The club exercised their $4.75 million club option on southpaw Brooks Raley. Raley, 37, had a strong bounce-back campaign in 2025 following his recovery from Tommy John surgery. He posted a 2.45 ERA over 25 2/3 innings, proving particularly dominant against left-handed hitters, who slashed a minuscule .103/.212/.138 against him.

Brooks Raley. Photo by Roberto Carlo

Conversely, the Mets declined their $2 million club option on 32-year-old righty Drew Smith. Smith missed the entire 2025 season rehabbing after undergoing his second Tommy John surgery in July 2024. The move makes him a free agent as he continues his recovery. Anthony DiComo of MLB.com notes that he’ll likely return to the mound in 2026.

The announcement also confirmed the already-known decision of star players Pete Alonso and closer Edwin Díaz, who will decline their player options and become free agents. A.J. Minter exercised his option after an injury-plagued year, while Frankie Montas officially opted in after his disappointing 2025 season. He’ll miss all of 2026 after undergoing Tommy John surgery.

Mets Acquire Joey Gerber

In a move for organizational depth, the Mets traded cash considerations to the Tampa Bay Rays for right-hander Joey Gerber. Gerber, recently designated for assignment, made two appearances for the Rays in 2025 (2.08 ERA in 4 1/3 innings). His high-strikeout potential is an interest point. Gerber registered 54 strikeouts across 43 1/3 innings at Triple-A Durham despite a 6.23 ERA. He does, however, come with an injury history, including a Tommy John surgery back in 2022.

Brandon Waddell Returns

Brandon Waddell, one of the shuttle arms the Mets used this season when they needed to eat innings from the bullpen, returns to the team on a major league contract. After three seasons in KBO, Waddell returned stateside with the Mets. He pitched to a 3.45 ERA in 31 1/3 innings in the bigs. Only one of his appearances came in a win. He remained stretched out as a starter in the minors, starting 15 games in Triple-A.

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Wednesday saw some of the final big names on the market find their homes for the 2025 season. While Alex Bregman caught most of the headlines, starting pitcher Nick Pivetta landed in San Diego after his five-year stint in Boston.

The right-handed starting pitcher, who the Mets showed interest in throughout the offseason, signed a four-year, $55 million deal with the San Diego Padres, per Jeff Passan of ESPN. The deal includes a pair of opt-outs and comes in the midst of trade rumors that continue to swirl around Padres starting pitchers Michael King and Dylan Cease. 

David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports

Latest Mets News

The Mets officially announced the Pete Alonso signing!

It seems as though the Mets are moving on without Jose Iglesias, as David Stearns stated, “Having some flexibility there in that role is frankly probably needed for us right now”, per Anthony DiComo of MLB.com.

The Mets agreed to a one-year deal with reliever Drew Smith, per Mark Feinsand of MLB.com. The deal includes a club option for the 2026 season.

Latest MLB News

All-Star third baseman Alex Bregman has agreed to a three-year, $120 million deal with the Boston Red Sox, per Chandler Rome of The Athletic. There are opt-outs after each season for Bregman.

Former Met Daniel Vogelbach has been hired by the Pittsburgh Pirates to be a special assistant to the hitting department, per Noah Hiles of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. 

Anthony Rendon‘s injury-ridden run continues. He will be missing a “long amount of time” as he is undergoing hip surgery, per Sam Blum of The Athletic.

Dodgers high-end relievers Michael Kopech and Evan Phillips are behind schedule and likely to start the season on the IL, per Bob Nightengale of USA Today. 

The Miami Marlins signed right-handed starting pitcher Cal Quantrill to a one-year major league deal, per Alden González of ESPN.

The Milwaukee Brewers signed LHP Tyler Alexander to a one-year deal.

Latest on MMO

Alex Bregman found his new home, the Boston Red Sox.

The Mets seem to be closing the book on the “OMG” era.

Drew Smith is coming back to Queens.

On This Date in Mets History

Born on This Date: Mike Nickeas (1983), Brian Rose (1976), Howie Rose (1954).

