That division through April looks like the real deal. Every single team is above .500 and chock full of talent. The Pirates have finally put together a competent offense behind their rotation, the Reds have finally developed a rotation behind their star-studded infield, the Cubs are mashing with newcomer Alex Bregman, the Brewers are still winning with infield singles, and the Cardinals are … good?

Yeah, the Cardinals are good. Way earlier than anyone anticipated. JJ Wetherholt looks like the steal of the draft at seventh overall, and enters Saturday’s games with a .824 OPS and seven homers through 32 games. Jordan Walker has also finally found his swing. The COVID draft pick was one of the top prospects in baseball, floated around for quite sometime, and in year four has a .308/.373/.583 slashline and 1.9 bWAR. For reference, Walker has never registered a season with positive bWAR.

The NL Central hasn’t been this loaded since 2015.

Christopher Hanewinckel-Imagn Images

1. Braves

Life is all about ebbs and flows. Well after a couple seasons of ebbing, the Braves are flowing.

They hold the best record in baseball at 23-10. They hold the best run differential at +63. They’re second to the Dodgers in team OPS (.789), second to the Yankees in homers (45), and second to none in runs scored (185).

The team is also clutch. Last week alone they saw dramatic, comeback wins. Matt Olson clubbed a walk-off two-run dinger against the Tigers in the ninth. Then Friday saw Atlanta claw back from an early 6-0 deficit against Colorado, capped off by a Michael Harris II go-ahead homer in the ninth.

Anyways, it’s May now. This is the last time I’ll play into the “Atlanta is back” card. They’re legit and look like the only team in the NL who can usurp the Dodgers.

2. Yankees

The Yankees are back in full force.

They had an eight-game winning streak stopped Wednesday via a 3-0 loss to the Rangers, but let’s not overreact — they’re 10-2 in their last 12 games.

And it’s all because of Ben Rice. No, really. This isn’t the first time we’ve highlighted the Dartmouth product either, because he’s still putting up AL MVP numbers into May. Entering Saturday, Rice is slashing .330/.441/.728 with 11 homers and 26 RBIs. His .728 slug and 220 OPS+ leads the majors. He’s the protection for Aaron Judge.

Then there’s the pitching. It still leads the majors with a 3.01 ERA without Gerrit Cole or Carlos Rodon, the latter who struck out eight in 5 1/3 Thursday in a rehab outing.

3. Dodgers

A three-game losing streak for the Dodgers? Looks like their reign of dominance is over.

Anways joking aside, it was an okay week for the Dodgers. They dropped a series to the Marlins for the first time since 2018, and left the bases loaded in the ninth Wednesday to drop the series finale 3-2. There’s nothing really new to highlight with the Dodgers.

We could highlight a good and bad for the club. Hyeseong Kim has quietly slashed .302/.375/.411 in 22 games for the club. That’s a positive with Mookie Betts injured. A negative? Kyle Tucker is batting .237 with a .693 OPS.

Imagine if Tucker had signed and performed like that in Queens? Helps when the fans are making TikToks all game.

4. Cubs

Judging the NL Central teams is incredibly hard right now. But the Cubs look like the frontrunner out of the five teams.

Sure, they’re in first right now. But that’s not why. They have the second-best run differential at +36, and have a loaded lineup of proven guys who have won. That’s no knock on the Brewers, but I’ll take a star-studded lineup over the Cleveland Guardians of the National League.

They did lose two of three in LA last weekend following a 10-game win streak, but Chicago has bounced back with three straight wins over the Padres and Diamondbacks. Mostly due to Seiya Suzuki leading the charge. He’s got a .965 OPS and five homers in 19 games. He’s come back from the WBC injury on fire and could earn himself a lot of money in his contract year.

5. Pirates

Pittsburgh had a horrid week. But not bad enough for me to drop them in the power rankings.

The Red Birds came to town and swept Paul Skenes and co. for four games. The pitching allowed 30 runs over the four games, and the offense produced only 18.

Still, there shouldn’t be concern for the offense or the lineup. They currently have six players with OPS+s over 100, including a 131 OPS+ from Bryan Reynolds through April. If that held, it would be the first time since 2018 the Pirates would finish with six above league-average hitters in their lineup. Last season they had just one.

Also can the Pirates get a closer? Dennis Santana was fun for the first couple weeks, but has stumbled as of late. A reliable, big-name reliever would transcend this team. Maybe a guy like David Bednar? Jokes guys, jokes.

6. Cardinals

From 23 to six. Maybe I don’t know ball.

The Cardinals dominated the Pirates last week, going on the road and taking all four games in the series. Wetherholt was the dominating force for the Red Birds, clubbing two homers and one against Skenes. He’s filled in nicely for Brendan Donovan.

Pay attention to St. Louis going forward. They’re a couple years ahead of schedule under Chaim Bloom, and could transform their team with a strong deadline. The young guys are hitting, and Alec Burleson is driving them in.

Also, for fantasy purposes, check to see if Riley O’Brien is on waivers in your league. The 31-year-old closer has a sparkling 1.17 ERA and is 8/8 in save opportunities.

7. Padres

The path is diverging for the Friars.

They sold their club and switched controlling ownership earlier Saturday, which doesn’t mean anything as of now due to the Padres being one of the league’s biggest spenders.

But that has nothing to do with their ranking on this list. Just important Padres news. The club is 19-12. Mason Miller had his scoreless streak snapped but is still perfect in the ninth. The offense, especially Fernando Tatis Jr., has been lackluster. But they still score enough runs to win.

They have the talent to be much higher on this list. And the record to be top-5. But they need Manny Machado (101 OPS+) and Jackson Merrill (67 OPS+) need to be better.

8. Brewers

I might be doing the same with the Brewers as I did with the Blue Jays last season.

I slept on them. Didn’t believe in them. Refused to rank them for awhile. But I’m getting ahead of the curve this season, and will begrudgingly rank them.

In a loaded NL Central, the Brewers are 17-14 and have the best run differential at +43. Their team leads the majors in stolen bases (38), is fifth in OBP in the majors (.338), and they have thumping bats like William Contreras in the middle of the order to drive guys in.

It’s the same formula every year. Get on base, move runners via bunts and stolen bases, and pray a couple guys hit enough homers to drive them in. It’s good enough to get the team on the list and make the playoffs. But I don’t believe it’ll ever be enough to hoist a World Series trophy.

9. Rays

How about another 19-12 team that nobody is paying attention to?

