Bruce Levine has corrected his original report saying the Cubs have NOT talked to the Mets about Freddy Peralta. However, the Cubs are in the market for starting pitching.

Original Report – May 8 @ 15:56

According to 670 The Score’s Bruce Levine, the Mets and Chicago Cubs, among other teams, have held early talks surrounding right-handed starting pitcher Freddy Peralta.

“According to industry sources the Cubs are one of the teams the Mets have talked to about acquiring RHP Freddy Peralta,” Levine reported. “June 1st is a target time for the Mets to either get back into the race or move the soon to be Free agent. Peralta and Craig Counsell share a mutual bond.”

Brad Penner-Imagn Images

To be clear, the Mets have not yet indicated that they will be sellers, hence Levine pointing out that the club has reportedly circled June 1 as the point in time in which they’ll decide what path to take for the remainder of the season.

New York has won four of its last six games, all of which have come on the road against the Los Angeles Angels and Colorado Rockies. Even so, the team is tied with the San Francisco Giants for the worst record in the league at 14-23.

Peralta has pitched well for the Mets after coming over in an offseason trade from the Milwaukee Brewers that sent Brandon Sproat and Jett Williams the other way, posting a 3.12 ERA and 43 strikeouts across eight starts totaling 43 1/3 innings thus far.

The 29-year-old will reach free agency after the 2026 season concludes, however, and if New York can’t play its way back into the playoff race, he could find himself on the move as one of the top arms available ahead of the August 3 trade deadline.

The Mets officially announced their second half gate giveaways today, which includes a Peralta bobblehead on July 25 and a Peralta replica jersey on August 19.

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Tobias Myers started in place of David Peterson and delivered exactly what the Mets needed, pitching two scoreless innings with one hit allowed and two strikeouts. Peterson eventually entered the game to get some work in and performed well, going 3 2/3 innings, allowing three hits, and recording one strikeout.

Huascar Brazobán, Brooks Raley, and Luke Weaver also contributed by pitching scoreless frames, which is a positive sign for a bullpen that has struggled throughout this losing streak. However, Devin Williams entered the game in the ninth and blew the save by giving up a game-tying double to former Met Michael Conforto. Williams managed to strike out Carson Kelly and Pete Crow-Armstrong to escape the ninth.

The Mets’ offense continued to falter, going 0-for-6 with runners in scoring position and leaving five on base. They failed to capitalize on Cubs starter Javier Assad, who had given up nine runs in his previous outing against Philadelphia. The Mets struck out nine times during the game, with hits coming from Luis Robert Jr., MJ Melendez, Brett Baty, Marcus Semien, and Luis Torrens. Their only score came from a Melendez home run in the fifth inning.

Francisco Lindor, Carson Benge, and Bo Bichette all went hitless. The game moved to the 10th inning, where the Mets could not bring home the free runner at second base, despite Semien advancing him to third with a single. Torrens struck out with runners at second and third base, highlighting the team’s ongoing offensive struggles this season.

Dansby Swanson attempted to bunt Pete Crow-Armstrong, the free runner at second, over to third, but Craig Kimbrel threw a wild pitch past Torrens, allowing Crow-Armstrong to advance to third. After Swanson struck out, Nico Hoerner brought home Crow-Armstrong on a sacrifice fly, putting the final nail in the coffin for the Mets and extending their losing streak to eleven games.

This marks their first 11-game losing streak since 2004.

Player of the Game: MJ Melendez

MJ Melendez would continue his strong play as a Met since his recall, driving in the Mets’ lone run with a long solo home run in the fifth inning. Since being called up from Triple-A Syracuse, Melendez has been the lone bright spot on offense, hitting .357, with one home run and five hits through his time as a Met so far.

On Deck

The Mets will be off on Monday but travel back home to take on the Minnesota Twins at Citi Field. The Mets will throw out Nolan McLean (1-1, 2.28 ERA) in hopes of ending the losing streak, while Minnesota throws out Mick Abel (1-2, 3.98 ERA). First pitch will be at 7:10 pm ET and will be broadcast on SNY and Mets Radio 880.

