The Mets (7-9) dropped their fifth in a row on Sunday, 1-0, to the Athletics, wasting a pair of fine pitching performances. Freddy Peralta gave up one run on four hits and struck out six in six innings and Sean Manaea threw three perfect innings and fanned four. One other bright spot: Carson Benge made an inning-ending, diving catch in center field that saved two runs.

Saving two runs doesn’t matter, however, when the offense doesn’t score. The Mets were held to four singles and Joel Kuhnel needed just four pitches to retire the side in order in the ninth inning and bring out the boo birds. Read more in James Villani’s recap here.

It was the third time the Mets were shutout this season. April batting averages should be taken with a grain of salt, but New York has four regulars hitting below .200. (Marcus Semien, .190, Francisco Lindor, .188, Jorge Polanco, .184, and Benge, .130.)

The Mets will try to break their losing streak Monday against the champs. David Peterson (0-2, 6.14 ERA) is coming off two poor outings, but maybe facing a top offense will bring out the best in him. LHP Justin Wrobleski (1-0, 4.00 ERA) is on the mound for the Dodgers. Game time is 10:10 p.m. ET and it will air on SNY.

Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

Latest Mets News

The Mets recalled RHP Joey Gerber from Triple-A Syracuse before Sunday’s game and RHP Luis García was designated for assignment. García gave up five earned runs in 6 1/3 innings. After the game, Will Sammon of The Athletic reported that the Mets would call up Tommy Pham from the minor leagues.

Latest MLB News

Phil Garner, a three-time All-Star infielder who managed the Brewers, Tigers and Astros, died Saturday at 76 after a two-year battle with pancreatic cancer. Garner played for five teams (Athletics, Pirates, Astros, Dodgers and Giants) from 1973-1988. He managed Milwaukee from 1992-1999, Detroit from 2000-2002 and Houston from 2004-2007. The Astros won the 2005 National League pennant.

The Mets may not see Edwin Díaz during their three-game set with the Dodgers. He is day-to-day. Manager Dave Roberts told reporters his concern for Díaz is “low” and he does not have a physical injury, but his velocity is down.

Brewers DH Christian Yelich left Sunday’s game against the Nationals with tightness in his left hamstring and manager Pat Murphy said “bad news” is expected. Nationals reliever Ken Waldichuk left after throwing a pitch and hurting his arm in the same game.

The Cubs placed reliever Hunter Harvey on the 15-day injured list with right triceps inflammation.

Latest on MMO

Alexis Farinacci has all the gory details of an ugly Kodai Senga start.

Jack Ramsey recaps Mitch Voit‘s big day for High-A Brooklyn on Saturday and all the other Met minor-league action.

On This Date in Mets History

2013: Matt Harvey carries a no-hitter into the seventh inning at Minnesota, but Justin Morneau breaks it up with a two-out, solo home run. The Mets win 4-2. Marlon Byrd homers and Daniel Murphy has two hits.

2009: Some 41,007 are on hand for the first Mets game at Citi Field. David Wright goes 2-for-4 with a three-run homer, but the Mets lose 6-5 to the Padres. Mike Pelfrey surrenders five runs in five innings.

1967: Tom Seaver debuts, striking out eight Pirates over 5 1/3 innings before a mere 5,005 at Shea Stadium. He gives up two runs on six hits and the Mets win 3-2.

1962: National League baseball returns to New York City for the first time since 1957 as the Mets host the Pirates at the Polo Grounds. Frank Thomas goes 2-for-4 with a home run, but the Mets lose 4-3.

Born on This Date: Ricardo Rincón (1970), John Stephenson (1941).

The post Morning Briefing: Mets Take Losing Streak to Los Angeles appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

On Players Who Left

He discussed how he can understand when fans get upset when fan favorite players leave the team. Those players were with the team when he first took ownership of the team and he developed relationships with them. He said it creates anxiety when player leave and you have not replaced them yet.

Howie described the Brandon Nimmo and Jeff McNeil trades as, “strictly baseball decisions,” compared to deciding not to bring back players who were free agents. On Pete Alonso, Cohen said that under certain circumstances he could have seen a reunion but bluntly stated, “we weren’t going to go five years.” He said Pete got a great offer that would not have worked for the Mets. Every move they made this offseason was not thinking only about 2026, but for the future as well.

On Edwin Díaz, Cohen stated he felt the Mets offer was better than the Dodgers’ offer because their offer did not include the fourth-year conditional club option. He said he found the Díaz negotiations perplexing and that he still does not know how Edwin came to his decision, but Díaz made the decision he felt was best for him. He also said he felt Stearns was very clever to sign Devin Williams when he did and not hedge everything on Díaz returning.

Freddy Peralta. Photo by Ed Delany of Metsmerized

On the New Mets Players

Cohen used the word “disciplined” to describe the New York Mets this offseason. He also said it was rollercoaster and said he is routinely reminded by president of baseball operations David Stearns that the offseason does not end in December and can continue well into February.

Cohen described the front office as preparing for all possibilities throughout the offseason and that they were talking with Bo Bichette throughout the Kyle Tucker negotiations. They understood there was no guarantee Tucker would come to Queens and once the roster was completed he said he feels now that Bichette fits the roster better than Tucker would have. Similar to Díaz, he felt the Mets’ bid was superior to the Dodgers’ but the player made a decision based on personal preference.

