This defeat drops the Mets to 15-25, ending their road trip at 5-4, leaving them firmly in last place in the National Lwague East and bringing them one loss closer to an early end to their 2026 season. They now sit 10 games under .500.

Eduardo Rodriguez dominated the Mets’ hitters, going 8 1/3 innings and allowing only three hits and one run. He held the Mets hitless through five innings; with a bit of luck, Mark Vientos hit a 355-foot drive with a .420 expected batting average. The ball would have been a home run in nine stadiums, but ended up in the glove of Ryan Waldschmidt.

Rodriguez aimed for a complete game but was removed after Vientos blooped a hit in the ninth. Juan Morillo came in and secured the win for Arizona, closing out the game.

Before Carson Benge and Luis Torrens delivered back-to-back hits to drive in the Mets’ only run, the team hadn’t recorded a hit since the fifth inning of the previous night’s game. With just three hits throughout the game, the Mets struggled to get many players on base. They managed to put only two runners in scoring position while leaving four runners stranded.

Torrens was the only player on the team to collect multiple hits. Austin Slater grounded into a double play in the fourth inning, effectively killing a promising rally, and there was little else from the offense during the majority of the game. The Mets scored only five runs throughout the entire series, tallying just 12 hits. Juan Soto was nowhere to be found, looking lost at the plate and going 0-for-3 and only mustering a walk in the finale.

On the pitching side, the Mets fared no better. Huascar Brazobán started as the opener but struggled with his control, walking three batters. Two of those walks came around to score after Tobias Myers relieved him and served up a two-out double.

David Peterson was somewhat effective, pitching five innings but allowed three unearned runs. This was largely due to Andy Ibáñez committing his second error of the game, which proved costly. The Diamondbacks capitalized on this mistake, mounting a two-out rally that put them ahead 5-1 after Ketel Marte‘s triple to right. Waldschmidt was the key contributor for Arizona, as he drove in three runs on the afternoon.

The Mets entered the series with positive momentum after winning two out of three games against the Rockies and Angels. However, they were unable to secure a series victory against Arizona, which added to the team’s ongoing offensive struggles. These issues primarily stem from their inability to hit with runners in scoring position. While the pitching has performed reasonably well, the offense remains stagnant, and today, the defense let them down.

Player of the Game: Luis Torrens

On an afternoon where the offense was flat as can be, Luis Torrens was the lone bright spot, going 2-for-3 with an RBI.

On Deck

The Mets are off on Monday but are right back at it on Tuesday as they head back home to Citi Field to take on the Detroit Tigers. Freddy Peralta (2-3, 3.12 ERA) looks to get the Mets back on track, while Detroit throws out Jack Flaherty (0-3, 5.56 ERA) to toe the slab. First pitch will be at 7:10 pm ET and will be broadcast on SNY and Mets Radio 880 AM.

The post Mets Sputter To Series Loss Against Diamondbacks appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

The New York Mets’ offense continues to struggle.

New Yorktook a 1-0 lead early last night but then couldn’t do anything else as they fell 2-1 to the Arizona Diamondbacks. Sunday, the Mets have a chance to win their third consecutive series and end this long, West Coast road trip on a happy note.

Mets Lineup

1. Juan Soto – DH
2. Bo Bichette – SS
3. Austin Slater – LF
4. Mark Vientos – 1B
5. Marcus Semien – 2B
6. Andy Ibáñez – 3B
7. Tyrone Taylor – CF
8. Carson Benge – RF
9. Luis Torrens – C

Starting Pitcher: Huascar Brazobán

The Mets will be using Huascar Brazobán as an opener with David Peterson set to take on the bulk of the work Sunday afternoon. Over eight games and 34 1/3 innings, Peterson has a 6.29 ERA, 3.25 FIP, 1.602 WHIP, and a 64 ERA+. In 11 innings as a reliever, he has a 2.45 ERA and a 1.000 WHIP. His K/BB rate goes from 2.00 as a starter to 9.00 as a reliever.

