mendick were all released to clear space on the 40-man roster.

Latest MLB News

Andrew Baggarly of The Athletic reports that the belief is that the Giants will not be outbid for any free agents that they aggressively pursue.

According to Alex Speier of the Boston Globe, former Giants’ manager Gabe Kapler interviewed for the Red Sox’ general manager role.

In another Giants-Red Sox connection, Joel Sherman of the New York Post reports that the Giants asked permission to interview Red Sox coach Jason Varitek for their managerial opening. Sherman later confirmed that the Red Sox granted the Giants permission to talk to Varitek.

The Guardians interviewed Dodgers’ first base coach Clayton McCullough for their manager job.

Per Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald, the Marlins fired their director of amateur scouting, D.J. Svihlik.

Max Stassi and his wife, Gabrielle, shared the story of their son, Jackson, on Instagram and all he has gone through. Jackson was born premature and continues to battle several diseases and conditions during his stay in the NICU.

Latest on MMO

Patrick Glynn graded the performance that Pete Alonso put on during the 2023 season, giving the star first baseman a B+.

Jorge Eckardt analyzed the Mets’ organizational depth chart at the second base position.

Jack Ramsey wrote about the report that Kim Ng is unlikely to join the Mets.

Andrew Tripaldi wrote about the report that Rangers’ associate manager Will Venable declined a request to interview for the Mets’ vacant manager role.

On This Date in Mets History

1973: The Mets and Athletics played Game 7 of the 1973 World Series, and it was the A’s who got to hoist the trophy at the end of the night after winning the game 5-2. Jon Matlack allowed four runs in the third inning and the Mets were unable to recover in their win-or-go-home game.

2000: The Mets and Yankees played the first game of the 2000 World Series, with the Yankees taking the game 4-3 in 12 innings. Al Leiter allowed just two runs in seven innings but the Yankee bullpen of Jeff Nelson, Mariano Rivera, and Mike Stanton shut down the Mets late in the game to give the Yankees a win.

Birthdays: José Lobatón (39), Danny Herrera (39), Jim Henderson (41)

The post Morning Briefing: Astros, Diamondbacks Win In Comeback Fashion appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Game 1 of each National League and American League Division Series will take place today. In the AL, the Rangers and Orioles will get underway at 1:00 p.m. ET before the Twins and Astros start their matchup at 4:45 p.m. ET. Both games will be broadcast on FS1.

The NL will feature a pair of divisional matchups, with the Phillies and Braves playing at 6:00 p.m. ET before the Diamondbacks and Dodgers get things started at 9:20 p.m. ET. Both games will be broadcast on TBS. Major League Baseball announced the umpire assignments for each of these series on Friday.

Latest Mets News

An article in the New York Times on Friday suggested that as part of the MLB investigation into Billy Eppler’s misuse of the injured list, the investigation would also look into Mets’ owner Steve Cohen. Abbey Mastracco of New York Daily News debunked this by stating that MLB has informed the Mets that Steve Cohen is not a target of the investigation.

Latest MLB News

With Zack Wheeler and Aaron Nola still recovering from their appearances in the Wild Card round, Ranger Suárez is expected to start today’s Game 1 matchup against the Braves, going up against Spencer Strider.

Major League Baseball announced the nominees for the 25th annual Hank Aaron Award. The list is as follows:

• American League
  • Yordan Álvarez (HOU)
  • Kyle Tucker (HOU)
  • Shohei Ohtani (LAA)
  • Aaron Judge (NYY)
  • Julio Rodríguez (SEA)
  • Yandy Díaz (TB)
  • Adolis García (TEX)
  • Corey Seager (TEX)
  • Marcus Semien (TEX)
• National League
  • Ronald Acuña Jr. (ATL)
  • Matt Olson (ATL)
  • Corbin Carroll (ARI)
  • Cody Bellinger (CHC)
  • Mookie Betts (LAD)
  • Freddie Freeman (LAD)
  • Luis Arráez (MIA)
  • Bryce Harper (PHI)
  • Juan Soto (SD)

Marlins’ ace Sandy Alcántara underwent Tommy John surgery on Friday and will miss the 2024 season.