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“We’re thrilled to have Pete back,” president of baseball operations David Stearns told reporters. “I think Pete is thrilled to be back. You could like see the genuine excitement that he had to be back in this building and we’re really happy we were able to make it happen.”

Alonso, 30, signed a two-year, $54 million contract, with an opt out for him after this season.

“He wants to win a World Series as a Met and he knows a big part of our ability to do that is him producing,” Stearns said. “And Pete’s had good years the last couple of years, but not as good, not as elite, not at the standard that he set at the front end of his career, and I think he is very motivated to demonstrate that he is capable of putting up those types of numbers.”

Alonso hit 34 home runs last year, a career low excluding Covid-shortened 2020, and his OPS was .788, 33 points lower than it was in 2023. He is 27 home runs away from breaking Darryl Strawberry‘s Mets home run record of 252.

“We’re excited to welcome Pete back to Queens,” Steve and Alex Cohen said in a statement. “He is a homegrown talent who is adored by our fan base. It should be a fun summer at Citi Field watching Pete contribute to a great lineup and chase the franchise home run record.”

Stearns also spoke about the upcoming season and what many experts expect to be a three-team race for the division between the Mets, Phillies and Braves.

“I feel like we can be better than them but there’s nothing guaranteed,” he said. “We gottta go out and perform. The Braves are going to win more games than they won last year (89). The Phillies are a really good team that’s going to be highly motivated again this year. So we know the battle we are about to enter. I think we’re excited by it. We know it’s going to take a very strong effort from our entire roster.”

And in another roster move, the Mets signed reliever Drew Smith to a two-year deal, with a club option for the second year. He will earn $1 million this season and the Mets will decide whether to pay him $2 million plus incentives in 2026, according to reports.

The 31-year-old right-hander is the longest-tenured Mets pitcher, debuting in 2018. He underwent hybrid Tommy John surgery in July after going 1-1 with a 3.06 ERA and 1.52 WHIP with 23 strikeouts in 17.2 innings. For his career, he’s 12-13 with a 3.48 ERA.

Stearns said Smith’s familiarity with the organization helped with the decision.

“Having continuity in his care, that he can be under our supervision for his rehab in a place that he’s comfortable, that he trusts the medical staff is important for both sides,” Stearns said. “And then hopefully this goes well and he’s pitching big innings for us in ’26.”

The Mets placed Smith and starter Christian Scott on the 60-day injured list. Scott is also expected to miss the season, recovering from Tommy John surgery.

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Smith underwent Tommy John surgery in July and will likely miss the 2025 season. The right-hander was solid this past season, posting a 3.06 ERA over 19 appearances and striking out 29.1% of the batters he faced. Walks have been a problem for Smith, as he posted an 11.4% walk rate in 2024, but the Mets will pay him to rehab this season and hopefully address this issue when he is throwing at 100% again.

Smith, 31, is reclaiming the title of the longest-tenured Mets pitcher. He’s been with the organization since 2017 and made his big league debut in 2018. He was acquired by New York in the deal that sent Lucas Duda to the Rays.

This is a low-risk deal by the Mets brass to bring back Smith for him to potential arm in the 2026 bullpen.

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Jun 28, 2024; Anaheim, California, USA; Los Angeles Angels relief pitcher Luis Garcia (66) pitches during the eighth inning against the Detroit Tigers at Angel Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-USA TODAY Sports

The Los Angeles Angels are in sell mode. Per Heyman, other teams that are interested in García include the New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox, and Kansas City Royals, among others. García is having a solid season for the Angels. He has a 3.80 ERA in 44 games and pitched 42 2/3 innings. He’s allowed 18 earned runs and struck out 40 batters with an ERA+ of 112. He’s even saved 3 games for the Angels. 

With Brooks Raley and Drew Smith out for the season and Dedniel Núñez, Sean Reid-Foley, and Reed Garrett on the injured list, New York is scrambling to find bullpen help. A move for a pitcher such as García would help bring depth in the later innings of the game. He would add to Maton, Stanek, José Buttó, and Edwin Díaz. For now, Stearns is on the phone and searching for improvements to a bullpen that needs it. 