Cohen described the new Mets’ roster as fun to watch with a hitters that bring better defense and a lot of contact. He is excited for the young players coming up from the minors as well as the players acquired through free agency and trades. Nolan McLean is one prospect he said he is excited to watch pitch in 2026. He described new starter Freddy Peralta as an established veteran that is great in the clubhouse and brings a great personality.

Cohen said he always wanted the Mets’ roster to have a balance of young players and veterans and what they are building here can over the next few years create sustainable success.

On the State of the Mets’ Organization

Cohen stated he is excited by the 2026 Mets roster and described the new faces as “gamers” that are playoff tested and playoff performers. Cohen said he is excited by the energy these new players have brought to spring training and said he thinks fans are going to be excited by the type of ball the Mets are going to play.

Cohen added he has a great relationship with manager Carlos Mendoza and that he will talk and text Mendoza when he has an idea. He said he and Stearns are in constant contact and he loves that whenever he has a question Stearns always knows the answer. “It takes a lot of anxiety away from me that I know things are run the way they are supposed to be run,” Cohen explained. He described the front office as very strong.

He also said that while he is heavily involved in the team as a whole, he usually does not interfere with baseball decisions. He will make suggestions, but in the end David Stearns and his staff have the final say. He says he tried to ask the right questions and hold his staff accountable, but they are far more knowledgeable than he is on what the best baseball decisions are. He is not going to step in and override David Stearns.

We saw that process work well in 2025 when they followed Stearns’ plan to wait out the Alonso market. Stearns then brought Cohen in at the end of the process when they signed Alonso to his two-year contract with an opt out.

Carlos Beltrán. Robert Deutsch, USA TODAY

On the Mets Hall of Fame

On the inductions of Carlos Beltrán, Bobby Valentine, and Lee Mazzilli Cohen described those discussions and phone calls. Cohen gets the final say on who is inducted and described the process as something he looks forward to. He loves getting to have that phone call to notify them they have been selected and said all three of them are still heavily involved in the organization. He said all three of them do not shy away from giving their advice or view of the current Mets.

Carlos Beltrán is a special advisor to the Mets currently and was just voted into the Baseball Hall of Fame with a Mets cap. He described Beltran as a resource that communicates well with players and develops strong relationships and trust with them. He also provides a viewpoint and expertise that helps the front office and the team think about all aspects of what they are trying to accomplish. Beltran is only the third player to go in with a Mets cap on and Cohen wants to see more players reach the Hall of Fame as Mets.

On the 1986 Mets

Howie described the 1986 Mets as their contemporaries. Howie turned 72 soon after recording the interview and Cohen is turning 70 in June. Cohen has gotten to know Keith Hernandez and Ron Darling well through their work at SNY. He got to know Darryl Strawberry and Dwight Gooden through their number retirement process. He touched on how he has gotten to know those members as well as Mookie Wilson and had dinners with them hearing them talk about how much they love baseball and love to share their stories and experiences. He said his discussions with these former Mets stars also impacts how he views the team now. 2026 will be the 40th anniversary of that World Series season.

On Metropolitan Park

Howie described that vision as finally becoming reality. When Cohen bought this team he kept hearing about how there is nothing to do before or after the game. He became dedicated to make Citi Field a destination that people will want to spend the whole day at. Their goal is to make the community and fans proud with this project. It is complex and they are continually spending a lot of time thinking about it and how they can improve the area.

On the Upcoming CBA Negotiations

Cohen described himself as just one of 30 owners and that a lot can happen over the course of the 2026 season before he needs to worry about the CBA negotiations. He will let central baseball handle that and he will stay focused on the 2026 season and bringing a championship to Queens. It is hard to predict the future so he will figure it out when they get there.

The post Steve Cohen Interview with Howie Rose appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Luke Weaver had a strong year in 2025. He went 4-4 with a 3.62 ERA. He also saved eight games and held 21 games for the Yanks. Of the 262 batters he faced, he only allowed 20 walks, which points to Weaver having control of his arsenal. An area of concern though is that he gives up the long ball. In 64 games, he gave up 10 home runs. The most telling statistic for Weaver, however, is his innings pitched. He pitched 64 2/3 innings last season, showing that he is a reliable relief pitcher in many different situations.

The reason why Weaver’s inning pitched is his statistical spotlight is not only because of the volume, but how it stacks up against the Mets performances in 2025. Luke Weaver’s innings pitched ranked him second among 2025 Mets bullpen arms, only trailing, to no surprise, Edwin Díaz. Díaz pitched 66 1/3 innings, the next highest Met was Huascar Brazobán with 63 innings, followed by Ryne Stanek with 56.

In a year where the Mets’ starters were not successful at going deep so they had to use a plethora of arms, 46 total pitchers (34 relief pitchers), Weaver still pitched more than almost all the arms in the Mets’ bullpen. This indicates how durable Weaver was in 2025. Given how it is usually a war of attrition for pitches, it is a good move to add one more consistent arm in the bullpen.

President of baseball operations David Stearns still has a lot more work to do on the pitching side. While Mets fans await the big name starter that has been on the to-do list this offseason, Stearns must also improve this bullpen. Although the starters did struggle massively in the second half of the season, the bullpen did not provide the true essence of the word relief in their scenarios. Adding Williams and Weaver are nice additions, however, there are still many more spots to fill to increase the depth of this bullpen.

The post Statistical Spotlight: Luke Weaver’s Durability appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Mark Vientos will represent Nicaragua at the upcoming World Baseball Classic. Vientos was born in Connecticut and went to high school in Florida, but his mom was born in Nicaragua while his dad was born in the Dominican Republic. Notable players who represented Nicaragua in the 2023 WBC include Jonathan Loáisiga and Erasmo Ramírez.

