Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

Brandon Drury has signed a two-year, $17 million contract with the Los Angeles Angels, according to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic.

Drury split his 2022 season between the Reds and the Padres. The former Met had the best offensive season of his career, clubbing 28 home runs and 31 doubles in 138 games. For his stellar season, Drury was awarded the first NL Silver Slugger at the utility position in MLB history.

Drury joins an Angels team that has had an underrated offseason. The club previously added Tyler Anderson, Hunter Renfroe, Gio Urshela, and Carlos Estevez in the 2022-2023 off-season.

With Drury off the board, the Mets’ options to fill their right-handed designated hitter role are thin. JD Martinez signed with the Dodgers earlier in December and Michael Brantley re-signed with the Astros.

A Michael Conforto reunion has been rumored, but the Mets could go with internal options for the 2023 season. Other external options include AJ Pollock, Evan Longoria and Wil Myers.

The post Brandon Drury Signs With Angels appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Credit: Andy Marlin-USA TODAY Sports

With the Mets having 11 free agents, there are going to be a host of new faces heading to the Big Apple and donning the blue and orange next season. However, there are some intriguing names on the market that have done so already, and we’re going to take a look at them and determine whether or not the Mets should bring them back.

Noah Syndergaard, SP, Phillies

After appearing like a lock to return to the Mets after missing all of 2020 and most of 2021 due to Tommy John surgery, Syndergaard declined the Mets’ qualifying offer and bolted to Los Angeles to join the Angels on a 1-year, $21-million deal. He made 15 starts for the team and recorded a 3.85 ERA over that stretch before being traded to the Phillies, where he appeared in 10 games and put up a 4.12 ERA.

One of the best Mets’ starters of the past decade, Syndergaard just simply isn’t the pitcher he once was. His velocity has dipped significantly, and his strikeout numbers have dropped all the way down to 6.35 per nine. He was still effective in 2022 and put up a 2.2 fWAR on the year, but it wouldn’t make much sense for the Mets to pursue a reunion when they have more of a need for front-end starters, which Syndergaard isn’t anymore.

Justin Turner, 3B, Dodgers 

For the better part of the last decade, Turner was a case of “what could have been” for the Mets. After spending parts of four seasons with the franchise and slashing .267/.327/.371 from 2011 to 2013, he was non-tendered and subsequently signed by the Los Angeles Dodgers before the 2014 season. The rest was history, as he went on to spend nine seasons in L.A that earned him two All-Star appearances, a World Series ring, and 34 fWAR while slashing .296/.375/.490.

Turner had a solid 2022 campaign, slashing .278/.350/.438 to go with 2.4 fWAR and 123 wRC+. However, he will be 38 at the start of next season and his defense has declined immensely, putting up -2 Outs Above Average last season.

His power has also dipped as he recorded his lowest slugging percentage as a Dodger in 2022 and his home run total was down to 13 from 27 just a season ago. He profiles as more of a designated hitter this day in age, and with both Brett Baty and Eduardo Escobar in tow as capable options at the hot corner, it’s tough to see how Turner would fit on the roster.

Michael Conforto, OF, FA

The last two years or so have been a roller coaster for Conforto. After a stellar 2020 campaign that earned him MVP votes, he declined a $100-million offer from the Mets in his contract year and decided to bet on himself. That proved to be a mistake as he had a down 2021 season in which he slashed .232/.344/.384 to go with 1.4 fWAR. He then declined the Mets qualifying offer in the off-season and proceeded to go unsigned for the rest of 2022 after injuring his right shoulder.

It feels as though Conforto’s legacy has been tarnished due to recent events, but there are still reasons for the Mets to be interested in potentially bringing him back if Brandon Nimmo signs elsewhere. Over the course of his Mets’ career, he was one of the premier corner outfielders in the league and slashed .255/.356/.468 while recording 19.3 fWAR and 132 home runs. He would be a low-risk, high-reward signing if it were to happen and could bring power to a lineup that desperately needs it as well.

Brad Hand, RP, Phillies

Hand’s 2021 was a bit of a whirlwind, as he spent time with three different teams and was claimed off waivers by the Mets in September after being released by the Toronto Blue Jays. He finished that year with a 3.90 ERA and -0.1 fWAR, making it his first season with under 1.0 fWAR since 2015. However, his tenure in New York was largely successful as he recorded a 2.70 ERA in 16 games.