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The New York Mets and Chicago Cubs were tied at 1-1 in the sixth inning Saturday. The Cubs had two runners on, and Freddy Peralta was taken out of the game. Brooks Raley came into the game, promptly gave up a three-run home run.

It’s the way the cookie has been crumbling for the Mets over the last two weeks. The Mets are now tied for the worst record in baseball and are on a 10-game losing streak. They desperately need to win today before heading into an off-day on Monday.

Mets Lineup

1. Carson Benge – LF
2. Bo Bichette – 3B
3. Francisco Lindor – SS
4. Luis Robert Jr. – CF
5. M.J. Melendez – DH
6. Mark Vientos – 1B
7. Brett Baty – RF
8. Marcus Semien – 2B
9. Luis Torrens – C

Starting Pitcher: Tobias Myers

After a couple of poor starts from David Peterson, the Mets are switching it up today and sending out Tobias Myers to the mound. Myers has pitched 13 innings over six games this season with a 3.46 ERA, 3.97 FIP, 0.769 WHIP, and a 114 ERA+. He has tossed three innings twice and the most amount of pitches he has made in any outing is 39.

Myers was a starter his rookie season in 2024 where he had a 3.00 ERA over 138 innings. Last season, he split time between the rotation and the bullpen. He faced the Cubs twice in relief last season totaling three innings allowing no runs and two hits while striking out three. The Cubs have the following career numbers against him:

• Miguel Amaya 1-2, BB
• Michael Busch 5-9, HR, K
• Michael Conforto 0-2
• Pete Crow-Armstrong 2-6, 3 K
• Ian Happ 2-6, HR, 2 BB, K
• Nico Hoerner 2-8, HR, K
• Carson Kelly 0-4, K
• Matt Shaw 0-1
• Seiya Suzuki 0-8, 4 K
• Dansby Swanson 2-7, 2B, BB

Cubs Lineup

1. Nico Hoerner – 2B
2. Michael Busch – 1B
3. Alex Bregman – 3B
4. Ian Happ – LF
5. Seiya Suzuki – RF
6. Moisés Ballesteros- DH
7. Carson Kelly – C
8. Pete Crow-Armstrong – CF
9. Dansby Swanson – SS

Starting Pitcher: Javier Assad

The Mets’ bats will try to breakout Sunday against Javier Assad. Assad has made two starts this season allowing nine runs on 12 hits over 10 innings. Last season, he only made eight starts totaling 37 innings due to an oblique strain. He had a 3.65 ERA, 4.24 FIP, 1.216 WHIP and a 105 ERA+.

The Mets have the following career numbers against Assad:

• Francisco Alvarez 1-2, 2B
• Brett Baty 1-3, K
• Bo Bichette 2-4, BB
• Francisco Lindor 3-7, HR, BB
• MJ Melendez 0-3
• Tommy Pham 1-7, HR< K
• Luis Robert Jr. 1-2, BB
• Marcus Semien 1-2
• Tyrone Taylor 0-3
• Mark Vientos 0-2

Game Notes

The New York Mets have lost 10 games in a row for the 13th time in franchise history. In each of the previous occurrences, the team did not make the playoffs.

Per Jeff Passan of ESPN, four teams in MLB history have lost 10 or more games in a row and made the playoffs. The last was the Guardians in 2025. Only one of those teams had a skid in April and still made the postseason: the 1951 Giants, who lost 11 consecutive.

Three Things To Watch For

1. Hitting and scoring. The Mets were failing at both getting hits and scoring runs during the week. In Chicago, they’ve gotten through the first step. The Mets have 21 hits over their first two games of the series, but have only six runs to show for it. Saturday, the Mets went 0-for-6 with runners in scoring position. Getting hits is encouraging, but you can’t win if you don’t score.
2. Francisco Lindor has been a lot better of late. Lindor went 2-for-4 at the plate Saturday. It was his second consecutive game recording two hits and his fourth time recording two hits in his last six games. In his last six games, he is 8-for-24 with a double and a home run (.333/.333/.500). He’s also only scored twice, highlighting the problems behind him. Over the last six games he has raised his season slash line from .167/.296/.250 to .214/.305/.321.
3. Luis Robert Jr. Robert Jr. is slashing .258/.372/.379 with a 116 OPS+. While his slugging is a bit down from his career line (.452), his on-base percentage is way up (.372). It’s the first time since 2023 that his OPS+ is over 100. He’s been much more patient this season, already working 12 walks. For comparison, he had 28 walks over 100 games in 2024 and 40 last year over 110 games. Robert hasn’t walked in five games though.

