It’ll be an interesting ballot with Carlos Beltran looking to be the one sure thing. If Beltran gets in, he expects to go in as a New York Met. Then, of course, there’s David Wright, who will be a debatable name as long as he’s on the ballot. Then there’s another former Met who made an impact on the 2006 squad. He had a great career with the Toronto Blue Jays and Florida Marlins before making his way to Queens. That is Carlos Delgado.

Delgado is on the Contemporary Baseball Ballot this year. He was named on December 7th, 2025, along with the likes of Roger Clemens, Barry Bonds, Don Mattingly, Dale Murphy, Jeff Kent, Gary Sheffield, and Fernando Valenzuela. Back in 2015, Delgado’s first year on the ballot, he only notched 3.8% of the vote. That fell below the 5%-mark players need to stay on the ballot. While Delgado doesn’t have major accolades to make him a shoo-in for the Hall of Fame, with only two All-Star appearances in his 17-year career, he was still a mark of consistency.

After trying out as a catcher and left fielder in Toronto from 1993 to 1995, he switched to first base. From there, Delgado became one of the more productive sluggers in the game. Delgado hit 395 home runs from 1996 to 2006. During that stretch, he went ten consecutive seasons of hitting 30 or more home runs. The highest home run total of his career was 57 in 2000. He drove in 90 RBIs or more during those eleven seasons. He cracked a career-high 145 RBIs in 2003, which led the league. Also in 2003, Delgado became the 15th player ever to record four home runs in one game.

Delgado won three Silver Sluggers in 1999, 2000, and 2003, and the American League Hank Aaron award in 2000. Delgado finished top five in MVP voting on two occasions in 2000 and 2003. He was fourth in 2000 behind Alex Rodriguez, Frank Thomas, and winner, Jason Giambi. The closest he ever came to winning the award was in 2003 when he finished 2nd in the voting. Rodriguez would win the award. Due to their payroll, 2004 would be the last season for Delgado in a Blue Jays jersey.

During the offseason, Delgado signed a four-year, $52 million contract with the Florida Marlins. In 2005, Delgado hit 33 home runs and drove in 115 RBI, and batted .301. After spending one season with the Marlins, Delgado was traded to the Mets. Delgado heavily contributed to a 2006 Mets team that won 97 games and their first National League Eastern Division title since 1988. Pairing up with Wright and Beltran in the middle of the order, Delgado hit 38 home runs and 115 RBI with a .909 OPS.

Delgado followed up 2006 with a down year in 2007, even though he still hit 24 home runs. After a slow start to 2008, Delgado would put up a bounce-back campaign with another 30-home run season (38) and 115 RBI. One of the most memorable games of his career came on June 27th of the 2008 season during the Subway Series at Yankee Stadium, where he made his mark on the rivalry. He hit a Mets record nine RBIs, breaking Dave Kingman‘s club record of eight, when he hit a two-run double, a grand slam, and a three-run home run.

Overall, Delgado finished his career with 474 home runs, 1,512 RBIs, 483 doubles, 2,038 hits, a career batting average of .280, and a career OPS of .929. His 474 home runs are more than Hall of Famers Chipper Jones, Dave Winfield, Carl Yastrzemski, Jeff Bagwell, and Vladimir Guerrero. He has more RBIs than Guerrero, Mickey Mantle, and Dave Parker.

Not only was Delgado a great player on the field but was great off the field. In 2006, Delgado won the award that bears his idol’s name, the Roberto Clemente award. An award given to the baseball player who best shows humanitarianism and sportsmanship. Delgado may not have hit 500 home runs and 3,000 RBIs, but for more than a decade, he was one of the premier sluggers in the game and produced at a high level to be in the Hall of Fame.

The post The Hall of Fame Case for Carlos Delgado appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Latest Mets News

Citi Field on Saturday played host to the Dominican Republic vs. Puerto Rico. Both Carlos Beltrán and Carlos Delgado were at Citi Field for the matchup between the two teams.

Beltrán spoke with Chelsea Sherrod of SNY and said that the Mets’ top priorities this offseason are retaining Edwin Díaz and Pete Alonso, plus improving the team’s defense. In discussing his upcoming induction into the Mets’ Hall of Fame next year, Beltran also talked with Sherrod about how though the seven years he was in New York were rocky and had their ups and downs, he was proud of his accomplishments.

Lee Mazzilli talked with SNY Mets about his upcoming induction into the Mets’ Hall of Fame and how what makes it most special is knowing that when his granddaughter goes to Citi Field, she’ll see his picture and know that that’s her grandpa.

Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

Latest MLB News

Per Francys Romero of the Baseball Writers Association of America, according to sources, Joey Meneses has signed a minor league contract with the Athletics. He is represented by The MAS+ Agency.