Peterson had a tough start against the Diamondbacks earlier this season allowing five runs over five innings from six hits and two walks. The Diamondbacks have the following career numbers against him:

• Nolan Arenado 2-6, 2 K
• Jorge Barrosa 1-3, 2B, BB, K
• Corbin Carroll 4-12, 2 2B, 3 K
• Jose Fernandez 1-2, K
• Lourdes Gurriel Jr. 4-10, 2B, 2 HR
• Ketel Maarte 3-13, 2B, HR, 5 K
• James McCann 0-0, BB
• Gabriel Moreno 1-4, 2 K
• Geraldo Perdomo 3-9, 2B, 4 BB, K
• Tim Tawa 0-2
• Ildermaro Vargas 5-14, 2 2B, K

Diamondbacks Lineup

1. Ketel Marte – 2B
2. Corbin Carroll – RF
3. Geraldo Perdomo – SS
4. Adrian Del Castillo – C
5. Ildemaro Vargas – 1B
6. Nolan Arenado – 3B
7. Jared McCann – C
8. Jorge Barrosa – CF
9. Ryan Waldschmidt – LF

Starting Pitcher: Eduardo Rodríguez

Eduardo Rodríguez has made seven starts totaling 39 2/3 innings with a 2.50 ERA, 4.42 FIP, 1.286 WHIP and a 168 ERA+. In his last two starts he has allowed two runs from 7 hits over 11 2/3 innings while striking out 11 batters. He was solid against the Mets earlier this season holding the Mets to one run over six innings, scattering five hits and two walks. The Mets have the following career numbers against him:

• Francisco Alvarez 1-9, 2 K
• Brett Baty 1-3
• Bo Bichette 6-15, 2B, 2 HR, 2 BB, 4 K
• Vidal Bruján 0-0, BB
• Andy Ibáñez 3-5, 2 2B, HR, K
• MJ Melendez 1-9, BB, 6 K
• Marcus Semien 7-28, 2B, 3 BB, 10 K
• Austin Slater 1-6, 2 K
• Juan Soto 0-4, 2 BB, 2 K
• Tyrone Taylor 3-4, 2 2B
• Luis Torrens 1-5, K
• Mark Vientos 0-8, K

Game Notes

Prior to the game, manger Carlos Mendoza confirmed that Luis Robert Jr. has yet to resume baseball activities. He also confirmed there is no timetable on Jorge Polanco‘s return. Polanco is having, “good days and bad days.”

Prior to the game, manager Carlos Mendoza also said RHP Kodai Senga will throw a bullpen Sunday. Additionally, LHP A.J. Minter threw a bullpen Saturday. He recently had his “rehab clock” restarted due to hip soreness.

Three Things To Watch For

1. Huascar Brazobán. Brazobán pitched a scoreless first inning against the Colorado Rockies a few days ago opening up a game where David Peterson got the bulk of the work. Hitters are just not making solid contact right now against Brazobán who is in the 97th percentile for average exit velocity (84.8 mph). Hitters are barreling the ball only 2.0% of the time (95th percentile), getting a hard-hit 26.5% (96th percentile), and grounding out 55.1% (90th percentile).
2. Offense. The 2026 Mets have scored 138 runs this season, good for 29th in the major leagues. Their pitching is tied for the ninth-fewest runs allowed, at 165. The Mets don’t need a crazy bump in offense to turn things around, but they need something, anything, to give them a spark.
3. Luis Torrens. Torrens may be the secret to David Peterson. In 26 2/3 innings throwing to Alvarez this season, Peterson has a 7.42 ERA. In 7 2/3 innings throwing to Torrens, Peterson has a 2.35 ERA. The numbers weren’t as stark last year, but the trend was there as well. Peterson had a 4.95 ERA with Alvarez catching compared to a 3.52 ERA with Torrens. Torrens has continued to excel at catching base runners, throwing out three already, putting him in the 98th percentile.

The post Game Thread: Mets vs. Diamondbacks, 4:10 P.M. appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Yoshinobu Yamamoto. Yukihito Taguchi-USA TODAY Sports

While Yamamoto is the big fish, the Mets have made virtually no other moves outside some low-level bullpen additions and Luis Severino on a one-year deal. Joey Wendle hardly qualifies as a move.

Meanwhile, the Mets still have multiple needs. Even if they consider third base set with their current depth (which is less certain due to Ronny Mauricio‘s ACL tear), they still have needs in the corner outfield, at designated hitter, and potentially at second base. They also need a reliable eighth-inning man and a minimum of one more starter besides Yamamoto, even if they were to acquire him.

Essentially, the Mets seem to be holding up their entire offseason to see what happens with the Japanese pitcher. The problem is that it may make him less likely to come.

