One day after a disastrous six-error game, the Mets made two more defensive miscues that ended up costing them another game. Their 4-3 loss to the Cubs in ten innings on Thursday finalized a four-game sweep and was New York’s sixth consecutive defeat.

This time, the Mets’ defense unraveled in the sixth, when Ronny Mauricio made an errant throw, and Carson Benge bungled a play in right field. The two errors led to three Cubs runs in the inning.

“It’s just routine plays that are costing us,” said Carlos Mendoza after the game. “At this level, you expect to make plays like that. Those are routine plays.”

Freddy Peralta was the main victim tonight, in addition to anyone watching. He lasted 5 2/3 innings, giving up three runs (all unearned) on five hits, one walk, and five strikeouts.

All of the Mets’ runs came from in-game replacements. Eric Wagaman mashed a pinch-hit two-run homer in the sixth to get the Mets within one run, and defensive replacement Jared Young tied the game with a solo shot in the seventh.

But the Mets squandered multiple chances. They left the bases loaded with two outs in the sixth, the winning run on second in the ninth, and the ghost runner on second in the tenth.

Brooks Raley gave up the game-winning run on a double by former Mets draft pick Pete Crow-Armstrong in the tenth.

Fun fact: According to Gary Cohen on the broadcast, Juan Soto has never hit a walk-off homer in his career. That streak continued tonight.

PLAYER(S) OF THE GAME

Eric Wagaman and Jared Young, neither of whom started the game, did what the Mets starters couldn’t do – drive in runs.

UP NEXT

The Phillies come to town, having just beaten the Mets two of three games in Philadelphia last weekend. Zach Thornton will make his second big league start for New York, while Zack Wheeler (7–1, 2.11 ERA) takes the hill for the Phillies. Game time is 7:10 PM ET on WPIX.

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Yesterday was just an ugly day of Mets baseball. The Mets took a 3-0 lead in game one, only to watch it all fall apart to a 10-3 loss. In the nightcap, the Mets took a 3-1 lead and eventually lost 10-5 after committing six errors. After the game, the Mets traded David Peterson to the Cubs. Will Sammon reported that it doesn’t necessarily mean the Mets are entering a full-on sell mode, but it’s starting to feel like it.

The Mets desperately need to string a few wins together in a row, starting tonight behind Freddy Peralta.

Brad Penner-Imagn Images

Mets Lineup

1. Carson Benge – RF
2. Bo Bichette – 3B
3. Juan Soto – DH
4. Mark Vientos – 1B
5. Francisco Alvarez – C
6. A.J. Ewing – CF
7. Ronny Mauricio – SS
8. MJ Melendez – LF
9. Brett Baty – 2B

Starting Pitcher: Freddy Peralta

If things continue for the Mets, Freddy Peralta might be the best player the Mets can move at the deadline. Whether the Mets go into full sell mode or try to salvage this season and make a run, they’ll need Peralta to be more like himself. His last start was dreadful, allowing 10 runs over 2 2/3 innings with 10 hits. He’s been in a pattern recently alternating between horrid and decent starts. He allowed three runs on three hits and two walks over 5 2/3 innings against the Cubs earlier this season, who have the following career stats against him:

• Miguel Amaya 2-9, 2 K
• Alex Bregman 2-8, BB, K
• Michael Busch 3-23, 3 HR, 5 BB, 10 K
• Michael Conforto 3-10, 2B, 2 BB, 2 K
• Pete Crow-Armstrong 6-17, 2B, HR, BB, 2 K
• Ian Happ 5-39, 4 HR, 7 BB, 15 K
• Nico Hoerner 6-36, HR, 2 BB, 7 K
• Carson Kelly 2-15, BB, 7 K
• Matt Shaw 1-6, 2 BB, 2 K
• Seiya Suzuki 3-29, HR, 5 BB, 15 K
• Dansby Swanson 2-27, HR, 2 BB, 13 K

Opposing Lineup

1. Pete Crow-Armstrong – CF
2. Michael Conforto – RF
3. Michael Busch – 1B
4. Alex Bregman – 3B
5. Ian Happ – LF
6. Nico Hoerner – 2B
7. Pedro Ramírez – DH
8. Miguel Amaya – C
9. Dansby Swanson – SS

Matthew Boyd has made five starts this season, totaling 24 innings with a 6.00 ERA, 2.35 FIP, 1.292 WHIP and a 66 ERA+. This will be Boyd’s first start after tearing his meniscus when at home, playing with his kids. He also had a shoulder injury while rehabbing. Before his setback, he allowed eight runs over nine innings spread over two starts. In his one rehab game since, he pitched four scoreless innings, striking out seven batters. The Mets have the following career numbers against him:

• Francisco Alvarez 1-1, HR, BB
• Bo Bichette 2-5, HR
• Francisco Lindor 13-39, 3 2B, 2 HR, 3 BB, 5 K
• MJ Melendez 0-2, K
• Marcus Semien 3-11, HR, 3 BB, 3 K
• Juan Soto 1-10, HR, BB, 2 K
• Luis Torrens 1-2, 3B
• Mark Vientos 2-5, HR, K

Game Notes

• Chelsea Janes on SNY reported that Jorge Polanco was seen limping in the Mets’ clubhouse. Meanwhile, Luis Robert Jr. was able to run from first base to third base at close to full speed.
• Dedniel Núñez will soon begin a rehab assignment with Low-A St. Lucie. Núñez underwent Tommy John surgery last July.
• The Mets placed Marcus Semien on the injured list with a hip flexor strain. The team also recalled righty Daniel Duarte from Triple-A Syracuse.
• Zach Thornton is expected to take the rotation spot of David Peterson. Christian Scott will likely follow him in the rotation.