According to Roch Kukatko of MASN, per a source familiar with the situation, the Baltimore Orioles are hiring Miguel Cairo as a major league infield coach.

Latest on MMO

Michael Mayer takes a look at the Mets’ free agents and discusses whether the Mets should bring them back or let them walk.

Robert Colonna takes a deep dive into starting pitcher Zac Gallen for a Metsmerized free agent profile.

John Wilson looks at the statistics of Francisco Lindor vs. the fastball in a statistical spotlight piece.

Robert Colonna recaps Beltran’s comments about the Mets’ offseason priorities and the Hall of Fame inductions.

On This Date in Mets History

1961: The Mets unveiled a revised logo that would go on their uniforms, letterhead and official team paraphernalia. 

Born on This Date: Juan Centeno (1989), Mark Corey (1974), Dwight Gooden (1964), Don Hahn (1948), Leon Brown (1948), Harry Chiti (1932).

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It was an up-and-down series for the Mets in Washington – a four-game set featuring a slew of crushing lows and exhilarating highs. Yes, April baseball really can be entertaining and frustrating in equal measure.

The Mets dropped their first real clunker of 2025 on Sunday, thanks to a horror show by the bullpen. They were also walked off twice in this series. However, this team responded and then some in the finale, racking up 19 runs against the Nationals in a true blowout on Monday.

As a result, the Mets earned a series split and started the week as the best team in baseball. All in all, things are pretty, pretty, pretty good in Queens right now.

To that end, let’s proceed with the latest edition of 3 Up, 3 Down…

Via Mets

3 UP

OFFENSIVE OUTBURST

The red flags hovering over Brandon Nimmo‘s game were starting to become more and more notable. The outfielder has looked lost at the plate, especially with runners in scoring position. He entered Monday’s game just 6-for-37 with runners in scoring position. Furthermore, falling behind in the count has hurt Nimmo this year. He owned just a .115 on-base percentage when going 0-1 in the count. However, all those struggles seemed a million miles away from what we witnessed on Monday. Nimmo truly had a day for the ages, going 4-for-6 with two homers – including a grand slam – and a franchise-tying record nine RBIs. Yes, you read that right.

Per Elias, Nimmo became just the second player in MLB history, behind Mike Moustakas (2015), to record nine RBIs in the sixth inning or later of a game. He also became the first player to drive in at least nine runs since Shohei Ohtani did it last September. It is rare to see a player drive in nine runs in a single game, which is a testament to just how elite Nimmo was on Monday. He also tied Carlos Delgado for the all-time franchise record for most RBIs in a single game. Granted, it is just one game, but Nimmo showed on Monday just how valuable a weapon he is in this lineup when he’s at the peak of his powers. Hopefully, the series finale in Washington will act as a turning point for Nimmo and his season.

BOUNCING BACK & REINFORCEMENTS

I’m going to cheat and squeeze two points into one segment here. You have to love the character of these Mets. And you also have to applaud them for the mental fortitude they showed in Washington. After melting down on Sunday, few would have been surprised if this team had gone out and blown the series on Monday. Instead, the Mets did what they’ve been doing all year – they responded emphatically. The entire team absorbed the gut punch, strapped on their big boy pants and went to work in righting the previous day’s wrongs. The result? One hell of an answer to split the series and come back home with the best record in baseball. That’s what good teams do. They dig in and refuse to quit, no matter how many times they’ve been kicked in the cubes.

The Mets suffered two brutal losses in Washington – both of the walk-off variety – yet they responded each time with impressive performances. It is still early, but the resiliency and the ability to bounce back immediately are hallmarks of any great team in any sport. And, so far, it sure seems like the New York Mets have both of those attributes by the bucketload.

It also helped that some reinforcements arrived over the weekend. Both Jeff McNeil and Francisco Alvarez were activated from the IL on Friday. And both players certainly made their presence felt. McNeil finished with four hits, a home run, a triple and three RBIs. Alvarez, meanwhile, hit a double, and a home run and also finished with three RBIs. With those two players back, the Mets are now deeper than they were before. With the best still yet to come from certain players, coupled with the fact that Sean Manaea and Frankie Montas are still yet to return, the Mets probably have another level or two to reach before they are really operating at the peak of their powers.

STARTERS DELIGHT

Mets starting pitchers have now allowed four or fewer runs in each of their first 29 games to begin the season. That’s per OptaSTATS, and that is one hell of a stat indeed. Whether it is sustainable or not is beside the point. The starting rotation has performed way above expectations so far in 2025, and that group deserves all the credit in the world. All four starters in this series did their jobs.