While on the Dan Patrick Show, Joey Votto said that he wants to play baseball again, for at least one more year. Votto also mentioned that he would like to be back with the Reds, but would consider playing elsewhere if he has to.

Per Alden González of ESPN, the Angels parted ways with assistant general manager Alex Tamin, who served as general manager Perry Minasian’s right-hand man.

Latest on MMO

Jorge Eckardt writes about Cuban reliever Yariel Rodríguez, who is expected to become a major league free agent after a fantastic year in Japan.

John Sheridan highlights Mets prospect Ronald Hernández, who was named a 2023 All-Star in the Florida Complex League.

Sean Kenny looks at what the next step is for David Stearns in hiring a new general manager.

Michael Mayer breaks down the salary projections for the Mets’ 16 arbitration-eligible players.

Chris Bello grades the season of Mets’ ace Kodai Senga.

On This Date in Mets History

2006: The Mets took Game 3 of the NLDS from the Dodgers with a 9-5 victory. The win ensured a series sweep and a trip to the NLCS.

Birthdays: José Cardenal (80)

The post Morning Briefing: League Division Series Games Begin Today appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Luis Guillorme completed his first rehab assignment on Friday night with High-A Brooklyn. He struck out three times at the plate but his defense was on display when he made a great stop at third base before turning a double play. Guillorme has been sidelined since late July with an injured calf, and this is the first step in his return. Whether his return is with the big league club remains to be seen, as he had a measly .650 OPS before his injury and there may not be room with Ronny Mauricio now in the picture. Nevertheless, it’s good to see Luis back in action and coming back from a tough injury.

Latest Mets News

The Mets dropped the first game of the series against the Twins on Friday night, 5-2. Kodai Senga gave up just two runs in six innings despite not having his best stuff, and Francisco Lindor provided the only offense of the night with a two-run double.

Lindor was announced as the Mets’ nominee for the Roberto Clemente Award for the 2023 season. The full list of nominees from each team can be found here.

Pitching prospect Calvin Ziegler has been activated off the 60-day injured list and is set to make his season debut this weekend with Low-A St. Lucie.

Latest MLB News

Mike Petriello of MLB.com wrote about how the most productive spot in the batting order by OPS is the no. 2 spot, which has never happened in the live-ball era.

Per Jeff Passan and Paula Lavigne of ESPN, the felony domestic violence incident involving Julio Urías was captured on video, which is now in the possession of law enforcement.

Passan also reported that the Rockies and pitcher Germán Márquez agreed to a two-year, $20 million contract extension. Márquez is set to miss most of the 2024 season as he recovers from Tommy John surgery.

The Dodgers announced that Walker Buehler, who is recovering from Tommy John surgery, will not return for the 2023 season and will instead focus on being ready for the start of 2024.

Nationals owner Mark Lehner released a statement on Stephen Strasburg‘s canceled retirement ceremony, expressing disappointment that private discussions were made public. He ended his statement by saying he looks forward to seeing Strasburg during spring training in 2024.

Jon Heyman of the New York Post broke down much of the recent dysfunction surrounding the Nationals and the higher-ups in the organization, including the Strasburg retirement fiasco, the inability to sign GM Mike Rizzo to an extension, the letting go of multiple respected scouts, and the resignation of a top executive in Johnny DiPuglia.

The Staten Island FerryHawks announced that they will be holding “Shaolin Hawks night” on September 13. The game night will be in collaboration with the Wu-Tang Clan and will benefit the Children’s Literacy Society.

With his home run on Friday night, Jasson Dominguez at 20-years-old became the youngest player since at least 1901 to hit a home run in four of his first seven career games.

Latest on MMO

In the latest Mets Minors Recap, Sean Kenny highlights brilliant performances by Joander Suarez and Drew Gilbert.

Allison Waxman writes about the Baby Mets and why they are the key to sustained success.