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The Mets look to clinch a series this afternoon at Citi Field. Friday night was crazy as the Mets and Rockies combined for nine home runs. The Rockies got on the board first with a two-run homer in the top of the second. The Mets responded in the bottom of the second with three solo shots. Fast forward a bit and the Mets had a 7-2 lead before the bullpen hit some bumps and brought the game to 7-6. Edwin Díaz held on in the ninth and the Mets got the win.

A win today will put the Mets four games above .500, which will tie the high mark they had for the season a couple of months ago.

May 11, 2024; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets pitcher Christian Scott (45) pitches against the Atlanta Braves during the first inning at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: John Jones-USA TODAY Sports

Mets Lineup

1. Francisco Lindor – SS
2. Brandon Nimmo – CF
3. J.D. Martinez – DH
4. Pete Alonso – 1B
5. DJ Stewart – RF
6. Mark Vientos – 3B
7. Ben Gamel – LF
8. Luis Torrens – C
9. Jeff McNeil – 2B

Christian Scott has a 4.15 ERA, 4.07 FIP, 1.026 WHIP, and a 94 ERA+ over seven starts and 39 innings this season. On July 3rd he returned to the Mets rotation and flew through the first several innings but then hit a bump towards the end of his outing ending up with four earned runs over 5 2/3 innings. His last start against the Pirates was much better – two runs over 5 2/3 innings from only one hit and a walk.

Opposing Lineup

1. Charlie Blackmon – DH
2. Ezequiel Tovar – SS
3. Ryan McMahon – 3B
4. Elias Díaz – C
5. Brenton Doyle – CF
6. Brendan Rodgers – 2B
7. Jake Cave – RF
8. Michael Toglia – 1B
9. Sam Hilliard – LF

Ryan Feltner has made 18 starts this season totaling 98 2/3 innings with a 5.29 ERA, 4.02 FIP, 1.429 WHIP, and an 86 ERA+. He’s been much better though in his last three starts, allowing only four earned runs, seven total, over 18 innings (2.00 ERA, 3.11 FIP). Even through this good stretch, he has allowed a lot of base runners from 16 hits and six walks. The Mets got to Feltner last year tagging him for four runs from four hits and six walks over 3 1/3 innings. The Mets have the following career numbers against him:

• Pete Alonso 2-3, HR, BB
• Francisco Alvarez 1-1, 2B, BB
• Ben Gamel 1-2, K
• Francisco Lindor 0-3, 3 BB
• J.D. Martinez 0-2, 2 K
• Jeff McNeil 2-4
• Brandon Nimmo 1-3, 2 BB
• Tyrone Taylor 0-2, K

Game Notes

• The Mets are three games above .500 for the first time since April 21 (12-9). Their season-high is four games above .500 following a victory on April 20 (12-8). The Mets were a season-low 11 games under .500 on June 2 (24-35). Since then, the Mets have gone 24-10. Their 24 wins are tied with the Astros for the most in the majors in that span, as is their .706 winning percentage.
• On Friday, Drew Smith underwent right elbow UCL reconstruction with internal brace augmentation with Dr. Keith Meister in Arlington, TX. Additional updates will be provided as appropriate.
• Jose Iglesias is out of the Mets’ lineup on Saturday. Before the game, Mendoza said Iglesias was still dealing with Flu-like symptoms and was giving the veteran the day off. The Mets skipper also stated he wanted to get lefties in the lineup today, which made the decision easier.