Kodai Senga allowed two earned runs with five strikeouts over six innings. Clay Holmes overcame a lengthy rain delay to deliver five scoreless innings. Tylor Megill was solid while going over six innings. And Griffin Canning was the best of the bunch after tossing five shutout innings in the series finale. Again, the starting pitching will probably experience a reality check at some point. But, for now, the rotation is more than playing its part in what has been a stellar start to the season for the Mets.

Brad Mills-Imagn Images

3 DOWN

BULLPEN MELTDOWNS

It was probably only a matter of time until the Mets were dealt a bullpen curveball in 2025. Well, it happened over the weekend in Washington in a big way. The Mets grabbed a late lead in the series opener on Friday, only for Ryne Stanekto allow two runs en route to a walk-off loss. Then, on Sunday, the bullpen completely melted down. José Buttó allowed three earned runs before Stanek gave up another two runs as the Mets blew a 7-1 lead. Stanek’s struggles were particularly concerning, given that he imploded twice in this series. Now, granted, the bullpen was perfect on Saturday, delivering four innings of scoreless relief. But, overall, the relief pitching was directly responsible for New York dropping two of four.

CONSIDERABLE LOSS

Compounding the bullpen struggles was the fact that A.J. Minter had to go on the IL. The lefty, who has been a shutdown arm for the Mets this year, left Saturday’s game with left triceps tightness. After being diagnosed with a lat strain, he was officially placed on the 15-day IL. That loss will hurt the Mets, given that Minter pitched to a stellar 1.64 ERA before getting hurt. He had allowed just two earned runs on six hits with 14 strikeouts across 11 innings this year. Furthermore, this bullpen has been leaned on a lot already, and losing a key body will force others to step up and carry the load.

CAUSE FOR CONCERN?

The fact the Mets have the best record in baseball is all the more remarkable when you consider that Juan Soto hasn’t exactly hit like Juan Soto yet. The superstar hitter is off to a slow start – especially by his lofty standards – and the expected breakout hasn’t happened yet. Sure, he did reach base four times on Sunday, in addition to recording a pair of hits in the series opener. However, Soto has just three home runs on the year and hasn’t gone long since April 15. He also has just 12 RBIs on the season. Still, Soto’s on-base percentage is .378. There is also no denying that he is being pitched differently this season. And you also can’t forget that Soto is still adjusting to a new franchise and the expectations that come with having the biggest contract in baseball.

Overall, Soto’s start, in addition to his lack of power, has been disappointing. That goes without saying. But it is still too early to press the panic button. I have no doubt that the Soto breakout is coming, and it will happen soon.

The post 3 Up, 3 Down: Mets See Highs, Lows In Nats Split appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Via Mets

The Mets were powered by Brandon Nimmo, who delivered a monster game. He went 4-for-6 with two home runs and nine RBIs, which ties Carlos Delgado for the all-time club record in a single game. All of the RBIs came from the sixth inning onward and included a three-run homer, a grand slam, and a two-run double.

The offensive outburst was desperately needed from Nimmo, who entered Monday’s action seriously struggling. In one game, Nimmo raised his OPS from .575 to .679 and added nine RBIs to the 12 he had through 26 games.

Jeff McNeil also played a pivotal role in the victory, at least early on when the game was still close. McNeil, who has dealt with his own struggles the past few years, went 2-for-5 with a home run, a triple, and a sacrifice fly while playing center field and batting eighth in the order. McNeil drove in the Mets’ second and third runs of the game, hitting his sacrifice fly in the second inning after a 10-pitch at-bat before crushing his homer on the first pitch of the fifth inning. He drove in three runs in total.

The Mets’ 3-0 lead didn’t last long, as the lead was instantly doubled in the sixth inning. Nimmo broke the game open by doubling the Mets’ lead from 3-0 to 6-0 with a 410-foot, three-run home run—his first of the game. He unloaded on a high fastball against lefty Colin Poche, who bested Nimmo in Sunday’s game by getting him to ground into a double play.

In case Nimmo’s sixth-inning home run wasn’t big enough of a statement, the left fielder crushed a grand slam in the seventh inning, pushing the Mets’ lead from 7-0 to 11-0. Nimmo came up again in the eighth inning with the bases loaded yet again, and this time he ripped a double down the right field line, driving in two more runs to give him nine on the day.

McNeil and Luisangel Acuña drove in two more runs following Nimmo’s hit, putting the Mets up 15-0. In the top of the ninth, former Met Amed Rosario was sent out as the sacrificial position player to pitch to the Mets. He allowed four runs, giving up an RBI single to Jesse Winker before Mark Vientos unloaded a three-run homer to give the Mets 19 runs for the day.

The Mets’ shutout was broken by this point, with José Ureña seriously laboring in the eighth inning and allowing five runs. Ureña, who pitched a clean seventh inning to begin his outing, stayed on for the ninth inning and was able to complete the three-inning save to keep the Mets’ bullpen fresh.