The Rays have hung around the Yankees for first in the AL East. A team that most, if not none, had better than the Orioles, Red Sox, and Blue Jays. They’re winning behind strong pitching (what’s new), and right now Nick Martinez is pitching to a 1.70 ERA through six starts. His career ERA before joining the Rays from the Reds was 4.16.

Along with Martinez is a healthy Shane McClanahan (3.10 ERA) and Drew Rasmussen (2.64 ERA). The rotation is back in full swing, and a lot of their arms could dominate in a playoff setting. We’ll just have to see if Junior Caminero, Yandy Díaz, and Jonathan Aranda is enough at the plate.

10. Rangers

Texas had a scare last week.

It looked like Brandon Nimmo had gotten injured in a game versus the Yankees, but after being pulled with a hamstring issue, the outfielder eventually jumped back in the lineup.

Losing Nimmo would have been disastrous for the Rangers. Despite registering a .690 OPS over his last 10 games, he leads the Rangers with a 150 OPS+ and is one of the main reasons they jumped out to a hot start.

The Rangers entered Saturday with a 16-16 record. Not great. But they’re second in the division and have a +9 run differential to lead the AL West.

Their pitching is also strong in name. MacKenzie Gore and Nathan Eovaldi have struggled to begin the year, but both have too much raw talent to register ERAs north of four. If they can get one of those guys to take a leap forward, it would help Jacob deGrom at the top with his 2.01 ERA.

Rest of the Field

11. Reds
12. Mariners
13. Diamondbacks
14. Guardians
15. Tigers
16. Blue Jays
17. Marlins
18. Athletics
19. Twins
20. Orioles
21. Phillies
22. Giants
23. White Sox
24. Royals
25. Astros
26. Red Sox
27. Nationals
28. Mets
29. Rockies
30. Angels

Previous Rankings: W4 | W3 | W2 | W1 | OD

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The Mets went 0-for-11 with runners in scoring position. With the bases loaded and one out in the 11th, Brett Baty grounded out, and Marcus Semien flew out. In the 10th, Juan Soto popped out on the infield with two on and two out. Jorge Polanco doubled to lead off the ninth, but Luis Robert Jr. struck out, Baty grounded out, and Semien struck out.

Jeff Curry-Imagn Images

The bullpen was excellent. Brooks Raley, Luke Weaver, and Devin Williams each pitched a scoreless, hitless inning. Tobias Myers worked a scoreless 10th and induced a double play in the 11th before giving up the unlucky game-winning hit.

For the second straight day, the Mets wasted a good starting pitching performance. Freddy Peralta tossed 5 1/3 innings, struck out seven, and bailed out his defense twice.

In the first inning with a runner on first and one out, Francisco Lindor fielded a grounder, stepped on second, and didn’t throw to first because he thought the inning was over. Peralta struck out Winn to end the inning.

In the fifth with runners at the corners, Francisco Alvarez blocked a pitch in the dirt. He checked the runner at third but didn’t notice that Nathan Church took off from first. With runners now at second and third, the double play wasn’t in order, and the Mets brought the infield in. Peralta made that a moot point, striking out Pedro Pagés and getting Victor Scott II to ground out to end the inning.

Peralta allowed a walk and a single to start the sixth and was pulled after striking out Alec Burleson. Huascar Brazobán got Winn to pop out to short, but Nolan Gorman tied the game with an RBI single.

Juan Soto‘s first home run of the season broke a scoreless tie in the sixth. It was the first Met home run since Robert’s walk-off blast in the second game of the season.

Matthew Liberatore, who pitched to a 4.21 ERA last season, retired his first 14 before Mark Vientos doubled in the fifth.

The Mets faced a lefty starter for the first time this season. Vientos (first base) and Tyrone Taylor (right field) got starts. Baty and Benge were on the bench.

Stats of the Game

The 0-for-11 with RISP makes the Mets 6-for-53 in their last five games. Since scoring 11 runs on Opening Day, the Mets have scored 12 runs total in the five games since.

Player of the Game

Peralta allowed one run on three hits and walked two. He threw 54 of 92 pitches for strikes.

On Deck

The Mets head to San Francisco for a four-game series. David Peterson, (0-0, 0.00 ERA), who threw 5 1/3 scoreless innings in his first start, faces fellow lefty Robbie Ray (0-1, 3.38 ERA) in the opener on Thursday at 9:45 p.m. ET. The game will air on SNY and MLB Network.

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The New York Mets play the St. Louis Cardinals for the sixth and final time in spring training this afternoon, but it’s not the last time the two teams will face off in March! The Mets will open the regular season with a three-game set at home against the Pittsburgh Pirates on March 26 and then head to St. Louis for a three-game series. With so few teams playing on the east coast of Florida, and three of those teams being in the NL East, it feels like more often than not the Mets play an early-season series against a team they spent the whole spring playing.

The Mets have made a few roster moves before each game this week. Before yesterday’s game, they optioned Ronny Mauricio to Triple-A Syracuse, which clarified a few scenarios. Mauricio was slated to be the starting shortstop if Francisco Lindor wasn’t ready. It was also difficult to see how the Mets would carry Brett Baty, Mark Vientos and Mauricio on the same roster as Bo Bichette and Marcus Semien.

Also, your eyes are not deceiving you; Bichette is getting a start at shortstop today. He hasn’t played any innings at the position yet this spring, but he has plenty of experience there throughout his career.

Jim Rassol-Imagn Images

Mets Lineup

1. Carson Benge – RF
2. Tyrone Taylor – CF
3. Bo Bichette – SS
4. Mark Vientos – DH
5. Mike Tauchman – LF
6. Vidal Bruján – 2B
7. Jared Young – 1B
8. Hayden Senger – C
9. Antonio Jimenez – 3B

Starting Pitcher: Tobias Myers

Opposing Lineup

1. JJ Wetherholt – DH
2. Ramón Urías – 2B
3. Iván Herrera – C
4. Jordan Walker – RF
5. Thomas Saggese – CF
6. Yohel Pozo – 1B
7. José Fermín – 3B
8. Nathan Church – LF
9. Brody Moore – SS

Starting Pitcher: Andre Pallante

Game Notes

• Per MLB.com’s Anthony DiComo, manager Carlos Mendoza stated that Francisco Alvarez feels better today after being pulled in last night’s game as a precautionary measure for back tightness. If no more issues pop up, he will be in the lineup on Saturday.
• The Mets optioned right-handed reliever Austin Warren today, strengthening southpaw Bryan Hudson‘s case to make the Opening Day roster.