Mark Vientos (27) Credit: Kyle Ross-Imagn Images

Latest Mets News

The Mets posted a “Thank You” graphic for Edwin Díaz after his signing with the Dodgers became official.

The Mets signed reliever Daniel Duarte to a minor league deal. Duarte, 29, owns a 3.99 ERA in 36 career big league innings and has thrown 18 2/3 scoreless innings in the Mexican winter ball.

Latest MLB News

The Royals extended third baseman Maikel Garcia with a five-year contract. The deal is for $57.5 million, but he has the ability to make up to $85 million.

The Blue Jays signed reliever Tyler Rogers to a three-year, $37 million contract with a vesting option for a fourth year. Rogers, 35 next week, spent the second half of 2025 with the Mets after being dealt at the trade deadline. He was solid, earning a 2.30 ERA in 28 appearances. Prior to his trade to the Mets, Rogers spent his entire career with the Giants.

In other Blue Jays news, Rogers Communications announced that Blue Jays president and CEO Mark Shapiro has been extended for five years.

The Rangers signed catcher Danny Jansen to a two-year, $14.5 million contract. In 98 games between the Rays and Brewers in 2025, Jansen posted a .721 OPS.

The Rangers also signed relievers Alexis Díaz and Tyler Alexander to one-year contracts. Both relievers struggled in 2025 while playing for multiple teams.

The Marlins signed third baseman and corner outfielder Christopher Morel to a one-year deal. Morel, who has shown flashes of power in the past, struggled with a .684 OPS with the Rays in 2025.

Latest on MMO

Robert Colonna profiles reliever Kenley Jansen as a free agent target for the Mets.

Jack Markowski recaps the comments Pete Alonso made at his introductory press conference with the Orioles.

Kai Chang recaps the comments Edwin Díaz made at his introductory press conference with the Dodgers.

On This Date in Mets History

Born on This Date: Doug Saunders (1969), Ron Taylor (1937), J.C. Martin (1936), Joe Christopher (1935).

The post Morning Briefing: Mark Vientos to Represent Nicaragua in WBC appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Photo Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

Díaz was introduced as a Dodger wearing No. 3, formally closing the door on a seven-year run with the Mets. For fans hoping for additional drama, Díaz dismissed that notion, instead framing the move less as a breakup and more as a step toward something he believes guarantees wins.

“I want to first thank the ownership, Andrew, Brandon, to welcome me here,” Díaz said. “It will be a new experience for me and my family.”

He then made sure to acknowledge his former team, adding, “I want to say thank you to the Mets organization for what they did for me in the last years. I’m really, really happy with what I did there.”

When asked about leaving New York, Díaz admitted the separation wasn’t simple on a personal level.

“It wasn’t easy,” he said. “I spent seven years in New York. They treated me really good. They treated me great.”

But the explanation quickly turned competitive.

“I chose the Dodgers because they are a winning organization,” Díaz said. “I’m looking to win. And I think they have everything to win.”

That theme came up repeatedly. “I came here to win,” Díaz said. “That’s my goal, try to win another World Series with this great team.” When continually pressed on how the decision came together, he offered a blunt conclusion. “Picking the Dodgers was pretty easy.”

Díaz also confirmed that his brother, Alexis, helped play a role in his decision.

“He told me that they are a really, really good organization,” Díaz said. “He told me that they are [a] really, really good organization. They treat every player like they are all really good players, that was something I was looking for.”

Asked about his role, Díaz spoke at length about the responsibility of closing, a role he held for the majority of his Mets tenure. “Being the ninth is a big responsibility because the ball is in your hand the last three outs of the game,” he said. “I think they are the toughest three outs in the game.”

Díaz will wear No. 3 in Los Angeles, a change from the No. 39 he wore in New York. With Roy Campanella’s number retired, the choice became personal. “I talked to my wife…we got three kids,” he said. “That’s the reason I picked number three, because my three sons.”

And yes, the entrance is coming with him. When asked about the fate of “Narco”, Díaz didn’t hesitate. “It would be fun,” he said. “I think that music gets the fans into it right away.” He looked to the moment Mets fans know well.

“I can’t wait for the first game of the season, come in the ninth with Timmy Trumpet and get the win.”

The Dodgers paid $69 million for a closer they believe fits their “championship caliber club,” as GM Brandon Gomes dubbed his squad.

The Mets, meanwhile, will now move on to Devin Williams. But listening to Díaz speak, it’s clear the separation wasn’t about money or emotion, rather, it was about a player who wanted a guarantee, and felt Los Angeles offered one that New York currently could not.

The post Edwin Díaz: Choosing Dodgers Over Mets ‘Wasn’t Easy’ appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

The Mets, who could use a reliever to set up Devin Williams, may look to pivot to Pete Fairbanks, a free agent who saved 27 games for Tampa Bay this year. The Mets were also one of several teams reportedly interested in Brewers closer Trevor Megill.

David Stearns said earlier this week during the winter meetings (prior to Edwin Díaz leaving for Los Angeles) that the bullpen was a “work in progress.”

The Braves can now finish games with Suarez and Raisel Iglesias. A source told Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic that Iglesias will remain the closer and Suarez will set up. The Braves re-signed Iglesias to a one-year, $16 million deal last month.

Suarez will earn $13 million, $16 million and $16 million for the contract with no deferred money, per Jon Morosi of MLB Network.