Lost in all the offensive fireworks was another great outing from Griffin Canning, who tossed five scoreless innings. With his effort, Canning improved his record to 4-1 and his ERA from 3.12 to 2.61 as he continues to look like a brilliant David Stearns signing. Max Kranick also recorded a scoreless inning as his great season continues.

In the win, the Mets scored 19 runs on 21 hits, with eight Mets batters recording two or more hits. The win also makes the Mets the first MLB team to reach 20 wins this year, as their record now sits at 20-9.

They salvaged a series tie in emphatic fashion and will now head back to Citi Field for their next series.

Stat of the Game: Nimmo Makes Mets History

Brandon Nimmo had a historic game, tying Carlos Delgado for the most RBIs in a single game in Mets history with nine. He also became the first player to record nine RBIs in a three-inning span since Sammy Sosa did so in Colorado in 2002.

Player of the Game: Brandon Nimmo

No surprise here. Nimmo had the best offensive game of his career and willed the Mets to a lopsided victory. He raised his OPS by .104 points and increased his RBI total on the year by 75 percent.

On Deck

The Mets return home Tuesday to begin a series with the Arizona Diamondbacks. David Peterson (1-1, 3.29 ERA) will go for the Mets while Eduardo Rodriguez (1-2, 4.40 ERA) will go for Arizona in a matchup of southpaws.

First pitch is scheduled for 7:10 p.m., and the game will be broadcast on SNY.

The post Nimmo, Mets Explode for 19 Runs in Drubbing of Nats appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

While this free agent class is overshadowed by the big fish on the market, Juan Soto, there is still a future first ballot Hall-of-Famer on the marker. On Wednesday, it was reported that the Houston Astros are “having conversations” with Justin Verlander on a potential return to Houston in 2025, per Astros GM Dana Brown on ESPN’s Baseball Tonight podcast. The former Met posted his highest ERA since his 2005 rookie season, where he threw only 11 1/3 innings, in his 2024 campaign with the Astros. 

Between injuries and poor play, Verlander’s market is not as large as one would think, making a return to a familiar place on a one-year deal quite possible.

Erik Williams-USA TODAY Sports

Latest Mets News

Francisco Alvarez continues to show videos of him putting in work during the offseason.

Offseason work for Francisco Alvarez 💪

(via franciscoalvarez.13/IG) pic.twitter.com/O5fwINkMiy

— SNY Mets (@SNY_Mets) November 23, 2024

Latest MLB News

Texas Rangers reliever Josh Sborz had a shoulder debridement procedure last week, per Evan Grant of Dallas Morning News. Sborz will miss 2-3 months of the 2025, but he and the club still agreed to a deal for the 2025 season.

The Cincinnati Reds have hired former World Series champion Mike Napoli for an unspecified role within the organization, per Rob Bradford of WEEI. Napoli was previously the Chicago Cubs first base coach.

Former St. Louis Cardinals close Giovanny Gallegos is signing a minor league deal with a spring training invite with the Los Angeles Dodgers, per Steve Adams of MLB Trade Rumors.

Right-handed relief pitcher Yunior Marte signed a minor league deal with a spring training invite with the Seattle Mariners, per Francys Romero.

Former 2018 sixth-round pick and right-handed pitcher Codi Heuer has re-signed with the Texas Rangers on a minor league with a spring training invite, per Matt Eddy of Baseball America. 

The Los Angeles Dodgers have had “preliminary dialogue” with NLCS MVP and utility man Tommy Edman on a potential contract extension, per Jon Morosi of MLB Network. Edman will become a free agent after the 2025 season.

Latest on MMO

Get to know potential Mets starting pitching target Matthew Boyd.

Chris Bello gave a look at some non-tendered players the Mets should go after.

On This Date in Mets History

2005: The Mets acquire Carlos Delgado from the Florida Marlins in return for first baseman Mike Jacobs and prospects Yusmeiro Petit and Grant Psomas. Delgado hit 104 home runs with New York and finished top-15 in MVP voting twice. 

Born On This Date: Jason Jacome (1970), Bob Friend (1930).

The post Morning Briefing: Astros ‘Having Conversations’ With Verlander appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

On Wednesday afternoon, Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns addressed the media for his post-season press conference. While there were plenty of quotes regarding pending free agents, including the mention of wanting to bring back both Pete Alonso and Jesse Winker, Stearns also gave updates regarding injured Mets.

First was right-handed relief pitcher Dedniel Núñez, who was severely missed by the Mets’ bullpen down the stretch run of the season. The Mets’ president of baseball ops said that Núñez is progressing well after missing the last month of the season due to a strained flexor tendon in his right arm; the club hopes to get him back on the mound by November, and have a normal offseason if that goes well.