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Latest Mets News

Rock bottom keeps getting deeper and deeper for the Mets (7-13) as they lost their ninth straight game Friday to the Cubs (10-9), 12-4. The game was noncompetitive from the beginning, as Kodai Senga allowed four first-inning runs. Absolutely nothing is going right for the Mets right now, and they are on the verge of a 10-game losing streak just 20 games into the season.

The Mets take on the Cubs again Saturday at 2:20 p.m. ET. Freddy Peralta (1-1, 3.86 ERA) will take the mound against Jameson Taillon (0-1, 4.86 ERA).

Prior to Friday’s game, David Stearns told the media that manager Carlos Mendoza is “doing a very good job,” and he is not to blame for the team’s current skid.

D. Ross Cameron-Imagn Images

Latest MLB News

Angels legend Garret Anderson passed away after dealing with a medical emergency. He was just 53. Anderson holds several Angels records including games played, hits and RBIs. The Angels will wear a patch on their jersey for the remainder of the season to honor Anderson.

Private-equity billionaire José E. Feliciano and his wife are nearing a deal to acquire the San Diego Padres, for an MLB-record $3.9 billion.

The Cubs placed closer Daniel Palencia on the injured list with a left oblique strain. Palencia has pitched in five games this year and has not allowed a run.

Former Mets minor leaguer Luke Ritter signed a minor league deal with the Tigers. Ritter was one of the top power bats in the Mets’ system from 2019-2025.

On This Date in Mets History

Born on This Date: Brady Clark (1973), Rico Brogna (1970), Doug Flynn (1951), Chuck Taylor (1942), Larry Foss (1936).

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Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

The Mets began the game with a new-look batting order, with Carson Benge leading off for the first time in his young MLB career. Despite the first two batters being retired, Francisco Lindor ripped a two-out double to left field at 105.2 mph to give the Mets a runner in scoring position. However, Luis Robert Jr. would fly out to center on the next pitch, spoiling the chance to get on the board early.

Senga took the mound in the bottom half of the inning, looking to bounce back from the worst start of his career. However, things unraveled quickly, much like his last outing. After retiring the leadoff batter, Senga would allow a walk and a base-hit to put runners on the corners with one out. A strikeout of Ian Happ with the ghost forkball gave the right-hander two outs in the inning. A Seiya Suzuki single drove in the first run of the contest, followed by a three-run home run from Moises Ballesteros. After finally recording the final out of the inning, the Cubs led 4-0 after the first.

The Mets got on the board in the top of the second inning. Three-straight hits, including a Francisco Alvarez infield single, an MJ Melendez single, and a Marcus Semien double, drove in a run. With runners on second and third with nobody out, Brett Baty struck out. Tyrone Taylor followed with a laser of a single off the ivy in left-center field that drove in two more runs. However, a Pete Crow-Armstrong throw gunned him out at second base. After a Benge flyout, the Mets trailed 4-3.

Looking for a shutdown bottom half of the second, Senga failed to deliver. After a one-out walk, Nico Hoerner blasted a two-run home run to left field, extending the Cubs lead. Senga would retire the next two batters, keeping the Cubs’ lead at 6-3.

Senga was replaced by Huascar Brazobán in the bottom of the fourth inning after just 65 pitches. His final line was 3 1/3 IP, 6 H, 7 R, 6 ER, 3 BB, 3 K, with his season ERA sitting at 8.83. Brazobán did not keep the Cubs off of the board. After inheriting a runner from Senga, he allowed hits to the next two batters. After a lineout, a Baty error on a routine ground ball at first extended the Cubs lead. A strikeout ended the inning, with the Cubs leading 7-3.