Three Things To Watch For

1. Will the ball fly out of the ballpark again? Friday night was really insane for both teams. The Rockies had four different hitters each in a homerun. The Mets hit five total home runs including two home run days for both Bader and Iglesias. For Iglesias, it was his first multi-homer day of his career. Christian Scott for the Mets has allowed five homers this season, 1.2 HR/9. Ryan Feltner has allowed 12 homers this season, 1.1 HR/9.
2. The Mets are second in the National League for home runs. I did not realize this until the SNY booth mentioned it during the broadcast Friday night. The Mets have hit 119 home runs, which is second to the Dodgers (127) and fourth overall in the major leagues. The Mets are doing it throughout the lineup. Pete Alonso leads the team in home runs with 18, which is tied for 17th overall in the majors. There are sneaky power threats up and down the Mets lineup.
3. Mark Vientos. In his last five games, Vientos has gone 7-for-18 with three doubles and a home run. He also has 4 RBIs over this stretch. If we expand this out to his last 13 games, he has gone 16-for-50 at the plate with five doubles and three homers. He’s finishing the first half of the season strong!

Let’s go Mets!

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Houston took two out of three at Citi Field over the weekend, ensuring that the Mets finished June with the second-best record in all of baseball (16-8). The Astros finished the month with the best record (17-8).

After clobbering the Astros for seven runs in Friday’s series opener, New York was undone by bullpen troubles the rest of the way.

As a result, the Mets finished an otherwise red-hot June two games back of the final wild card spot. They will enter July just one game under .500 and primed to stay competitive heading into the trade deadline.

And, on that note, let’s dive right into another edition of 3 Up, 3 Down…

Jun 29, 2024; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets second baseman Jose Iglesias (11) hits a RBI single against the Houston Astros during the second inning at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: John Jones-USA TODAY Sports

3 Up

Milestone Man

June was quite the month for Brandon Nimmo. After getting off to one of the worst statistical starts of his career, the outfielder rebounded and then some in June. He finished off a scorching-hot month in style, going 4-for-11 with one homer, two doubles, three walks, four RBIs and three runs scored against Houston. Nimmo also hit his 100th career homer on Sunday, a game in which he came up with two clutch hits to tie the game twice. He was huge all month for this team.

LONG MAN

Adrian Houser did his job on Sunday. The starter turned reliever entered the series finale and threw two scoreless innings. He allowed just two hits with no walks and one strikeout. It was another dominant outing from Houser, who finished June with a stellar 1.08 ERA. In one of the surprise twists of the year so far, the veteran has morphed into a reliable and clutch long man in the Mets bullpen.

GOOD VIBES

It was quite surreal watching what unfolded at Citi Field on Friday night. In the wake of a 7-2 win, veteran infielder Jose Iglesias grabbed a microphone and performed a live rendition of his new single ‘OMG‘. As a result, another memorable moment in a month full of them was born. Friday night’s impromptu gig underlined the team spirit that has fueled a remarkable turnaround. Aside from the two losses to finish the month, the vibes are high with this team. Something quite special appears to be brewing in Queens.

3 DOWN 

Jun 29, 2024; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets pitcher Reed Garrett (75) reacts during the eighth inning against the Houston Astros at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: John Jones-USA TODAY Sports

BULLPEN IMPLOSIONS

The Mets were well on their way to finishing June with the best record in baseball. However, the bullpen had other ideas. An incredibly taxed group of relievers gave away not one but two games. Jake Diekman and Reed Garrett combined to walk four and allow three runs to blow a 6-4 lead on Saturday. Then, on Sunday, newly-promoted Matt Festa allowed five runs in extra-innings. This bullpen is gassed and razor-thin. If reinforcements aren’t added, this season could come crashing down on the Mets.

How we end up judging the 2024 season may well depend on what David Stearns does at the trade deadline. Building on the above point, bullpen help is seriously needed. Stearns’ ability or inability to add reinforcements may dictate whether or not this team makes the playoffs. With Edwin Díaz suspended, Sean Reid-Foley on the shelf and Brooks Raley and Drew Smith out for the year, the pen is taxed and undermanned. Help is needed. And quick.

WALK-A-THON

The Mets now lead the National League in walks with 316. And it isn’t even close. Walks also played a big part in their downfall against the Astros. Diekman and Garrett combined to walk four hitters on Saturday, leading directly to a bullpen collapse. The pen has now blown six leads after eight innings this year. That’s tied for the most in baseball with the Rockies. And issuing a boatload of free passes has been a contributing factor for sure.