The other major piece of injury news was not as positive, as Mets prospect Ronny Mauricio has not started baseball activities while his rehab has not progressed as quickly as the club hoped for. Mauricio tore his ACL last offseason during his stint in the Dominican Winter League and is trying to get back on the field some time in 2025.

For a full breakdown of Stearn’s presser, click here!

Photo by Jordan Godfree-USA TODAY Sports

Latest Mets News

The Mets’ seventh-round pick in the 2019 draft, Luke Ritter, was selected by USA Baseball to represent the nation at the WBSC Premier 12 Tournament, which will feature the top 12 baseball nations in the world, per Taylor Eldridge of The Wichita Eagle. 

The League Championship Series was the most-watched since 2017, per MLB Communications. Game 1 of the NLCS between the Mets and Dodgers drew more than 20.6 million viewers in the United States and Japan. 

Alex Cohen, wife of Mets owner Steve Cohen, announced she is taking a social media break, but made sure to show her love for Mets Nation prior to doing so. “You guys have been the best fans any team could ever ask for,” she wrote.

Latest MLB News

The Miami Marlins will interview Los Angeles Dodgers first base coach Clayton McCullough for their vacant managerial position, per Isaac Azout of Fish On First.

Netflix has officially premiered its documentary on the 2004 World Series champion Boston Red Sox, titled “The Comeback.”

Sam Blum and C. Trent Rosecrans of The Athletic detailed what it feels like for major leaguers whose big league cameos resulted in World Series jewelry. 

The Tampa Bay Rays re-signed RHP Michael Flynn to a minor league deal with a spring training invite, per Steve Adams of MLB Trade Rumors. Tampa acquired him in a trade where they sent the Dodgers Amed Rosario. 

Latest on MMO

MMO writers gathered to give the Mets’ miracle season a letter grade.

Ronny Mauricio is not doing baseball activities following his ACL surgery. 

David Stearns addressed the media in his post-season press conference. 

On This Date in Mets History

2019: The MLBPA announces Pete Alonso as the NL Outstanding Rookie and Jacob deGrom as the NL Outstanding Pitcher for the 2019 MLB season. 

2006: Carlos Delgado is awarded the Roberto Clemente Award; Clemente is the reason Delgado wore 21. 

2000: Al Leiter becomes the second Met to ever win the Roberto Clemente Award, joining Gary Carter. 

2000: The Mets beat the Yankees in Game 3 of the World Series behind a Benny Agbayani go-ahead RBI double in the bottom of the eighth inning.

Born On This Date: Omar Quantanilla (1981), Mike Matthews (1973), Junior Ortiz (1959), Ron Gardenhire (1957).

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On Wednesday, one of the great first basemen of the 21st century officially hung up his cleats. In an Instagram post where he gave thanks to all those that helped him during his career, longtime Red Joey Votto called it a career. Votto played all 17 of his major league seasons in Cincinnati since being called up in 2007, racking up six All-Star appearances, one Gold Glove Award and an MVP.

Votto was a wizard at the plate, always finding a way to get on base. During his prime, it was a virtual guarantee that he would hold a batting average north of .300 by the end of the season and was a walk machine, leading the NL in OBP seven times. Despite signing a minor league deal with the Blue Jays prior to the 2024 season, he never made it to the majors this year and will end as a career-long Red.

It was also another exciting day in Flushing on Wednesday. If Monday’s finish wasn’t enthralling enough, the Mets had more in store on Wednesday. Despite giving seven solid innings, Sean Manaea left the game with the eventual tying run on base. However, Jesse Winker was there to save the day; Winker sent his first home run as a Met over the left field wall in the bottom of the ninth inning to give the Mets a 4-3 win over the Orioles, securing a series win over the O’s. For more on the Mets’ late-inning theatrics, click here.

After going 5-4 during their homestand, the Mets will now swing back out to the West Coast to take on the Padres and Diamondbacks. Luis Severino (8-6, 3.91 ERA) will be on the mound for Thursday night’s 9:40 p.m. start against Padres ace Dylan Cease (12-9, 3.46 ERA) to kick off the four-game weekend series in San Diego. The Mets currently stand 1.5 games behind the Braves for the third Wild Card spot.

Latest Mets News

Jett Williams went 1-for-3 with a stolen base in his first rehab appearance for the St. Lucie Mets. He played seven solid innings at shortstop, including this sparkling play.

Jett Williams in his first rehab game for the St. Lucie Mets:

1-for-3, SB, played 7 innings at SS including this great play.

pic.twitter.com/FbtmTiSjU4

— Mike Mayer (@mikemayer22) August 21, 2024

Former Mets manager Terry Collins is hosting a Mets pre-game party on Saturday before their game against the Padres. The event, which starts at 4 p.m., will be on 42nd Street by Grand Central and fans will be able to meet and watch the game with Collins.