Three Things To Watch For

1. More Mets on the trading block. Wednesday night’s trade of David Peterson opens things up for more Mets to be traded. Bullpen arms always move from struggling teams, and A.J. Minter and Brooks Raley are both free agents at the end of the season. Minter has pitched on back-to-back days and will probably not be available tonight. Raley tossed 20 pitches yesterday, which maybe makes him available. The Mets are also stacked with infielders (Vientos, Baty, Mauricio) who are pre-arbitration eligible, with even more coming up through the system. The Mets rumor mill is going to start kicking in high gear.
2. Francisco Alvarez. Francisco Alvarez has a three-game home run streak, in which he has gone 5-for-11. He now has eight on the season and is a legitimate power threat in the Mets lineup. If he gets three more, he’ll tie his 11-home run mark that he has reached each of the last two seasons. Alvarez will need to go on a crazy run, though, to break his personal best of 25 homers in a season that he set in 2023.
3. Defense. Wednesday was just atrocious. The Mets made six errors, with Semien and Vientos each making two. The Cubs scored five unearned runs on the night in a game the Mets could have very well won if they had fielded their positions correctly. Hopefully, this was rock bottom and tonight the Mets start their climb up.

Let’s go Mets!

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The circus began in the first inning, when Francisco Lindor, fresh off the injured list, bobbled a ground ball from Seiya Suzuki. Luckily, Sean Manaea was able to escape the frame unscathed. The same can’t be said about the fourth inning, though. After a lead-off double by Nico Hoerner, Semien bobbled a ground ball from Carson Kelly, then threw wide to Mark Vientos, allowing Kelly to reach. The Cubs proceeded to score three runs on three straight singles and a wild pitch, taking a 4-3 lead.

“I feel like Manaea could have gone a little longer, and I added at least 15 pitches,” Lindor said after the game. “We’re better than what we showed today.”

In the seventh inning, Semien committed his second error of the night, letting a pop-up from Hoerner tip off his glove in shallow right field. Fortunately for him, Luke Weaver induced a double play grounder from Kelly, keeping the Mets’ deficit at just 6-5. In the following inning, Pedro Ramírez led off the frame by hitting a routine ground ball to Bichette, who bobbled the ball and was unable to make a throw. Two batters later, Vientos made an errant throw to A.J. Minter on a grounder from Pete Crow-Armstrong, allowing Ramírez to score. That miscue gave every player on the Mets’ infield an error for the night, the first time that had happened since September 8, 1962.

The defensive malfunctions continued in the ninth inning. After Hoerner’s two-out double, Vientos booted a grounder from Kelly for the Mets’ sixth error of the night. With the inning extended, Ramírez and Dansby Swanson hit consecutive singles, bringing home three runs and putting the game out of reach. The frustrated fans chanted Pete Alonso’s name, then headed for the exits following Swanson’s knock.

“It’s hard to explain,” Carlos Mendoza said in his postgame press conference. “Just a tough night overall.”

For much of the early part of the season, the Mets looked like a much-improved defensive team. They still rank eighth in the majors with 21 defensive runs saved. However, they’ve fallen to 20th in outs above average (negative-8) and 20th in fielding run value (negative-5). The normally sure-handed Semien has seen his defensive metrics plummet, going from plus-6 OAA in 2025 to negative-3 this year.

“Today was just a tough day all the way around,” Semien said after Wednesday’s nightcap. “We did not play well for two games, and it became frustrating after game 1. We wanted to come back out in game 2 and play well and it just didn’t happen, that’s mostly what I’m thinking about: performing way under par today and I really just want to get back here tomorrow and just play better baseball.”

Sitting at a season-worst 12 games below .500 and nine games out of a Wild Card spot, the Mets have run out of time for these issues to fix themselves. The team has been inconsistent in all facets of the game this year, but the team that preached about run prevention in the offseason has seen some of the same problems that doomed them last season resurface.

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At first, it looked like smooth sailing. McLean cruised through four scoreless innings, keeping Chicago quiet and appearing firmly in control. But the waters got choppy in the fifth.

After recording two quick outs, McLean couldn’t put the inning away. He allowed three consecutive hits of increasing consequence, culminating in a two-run homer from Michael Busch that tied the game at three.

The sixth inning followed a similar script. Once again, McLean found himself one out away from escaping trouble with only a runner on base. And once again, he couldn’t finish the frame. A bloop hit extended the inning before another long ball broke the game open, giving the Cubs a three-run lead. The Mets never got it back.

Early in the game, McLean looked every bit the frontline starter the Mets expected. His fastball had life, his sweeper was effective, and he was generating weak contact. Then, seemingly out of nowhere, he lost his footing.

When hitters weren’t making outs, they were barreling baseballs. McLean repeatedly left pitches over the heart of the plate, and the Cubs made him pay.

“Nobody likes losing,” McLean said postgame. “Any time I go out there and put my team in a bad position to win, that’s very frustrating. My job is to go out there and limit the score and I haven’t been doing that this year.”

To be fair, McLean has done exactly that for much of the season. But the ace-like status he proudly carried at the end of last year has started to flicker a bit. His ERA has climbed back above 4.00, ballooned by starts like this one, while his WHIP sits at 1.12.