He was able to bounce back a bit in 2022 with the Phillies to the tune of a 2.80 ERA over 55 games, but it appears as though he overperformed as evidenced by his 4.40 xERA, 3.94 FIP and 4.90 xFIP. His strikeout and walk per nine numbers dropped to 7.60 and 4.60 respectively, and overall it appears as if his best days are behind him.

Despite their pressing need for bullpen arms and lefties in particular, the Mets should be able to find better fits elsewhere on the free agent market or via trade.

Michael Wacha, SP, Red Sox

Wacha’s one-year stint with the Mets in 2020 was somewhat of a failed experiment. He made eight starts and seven appearances resulting in a 6.62 ERA, 5.15 FIP and 0.0 fWAR. He struggled with the Tampa Bay Rays in 2021 as well before having his best season in years with the Boston Red Sox in 2022. With Boston, he made 23 starts and amassed 1.5 fWAR to go with a 3.32 ERA while re-establishing himself as a capable and efficient starter.

He does profile as more of a back-end starter though, and there just isn’t an inherent need on New York’s roster for that kind of pitcher as is the case with Syndergaard. Both sides seem likely to find better options and opportunities elsewhere.

Michael Fulmer, RP, Twins

The main piece of the Yoenis Céspedes trade, Fulmer found early success with the Detroit Tigers as a starter and even earned both AL Rookie of the Year and All-Star honors in his first two seasons. After undergoing Tommy John surgery in 2019, he transitioned to the bullpen in 2021 and has since become a borderline elite weapon, recording a 3.17 ERA and 2.2 fWAR over 117 games since. His 2022 showing wasn’t quite as impressive as 2021, but he still proved to be a reliable middle reliever with a 3.35 ERA.

With the Mets being tasked with essentially rebuilding the entirety of their bullpen, bringing in Fulmer would make a lot of sense.

Brandon Drury, INF, Padres

Drury was one of the breakout stars of the first half with the Cincinnati Reds, slashing .278/336/.528 with a 133 wRC+ during that period. He was later flipped to the San Diego Padres at the trade deadline and took a step back after relocating to a more pitcher-friendly environment, but still held his own with a slash line of .238/.290/.435.

Drury played in a limited capacity with the Mets in 2021 and slashed .274/.307/.476. His main draw as it pertains to returning to New York is his ability to hit lefties, whom he slashed .299/.329/.626 against this year, as well as his power as he hit 28 homers this year. He also played five different positions in 2021, adding some coveted versatility into the mix.

There isn’t a clear path for him to earn consistent playing time in the field though, and he would likely settle in as a platoon designated hitter if he were to return. The Mets should have interest here, but the main question is whether or not Drury would accept a likely part-time role when he is going to receive starting opportunities on the open market.

The post Which Former Mets Should The Team Target In Free Agency? appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

There is a laundry list of items the New York Mets must check off this winter if they are to taste success in 2023. Revamping the designated hitter position should be at the top of the list.

As good as the Mets were for the most part in 2022, their lineup was flawed and the DH spot was probably the biggest indicator of that. In order to be successful in the majors, especially in the postseason, you need plenty of pop in the lineup. You also need big and consistent production from the designated hitter.

With Pete Alonso the team’s everyday first baseman, the Mets were relying on a lot more production from Dominic Smith, but he proved to be a total bust. The original plan was for Smith and Alonso to flip-flop between first base and DH, but Smith hit just .194/.276/.284/.560 with no homers in 152 plate appearances, and he would later be assigned to Triple-A Syracuse.

That forced general manager Billy Eppler to pivot from the plan, and he went on to acquire slugger Daniel Vogelbach from the Pittsburgh Pirates prior to the trade deadline. The team then went out and gave up a boatload in order to trade for Darin Ruf from the San Francisco Giants with the aim being to create a platoon at DH.

Well, the experiment failed big time. While Vogelbach went on a hot streak shortly after being acquired, hitting .308/.471/.500 with three runs scored, one home run, four RBIs, and a .971 OPS in 26 at-bats, he cooled off somewhat down the stretch and he was a non-factor in the National League Wild Card series against the San Diego Padres.

