The game will feature many current and former major leaguers and a few former New York Mets, including one member of the 2015 National League Champion squad. 

Las Águilas Cibaeñas released their official roster for the Titans of the Caribbean series on Wednesday, headlined (at least for Mets fans) by 2014 NL Gold Glove winner Juan Lagares. A Met for parts of eight seasons, Lagares played 366 career games at Citi Field and is now back for three more.

Most remembered for his outstanding glove in center field, Lagares was among the best fielders the Mets have ever had. His 2013 and 2014 seasons are two of the top three in Mets history regarding defensive WAR, only trailing Rey Ordóñez’s 1999, and Lagares is the only player to have three of the top 20. He’s also one of only three outfielders in MLB history to have multiple seasons of at least three dWAR, joining Kevin Kiermaier and Andruw Jones.

Lagares joined Jay Horwitz on Amazin’ Conversations with Jay Horwitz to discuss his career and the upcoming series and said he “can’t wait for that day.”

Jonathan Villar, who had a productive season in Queens in 2021, is another former Met on the roster. In 142 games, Villar hit .249/.322/.416 with 18 home runs as he wound up the team’s primary third baseman. Daniel Palka, who has played in Triple-A for the Mets each of the past two seasons, is also there. Palka played 154 games for the White Sox between 2018 and 2019 and hit 29 home runs.

Former Met Melky Cabrera is on the coaching staff, and current Mets roving infield instructor Luis Rivera is also.

Other notable players on Las Águilas Cibaeñas roster for this series are Christopher Morel, Starlin Castro, Elehuris Montero, and Dinelson Lamet.

Los Tigres del Licey have not released their official roster for the series as of Thursday night. However, some notable former major leaguers have played for them this season, including former Mets Hansel Robles and Adonis Medina. They also have Nabil Crismatt, a former Mets minor leaguer with several solid years for the Padres pitching staff.

Robles pitched in over 400 games in his MLB career, 187 of which were for the Mets. He had a good first two seasons, putting up a 3.55 ERA in over 130 innings between 2015 and 2016, but struggled to find the same success after that before he was ultimately claimed off waivers by the Los Angeles Angels in 2018. Medina appeared in 19 games for the Mets in 2022 and famously picked up his first career save against the Dodgers by retiring Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman, and Will Smith in the bottom of the 10th.

Ronny Mauricio, the league’s MVP last season for Los Tigres del Licey, is expected to join the team on Nov. 18, after this series.

Other notable Los Tigres del Licey players include longtime MLB veteran Emilio Bonifácio, Francisco Mejia, Danny Santana, and Arodys Vizcaíno.

Los Tigres del Licey are currently 10-8 and in second place in LIDOM, and they are the league’s defending champions. Las Águilas Cibaeñas are 5-13 and in last place, and most recently won the league in the 2020/21 season. 

Friday’s game will start at 6 p.m., and Saturday’s and Sunday’s games will begin at 1 p.m. All proceeds from ticket sales will benefit the Sports Dreams Foundation, a non-profit organization focused on benefiting youth baseball and similar activities in the Dominican Republic and the United States. 

The post Former Mets Coming to Citi Field for Titans of the Caribbean Series appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Jaylen Palmer. Photo by Ed Delany of MMO

Even though the Triple-A season will be over after Sunday’s game, Syracuse Mets’ (61-84) outfielder Jaylen Palmer is going into the offseason on a strong note. The 23-year-old, and 22nd-round pick in 2018, went 2-for-3 with two walks and an RBI in Syracuse’s 6-4 loss to the Scranton Wilkes-Barre RailRiders (72-75) on Saturday.

Palmer ended up getting Syracuse on the board in the bottom of the fourth when his RBI single drove in Brandon McIlwain and cut the then RailRiders lead to 5-1. He has multiple hits in three of the last five games and he has driven in at least one run in four of the last five games.

The Mets were playing catchup from the beginning as right-handed starter Justin Jarvis (0-7, 8.79 ERA) was unable to get the big outs when he needed them. He allowed a two-run home run to Carlos Narvaez in the third, a two-run double by Franchy Cordero, and another RBI double by Narvaez in the fourth.

On the night, Jarvis went 3 1/3 innings, allowed five runs on nine hits, walked two, and struck out three on 78 pitches (48 strikes) in the loss. The 23-year-old right-hander who the Mets got from the Milwaukee Brewers in the Mark Canha deal will end September going 0-3 with a 9.64 ERA in four starts.

Syracuse tried to mount a comeback in the bottom of the eighth when Wyatt Young’s RBI single cut the lead to three. However, Scranton Wilkes-Barre got one back in the following inning on an RBI double by Jake Lamb against Sam Coonrod.

In the ninth, the Mets did cut the four-run deficit in half thanks to an RBI double by Daniel Palka (60^th RBI of the year) and Danny Mendick scoring thanks to an error on a ball hit by Carlos Cortes. The Mets had the winning run at the plate, but Young flew out to right to end the threat. On the night, Syracuse went 3-for-14 with runners in scoring position.

Scranton Wilkes-Barre did have a pitcher making a rehab appearance starting the game in RHP Frankie Montas. Montas threw two scoreless innings, allowed one hit, and struck out two.

On a positive note, the Mets got a strong pitching performance by right-handed reliever William Woods in relief of Jarvis. Woods threw 3 2/3 hitless innings, walked a batter, and struck out five on 50 pitches (36 strikes). The 24-year-old ended his September having a scoreless outing in five of his last six appearances.

Syracuse will wrap up their season on Sunday at 1:05 p.m ET at NBT Bank Stadium. RHP Clayton Beeter (2-5, 5.32) will start for Scranton Wilkes-Barre against RHP José Chacin (1-0, 5.81) for the Mets.

The post Mets Minors Recap: Jaylen Palmer Keeps Strong September Going With Multi-Hit Game appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Anthony Kay. Photo: Ed Delany, MMO

Triple-A

Syracuse Mets (58-81) 7, Worcester Red Sox (76-66) 2

BOX SCORE

• SS Danny Mendick: 3-for-5, R (.817 OPS)
• LF Brandon McIlwain: 0-for-2, R, 3 BB, SB, 2 K (.868 OPS)
• 1B Daniel Palka: 1-for-4, R, RBI (59), BB, K (.751 OPS)
• 3B Jaylen Palmer: 1-for-4, R, HR (5), 2 RBIs (12), K (.911 OPS)
• DH Joe Suozzi: 1-for-4, R, RBI (14), BB, K (.800 OPS)

The Mets were able to get on the board first in the top of the third on a solo home run by Matt O’Neill and an RBI single by Palka. The former Red Sox farmhand has a hit in each of the last four games of this series.