Three Things To Watch For

1. Tobias Myers. Myers was included in the Freddy Peralta trade and is more than just a throw-in pitcher. Myers has the ability to start, spot-start, long-relief, be the bulk guy, etc. In four games so far this spring, he has pitched 9 2/3 innings allowing only two runs while scattering seven hits and four walks. He has 12 strikeouts over this time! Myers could be the X-factor for the Mets this season both in the ways he saves the bullpen’s workload when a starter falls short and his ability to pitch in high-leverage situations.
2. ABS Challenge Update. The Mets have been so bad this spring at balls and strikes challenges. Teams this spring have been successful 52% of the time. When the Mets are batting, they have been successful only 28% of the time. They’ve been a bit better when fielding, winning 38% of the time. If you rank every team by raw overturn numbers, the Mets are dead last.
3. Catching Depth. The Mets saw their catching depth tested on Thursday with Alvarez leaving the game early for back tightness (precautionary!). Luis Torrens is a great backup catcher, but he can’t catch all 162. On the 40-man roster, the Mets have Hayden Senger, who struggled offensively in 2025, but knows the Mets pitchers and is fine for a short stint if needed. The Mets also brought in Ben Rortvedt this spring. Rortvedt made his major league debut in 2021 with the Twins. In 2024 with the Rays, he got into 112 games and had 0.9 bWAR while slashing .228/.317/.303.

Let’s go Mets!

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On Tuesday, the St. Louis Cardinals traded right-hander Sonny Gray to the Red Sox for pitching prospect Brandon Clarke and Richard Fitts, as first reported by Jon Heyman of the New York Post. ESPN’s Jeff Passan later added that St. Louis will kick in $20 million in the deal. Gray’s contract will also be slightly modified, likely as a reward for waiving his full no-trade clause.

The 36-year-old Gray currently slots in as Boston’s No. 2 starter behind Garrett Crochet. He brings 13 years of big-league experience, including three seasons with Cy Young votes — the most recent coming in 2023.

Heading to St. Louis are two young arms in Clarke and Fitts. Clarke, a 22-year-old lefty, is an intriguing prospect who’s touched 100 mph and pairs it with a plus-plus slider. The 2024 fifth-round pick reached High-A in 2025. Fitts, on the other hand, has already gotten a taste of the majors and looked solid in the first few months of the season. The hard-throwing righty made 11 big-league starts and finished with a 5.00 ERA, but at 25, he still has room to grow.

MMO’s Robert Colonna has more.

David Richard-Imagn Images

Latest Mets News

Hayden Senger had a big night for the Tigres del Licey, hitting a homer earlier in the game and producing the game-winning hit off former Mets closer Jeurys Familia. We’re slowly getting deep into the offseason now, folks.

Marcus Semien had his first press conference as a member of the Mets. Read about it here.

The Mets are seeking an Applied Biomechanics Engineer to develop and apply biomechanics tools for their major league team, collaborating across pitching, hitting, and performance departments. Candidates should have experience in motion capture, wearable sensors, and programming. Visit this link with any interest.

The Mets are in agreement with four players on minor league contracts: RHP Nick Burdi, LHP Anderson Severino, RHP Robert Stock, and OF Jose Ramos. Stock’s signing is the most notable, as he returns to the organization after a stint with the team way back in 2021. Following time abroad and some mechanical adjustments, he made it back to the majors in 2025 after missing the 2022-24 seasons. More here, via MMO’s Robert Colonna.

The Amazin’ Mets Foundation is hosting its annual Coat Drive at Citi Field on Wednesday, Dec. 10, from 10 AM to 6 PM. Donors who bring a winter coat will receive a voucher for two tickets to select 2026 home games.

Latest MLB News

Despite a rough two-month stint with the Mets in 2025, Ryan Helsley remains confident in his abilities, blaming pitch tipping and predictability as the causes of his struggles. The two-time All-Star closer, who led the majors with 49 saves in 2024, has drawn interest from roughly 15 teams, including the Detroit Tigers, and is considering both relief and starting roles. Additionally, he has tinkered with the idea of possibly adding a new pitch in order to return to peak form and try to capitalize from a weaker free agent class. Katie Woo of The Athletic has a more in-depth look at Helsley’s market.

Yoo Jee-ho of the Yonhap Sports Agency reports that the Samsung Lions have re-signed first baseman Lewin Díaz (one year, $1.5 million) and former Met Ariel Jurado (one year, $1.6 million) for 2026, with both eligible for additional incentives. Díaz dominated the KBO in 2025 with record-setting power, while Jurado has pitched well over his first three seasons in the KBO. Both were long-shot candidates for MLB returns this offseason.

Corner infielder Jonah Bride has agreed to a minor league deal with the Texas Rangers, including an invitation to major league camp, according to Jeff Passan’s ESPN. The 29-year-old reunites with new Rangers manager Skip Schumaker, under whom he had his best MLB season in 2024 with Miami.

Latest on MMO

Gabe Herz analyzes some of the routes the Mets could decide to take following the Nimmo-Semien trade.

Robert Colonna profiles right-hander Tatsuya Imai as a potential Mets free agent target.

In the latest MMO crossfire, Allison Waxman argues that the Mets should sign Kyle Tucker, while Mojo Hill makes the case for Cody Bellinger.

On This Date in Mets History

1967: The Mets acquire Gil Hodges from the Washington Senators in exchange for Bill Denehy and $100,000.

Born on This Date: Richie Hebner (1947), Brian Schneider (1976), Josh Smoker (1988).

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The Mets had fallen behind the Reds in the race for the final Wild Card spot on Sunday for the first time since April 5. While tied in the win-loss column with the Reds, Cincinnati held the tiebreaker. 

Fast forward 48 hours, and the Mets finally showed the urgency fans have been clamoring for since the All-Star break. Down 6-1 in the fifth inning after another rough post-break outing from David Peterson, the Mets stormed back. Two singles, a walk, and an error set the stage for Brandon Nimmo’s game-tying three-run blast. Then Francisco Alvarez delivered a go-ahead two-run shot in the eighth, setting up Edwin Díaz to slam the door with a two-inning save.

“Realistically,” reliever Ryne Stanek said, “that feels like the moment we’ve been waiting for.”