As for Ruf? Let’s just say that the whole experiment was an unmitigated disaster. While the move at the time caused plenty of experts to scratch their heads, the Mets defended it by pointing to Ruf’s ability to absolutely mash against left-handed pitchers. The veteran was a career .272/.367/.523/.891 hitter against lefties, but he didn’t hit at all while in a Mets uniform and he failed to blast a single home run in Queens.

To sum up the woes in total, the Mets had a total of 183 strikeouts from the DH spot in 2022, and the position collectively hit .218/.314/.371 with 18 home runs and 83 RBI. The whole point of the designated hitter is to provide pop and offense, and that just didn’t happen. Then, when manager Buck Showalter went to his bench to replace the DH in order to provide a spark, that didn’t work. Mets pinch hitters combined for a horrific slash line of .105/.370/.263 with just two hits in 19 total at-bats when coming in for a DH. That just isn’t going to get the job done.

Eppler had a chance to really upgrade the DH spot at the trade deadline with a big power bat and failed to do so, despite only the catcher position providing worse numbers. The lack of offense from their designated hitters was a driving force behind why the Mets blew the division to the Atlanta Braves. It was also a considerable factor in their early and disappointing exit from the playoffs. If the team is to live up to expectations and compete for a World Series in 2023, then Eppler must right his wrongs from a few months ago and actually overhaul the entire position.

How The Mets Can Upgrade DH Position

The good news is that there are plenty of options out there for the front office to address arguably one of the biggest needs on the team. One of the flashiest names available this offseason is J.D. Martinez, who has built a career on being one of the best all-around hitters in the majors. He can also blast homers at an elite rate.

Martinez hit .274/.341/.448 with 16 homers in 139 games in 2022, and he does well against both left-handed and right-handed pitching. Granted, he slumped after the All-Star break, slashing just .233/.301/.400, but he has the talent and the pedigree needed to bounce back. His big bat would provide the kind of middle of the order pop that the Mets badly missed in 2022. Plus, boasting a career .352 on-base percentage, Martinez is hardly a one-dimensional bat and he would be a clear and significant upgrade at DH.

Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports

However, there’s also intriguing options out there if the Mets want a player who can offer some versatility. Take Josh Bell, for example. As was the case with Martinez, the front office tried to make a run at Bell but missed out with the 30-year-old ultimately being dealt to the Padres as part of the blockbuster Juan Soto trade.

Bell is a switch-hitter who has 406 career walks, he can mash against both lefties and righties and he owns a career .351 on-base percentage. He also ranked in the 55th percentile for hard hit percentage in 2022, per Baseball Savant, slashing .301/.384/.493 with 14 home runs for the Washington Nationals before being traded to the Padres. Bell would be an ideal everyday DH for the Mets, who could also stand in for Alonso at first base if needed.

Sticking with the versatility theme, José Abreu is similar to Bell in that he can also play some first base while being primarily an everyday designated hitter. He’s older at 35 but he’s been one of the best and most consistent hitters in the majors over a sustained period of time now. Abreu posted a slash line of .304/.378/.446 in 157 games in 2022 with 15 homers and a 3.9 fWAR. He also ranked in the 97th percentile in hard hit percentage last season, which means that he can still generate some plenty of power and he would bring some pop to the middle of the lineup for the Mets.

If Eppler were to go after a player like Abreu, he could also decide to operate a platoon at DH once again by also signing former Met Justin Turner in free agency. While the Dodgers hold a $16 million option on Turner for 2023, the veteran is thought to be open to a return to Citi Field and he’s another good option at DH. While he endured a down year in 2022, Turner still hit .278/.350/.438/.788 with 13 home runs and 36 doubles. With 50 walks and a 2.4 fWAR over 532 plate appearances, Turner could fill in as a designated hitter while also being able to provide cover for Eduardo Escobar at third base given his sold defensive play at the hot corner.

Brandon Drury, Trey Mancini and Mitch Haniger are all also potential options for the Mets, so there is no excuse for the front office to not upgrade an area of the team that is in dire need of a revamp. Of course, it is worth noting that Ruf is under contract for the 2023 season and the team also holds a $1.5 million option on Vogelbach, but it wouldn’t be hard for Eppler to cut ties with both players.