In the sixth inning, with the game tied at two, Palmer hit a two-run home run to put the Mets back on top. The 23-year-old has homered in three straight games and he has five home runs in the month of September.

• RHP Justin Jarvis (8.39 ERA): 4 2/3 IP, 2 ER, 5 H, 3 BB, 7 K, WP (58 of 93 pitches for strikes)
• LHP Anthony Kay (4-1, 3.96): 1 1/3 IP, 0 ER, 0 H, 3 K
• LHP Nate Lavender (3.00): 2 IP, 0 ER, 0 H, BB, 5 K

The four Syracuse pitchers that appeared in this game combined to strike out 16 batters and only surrendered one extra-base hit. Jarvis ended up his longest outing as a member of the Mets’ organization and the seven strikeouts were the most he had in a start since June 23 at Double-A Biloxi.

Kay ended up making his return to the Mets organization and threw 15-of-23 pitches for strikes and striking out three of the four batters he faced. As for Lavender, he has 12 strikeouts to 2 walks in five games this month (1.69 ERA).

Luisangel Acuña. Photo by Bronson Harris of Binghamton Rumble Ponies

Double-A

Binghamton Rumble Ponies (73-61) 6, Reading FIghtin Phils (59-76) 0

BOX SCORE

• 3B Rowdey Jordan: 1-for-3, R, 2B, RBI (63), BB (.735 OPS)
• RF Drew Gilbert: 1-for-3, R, BB, K (1.003 OPS)
• CF Jett Williams: 0-for-2, R, RBI (2), BB, 2 K (.697 OPS)
• 2B Luisangel Acuña: 1-for-5, R, 2 K (.621 OPS)
• 1B JT Schwartz: 0-for-2, R, RBI (48), BB, HBP (.813 OPS)

The Rumble Ponies managed only one extra-base hit in their shutout win with that hit being an RBI double by Jordan in the bottom of the second. Jordan extended his hit streak to seven games and has driven in nine runs in the last five games.

• RHP Benito Garcia (0.00): 4 1/3 IP. 0 ER, 1 H, BB, 4 K (35 of 53 pitches for strikes)
• RHP Trey McLoughlin (2-1, 3.31): 1 2/3 IP, 0 ER, 0 H, K
• LHP Matt Minnick (3.16): 2 IP, 0 ER, 1 H, 2 BB, 2 K, WP
• RHP Daison Acosta (4.75): 1 IP. 0 ER, 0 H, BB, K

The four Binghamton pitchers combined for a two-hit shutout on Saturday and Garcia got the day off to a strong note. The 23-year-old right-hander allowed a one-out single in the fourth, but that was his only mistake. In three outings this month (two with Binghamton), He has allowed only one hit in each outing (11 1/3 innings pitched).

Minnick threw two scoreless innings of relief to give him five consecutive scoreless outings.

The post Mets Minors Recap: Anthony Kay Solid In Return To Organization appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Syracuse Mets (56-80) 7, Worcester Red Sox (75-64) 1

BOX SCORE

• DH/1B Daniel Palka: 4-for-5, 2 RBIs (57), K (.755 OPS)
• 2B Danny Mendick: 2-foer-4, 2B, 4 RBIs (51), BB, K (.813 OPS)
• 3B Jaylen Palmer: 1-for-3, 2 R, BB, SB, K (.688 OPS)
• LF/1B/DH Carlos Cortes: 0-for-3, R, BB, K (.809 OPS)
• CF Brandon McIlwain: 0-for-2, R, 2 BB, K (.850 OPS)

The Mets offense got out to an early lead against Kyle Barraclough on Wednesday night. They scored their first run without even getting a hit (two walks, a hit by pitch, and a walk). Then, Mendick cleared the bases with a double to put Syracuse ahead 4-0. Mendick would later add an RBI single in the ninth.

An eight-game hitting streak for Danny Mendick!

We're off and rolling in Worcester! pic.twitter.com/wkKAIwprT3

— Syracuse Mets (@SyracuseMets) September 13, 2023

As for Palka, he had his second four-hit game of the season, with his first one coming on May 5 when he was with Worcester. His two-run single in the fourth gave Syracuse a 6-0 lead. The 31-year-old had his third multi-hit game since joining Syracuse on August 29.

• RHP Jose Chacin (1-0, 5.88 ERA): 6 IP, 1 ER, 5 H, 3 K (57 of 82 pitches for strikes)
• LHP Nate Lavender (3.15): 1 IP, 0 ER, 1 H, K
• RHP Eric Orze (5.89): 1 IP, 0 ER, 0 H, 2 K

On Wednesday, Chacin recorded his first Triple-A career victory in a quality start. The only run he gave up came in the bottom of the fourth on an RBI single from Enmanuel Valdez. It is the fourth time that he has gone six innings in an outing and the first time since he was with Binghamton on June 8. Lavender threw a scoreless seventh, and the left-hander has not allowed a run in five of his last six outings.

Orze wrapped up the game with a 1-2-3 ninth inning (two strikeouts). The 26-year-old has not allowed a run in four outings this month.

Double-A

Reading Fightin’ Phils (58-74) 3, Binghamton Rumble Ponies (71-60) 1

BOX SCORE

• SS Jett Williams: 1-for-5, RBI (1), 3 K (.844 OPS)
• 2B Luisangel Acuña: 1-for-4, SB, K (.664 OPS)
• 1B JT Schwartz: 1-for-3, BB, SB, 2 K (.814 OPS)
• LF Jeremiah Jackson: 1-for-4, 3 K (.822 OPS)
• C Kevin Parada: 0-for-4, 3 K (.674 OPS)

It was a rough night for the Rumble Ponies offense as they did not record a single extra-base hit, they were 1-for-10 with runners in scoring position, and they struck out 17 times against three Reading pitchers, including 2020 first round pick Mick Abel. In his second game at Double-A, Williams drove in his first run with Binghamton when he had an RBI single in the bottom of the third.

• RHP Christian Scott (2.47): 2 2/3 IP, 0 ER, 3 H, 5 K (27 of 40 pitches for strikes)
• RHP Luis Moreno (9-6, 4.98): 5 IP, 3 ER, 4 H, 5 K (46 of 61 pitches for strikes)
• LHP Matt Minnick (3.42): 1 IP, 0 ER, 0 H, 2 K

Even though his start was abbreviated, Scott still struck out nearly half of the batters that he faced on Wednesday. He began the game by striking out four of the first five batters that came to the plate against him. The Mets are monitoring Scott’s innings as he’s already up to 87 2/3 after pitching only 58 2/3 last season. Scott was used primarily as a reliever at Florida and the most innings he threw in a college season was 54.