Sean Manaea entered the game in relief of Brazobán in the bottom of the fifth inning. The left-hander pitched a one-two-three inning, striking out two.

The Mets had something brewing in the top of the sixth after a Melendez hit made it first and third with two outs. However, Semien grounded out, ending the inning. Manaea continued his strong work in the bottom half of the inning, working around a hit to keep Chicago’s lead at 7-3.

Mark Vientos led off the top of the seventh with a pinch-hit single, snapping an 0-for-23 skid. However, nothing would come of it as the offense stalled once again. The bottom half of the inning was not as kind to Manaea. After retiring the first two batters, back-to-back doubles plated another Cubs run. Manaea allowed an infield hit and a walk, followed by a wild pitch that scored another Chicago run. After a sacrifice fly drove in another run, Manaea finally escaped with the Cubs lead ballooning to 10-3.

The Mets’ offense woke up in the top of the eighth. After Lindor hit a line drive that was ruled an infield single, Robert drove a double down the right field line. Alvarez hit a chopper to third that he beat out for an infield single, driving in Lindor. After a Melendez strikeout, Semien blooped a single into left that loaded the bases. However, Vientos grounded into an inning-ending double play, with the Mets only scoring one run in the inning.

Manaea’s outing continued to age poorly in the bottom of the inning. After allowing a leadoff single, the lefty allowed a two-run home run that extended the Cubs’ lead to 12-4 before working out of the inning. Manaea’s season ERA now sits at 4.50.

The Mets failed to score in the top of the ninth, with the final score being 12-4 Cubs.

Player of the Game: MJ Melendez

Despite the Mets’ well-documented struggles across the board, Melendez has been a quality addition to the lineup. Today, he went 2-for-3 with a walk, now reaching base in five of his eight plate appearances as a Met. With Juan Soto, Jared Young, and Mike Tauchman on the injured list, Melendez should stick around on the big-league roster along with veteran Tommy Pham.

On Deck

The Mets will resume action on Saturday at 2:20 p.m. EST in the middle contest of the three-game set in Chicago. Freddy Peralta will take the mound for his fifth start of the season, looking to build off of a solid outing last weekend against the A’s. He’ll face off against Jameson Taillon. The game will stream live on SNY and MLB.com, radio on WCBS 880 and the Audacy app.

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It has been a bad week-and-a-half for the New York Mets. They enter play today last place in the NL East, five games out of first place with a 7-12 record and on an eight-game losing streak. The Mets desperately need to snap out of their funk. They are facing a Chicago Cubs team this weekend that is also in last place, but are 9-9 and only 1 1/2 games out of first in the NL Central. The Cubs are looking to extend their winning streak to three games this afternoon. Can the Mets let this losing streak blow away in the wind?

Denny Medley-Imagn Images

Mets Lineup

1. Carson Benge – RF
2. Bo Bichette – 3B
3. Francisco Lindor – SS
4. Luis Robert Jr. – CF
5. Francisco Alvarez – C
6. MJ Melendez – DH
7. Marcus Semien – 2B
8. Brett Baty – 1B
9. Tyrone Taylor – LF

Starting Pitcher: Kodai Senga

Senga’s last start was one to forget. He allowed seven runs on eight hits and two walks over 2 1/3 innings to the Athletics. This ballooned his season ERA from 3.09 to 7.07. Senga allowed a pair of home runs in that outing, the first two that he gave up this season. His FIP on the year, though, is a respectable 3.80.

Senga did not face the Cubs last season, but they have the following career numbers against him:

• Alex Bregman 1-3, 2B
• Michael Conforto 0-3, 2 BB, 2 K
• Ian Happ 2-6, 2 K
• Nico Hoerner 1-5, BB, 3 K
• Carson Kelly 0-3, 2 K
• Seiya Suzuki 1-2, BB
• Dansby Swanson 1-6, 2B, 2 K

Opposing Lineup

1. Nico Hoerner – 2B
2. Michael Busch – 1B
3. Alex Bregman – 3B
4. Ian Happ – LF
5. Seiya Suzuki – RF
6. Moisés Ballesteros – DH
7. Carson Kelly – C
8. Pete Crow-Armstrong – CF
9. Dansby Swanson – SS

