Before we get into it, we also want to quickly share that we have some new WBC merch up on our website. Go check it out! 

Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

David Melendi

The Dominican Republic. And I learned while doing extensive research for the MMO’s WBC team previews that ex and future Mets have won a few MVPs. Daisuke Matsuzaka, Robinson Cano, and Marcus Stroman have all taken home the hardware. This time it’s Amed Rosario’s turn.

Mathias Altman-Kurosaki

The USA will defeat Japan in a rematch of the 2023 finals. Even with Tarik Skubal’s early departure, the Stars and Stripes have plenty of pitching depth in addition to their stacked lineup. I’ll go with Cal Raleigh for the WBC MVP.

Matt Mancuso

It’s difficult not to select the Dominican Republic, a squad that contains the offensive prowess of the 1927 Yankees. Betting against a team whose worst hitter was 30% better than league average last year seems like a fool’s errand. MVP: Juan Soto

Michael Mayer

I have a hard time picking between the US, Japan, the DR, and Venezuela. Those top four teams are really really good. I like the team the US has built quite a bit; it’s balanced well between offense and pitching. I believe they take home the WBC crown, and Bobby Witt Jr. will be the MVP.

Brandyn Pokrass

In a tournament with so much star power, I am going to go with the Dominican Republic. The U.S. would be my other pick, but I see the DR’s lineup having a huge impact game in and game out. As for the MVP, I’ll go with Fernando Tatis Jr.

Christian De Block

2026 will be the year the USA returns to the top. The Dominican Republic and Japan are deep, talented teams that will certainly have something to say. But in the end, USA will get it done, with Aaron Judge taking home the MVP.

Michelle Ioannou

DR isn’t going to be easy to beat, but I’m going to go with Team USA with Paul Skenes as the MVP.

The post MMO Roundtable: Who Do We Think Will Win The World Baseball Classic And WBC MVP? appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

The “ABS” System

Starting with the 2026 season Major League Baseball will be implementing their automatic balls and strikes system (ABS) through the challenge system. The ABS Challenge System gives each team two challenges per game, with the challenge being retained if successful or lost if not successful. Challenges can only be initiated by the pitcher, catcher, or batter by tapping their cap or helmet immediately after a call. The pitch’s exact location is instantly displayed videoboards and broadcasts and the call is either confirmed or overturned.

Juan Soto said he thinks the system is interesting and that it will also be tricky. Soto is known for his plate discipline and eye and said, “now it’s going to be put on a test to see how good I am with my eyes. And I think it’s going to be fun. It’s going to be interesting.”

Mets Prospects

Soto was asked about how he feels being a veteran in the league at 27 years old, especially in a Mets organization has a lot of great young players and prospects debuting. “For me, I always try to tell everybody I’m a rookie for life. I am always going to feel like a rookie. I am always going to treat myself like a rookie around everybody. Whenever they need me to be there and help them with any questions or anything they have, I will be right there. But definitely I am going to make them feel that we are equal. Everybody is equal in there. And it’s no difference. Nobody is bigger than another. We’re all the same. We’re all brothers. We’re all playing for the same reason.”

Juan described his excitement in watching young pitchers in Nolan McLean, Jonah Tong, and Brandon Sproat come up at the end of the 2025 season.

“I’m really excited for those guys. They are definitely top 10 in the league. I mean, their stuff is just unbelievable. What they’ve been showing is that they can be a really good ace in the near future, you know, and I’m really excited about it. And those kids are really humble kids that want to learn and they come to the field hungry every day to keep learning.”

Juan Soto. Aaron Doster-Imagn Images

Life In The Dominican Republic

Juan also described how exciting it was growing up in the Dominican Republic with Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Fernando Tatis Jr. He described baseball as bringing the entire island together and how he first met Vlad and Tatis at tryouts when they were 14-to-15 years old. He described watching Vlad hitting 500-foot home runs and feeling like he was putting on a show for him and Tatis. Of both players Juan said, “Vladdy and Tatis, they have always been superstars.”

Newly Found Stolen Base Success

Finally, Juan talked about how much fun he had becoming one of the games best base stealers in 2025.

“I always train myself, you know, to try to be fast. It’s kind of hard to move 230 pounds all over the field. I was well prepared to take off, to run, to move well on the field. But, you know, I was missing a couple things on the bases to try to help my game to increase in that way and getting Antoine Richardson this year, he taught me a couple tricks that we can use on the game and actually worked. It was really impressive.”