Jack Markowski breaks down the state of the Mets and Twins following this previous offseason’s Carlos Correa saga, with the Mets and Twins playing against each other.

Jack Sargente analyzes an article from The Athletic that suggests that staying on the West Coast will not mean more to Shohei Ohtani in free agency than the possibility of winning championships.

On This Date in Mets History

1969: The Mets recorded their 82nd win of the season on this date in 1969, clinching the team’s first winning record in franchise history. Tom Seaver threw a complete game and recorded his 21st win of the season in the victory.

Birthdays: Billy Hamilton (33), Kazuhisa Ishii (50), Mike Hampton (51), Todd Zeile (58)

The post Morning Briefing: Luis Guillorme Completes First Rehab Assignment appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

A solid outing from Senga was spoiled by the bullpen in a bizarre seventh inning, and it was the second straight game in which the bullpen blew a late lead following a productive outing from the starter. The inning began in a 2-2 tie, but that of course quickly got away from the Mets.

Sean Reid-Foley was the first man out of the Mets’ bullpen and he immediately found himself in trouble with two runners on and nobody out. The Twins then called a double steal on a pitch that got away from Francisco Álvarez, setting in motion a very peculiar sequence.

Álvarez gathered the ball and attempted to back-pick the runner at third base but he threw it into left field, prompting the runner to take off for home again. This time, he made it safely to give the Twins the lead. Back-to-back hits with two outs in the inning extended the Twins’ lead to 5-2 before the inning could finally be put to rest.

Although Senga left the game with only two runs allowed, it was clear from the beginning of the game that he wasn’t as sharp as he has been recently. He threw 27 pitches in the first inning alone in addition to allowing two walks. Royce Lewis took advantage of Senga’s shakiness by hitting an RBI double that scored Jorge Polanco, who reached via a walk, from first base to put the Twins ahead 1-0 early.

Senga settled down to pitch less eventful innings in the second and third, but he found himself in trouble again in the fourth inning. Carlos Correa, in his first game against the team that almost signed him this past offseason, led off the inning by hitting a rocket into left field that sailed into the seats for a home run.

Further damage in the inning was thwarted by Tim Locastro, who, with a runner on first and nobody out, made a fantastic diving catch in left field to rob Christian Vázquez of extra bases and potentially an RBI. Senga again worked in and out of trouble in the fifth inning, ending a two-on, nobody out threat by getting a double play and another ground ball out to escape the inning.

Senga stayed on for one more solid inning, finishing his outing with just the two earned runs given up over six innings, a really impressive outcome considering he wasn’t at the top of his game. He allowed four hits and four walks while striking out five as he lowered his already third-best National League ERA to 3.07 on the year.

Offensively, the Mets struggled early on, with Keuchel easing his way through the lineup. It wasn’t until two outs in the third inning that the Mets recorded their first baserunner, and the offense finally made some noise the following inning. After a leadoff walk and a double put runners at second and third with nobody out, Francisco Lindor went the other way for a two-run double.

That was all the Mets could muster for the rest of the game, though, as Keuchel threw one more scoreless inning before giving way to the bullpen which threw four scoreless innings. The Mets drop what was a lackluster game all around, falling to 64-76 on the year with just 32 games left to play on the season.

Senga’s Streak Continues

There aren’t many positives that can be taken away from this game, but one of them is that Kodai Senga’s streak of starts allowing three or fewer runs was extended to 13. Even on a day where he clearly wasn’t at his best, he held the Twins to two runs over six innings. His stellar pitching down the stretch has put him firmly in the National League Rookie of the Year and Cy Young Award conversations.

On Deck

The series between the Mets and Twins will continue Saturday afternoon, with first pitch scheduled for 2:10 p.m. ET. David Peterson (3-7, 5.40 ERA) will take the mound for the Mets coming off a short outing against the Mariners, while Kenta Maeda, who has also been unable to go deep into games lately, (3-7, 4.73 ERA) will be the starter for Minnesota. The game will be broadcast on SNY.

The post Bullpen Blows Game Late as Mets Fall to Twins 5-2 appeared first on Metsmerized Online.