As much money as Steve Cohen can put on the table for Yamamoto, winning means something to most players. If the money is pretty close, why would Yamamoto choose the Mets over the Dodgers or even the Yankees? Can the Mets honestly say that they plan on competing this season if they have not added any other players by the time he is ready to make his decision?

Of course, some posit that Yamamoto will simply follow the money, which gives Cohen an immediate edge. He can (and seemingly will) blow any offer out of the water. The Mets can also guarantee that Yamamoto will be the featured superstar, something he will not have with the Yankees or Dodgers.

Still, even with Yamamoto, this Mets club presents as a wild card team at best. Some of the Mets’ possible free-agent and trade targets, including Seth Lugo, Lourdes Gurriel Jr., Jung-Hoo Lee, Eduardo Rodriguez, and Tyler Glasnow, have already gone elsewhere. The Mets’ needs are going nowhere. If they wait to see where Yamamoto winds up, they’ll be behind the eight-ball.

Much of the market has yet to heat up, likely waiting for Yamamoto as it did for Ohtani. Still, even if some players sign, those are players the Mets cannot acquire. Gurriel might have been a good fit in New York. The Mets reportedly had some interest in Lugo, Rodriguez, Glasnow, and Lee. Even if the pitching market is tied up by Yamamoto, the team should not wait to acquire at least one more power bat.

Perhaps there is a trade market that will develop only after Yamamoto signs. Or maybe the Mets plan to stick with the pitching market and go to the bargain basement in the hitting department. Or maybe some of the hitters are sticking around to see what Yamamoto gets, too.

The post Opinion: Mets Should Not Wait for Yamamoto to Bolster Team appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

After months of speculation and weeks of negotiating, the New York Yankees finally completed the trade to acquire star outfielder Juan Soto from the San Diego Padres. Joel Sherman of the New York Post reported last night that the trade was finally official as the Yankees will be adding their second and third outfielders of the off-season. Along with acquiring Juan Soto, they will also be getting Trent Grisham and in return will be sending San Diego relief pitcher Michael King, catcher Kyle Higashioka, and a slew of prospects. The Yankees have now added Alex Verdugo, Trent Grisham, and Juan Soto to their outfield to pair with former AL MVP Aaron Judge. 

For the rest of the trade details check out our article on the trade here!

Sergio Estrada-USA TODAY Sports

Latest Mets News

Mets owner Steve Cohen met with Mets free-agent target Yoshinobu Yamamoto, per Will Sammon of The Athletic. Andy Martino of SNY gave an update to that report, noting that Stearns was also apart of this meeting as they met Yamamoto and his family. Click here for more information on their meeting!

Pete Alonso‘ agent Scott Boras spoke with the media yesterday and said “I spoke to David, we told him we’re all ears.” in regards to contract extension negotiations between the Mets and their star slugger. You can read more about Boras’ words on Alonso here!

Mark Vientos posted a video of him and Francisco Lindor working on their defense on his instagram page. 

The Mets acquired left-handed pitcher Ryan Ammons from the Texas Rangers following the Rule 5 draft on Wednesday. For all the Mets moves during the Rule 5 draft click here!

Latest MLB News

Former Tigers left-handed pitcher Eduardo Rodriguez and the Arizona Diamondbacks agreed to a four-year, $80 million deal, per Jeff Passan of ESPN. For more details on the deal, click here!

Jon Morosi of MLB Network came out with a new report on Wednesday that Shohei Ohtani is expected to decide on his free-agent destination before the end of the weekend.

The New York Yankees are going to be meeting with star Japanese pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto in the United States on Monday, per Jon Morosi of MLB Network.

The Cincinnati Reds and third-baseman Jeimer Candelario agreed to a deal pending a physical, per Mark Feinsand of MLB Network.

Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register gave an update to the Dodgers meeting with Shohei Ohtani, saying that the meeting was Friday afternoon at Dodgers Stadium. All stadium tours were postposed or cancelled and the team store was closed so there would be no accidental sightings. 

The St. Louis Cardinals announced that they are bringing back Yadier Molina as the Special Assistant to the President of Baseball Operations. 

The National Baseball Hall of Fame announced that broadcaster Joe Castiglione has won the 2024 Ford C. Crick. Mets TV play-by-play announcer Gary Cohen was also up for the award but fell short for the second year in a row. 

The New York Yankees signed right-handed pitcher Dennis Santana to a minor-league deal with an invite to spring training and is expected to compete for a spot in their bullpen, per Jessica Kleinschmidt of The Comeback. 