Juan described how with Pete behind him he had to choose the right moments to steal bases because he said he needed to be on base for, “one of the best power hitters in the game.” He also said he felt as the season went on they found a happy middle ground and he is excited to take those skills he garnered into the 2026 season and beyond.

You can view the full interview on Major League Baseball’s Youtube Channel.

The post Juan Soto Interviews With MLB’s YouTube Channel appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

We have a new team at number one. The Braves, who have been entirely disappointing in 2025, have fallen off the list. And the list features three new members.

To keep a little shorter, we won’t highlight the teams that just missed the cut. The league’s lack of parity is showing, with the list being dominated by National League teams. Heck, even the teams at the bottom of the top-10 are struggling.

Let’s jump into it.

Chadd Cady-Imagn Images

1. Padres (↑ 2)

We have an ursuper at the top!

The Padres have had a hot week, scoring 27 runs in five games and winning four of the last five games in the week. They sit atop the NL West right now and Fernando Tatis Jr. is playing like an MVP, slashing .375/.446/.583 with 1.o bWAR in 13 games played.

2. Dodgers (↓ 1)

The Dodgers dropped two series to the Phillies and Nationals last week. But that’s no reason to panic and drop them.

They averaged 4.2 runs per game despite going 3-3, and have suffered injuries to their pitching staff. Blake Snell is still injured, forcing Justin Wrobleski to make a start where he allowed eight earned runs to the Nats. Still, the offense is elite, and Dustin May is slowly turning into the best story in the majors with his near-death experience last year and 0.82 ERA through two starts.

3. Mets (↑ 5)

Meet the Mets! No more slander for me!

But seriously, the Mets have been hot. They’ve won seven of their last eight games, powered by Pete Alonso and the bullpen. The Polar Bear leads the majors in slugging percentage (.778) and OPS (1.260), and the NL in average (.378) and RBIs (18). Thanks for the stats, Mike Mayer.

The Amazins sit in first in the NL East, and are 9-4 on the early season. Imagine where they’ll be once Juan Soto and Francisco Lindor hit their groove.

4. Cubs (↑ 3)

Hey Chicago, what do you say? Please extend Kyle Tucker today.

Sorry for the puns, but Tucker has completely transformed this lineup. The Cubs have scored 33 runs in their last six games, including their zero spot last night against Yoshinobu Yamamoto.

Tucker, meanwhile, has a .317 average, 1.108 OPS, five homers, major leading seven doubles, and 217 OPS+. It’s been jaw-dropping. Tom Ricketts let the old core go, and quite honestly, can’t afford to lose Tucker to free agency after moving players in Cam Smith and Hayden Wesneski.

Also, Matthew Boyd has a 1.59 ERA through three starts. Just thought I’d drop that in.

5. Giants (↑ 14)

San Francisco has made quite the jump.

Despite being the odd-man out in the NL West for 2025, they’ve been insanely impressive. They’re 10-3 to start the season, and they’ve only lost one series to start the year.

The offense, powered by Jung Hoo Lee and Mike Yastrzemski, have the best run differential in the majors (+26) and have gotten sub three ERAs from Robbie Ray and Jordan Hicks. Yeah, remember Ray?

Even Justin Verlander, despite his 6.92 ERA, has looked vintage with an 11.1 K/9. The bullpen has also made statements, with Ryan Walker leading the charge in the closer’s role. It’s been a great start to the year, let’s see how long it lasts.

6. Phillies (↓ 4)

The Phils have taken a fall this week in the power rankings.

The week started great, taking two of three from the Dodgers at home. But then they lost a series to the tumbling Braves on the road, and were shut out by St. Louis Friday in a 2-0 loss.

The Phillies are still a top-five ball club in baseball. But other performances by other NL teams have pushed them outside that range. Bryce Harper could help with that, as he’s heating up and has a .974 OPS since April 5.

7. Tigers (↑ 10)

The Tigers skyrocket up to seven for the first AL team on the list.

Detroit took care of business last week with a three-game sweep of the White Sox, but raised some eyebrows by taking two of three from the hot Yankees at home. Tarik Skubal held the Yanks scoreless over six innings, and the offense slapped 14 runs in three games in the series.