Instead, it should be an absolute priority for the Mets to go all out this offseason and sign a legit slugger that can provide a hot bat from the middle of the lineup. Because, if this team can solve their designated hitter woes, then that will go a long way to strengthening the core of this lineup and setting them up for sustained success in 2023, both in the regular season and, more importantly, deep into October.

The post Mets Must Drastically Upgrade at DH Spot For 2023 Success appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

Position: 3B/2B/1B
Bats/Throws: R/R
Age: 8/21/1992 (29)

Traditional Stats: 81 G, 86 H, 18 HR, 52 RBI, .278/.336/.528
Advanced Stats: .249 ISO, 134 wRC+, 42nd % OAA

Rundown

Mets fans should be familiar with the Reds’ third baseman, as he was on the roster for a brief time last season. Brandon Drury played 51 games with the Mets last season and finished with a decent slash line of .274/.307./.476/.783. The team eventually let him go on October 14, 2021, as they granted him free agency. On March 21, 2022, Drury signed with the Cincinnati Reds and has been one of the team’s best players the entire season.

This season, Drury has slashed an impressive .275/.336/.523/.859 in an everyday role for the Reds. He has played several positions for the team, showing his versatility by playing every infield position this year except catcher. The Mets are set on the infield as long as the team continues to view Eduardo Escobar as the team’s primary third baseman. However, Drury’s bat could make him an intriguing target for the team seeking an upgrade at DH, where the team has not fared well this season.

Now, it is essential to note the splits for Drury. At hitter-friendly Great American Ball Park, he has hit ten home runs, with 31 RBI and a slash line of .359 OBP and .937 OPS. He has hit eight home runs on the road with 21 RBIs. His .356 BABIP at home is a stark contrast from the .257 he is sporting on the road. However, Drury has fared very well this season against lefties with a 1.048 OPS in 101 plate appearances. The Mets, as a team, are hitting just .238 against lefties. Drury would provide the Mets a power threat from the right side that is comfortable hitting lefties.

The DH’s

Metsmerized’s John Sheridan recently put together a DH report card on the club and spoke of the lack of production. J.D. Davis and Dominic Smith have not gotten the job done, as the two have combined for four home runs the entire season. Davis’ strikeout rate above 30% is highly concerning, despite how hard he hits the ball. (According to Statcast, Davis is in the 99th percentile in hard-hit%.) His BABIP of .339 is right there with his career .340, so it seems he has been highly unlucky.

Smith’s lack of power is shocking. Zero home runs the entire season for a player that homered a combined 21 times from 2019-2020 and had a .937 OPS over the course of 139 games. Over the last two seasons, Smith has produced just a .643 OPS over the previous 203 games, a relatively large sample size. The team was close to moving Smith in the spring in a rumored deal that would have sent him to San Diego. The club recently placed Smith on the IL with an ankle injury retroactive to July 17th.

With the Mets, the lack of power is highly concerning, especially for a team that ranks 17th in home runs and counts on slugging first baseman Pete Alonso for much of their power. This year, Alonso has accounted for 26% of the team’s home runs. Alonso has been penciled into the lineup as the DH 21 times this season by manager Buck Showalter. Showalter does this to keep the bat in the lineup but gives Alonso the occasional “rest” from having to play nine innings in the field. However, he is the team’s primary first baseman, and that will not change anytime soon, hence why the club needs to make upgrading the DH position a top priority as they head into the August 2nd, 2022 trade deadline.

Package

What do the Mets have to part with to acquire Drury’s bat? With the Reds coming out of the break sporting a 34-57 record, which is last in the NL Central, the team will probably take a prospect for the soon-to-be free agent. When the Mets traded Asdrubal Cabrera years ago to the Phillies, the trade returned a top-10 prospect in pitcher Franklyn Kilome. Cabrera was slashing .277/.329/.488 at the time of the transaction. He also was a rental that year. 

After analyzing the prospects for the Reds, their top-10 prospects consist of three pitchers, five infielders, and two outfielders. Prospects 11-14 are pitchers. Could Cincinnati be interested in third baseman/centerfielder Jaylen Palmer?