The post Braves Sign Robert Suarez to Three-Year Deal appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Photo Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

Dave Melendi

I was an Edwin Díaz fan and would have liked to see him come back. The trumpets were pure fun. But I think losing him can be overcome. (Starting pitching, please.) This may sound like sour grapes, but his complete lack of concern for holding on baserunners always worried me. I had a sinking feeling it would come back to bite the Mets in the playoffs.

Christian De Block

Reading between the lines, it became evident that Edwin Díaz intended to leave the Mets this offseason, regardless of their offer. Does that make me less frustrated? No, but it does matter within this conversation. It’s upsetting to not re-sign a fan favorite, but the Mets can still get this right. If $22+ million isn’t allocated to Díaz, there should be room in the budget to build a deep, well-rounded bullpen. Three, if not four, more arms are needed. If David Stearns and Steve Cohen make the correct additions, I’ll feel much better going into the 2026 season. But for now, frustration is at the forefront.

Matt Mancuso

Michelle Ioannou

If I had known last season would’ve been my last time hearing those trumpets while seeing Díaz come out of the bullpen, I would’ve appreciated it so much more. I love when Mets fans come together to feel the same thing – I just hate that when it’s for a reason like this. First Nimmo, now Díaz, I hope Cohen and co. have something big up their sleeves because so far, I don’t like these feelings I’m feeling.

The post MMO Roundtable: Reactions to Edwin Díaz Signing With Dodgers appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

“I’m very optimistic about where our offseason is headed,” he said at the winter meetings in Orlando, Fla. “We’ve certainly got work to do, but there are a lot of good players out there, and I am confident that we’re really going to like where our team is once we get to Opening Day.”

The Bullpen

The Dodgers reportedly signed Edwin Díaz to a three-year, $69 million contract Tuesday morning. The Mets offered three years and $66 million with modest deferrals. Stearns said he could not comment on that because the deal has not been made official.

Díaz will be hard to replace. He went 6-3 with a 1.63 ERA and 0.87 WHIP this year and saved 28 games in 31 tries. He struck out 98 in 66 1/3 innings and made the All-Star team. His xERA, xBA, whiff and strikeout percentages were all in the 99th percentile.

Now, Stearns said, Devin Williams is their closer.

Devin Williams by Roberto Carlo

“We’re very comfortable with that,” he said. “I’ve certainly seen Devin perform at a very high level for a long time. I have full confidence that he can be one of the best relievers in baseball. I think he’s very motivated to do that, and I’m looking forward to watching that.”

Williams, 31, had a rough 2025 with the Yankees. He lost the closer job 10 outings into the season, regained it when his replacement, Luke Weaver, suffered an injury in early June, then lost it again in early August after blowing back-to-back saves. He went 4-6 with a 4.79 ERA and 1.13 WHIP, and struck out 90 in 62 innings. Williams saved 18 games in 22 attempts.

Advanced stats, however, show that Williams may have been a victim of bad luck. His xERA (3.09, 86th percentile), xBA (.195, 95th percentile), chase percentage (97th percentile), whiff percentage (99th percentile) and strikeout percentage (97th percentile) all earned high marks.

“He got pretty unlucky; the underlying ingredients were still pretty good,” Stearns said. “What excites me about Devin is he’s not just saying ‘Oh, I got unlucky last year.’ He’s saying, ‘I want to get better, and there’s another gear, and yes, I know my stuff last year was really good and the results probably didn’t necessarily reflect how good I actually was, but I can actually get better.’

“So I think Devin is looking for another level, which is pretty cool.”

Williams was excellent in his six years with the Brewers, by both traditional and advanced stats, pitching to a 1.83 ERA over 235 2/3 innings, striking out 14.3 batters per nine innings, and making the All-Star team twice.

Will the Mets look for more bullpen help?  “I think we’ll see,” Stearns said. “We’re having plenty of conversations. I think there are different ways to build a bullpen, and we’re going to continue to explore all of them.”

Fan Favorites

The Mets have now lost Díaz to free agency and traded homegrown outfielder Brandon Nimmo. Stearns was asked if a player’s popularity with the fans is something he considers.

“That is something, broadly, that we talk about a lot,” he said. “We have a lot of those conversations. We’ve had them throughout this offseason. We had them throughout last offseason as well. And it is part of it. I think we do our best to weigh the full impact of any player on our team, on our organization, and we make the best decision we can.”

What Stearns can weigh is the impact of the owner.

“The resources that we have here are an enormous advantage,” he said. “As long as we allocate those resources intelligently, they’re going to continue to be an enormous advantage. I think Steve (Cohen) gives us everything we need to have not only a great roster, but a competitive organization in every single respect. I think our players and coaches recognize that. And I have no doubt that we’re going to continue to have the resources we need to compete at a very high level.”

He added on SNY’s “Mets Hot Stove” that part of his optimism is the Mets’ top-end talent at the major-league level and one of the best farm systems in baseball. He said prospects like Carson Benge, Jett Williams, Ryan Clifford and A.J. Ewing all could be ready to make an impact in the big leagues soon.

And separately, in answering a question, he said Díaz’s departure doesn’t necessarily change his thinking on Pete Alonso‘s free agency.

The post Stearns Exudes Calm Amidst the Storm appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Winter Meetings

The winter meetings got started Sunday in Orlando and MMO’s Mike Mayer is on hand. He has the scoop on Super Nintendo World. (Spoiler: it is epic.)