The victory was important and showed the grit this team can muster, but there’s still a way to go, and Peterson’s outing did not help. Carlos Mendoza had to deploy the bullpen for 23 outs, raising questions about how fresh arms will be for the weekend in Miami. Additionally, it’s unclear if Peterson’s two-month swoon will force the Mets to get creative in a potential must-win final game of the regular season.

With five games to go and the Mets’ magic number at five, the question is whether Tuesday night’s fireworks were the spark or just a fleeting moment in the Mets’ playoff push.

New York Mets (81-76)

Remaining schedule and probable starters:

Mets at Cubs – Jonah Tong vs. Matthew Boyd

Mets at Cubs – Nolan McLean vs. Shota Imanaga

Mets at Marlins – TBA vs. Sandy Alcantara

Mets at Marlins – Sean Manaea vs. Eury Perez

Mets at Marlins – David Peterson vs. Edward Cabrera

Cincinnati Reds (80-77), 1.0 GB

The Reds’ five-game winning streak was snapped Tuesday night when they fell to the Pirates at home 4-2. They’ll hope to hold firm in the race Wednesday night, facing the Cy Young Award favorite, Paul Skenes. 

Remaining schedule and probable starters:

Pirates at Reds – Paul Skenes vs. Hunter Greene

Pirates at Reds – Braxton Ashcraft vs. Nick Lodolo

Reds at Brewers – Zack Littell vs. Jacob Misiorowski

Reds at Brewers – Andrew Abbott vs. TBA

Reds at Brewers – Brady Singer vs. TBA

Arizona Diamondbacks (80-77), 1.0 GB

The Diamondbacks looked like they were going to lose a game in the race heading into the ninth inning Tuesday night against the Dodgers. However, they rattled off their own come-from-behind victory and tied the game before Geraldo Perdomo walked it off with a single.

Remaining schedule and probable starters:

Dodgers at Diamondbacks – Blake Snell vs. Ryne Nelson

Dodgers at Diamondbacks – Yoshinobu Yamamoto vs. Zac Gallen

Diamondbacks at Padres – TBA vs. Yu Darvish

Diamondbacks at Padres – Eduardo Rodriguez vs. Michael King

Diamondbacks at Padres – Brandon Pfaadt vs. Nick Pivetta

St. Louis Cardinals (78-80), 3.5 GB

The Cardinals, hoping for a miracle, will hope to complete a sweep of the Giants on Wednesday night to remain in the race. 

Remaining schedule: at Giants (1); at Cubs (3)

Miami Marlins (77-80), 4.0 GB

The Marlins have been on a heater, winning eleven of their last twelve, and are riding a seven-game win streak. They hope to force the Mets’ hand in the finals series of the year. 

Remaining schedule: at Phillies (2); home vs. Mets (3)

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Sunday’s 3-2 loss to the Nationals was their 11th defeat in the last 15 games, and this one carried more weight than most. It dropped them into a tie with the Reds at 80-76 for the final NL Wild Card spot. The catch? Cincinnati owns the tiebreaker, leaving New York on the outside looking in. The Diamondbacks (79-77) lurk just one game back, while the Giants (77-79), Cardinals (76-80), and Marlins (76-80) remain alive.

Manager Carlos Mendoza is maintaining confidence in his players.

“We’ve got to keep going. We’ve got six more. A lot can happen. That’s where we’re at,” he said postgame on Sunday.“You look at the talent there, we’re one hit away, making one play, making one pitch. We’re close.”

“It’s a tough hill to climb right now, but the boys in here are ready for the challenge,” Sean Manaea, who struggled on the mound Sunday, said. “We just have to put things together. If anyone can do it, it’s us.”

Brandon Nimmo acknowledged the stakes:

“It’s been happening right in front of our eyes, so yeah, I can definitely believe it. We’re down to the last week of the season, and our playoff hopes are in front of us. We’ve got to play winning baseball.”

The urgency isn’t just in the standings — it’s in the small details. Little things, such as misplayed grounders and outfielder errors, have cost the Mets too many games, and they cannot afford any more. Francisco Lindor, one of the players who struggled defensively this weekend, said it bluntly:

“We’ve put ourselves in this position, so we’ve got to find a way to get out of it. If we want to be where we want to be, those things can’t happen. Full accountability on that. I have to be better.”

Every at-bat, pitch, and defensive play is magnified in these final six games. The Mets have little margin for error if they hope to keep their postseason dreams alive.

Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Cincinnati Reds (80-76)

The Reds have now won five consecutive games, capped by a huge 1-0 shutout win over Chicago on Sunday. Their surge has flipped the Wild Card race on its head, and Cincinnati now holds control over its own destiny. Before their winning streak, however, they were swept by the Oakland Athletics in a three-game set.

Remaining schedule: Home – Pirates (3); Away – Brewers (3)

New York Mets (80-76)

Remaining schedule: Away – Cubs (3), Marlins (3)

Arizona Diamondbacks (79-77), 1.0 GB

Arizona was riding its usual rollercoaster, alternating short winning streaks and losing streaks for the past month. They sit just one game behind both the Mets and Reds. However, they are currently on a little hot streak, having taken two of three in three straight series against the Twins, Giants, and Phillies.

Remaining schedule: Home – Dodgers (3); Away – Padres (3)

San Francisco Giants (77-79), 3.0 GB

San Francisco still has a path to the postseason, but must play near-perfect baseball and hope for collapses in front of them. They close with six games at Oracle Park.

Remaining schedule: Home – Cardinals (3), Rockies (3)

St. Louis Cardinals (76-80), 4.0 GB

Like the Giants, the Cardinals will need a miracle to sneak in. They finish on the road against two solid clubs in the Giants and Cubs.

Remaining schedule: Away – Giants (3), Cubs (3)

Miami Marlins (76-80), 4.0 GB

Miami has played their way back into the race, winning ten of their last eleven, including back-to-back sweeps of the Rockies and Rangers. They’ll get a chance to deal a direct blow to New York in the final weekend of the season.

Remaining schedule: Home – Mets (3); Away — Phillies (3)

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The Twins, Astros, and Mariners all were in consideration, but fell short. Nothing against Minnesota, who is in second in the American League Central, but a team that’s recently been on fire just deserved a spot over them.

As for the Astros and Mariners, those teams are hard to rank in the top-10. Both teams have gone through swings where they’re ready to explode and take the division, then falter off. The Mariners are currently on that back end of that narrative, and are 3-7 in their last 10 games.