Edward Cabrera is off to a good start in 2026. Over three outings, he has tossed 16 2/3 innings with a 1.62 ERA, 3.22 FIP, 1.140 WHIP and a 231 ERA+. His last start, though, was quite average. He allowed three runs on eight hits and three walks over five innings while striking out four. Cabrera had two very different starts against the Mets last season while he was with the Miami Marlins. In Queens, he allowed six runs (five earned) on eight hits and a walk over four innings, including three homers. His last start of the season was against the Mets in Miami, and he held them scoreless over five innings.

The Mets have the following career numbers against him:

• Francisco Alvarez 1-4, 2 K
• Brett Baty 2-2
• Francisco Lindor 3-18, HR, 6 BB, 4 K
• MJ Melendez 0-1, BB
• Tommy Pham 0-2, K
• Luis Robert Jr. 1-2, 2B, K
• Tyrone Taylor 2-7, 3 K
• Luis Torrens 0-2, K
• Mark Vientos 3-7, HR, BB, 2 K

Game Notes

• Manager Carlos Mendoza told reporters that in addition to his Achilles bursitis, Jorge Polanco is battling through right wrist soreness. Polanco, who has not appeared in the Mets’ lineup for each of their last two games, underwent an MRI in Chicago that the club is still waiting on the results from.
• Mendoza also stated that Juan Soto is getting in more live at-bats at Citi Field today and is doing high intensity running drills in addition to some outfield work as he works his way back from a calf injury he suffered on April 3 in San Francisco.

Three Things To Watch For

1. MJ Melendez. Before Wednesday’s game, the Mets announced that Jared Young needs meniscus surgery and could be out for two months. Melendez was called up in his place and had a great first game, going 2-for-4 with two doubles. Melendez struggled in 23 games with the Kansas City Royals last season, slashing .083/.154/.167 with a -10 OPS+. He was doing alright in Syracuse before getting called up, however, going 11-for-51 with three doubles, a triple and a home run (.216/.286/.431). The Mets need any spark they can get right now!
2. Please stop striking out. The Mets have had several games in a row now where they’ve barely been getting hits. On Wednesday, the Mets were struggling to get the bat on the ball; they had 14 strikeouts, including two from Lindor, Robert Jr., Baty, Melendez and Pham. Just a really bad night overall. Will the Mets change their approach at the plate this afternoon?
3. An old friend. Michael Conforto burst on the scene for the 2015 Mets with a 130 OPS+. He also hit two home runs in Game 4 of the World Series that year. After a couple of solid years in San Francisco (100 OPS+ in 2023, 115 OPS+ in 2024), he is trying to rebound after a hard 2025 season with the Los Angeles Dodgers where he hit .199/.305/.333 (81 OPS+) over 138 games. This season, he has played in 12 games and has come off the bench as a pinch hitter three games in a row. He is 6-for-22 with two doubles and six walks (.273/.429/.364, 136 OPS+). Here’s hoping he has a successful year – just not against the Mets.

Let’s go Mets!

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They will try to snap out of this bad run against the Chicago Cubs (9-9), who haven’t had a great start to the season either. They are currently last in the competitive National League Central and are only 4-5 at Wrigley Field.

Let’s take a look at some notes ahead of the three pitching matchups.