As for any epic signings or trades, nothing to report on the first day. USA Today’s Bob Nightengale did have lots of Mets tidbits in his column, however, and perhaps the most interesting was that the Pirates are “hanging around” the Pete Alonso market.

Brad Penner-Imagn Images

Nightengale said David Stearns isn’t going to let public pressure push him into signing Alonso (he proved this last offseason by playing the waiting game with the first baseman) and added that he won’t pay $100 million over five years for Edwin Díaz either.

“If Diaz chooses not to return at their price, they’ll be perfectly content to pursue Robert Suarez or even return Clay Holmes to the bullpen,” Nightengale wrote. The Mets, he said, and this has been reported elsewhere, are shopping Kodai Senga and Jeff McNeil. The Pirates may be interested in trading for McNeil, Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reported.

Nightengale also predicts the Mets (and Orioles) will land at least one free agent starter, but not during the winter meetings. He expects that the real action will occur in the two weeks between when the meetings end on Wednesday and Christmas.

Rosenthal reported that the Pirates have made Kyle Schwarber a four-year offer, according to people briefed on their discussions. The offer is most likely for more than $100 million. The Phillies are still the favorite to re-sign the slugger, but the Mets, Reds, Red Sox and Orioles are “serious suitors,” per Nightengale.

The American League champion Blue Jays will introduce Dylan Cease Tuesday and have Kyle Tucker and Suarez on their radar, according to Nightengale. If Toronto does land Tucker, it is expected they will let free agent Bo Bichette go. Boston is one potential destination.

The Yankees are the favorite to re-sign Cody Bellinger, but Nightengale said the Mets are “in play” and he is a fallback plan for the Phillies and Blue Jays (if they were to miss on Schwarber and Tucker.)

Alex Bregman will attract interest from the Red Sox, Tigers and Cubs, Nightengale reported. The Marlins have told teams they won’t deal Sandy Alcantara, but that Edward Cabrera is available.

The Tigers are telling teams they will listen to offers for Tarik Skubal, but he is not expected to be dealt, partly because the team adding him knows he will be free agent after the 2026 season.

Ketel Marte (signed through 2031) is more likely to be moved and the Red Sox, Rays and Tigers have checked in with Arizona. Jon Heyman of the New York Post and MLB Network reported that the Mariners, Pirates and Blue Jays are among teams that are a fit for Marte. Baseball reporter Francys Romero reported the Phillies are also in on Marte.

Romero also reported that the Cubs are looking for a third baseman and Eugenio Suárez is on their radar.

The Red Sox want to move Jarren Duran or Wilyer Abreu to alleviate a crowded outfield, per Nightengale. The Padres are taking offers on Jake Cronenworth. The Phillies “will give away” Nick Castellanos.

Rosenthal and Katie Woo of The Athletic reported that Pete Fairbanks could be the next closer to sign and that sources told them the Blue Jays and Marlins are among the teams interested.

The Royals are looking sign or trade for an outfielder and are willing to deal a starter, perhaps Kris Bubic, per Rosenthal. Free agent outfielders Kansas City may go after include Mike Yastrzemski, Adolis Garcia, Max Kepler, Mike Tauchman, Lane Thomas and JJ Bleday. The Angels are hunting for help in their rotation.

Latest Mets News

Jeff Kent, who hit 67 of his 377 career home runs with the Mets from 1992-1996, was elected to the Hall of Fame Sunday with 14 of 16 votes from the Contemporary Baseball Era Committee. Twelve votes were needed for election.

Carlos Delgado fell three votes shy of the Hall and received the second-most support of the eight players up for election. MMO’s Evan Mazza made the case for Delgado’s induction here. Don Mattingly and Dale Murphy each earned six votes. Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, Gary Sheffield and Fernando Valenzuela each received fewer than five votes. MMO’s James Villani has more here.

Ronny Mauricio belted a two-run, walk-off home run Sunday to lift Tigres del Licey to a 6-5 victory in Dominican Winter League play. In Venezuelan Winter League play, Luisangel Acuña hit his sixth homer in 30 games and stole two bases.

Latest MLB News

Former Texas Rangers owner Tom Hicks died Saturday in Dallas at the age of 79. Hicks bought the club in 1998 and was the majority owner until August 2010. The team won division titles in his first two years of ownership and credited his hires of general manager Jon Daniels, manager Ron Washington and president Nolan Ryan with helping the Rangers make back-to-back World Series appearances in 2010-11.

Latest on MMO

James Villani covered it all from a Mets perspective in a winter meetings mega preview, complete with a payroll forecast and a look at potential moves. His prediction: The Mets add Freddy Peralta and Cody Bellinger and re-sign Edwin Díaz. But Pete Alonso is gone, replaced by Willson Contreras.

John Wilson focused his statistical spotlight on the curveball of Nolan McLean. It had an average of 26 inches of total movement, which led the league. Batters hit .074 against it. Wow.

Michael Mayer details how the Mets’ farm system is deep enough to trade for an ace.

On This Date in Mets History

1961: The Mets bought Richie Ashburn from the Cubs. The Hall of Famer’s salary for the 1962 Mets: $29,000. He earned $339,339 for his 15-year career.

1977: Jon Matlack and John Milner are traded to the Rangers for Willie Montanez, Ken Henderson and Tom Grieve.

1978: Jerry Koosman is traded to the Twins for Jesse Orosco and Greg Field. I was unaware that the pitcher who got the last out in the 1969 World Series was traded for the pitcher who would record the last out in the 1986 World Series.