DOWNWARD DESCENT 

The Tylor Megill mystery continues. The righty boasts a boatload of talent and potential, but he just doesn’t seem capable of putting it together yet. To illustrate that, look at his outing on Saturday. He gave up four earned runs on five hits while walking three. As a result, Megill’s ERA stands at 5.08 on the year, and he was optioned to Triple-A. Now, that was to enable the Mets to call up more bullpen help. However, the point stands that Megill has been unable to pitch consistently. Saturday was another example of that.

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New York’s pen was one of the team’s surprise strengths out of the gate, posting a National League-best 2.85 ERA in April while the team finished with a 15-11 record during that stretch. The unit was enhanced by the breakout of Reed Garrett, who posted a 0.57 ERA over 15 2/3 innings in April, in addition to the likes of Brooks Raley, Edwin Díaz, and Adam Ottavino all providing consistency and stability at the end of games.

Things, however, quickly nosedived as the season transitioned into May. The Mets’ downward spiral was all-encompassing, and at the heart of it was the bullpen. The team lost five games that they led after eight innings during that month as their relievers recorded a league-worst -1.1 fWAR while putting up a 4.88 ERA, upstaged only by the Pittsburgh Pirates for the worst total in the NL over that time period.

From the Jorge López debacle to Díaz’s struggles (8.68 ERA) and everything in between, the sky truly felt like it was falling for both the bullpen and the team as a whole before the season even reached its dog days.

Amidst the Mets’ run back to relevancy, their relievers have steadied to the tune of a 3.00 ERA in June, which ranks No. 9 in the league. There has still been some cause for concern, however, as the bullpen is responsible for a 4.15 ERA over the past seven days while a seeming lack of depth and reliable late-inning arms could come back to haunt the team should those shortcomings go unaddressed moving forward.

The most consequential piece of New York’s bullpen is, of course, Díaz. After a rough month of May that ended with him landing on the injured list with a shoulder impingement, he looked more like his old self in June with a 0.00 ERA and a 1.16 FIP across just three outings after returning on June 13.

A 10-game suspension after a sticky substance ejection against the Chicago Cubs on June 23 has more or less muddied the waters around Díaz and put the club in a tough spot for the time being, but overall there shouldn’t be too many concerns about his role or level of play down the stretch as the Mets’ closer.

Garrett has bounced back from his own struggles in May (6.08 ERA) with a 2.70 ERA and 2.85 FIP over 10 June innings while Dedniel Núñez has also been a bright spot with a 2.31 ERA over the first 14 appearances of his major league career, but the issue lies with almost everything else in the bullpen.

Manager Carlos Mendoza has recently avoided inserting Ottavino in any sort of high-leverage situation as he attempts to regain his footing while Sean Reid-Foley sits on the injured list with a right shoulder impingement. The Mets may also be without Drew Smith for the rest of the campaign after disclosing to reporters that imaging on his right elbow showed substantial damage that may lead to the second Tommy John surgery of his career.

Even if Reid-Foley returns relatively quickly and continues to produce at a solid rate for the Mets, bullpen help will likely remain David Stearns’ top priority at the deadline should the team decide to plant their flag as buyers. With Raley out for the year due to Tommy John surgery as well and no true difference-makers that appear ready to make the leap to the big leagues quite yet in the upper levels of the minors, New York has a unique opportunity to completely shift the look of its relief corps over the next month.

It would appear improbable that the Mets splurge for one of the more expensive arms on the trade market such as Tanner Scott of the Miami Marlins or Hunter Harvey of the Washington Nationals, though the reliever market is saturated enough that they should be able to find plenty of value elsewhere.

Potential targets that would make sense as fits include old friend David Robertson should the Texas Rangers fall completely out of the playoff race, Carlos Estévez of the Los Angeles Angels, Yimi García of the Toronto Blue Jays, and Brent Suter of the Cincinnati Reds.

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Drew Smith spoke to the media on Friday, detailing that Tommy John surgery is on the table after imaging on his right elbow showed “pretty significant damage.” Smith was emotional talking about how he might not pitch for the Mets again, as he is set to be a free agent this offseason.