Former Phillies closer and member of the 400-save club Craig Kimbrel agreed to a one-year, $13 million deal with the Baltimore Orioles, per Joel Sherman of the New York Post. The deal also contains an option for the 2025 season. 

Isaac Azout of Fish on First reported that the Marlins plan on experimenting with relief pitcher A.J. Puk as a starter in Spring Training. 

The Atlanta Braves and outfielder Leury García agreed to a minor-league contract with an invite to spring training, per Robert Murray of FanSided.

Right-handed relief pitcher Adam Cimber agreed to a one-year, $1.65 million contract with the Los Angeles Angels, per Jeff Passan of ESPN. Cimber was formerly non-tendered by the Blue Jays and is one of three bullpen signings the Angels have made in the past couple of days. 

Bryce Harper is hoping to discuss an extension with the Philadelphia Phillies on a deal that would make him a Phillie for the rest of his career, per Scott Lauber of the Philly Inquirer. 

Latest on MMO

Read about Mets rookie Ronny Mauricio‘s hot start in the winter league!

Check in on all the Mets happenings in Wednesday’s rule 5 draft. 

On This Date in Mets History

2011: Tim McCarver wins the Ford Frick Award for broadcasting excellence, he is one of four Mets broadcasters to win the award.

Birthdays: Pete Alonso (29), Mike Baxter (39)

The post Morning Briefing: Juan Soto Joins Judge, Verdugo In The Bronx appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

According to Jeff Passan of ESPN, free agent pitcher Eduardo Rodriguez signed a four-year, $80 million contract with the Arizona Diamondbacks. It contains a vesting option for a fifth year that can take the total amount earned to $99 million. The deal is pending physical.

The Mets were thought to be in the mix for the left-hander, but their eyes have always been set on Yoshinobu Yamamoto.

Original Post – Dec 6. at 3:09 pm

With Major League Baseball’s offseason heating up at the Winter Meetings, free agents are deciding where they will play in 2024. Many are waiting on the decisions of Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto, the two most significant and most prized free agents on the market. The New York Mets have been in the market for some of these players even as they currently focus on depth pieces. It was reported on Wednesday that owner Steve Cohen and president of baseball operations David Stearns recently flew to Japan to meet with Yamamoto. Yamamoto is scheduled to meet with the New York Yankees on Monday. Ohtani is expected to have a decision by the weekend. As the baseball world waits, other players, like free agent left-handed starter Eduardo Rodriguez, will likely have a home by the end of Thursday. 

Per Jon Heyman of MLB Network and the New York Post, Rodriguez is down to two teams and is expected to decide Thursday. Our own Mike Mayer of Metsmerized has reported that the Mets are interested in the 30-year old left hander. SNY’s Andy Martino has also noted that the Mets have said in meetings that they would go after a pitcher like Rodriguez as a plan B if they lost out on Yamamoto. 

Rodriguez is coming off a solid 2023 season with the Detroit Tigers, going 13-9 with a 3.30 ERA in 152 2/3 innings pitched with 143 strikeouts and a 1.153 WHIP. He also notched a 3.5 WAR. 2023 was his best year after spending most of his career with the Boston Red Sox before coming to Detroit in 2022. He is looking to capitalize on his best season with a nice contract. As for the Mets and their reported interest, with his decision coming Thursday, and the Mets still in pursuit of the Yamamoto, plus the Mets seeming to be in a battle with their crosstown rivals for his services, it appears that Rodriguez’s new team won’t be in Queens next season. 

The post Eduardo Rodriguez Signs with Diamondbacks appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

While continuing their intense pursuit of Japanese free agent phenom Yoshinobu Yamamoto, the Mets may prioritize left-hander Jordan Montgomery over fellow domestic free agents Eduardo Rodriguez and Blake Snell to fill high-end roles.

Jordan Montgomery. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-USA TODAY Sports

Montgomery, 30, was 4-2 with a 2.79 ERA in 67.2 innings over 11 starts for Texas after being acquired from the Cardinals on July 30 along with Chris Stratton for John King, Thomas Saggese, and Tekoah Roby. Montgomery’s performance helped propel the Rangers to their first World Series championship.

While pitching for St. Louis and Texas in 2023, Montgomery had a combined record of 10-11 with a 3.20 ERA in 188.2 innings over 32 starts.

Drafted by the Yankees in 2014, Montgomery played in the Bronx from 2017-2022. He was traded to St. Louis on August 2, 2022 for Harrison Bader.