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PITCHING MATCHUPS

• Friday: Kodai Senga (0-2, 7.07 ERA) vs. Edward Cabrera (1-0, 1.62 ERA): After two impressive performances to begin his season, Senga got roughed up against the Athletics last Saturday. He went 2 1/3 innings with seven runs allowed on eight hits, including two home runs. It was bad from start to finish. The Mets desperately need him to bounce back. Senga is 1-1 with a 4.09 ERA in two career starts against the Cubs. Cabrera is a name the Mets are very familiar with, as he spent the last five years with the Miami Marlins. In 16 2/3 innings this season, he has only allowed three runs, all of which came in his last start against the Pittsburgh Pirates. Cabrera has faced the Mets 10 times in career, pitching to a 5.09 ERA across 40 2/3 innings.
• Saturday: Freddy Peralta (1-1, 3.86 ERA) vs. Jameson Taillon (0-1. 4.86 ERA): Peralta has been good, but not great, to begin his Mets tenure. He completed six innings for the first time last Sunday against the A’s. Being efficient and getting quicker outs is certainly an area that would give him a huge lift. As a former Milwaukee Brewer, Peralta has faced the Cubs a lot. Last season, he went 3-1 against them with a 3.43 ERA in four starts. Taillon is now in his fourth season with the Cubs, providing a veteran presence in the backend of their rotation. He is coming off a strange start against the Pirates, an outing in which he struck out 10 but allowed six runs in six innings. The home run ball has hurt him early on, giving up five in 16 2/3 innings.
• Sunday: David Peterson (0-3, 6.41 ERA) vs. Javier Assad (1-1, 8.10 ERA): Like Senga, Peterson is in desperate need of a bounce-back performance. After throwing 5 1/3 shutout innings against the Pirates on March 28, everything has gone south for him. Over his last three starts, Peterson is 0-3 with a 8.79 ERA. During that stretch, he has struggled to locate pitches. That has allowed teams to either draw walks or do damage against mistake pitches in the middle of the zone. That’s a bad combination. With Cade Horton out for the season and Justin Steele on his way back from a long-term injury, Assad has started the season in the Cubs’ rotation. He is coming off a brutal outing, surrendering nine runs on 11 hits in 4 1/3 innings against the Philadelphia Phillies on Monday.

WHAT’S THE STORY?

Can the story be anything but the lineup’s early-season struggles? This past offseason, it was clear a focus was being put on doing more with runners in scoring position. The Mets specifically targeted hitters who have had good career numbers in those situations. But through three-plus weeks, the entire lineup has disappointed in those spots. With runners in scoring position, the Mets are slashing .224/.319/.309 over 183 plate appearances. For a team that doesn’t have many pure home run hitters, that won’t be enough. If the Mets want to turn things around, that area needs to be a clear strength, not a glaring weakness.

PREDICTION

The Mets have lost eight straight, and the Cubs just took two of three from the Phillies on the road. One team has no momentum, and the other is gaining confidence and is playing at home. Until proven otherwise, the Mets are going to have their hands full this weekend. I think they win a game, but nothing more.

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Position: RHP B/T: R/R

Player Data: Age: 30 (09/27/1995)

2025 Traditional Stats: 68 G (1 start), 69 2/3 IP, 2.07 ERA, 0.962 WHIP, 4-2, 75 K, 22 BB

2025 Advanced Stats: 187 ERA+, 27 K%, 8% BB%, 2.77 xERA, 2.93 FIP, 3.32 xFIP, 1.3 fWAR, 1.4 bWAR

Rundown

Brad Keller debuted as a 22-year-old with the Royals after being poached from the Diamondbacks in the 2017 Rule 5 Draft and had a few solid seasons as a starting pitcher to begin his career. However, he endured a couple of rocky seasons in 2021 and 2022 before missing most of 2023 due to a shoulder injury. He underwent thoracic outlet syndrome surgery after that season and signed a minor league contract with the White Sox but was designated for assignment early in the season. He then struggled in a limited sample size after signing with the Red Sox.

Shortly before spring training in 2025, Keller inked a minor league deal with the Cubs and did enough to crack the Opening Day roster as a reliever. In his first full season pitching out of the bullpen, Keller flourished, entering Craig Counsell‘s circle of trust and serving as the primary setup man for closer Daniel Palencia. Overall, Keller appeared in 68 games and posted a 2.07 ERA in 69 2/3 innings, and his strikeout rate increased to a career-high 27.2%. Additionally, Keller’s hard-hit rate dropped to a career-low 30.6% and his opponents’ average exit velocity of 86.5 mph was also the lowest mark of his career. Keller allowed just four home runs, and his ground-ball rate increased to 55.5%, the highest he’s had over a full season. From 2021 to 2024, Keller’s opponents owned an .804 OPS, but in 2025, he limited them to a weak .512 mark.

