Talk about poetry and drama in the Subway Series!

Friday night, Juan Soto recorded the last out. Saturday afternoon, Aaron Judge recorded the last out. With the series on the line the New York Yankees turn to Max Fried, the pitcher they signed after Juan Soto turned down their massive offer.

Mets Lineup

1. Francisco Lindor – SS
2. Juan Soto – RF
3. Pete Alonso – 1B
4. Mark Vientos – 3B
5. Brandon Nimmo – LF
6. Starling Marte – DH
7. Francisco Alvarez – C
8. Jeff McNeil – CF
9. Luisangel Acuña – 2B

David Peterson has pitched 44 1/3 innings over eight starts this year with a 3.05 ERA, 3.55 FIP, 1.353 WHIP, and a 128 ERA+. He has allowed two earned runs or less in four consecutive starts and has pitched six innings in back-to-back starts.

There have been two concerns lately, though. First, he’s allowed seven walks in his last two starts. He walked only nine batters in the six starts before that. He’s also allowed a home run in each of his last two starts, after going five straight starts without allowing any home runs.

The Yankees have the following career numbers against Peterson:

• Cody Bellinger 0-4, K
• Trent Grisham 1-4, K
• Aaron Judge 0-1, BB
• DJ LeMahieu 0-1, BB
• Anthony Volpe 1-3, 2 K

Brad Penner-Imagn Images

Yankees Lineup

1. Paul Goldschmidt – 1B
2. Trent Grisham – CF
3. Aaron Judge – RF
4. Cody Bellinger – LF
5. Anthony Volpe – SS
6. Jasson Domínguez – DH
7. DJ LeMahieu – 2B
8. Austin Wells – C
9. Oswald Peraza – 3B

Max Fried is living up to his massive eight-year, $218 million deal early on. Over 56 2/3 innings (nine starts), he has a 1.11 ERA (league leading), 2.85 FIP, 0.935 WHIP, and a 356 ERA+ (league leading). From late April to early May he went three consecutive starts without allowing a run.

The good news for the Mets is he has allowed runs in back-to-back starts (two runs in 12 innings with 13 strikeouts). Fried held the Mets scoreless and hitless over seven innings in his only start against them in 2024, but this was also during the Mets’ free falling month of May.

The Mets have the following career numbers against Fried:

• Pete Alonso 10-36, 2B, 2 HR, 6 BB, 12 K
• Francisco Alvarez 1-4
• José Azócar 2-4
• Brett Baty 2-6, 3 K
• Francisco Lindor 3-28, HR, 6 K
• Starling Marte 4-21, 2 2B, BB, 5 K
• Jeff McNeil 10-31, 3 2B, BB, 6 K
• Brandon Nimmo 3-27, 2 2B, 5 BB, 11 K
• Juan Soto 9-27, 2B, 5 BB, 9 K
• Tyrone Taylor 2-7, 2 K

Game Notes

The Mets released veteran outfielder Billy McKinney. He was playing for Triple-A Syracuse.

Jared Young continued his terrific beginning of the season. He went 3-for-4 with four RBIs in Triple-A Syracuse’s loss on Sunday. Pitcher Brandon Waddell had by far his worst start of the season, allowing six earned runs in 2/3 of an inning. His season ERA still sits at a strong 3.06.

Double-A Binghamton improved their Eastern League-best record to 22-16 on Sunday. Binghamton’s top four of their lineup combined to go 10-for-17.

High-A outfielder, and former first-round pick, Carson Benge had a massive day for Brooklyn. In their extra-innings contest, Benge went 2-for-3 with a home run, double, four RBIs, and two walks. His season OPS is now .919.

Three Things To Watch For

1. Pete Alonso. Pete Alonso, the best hitter on the Mets by OPS, is the key player for Sunday’s game. Friday night, he went 0-for-4 with three strikeouts. Saturday, he went 2-for-4 with a double and an RBI. When he hits well, the Mets win the games because the people in front of him are getting on base. Alonso also has terrific career numbers against Fried, who has been cruising through lineups this season.
2. Aaron Judge. Judge feasted on the Mets Friday, but Saturday was a different story. Judge went 0-for-5 at the plate with three strikeouts lowering in his batting average to .402. The Mets just need to keep him contained for one more game.
3. Who is available in the Mets’ bullpen? The Mets needed to use three high leverage relievers yesterday (Reed Garrett, Huascar Brazobán, and Edwin Díaz), all throwing between 17 and 23 pitches. All three pitchers had at least three days of rest before yesterday’s game, so they may having something in the tank for Sunday. Ryne Stanek hasn’t pitched since Tuesday and it feels likely we’ll see him at some point tonight.