Moreno picked up the loss after Reading scored all three of their runs in the sixth. Despite the loss, the 24-year-old has gone at least five innings in six straight appearances (122 2/3 innings pitched in 26 games this year).

The post Mets Minors Recap: Christian Scott Looks Good in Short Start appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Triple-A

Syracuse Mets (54-77) 7, Rochester Red Wings (60-71) 6 In 10 Innings

BOX SCORE

• 1B Daniel Palka: 2-for-5, 2 R, 2 HR (17), 2 RBIs (55) (.774 OPS)
• LF Carlos Cortes: 1-for-4, R, BB, 2 K (.832 OPS)
• CF Brandon McIlwain: 1-for-5, 2B, RBI (18), K (.897 OPS)
• RF Joe Suozzi: 2-for-3, 2 R, BB, K (.779 OPS)

On Wednesday afternoon, the Mets were able to erase a pair of deficits and walked it off in the bottom of the tenth on a sacrifice fly from Michael Pérez. Palka provided the bulk of the scoring in the early going with solo home runs in the fifth and eighth inning. Since signing with the Mets, Palka has five home runs in eight games.

Daniel Palka: 450-foot #PalkSmash 💪
And we’ve got the lead pic.twitter.com/hszL2KFqTY

— Syracuse Mets (@SyracuseMets) September 6, 2023

The Mets were down to their final two outs in the ninth when Wyatt Young had a base hit to left center to tie the game at six. The shortstop had an RBI earlier in the game on a groundout.

Joe Suozzi made an amazing catch to keep the game tied in the top of the 10th inning.

• LHP Joey Lucchesi (4.74 ERA): 4 IP, 3 ER, 6 H, 3 BB, 3 K, Balk (48 of 87 pitches for strikes)
• RHP William Woods (2-1, 8.80): 2 IP, 0 ER, 1 H, K

Lucchesi gave up three of his four runs in the second on a three-run home run from Jordy Barley. Since returning to Triple-A, the 30-year-old left-hander has allowed 13 earned runs in his last three starts (13 innings pitched). Woods got the win as he retired six of the seven hitters he faced.

Luisangel Acuña. Photo by Anne-Marie Caruso of NorthJersey/USA TODAY NETWORK

Double-A

Binghamton Rumble Ponies (68-58) 9, Hartford Yard Goats (54-71) 2

BOX SCORE

• SS Luisangel Acuña: 3-for-5, 3 R, 2 HR (2), 2 RBIs (10), SB (.668 OPS)
• C Kevin Parada: 2-for-5, R, HR (2), 3 RBIs (8), K (.584 OPS)
• 1B JT Schwartz: 2-for-5, R (.827 OPS)
• 2B Jeremiah Jackson: 2-for-4, 2 R, HR (6), RBI (20), BB, K (.836 OPS)
• 3B Mateo Gil: 2-for-4, 2 RBIs (15), K (.667 OPS)

The Rumble Ponies kept their winning ways going on Wednesday as they have won 14 of their last 17 games. Binghamton has a six-game lead over Portland and Reading for a playoff spot. Acuña had his best game as a member of the Mets organization. He had a solo home run to lead off the game, then hit a solo shot in the fourth.

Leadoff blast for @acunita13! 💥 pic.twitter.com/77BK0NwWRa

— Mets Player Development (@MetsPlayerDev) September 6, 2023

Parada would hit his second Double-A home run in the third inning, a three-run shot. The 22-year-old had his second multi-hit game in the last five days.

• RHP Christian Scott: 2 IP. 0 ER, 1 H, 3 K (18 of 26 pitches for strikes)
• RHP Luis Moreno (9-5, 4.96): 6 IP, 2 ER, 9 H, BB, 3 K (57 of 80 pitches for strikes)
• RHP Paul Gervase (4.50): 1 IP, 0 ER, 0 H

The Rumble Ponies got Scott back in the rotation and the 24-year-old right-hander had a strong return. In his first start since August 12, Scott allowed just one single in two innings. Moreno followed up with a good performance of his own as he picked up his ninth win, and it’s the fifth consecutive outing that he has gone five or more innings. He is one of five pitchers in the Eastern League to have nine or more wins this year.

High-A

Brooklyn Cyclones (64-63) 7, Wilmington Blue Rocks (53-73) 1

BOX SCORE

• SS Jett Williams: 2-for-4, R, 3B, RBI (17), BB (.996 OPS)
• 3B Jacob Reimer: 2-for-3, R, 2B, BB (.676 OPS)
• RF Stanley Consuegra: 1-for-4, R, HR (21), RBI (61), 2 K (.781 OPS)
• 2B D’Andre Smith: 2-for-4, 2 R, RBI (15), K (.649 OPS)
• 1B Ryan Clifford: 0-for-3, RBI (65) (.835 OPS)

Even though Jersey Shore picked up a win on Wednesday, the Cyclones were able to keep their one-game lead on the BlueClaws in their playoff push. Brooklyn had a 2-1 lead in the fifth when Consuegra hit a solo home run for his 21st of the year (tied for fourth in the South Atlantic League).

There goes that man again…

Stanley Consuegra with his 21st home run of the season to extend Brooklyn's lead to 3-1 after five here on Coney Island.#AmazinStartsHere #LGM pic.twitter.com/mi0kirllDu

— Brooklyn Cyclones (@BKCyclones) September 7, 2023

At the top of the lineup, Williams had another walk to give him 99 on the season (111 games), and he had a triple in the sixth (ended up advancing home on a throwing error). It was his first triple at High-A and his seventh of the season.

• LHP Felipe De La Cruz (2-1, 2.65): 5 IP, 1 ER, 4 H, BB, 4 K, HBP (60 of 92 pitches for strikes)
• RHP Joshua Cornielly (3.86): 2 IP, 0 ER, 1 H, BB, 2 K
• RHP Joe Joe Rodriguez (3.52): 2 IP, 0 ER, 1 H, BB, 3 K

De La Cruz did allow a solo home run in the third inning, but that was the only mistake he made in the win. The 22-year-old southpaw had his lowest strikeout total at High-A (three starts), but he was able to get seven groundball outs out of the 21 batters that he faced.