Outside those three, another fun story has been the Orioles of late. They dropped Friday’s affair with the lowly Athletics, but had won their last six beforehand. And as us Mets fans know, June is never too late to make a run at the playoffs. Especially in a weak AL.

Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images

1. Tigers

Detroit continues to be one of the best stories in baseball. They made the playoffs last year as a sneak-in Wild Card team, then took a series against the Astros in Houston. Now, they’re by far the best team in baseball.

They have the lowest team ERA (3.15) in the AL coming into Saturday, and showed out Friday by stifling the Cubs’ relentless offense to one run. As of now, Tarik Skubal leads the best staff in baseball and is the likely AL Cy Young favorite. The offense isn’t too shabby either, as they’re fourth overall in the majors in runs (320), eighth-overall in team OPS (.728), and hold the third-best run differential in baseball (+93).

2. Mets

Like our first overall team this week, the Mets have also dominated the league via their pitching. Their team 2.84 ERA is by far the best in baseball, and the only staff to hold an ERA below three in the majors.

Kodai Senga has led the charge, and turned in a dominant performance in Colorado Friday. He leads the majors with a 1.59 ERA and has only allowed 12 earned runs in 12 starts. (That’s really good by the way.)

They enter Saturday with a National League best 40-24 record, while also being the first NL team to reach the 40-win plateau. The club also dominated last week, splitting a series that could have easily been a four-game sweep of the Dodgers, along with four wins against the Rockies sprinkled in. Plus, Juan Soto is starting to heat up at the right time with Francisco Lindor‘s injury to his pinky toe.

3. Cubs

The Cubbies have found their way back toward the top of this list. And again, it’s primarily the offense that talks.

They’ve scored a major league-leading 360 runs, plus got some dominant pitching performances last week. Ben Brown went six scoreless with nine punchouts against the Reds last Saturday. Colin Rea and the bullpen held the recently hot Nationals’ lineup to just one run Thursday.

The biggest question as the season unfolds will be the pitching. We all know about the injuries. But the team only allowed 12 runs in the last six games. Their pitching also enters Saturday 11th in team ERA (3.68). That’ll play.

4. Yankees

The Yanks at four seem really low. But that’s how the dice rolled for them last week.

They got absolutely whalloped by the Dodgers last week, salvaging the series with a win Sunday, then took care of business against the overperforming Guardians at home.

Yet, the team still shows signs of complete domination. They’ve scored the most runs (335) in the AL, are tied for the major league lead in homers (101), and hold the league’s best team OPS (.810).

The club is also only getting better. Jazz Chisholm Jr. returned June 3 and has promptly gone 8-for-16 with two homers. He might be the answer for third base, where the Yankees have immensely struggled.

5. Dodgers

Dodgers at five? Everyone outside Orange County rejoice.

Seriously, though. The team stats don’t scream fifth overall. They’ve clubbed a major league-leading 101 homers. Freddie Freeman is somehow the best hitter at age 35 in a lineup that features Shohei Ohtani and Mookie Betts. Plus, Andy Pages has been one of the most underrated hitters in the league with his .293/.337/.498 slashline and 12 homers.

So what’s the deal? Well, it’s the pitching. The staff has allowed 34 runs in their last seven games, good for a team 4.71 ERA. And yes, I know, I know, they’re pitching Landon Knack and Tony Gonsolin (who also just hit the IL), but this is what they signed up for. Pay for Tyler Glasnow, Blake Snell, and Roki Sasaki and hope they’re all good to go in October. Unfortunately for the Dodgers, that’s four months from now. And with the Giants and Padres playing great baseball, that kind of arrogance can lose you a division.

6. Phillies

One to six is a steep drop for one week. But it’s truly been that bad for the Phils.

They’re 3-7 in their last 10 games, featuring blowouts like Saturday’s 17-7 loss, and also heart-wrenching ones like Friday’s 5-4 loss to Pittsburgh. Seriously, go watch that ninth inning from last night.

To make matters worse, Bryce Harper just hit the 10-day IL, leaving the first base duties to Otto Kemp. Needless to say, it’s been a rough go-around for the Phillies after they retook possession of first in the NL East. And it’s only going to get rougher at the end of the month when they have to face the Mets, Astros, Braves, and Padres starting June 20.

7. Cardinals

Week by week, the Cardinals just look like a Wild Card team.

Last week wasn’t particularly special, as they lost two series to the Rangers and Royals, but they started Friday strong with a 5-0 win over the Dodgers. The club enters Saturday 35-28 with a +31 run differential and a 0.5 game deficit for the third NL Wild Card.

The pitching staff has three guys in Sonny Gray, Erick Fedde, and Matthew Liberatore with ERAs under four, and the bullpen continues to hold leads late. Plus, Willson Contreras is starting to heat up. The first baseman has a .320/.370/.600 slashline with a homer in his last seven games, and has the potential to carry an offense through the summer.

8. Giants

San Francisco truly won on the margins last week.

They took a series against the Marlins last week where every game was decided by at least two runs. Then they split a series at home against the Padres where every game was won by only a run. Even their game Friday versus Atlanta was decided by one run!

Overall, they went 5-3 in those games. Not too bad. Plus, they continue to tread water in the NL West, carrying the second NL Wild Card into June and a two-game gap between them and first place.

Robbie Ray and Logan Webb continue to lead the squad toward victories, and if the season ended today, both would probably finish top five in the Cy Young race. The front office also just brought in Dominic Smith to replace LaMonte Wade Jr. at first, and the native Californian has driven in four runs in nine at-bats.

9. Padres

This club feels too good to be at nine. But for some reason, they can’t score runs.

They entered Saturday 20th in runs scored in the majors. 20th! This from a club that is getting elite production from Fernando Tatis Jr., Jackson Merrill, and Manny Machado.

Yet, even with the struggling offense, the club still has a 36-26 record, is +18 in the run differential, and only a game back from the Dodgers. This team fits the bill to add a bat at the deadline. But that’s in the distant future.

10. Rays

Tampa? Yep, Tampa.

The Rays have been hot. Really hot. They’re on a four-game win streak, 9-3 in their last twelve, and haven’t lost a series since May 16. They’ve catapulted toward the top of the AL East and are only 5.5 games back from the Yankees.

Junior Caminero has been the budding star this franchise needed. He’s slashing .356/.387/.864 with seven homers in his last 15 games, and looks like he could be a top player in a league full of stars. Jonathan Aranda has also played like an All-Star, and looks like a lefty version of Yandy Díaz. The first baseman is slashing .324/.413/.500 with seven homers in 188 at-bats.