In Brooklyn this season, Palmer has just a .310 OBP and .621 OPS, but he possesses a lot of the tools that intrigue scouts. Palmer is athletic, has speed, projects above-average power, and if he can sort out his pitch selection, he has the chance to be a serviceable big leaguer in the near future. He has seven homers and 25 RBI to go along with 15 steals in 17 attempts in 76 games.

Regardless, Drury is not the player that will break the bank in terms of prospect cost. For the Mets, it is a matter of whether the Mets see him as a reliable upgrade as the team approaches October with championship aspirations.

The post MMO Trade Profile: Brandon Drury, 3B appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Jul 25, 2021; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets pinch hitter Jeff McNeil (6) hits a two-run double in the sixth inning against the Toronto Blue Jays at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports

The Mets dropped two-of-three to the Reds this weekend. Their bats continued to struggle, scoring eight runs over the three games. (The Mets scored 25 over three games with the Reds the week previous.) They scored just 19 runs in eight games this week against Atlanta and Cincinnati.

It was an eventful weekend, even in Mets standards, nonetheless between the trade deadline, Javier Báez acquisition and Jacob deGrom set back on Friday, Hall of Fame ceremonies and a comeback win Saturday and a dragging loss and the failure to sign Kumar Rocker on Sunday.

They’re still in first place in the NL East at 55-49 and 3.5 games ahead of the Phillies. They’re coming up on four games against the Marlins, who just traded away two of their better offensive players.

But first, let’s look at the ups and downs from the recent Reds series.

3 Up

Jeff McNeil Is Scorching

Jeff McNeil had a tough April but seemed to get back on track just before he injured his hamstring. Though he stumbled out the gate a bit after coming back from injury in late June, McNeil has been the Mets’ best (and healthiest) hitter since July 1.

Since then, McNeil is slashing .346/.411/.519/.930 with a 167 wRC+. He’s been doing it with a mix of pop and contact, with three home runs, five doubles and 20 singles.

This is the Jeff McNeil we’ve known–the guy who had a .319 batting average and .884 OPS over his first three seasons in the league. He had a 16-game hitting streak broken on Saturday, but that streak helped boost his season batting average up to .276 after being 50 points lower at the start of July.

He’s also been playing some great defense at second.

Jeff McNeil showing off the range AND the arm! 🔥 pic.twitter.com/BVBzUvjCMJ

— SNY (@SNYtv) July 30, 2021

So Is Brandon Drury

It’s August 2 and one of the Mets’ best hitters the last 10 days has been… Brandon Drury.

I briefly touched on it after last series, but Drury has been insane since he was recalled from the minors on July 24.

He has 17 at-bats, and he has hits in 11 of them, including two home runs, four doubles and a game-winning single Saturday night in extra innings. His wRC+ is over 400 across his 18 plate appearances. He’s crushing breaking and off speed pitches over this span, with average exit velocities over 97 miles per hour across the two pitch types since returning.

Drury has essentially taken José Peraza’s role, but with more positional versatility. The Mets offense has had some supreme struggles as a whole, but they’ve had guys like Drury, and Peraza, and Villar, and guys like them perform well in spot starts and pinch hit appearances.

Black Jerseys

They were the second-best part of the weekend (after the nice Hall of Fame ceremony Saturday). They’ll be a highlight of four more weekends moving forward.

The highly anticipated uniforms debuted Friday, and they are a perfect change-of-pace to the Mets’ home pinstripes. They wore Friday’s jerseys with all-black hats and all-white pants that had a thin blue stripe down the outside seem. They brought back plenty of nostalgia of the late 1990s and early 2000s uniforms, which was part of the driving force behind fans pushing for their return, but they actually looked really freaking good as alternates to their current set-ups.

I mean, just look at ’em.

My guys. @tai_walker @KPILLAR4 pic.twitter.com/xWA3tT3We4

— Marcus Stroman (@STR0) July 31, 2021

Just genuinely perfect.

i am obsessed with the black jerseys (photo credits to logicallyquiet) pic.twitter.com/u81EdhwecL

— allison (@chytils) August 1, 2021

Steve Gelbs reported Friday the reason the Mets are only wearing them for five games this season is because that’s all Major League Baseball allows for non-fully approved uniforms. Should the Mets want, they could wear them more regularly (like, every Friday night home game) in 2023, as MLB has a two-year approval process (because of course they do).