Keller was particularly dominant over the final two months of the season, allowing just one earned run and striking out 30 batters over 22 2/3 innings. When Palencia got hurt in September, Keller inherited the closer’s role and kept it in the postseason, during which he converted both of his save opportunities while allowing one earned run and striking out five in 5 2/3 innings. Keller’s 2.77 xERA, 2.93 FIP, and 3.32 xFIP show that his season wasn’t much of a fluke either.

Keller was never a fireballer during his days as a starter, but his average fastball velocity skyrocketed from 93.8 mph to 97.2 mph in 2025. His four-seamer’s run value increased from negative-4 to plus-9, and opponents hit just .208 with a .292 SLG against it. Keller effectively mixed in his sinker as well, which didn’t surrender a single extra-base hit and registered a .179 xSLG as well as a plus-4 run value. Keller’s sinker had a run value per 100 pitches of 2.9, which is one of the highest marks in baseball. While Keller’s slider was hit hard, he increased the usage of his sweeper, against which opponents went just 3-for-41. Keller’s sweeper recorded a 46.4% whiff rate in addition to a .086 xBA and .154 xSLG. Keller’s change-up was also rather effective, posting a 39.7% whiff rate and a .237 xSLG.

Contract

Keller should expect a healthy raise from the $1.5 million he made in 2025. He likely will receive a multi-year deal to serve as a high-leverage reliever. Drew Pomeranz was able to sign a four-year, $34 million contract after the 2019 season despite having a much smaller sample size of success as a reliever. MLB Trade Rumors predicts Keller will ink a three-year deal worth $36 million.

Recommendation: Try to Sign

Whether or not the Mets re-sign Edwin Díaz, it wouldn’t hurt to bring in an arm like Keller to shore up the back end of the bullpen. The team struggled mightily to build a bridge to Díaz in 2025, and Keller proved he can be very effective as a reliever. Even if Keller regresses somewhat, he’d still be a lot better than what the Mets had this year. He also didn’t waver in the playoffs, which is important for a team trying to return to October.

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One would assume that David Peterson would be one of the first options behind his lefty counterpart. Peterson last pitched on Tuesday, and only threw 42 pitches as he struggled once again. The potential issue with pitching Peterson in a big spot is over his last five starts, he has allowed at least three or more runs and has an ERA of 12.54. However, he has shown to be effective out of the bullpen in big spots previously.

In addition to Peterson, Huascar Brazobán, Ryan Helsley, Dylan Ross, Gregory Soto, and Ryne Stanek all had the day off Saturday.

Soto (27 pitches) and Brazobán (19 pitches) both threw on Friday, but prior to that, each last pitched on Tuesday. Hesley, who has been extremely effective over his last five outing, last pitched on Wednesday, throwing a season-high two innings, needing 24 pitches. However, before that, he last worked September 20 against Washington. Stanek has been the “busiest” of the bunch, as he last threw on Thursday (12 pitches), but needed 25 pitches on Tuesday. Meanwhile, Ross, who is awaiting a major-league debut, has not pitched in a professional game since September 21 with Triple-A Syracuse.

The group of relievers who saw action Saturday included Brooks Raley, Tyler Rogers, and Edwin Díaz. Fortunately, none of the three needed more than 13 pitches to get their respective job completed.

Raley threw 13 pitches, and, despite appearing twice in the series in Chicago, only needed 14 pitches on Thursday and five pitches on Tuesday. So, he should be fresh and ready to go if needs be on Sunday. Rogers, who is tied for the league-lead in appearances from a reliever, also pitched Tuesday and Thursday in Chicago. Notably, he threw 31 pitches on Tuesday. But, given his pitching style, and the fact he had off Friday, before only throwing 11 pitches on Saturday, an appearance Sunday if needed seems likely.

The last of the bunch is Edwin Díaz. The Mets’ closer pitched the ninth inning of the 5-0 Mets’ victory Saturday. He also threw Thursday, but only needed eight pitches after notching a two-inning save on Tuesday. Given he only threw 13 pitches on Saturday, and eight on Thursday, he will certainly be available for the finale and will likely have the capabilities to be pushed past one inning if needed.