Katie Honan of The City NY gave Mets fans insight into Citi Field’s SVP of ballpark operations, who makes game days run smoothly.

Comedian and writer Eitan Levine set the world record for the most first pitches in a season on Wednesday. With his first pitch at Citi Field, he threw out his 40th and record-breaking first pitch. 

Mets top pitching prospect Brandon Sproat struggled in his third start for Triple-A Syracuse: 5 IP, 9 H, 6 ER, 0 BB, 0 K.

Latest MLB News

The St. Louis Cardinals optioned INF Nolan Gorman to Triple-A Memphis and recalled INF José Fermín from Triple-A. The once top prospect Gorman has struggled this season, with a slash line of .203/.271/.400.

Atlanta Braves left-handed reliever A.J. Minter underwent left hip surgery on Wednesday and will be out for the remainder of the 2024 season. 

Johnny Cueto made his 2024 debut on Wednesday and was given a standing ovation by the Kansas City crowd after giving up three runs in 6 1/3 innings. While Cueto was pitching for the Angels, Mets fans know all too well how important he was for the Royals in their 2015 World Series season. 

Royals fans don't forget Johnny Cueto's contributions to the 2015 team 👏 pic.twitter.com/diuKWtUGKN

— MLB (@MLB) August 22, 2024

The World Baseball Classic announced the pools and schedule for the 2026 WBC, which will start on March 5 of that year. The United States will be in Pool B with Mexico, Great Britain, Italy and another qualifier.

In his first start since June 9, Justin Verlander went 5 IP, 2 ER, 4 H, 1 BB, and 6 K in the Astros’ 4-1 loss to the Red Sox.

Yankees starting RHP Luis Gil was placed on the 15-day IL on Wednesday with a lower back strain. 

Latest on MMO

Jose Quintana’s August troubles continue to roll on. 

Mets propsect Nolan McLean dazzled in the Rumble Ponies Tuesday win.

Jesse Winker walk-off homer gives Mets the series win in electric fashion.

On This Date in Mets History

2006: Carlos Delgado blasts a grand slam into deep right field at Shea Stadium for his 400th career home run. Carlos Beltran finished that game by hitting a two-run walk-off home run off of Jason Isringhausen to beat the Cardinals, 8-7.

Birthdays: Darrin Jackson (61), Ike Hampton (73), Ray Burris (74)

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Oliver Pérez took the mound for the Mets that night, and tossed seven innings of two-hit ball, allowing just two hits while striking out eight and walking three. He was relieved by Aaron Heilman, who finished the game with two innings pitched, no hits or walks allowed, and three strikeouts. Pérez and Heilman both conjure up unpleasant memories for Mets fans, but on this night, they were solid as the Mets were marching toward a run at the postseason.

On offense, David Wright got the Mets going in the bottom of the first inning, clubbing a home run to left-center field, scoring Daniel Murphy, who had reached on an infield single. That was all the combination of Pérez and Heilman would need, though the Mets added a run in the bottom of the fourth inning when Carlos Delgado went yard off Marlins’ starter Ricky Nolasco.

Murphy, who made his major league debut on August 2, 2008, had two hits on the night and played left field. He was replaced for defense by Fernando Tatis. The only other Met with multiple hits was catcher Brian Schneider.

August 8 was just about when the Mets went on a tear under manager Jerry Manuel. On August 13, the New Yorkers moved into a tie with the Phillies for first place, and the Mets held first place until September 16. The Mets briefly saw first place again on September 19 but then fell back into second place, where they would remain for the rest of the season.

Johan Santana pitched an epic game on the season’s second-to-last day to keep the Mets alive in the wildcard race, but the guys from Queens would lose on the season’s final day, in the last game ever played at Shea Stadium. The Milwaukee Brewers took the wild card spot in 2008, and the Mets’ season would end in disappointment for the second year in a row.

The 2024 Mets are similarly chasing a wild card spot (though there are three in each league now). Mets fans hope that the outcome of this chase will be different than that of the 2008 team.

The post OTD 2008: Óliver Pérez Shines in Mets’ Victory appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

The Mets placed RHP Drew Smith on the 15-day IL, retroactive to June 24, with a right elbow sprain before Wednesday’s game. Smith left Sunday’s game against the Cubs after coming in for Edwin Díaz ,who was ejected and suspended 10 games for having a foreign substance on his hand. Smith would go on to get two outs prior to leaving the game after being checked by the trainer and showing some discomfort in his throwing arm.

His IL designation came a couple of hours after Carlos Mendoza told the media that he would be getting an MRI after experiencing forearm tightness, per Tim Healey of Newsday. RHP Ty Adcock was recalled from Triple-A Syracuse to take his spot in the bullpen. 