The culprit appears to be his breaking ball. Its run value ranks in the bottom quarter of the league, a stark contrast to his fastball, which remains among baseball’s elite. His chase rate has also dropped significantly from last season’s sample, suggesting hitters simply aren’t being fooled by his off-speed pitches when they leave the strike zone.

The encouraging part? That’s fixable. The velocity hasn’t disappeared and the spin rate hasn’t vanished. His fastball remains a premium. The issue is command, particularly with the breaking stuff.

Add it to the growing list of things that have gone sideways for the Mets this season. If there was ever a year to work through mechanical issues without the weight of expectations crushing every outing, this is quickly becoming that year.

At least the Norwegian fans got the full Mets experience. And judging by the smiles in the stands, they seemed to enjoy it anyway.

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The first domino of trade season has fallen, as David Peterson will be switching dugouts tomorrow. The struggling lefty will be joining the Chicago Cubs as the Mets will get corner infield prospect Cole Mathis, the Cubs’ No. 13 prospect according to MLB.com, back in the deal. Peterson’s tenure as a Met has been up and down, but after a breakout 2024 season, the southpaw has had two disappointing seasons in Queens, leading to his final departure.

Peterson was the longest tenured Met, an honor that now shifts to Francisco Lindor.

Latest Mets News

It was another dismal day at Citi Field as the Mets hit a new rock bottom, getting swept by the Cubs in a doubleheader. Click here for the full game recap.

The Mets designated infielder Zack Short for assignment to make room for the return of Francisco Lindor from the 10-day IL after missing two months due to a strained left calf muscle.

Ronny Mauricio was also reinstated from the 10-day IL as he returned from his rehab assignment. Mauricio was optioned to Triple-A Syracuse.

Carlos Mendoza told reporters that Kodai Senga will be moved to the bullpen as he continues his massive struggles at the big league level.

Latest MLB News

The Arizona Diamondbacks have DFA’d veteran first baseman Carlos Santana after returning from the 60-day IL.

Former Met righty Carlos Carrasco was designated for assignment by the Atlanta Braves.

Latest On MMO

The Mets lose two more to the Cubs in a doubleheader sweep.

On This Date In Mets History

2013:  White Sox second baseman Gordon Beckham face-plants on a popup in the infield, letting the Mets tie the game down to their final out.

2007: Shawn Green hits a solo home run to lead off the eleventh inning, walking off the St. Louis Cardinals.

2001: Professional Baseball returns to Brooklyn for the first time in 44 years as the Cyclones take on the Mahoning Valley Scrappers.

1998: Carlos Baerga drops a single into right field to walk off Armando Benítez and the Baltimore Orioles.

1991: Down by a run with two outs in the ninth, Kevin McReynolds launches a walk-off Grand Slam over the left field wall.

Born On This Date: Franklyn Kilome (1995), Kane Davis (1975), Carlos Delgado (1972), Michael Tucker (1971), Aaron Sele (1970), Alejandro Peña (1959)

The post Morning Briefing: David Peterson’s Mets Tenure Comes to End appeared first on Metsmerized.

Peterson has appeared in 16 games (eight starts) for the Mets this season, struggling to a 6.09 ERA with 63 strikeouts against 30 walks in 68 innings.  The Cubs, who have taken the first three games of their series in Flushing, recently lost hurlers Edward Cabrera and Ben Brown to the injured list. They have been without the trio of Matthew Boyd, Jameson Taillon and Justin Steele for most of the year.

Peterson is set to hit free agency at the end of the season. He finishes his Mets tenure with a 40-36 record and a 4.31 ERA over six seasons. A first-round pick out of the University of Oregon in 2017, Peterson debuted in 2020, posting a solid 3.44 ERA in 49 2/3 innings. He dealt with injuries and inconsistency over the next few seasons, but enjoyed a breakout campaign in 2024 following offseason hip surgery. The lefty made 21 starts and posted a strong 2.90 ERA with 101 strikeouts against 46 walks in 121 innings, then continued to perform well in the postseason. Most notably, Peterson recorded the save in the Mets’ decisive Game 3 win over the Brewers in the Wild Card Series. All told, he allowed four earned runs in 12 1/3 innings, helping the Mets come within two wins of the World Series. In 2025, Peterson made the All-Star Game thanks to a sparkling first half, but faltered to a 6.34 ERA in the second half of the season.

As for Mathis, he was a second-round pick by the Cubs out of the College of Charleston in 2024. He’s enjoying the best season of his professional career in 2026, batting .272/.396/.585 with 10 homers and 12 doubles over 182 plate appearances between Single-A and High-A. He is ranked as the No. 13 prospect in the Cubs’ farm system by MLB Pipeline and the No. 9 prospect in the system by Baseball America. Mathis has primarily played first base this season, though he has also played five games at third base.

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But with Judge hurt in the AL, a new name has emerged as a favorite for the 2026 adaptation.

Ben Rice has dominated the majors this season. And sure, we’ve highlighted the first baseman numerous times through the power rankings on Metsmerized.com. But it’s June. This is officially “for real” territory.

Rice enters Saturday with 21 homers and a 1.005 OPS. He’s slugging .613. The production has been necessary for a club that is missing their best bat and trying to stave off the Rays, who are three games behind them in the standings. And Friday’s homer off Rice’s bat in the second blew the game open for the Yankees in their 5-0 win against the Reds.