Rest of the Field

11. Twins
12. Astros
13. Mariners
14. Royals
15. Guardians
16. Diamondbacks
17. Blue Jays
18. Brewers
19. Nationals
20. Braves
21. Rangers
22. Red Sox
23. Reds
24. Orioles
25. Angels
26. Pirates
27. Athletics
28. Marlins
29. White Sox
30. Rockies

The post MLB Power Rankings: Week Ten Update appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

But as the season goes on, teams start to reveal who they are, whether that be regression, progression, or injury.

One of those teams has been the Diamondbacks. Injuries to their bullpen, along with poor performances from the rotation, has led to a 2-8 record in their last 10 games and 27-30 record. Another team, on the positive side, has been the Braves. After an 0-7 start, the team has gone 26-23 and put themselves back in the playoff hunt.

Memorial Day weekend is over. And now begins a pivotal month for every team that is holding on to playoff hopes. Either dominate in June and make yourself a buyer at the deadline, or falter and look to put players on the trade block. Let’s buckle in.

Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

1. Phillies

Philadelphia continued their strong May last week, solidifying themselves at No. 1 overall for this week’s update. They had an argument to be here last week, but just fell short.

The record was juiced by playing bad teams, but the Phillies hosted the Atlanta Braves at full strength at home May 27 and 29, and took care of business by beating Spencer Strider and taking two of three games. In that game against Strider, the Phils got a strong performance from Ranger Suárez, who now holds a 2.97 ERA on the season. That rotation is elite, and dare I say, better than the early 2010s rotation that featured Roy Halladay and Cole Hamels.

2. Tigers

Detroit started their week in a rough spot. They hosted the Guardians for a four-game series, but lost three to give ground in the division. But, they saved themselves a serious demotion in the top-10 by sweeping the Giants behind some serious pitching performances.

Yet, despite the Tigers holding the Giants to five runs over three games, the most impressive pitching performance came Sunday against the Guardians. Tarik Skubal pitched a Maddux to salvage the final game, ending his shutout performance with a 103-mile-per-hour fastball to strike out Gabriel Arias. It was special. The lefty now holds a 2.49 ERA and 92 punchouts in only 68 2/3 innings.

3. Yankees

I try to finalize these rankings before Saturday morning, so there’s an argument to slot the Yankees down after their Friday night meltdown to the Dodgers. But, outside that game, the Yanks had a fantastic showing in their second West Coast trip of the season. They took a series against the Rockies, swept the Angels who were one of the hottest teams in baseball, and fell short in an 8-5 loss to the Dodgers, started by Max Fried.

Aaron Judge homered again, improving his total to 19 longballs on the season. Oh by the way, he’s also batting .392. Hitting isn’t supposed to be that easy. Fried was his counterpart on the pitching side, but allowed more than two earned runs in a start for the first time this season with a rare poor outing, highlighted by two homers from Shohei Ohtani.

4. Dodgers

The Dodgers at four? Sound the alarms!

Seriously, though, this could be the lowest I ever rank them. The Tigers are playing elite baseball, the Yanks are winning, the Phillies have the best record, plus they didn’t play great baseball last week. The Dodgers lost a series to the Mets on the road, being held to just two and one runs in the final two games.

Ohtani no-showed in that series, but bounced back in the next two series against the Guardians and Yankees. Ohtani clubbed a longball for the only Dodgers run against the Mets May 25, then two against the Guardians May 26 and 27, then another two Friday night against Fried. Woof, that’s a lot of home runs.

It’s starting to play out like last year in the MVP races. Just Judge and Ohtani at this point. And by the way, the man is pitching, and will be pitching soon.

5. Mets

The past week was great for Met land. They took two of three from the Dodgers, handled business with a series win against the White Sox, and secured a Game 1 win against the Rockies Friday.

So why are they five? Well, Juan Soto having a batting average below .230 doesn’t help. In fact, the offense being the third worst club in the majors with runners in scoring position doesn’t help either. Only the White Sox and Pirates were worse for most of May.

I only highlight this because it won’t last. It can’t last. Eventually, Brandon Nimmo and Soto’s numbers will reflect their hard-hit rates. Eventually, Jesse Winker and perhaps Ronny Mauricio will be on the roster healthy. I’m not too worried. Plus, once that happens, the Mets will be able to pair the best team ERA in the majors with it.

6. Cubs

The Cubs were beneficiaries of a light schedule the last week. They got the Reds on the road, the Rockies at home, and now play the Reds at Wrigley this weekend. Still, they took care of business and continue to score runs. 37 runs in six games secured a 5-1 stretch against those clubs before their Friday night loss.

The offense is elite. And Pete Crow-Armstrong continues to display the power not many believed was in the tank. Seiya Suzuki has also been a massive part of the lineup, and now leads the National League with 51 RBIs while maintaining a .900 OPS.

7. Padres

San Diego took care of some NL East foes the past week. They traveled to Atlanta to promptly take two of three from the Braves, then hosted the Marlins at home where they barely missed a sweep with a 10-8 loss Wednesday.

The Friars are getting a team effort so far to keep pace with the Dodgers. Tatis, Manny Machado, and Gavin Sheets have led the offense, while Nick Pivetta and Michael King have stabilized the rotation. The club is 5-5 in their last 10 games with a +19 run differential, but could really use a left fielder and fourth starter to soar.

8. Giants

Talk about a rough go-around for the Giants. They handled the young Nationals for a series win last weekend, but got knocked on their behinds by the AL-best Tigers. Not ideal when you only score five runs in three games.

Still, the club rebounded with a win over the Marlins Friday and continue to be MLB’s biggest surprise team in the majors. The rotation has been the horse of this team, with Logan Webb and Robbie Ray registering ERAs under three heading into June. They might be the best 1-2 pitching combo in the league.

Plus, the offense is being held up by the outfield and Matt Chapman in the infield. The only weak spot on this club has been first base. LaMonte Wade Jr. has a 60 OPS+. (Ryan O’Hearn has the second-best OPS in the AL, just saying.)

9. Twins

When Minnesota first got on the list, I didn’t know if they had the fire to stay. A 12 game win streak propolled them here, but solid baseball and roster construction has kept them here.