Despite signing former Yankee Luis Severino to a one-year, $13 million contract on Wednesday, the Mets are expected to sign additional pitchers to one-year deals as they attempt to fill out their starting rotation and overall pitching depth for a staff beset with injuries and ineffectiveness in 2023.

The post Report: Mets Eye Montgomery Over Rodriguez and Snell appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

The Mets started to make their initial free agency signings Wednesday as they added depth to both the starting rotation and the infield. They started the day by bringing in a player who spent his first eight season in the big leagues just a borough over, as they signed former Yankee Luis Severino to a one-year deal. The former Yankee is expected to be more of a middle-to-backend  piece for the Mets rotation as they continue to fill out their staff, but has some potential upside if he can rebound from a poor 2023 season. For a more in-depth look into the signing, click here!

Next, the Mets added some infield depth as they agreed to a one-year deal with former Marlins utility infielder Joey Wendle. Wendle, who can play many spots around the diamond, has garnered the reputation of being a reliable glove throughout his career. Despite having career lows in almost every offensive category last season, Wendle has shown the ability to be a good contact hitter when he is right and will hopefully fill the role that recently released Luis Guillorme was in. For a closer look into the Mets signing of Joey Wendle, click here!

Luis Severino. Photo credits USA Today

Latest Mets News

The Mets are reportedly going “full bore” in trying to land Japanese pitchers Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Shōta Imanaga, per Joel Sherman of the New York Post. Sherman adds that the Mets are “not messing around” and might not have it in them to completely fold to a year or two turn around. 

Luis Severino seems to be just the beginning of the Mets pitching signings as they are reportedly interested in former Tigers lefty Eduardo Rodríguez, per Mike Mayer of Metsmerized Online. To learn more about the report, click here!

Latest MLB News

Former Minnesota Twins reliever Emilio Pagán signed with the Cincinnati Reds, per Mark Feinsand of MLB.com. The two-year, $16 million deal (the second year is a player option) makes Pagán the highest-paid player on the Reds. For more on the signing, click here!

The Reliever of the Year Awards were announced for both leagues Wednesday night as Devin Williams of the Milwaukee Brewers won in the National League and Félix Bautista of the Baltimore Orioles won in the American League. 

Nelson Cruz has found himself a new job as he is joining the Los Angeles Dodgers organization as an advisor, per Tenchy Rodriguez of Z Digital. The recently retired slugger stays in baseball after playing for 19 seasons and being the Dominican Republic’s general manager for their past World Baseball Classic run. 

Trade talks circulating around Chicago White Sox starting pitcher Dylan Cease have started to heat up in the last 48 hours according to a report by Jon Morosi of MLB Network. Morosi noted that some sources believe a deal could be done prior to the start of the winter meetings and that the Atlanta Braves are among the finalists. For more information on Cease, check out our trade profile on him!

Ryan Flaherty is expected to be named the Chicago Cubs’ new bench coach, per Brett Ghiroli of The Athletic. Flaherty was in the mix for the Padres head managing spot before they chose Mike Shildt, so he will now move to Chicago to join new manager Craig Counsell‘s staff in the same role he was in with San Diego. 

The Kansas City Royals agreed to a one-year, $2 million deal with utilityman Garrett Hampson, per Robert Murray of FanSided.com. Hampson played in 98 games for the Marlins last season after spending five years in Colorado and has proven to be a plus defender in several positions. 

Former Mets and Padres pitcher Seth Lugo‘s market is heating up and the Dodgers are one of the teams interested, per Ari Alexander of KPRC2 of Houston. Alexander mentions how 2/3 of the league has shown interest in Lugo and that the Houston Astros are not one of those teams. 

Right-handed Reliever Penn Murfee and the Atlanta Braves came to an agreement on a major league deal, per Jeff Passan of ESPN. Since being waived by the Seattle Mariners, Murfee has been claimed and waived by the Mets and claimed and non-tendered by the Braves prior to agreeing to this deal. 

Bob Klapisch of the Newark Star-Ledger reported that any deal that would take place for San Diego Padres outfielder Juan Soto would be a one-year rental. He added that an MLB executive told him, “Scott Boras clients don’t do extensions.”

Veteran right-handed pitcher Jaime Barria agreed to a minor-league deal with the Cleveland Guardians, per Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic. Barria spent his first six seasons in the big leagues with the Los Angeles Angels before being granted free agency last month. 