Right now Rice is only second to Yordan Alvarez in OPS, homers, RBIs, and walks. Yet, despite being marginally worse than his AL counterpart, it feels as if what Rice is doing has that MVP factor. Maybe it’s just because the Yankees are in a race for the AL East.

Carchietta-Imagn Images

1. Dodgers

It seems like the Dodgers just spawn major league talent.

Ryan Ward is the most recent version of “who is that? And what is he doing?” prospect for Los Angeles. The 28-year-old has appeared in 16 games this season for the Dodgers, and is already slugging .513 with three homers.

Ward has impressed in a small sample size. And had a massive at-bat in the Dodgers’ comeback win Friday over the Orioles, where he drew a four-pitch walk against Ryan Helsley.

Production from Ward and the staples of this back-to-back championship roster resulted in a four-game winning streak entering Saturday. The Dodgers swept the Rays then defeated the O’s Friday night. The club is rolling and on the precipice of hitting the 50-win plateau before July.

2. Yankees

Who needs Judge?

Seriously, the Yankees are rolling. Like Sisyphus’s boulder down the hill.

The club is 8-2 in their last 10 games. They have an AL-best +123 run differential. An AL best 46-win mark.

Everything is clicking for the Bronx Bombers. As highlighted earlier, Rice is having an MVP season and carrying the offense with help from Cody Bellinger. But Cam Schlittler developing into an AL Cy Young candidate has evolved an already stacked rotation.

Schlittler enters Saturday with an AL-best 1.71 ERA, 2.12 FIP, 247 ERA+, 6.3 H/9, and 95 IP. He’s coming off six scoreless innings Friday against the Reds where he punched out 13. Yeesh.

3. Braves

Atlanta hit their first speed bump of the season last week.

They lost a series to the last-place Mets, then dropped two to the Giants. Overall, the club is just 2-6 in their last eight games.

A lot of the struggles have been players regressing to their mean. Bryce Elder had a sparkling low two ERA before allowing six earned runs to the Mets. The Ronald Acuña Jr.-less offense has averaged 3.12 runs over the eight-game stretch.

There’s still no concern for a team that looks poised to make a run at a 2026 NL Pennant. Atlanta still holds a healthy 7.5 game lead over the Phillies and the lineup has been rejuvenated with Drake Baldwin returning from the IL. Chalk it up to a bad week.

4. Brewers

Jacob Misiorowski could be in the midst of the greatest pitching season of all time. Seriously.

The Miz set another record in Friday’s start against the Braves, throwing 47 pitches of at least 101 miles per hour in a loss. The righty allowed two earned runs, struck out seven, and his ERA actually rose to 1.45. Still a major league best.

He’s been a buzz saw. And if you’re picking names out of a hat for who you want to start a postseason game, you’re praying his name is on the piece of paper.

Jackson Chourio has also been spectacular. Maybe because he plays in Milwaukee Chourio doesn’t get proper admiration, but the future top-prospect has a .918 OPS and 10 homers in just 39 games played.

5. Rays

Last week wasn’t pretty for Tampa Bay.

They dropped a series to the Angels in Anaheim, then were swept by the Dodgers in Los Angeles. I think the Rays are sick of LA.

Still, the club was such a force in May that they’re holding on to a 42-30 record. If they played .500 ball the rest of the season they’d finish with 87 wins and most likely a playoff berth.

But can this team tread water? They have the talent to. But their outfield offense continues to hinder them. Jake Fraley leads their outfield with a .690 OPS and he’s on the 10-day IL right now. The next highest is Chandler Simpson with his .600 OPS. Trading for a couple of league-average bats would transform this team.

6. Mariners

The last couple rankings we’ve been making the patience case with the M’s. Well, it’s time to act for Seattle.

Julio Rodriguez returned to the lineup after missing the past couple games with hamstring spasms. Cal Raleigh returned a couple days ago after missing a full month with an oblique injury. Getting both those catalysts back in the lineup should result in the team exploding offensively.

Which, by the way, is exactly what Seattle needs. The club enters Saturday 20th in the league in OPS. 17th in runs scored. It’s a stark contrast from the team that finished 9th in runs and 10th in OPS in 2025

Barring future injury, June 20 could be the inflection point of the Mariners season. They’re 39-38, hold a half-game lead for first over the .500 Athletics, and are getting their guns back. Buckle up.

7. Cubs

Chicago is starting to stabilize.

A 6-2 stretch last week helped the Cubs to a 40-36 record. Two series against the Rockies will help with that.

Pete Crow-Armstrong slashing .538/.567/1.154 over his last seven games will also help win games. His homer Thursday was a driving force in the Cubs 8-6 win over the Rockies, and helped raise his NL-leading bWAR to 4.6.

Ben Brown has also been instrumental for this team. He’s got a sparkling 1.85 ERA and has made eight starts since being inserted into the rotation. We’ll see if he and the ragtag team of names making starts for this club can sustain a winning pace.

8. Cardinals

Have you heard of the 15-year-old phenom prospect Blaze Jordan? Well, he’s actually 23 now. And he’s producing for the Cardinals.

In eight games, Jordan has an .856 OPS. He drove in two runs for the Cardinals Friday in their 6-5 loss to the Royals. Just another young bat producing for the Cardinals.

Still, St. Louis stumbled last week. They dropped three games. Their record sits at 40-34, respectable, but now have the Cubs in their rear view mirror. The pitching continues to be a problem, which gave up 26 runs in the last three games.