Long story short, the Mets’ should have all hands on deck on Sunday. Even someone like Jonah Tong should hypothetically be available to manager Carlos Mendoza if needed. Of course, the Mets need a little help, however, as it relates to their own game, the availabilities and freshness of their pitching is in a decent spot.

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Needing a win, the Mets turned to their rookie phenom, right-handed pitcher Nolan McLean (4-1, 1.18 ERA, 52 SO), to take the mound against the left-handed Shota Imanaga (9-7, 33.48 ERA, 117 SO). The Cubs have already clinched a postseason berth and are now fighting for home-field advantage.

The Mets came out hot from the start and never let off the gas, defeating the Cubs 8-5 to take game three and the series over Chicago. Brandon Nimmo went 3-for-4 with an RBI and two runs scored; Brett Baty was 2-for-4 with three RBIs and two runs scored, and Tyrone Taylor had a big 2-run RBI double as part of his 2-for-4 night.

The Mets altogether struck for eight runs on 10 hits, and until the sixth inning, McLean was sharp, striking out 11.

The Mets got right to work in the top of the first, quickly putting pressure on Imanaga and the Cubs.  Lindor walked to lead off the game. With one out and Lindor on, Pete Alonso hit his 39th double of the year to left field to reach and move Lindor over to third for Mark Vientos, who hit a pop fly in foul territory (and thanks to Dansby Swanson entering the stands) allowed Lindor to score to make it a 1-0 Mets lead early. Just one batter later, Brandon Nimmo hit an RBI single that scored Alonso, and the Mets found themselves up 2-0 over the Cubs.

After Nolan McLean struck out the side in the bottom of the second, the Mets were back to work in the third and extended their lead to three in historic fashion. With one out, Francisco Lindor sent a home run deep to left field. It was his 30th home run of the season, making him the second shortstop to have two 30/30 seasons (Bobby Witt Jr. accomplished the feat first).

Per Mike Mayer of Metsmerized Online, the 2025 Mets are also now the third team in MLB history with two 30-30 players in the same season, as Juan Soto joined the club earlier this season. The other two teams were the 1996 Colorado Rockies (Ellis Burks & Dante Bichette) and the 1987 Mets (Howard Johnson & Darryl Strawberry).

The Mets continued to pour it on in the fourth, striking for three more runs to make it a 6-0 Mets lead. With one out, Nimmo got things going with a single that was followed by a single by Luis Torrens to put two on.

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Brett Baty launched one deep to left field, scoring three, and just like that, the Mets were up six.

The Cubs got a run back in the bottom of the fourth on a home run by Seiya Suzuki that made it a 6-1 game. Dansby Swanson tacked on another homer in the fifth to make it a 6-2 game.

The Mets answered right back in the top of the sixth. After Nimmo and Baty hit back-to-back singles, Tyrone Taylor came up clutch for a second night in a row with an RBI double to center field to extend the lead, 8-2.

However, the Cubs clawed back, with Seiya Suzuki hitting his second homer of the night, a three-run dinger to make it an 8-5 game. Mendoza removed McLean, who had only surrendered one homer in his young MLB career.

McLean’s final line: 5.1 IP, 5 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 2 BB, 11K, 3 HR, 2.06 ERA

Player of the Game

Wednesday’s Metsmerized Player of the Game is Brett Baty for his 2-for-4 day, with three RBIs and two runs scored. He also had a phenomenal barehanded play in the field and had a great day on both sides of the field.

On Deck

Just three games remain in the 2025 regular season. For the Mets, they’ll end their season down in Miami, taking on the Marlins. Their final series of the season kicks off Friday at 7:10 PM EST at loanDepot Park.

Brandon Sproat (0-1, 3.49 ERA, 15 SO) will take the mound for game one against right-handed pitcher Sandy Alcantara (10-12, 5.48 ERA, 139 SO) for the Marlins.

Entering Friday, the Mets sit one game ahead of the Reds and two games ahead of the Diamondbacks for the final Wild Card spot.

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