2024: Reports broke that Juan Soto was signing with the Mets for a few dollars more than Ashburn did 63 years prior – $765 million over 15 years.

Born on This Date: Alex Torres (1987), Tim Foli (1950).

The post Morning Briefing: Pirates ‘Hanging Around’ Alonso Market appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

As for the New York Mets and president of baseball operations David Stearns, New York has already made a few different moves. The most notable signing came just this past week when the team agreed to a deal with relief pitcher Devin Williams. But, by far the biggest move the Mets have made thus far was trading career-Met Brandon Nimmo to Texas in exchange for second baseman Marcus Semien.

Other than that, New York has made a number of ancillary moves. The Mets signed the following players to minor league contracts: 3B Jose Rojas, SS Jackson Cluff, LHP Jodarlin Perez, RHP Nick Burdi, RHP Robert Stock, CF Jose Ramos and LHP Anderson Severino.

They also added RHP Joey Gerber from the Tampa Bay Rays in a cash trade and claimed CF Ji Hwan Bae (Baltimore) and RHP Cooper Criswell (Red Sox) off waivers. On the flip side of that, LHP Danny Young, RHP Max Kranick and LHP José Castillo all made the decision to elect free agency.

The Mets also designated injured RHP Frankie Montas for assignment and subsequently released him after his extremely disappointing first year of a two-year, $34 million deal. The Mets were also returned back LHP Nate Lavender from the Tampa Bay Rays after he was outrighted following a selection in the 2024 Rule 5 Draft. New York also ensured it does not lose CF Nick Morabito in the 2025 edition of the Rule 5 Draft, and moved him to the 40-man roster prior to the deadline.

The Mets have an extremely busy offseason ahead of them. They have two premier free agents currently on the market in 1B Pete Alonso and RHP Edwin Díaz. They will also have to — which they already started doing with the Williams deal — rebuild a bullpen that is seeing Ryne Stanek, Tyler Rogers and Gregory Soto, in addition to Díaz, all hit the open market. Not to mention, they have to reshape a starting rotation that emerged as the main reason for the team’s downslide at the end of the 2025 season.

Steve Cohen. Photo by Ed Delany of Metsmerized

Payroll Forecast And Potential Spending Consequences

An important aspect to any offseason is how much you have to spend. According to Cot’s Baseball Contracts, the Mets have a projected competitive balance tax (CBT) 40-man roster payroll of $279.3 million. This figure currently ranks third in all of baseball. For comparison’s sake, at this time last year, the Mets were at $198.3 million, the ninth-highest mark in the league. Currently, the highest 40-man CBT payroll is owned by the Dodgers at $325.1 million. Meanwhile, the Yankees sit in second at $283.6 million.

So, what are the penalties the Mets may face if they continue to spend? Where may they project to be by the beginning of the season?

Specifically, if the Mets were to pierce the threshold ($244 million is the first threshold) once again, it would be their fifth straight year doing so, subjecting themselves to pay 50% tax on all overages. Further, as the Mets spend more and more and distance themselves from that $244 million baseline additional surcharges will be applied. You can find that breakdown below:

• $244 million to $284 million: 12% surcharge
• $284 million to $304 million: 45% surcharge (would be the fifth straight year)
• Over $304 million: 60% surcharge

Note, clubs that are $40 million or more above the threshold shall have their highest selection in the next MLB Draft moved back 10 places unless the pick falls in the top six. In that case, the team will have its second-highest selection moved back 10 places instead.

With the Mets currently sitting at $279.9, they have already broken into the first surcharge threshold. They are only about $5 million from the second surcharge and roughly $25 million from the last one. All signs put for the Mets to once again pierce that last threshold. For context, the Mets ended last season at $338.2 million which was the second-highest in the league. This figure was comfortably clear of the highest level of surcharge. An area they will likely close in on again this year.

You can read a more in-depth explanation on the potential penalties here.

Clay Holmes. Jim Rassol-Imagn Images

Current Roster Outlook

The Mets have some work to do this offseason if they wish to return to the playoffs. As alluded to above, they need to reshape both their starting rotation and bullpen. In addition, they have to address a huge question mark in the middle of the lineup that exists in the form of current free agent Pete Alonso.

With that being said, let’s take a look at the Mets’ current depth chart entering Winter Meetings.

Starting Rotation

1. Nolan McLean
2. David Peterson
3. Clay Holmes
4. Sean Manaea
5. Kodai Senga

There is no question about it. The reason the Mets missed the playoffs in 2025 was due to their starting pitching. Even when the staff was performing well in the beginning of the season, the unit was not providing any length, taxing the bullpen. Once those performances regressed, the starting rotation struggled on almost a nightly basis.

There are a lot of question marks as it relates to the Mets’ current projected staff. Peterson, Manaea and Senga all struggled greatly down the stretch/throughout the season in 2025. However, on the flip side of that, each have put together terrific stretches of play throughout their respective careers. McLean and Holmes seem like safer bets, but the first is still entering the season as a rookie and the latter made the transition to full-time starter just last season.

Other potential rotation options include RHP Jonah Tong, RHP Brandon Sproat and RHP Christian Scott. Scott is coming off Tommy John surgery in 2024 but both Tong and Sproat debuted and flashed in 2025.