At least the rotation is starting to produce. Dustin May, Andre Pallante, and Michael McGreevy have ERAs that start with three. Baby steps.

9. Phillies

Philadelphia’s turnaround is quite impressive. They’re 40-35 despite suffering a 10-game losing streak earlier in the season.

Don Mattingly is now 31-16 as interim manager. And despite the recent two-game skid they enter Saturday with, the Phillies hold the second wild card.

It’s too bad Ohtani is in the NL now. At least for Kyle Schwarber‘s sake. The DH could have won the MVP award last season, and is already on pace to finish in second place again.

Schwarber is slashing .245/.361/.558 with a major league-leading 25 homers. This team would have been lost if he left in free agency.

Also, this has nothing to do with the Phillies’ season, but Schwarber is such an interesting case for the Hall of Fame. The 33-year-old is sitting on 365 career homers. If his season ended today, Schwarber would only need to average 33 homers over the last four years of his contract to hit the 500 mark. He’s averaged 46.75 in a season in a Phillies uniform.

10. White Sox

The White Sox ran into a bit of a reality check last week against the Yankees.

They salvaged the series, but got bullied the first two games. Their ace Davis Martin got whalloped for nine earned runs across 3 1/3 innings.

Outside the Andrew Benintendi grand slam in the final game of the series, there weren’t a lot of positives for the team facing off against the AL’s best. But, the White Sox are still a top-10 team in baseball and are currently tied for first in the Central with the Guardians.

It’s also an incredibly exciting time to be a White Sox fan. Outside the complete 180 this season has been from 2025, all the young bats are producing. They’re 10th in the majors in OPS, 12th in runs, and will be getting Munetaka Murakami back in the near future.

Plus, the subpar rotation could get a jolt as soon as this season. Top prospects Noah Schultz and Hagen Smith are both in Triple-A, and could contribute for a club trying to make the postseason for the first time since 2021.

Rest of the Field

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

Previous Rankings: W11 | W10 |  W8 | W7 | W6 | W5 | W4 | W3 | W2 | W1 | OD

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The fish ripped off a six-game win streak last week, securing a .500 record for the first time since April 24. The streak started with impressive wins over the first-place Tampa Bay Rays, then they beat up on equal opponents in the Diamondbacks and Pirates.

Miami is certainly an interesting team to watch as the league approaches the mid-summer classic. They have the talent in the rotation to make some noise, especially with Sandy Alcantara turning a corner. The righty has twirled three consecutive quality starts, all of which he’s gone at least seven innings.

Otto Lopez has been a game-changer too offensively. The 27-year-old’s .342 batting average leads the league entering Saturday, and more impressively, he’s paired it with a .482 slug. Lopez’s development has been crucial for this Marlin’s lineup, which has lacked consistency over the past decade. He joins Liam Hicks and Xavier Edwards as player development success stories under Peter Bendix.

Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

1. Dodgers

The injuries keep piling up in the 2026 season.

Shohei Ohtani was removed from Thursday’s game in Pittsburgh with left knee inflammation, adding another high-level name to the league’s laundry list of injured stars. Fortunately for the Dodgers, Ohtani hasn’t avoided the IL, but was left out of Friday’s lineup against the White Sox as a precaution.

Losing Ohtani would be disastrous for the Dodgers and the league. The two-way superstar currently leads the National League with a .964 OPS, 170 OPS+, and has clubbed 13 homers with a .304/.421/.543 slashline. The right-hander was also dominating on the mound, pitching to a 1.06 ERA with a 9.7 K/9 in 67 2/3 innings.

2. Braves

Friday saw another star for the Braves hit the shelf.

Spencer Strider was pulled from his start against the Mets after allowing seven earned runs in three innings, with news later breaking of an apparent right elbow injury.

It’s a major blow to a team that’s in first place and trying to get ready for a playoff push after missing out on the dance in 2025. Yet, despite the constant injuries, the team keeps stacking wins. They’re 45-24. Bench pieces in Dominic Smith, Mauricio Dubon, and Jorge Mateo have all been above league-average bats. And the pitching staff leads all of baseball with a 3.27 ERA.

3. Brewers

Jacob Misiorowski is pure filth.

The kid had one of the most dominant starts in major league history Friday, allowing just one hit while punching out 15 Phillies in a nine-inning performance. It lowered his ERA to a league-best 1.34, adding another star to his resume for the 2026 Cy Young.

His step forward has been critical in the Brewers’ success in 2026. He, alongside Kyle Harrison, has led the Brewers’ pitching to the fourth-best ERA in the majors, and given the lineup a chance to win every night.

And that’s not taking anything away from the lineup. It has serious thump this season. Jake Bauers has quietly had an All-Star season, clubbing 13 homers with a .278/.378/.527 slashline. Brice Turang has also unlocked power in his swing, clubbing 10 homers in 64 games.

4. Yankees

Bringing back Cody Bellinger will be remembered for all-time if the Yankees win the division this year.

With Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton on the IL right now, the lefty bat has been an integral piece in the lineup. Bellinger is slugging .519 over his last seven games, helping fellow lefty Ben Rice with the unfair role of keeping pace with the Rays for the division entering the end of June.

It wasn’t guaranteed that he’d be back. But without him, this Yankees lineup would look abysmal.

5. Mariners

A 37-34 record shouldn’t impress anyone. But the Mariners are finding ways to win with a whole lot going wrong right now.