Drew Smith, Photo by Ed Delany of Metmerized

The Mets finished off a sweep of the Subway Series on Wednesday night as the Amazin’ offense exploded yet again. Despite an hour and a half rain delay, the Mets added to their 4-0 lead and didn’t stop. They poured  on against the Yankees’ bullpen, leading to a 12-2 final score.

The Mets have off on Thursday before they host the Houston Astros for a weekend series. The Mets are expected to have José Quintana on the mound (3-5, 4.58 ERA) against Ronel Blanco (8-2, 2.34 ERA) of the Astros for the Friday matchup.

Latest Mets News

Mets catcher Joe Hudson cleared waivers, per Anthony DiComo of MLB.com. The club outrighted him back to Triple-A Syracuse.

Ryan Clifford was named the Mets’ hottest-hitting prospect by MLB.com. Despite having a .211 batting average in June, 11 of his 12 hits have been for extra bases and he boasts a 1.081 OPS this month.

José Iglesias has been pressured by J.D. Martinez and the Mets’ clubhouse to push up the official release of “OMG,” and it will now be available on Friday, per Steve Gelbs of SNY.

Brett Baty continues to tear up Triple-A, hitting two more home runs and raising his OPS to 1.188. He has now homered eight times in 65 at-bats since being sent down.

Jonah Tong threw a gem for High-A Brooklyn on Wednesday: 6 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 11 SO. He now has a 3.38 ERA on the season.

Luisangel Acuña had his 9th multi-hit game of his last 15 games. He has 26 hits, 12 RBIs and six stolen bases during that span for Triple-A Syracuse.

Latest MLB News

The Houston Astros signed former Mets catcher Omar Narváez to a minor league deal, per Ari Alexander of KPRC 2 Houston. The Mets released Narváez on June 5.

Shohei Ohtani set a Dodgers franchise record by becoming the first player to record an RBI in 10 straight games.

The Astros lose yet another pitcher as J.P. France will be undergoing surgery on his shoulder and will miss the remainder of thr 2024, per his agent Nate Heisler of Klutch Sports. José Urquidy and Cristian Javier are also going to miss the rest of the season due to Tommy John surgery, Luis Garcia and Lance McCullers have missed the first half of the 2024 season, and Justin Verlander has also missed time this season.

MLB announced the participants in the 2024 All-Star Celebrity Softball game, including Pedro Martínez, Tyrese Maxey of the Philadelphia 76ers and former NFL star Terrell Owens. 

Alden Gonzalez of ESPN dives into Trajekt Arc, which is a machine that can replicate every pitch thrown in MLB, down to the mph and RPM. Hitters can use the machine during games and is the latest advancement for batters to use in attempt to keep up with continuous pitch development.

Justin Verlander, who is eligible to come off the IL on Monday, will not accompany the Astros to New York, according to Houston’s manager Joe Espada, per Chandler Rome of The Athletic. He also noted that Verlander is getting better, but still has not played catch yet.

Michael Kay complained about SNY saying the Mets had the best booth in baseball.

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Brett Baty keeps raking in Triple-A. 

Mark Vientos had his signature Subway Series moment on Tuesday.

Harrison Bader gets revenge against his old squad.

On This Date in Mets History

2008: Carlos Delgado sets a Mets franchise record by driving in nine runs in one game. Delgado hit a two-run double, three-run home run, and a grand slam in a Mets big win over the Yankees.

1962: The Mets sign a 17-year-old first baseman, Ed Kranepool. The original Met would go on to play 18 seasons with the club.

Birthdays: Abraham Almonte (35), Chris Woodward (48), Ricardo Jordan (54), Jeff Conine (58)

The post Morning Briefing: Mets Place Drew Smith On IL appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

The ’19 team, managed by Allison Waxman, looked on their way to another shocking series win, but David Wright and the ’06 Mets, managed by myself, turned their real-life Game 7 woes around.

The ’06 Mets ultimately took the series in seven games behind a game-winning, walk off solo home run by Wright in Game 7. But the series ended up extremely entertaining, and damnit, Pete Alonso‘s rookie season fortunes translated DIRECTLY to Out of the Park. (He had six homers and 12 RBIs in seven games.) The total score of the seven games was 33-31 (advantage ’19)—pretty evenly matched despite assumptions made from the matchup on paper.

Check out how the series played out below and where the ’06 team will go from here!

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Game 1

Game 1 was a drubbing, with the ’19 team winning 7-0.

Pedro Martinez got ambushed by Pete Alonso, J.D. Davis and Juan Lagares (yes, you read that right) with homers in the first three innings, and Jacob deGrom (with run support!) shut down the ’06 lineup, who mustered three hits all game.