3 Down

J.D. Davis & Michael Conforto Are Slumping

The Mets offense slowed down to a crawl this week, scoring just 19 runs in eight games. They have a ton of players who aren’t playing great, but Michael Conforto and J.D. Davis–two guys expected to be boppers in the middle of the lineup–have really been struggling.

Since June 23, when Conforto returned from the injured list, the right fielder is slashing just .163/.290/.317/.604 over 124 plate appearances. That’s five weeks of poor performance. His 76 wRC+ over that span is second-t0-last on the team (among players with at least 40 plate appearances) to only Kevin Pillar.

J.D. Davis hasn’t been much better, currently stuck in a 1-for-17 rut. He’s slashing just .214/.298/.405/.703 with a 96 wRC+ since returning from the injured list on July 16.

Luis Rojas has commented on both players’ approaches at the plate and why they are or aren’t in lineups certain days. With Conforto, Rojas thought he swinging pretty well and hitting the ball hard–he was just swinging into some unlucky outs just as it looked like he was starting to turn it around. On Saturday, though, Rojas conceded Conforto will likely need a day or two off to get things right.

And that’s what Rojas did with Davis this weekend. The third baseman didn’t start the final two games of the Reds series. The manager said Davis has been speeding his swing up to try to catch up with fastballs, which then in turn is making it harder for him to read off speed pitched. He’s had the last two days off (outside of pinch hit apperances), and he’ll be back in the lineup this week against the Marlins, in all likelihood.

The Mets really need these two guys to come around.

So Where’s That Pitching Help?

The Mets front office continually said they wanted to address the pitching depth at the major-league level. That means in the starting rotation and the bullpen. By the time the deadline came and went, the only pitching the Mets traded for was Rich Hill, who’s been barely serviceable as a back-end replacement so far (10 earned runs in seven innings), and Trevor Williams, who the team immediately sent to Triple-A to start.

This meant that in two games this series, while they were facing three-run deficits late in games, the Mets asked for two innings from Anthony Banda and an inning from Geoff Hartlieb–two guys who weren’t in the organization a month ago because they were struggling with other teams.

Both pitchers gave up three runs in their appearances and put the games out of reach.

The results aren’t all that surprising, but what was surprising was the team’s lack of urgency to really address the pitching depth in the rotation and bullpen. Getting Carlos Carrasco back from the injured list isn’t an acquisition. Neither is getting Noah Syndergaard or Jacob deGrom back in September. But that’s all the pitching staff will have going for it, as no other reinforcements are on the way post-deadline.

Hamstring Strains & Other Soft Tissue Injuries

The Mets had two more players go down to hamstring injuries this weekend. Luis Guillorme was placed on the injured list Sunday after tweaking his right hammy running home on Dom Smith‘s game-tying single Saturday night. Brandon Nimmo has been able to avoid the injured list after hurting his hamstring on a diving catch Friday, but he’s yet another Met who’s suffered an injury to their hamstring.

The rest of the list includes:

• Carlos Carrasco (during spring training–was out five months)
• Michael Conforto (out six weeks)
• Jeff McNeil (out five weeks)
• Robert Stock (complete tear and needed surgery)

They’ve had their handful of oblique and lat strains, too, and that list includes the likes of Jacob deGrom, Francisco Lindor, Taijuan Walker, Guillorme (again) and Robert Gsellman.

The Mets are tied with the Giants with how many players they’ve had injured and are fourth in the league in days players have spent on the IL this season. And according to this fun Twitter account, the Mets are the top team in the league in projected WAR lost due to time on the injured list as 12.5.

These soft tissue injuries are bound to come in a game predicated on stopping, starting and sprinting as much as baseball is. It’s just a pain seeing them affect the most important players on the team.

The post 3 Up, 3 Down: Mets’ Bats Turn In Another Dud In Series Loss To Reds appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

The Mets once again made a flurry of roster moves ahead of their game Saturday.

This time around, the team activated utility man Brandon Drury and Rich Hill, who will likely start Sunday’s game versus the Blue Jays. Hill will arrive to Citi Field at some point before Saturday’s game, play catch and if all goes well, he will start the series finale.

The team acquired Hill on Friday from the Rays in exchange for Tommy Hunter and catching prospect Matt Dyer.