The post Game Chat: Mets vs. Yankees, 7:10 P.M. appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Triple-A

Worcester Red Sox (1-1) 12, Syracuse Mets (1-1) 0

BOX SCORE

• LF Billy McKinney: 1-for-4, 2B (.375 OPS)
• 1B Joey Meneses: 1-for-4 (1.250 OPS)
• 2B Luke Ritter: 0-for-3 (.858 OPS)

After a 4-3 win on Opening Day that saw the offense post four runs on 11 hits, Syracuse was unable to get on the scoreboard while scattering four hits. The lone extra-base hit was a Billy McKinney double in the first inning. Overall, Syracuse struck out 10 times and only drew one walk.

• SP Brandon Sproat: 2.0 IP, 3 H, 4 ER, 3 BB, 3 SO (18.00 ERA)
• RHP Dedniel Núñez: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 1 ER, 2 SO (9.00 ERA)
• RHP Tyler Zuber: 0.2 IP, 1 H, 1 ER, 1 BB (13.50 ERA)
• RHP Justin Hagenman: 3.0 IP, 6 H, 5 ER, 2 SO (15.00 ERA)

Entering the season, pitcher Brandon Sproat is seen as the far-away top pitching prospect in the New York Mets’ system. However, Sproat, unfortunately, picked up where he left off last season, as he struggled, as he was unable to get out of the game’s third inning. On the day, he allowed three hits and three walks, culminating in four runs. He did strike out three, but his 56% strike rate on only 57 pitches was not enough. Across 30 2/3 career Triple-A innings, Sproat has allowed 28 runs to go along with 14 walks.

It was consistency, but not in a good way, following Sproat. Each of the three pitchers that directly followed Sproat allowed one run. This included Dedniel Núñez, who is still working his way back from injury. Núñez did strike out two, but his fastball velocity, which started out around 97 mph, was down to 94 mph by the ending of his outing.

Justin Hagenman served as the Mets’ mop-up man, as he went three innings and tossed 52 pitches. He got roughed up, as he allowed three home runs, six hits, and five runs.

The post Mets Minors Recap: Sproat Roughed Up In First Triple-A Outing appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports

Tyler Boronski, a freelance reporter, was the first to mention that McKinney had signed with the Mets, and The Athletic’s Will Sammon later noted it as well.

McKinney is returning to the franchise after playing for them in 2021. He put up solid numbers in a small sample size, posting five homers and 14 RBIs in just 39 games. The left-handed hitter also logged a 109 OPS+ during a time when the injury-ravaged Mets needed it the most.

McKinney has since played for the Los Angeles Dodgers, A’s, New York Yankees and Pittsburgh Pirates, and he played all three outfield positions in the bigs last season.

Over 943 career plate appearances, the former first-round pick owns a slash line of .209/.284/.386 with 34 home runs and 88 RBIs.

According to Boronski, McKinney described his offseason as being unusually quiet and strange. The newest Met will likely stay in Port St. Lucie for a few days after spring training ends, with the goal being to get to Syracuse as soon as possible.

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Amid an extremely busy offseason, the New York Mets received a ton of credit for acquiring impact players like Francisco Lindor, Carlos Carrasco, James McCann, Trevor May and more, but the front office also added some important depth pieces and those moves are certainly paying off so far this season.

With injuries becoming a major concern across the major leagues in 2021, featuring multiple layers of depth has never been more crucial than right now, which has forced all 30 teams to rely on the strength of their 40-man rosters. For the Mets in particular, they’ve been plagued by all sorts of different injuries up to this point ranging from their starting rotation, bullpen, infield and outfield.

While this team has been forced to overcome numerous obstacles since the regular season opened, none has been more challenging than attempting to operate without both Brandon Nimmo (left finger contusion) and Michael Conforto (hamstring strain), who are currently on the injured list and have already missed significant time this season.

Considering Nimmo and Conforto make up for two-thirds of the Mets’ starting outfield, or at least they did, losing both of them for an extended period has understandably taken a major toll on this club over the last month or so. Having said that, these unfortunate injuries have since opened the door for a trio of depth outfielders to showcase their respective talents in regular roles, which has been working out better than probably anyone could’ve expected.

Though none of these players are likely headed to Coors Field next month for the All-Star Game, outfielders Kevin Pillar, Mason Williams and Billy McKinney have still played key roles in helping New York keep its head above water during this recent stretch. It may be difficult to believe, but this organization might not be leading the NL East division if not for the impressive performances from these unsung heroes.

Starting with Pillar, who signed a two-year, $6.5 million contract last winter, most experts criticized the decision to bring him in and weren’t exactly sure how he’d earn regular playing time off the bench. But with Nimmo out of the lineup, the Mets have needed someone to hold things down in center field and the former Toronto Blue Jay has done exactly that.

Credit: Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports

Despite missing two weeks due to multiple facial fractures that he suffered after being hit in the face with a 94 mph fastball, the 32-year-old was performing fairly well before his injury and hasn’t missed a beat since returning to action, which has undoubtedly provided a major spark to this team’s morale.

Making the most out of this extended opportunity, Pillar has earned 76 plate appearances since taking over the everyday role in center field on May 5, producing three doubles, one triple, two home runs, 10 RBIs, a .340 BABIP, a .324 wOBA, a 56.4% FB rate, a 30.9% hard-hit rate, a 110 wRC+ score and a slashing line of .278/.316/.431/.746.