Cal Raleigh is out. Andres Munoz has had a rollercoaster season and currently holds a 5.18 ERA. The rotation has underperformed to its standards as of June 13. Yet the club has been treading water at the top of a struggling division.

The 2026 season is rounding out like last season’s for the M’s. They’re doing enough to stay in the race, and if they get healthy in the second half, we could see another run at the pennant. Dominic Canzone has helped tremendously, clubbing 10 homers with a .909 OPS in 62 games.

6. Rays

Tampa is starting to free-fall.

The club has just six wins since May 24. But their May was so incredibly ridiculous that they’re 40-26 and tied for first with the Yankees entering June 13.

The Rays need offense. And fast. Jonathan Aranda, Junior Caminero, and Yandy Díaz are the only players with positive OPS+s. And as a result, the club hasn’t been able to consistently win like they were earlier in the year.

But hey, at least Nikita Kucherov won the Hart Trophy?

7. Cardinals

In a division with talented teams, the Cardinals continue to pace with the best.

The club is 37-30 and went into New York last week to take a series from the Mets. JJ Wetherholt and Jordan Walker continue to provide offense for the club that struggled last season.

Alec Burleson also dominated last week, clubbing three homers against the Mets in their series win. The first baseman also homered Friday against the Twins, racking four consecutive games with a homer.

8. Cubs

Chicago saved their week with a couple of wins against the Rockies and Giants. But the team continues to nose-dive.

The team was once upon a time up there with the Dodgers. But now they’re 36-34. They’re going to need their offense to carry them, as all the injuries to their pitching staff have led to Colin Rea and Javier Assad getting starts.

9. White Sox

The White Sox? Yeah, the South Siders have finally gotten the respect they deserve.

The club is in first place in the AL Central. Their lineup has been dangerous with Munetaka Murakami and Miguel Vargas. Their staff has been led by Davis Martin, who is currently pitching to a 2.41 ERA. Yeah, go look up Davis Martin.

But seriously, with a weak division and a whole lot of youth, this club needs to be taken seriously. Especially with the recent call-up of Colson Montgomery, who clubbed a walk-off homer in his major league debut.

10. Phillies

Welcome back, Philadelphia.

The Phillies have clawed their way back into the top-10, but still have a lot of work to do.

They’re 28-13 under Don Mattingly. Bryce Harper is back to playing like an MVP. And Cristopher Sanchez has a 1.54 ERA after his dominant stretch without allowing a run.

The problem with this club remains the same. The supporting cast has been unbearable. If they can get anything out of Alec Bohm or Bryson Stott, this club can take off. We’ll see.

Rest of the Field

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

Previous Rankings: W8 | W7 | W6 | W5 | W4 | W3 | W2 | W1 | OD

The post 2026 MLB Power Rankings: Week 11 Update appeared first on Metsmerized.

It’s June and the usual suspects are cementing their names as among pennant chasers. The Dodgers, Braves, Yankees, and Brewers are all at the top of

the league again.

There are some newbies coming into their own as well. The Pirates are competitive as of the first week of June. And the White Sox would host a playoff game if the season ended today.

The pool of teams has been fun. We’ll see what changes over the course of the season heading toward the trade deadline.

1. Dodgers

Sometimes all it takes is one run.

Friday night saw Freddie Freeman blast a solo shot in the ninth, taking down the cross-town Angels to secure a 41st win for the Dodgers.

It kept the Dodgers rolling, who I might say, are on an absolute heater right now. They’ve only lost five games dating back to May 13, and have built a 7.5 game lead over the second-place Diamondbacks. They lead the majors in run differential (+134), OPS (.783), and ERA (3.03). The juggernaut continues to decimate the league.

2. Braves

Atlanta’s been knocked to number two on this list. But that says more about the Dodgers finally playing to their potential.

The Braves have done nothing wrong. They continue to rack up wins despite injuries. The club has a major league-leading 43 wins, has only lost multiple games in a row three times this season, and is pacing its way to its fifth NL East crown this decade.

With All-Star balloting also open, it’s also likely to see a cohort of Braves on the NL roster. Matt Olson has 17 homers and an .896 OPS, Drake Baldwin has a .303/.389/.543 slashline with 13 homers despite being out for almost a month now, and even Michael Harris II has bounced back to a .853 OPS this season.

3. Yankees

The Bombers got brutal news this week.

Aaron Judge is hitting the IL for four to six weeks with a fractured right rib. The 34-year-old looked poised to win his fourth MVP, holding a .907 OPS with 17 homers.

We’ll see if the Yankees can tread water without Judge. So far they’ve lost three of their last four games, and were unable to claw back in Friday’s 5-3 loss to Boston. Luckily for the Yanks, their schedule in June is manageable for the Judge-less roster. They face off against the Red Sox, Twins, White Sox, Blue Jays, Tigers, and Nationals for the majority of the month.

4. Brewers

Despite a slew of injuries, the Brew Crew keep pulling wins out of their back pocket.

The club is 38-23, holds +91 run differential, and has the best one-two punch in the league with Jacob Misiorowski and … Kyle Harrison?

Yep, the lefty who was traded for Rafael Devers to the Red Sox was actually an ace. Just turns out it took him going to the Brewers to unlock it. He’s pitching to a 1.57 ERA, 2.47 FIP, and is striking out 11.5 batters per nine.

Yeah. He’s nasty.