The Major League Baseball Players Association elected two Minor League Association Player Representatives and two Alternate Association Player Representatives to serve two-year terms, per MLBPA. The elected Association Player Representatives are Cameron Junker of the Pittsburgh Pirates and Williams Simoneit of the Oakland Athletics; the alternate selections are A.J. Lewis of the Colorado Rockies and Jake Walters of the Miami Marlins. 

Liam Hendriks was selected as the recipient of the 2023 Tony Conigliaro Award, per Pete Abraham of The Boston Globe. This award is given out by the Red Sox to the “major leaguer who has overcome adversity through the attributes of spirit, determination, and courage that were trademarks of Tony C.”

Latest on MMO

Michael Mayer previewed the next matchup in Mets Madness as the 1973 Mets take on the 2007 Mets. 

Check out the update on Juan Soto’s trade situation between the Padres and Yankees. 

On This Date in Mets History

2012: David Wright signs an eight-year, $138-million extension with the Mets, which was the highest paying deal in team history at the time. 

2007: The Mets trade Lastings Milledge to the Washington Nationals and receive Brian Schneider and Ryan Church in return. 

Birthdays: DJ Stewart (30), Matt Lawton (52), Juan Berenguer (69), Craig Swan (73)

The post Morning Briefing: Mets Make First Major Offseason Additions appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Jackson Chourio, the Brewers top-ranked prospect and No. 2 prospect in all of baseball, according to MLB Pipeline, has played six games in Triple-A. Yet, the 19-year-old outfielder is on the verge of altering the way young stars could be compensated. 

Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reported Tuesday that Chourio could sign a deal that “would establish a new standard for players with zero major-league experience who already were under team control.”

The largest contract for a player who had not made his debut was signed by Luis Robert, when he inked a six-year, $50 million contract in January of 2020. Rosenthal wrote that Chourio’s deal would be longer and have more money. 

In 2023 Chourio hit 22 home runs with 91 RBIs and an OPS of .805 across Double and Triple-A. 

Via USA Today

Latest Mets News 

Mark Brubaker, the Mets chief technology officer, left the team and Steve Cohen’s Point72, according to a report from Bloomberg. 

The Mets are expected to sign 17-year-old Vladi Miguel Guerrero, according to Metsmerized’s Michael Mayer. Guerrero is the son of Vladimir Guerrero and brother of Blue Jays star Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Patrick Glynn has more here. 

Francisco Lindor has been named the 2023 Players Trust Philanthropist of the Year by the Major League Baseball Players Association. His scholarship fund will receive a $25,000 grant. 

Latest MLB News

A group of Athletics fans are starting an independent baseball team in Oakland named the Oakland Ballers (or B’s), according to Jeff Passan of ESPN. 

Next season all Baltimore Orioles weeknight games will begin at 6:35 p.m, Friday night games at 7:05 p.m and most Saturdays will start at 4:05 p.m., the team announced. Thursday March 28, Opening Day, will see a 3:05 p.m. start time. 

The Miami Marlins are hiring Vinesh Kanthan as director of baseball operations, according to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald. 

Steve Karsay has been hired as the Los Angeles Angels bullpen coach, according to Sam Blum and Will Sammon of The Athletic.

MLB Hall of Famer Andre Dawson has requested to change the cap on his plaque from the Montreal Expos to the Chicago Cubs, according to The Athletic.

Despite inquiries, the Toronto Blue Jays are committed to Bo Bichette, according to Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet. 

Latest on MMO 

Christian De Block profiles free agent pitcher Eduardo Rodriguez. 

Richard Sparago explains why Steve Cohen’s casino plan may not be as easily achievable as he once made it seem. 

Mojo Hill previews the Mets Madness series matchup between the 1998 and 2015 Mets teams. 

Rivka Boord gives her blueprint for the Mets offseason.

On this Date in Mets History

2016: Following a World Series appearance, Yoenis Cespedes re-signed with the Mets on a 4-year deal worth $110 million. 