Smith has been a staple in the Mets’ bullpen since 2018, one year after he was acquired for Lucas Duda from the Rays. He’s spent his entire major league career with the Mets, accumulating a 3.48 ERA.

Drew Smith. John Hefti-USA TODAY Sports

Latest Mets News

On a brighter note, the Mets (40-39) defeated the Astros (40-41) 7-2 in their series opener. It was a breakout game for Jeff McNeil, who recorded three hits including a three-run homer in the sixth inning to extend the Mets’ lead from one to four. Pete Alonso and Tyrone Taylor also homered in the effort. With the win, the Mets are officially over .500.

David Stearns spoke to the media prior to the game. Stearns explained that the Mets may be buyers at the trade deadline if the circumstances are right, and that Steve Cohen will allow the team to add to the payroll if that’s the course Stearns wants to take.

The Florida Complex League Mets threw a combined no-hitter, their first since 2015. Joseph Yabbour, Wellington Aracena, and Brayhans Barreto were the pitchers who accomplished the feat, while Francisco Toledo was behind the plate.

Shintaro Fujinami made a rehab appearance for the St. Lucie Mets. It was a quick 1-2-3 inning, as he threw just six pitches, all of which were strikes.

Héctor Ríos Morales of the Latin Times spoke with Francisco Alvarez, who talked about his baseball experience and his future aspirations of winning a World Series.

Latest MLB News

Hall of Famer Orlando Cepeda passed away on Friday at the age of 86. Cepeda had a very decorated career; he was an 11-time All-Star, including 10 times as a San Francisco Giant, and he was also a Rookie of the Year (1958), an MVP (1967), and a World Series winner (1967).

The Phillies placed both Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber on the 10-day injured list. In corresponding moves, the team called up Johan Rojas and reinstated Kody Clemens from the IL. Harper and Schwarber appear to have avoided major injuries after being removed from Thursday’s game, but they will still be sidelined for at least the 10-day minimum.

Per Grant Paulsen of MLB Network Radio, the Nationals are calling up top prospect James Wood. The 21-year-old Wood was sent from the Padres to the Nationals in the Juan Soto trade a few years ago, and is considered MLB.com’s no. 3 prospect in all of baseball. Wood has been mashing in Triple-A this year, where he has a 1.036 OPS in 51 games.

Reliever Nabil Crismatt announced on Instagram that he is signing with the Padres. It’s a minor league deal for Crismatt, who spent parts of three seasons with the Padres before pitching for the Dodgers this year. Crismatt allowed just two runs in seven major league innings with the Dodgers this year.

The Cubs called up former Met Jorge López to join their bullpen. López had a 3.76 ERA in 28 games with the Mets before being released after infamously tossing his glove into the stands and not holding back to the media following that incident. López appeared for the Cubs on Friday in his first game, tossing a scoreless inning of relief.

Latest on MMO

In the latest Mets Minors Recap, Michael Mayer highlights Brandon Sproat‘s latest brilliant outing, a scoreless six-inning performance for Double-A Binghamton.

Jose Iglesias‘s new song, “OMG,” released on Friday. Patrick Glynn breaks down what it has meant for this New York Mets team and posts a link to the anthem.

On the latest MMO Weekly, former MMO writer and current SI beat writer Pat Ragazzo joins Sal Manzo to discuss the Subway Series, the baby Mets, Grimace, and more.

On This Date in Mets History

1969: Tom Seaver became the all-time winningest pitcher in Mets history, surpassing lefty Al Jackson with his 44th career victory. It was his 12th victory of the 1969 season, a complete game against the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Birthdays: Yolmer Sánchez (32), Brooks Raley (36), Larry Stahl (83)

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After beating the absolute tar out of the Yankees to sweep the Subway Series, the Mets are a .500 team again for the first time in 50 days.

Their 15-6 record in June is the best in baseball. Furthermore, they’ve won 11 of their last 13 games. A red-hot offense has been key to that success. In those 11 wins, the Mets have scored a whopping 76 runs. That includes 21 runs in just two games against the Yankees.