 Low-A

Daytona Tortugas (55-70) 9, St. Lucie Mets (42-83) 4

BOX SCORE

• 3B Nick Lorusso: 2-for-4, 2 2B, RBI (9), 2 K (.523 OPS)
• 2B Jefrey De Los Santos: 2-for-4, 2B, RBI (30), BB (.719 OPS)
• DH Nolan McLean: 0-for-3, R, BB, 2 K (.250 OPS)
• LF Wilfredo Lara: 1-for-5, R, SB, K (.814 OPS)
• C Ronald Hernandez: 0-for-4, BB, K (.560 OPS)

As a team, the Mets were 2-for-15 with runners in scoring position and ended up striking out 14 times against two different Daytona pitchers. Lorusso has been a doubles machine over the last week as the ninth round pick in this year’s draft has five doubles in the last five games.

• RHP Jonah Tong (5.40): 3 IP, 1 ER, 3 H, 3 BB, 5 K (35 of 64 pitches for strikes)
• RHP Bryce Jenkins (13.50): 1 2/3 IP, 1 ER, 3 H, 2 K, WP
• RHP Ben Simon (12.27): 1 IP, 4 ER, 4 H, BB, WP, HBP
• LHP Angel Alfonseca (0-1, 4.26): 2/3 IP, 2 ER, 2 H, BB, K

Tong allowed an early run in the first inning, but the seventh round pick in 2022 was able to settle in from there. His five strikeouts were the second-highest total he has had at Low-A this year (6 on August 22). The St. Lucie bullpen allowed seven runs in the final three innings after taking a 3-2 lead into the top of the seventh.

The post Mets Minors Recap: Luisangel Acuña Hits First Home Runs In Mets Organization appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Aug 8, 2023; Bridgewater, NJ; Mets’ new minor league prospect Drew Gilbert is shown at TD Bank Ballpark.

Triple-A Syracuse

The Syracuse Mets lost all six games of their series away at the Lehigh Valley IronPigs. Syracuse is currently on a seven-game losing streak and has a 52-77 record on the year.

Daniel Palka went 8-for-22 with three homers, two doubles, five RBI, and five runs scored. Palka spent the 2022 season with Syracuse and showed out in his first game action since being signed as a free agent at the beginning of last week.

Carlos Cortes went 2-for-3 with two homers, six RBI, and two walks in Tuesday’s game. He is up to a career-high 15 homers on the year to go along with an .839 OPS.

Mike Vasil allowed five runs in 1 2/3 innings of work on Friday. He has a 5.28 ERA in 13 Triple-A starts and an overall ERA of 4.54 through 23 starts.

Double-A Binghamton

The Rumble Ponies swept their six-game series at home against the Harrisburg Senators. Binghamton is riding a seven-game winning streak and is second in its division with a 32-23 record in the second half of the season.

Drew Gilbert went 5-for-20 with one double, two stolen bases, and five walks. Gilbert is hitting .323 with a .921 OPS in 26 games for Binghamton.

Luisangel Acuña went 6-for-22 with three stolen bases, three RBI, and three runs scored. Acuña is still looking for his first homer as a Rumble Pony, although he does have a staggering 54 stolen bases on the year including 12 in 28 games with Binghamton.

Kevin Parada went 3-for-22 with one home run and five RBI in his first series as a Double-A player. Parada is up to 12 homers on the year.

Blade Tidwell pitched 5 1/3 scoreless innings and struck out six batters in his start on Tuesday. He has a 3.86 ERA through his first five Double-A starts.

Joander Suarez had a masterful debut for the Rumble Ponies on Thursday, firing six hitless innings and racking up six strikeouts. Suarez was named the Eastern League Pitcher of the Week for his performance, marking the second straight week that a Rumble Pony received the award (Tyler Stuart).

Dominic Hamel struck out 11 batters across six scoreless innings in his start on Friday. It was the third time this season that Hamel has recorded 11 strikeouts in a start, and he has a 4.11 ERA on the year.

Jordan Geber pitched six scoreless innings in his first Double-A start of the year on Saturday. Geber has a 5.22 ERA through 13 appearances (seven starts).

High-A Brooklyn

The Cyclones lost four of six games away at the Greenville Drive. Brooklyn is tied for the top spot in their division with a 34-26 second-half record entering their final series of the regular season.

Jett Williams went 3-for-18 with one home run, one stolen base, and six walks. Williams is hitting .298 with a 1.003 OPS in 30 games with Brooklyn.

Ryan Clifford went 3-for-5 on Sunday, crushing his 23^rd homer of the year and driving in three runs. However, he went just 1-for-16 in the five games prior and is hitting just .190 with a .687 OPS in 27 games for Brooklyn.

Alex Ramírez hit his seventh homer of the season on Saturday. Stanley Consuegra had two triples in the series and also hit his 20^th homer of the year.

Layonel Ovalles allowed one run and struck out six batters in 5 2/3 innings of work in his High-A debut on Friday. He has a 4.53 ERA in 23 appearances (19 starts) this season.

Robert Colina struck out 10 batters across six scoreless innings of work on Saturday. He reached double-digit strikeouts for just the second time in his career, and he has a 3.72 ERA in 67 2/3 innings on the mound this season.

Low-A St. Lucie

The St. Lucie Mets lost three of four games away at the Tampa Tarpons. St. Lucie has a 41-82 record this year.

Marco Vargas went 3-for-12 with a stolen base. Ronald Hernandez went 0-for-9 with four walks.

Nick Morabito went 3-for-10 with one double and six stolen bases. He had four steals in Friday’s game and has 21 steals in 53 games this season.

Nolan McLean allowed one run in 1 1/3 innings of work on Friday. The third-round pick in this year’s draft, who was drafted as a two-way player, is also hitless in his first two at-bats at the Low-A level.

Organizational Leaders

Batting

AVG – Luisangel Acuña (BNG) – .301

OPS – Jett Williams (BRK) – .880

HR – Luke Ritter (SYR) – 27

SB – Luisangel Acuña – 54

Pitching

(Among qualified players)

ERA – Tyler Stuart (BNG) – 2.20

SO – Dominic Hamel (BNG) – 147

WHIP – Christian Scott (BNG) – 0.86

Players of the Week

Offense – Daniel Palka, 1B/DH Syracuse

All of the top prospects had rather pedestrian performances, so the honor this week will go to Palka for crushing it in his return to the Mets organization. He had five extra-base hits in the six games he played including three homers, and he provided Syracuse with essentially all of its offense in what was ultimately a listless series for the team.

Palka had 27 homers for the White Sox in his first year in the majors back in 2018, but he hasn’t appeared in a major league game since 2019. It is unlikely that there is much of a future for Palka with the Mets’ organization beyond Syracuse. However, the sudden emergence of DJ Stewart has proven that no one should be counted out to make an impact on the major league roster down the stretch of this disappointing 2023 season, including Palka.

Honorable mentions go to Nick Morabito for recording a four-steal game, as well as to Carlos Cortes for setting a new career high in homers with his two long balls.