The lineup is also doing what it always does. Scoring runs off contributions through small ball. It’s also getting some serious thump from Jake Bauers, who leads the team with 10 homers and is posting an .858 OPS through Saturday. Jackson Chourio is also heating up, and is slugging .808 over his last seven games.

5. Rays

The past couple weeks I’ve given the Rays the respect they deserve. But I warned caution and cited last season’s June.

Well, even my clock is right twice a day. The Rays are 3-8 in their last 11 games. Including being swept by the Orioles in Baltimore, who were struggling to string together consistency.

Still, the Rays are 37-23 and are 1.5 games up on the Yankees for first in the AL East. There’s more than enough time to plug the holes. The offense has been hoisted by Junior Caminero, Jonathan Aranda, and Yandy Díaz. When those three don’t hit, Tampa loses.

The Rays have an interesting decision to make come July. Do they believe in this core? Because if so, they need to seriously tape this lineup. And even get a fifth starter. Nick Martinez has been good, but he imploded and allowed six earned runs in his last start against the Tigers.

6. Mariners

Eight-game winning streaks always play. Especially when missing Cal Raleigh in the lineup.

Seattle rode the streak to first in the AL West, and is finally starting to pull away in the division. Julio Rodríguez has caught fire after his annual slow start, and has done enough to win ball games behind a supporting staff of Randy Arozarena, Luke Raley, and Dominic Canzone.

This club, like most in the league, needs to start getting their fighters back. Brendan Donovan glued immediately, but hasn’t played since May 15. The aforementioned Raleigh hit the shelf after struggling in the first couple months of the season. And J.P. Crawford just hit the shelf after taking a pitch off his right hand from Framber Valdez.

7. Pirates

I’m starting this train early. Can the Pirates trade for Aroldis Chapman? The lefty closer is essentially on a one-year deal, and is mowing down hitters on the 27-win Red Sox.

It would reunite the lefty with the city of Pittsburgh, and give the 34-30 Pirates a legitimate closer in the ‘pen. The team is finally competitive and getting consistent offense. Imagine what Chapman would do for this roster.

Gregory Soto has pitched to a 2.86 ERA. And Evan Sisk to a 1.37 ERA. But the rest of the bullpen has been a hot mess.

8. Guardians

How about the man from Down Under?

Travis Bazzana has jolted the Guardians lineup, providing the lineup with another consistent bat. He’s slashing .288/.371/.472 and has 14 extra base hits in 34 games. The Aussie has been a must in this lineup filled with the inconsistencies of Kyle Manzardo and Chase DeLauter.

The pitching also continues to shove, mostly behind Gavin Williams and Parker Messick. The bullpen has also bounced back from a slow start, and has been rejuvenated by Colin Holderman.

9. Cubs

Remember earlier in the article when I mentioned the Dodgers have only lost five games since May 15? Well, the Cubs have only won six games since May 9. Yeah.

This club looked like a favorite to win the pennant earlier in the year. They held the best offense and run differential in the league at one point. They went on two separate 10-game winning streaks. Now, they’re just 33-31.

The rotation is the culprit for this team. It was already a question mark heading into the season, and injuries to Matthew Boyd and Cade Horton didn’t help. But the entire staff holds negative bWARs. Colin Rea leads the staff with a 4.59 ERA.

Of course a lot of the losses can be attributed to injury. And they’re still in wild-card contention. But even the Titanic didn’t sink this fast.

10. Cardinals

A 6-9 record over the last 15 doesn’t excite anyone. But if the season ended today, the Cardinals would finish as the top wild card in the NL.

Does that mean they’re playoff ready? I don’t know. But like most teams in the third wild-card era, they might be forced into premature buying. The club is young, has legitimate talent with JJ Wetherholt and Jordan Walker, and one big trade could position the club for a chance at the pennant.

They could also sell. Riley O’Brien would be a coveted closer come the July deadline. Same with JoJo Romero. Chaim Bloom has decisions to make.

Rest of the Field

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

Previous Rankings: W8 | W7 | W6 | W5 | W4 | W3 | W2 | W1 | OD

The post 2026 MLB Power Rankings: Week 10 Update appeared first on Metsmerized.

The club has jumped to a 25-26 record, going 16-7 under their new skipper to put Philadelphia back in the playoff hunt. Sánchez has been an important cog in the machine, and is currently trying to make history for the Phillies.

After pitching eight scoreless innings Friday against Cleveland, Sánchez has increased his scoreless innings streak to 37 2/3 innings. He’s chasing Grover Alexander for the Phillies’ record of 41 innings.

Anways, let’s get into the rankings.

Kyle Ross-Imagn Images

1. Braves

As Sal Licata would say, “The NL East is over!!!”

But seriously, no joke, the Braves are running away with the division before the beginning of June. Last week the club went 5-2 and widened their lead over the Phillies to 10.5 games.

They’re 36-16 and hold a +105 run differential. Both first in the majors. They’re also getting healthier, despite the recent thumb injury to Ronald Acuña Jr.  In fact, through May 23, the only series they’ve lost this season is to the Seattle Mariners.

2. Dodgers

The Dodgers were never “flopping around” per se. But they’ve corrected the wild-card pace they were on and are back to dominating baseball.

They’re 7-3 in their last 10 games, are back in front of the Padres for first in the west by half a game, and recently got Mookie Betts back from his IL stint.

This team is positioned to separate from the rest of the pack. They still need more out of Kyle Tucker, who has put up a modest .740 OPS after signing his mega deal.

3. Yankees

Last week was the first test for the Yankees in division.