Last week was another success for them as well. A series win against division foe Kansas City was a plus, then they salvaged a game against the hot Rays before heading to Seattle. Pitching has helped this squad get to a 31-25 record, and it’s time to give Joe Ryan his flowers. The 29-year-old has a 2.57 ERA and 10.3 K/9. He might finish top-three in the Cy Young this year. The club, however, desperately needs infield help. No one in the dirt has an OPS+ of 100.

10. Cardinals

Like the Twins, the Cardinals also find themselves planted in the top-10 after a hot streak.

The offense has finally started clicking as constructed. Iván Herrera has been an excellent catching replacement for Willson Contreras, and has a 185 OPS+ at the plate to back up the glove. Lars Nootbaar has been productive with a 115 OPS+, and Brendan Donovan leads the NL in hits (70) and doubles (18).

The bullpen has also been elite for a solid overall rotation. Phil Maton and Kyle Leahy both have ERAs that start with two, and Ryan Helsley has performed much better after a poor start. The club could use another bat as the season goes on, but as constructed, this club probably makes the postseason with some aid from the mediocre NL Central.

Rest of the Field

11. Astros
12. Mariners
13. Guardians
14. Brewers
15. Rays
16. Diamondbacks
17. Braves
18. Royals
19. Rangers
20. Nationals
21. Red Sox
22. Blue Jays
23. Reds
24. Angels
25. Athletics
26. Orioles
27. Pirates
28. Marlins
29. White Sox
30. Rockies

The post MLB Power Rankings: Week Nine Update appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Seriously, this team cracked our top 10 almost every week, but early struggles and offensive mediocrity forced them outside the list in the first two weeks of the season. But they’ve stormed back, have the best record in baseball Saturday morning, and sit in first place in the National League East. But that’s enough about Philadelphia. I’ll highlight them below.

On the opposite spectrum, the Padres have struggled immensely. They’re 3-7 in their last 10 games and suffered a six-game losing streak that lasted from May 16 to May 22. They bounced back with a 2-1 win over the Braves that featured a base running blunder in the bottom of the ninth, and somehow find themselves only three games behind the first-place Dodgers.

One other team that won’t get much attention or love in this article are the Angels. When looking back at 2025, this might have been their best week of the season. They swept the Dodgers on the road, swept the Athletics in four games in Sacramento, then won 7-4 against Sandy Alcantara and the Marlins Friday. They’re back to .500 and only four games behind the Mariners heading into Memorial Day.

Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

1. Dodgers

Let’s just address this now: Yes, the Dodgers were swept this weekend by the Angels during “rivalry” week. And I put that in quotes, because the Dodgers should have played the Giants. The Red Sox play the Yankees. Anyway, I digress.

But the Dodgers are still by far the best team in baseball. They bounced back with a series win at home against the Athletics, and survived an insanely wild game at Citi Field Friday that saw a 5-2 lead disappear in the ninth, then neither they nor the Mets scored for three innings with a ghost runner at second. They’re comfortably in front of the Giants and Padres in the division, have a multitude of injuries that have held them back, along with leading the NL in homers (81) and OPS (.808), and second behind the Cubs in runs (291) and run differential (+64).

2. Phillies

Philadelphia is scorching hot right now. They’ve won eight in a row, sit in first in the NL East, and now hold the best record in baseball.

Sure, they’ve played the Pirates, Rockies, and Athletics in this stretch, but you still have to win the games. And this roster is loaded. Kyle Schwarber is having an insane contract season, slashing .251/.364/.563, and is tied for the major league lead in homers at 17. Bryce Harper‘s bat has awoken to help, and the future Hall of Famer is batting .407 with a .667 slugging percentage in his last seven games. Also, Trea Turner is quietly leading the league in hits at 63.

3. Tigers

It’s been the same recipe for the Tigers. Elite pitching and timely hitting.

The club enters Saturday with the best record in the American League and holds a comfortable four-game lead over the Guardians. They’ve got a 3.35 team ERA (6th in MLB) and have a 14-7 record in May.

4. Yankees

We’ve highlighted the Phillies as one of the hottest teams in baseball, but the Bombers are right there with them. Outside their 3-2 loss to the Rockies Friday, the club dominated last week. They barely missed sweeping the Mets, then hosted the Rangers and swept them in a series that featured Jacob deGrom‘s return to New York.

They lead a surprisingly lackluster AL East, and are 30-20 as of May 24. They’re without Jazz Chisholm Jr. and Giancarlo Stanton, and pitchers like Luis Gil and Jake Cousins, leading me to believe that the Yankees are only at the dawn of a great season.

5. Cubs

Like the Tigers, the Cubs are more or less the same: Winning games by crushing the baseball.

They scored 26 runs in a three-game weekend sweep over the White Sox, then went to Miami and scored 23 runs in a series win. Friday was no different, where they beat down on their division rival Reds in a 13-6 win.

The offense has scored the most runs in baseball (306), hit the fourth most homers (71), and has the third best team OPS (.789). Pete Crow-Armstrong has been at the forefront for the Cubbies, and has a .908 OPS with 14 bombs before June. Who saw that coming?

6. Padres

Yeesh, what a week for the Padres. They went 3-7. Withstood a six-game losing streak. Got absolutely rocked by the stale Blue Jays. It’s been befuddling.

Yet they’re still a top baseball team and hold a 28-21 record. They’ve still got a +21 run differential. This team will be okay. Friday was a nice bounceback, as the club won 2-1 over the Braves in Atlanta, and got timely homers from Gavin Sheets and Manny Machado.

7. Giants

San Francisco had another nice week to maintain ground in the NL West.

They swept their “rival” Athletics over the weekend, then lost a close series with the Royals at home. The club recovered quickly Friday with a solid 4-0 win over the Nationals in D.C., and finds themselves only three games behind the Dodgers heading into Memorial Day.

The Giants continue to win behind a veteran pitching staff, with Logan Webb (2.67 ERA) and Robbie Ray (2.67 ERA) leading the charge. Wilmer Flores has also shined for the offense, and leads the team in homers (10). It would be awesome if he were the first Giant to hit 30 homers since Barry Bonds reached the mark in 2004.

8. Mets

How the Mets hurt me so. Did anyone else go right to that Friday game from the Knicks losing at the Garden? Talk about a night that will give you a heart attack before age 40.

The Mets have struggled. There’s no witty or sly way to say it. They’re 4-6 in their last 10, got thrown around by the Yankees in Juan Soto‘s grand return over the weekend, then went to Boston but forgot their bats back in New York.