Birthdays: Pedro Martinez (55), Howard Johnson (63), Rick Anderson (67)

The post Morning Briefing: Brewers Prospect Jackson Chourio Could Get Historic Deal appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Position: SP B/T: L/L
Age: 30 (04/07/1993)

2023 Traditional Stats: 26 G, 26 GS, 152 2/3 IP, 13-9, 3.30 ERA, 1.153 WHIP, 143 SO, 48 BB
2023 Advanced Stats: 134 ERA+, 23.0% SO%, 7.7% BB%, 4.04 xERA, 3.66 FIP, 4.06 xFIP, 3.0 fWAR, 3.5 bWAR

RUNDOWN

Eduardo Rodríguez made 153 starts for the Boston Red Sox from 2015 till 2021, before signing a five-year, $77 million deal with the Detroit Tigers in November 2021. He only made 17 starts in 2022, going 5-5 with a 4.05 ERA in 91 innings. The starting pitcher had a three-month absence in the middle of that season due to personal reasons, which he would later describe as family-related. He was inconsistent once he made his return, pitching to a 4-2 record with a 3.81 ERA over his final nine starts. It was difficult to gauge how the remainder of Rodríguez’s contract would unfold, so questions were hanging over his head going into the following season.

Both the player and the team needed him to get off to a fast start in 2023, and he certainly did that. Rodríguez pitched to a 2.21 ERA through his first six outings, which caught the attention of many. He managed to keep his good run going in May, as he went 2-2 with a 2.03 ERA in 31 innings. That put Rodríguez on the radar of teams looking to add starting pitching ahead of the trade deadline, given that the Tigers were still quite a bit away from being near the top of the American League Central.

The Los Angeles Dodgers agreed to a deal with Detroit to acquire the starter, but it fell through when Rodríguez chose to exercise his 10-team no-trade clause in order to remain with the Tigers. That news was shocking at the time, especially when you consider that he would have had the opportunity to complete for another World Series. Rodríguez stayed with the Tigers and had a good finish to the year, going 9-4 with a 3.89 ERA over his final 14 starts. After the season concluded, he opted out of the final three years of his contract to become a free agent this off-season.

CONTRACT

Despite mentioning his love for playing in Detroit, Rodríguez chose to become a free agent. He did that because he believes that he can get a long-term deal with an increased AAV this winter. Most of the league needs starting pitching, so that is likely a safe gamble by him and his agent. Rodríguez will turn 31 right at the beginning of the 2024 season, so I see him receiving a five-year deal with an option to extend it to a sixth. In terms of AAV, I think $20 million per season is fair number for him at this stage of his career.

MLB Trade Rumors projects Rodríguez to get a four-year, $82 million deal.

RECOMMENDATION 

Eduardo Rodríguez has always been a solid arm with plenty of experience at the big league level, but he is a No. 3 or No. 4 starter on a team contending for the postseason. The Mets need to create depth in their rotation, but it would be in their best interest if a No. 1 or No. 2 starter is brought in through free agency or a trade. While he performed like an ace in his two seasons with the Tigers, it is hard to tell if Rodríguez would be able to perform at that level in an environment with much loftier expectations. He did some good things during his time with in Boston, but the left-hander was in a position where he was at the backend of their rotation.

There is no denying that that Rodríguez is a good option for the Mets to potentially sign, but there are better options who are available in free agency. Jordan Montgomery, Yoshinobu Yamamoto or a trade for Dylan Cease make more sense for this team, but the interest in those three will be higher. If Rodríguez is available at a reasonable AAV, the Mets could and probably should take a look at bringing him in. Otherwise, it is hard to see a scenario where he ends up in New York this winter.

The post Free Agent Profile: Eduardo Rodríguez, LHP appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

David Stearns was talking with the media yet again on Wednesday, where he gave some good news regarding Mets veteran outfielder Starling Marte. Stearns said that the club is confident that Marte will not need to undergo surgery on his groin this offseason. Marte has had medical struggles with his groin since the end of the 2022 season, which included having surgery prior to the 2023 season. However, this issue popped up again this past season as he continued to struggle on the field while playing through the injury, resulting in him shutting it down for the last month or so of the season. 

The 34-year-old has two more years on his four-year deal with the Mets. 

Another important note from Stearns chatting with the media is the question on all Mets fans minds about the future of star first baseman Pete Alonso, “I do not anticipate him getting traded.”

Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports

Latest Mets News

The Mets announced that lefty starting pitcher David Peterson underwent surgery to repair the labrum in his left hip on Monday. the surgery took place at HSS in New York and the typical return timeline for the procedure is 6-7 months.

Stearns also said that he doesn’t expect any of the farm system options to start the season in the 2024 Mets rotation. He mentioned Tylor Megill, Joey Lucchesi, and José Butto as candidates.