2020 second-round draft pick Dillon Dingler has been scalding hot to begin the season, leading the Tigers’ offense with a .387/.406/.677 slashline. Spencer Torkelson is also bouncing back and reminding everyone of his pedigree, recording a .997 OPS through 13 games. The Tigers are 8-5 and proving to the baseball world that last year wasn’t a fluke. They sit first in the AL Central.

8. Yankees (↓ 3)

The Yanks have fallen down the power rankings a wee bit in week two.

They took a series in Pittsburgh, but dropped one to the Tigers in Detroit, then got hosed 9-1 by the Giants in a rain-shortened game. Friday especially emphasized their number one problem. Starting pitching.

Marcus Stroman and Carlos Carrasco is not a winning recipe, with Stroman getting bullied for five runs in the first before being pulled. The offense has also cooled, scoring only seven runs in their last four games. Aaron Judge was bound to cool down, they need something from the rest of the lineup.

9. Brewers (↑ 14)

Welcome to the top-ten, Brew Crew!

I’ve been skeptical of Milwaukee, but I have to give them their flowers. They’re atop the NL Central at 8-6, and have gotten fantastic production from the rotation. Freddy Peralta has a 2.00 ERA despite his poor debut against the Yankees, and Jose Quintana put up seven scoreless innings against the dangerous D-backs lineup.

The offense has backed up the pitching, scoring 48 runs in their last six games, emphasized by a 17-2 win over the Rockies. They could be dangerous. Just depends on the rotation of Peralta, Quintana, Chad Patrick, Elvin Rodriguez, Nestor Cortes, and Quinn Priester holding up.

10. Diamondbacks (↓ 6)

The D-backs barely escaped missing the top-10.

The offense has cooled down the last week, scoring only 3.5 runs per game since April 5. Sprinkle in a 2-4 record and two tough one-run losses to the Nats, and the Snakes are 7-7 and in fourth in the NL West.

Despite the runs not being there, the offense isn’t the main concern. Corbin Carroll is slashing a ridiculous .315/.413/.704 with 10 extra base hits. Josh Naylor and Geraldo Perdomo have averages above .300 and OPSs north of .800. It’s truly been the rotation.

The mighty trio of Zac Gallen, Corbin Burnes, and Merrill Kelly have been horrific to start the year. Gallen has an ERA of 5.28. Burnes an ERA of 5.79. And Kelly has an ERA of 7.20. They haven’t given their elite bullpen the chance to go out there and win games consistently.

I have faith the D-backs will be okay. The rotation is too talented to fall apart. But in this division, there’s not a lot of wiggle room for mistakes.

Rest of the Field

11. Rangers
12. Blue Jays
13. Guardians
14. Astros
15. Red Sox
16. Nationals
17. Angels
18. Orioles
19. Royals
20. Mariners
21. Braves
22. Twins
23. Rays
24. Reds
25. Cardinals
26. Athletics
27. Pirates
28. Marlins
29. Rockies
30. White Sox

The post MLB Power Rankings 2025: Week Two Update appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

The loss made the wild card race tighter with eight games left to go, and the Mets will have their hands full with two more games against the Phillies before their fateful series in Atlanta.

Here is how the other wild card teams performed on Friday night.

Michael McLoone-Imagn Images

Atlanta Braves (83-71, 2.0 GB)

The Braves fell to the Marlins Friday 4-3 to the Marlins, failing to gain ground on the Mets in the wild-card race.

Charlie Morton allowed four runs on seven hits across six innings of work, turning out a mediocre performance for a Marlins offense that added some top prospects at the deadline.

Ramón Laureano clubbed a homer and went 2-for-4, but the offense never went ahead of the Fish after they jumped Morton for three runs in the first.

The Braves will send Max Fried to the mound to try to get back in the win column. He’ll be opposed by former Mets pitching prospect Adam Oller, who has a 5.40 ERA this season. The game will start at 4:10 PM Saturday.

Arizona Diamondbacks (86-68, +1.0)

Meanwhile, the DBacks won a massive game against the National League Central-winning Brewers. The win separated themselves from the Mets by one game, and now the Snakes hold sole possession of the second NL wild card.

Zac Gallen started Friday’s start strong but faltered in the fifth inning. The Brewers tagged him for two homers and four runs in the inning, but the Diamondbacks struck back in the sixth for three runs.

Former Oriole DL Hall surrendered the three runs in the sixth. Before him, Colin Rea allowed three runs in four innings as an opener.