’19 may have surprised in their last series, but they made a statement starting this one.

Game 2

Zack Wheeler took the hill for Game 2 and faced off against Orlando Hernández. Like his fellow rotation oldie Pedro Martínez, El Duque put up a dud, allowing five runs in three innings. That was capitalized by Pete Alonso’s second home run of the series, an opposite field bomb that brought in three. Wheeler was able to limit damage and pass the game over to Edwin Díaz and Seth Lugo, who shut the door for the ’19 team in an 8-5 win.

The 2019 team is now up 2-0.

Game 3

The 2006 team needed this one, but it wouldn’t come easy.

With Tom Glavine and Noah Syndergaard facing off, each offense popped a couple of homers off the other. Floyd and Beltrán each hit two-run jacks, and Todd Frazier and—guess who—Pete Alonso each got one off Glavine. But the ’06 team was able to string together singles and doubles in the sixth to bring the score to 7-4—a lead that the bullpen would barely hold onto, with Billy Wagner ultimately notching a save in a 7-6 win.

Game 4

Game 4 saw John Maine face off against Marcus Stroman (the ’19 starting rotation was pretty damn good on paper).

The ’06 team, though, went up 2-0 on an RBI single by Endy Chavez and solo homer by David Wright. But Pete freaking Alonso drew them even in the third with a two-run bomb. The game continued back and forth for the next three frames, entering the seventh tied at three. But the ’19 team started pulling away in the seventh. A bases loaded walk to Amed Rosario and a fielders choice by J.D. Davis made it 5-3. The next inning, Wilson Ramos knocked in two on a bases loaded single. Though Shawn Green brought it back within three with a solo shot in the eighth, an Alonso double brought home Jeff McNeil in the ninth to make it 8-4.

The final frame got dicey with Steven Matz on the mound. After getting the first two outs, a single and two walks by Beltrán, Wright and Delgado gave Paul Lo Duca a shot to tie the game with the bases loaded. But he grounded out to third base, and the ’06 team was now on the ropes.

Game 5

The ’06 Mets are now down 3-1 in the series with Jacob deGrom as the opposition in a must-win situation. A tall order. But the ’06 wouldn’t quit. Neither would Pedro Martinez. He tossed seven shutout inning, and the ’06 team strung together two solo home runs—by Carlos Beltrán and Cliff Floyd—and a sac fly from Shawn Green. All three runs were off deGrom in the first four innings. Then the ’06 bullpen shut the door the rest of the game, with Wagner notching his second save of the series.

Game 6

In a must-win Game 6, El Duque and Wheeler faced off again. But this time, Hernández got the best of the matchup with six one-run innings in a drubbing by ’06.

David Wright got his second of the series in the top of the first, and Alonso got his SIXTH in the second. But the ’06 team started pulling away in the fourth with a four-run frame—Cliff Floyd and Endy Chavez both contributed RBI extra-base hits. But Carlos Beltrán put the icing on the cake in the eighth inning with a grand slam, putting the Mets up 11-3 for good.

Game 7

Game 7. It didn’t go great for the real-life ’06 team. The ’19 team never made the playoffs. It ended up as a pitching duel between Marcus Stroman and Tom Glavine.

Through six innings, both starters allowed a single run—a homer each to Carlos Delgado and J.D. Davis. The game was handed over to the bullpen, and combinations of Aaron Heilman, Pedro Feliciano, Robert Gsellman and Steven Matz pitched clean frames in the seventh and eighth.

Billy Wagner entered the game for the ’06 team in the top of the 9th, but three of the first four batters—Michael Conforto, Todd Frazier, and Juan Lagares—all got on base. Lagares was the third, and his single to center could’ve brought Conforto, but Waxman played conservative with one out and the bases now loaded. But Wagner settled in and retired Nimmo, and Chad Bradford entered to retire Rosario. Onto the bottom of the ninth.

Matz continued into the ninth with Seth Lugo warming. He started the frame getting Beltrán to fly out. Waxman weighed bringing in Lugo, but she stuck with Matz. David Wright came up and played hero, mashing a 438-foot homer to dead center. The 2006 team completed the comeback. Onto the semis!

MVP

David Wright wins the MVP of this series. He had three homers and seven RBIs, the most important one on the last pitch of the series. He got on base 11 times over seven games with a .878 OPS.

I debated giving this to Alonso, given his SIX home runs and 12 RBIs across seven games, but Wright had the last laugh and closed the book on this one.

What’s Next

The ’06 team will face off against either the 1988 Mets or the 1969 Miracle Mets in the semifinals. You can read a preview of that series here. Stay tuned to see who makes it!

The post Mets Madness Recap: ’06 Mets Best ’19 Mets in Thrilling Seven Games appeared first on Metsmerized Online.