As for his defense, the former 32nd-round selection is long removed from his days of being referred to as “Superman,” but he’s still been able to provide decent results in center field throughout this season. Given his age and the amount of stress his body has taken over the years, it’s hard to complain about the -2 DRS, -2 OAA, -0.7 RngR, 1.1 UZR and 15.3 UZR he’s generated over his 156 2/3 innings.

Similar to Pillar, Williams has also been effective as an injury replacement, although he’s been making a much larger impact with his defense rather than his offense. Taking into account his current slashing line of .250/.318/.400/.718 and his 94 wRC+ score over 22 plate appearances with the Mets, the 29-year-old is currently viewed as an average hitter but is someone who can make up for these offensive shortcomings with his glove.

After earning a promotion to the majors on May 31, the 6′ 1″ outfielder has solely been positioned in center field and has compiled 51.0 innings during that span, recording a 1 DRS, 1 OAA, 0.2 RngR, 0.2 UZR and a 5.3 UZR/150.

Even though Pillar and Williams have helped fill the massive void left by Nimmo and Conforto, neither of those players has been nearly as productive as McKinney, who was acquired from the Milwaukee Brewers in exchange for pitcher Pedro Quintana back on May 25. At the time, this acquisition appeared to be a desperate attempt by the front office to provide manager Luis Rojas another healthy body, but now, it’s looking like a steal.

Credit: Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports

Needing a few games to become acclimated with his new teammates, the 26-year-old got off to a bit of a slow start out of the gate, although he hasn’t encountered any of those same issues since then and has excelled over his brief time in blue pinstripes. While there are some concerns about whether the left-hander can sustain his current production, that certainly doesn’t take away from the brilliance he’s displayed at the plate recently.

Since joining the Mets, McKinney has earned 44 plate appearances through 12 games, creating three doubles, one triple, four home runs, 11 RBIs, a .425 ISO, a .431 wOBA, a 9.1% walk rate, a 22.7% strikeout rate, a 53.3% FB rate, a 43.3% hard-hit rate, a 180 wRC+ score, a 0.5 fWAR rating and a slashing line of .275/.341/.700/1.041.

Comparing these stellar results to the rest of the majors, the former first-round pick has been one of the top hitting outfielders since May 29, as he’s currently tied for the second-most home runs (four), tied for the second-highest ISO (.457), tied for the third-most RBIs (11), owns the sixth-highest SLG (.743) and the 11th-highest wRC+ score (191) among all outfielders who’ve earned at least 20 plate appearances during that span, according to FanGraphs.com.

With Nimmo and Conforto still weeks away from returning to the lineup, it’ll be extremely important for all three of Pillar, Williams and McKinney to continue performing effectively as the season inches closer to the All-Star break. If this trio can accomplish that feat, then the Mets should receive a massive boost whenever their top two outfielders return from the IL.

As for what that’ll mean for these depth outfielders, Williams will likely be optioned back to triple-A Syracuse, where he’ll continue working on his craft in the outfield and also at the dish. For Pillar and McKinney, it could become difficult to provide them with consistent playing time, but there’s no question Rojas will utilize both of them as much as possible down the stretch.

If the Mets have learned anything from these first two and a half months of the season, it’s that having too much depth will never be a terrible problem to have, especially in this era of the game.

The post How the Mets’ Outfield is Surviving Without Conforto and Nimmo appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Mandatory Credit: Mitch Stringer-USA TODAY Sports

The New York Mets out-hit the Orioles 16-6 in their 14-1 defeat of Baltimore on Wednesday night. Of those hits, the Mets’ outfielders accumulated for half of the sixteen hits, six of the Mets’ 14 runs, and 10 of the 14 RBIs on the night.

Right fielder Billy McKinney was 3-for-5 with three runs scored and five RBIs. He hit two home runs (a solo home run in the fifth and a two-run home run in the eighth). He now has a 1.041 OPS in 12 games since the Mets acquired him.

THIS IS ANOTHER @billy_mckinney APPRECIATION POST. 🗣️ pic.twitter.com/QoF6XY3Bmt

— New York Mets (@Mets) June 10, 2021

Left fielder Kevin Pillar was 3-for-4 with two runs scored and four RBIs. Pillar also hit two home runs Wednesday night (a two-run home run in the third and a solo home run in the eighth). He’s hitting .262/.301/.421 with four home runs on the season.

Center fielder Mason Williams was 2-for-4 with one run scored and one RBI, a solo home run in the eighth inning. Williams has a 102 OPS+ in nine games with the Mets this season.

Together, the unlikely power trio of McKinney, Pillar, and Williams combined for five home runs and knocked in 10 of the Mets 14 runs in the blowout win over the Orioles.

Despite the Mets suffering injuries to every important part of the team, they’re still in first place with a three and half game lead. The story of the season has been unsung players like McKinney, Williams, and Pillar stepping up when needed.

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