The Diamondbacks send Merrill Kelly to the mound, looking to secure a third consecutive win over the Brewers. It’s only his 12th start of the season, and Kelly has been okay so far with a 4.00 ERA.

Aaron Civale opposes Kelly, who has had a rough 2024. The righty is 7-8 with a 4.48 ERA, but has been better with the Brew Crew posting a 3.68 ERA since being moved to Milwaukee from Tampa. The game Saturday begins at 7:10 PM.

San Diego Padres (88-66, +3.0)

The Mets almost got an extremely lucky break Friday, as the Padres headed into extra innings with the White Sox after allowing a tying two-run homer in the bottom of the ninth.

The Padres, however, prevailed and walked it off in the tenth on a walk-off single by Fernando Tatis Jr. The win kept the Friars a full two games ahead of the Diamondbacks, and also within the Dodgers for a potential division title.

Martín Pérez starts for the Padres Saturday, looking for another win over the historically bad White Sox. Former Met Chris Flexen opposes the lefty, who is 2-14 this season with a 5.09 ERA.

The post Wild Card Update: Mets Fall to Third Wild Card After Friday’s Loss appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Happy Independence Day to the best nation in the world!

On Wednesday, MLB released the starting lineups for the AL and NL as they prepare for the 2024 All-Star Game, which will be held on July 16 at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas. While no Mets made the starting lineup, plenty of first time All-Stars got the starting nod and familiar faces continue to cement their Midsummer Classic legacies. Here are the starting lineups for each league:

NL: C: William Contreras, MIL, 1B: Bryce Harper, PHI, 2B: Ketel Marte, ARI, SS: Trea Turner, PHI, 3B: Alec Bohm, PHI, OF: Christian Yelich, MIL OF: Jurickson Profar, SDP OF: Fernando Tatis Jr., SDP, DH: Shohei Ohtani, LAD.

AL: C: Adley Rutschman, BAL, 1B: Vladimir Guerrero Jr., TOR, 2B: José Altuve, HOU, SS: Gunnar Henderson, BAL, 3B: José Ramírez, CLE, OF: Aaron Judge, NYY, OF: Juan Soto, NYY, OF: Steven Kwan, CLE, DH: Yordan Álvarez, HOU.

Along with announcing the starters for the 96th annual All-Star Game, MLB also released the uniforms that will be worn on the field.

Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

On Wednesday evening, the Mets found themselves on the losing side for the first time in their series against the Nationals this week. After taking two extra-inning games to start the four-game set, the Mets were not able to outscore their bullpen woes, blowing a 5-1 lead and falling by a score of 7-5 to the Nationals. For a full game breakdown, click here.

The Mets will try to leave Washington with a series win as they finish up the series. Jose Quintana (4.57 ERA, 3-5) will face Jake Irvin (3.03 ERA, 6-6) of the Nationals at 11:05 a.m. ET.

Latest Mets News

Kodai Senga looked sharp in his first rehab start for the High-A Brooklyn Cyclones: 2.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 6 K, 35 pitches/25 strikes. To learn more about Senga’s first rehab start, click here.

The Mets called up Christian Scott from Triple-A Syracuse and DFA’d RHP Matt Festa prior to Wednesday’s game. Scott started on Wednesday, going 5.2 IP 6 H, 4 ER, 2 BB, and 2 SO while leaving the game with a 5-4 lead.

Veteran outfielder Trayce Thompson was released from his contract with the Triple-A Syracuse Mets, per Mike Mayer of Metsmerized Online.

Latest MLB News

Minnesota Twins slugger Royce Lewis was placed on the 10-day IL with a right adductor strain.

The Milwaukee Brewers acquired starting pitcher Aaron Civale in a trade with the Tampa Bay Rays, sending INF prospect Gregory Barrios to Tampa Bay in return.

Toronto Blue Jays closer Jordan Romano underwent arthroscopic surgery on his right elbow to repair an impingement and will be down from throwing for at least six weeks, per Keegan Matheson of MLB.com. It is still unknown if he will be able to return this season.

The Minnesota Twins called up their top infield prospect, and No. 13 prospect in all of baseball, Brooks Lee, per Declan Goff of SKOR North. Lee started at third base and went 2-for-4 with an RBI in his MLB debut.

Jon Heyman reported on a Bleacher Report livestream that the Seattle Mariners and Los Angeles Dodgers are the “most likely” landing spots for Chicago White Sox star outfielder Luis Robert Jr.