Pitching – Joander Suarez, P Binghamton

Suarez had about as good of a Double-A debut as one could ask for, pitching six hitless innings and allowing just one baserunner on a walk. He earned Eastern League Pitcher of the Week honors, and he will have a few more starts this year to establish himself in an immensely talented Binghamton rotation.

It took the 23-year-old Suarez until his fifth professional season to reach Double-A, but he’s finally having the sort of season that will have Mets brass hopeful for the future. He has a 4.76 ERA on the year with 124 strikeouts in 96 1/3 innings, and although his walk rate is sky-high, he’s allowed just six home runs. Suarez hasn’t struggled too much with walks in the past, so if he can get his command under control while preserving his strikeout stuff, he could be a name to watch moving forward.

Honorable mentions go to Dominic Hamel for tying a career high with 11 strikeouts over six scoreless innings, as well as to Jordan Geber for pitching six scoreless innings in just his second career Double-A start.

Upcoming Schedule – September 5-10

Triple-A Syracuse – vs. Rochester

Double-A Binghamton – @ Hartford

High-A Brooklyn – vs. Wilmington

Low-A St. Lucie – vs. Daytona

The post Mets Minors Weekly Report: Drew Gilbert Stays Hot, Palka Returns with Bang appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Triple-A

Lehigh Valley IronPigs (70-59) 14, Syracuse Mets (52-76) 6

BOX SCORE

• RF Joe Suozzi: 2-for-4, R, K (.802 OPS)
• 1B Daniel Palka: 1-for-5, R, HR (14), RBI (52), K (.748 OPS)
• SS Wyatt Young: 1-for-3, R, HR (2), 2 RBIs (1y), BB (.612 OPS)
• LF Jaylen Palmer: 1-for-4, R, HR (2), 3 RBIs (6), 3 K (1.182 OPS)
• CF Brandon McIlwain: 0-for-4, BB, 3 K, SB (.906 OPS)
• 3B Chase Estep: 1-for-4, R, 2B, K (.788 OPS)

 The Mets were able to get on the board first with a solo home run from Palka in the top of the first for his 14th of the year and his second in the last four games.

Palmer added a three-run home run of his own in the top of the seventh that ended up cutting the deficit to two runs at the time and he has homered in back-to-back games. Estep had a double to give him a hit in each of his first three games at Triple-A.

• RHP David Griffin (2-5, 7.58): 6 IP, 8 ER, 10 H, BB, 4 K (68 of 97 pitches for strikes)
• RHP Sam Coonrod (15.88): 1/3 IP, 5 ER, 4 H, BB

The IronPigs were able to erase an early deficit against Griffin thanks to three runs in the third and five runs in the fourth. The eight earned runs that Griffin allowed was the second-highest he has surrendered in a start this year (nine against Worcester on August 3).

Kevin Parada. Photo by Ed Delany of Metsmerized

Double-A

Binghamton Rumble Ponies (66-57) 3, Harrisburg Senators (55-69) 0

BOX SCORE

• C Kevin Parada: 2-for-4, R, HR (1), 3 RBIs (5), 2 K (.571 OPS)
• CF Drew Gilbert: 1-for-3, R, BB, K (.913 OPS)
• 2B Luisangel Acuña: 0-for-3, BB, 2 K (.605 OPS)
• 1B JT Schwartz: 1-for-3, HBP (.816 OPS)
• 3B Rowdey Jordan: 1-for-3, BB, K (.731 OPS)

The Rumble Ponies and Senators were in a scoreless tie until the bottom of the seventh when Parada hit his first Double-A home run, which were the only runs of the game.

In the win, Jordan ended up stealing his 28th base of the year, which ties him for the eighth most in the Eastern League this year.

• RHP Jordan Geber (0.00): 6 IP, 0 ER, 3 H, 4 K (46 of 74 pitches for strikes)
• RHP Brendan Hardy (1-0, 3.38): 1 1/3 IP. 0 ER, 2 H, 2 K
• RHP Paul Gervase (5.14, 1^st save): 1 2/3 IP, 0 ER, 1 H, BB, 4 K, WP

Saturday marked Geber’s first appearance of the year with Binghamton and it’s the fourth different affiliate he has been with this year. Nevertheless, he did not allow a single extra-base hit and the 24-year-old right-hander had his longest outing since May 7 (7 IP with Brooklyn).

Geravse ended up striking out four batters for the third consecutive appearance en route to his first Double-A save.

Binghamton leads the Portland Sea Dogs by five games for a playoff spot.

Alex Ramírez. Photo by Ed Delany of MMO

High-A

Brooklyn Cyclones (62-62) 6, Greenville Drive (62-63) 0

BOX SCORE

• CF Alex Ramírez: 2-for-5, 2 R, HR (7), RBI (52), K (.644 OPS)
• RF Stanley Consuegra: 1-for-4, R, HR (20), 3 RBI (60), K (.784 OPS)
• 3B William Lugo: 2-for-4, R, K (.694 OPS)
• C Drake Osborn: 1-for-2, R, HR (11), 2 RBIs (31), BB (.614 OPS)
• SS Jett Williams: 1-for-4, R, BB, K (.970 OPS)
• 1B Ryan Clifford: 1-for-5, 4 K (.819 OPS)

While the Cyclones were 1-for-11 with runners in scoring position, five of their six runs came via the long ball. Consuegra got the scoring started with a three-run home run in the top of the first, which is tied for third in the South Atlantic League.

After an Osborn solo home run in the second made it 4-0 (sac fly in the sixth), Ramírez added a solo home run of his own in the seventh to extend the lead to 6-0. Williams added another walk out of the leadoff spot to give him 97 for the year in 108 games.

• RHP Robert Colina (4-5, 3.84): 6 IP, 0 ER, 5 H, 10 K, WP, Balk (65 of 90 pitches for strikes)
• RHP Joe Joe Rodriguez (4.76, 1^st save): 3 IP, 0 ER, 4 H, BB, 4 K, WP, HBP

After three straight rough outings, Colina bounced back in a big way. The 22-year-old right-hander had a season-high ten strikeouts and it ties a career-high that he had in the Florida Complex League last year. The six innings that he worked was the longest of his career. Due to shutting out Greenville, the Cyclones have 11 shutouts this year, which is a new franchise record for strikeouts in a season.

With the win and a Jersey Shore loss, Brooklyn has a one-game lead for a playoff spot.