Since the players-only meeting on May 29, the Mets are an impressive 17-6 and they’ve ensured that this summer in Queens will be a hell of a lot of fun.

On that note, let’s dive right into a Subway Series edition of 3 Up, 3 Down…

3 UP

TEST PASSED

The Subway Series was always going to act as a significant litmus test for the red-hot Mets. While the previously volcanic Yankees have cooled off, they are still one of the best teams in baseball and own two of the best hitters in the game, Aaron Judge and Juan Soto. As such, this two-game set at Citi Field would help prove if these Mets were for real or not. Well, we got our answer. Now, back to .500, this current version of the Mets does indeed look like the real deal. They scored a combined 21 runs in just two games, shelling a legit ace in Gerrit Cole and a future star in Luis Gil.

They withstood a late rally on Tuesday and even survived some wild weather to complete the sweep on Wednesday. This team, particularly the offense, looks unstoppable right now, and the postseason is starting to look more and more likely. What a remarkable turnaround. Victory in the Subway Series should go down as a real statement of intent.

HEART AND SOUL

Key to the aforementioned unstoppable offense is Francisco Alvarez. The phenom catcher has been unstoppable since coming off the IL. Currently riding an eight-game hitting streak, Alvarez is hitting .556/.647/.1.037 with four doubles, three homers and nine RBI. He was lights out against the Yankees, reaching base in all four plate appearances on Wednesday. Furthermore, Alvarez his his fourth home run of the year, and drove in three RBI.

The Mets are now 22-3 in the last 25 games Alvarez has played in. Talk about being the heart and soul of the team. That’s your catcher of the future, right there.

FIREWORKS SHOW

Forget about the Greatest Show On Turf—or even the star-laden Dodgers. The Mets are the most entertaining team in baseball right now. Their offense has been absolutely exhilarating, and it ranks first in several categories since May 30. In the 11 wins out of the last 13 games, this team has piled on a whopping 76 runs, including 21 in the Subway Series alone. Not only that, but everyone is contributing 1-through-9 in the lineup.

Mark Vientos hit a pair of homers on Tuesday before collecting two RBIs and two walks the following night. Harrison Bader went yard twice against his old team. Tyrone Taylor had a three RBI night on Wednesday. We’ve already talked about Francisco Alvarez’s exploits. Francisco Lindor hit three doubles in two games and has been red-hot at the plate for a while now. What slow start? Brandon Nimmo, J.D. Martinez and Pete Alonso are getting the job done at the top of the lineup. All in all, this offense is electric to watch on a night-to-night basis, and long may it continue.

Photo Credit: Jim Cowsert-USA TODAY Sports

3 DOWN

WALKING WOUNDED

The bullpen just can’t catch a break. Coming swiftly on the heels of Edwin Díaz‘s 10-game suspension for sticky stuff, Drew Smith was placed on the 15-day IL with a right elbow sprain. It remains to be seen how serious the injury is and how long Smith will be out. If Smith is indeed out for a substantial period of time, then that is another body blow for a bullpen that is in need of a break or two.

RUNNING OUT OF GAS

On the subject of the bullpen, Tuesday night was not a vintage night for Mets relievers. The pen allowed six runs – five earned – with Reed Garrett giving up a grand slam to Aaron Judge. Although, in fairness to Garrett, he did get the job done in the ninth inning to secure the win. Adam Ottavino also gave up a couple of runs on Tuesday. Overall, the bullpen has been taxed for a while, and there doesn’t seem to be too many sure things in that group. Adding bullpen help might be the biggest job for the front office at the trade deadline.

GOING SHORT

Not helping the bullpen’s case is the rotation. David Peterson went only 4 1/3 innings on Tuesday, as he struggled with the strike zone and walked five batters. Sean Manaea walked five more on Wednesday, though he was at only 77 pitches when the rain shortened his outing to five innings. As noted above, the Mets bullpen will be a key thing to watch as Díaz serves the rest of his 10-game suspension, and the starters pitching into the 6th/7th/8th innings would be a huge help for the relievers.

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