The Bullpen

• Devin Williams, RHP
• Brooks Raley, LHP
• A.J. Minter, LHP
• Huascar Brazobán, RHP
• Cooper Criswell, RHP
• Dylan Ross, RHP
• Austin Warren, RHP
• Justin Hagenman, RHP

Projecting a bullpen is always a tough task. As it stands, there appears to be only three “locks” for the bullpen Opening Day. This are newest Met Devin Williams as well as left-handed relief pitchers Brooks Raley and A.J. Minter (pending full recovery from his season-ending surgery in 2025).

Other relief pitchers currently on the 40-man roster are RHP Cooper Criswell, RHP Huascar Brazobán, RHP Alex Carrillo, RHP Joey Gerber, RHP Justin Hagenman, LHP Richard Lovelady, RHP Jonathan Pintaro, RHP Dylan Ross, LHP Brandon Waddell and RHP Austin Warren.

Elsewhere, the Mets also have the likes of RHP Nick Burdi, LHP Joe Jacques and LHP Anderson Severino that will likely be non-roster invitees to training camp.

Position Players

Here is how the Mets’ position player depth chart currently looks:

• C: Francisco Alvarez, Luis Torrens
• 1B:
• 2B: Marcus Semien, Jeff McNeil, Luisangel Acuña
• 3B: Brett Baty, Mark Vientos, Ronny Mauricio
• SS: Francisco Lindor
• LF:
• CF: Tyrone Taylor, Ji Hwan Bae
• RF: Juan Soto
• DH: Jared Young

The Mets also have several other minor league prospect options in Carson Benge, Jett Williams, Ryan Clifford and Nick Morabito that may make their debut sometime in 2026.

Framber Valdez. Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

The Needs And Potential Fixes

The quick exercise above identifies several needs the Mets will need to address in the offseason. The bullpen needs a complete rebuild, the lineup has some major question marks and the rotation features a lot of the same that faltered last season. David Stearns and staff clearly have their work cut out for them in free agency and/or on the trade market.

Starting Rotation

It is pretty safe to expect McLean, Manaea, Holmes and Peterson to be four of the five or six rotation pieces to enter the season. Despite the struggles in 2025, both Manaea and Peterson have long track records of decent success. Meanwhile, McLean and Holmes were the team’s two best pitchers last season.

Senga is a huge question mark and it has been reported several times that his name is being discussed in trade talks. His 6.56 second half ERA puts the Mets in a precarious position. They’d be banking on him rediscovering his 2023 form.

With that being said, a top-of-the-market starter is a must for the Mets and it appears that they are exactly after that. A recent report tied the Mets top free agent starters in Framber Valdez, Tatsuya Imai, Ranger Suarez and Michael King. Adding one of those four would complement the Mets’ current rotation nicely.

New York can also turn to a trade market. A report tied the Mets to Twins starter Joe Ryan. However, it was then confirmed Minnesota is not looking to move him, along with its other stars. Other starting pitchers that are reportedly potential trade options are Tarik Skubal, Freddy Peralta, Edward Cabrera, Pablo Lopez, MacKenzie Gore and Kris Bubic, among others.

There are luckily several options for the Mets to attack their rotation. Fortunately, it appears only one external addition is needed to improve the unit as they do have several younger players ready to take the next step in the next year or so. These being Scott, Tong, Sproat and Jack Wenninger, to name a few.

Devin Williams. (photo by Roberto Carlo)

Bullpen

Usually your bullpen includes about seven to eight different arms. As mentioned above, only three of those spots appeared to be locked down by players on the roster. The Mets then have a plethora of other potential options, but the bullpen should be the area New York makes the most external additions.

As it relates to left-handed pitching, a healthy Minter and Raley gives New York one of the better duos of southpaws in the league. Then, they brought in right-handed pitcher Devin Williams as Edwin Díaz insurance or as a terrific setup man to Díaz if he were to return.

In addition to the three locks, it is likely at least two or three of the other spots will be seized by internal options, such as Criswell, Ross, Brazobán, etc. That leaves New York needing to make at least two more adds of bullpen arms with legit MLB success.

Of course, one of those adds could be the return of Díaz. There appears to be interest there by both parties but all reports cite a disagreement in term being the holdup. Outside Díaz, the only other top-end bullpen arm on the market that has closing experience is Robert Suarez. The Mets were reportedly tied to Suarez — however, this was before the Williams signing.

As for the rest of the right-handed relief market, there are a plethora of solid middle-to-high leverage options available. Shawn Armstrong, Tyler Rogers, Brad Keller, Luke Weaver, Pete Fairbanks, Tyler Kinley, Seranthony Dominguez and Jacob Webb, among others, would all be extremely solid additions to a Mets bullpen that could certainly use another established major league right-handed relief pitcher or two.

As for the left-handed side of things, the Mets are pretty well set there with the two aforementioned options. They also have other lefties such as Richard Lovelady, Nate Lavender, and Brandon Waddell as internal options, though none of them have extended success at the major-league level. If the Mets wanted to add another established left-handed pitcher, any of the following would help immensely: Caleb Thielbar, Kolby Allard and Drew Pomeranz, among others.

Building a bullpen is always a tricky endeavor. However, the more established major leaguers you have, the higher chance you build that said bullpen more successfully. The Mets do not currently have enough established bullpen arms on their roster and must make a point of adding at least two or three of them this offseason.