Three Mets have been nominated for the All-MLB Team: Pete Alonso, Kodai Senga, and Francisco Lindor. Fans can vote for said players through November 19th. 

Ozzie Virgil and Juan Alicea were inducted as the inaugural class into the Mets Latin American Hall of Fame on Wednesday. Virgil was a coach and advisor with the club from 2009-2021 and Alicea was a broadcaster for the team from 1969-2019. Virgil, 91, became the first Dominican-Born MLB player when he made his debut with the New York Giants on September 23, 1956.

Mets former third base coach Joey Cora will not be returning to the club for the 2024 season as Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic announced that he will be joining the Detroit Tigers coaching staff. Cora spent the past two seasons as the Mets third base coach, coming to Queens with Buck Showalter in 2022.

Scott Boras was out and about on Wednesday with his yearly zingers, which the Mets were at the center of this time. “When it comes to the Polar Bear, we’re not in contract hibernation,” he said in regards to Pete Alonso’s impending contract talks with the Mets. When talking about the Mets’ offseason spending, Boras quipped, “When you have the bigger jet, and you say you’re going slower, you’re still going faster.”

Latest MLB News

Stephanie Apstein of Sports Illustrated reports that a virus has led MLB to cancel the rest of the GM Meetings.

Jon Morosi of MLB Network reported that former Detroit Tigers southpaw, and now free agent, Eduardo Rodgríguez has informed teams he has no geographic restrictions in free agency. This comes as somewhat of a surprise as Rodríguez reportedly blocked a trade from Detroit to the Los Angeles Dodgers at the past trade deadline due to how far away it would take him from his family.

In another report by Jon Morosi of MLB Network, the Philadelphia Phillies are interested in free agent Sonny Gray and will be top suitors for him if they do not re-sign Aaron Nola. Phillies pitching coach Caleb Cotham and Sonny Gray are former college teammates and had a good rapport in Cincinnati. 

Jon Heyman of the New York Post broke the news that the Los Angeles Angels would hire Ron Washington as their next manager. Washington, who beat out Buck Showalter, who was also a finalist for the job, brought the Texas Rangers to back-to-back World Series appearances in his first managing gig.

Former Oakland Athletic reliever Adam Oller agreed to terms with the Cleveland Guardians on a free agent deal that includes an invite to spring training, per Ari Alexander of KPRC 2 Houston. New Guardians manager Stephen Vogt and Oller played together in Oakland, where Oller compiled 94 innings in two seasons. Oller was part of the Mets trade that netted them Chris Bassitt. 

Arizona Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo and the club have agreed to terms on a contract extension following their pennant-winning run in 2023. The contract extension is through 2026, which follows a one-year extension that the club gave Torey following the D-Backs hot start in June of this past season.

Phillies general manager Dave Dombrowski spoke to the media, and the major bit of news that came out was that Bryce Harper is going to move to first base permanently, per Ian Browne of MLB.com. Harper, who played the first 10 seasons of his career in the outfield, played only at first base this past season as he recovered from Tommy John surgery and will now stay there. 

Jon Morosi of MLB Network also reported that star Japanese pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamota’s posting window will open “soon,” meaning likely within the next week. Morosi noted that once the Orix Buffaloes formally post him, MLB clubs will have a 45-day window to negotiate with his representative and agree on a contract.

Trevor Bauer‘s agents Jon Fetterolf and Rachel Luba are meeting with teams in hopes of getting Bauer a contract with an MLB club, per Jon Heyman of the New York Post. The former Cy Young Award winner had a 2.76 ERA in his first season in Japan and went 9-2 with a 1.97 ERA over his final fifteen starts. 

Latest on MMO

MMO News Desk went over the news that super agent Scott Boras had a meeting with Mets new president of baseball operations David Stearns.

Dilip Sridhar did a free agent profile on a familiar face for Mets fans, Justin Turner.

Greg Jones shared his new playoff format idea with MMO readers.

On This Date in Mets History

2007: David Wright and Carlos Beltrán win the Silver Slugger Awards at their respective positions, becoming the fourth pair of Mets teammates to win a Silver Slugger Award in the same season. 

2005: The newly originated SportsNet New York (SNY) announced that Gary Cohen would be the play-by-play announcer for their Mets television broadcast.

2005: The Mets sign star outfielder Carlos Beltrán to a seven-year, $119 million deal, which made him the highest-paid player in team history at the time. 

Birthdays: Jon Nunnally (52)

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