 Low-A

Tampa Tarpons (60-63) 2, St. Lucie Mets (40-82) 1 In 10 Innings

BOX SCORE

• 3B Nick Lorusso: 2-for-4, 2 2B, RBI (8) (.505 OPS)
• 2B Diego Mosquera: 2-for-4, 2B, 2 K (.616 OPS)
• SS Marco Vargas: 1-for-4, 2 K (.581 OPS)
• CF Nick Morabito: 0-for-2, SB, 2 HBP (.723 OPS)

As a team, the Mets were 1-for-13 with runners in scoring position with their lone run of the day taking place on a Lorusso RBI double in the top of the tenth. Coming into the day, the ninth-round pick in this year’s draft had three doubles in his first 20 professional games combined. Mosquera picked up a multi-hit game to extend his hit streak to six games.

• RHP Douglas Orellana (4.64): 6 2/3 IP, 0 ER, 2 H, BB, 8 K, WP (56 of 84 pitches for strikes)
• RHP Dakota Hawkins (0.00): 2 1/3 IP, 0 ER, 0 H, K
• RHP Bryce Jenkins (0-1, 27.00): 0 IP, 2 R (1 ER), 2 H, 2 BB

Orellana had one of his best, if not his best outing of the season on Saturday. The only two hits he allowed were singles in the first and sixth inning. The eight strikeouts that he had were a season-high. As for Hawkins, the 23-year-old out of Washington State has not allowed a run or a hit in the first four outings of his career.

The post Mets Minors Recap: Kevin Parada Hits First Double-A Home Run appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Triple-A

Lehigh Valley IronPigs (67-59) 5, Syracuse Mets (52-73) 3

BOX SCORE

• CF Brandon McIlwain: 2-for-4, R, HR (5), RBI (16) (1.004 OPS)
• DH Brett Baty: 2-for-5, R, 3 K (1.013 OPS)
• 1B Daniel Palka: 1-for-4, R, HR (13), 2 RBIs (50), BB, K (.743 OPS)
• LF Carlos Cortes: 1-for-3, BB, K (.858 OPS)
• 2B Ronny Mauricio: 0-for-5, K (.852 OPS)

The Mets were 0-for-8 with runners in scoring position in Wednesday night’s loss. McIlwain kept his great hitting at Triple-A going with a solo home run in the top of the second. He has hit three home runs in the last five games and the 25-year-old has a multi-hit game in four of the last five days.

Brandon McIlwain. Again.

His third homer and SEVENTH extra-base hit in the last five games! pic.twitter.com/9yNTX8gc6H

— Syracuse Mets (@SyracuseMets) August 30, 2023

Palka added a home run of his own with a two-run shot in the third that tied the game at three, his first since joining the Mets organization.

#PalkSmash #PalkSmash #PalkSmash

A 458-foot BOMB for Daniel Palka 😳 pic.twitter.com/0RAV4i8qr7

— Syracuse Mets (@SyracuseMets) August 30, 2023

• LHP Joey Lucchesi (6-5, 4.64 ERA): 5 IP, 4 ER, 5 H, 3 BB, 5 K, 2 WP (52 of 88 pitches for strikes)
• RHP Nolan Clenney (4.76): 2 IP, 0 ER, 0 H, 2 BB, 3 K
• RHP Reed Garrett (2.48): 1 IP, 1 ER, 1 H, BB, K

Lucchesi gave up all four runs in the first three innings, and it was the fourth time this year that he had walked four batters in a game (ties a season-high). Things were a little scary for Lucchesi as he took a hard line drive off the neck, but he stayed in the game to get the next batter out.

Clenney bounced back after allowing six runs in less than an inning on August 25 by throwing two hitless innings and striking out at least three batters for the third time this month (eight appearances).

Kevin Parada, Rich Storry-USA TODAY Sports

Double-A

Binghamton Rumble Ponies (63-57) 4, Harrisburg Senators (55-66) 2

BOX SCORE

• 1B JT Schwartz: 2-for-4, 2 RBIs (42) (.818 OPS)
• LF Rhylan Thomas: 1-for-1, R, RBI (1), 3 BB (1.167 OPS)
• 3B Jeremiah Jackson: 1-for-4 (.753 OPS)
• SS Luisangel Acuña: 0-for-3, R, RBI (6), BB (.619 OPS)
• CF Drew Gilbert: 0-for-5, 3 K (.920 OPS)
• C Kevin Parada: 1-for-4, BB, 2 K (.357 OPS)

The Rumble Ponies did not have a single extra-base hit, but they broke a 2-2 tie with two runs in the bottom of the eighth on one of Thomas’s walks and a sacrifice fly by Acuna. Thomas has four walks in the last two days since being promoted to Double-A.

Schwartz got the scoring started for Binghamton in the fifth with a two-run single. The 23-year-old is on a five-game hit streak and has driven in ten runs over that stretch. Jackson picked up another hit to give him a hit in 12 of the last 13 games.

• RHP Luis Moreno (5.07): 5 2/3 IP, 2 ER, 5 H, BB, 9 K (65 of 100 pitches for strikes)
• RHP Paul Gervase (6.75): 1 1/3 IP, 0 ER, 0 H, 4 K
• RHP Daison Acosta (4-3, 5.18): 2 IP, 0 ER, 1 H, 1 K

Moreno threw the ball well on Wednesday, as he had his third outing this year of nine or more strikeouts. Gervase came in after him and struck out all four batters that he faced, including a big strikeout to keep the game tied in the sixth. The 23-year-old right-hander has seven strikeouts in his last two relief appearances.

The Rumble Ponies have a three-game lead over the Portland Sea Dogs for a spot in the Eastern League playoffs.

High-A

The Brooklyn Cyclones (60-60) had their game against the Greenville Drive (60-61) postponed due to wet grounds. They will make-up the game on Thursday as part of a doubleheader with Game 1 beginning at 5 PM ET.

Low-A

The St. Lucie Mets (40-79) game was canceled against the Tampa Tarpons (57-63) due to inclement weather from Hurricane Idalia.

The post Mets Minors Recap: Kevin Parada Picks Up First Double-A Hit appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

The long awaited arrival of one of the Mets’ top prospects, Ronny Mauricio, will finally be coming to fruition as he is going to be promoted to the major league roster in the coming days. The initial news came from Daniel Álvarez-Montes of El Extrabase, who reported that the Mets third-ranked prospect will be promoted when the rosters expand to 28 on Friday, September 1. For more in-depth analysis of the call-up, click here.

Ronny Mauricio – Final Destination? Outfield. Photo Courtesy of https://momentodeportivord.com/que-significa-carlos-correa-en-los-mets-para-ronny-mauricio/

The Mets won in walk-off fashion Wednesday night, as they salvaged the last of three games against the Texas Rangers by a score of 6-5. Denyi Reyes had his best performance as a Met, going 5 1/3 innings while only allowing two earned runs on three hits, but that became a minute detail in a night that was all about DJ Stewart.