Pete Alonso. (Photo by: Brad Penner-Imagn Images)

Position Players

Like last year, the offseason, as it relates to the Mets’ position player group, revolves around what happens with Pete Alonso. Currently, without Alonso, the Mets are missing punch in their lineup outside Juan Soto and Francisco Lindor. Not to mention, they lost outfielder Brandon Nimmo via trade and replaced him with a terrific glove, but a bat at second base that has been subpar the last two seasons in Marcus Semien (.699 OPS in 2024, .669 OPS in 2025). The Mets have some work to do with their lineup.

New York currently has a glaring hole at first base. If Alonso were not to return, would Mark Vientos and his questionable defense serve this role every day? Other potential free agent options at first base include Cody Bellinger, Munetaka Murakami, Willson Contreras, and Ryan O’Hearn, among others. The rumor mill has been relatively quiet thus far as it relates to Alonso and potential replacements. The Mets have been linked to Bellinger, but it would likely make more sense for him to play left field for the Mets than first base.

If New York were to move on from Alonso, and Vientos is not the vision for the everyday first base role, a platoon that improves Alonso’s league-worst defense at first base (negative-nine defensive runs saved, negative-nine outs above average, negative-eight fielding run value) may be an option. For example, a righty/lefty platoon that could bring potential value is Ryan O’Hearn with Ty France. O’Hearn has been terrific offensively while France won a Gold Glove last year.

Fortunately, for the Mets, the rest of their infield is set in the form of Semien at second, Francisco Lindor at shortstop and Brett Baty at third base. To go along with them they have a plethora of depth at those positions as well with Jeff McNeil, Luisangel Acuña and Ronny Mauricio, among others.

The outfield is where it gets a bit more complex. Soto will be a fixture for years to come in fight field and Tyrone Taylor is a strong platoon fit in center field due to his elite defense. However, left field seemingly has no answer as of now.

Jeff McNeil. (photo by Roberto Carlo)

If Opening Day was tomorrow, McNeil would probably be the answer in left. However, he was a negative defender in the outfield (negative-five defensive runs saved, negative-two outs above average, negative-two field run value) for the first time since 2019. It has also been reported than McNeil is very likely to be traded. With all that being said, it appears likely whoever is the Mets Opening Day left fielder may come from outside the organization.

Bellinger, who was mentioned above, has been tied to the Mets all offseason and would likely play left field if brought to Flushing. Kyle Tucker, who is the top free agent left on the market, can also play left, but may not fit the Mets’ desire to improve their outfield defense.

Outside of those two bigger options, the free agent market is pretty barren. Other lesser names on the market consist of Harrison Bader, Rob Refsnyder,  Mike Yastrzemski and Adolis García, among others. As you can see, not a very robust free agent market.

Some potential trade options are Jarren Duran, Brendan Donovan, Wilyer Abreu and Luis Robert Jr., among others. The Mets also have Carson Benge as a legit option for left field and someone who Stearns mentioned as a legit possibility to make the team.

Center field is an interesting position for the Mets this offseason. The Mets agreed on a deal with Tyrone Taylor, who was arbitration eligible. They also have other internal options in prospects Jett Williams and the aforementioned Benge.

If they choose to go externally to fill the center field spot, some of the trade candidates mentioned for left field, including Duran and Robert Jr., are options in center as well. Specifically, the Mets were tied to Robert Jr. already this offseason and were prior to the 2025 trade deadline. As far as free agents go, the previously mentioned Bellinger and Bader would be fits. But outside that, the center field market, like the left field one, is not very robust at all.

The last offensive position the Mets will need to address is the designated hitter (DH) spot. New York has some flexibility here, as if Alonso returns, it seems as if he would be an option to DH more. Additionally, given Soto’s woes in the outfield, him filling the DH role some wouldn’t hurt either. The Mets then have a plethora of other designated hitter options in Vientos, Mauricio and McNeil, among others.

If they did want to go externally to fill the role, Kyle Schwarber, who the Mets have been linked to at least once, and Marcell Ozuna, are the best pure DH options on the open market.

David Stearns. Photo by Ed Delany of Metsmerized

Final Thoughts

The Mets have some work to do this offseason. As the above shows, the team would be wise to add the following:

• Top-end starting pitcher
• Two to three relief pitchers
• First baseman
• Platoon center fielder
• Left fielder

As is the case every offseason, the Mets have the capabilities to add all of the above thanks to the richest owner in baseball. Additionally, they are still nearly $60 million from where they saw their payroll end last season. It is also helpful they are looked upon as having an above-average farm system which should help make any trades.

Winter Meetings should hopefully be the springboard the offseason needs. With the Mets likely being one of the more active teams once again, expect a busy next couple months.

As a bonus, and in an attempt to predict the Mets’ Opening Day roster, see below:

Starting Pitchers:

1. Freddy Peralta, RHP
2. Nolan McLean, RHP
3. David Peterson, LHP
4. Sean Manaea, LHP
5. Clay Holmes, RHP
6. Brandon Sproat, RHP

Bullpen:

• Edwin Díaz, RHP
• Devin Williams, RHP
• Brooks Raley, LHP
• A.J. Minter, LHP
• Jacob Webb, RHP
• Dylan Ross, RHP
• Huascar Brazobán, RHP

Lineup:

1. Francisco Lindor, SS
2. Cody Bellinger, CF
3. Mark Vientos, DH
4. Juan Soto, RF
5. Willson Contreras, 1B
6. Marcus Semien, 2B
7. Brett Baty, 3B
8. Francisco Alvarez, C
9. Carson Benge, LF

Bench:

• Luis Torrens, C
• Ronny Mauricio, INF/DH
• Luisangel Acuña, INF
• Tyrone Taylor, CF

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