They hosted the Blue Jays for four games and promptly split the series. No issue. But Friday saw the first-place Rays come to town and rally for four runs in the eighth to knock off the Yankees.

Division play will be an emphasis for New York (AL) this season. We all remember their first-place tie and incredible finish at the end of 2025 with the Jays, but they went 5-8 against Toronto to lose the tiebreaker.

Well. The Yankees have quietly gone 10-11 in May and have lost five of their last seven. Yet despite trailing the Rays for the division right now, the club is first in the league in homers (74), third in OPS (.754), and fourth in ERA (3.30). They’re undeniably one of the best teams in baseball. They just have to win the important games.

4. Rays

Tampa Bay could easily be number one on this list. Hell, they’ve been the best team in baseball in May.

The club is 22-4 dating back to April 22. They’ve propelled themselves to first in the division after starting 12-11. And more impressively, they’ve done it against division rivals in the Red Sox, Blue Jays, and Orioles.

This team has proven it’s better than most of their competition in the division. They’re fifth in the league in ERA (3.54), tied for sixth in OPS (.725), and their +42 run differential is the second best in the AL.

Nick Martinez also continues to pitch like a Cy Young candidate. The right-hander scattered nine hits against the Yankees Friday and allowed just one earned run. His ERA is down to 1.51 through his first 10 starts.

A reason why the Rays aren’t higher on the list? I point back to last May and June of 2025. The club went 33-22 and had one of the best records in baseball. Then they nosedived. I’d like to see this club be consistent before knocking off the big dogs.

5. Brewers

Last week was almost perfect for Milwaukee.

They took two of three from the Twins, then obliterated their division foe Cubs in a three-game sweep. The Brew Crew outscored Chicago 19-5 in the three-game series, jumped them for first in the division, and then followed that up with a 5-1 win over the Dodgers Friday.

The regular-season warriors are back at it again. They’re 30-18, have a +79 run differential, and hold the league’s second-best ERA at 3.12. Christian Yelich also returned May 12 and has clubbed two homers in his last six games. This club is always exponentially better when Yelich is driving the ball in the lineup.

6. Cubs

What a rollercoaster ride it’s been for the Cubs this season.

They’ve had two 10-game winning streaks. But it’s been negated by their current six-game losing streak. And also their current stretch where they’re 2-10 in their last 12.

Their offense is always going to be the driving force. But when it’s not, the pitching hasn’t held up. They only scored five runs in three games against the Brewers. Their pitching folded in their series to the White Sox and allowed 22 runs in three games on the road.

The injuries have been awful. But this offense is so loaded one would expect it to find consistency soon. Everyone has an OPS+ above 100 except for Dansby Swanson, and even he’s clubbed seven homers this season.

7. Guardians

Everything is going right for Cleveland right now. Friday’s 1-0 win was an encapsulation of it.

The club got shut out over eight innings by Sanchez. The offense was dead. But then facing Jhoan Duran, Kyle Manzardo smoked a solo homer and the Guards’ pitching shut out the Phillies.

Cleveland’s riding a seven-game winning streak. Their pitching has allowed just 16 runs over their last seven games. Two of those series include facing strong lineups in the Reds and Phillies.

Brayan Rocchio‘s coming-out party has been a key factor in the team’s success as well. The 25-year-old has a 126 OPS+ through 51 games and a .376 OBP. That’ll play.

8. Pirates

A 2-5 week wasn’t ideal for Pittsburgh. Giving up 38 runs over those five losses also wasn’t ideal.

The pitching has faltered a little in May. And the club has fallen into last in the NL Central because of it. But the club is still 26-25 and holds a positive run differential of +22.

The one weakness of this team has been the bullpen. They’re 18th in the league in ERA (4.21) and have let a lot of games get away. Gregory Soto has been fantastic with his 2.31 ERA, but has been unreliable or abysmal. This club could really use some bullpen arms at the deadline. Or even David Bednar who they traded last deadline.

9. Cardinals

St. Louis continues to be the epitome of consistent.

They haven’t had a losing streak of more than three games. They’ve sprinkled in two winning streaks of five games plus. It’s a well-run ball club. Chaim Bloom has seriously turned this team around, and keeping Oli Marmol as the manager continues to pay dividends.

The youth movement also continues to provide. JJ Wetherholt has an OPS+ of 123, Jordan Walker‘s is 165, and Iván Herrera‘s is at 136. Heck, even the 95 OPS+ from Masyn Winn is acceptable.

The club is among the best six teams in the National League. They could really use starting rotation help if they want to push for higher aspirations this season. Dustin May, Matthew Liberatore, and Andre Pallante all have ERAs and FIPS around four.

10. Padres

San Diego is a conundrum.

Their offense is putrid. Seriously putrid. Only Gavin Sheets and Miguel Andujar have OPS+’s above league average. Jackson Merrill has an OPS of .595. Fernando Tatis Jr. has an OPS of .594 with only one homer.

Yet their pitching keeps them in games. It’s been their foundation. It’s been so good the team’s record is 30-20 and has the club only half a game back of the Dodgers.

This team has the star power and potential to be up there with the Yankees, Braves, and Dodgers. But something needs to change. Pitching doesn’t stay this good the whole season.

Rest of the Field

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

Previous Rankings: W7 | W6 | W5 | W4 | W3 | W2 | W1 | OD

The post 2026 MLB Power Rankings: Week Eight Update appeared first on Metsmerized.