Drury was likely called up as reinforcements if Jeff McNeil can’t play any extended innings. Drury joins Travis Blankenhorn, Kevin Pillar and Tomas Nido as bench players, though Kevin Pillar is starting today in place of Michael Conforto.

The corresponding roster moves are placing Stephen Nogosek on the 10-day injured list with shoulder inflammation, and Nick Tropenao was optioned back to Triple-A. Tropeano was called up for Wednesday’s game against the Reds but wasn’t used. Nogosek, on the other hand, threw three innings in relief on Tuesday after Robert Stock came out of the game with a hamstring injury. It matched his longest outing of the year.

The Mets also moved David Peterson to the 60-day IL after he fractured his foot (allegedly just walking around the clubhouse, according to Luis Rojas) for Mark Payton, an outfielder acquired from the Reds for $75,000, before Saturday’s game. Payton was optioned to Triple-A Syracuse.

In addition to these moves, Jerad Eickhoff, who the Mets designated for assignment after his start Monday, elected free agency. He elected free agency a few weeks prior after the Mets let him go and he rejoined the organization.

Game 2 of the Mets’ series against the Blue Jays starts at 7:10 p.m. on SNY. Jeff McNeil is still being held from the lineup, and Taijuan Walker gets the start. Check out the full lineup below.

Tonight's Lineup for Game 2 of the series at home against the Blue Jays. #LGM pic.twitter.com/gnUvvp9RMN

— Metsmerized Online (@Metsmerized) July 24, 2021

The post Rich Hill, Brandon Drury Activated; Stephen Nogosek Placed On IL 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.

The post Mets Outfielders Unleash Power on Orioles appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

Despite a late rally, the New York Mets left the tying run stranded in scoring position in the ninth inning as they dropped the first game of a four-game set with a 3-2 loss to the Colorado Rockies.

After losing the last two games in Miami to finish off a 3-6 road trip, the Mets returned home to face a Rockies team that was just 2-17 on the road this season. But that didn’t matter, as Colorado picked up their third win away from Coors Field against a Mets roster that has been decimated by injuries.

The Mets also lost another player in center fielder Johneshwy Fargas, who suffered an AC joint sprain in his shoulder after slamming into the wall while trying to make a catch in the fourth inning.

Rockies left-hander Austin Gomber, who had a road ERA north of six entering the night, stifled the Amazins’ depleted offense going eight innings, while allowing two runs on four hits with eight strikeouts.

One of the few bright spots for the Mets on Monday night was James McCann, who played his first professional game at first base and produced his second home run of the year, along with a diving play in the field. But unfortunately, the team couldn’t do much else at the plate besides a Brandon Drury solo homer in the ninth to cut the deficit to one run.

While Patrick Mazeika followed up Drury’s homer with a single to right, Jonathan Villar and Francisco Lindor failed to capitalize, before McCann struck out to leave the tying run on second base.

“Petey threw the ball well,” said McCann. “Unfortunately as an offense we didn’t come through enough.”

Left-handed pitcher David Peterson was on the losing end of Monday night’s contest, but produced a solid outing. Peterson went six innings, giving up three runs on two homers and an RBI triple.

“It doesn’t feel good when you lose, no matter how well you pitch,” said Peterson.

Peterson’s start can be looked at as a positive given the length he was able to provide in order to limit the bullpen usage to just three innings. Due to several injuries in the rotation, the bullpen has been overworked as of late, and last night, despite the loss, the Mets only had to use two relievers in Jacob Barnes, who tossed two scoreless innings, and Yennsy Diaz, who handled the ninth.

Following the club’s third straight loss, Mets manager Luis Rojas tried to find a silver lining despite the current bleak state of the team.

“There are challenges in different ways in this game and in life, I think we have the right attitude toward anything that comes our way,” said Rojas. “These things keep happening and it has happened a lot because guys play hard.”

On the bright side, Mets’ ace Jacob deGrom is set to make his return from the I.L. on Tuesday against the Rockies in Game 2 of this series. With as rough as the offense has been the past few days, the Mets might need the steady hitting deGrom to put the team on his back with both his arm and bat in order to get them back in the win column.

The post Mets’ Comeback Falls Short As Losing Streak Grows To Three appeared first on Metsmerized Online.