The team has scored 18 runs in seven games. And two of those games included five-run performances. It’s been a struggle. Particularly for Brandon Nimmo, who was removed from Friday’s game with a stiff neck and entered as a below-average offensive player per OPS+.

But, the Mets are still here because of the talent. Like the Phillies earlier in the season, they’re too talented to struggle this much. They still lead the majors in ERA (2.86) and are 30-21. Sean Manaea and Frankie Montas are returning. The dog days for the club just might be now.

9. Twins

Minnesota could have been like the Royals, who won 16 of 18, then faded a little. But they’ve maintained their winning ways, despite losing Byron Buxton to the seven-day IL.

After their 13-game winning streak was snapped by the Brewers May 18, they took a series against the Guardians at home and then won a Friday night matchup against the Royals 3-1.

The team’s offense scores just enough to win with their elite pitching. Joe Ryan has a 2.68 ERA in 10 games, Pablo López a 2.31 ERA in nine starts, and both Chris Paddack and Bailey Ober have sub-four ERAs.

10. Cardinals

The Red Birds had an insane week to catapult themselves to 13 on our list, barely missing out on the top-10. But another solid week got them the final spot for week eight.

They took two games from the Royals on the road over the weekend, and had a close series with the Tigers, which saw them barely lose Game 2 and then the series. They don’t hit for power. Their pitching has been middle of the pack. But they keep winning games.

The club has gotten victories behind timely hitting. The team is batting .268 with runners in scoring position and doing enough to hand the ball over to a strong bullpen headed by Kyle Leahy and Ryan Helsley.

The club is very much competitive. And finds itself only three games back of the Cubs on May 24. A strong +41 run differential shows this team is for real, and could be an interesting buyer at the deadline this season.

Rest of the Field

11. Mariners
12. Astros
13. Diamondbacks
14. Guardians
15. Braves
16. Red Sox
17. Angels
18. Reds
19. Royals
20. Rangers
21. Blue Jays
22. Brewers
23. Nationals
24. Rays
25. Orioles
26. Athletics
27. Pirates
28. Marlins
29. White Sox
30. Rockies

The post MLB Power Rankings: Week Eight Update appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

After a stellar April, the Mets have endured a tough start to May. New York dropped two of three to the Cardinals in St. Louis, including both games of a doubleheader on Sunday.

As a result, the Mets have now dropped consecutive series and have lost four of their last six games. Furthermore, this team continues to be impacted on the injury front. All in all, it wasn’t a good weekend.

Missed opportunities and some bad pitching proved to be the Mets’ downfall in St. Louis. So, on that note, let’s proceed with another edition of 3 Up, 3 Down …

May 2, 2025; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; New York Mets starting pitcher Clay Holmes (35) pitches against the St. Louis Cardinals during the first inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images

3 UP

TOUGHING IT OUT

The pitching wasn’t great at all in this series. However, there was one bright spot on Friday night, thanks to Clay Holmes. The righty did struggle to begin his latest start before being hit on the ankle by a comebacker. That blow appeared to wake Holmes up, who was able to settle in and grind out a gritty six innings. Granted, he did allow three earned runs on eight hits with no walks and three strikeouts. With that said, though, Holmes was able to go long and limit the damage, setting his team up for the win in the opener.

BRIGHT SPOT

You will be hard-pressed to find a handful of positives from the series loss in St. Louis. However, one of the rare bright spots to emerge from the weekend was Luisangel Acuña continuing his upward trajectory. After being announced as the NL Rookie of the Month for April, Acuña put together an impressive series against the Cardinals. He contributed a double, a RBI and a walk in the series opener. Then, in Game 1 of the doubleheader, Acuña went 3-for-4 with a run scored, a walk and a stolen base. He also made some really nice plays in the field, showing off his speed and range. Acuña is hitting .357/..387/.393/.780 over his last seven games. He’s proving more and more with each passing day that he has the skillset needed to be a really dynamic weapon in the bigs.

HIS BEST YET

Francisco Alvarez delivered arguably his best performance of the season so far in the series opener on Friday. The slugger went 3-for-5 with a team-high three RBIs. He came up with a clutch RBI single in the fifth inning to help add to the lead. Alvarez also produced a couple of opposite-field hits, showcasing just how dangerous a hitter he can be. It was just one game, but Alvarez hitting for power and putting the ball in play day in and day out will be huge for this offense in 2025.

Tim Vizer-Imagn Images

3 DOWN

TOUGH INTRODUCTION

Blade Tidwell achieved a lifelong dream on Sunday after making his MLB debut for the Mets. However, the game itselfwill be one Tidwell will want to forget in a hurry. The righty was shelled, allowing six earned runs on nine hits with three walks and two strikeouts. He was removed after just 3.2 innings and found himself back in the minors between Games 1 and 2 of the doubleheader. However, Tidwell touched 98 mph on his fastball and flashed the potential that has turned him into one of the top prospects in the Mets farm system. While it wasn’t a debut to remember, Tidwell will have better days ahead in the majors in the not-too-distant future.

NOT CASHING IN

The Mets not taking advantage of having runners in scoring position was always going to come back and bite them. And so it has proved during this recent skid. The lineup dropped this series to the Cardinals because of an inability to come up with the big hit with runners on base. New York went a combined 6-for-26 with runners in scoring position in the doubleheader on Sunday. Now, granted, there was an element of bad luck in the two games. For instance, Pete Alonso was at the plate with the bases loaded in Game 1 but was called out on a questionable strike 3. Then, in Game 2, Juan Soto was robbed of a three-run homer thanks to some defensive wizardry.

But, with that said, the Mets are hitting just .229/.332/.399 (70-for-306) with runners in scoring position in 2025. That just isn’t going to get the job done. You also aren’t going to win a doubleheader by leaving a whopping 22 runners stranded on base.

ANOTHER BODY BLOW

Bad injury luck won’t leave the Mets alone. After it was announced that Danny Young would need UCL reconstruction in his left elbow, the Mets suffered another body blow on Sunday. Jesse Winker was forced to leave Game 1 of the doubleheader due to right-side discomfort. It now seems very likely that Winker will head to the IL. How long the veteran will be out for remains to be seen. Oblique injuries are always tricky. Regardless of the length of time spent on the IL, being without Winker will be a big blow to the Mets and the overall depth of the lineup. Winker’s potential loss also leaves a sizable void at the DH position, one the team will need to try and fill with some urgency.

The post 3 Up, 3 Down: Mets Dealt Series Loss By Cards appeared first on Metsmerized Online.