Stewart started his heroic night by teaming up with Daniel Vogelbach on a pair of home runs in the second inning to give the Mets a 2-0 lead. Facing a 5-3 deficit in the bottom of the eighth, DJ struck again as he knotted the game right back up by sending another home run over the right field wall. He also sparkled in the field as he ran into the right-center field wall to rob Marcus Semien of a double in the top of the ninth. With the bases loaded in the bottom of the 10th in a 5-5 game, Stewart got hit by the first pitch he saw from Aroldis Chapman to win the game and cap off his unforgettable night.

The Mets will take Thursday to rest as they prepare to host the red-hot Seattle Mariners over the weekend at Citi Field.

Latest Mets News

All sorts of Pete Alonso buzz has been swirling around for the past two months. Most recently, there has been an increase in rumors concerning Alonso having a negative impact on the clubhouse. But an article from Deesha Thosar article of FOX Sports tried to put that to rest. The article highlights that a possible trade involving Alonso will be purely fiscally motivated. Alonso gave off the sentiment that the trade rumors are not getting to him, and many Mets players rallied around him. The article details how a Mets higher-up said players were upset with the reports saying Alonso was “toxic,” and many players plan to make it known that they want him back with the club for years to come. 

Daniel Palka, who the Mets recently signed back to a minor league contract, quite literally hit a home run out of the ballpark as he sent a moonshot that traveled 458 feet and was rocketed 112.8 mph off the bat. 

458 feet at 112.8 mph by Daniel Palka in his second day back with the Triple-A Syracuse Mets.

He had three hits in his first game back.

pic.twitter.com/njoNDPBwxP

— Mike Mayer (@mikemayer22) August 30, 2023

Latest MLB News

Juan Recio and Jeff Passan of ESPN provided an update on the Wander Franco situation, as the Dominican Republic is investigating a second formal complaint that the Rays’ shortstop engaged in a relationship with a minor. This is the latest of three accusations against Franco; prosecutors from the division that are investigating Franco’s situation hope to speak with him in the coming weeks.

The New York Yankees are calling up two of their top 10 prospects in outfielder Jasson Domínguez and catcher Austin Wells, Passan of ESPN also reported. The two newest call-ups join Anthony Volpe, Oswald Peraza, and Everson Pereira as the Yankees continue to call up highly touted prospects in their system to the major league level. The two latest additions are expected to join the club in Houston during their series against the Astros over the weekend. 

Two veterans found new homes Wednesday while clubs are looking to make last-minute additions to their rosters, as players need to be in the organization a month prior to the start of the postseason to be eligible for the postseason roster. One of those players was former Met Billy Hamilton. The Tampa Bay Rays signed the know base stealer to a minor league deal, per Marc Topkin of The Tampa Bay Times, although he might not be able to play right away as he is still nursing a shoulder injury. The other was catcher Tucker Barnhart, who signed a minor league deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers after being released by the Cubs earlier this month. Robert Murray of FanSided was the first to report the Barnhart news.

Philadelphia Phillies star Bryce Harper notched his 300th career home run as he hit a go-ahead two-run shot in the eighth inning of a loss against the Los Angeles Angels. Harper has been in the spotlight from a very young age, donning the cover of Sports Illustrated at 16 year old, and he has not let the expectations get to him. The former phenom has succeeded at every level, and accumulating his 300th home run Wednesday afternoon was just another milestone eclipsed on his trip to Cooperstown. 

BRYCE. HARPER.#RingTheBell pic.twitter.com/zy0uCGTa6Q

— Philadelphia Phillies (@Phillies) August 30, 2023

Latest on MMO

Ross Bentley did a deeper breakdown of the Mets clubhouse responding to rumors of Pete Alonso being “toxic.”

Metsmerized Online‘s witter page is holding a giveaway for three Kevin Parada rookie cards!

Metsmerized Online is also giving you the opportunity to win three of the Mets newest call-up Ronny Mauricio’ rookie cards!

On This Date in Mets History

2016: In the bottom of the eighth inning, Kelly Johnson broke a 2-2 tie as he hit a bases clearing double to take a give the Mets a 5-2 lead against the Miami Marlins. Jeurys Familia came in for the top of the ninth as he notched his 44th save on the season, breaking Armando Benítez and his own record of saves in a season which previously stood at 43. 

2020: Tom Seaver passes away at the age of 75. “The Franchise” took a young Mets franchise to prominence, leading the Amazin’s to wo World Series appearances and one World Series win, along with notching 3 Cy Young awards and 10 All-Star appearances while with the club. Seaver would go on to be the first retired number in Mets franchise history and is recognized in Cooperstown for eternity.

2021: Trailing 5-1 in the ninth inning of the first game of a day/night doubleheader against the Marlins, Brandon Nimmo sparks a late rally with a two-run homer as he cuts the deficit in half. Newest Met Javier Baez, who reached on an infield single, would then race from first to home on a Michael Conforto double to give the Mets the win, following a week of “thumbs up, thumbs down” controversy.

Birthdays: Ramón Ramírez (42), Hideo Nomo (55), Pat Howell (55)

The post Morning Briefing: The Ronny Mauricio Era Set to Begin appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Kevin Parada, Photo by Ed Delany of Metsmerized

The Mets’ first pick in the most recent MLB Draft made his St. Lucie debut. In the game, Kevin Parada struggled. As he struck out three times and flew out once. Regardless, it will be worth paying close attention to how his play develops at the A-ball level.

AAA: Syracuse Mets (52-70) 6, Worcester Red Sox (62-60) 4  Box Score

• Daniel Palka DH: 1-for-2, R, HR, 2 RBI, BB, K, .273/.351/.537
• Travis Jankowski CF: 1-for-5, 3B, RBI, K, .212/.359/.327
• Dominic Smith 1B: 1-for-3, R, 2 RBI, 2 BB, K, .288/.386/.448

Palka got the Mets on the board early with his two-run shot in the first inning. That home run was his 25th of the season, a total which surpasses Francisco Álvarez for the organizational lead. Jankowski is hitting just .162/.279/.243 since his early-August demotion to Triple-A. Smith has been racking up hits consistently since his own demotion and has walked more than he struck out (10:9 BB:K ratio in August). However, with just five extra base hits, he’s shown little power.

• RHP Jose Butto (0-1, 6.30 ERA) 4.0 IP, 7 H, 3 ER, 3 BB, 2 K
• RHP Jordan Yamamoto (W, 1-0, 14.21 ERA) 1.0 IP, 2 BB
• RHP Adonis Medina (1-0, 3.71 ERA) 2.0 IP, 3 H, ER, 2 BB, 4 K

Butto returned to Triple-A and made his third start with Syracuse. He struggled quite a bit in the start, throwing nearly 20 pitches an inning (78 pitches total) and posting a WHIP of 2.50. After two horrific appearances to begin his tenure with Syracuse, Yamamoto returned to the bullpen in Saturday’s game. He struggled to find the zone in his one inning of work – just five of his 13 pitches were strikes – but he managed to escape the inning without giving up a run.

AA: Binghamton Rumble Ponies (47-71) 8, Reading Fightin Phils (53-66) 3  Box Score

• Luke Ritter 2B: 1-for-4, 2 R, HR, 2 RBI, BB, K, .224/.329/.411
• Jeremy Vasquez 1B: 1-for-3, R, 2B, 3 RBI, BB, .255/.342/.343
• Carlos Cortes LF: 2-for-5, 2 R, 3B, .255/.328/.424

The Rumble Ponies had just eight hits in Saturday’s game but managed to push across eight runs thanks to a 4-for-7 performance with runners in scoring position. Vasquez had the biggest hit of the game, giving Binghamton a five-run lead with his bases-clearing double in the eighth inning. Jake Mangum took five at-bats as the designated hitter in his fourth rehab game with Binghamton.

• RHP Garrison Bryant (3-1, 7.06 ERA) 6.0 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, BB, 3 K
• RHP Jesus Vargas (W, 2-8, 6.05 ERA) 3.0 IP, 2 H, ER, 2 K

By going six innings, Bryant tied his season high for innings pitched in a start, and, with only 71 pitches through those six innings, he probably could have gone a couple innings more if he were pushed. Although his August numbers are weighed down by a start in which he allowed eight runs, Bryant has allowed two runs or less in his other four starts this month. Vargas has allowed just one run in 16 2/3 innings pitched this month.

A+: Brooklyn Cyclones (61-58) 8, Jersey Shore BlueClaws (44-75) 3  Box Score

• Alex Ramirez RF: 2-for-5, 2 R, 2B, RBI, .267/.319/.432
• Jose Peroza 2B: 2-for-5, R, RBI, K, .262/.349/.393
• Jaylen Palmer CF: 2-for-4, R, 2B, .180/.315/.311

The Cyclones had 13 hits and just five strikeouts on Saturday evening. Each of the first four hitters in the lineup had multiple hits. Ramirez is slashing just .231/.278/.297 in August, but has been coming around recently by recording at least one hit in nine of his last ten games. Peroza extended his hitting streak to seven games and his on-base streak to 26 games.

• RHP Dominic Hamel (4-1, 3.46 ERA) 4.2 IP, 2 H, 3 ER, 4 BB, 6 K
• LHP Daniel Juarez (W, 1-0, 0.00 ERA) 1.1 IP, H, BB, K
• RHP Sammy Tavarez (2-1, 2.78 ERA) 1.0 IP, 3 BB, K

Hamel has struggled with his control recently, and has now walked 12 batters over his last three starts (11 2/3 innings pitched). However, he has also struck out an impressive 18 batters over that stretch. Juarez has not allowed a run since he returned from the St. Lucie injured list on July 24th. He has started his Brooklyn career with two scoreless appearances. Despite walking nearly a batter per inning in August, Tavarez has allowed just two runs over 8 1/3 innings pitched.

A (Game 1): Palm Beach Cardinals (59-57) 3, St. Lucie Mets (67-50) 1  Box Score

• Kevin Parada C: 0-for-4, 3 K, .000/.000/.000
• D’Andre Smith 2B: 1-for-4, R, 2B, K, .400/.471/.667
• Raul Beracierta DH: 2-for-3, K, .296/.347/.455

The Mets went just 1-for-7 with runners in scoring position and only pushed across a single run in the first game of Saturday’s doubleheader. Parada made his St. Lucie debut and struggled quite a bit. He struck out three times and had a 94.4 MPH flyout. Beracierta’s fourth-inning single was the hardest hit ball of the game, coming off the bat at an impressive 107.2 MPH.

• RHP Calvin Ziegler (L, 0-4, 3.32 ERA) 3.0 IP, 2 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 2 K
• RHP Raimon Gomez (4-5, 3.92 ERA) 4.0 IP, 2 H, ER, BB, 4 K

Ziegler threw less than half of his pitches for strikes in Saturday’s start (23 of 48 pitches were strikes), and his poor control has become a trend since his return from the injured list. In four August starts, despite having a low 2.25 ERA, he has walked nine batters over eight innings. He averaged 93.2 MPH and topped out at 95.1 MPH with his fastball and generated just one whiff on 15 swings during his start. Gomez’s fastball topped out at 98.3 MPH.

A (Game 2): Palm Beach Cardinals (60-57) 4, St. Lucie Mets (67-51) 2  Box Score

• Omar De Los Santos LF: 1-for-3, R, SB, .264/.331/.443
• Tanner Murphy CF: 3-for-3, 2B, RBI, .338/.459/.538
• Raul Beracierta 1B: 1-for-3, 2B, .296/.347/.455

St. Lucie’s offense similarly struggled in the second game of Saturday’s doubleheader. They had just five hits, three of which came off the bat of Murphy. Two of Murphy’s three hits had an exit velocity greater than 100 MPH, with his seventh inning single registering at 107.8 MPH. De Los Santos’ stolen base was his 67th of the season, a total which ties him for second in the entire minor leagues and which leaves him just two steals behind the minor league leader.

• RHP Joel Diaz (L, 3-2, 5.96 ERA) 4.0 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, BB, 4 K
• RHP Eric Orze (0-0, 0.00 ERA) 1.0 IP, H, K
• RHP Douglas Orellana (0-0, 9.00 ERA) 2.0 IP, 2 H, 2 ER, 3 BB, 2 K

Diaz has looked much better in August. He has a 3.13 ERA and a 22:8 K:BB ratio in 23 innings pitched this month. In this start, Diaz averaged an impressive 94.6 MPH and topped out at 96.4 MPH with his four-seam fastball. Orze made his first rehab appearance in his return from an undisclosed injury. This was his first time on the mound since July 29th.

Orellana was frequently dominant in the Florida Complex League this summer and, with his stuff, it’s not hard to see why. He averaged 96.3 MPH and topped out 97.5 MPH with his fastball, while his low-80s curveball featured a spin rate that eclipsed 3000 RPM.

The post Mets Minors Recap: Kevin Parada Makes St. Lucie Debut appeared first on Metsmerized Online.