Latest on MMO

Jose Iglesias and the Mets offense have propelled them to key late-inning wins.

Sean Manaea helped lighten the heavily taxed bullpen’s load with his impressive outing on Tuesday.

Kodai Senga shined in his first rehab start.

On This Date in Mets History

2006: The Mets score three runs in the bottom of the 8th to take a 7-6 lead over the Pirates and Billy Wagner locks it down in the 9th, recording his 300th career save. 

1985: In a 19-inning marathon, the Mets outlast the Braves, winning by a score of 16-13 behind a Keith Hernandez cycle.

1972: Tom Seaver comes within two outs of a no-hitter against the Padres, before a base hit by Leron Lee broke up the no-hit bid.

Birthdays: Jared Hughes (39), José Oquendo (61)

The post Morning Briefing: MLB All-Star Game Starters Announced appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

On Wednesday night, the MLB season officially ended as the Texas Rangers defeated the Arizona Diamondbacks in the 2023 World Series, four games to one. Winning Game 5 of the series by a score of 5-0, the 2023 Rangers gave the franchise their first-ever World Series trophy since its inception in 1961.

Game 5 was the definition of a pitcher’s duel, even though each side’s pitcher did it in their own way. Nathan Eovaldi did a masterful job of wiggling in and out of trouble throughout his six innings of work, as the Diamondbacks were getting runners into scoring position consistently. While the D-backs couldn’t cash in on any of their early chances, their ace Zac Gallen did more than keep them in the game as he started his outing with six no-hit innings. However, Mitch Garver helped the Rangers scratch across a run as he was the third of three consecutive hits off of Gallen in the seventh inning. But the final blow came in the ninth inning; Jonah Heim scorched a two-RBI single, which was followed by a Marcus Semien two-run home run, as the Rangers solidified their championship win.

Corey Seager won his second Willie Mays World Series MVP as he tallied three home runs, six RBIs, and hit for a 1.137 OPS during the five-game series. Additionally, three former Mets — Max Scherzer, Travis Jankowski, and Jacob deGrom — became World Series champions, Scherzer winning his second. Rangers GM Chris Young also played for the Mets, and interviewed for their GM opening in 2020. 

Just over a decade after losing back-to-back World Series, even being an out away from accomplishing the feat, Texas overcame all of the odds to win this year’s commissioner’s trophy. They became the third team in MLB history, including the 1969 New York Mets, to win the World Series just two seasons after losing 100 games. 

Latest Mets News

Andy Martino of SNY reported that Mets third base coach Joey Cora has heard from several teams regarding open coaching positions. Cora is not under contract with the Mets any longer, and his future with the team is uncertain as the Mets continue to make changes after the hiring of David Stearns. 

Joel Sherman of the New York Post gave two significant updates to the Mets managerial search on Wednesday, as he reported that the Mets have interviewed Carlos Mendoza and Andy Green for the position. Mendoza, who has been with the Yankees organization for 15 seasons and has spent the past four as their bench coach, is reportedly also in a second-round callback interview with the Mets per Andy Martino of SNY. Green is a former major leaguer, playing four games for the Mets, and has managing experience as he formerly managed the San Diego Padres. 

Latest MLB News

Evan Drellich of The Athletic reported that Major League Baseball will no longer use uniform employee contracts, the agreements with standardized language that MLB long required managers, coaches, trainers, and salaried scouts to agree to across the 30 teams. Clubs are now to draft their own contracts, allowing terms to vary as the MLB makes this move to protect the league office against liability. However, Drellich reports that many are worried that clubs will now attempt to include language that works against employees in new ways. 

MLB’s Arizona Fall League announced the participants for their 2023 Home Run Derby, which will take place on Saturday, November 4. The field has several top prospects: Kevin Alcántara, Kyle Manzardo, Aaron Sabato, Ivan Melendez, Wes Clarke, Damiano Palmegiani, Gabriel Rincones Jr., and Kala’i Rosario.

The San Diego Padres recently took out a $50 million loan to help cover payroll, per a report from Dennis Lin, Evan Drellich, and Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic. Despite being in a bottom-third media market in the league, San Diego had one of the highest payrolls in baseball, as they are obligated to pay hundreds of millions of dollars to Xander Bogaerts, Fernando Tatis Jr., and others. According to the article, the loan was taken out to “address short-term cash flow issues and meet their obligations, including payroll.”

Latest on MMO

Allison Waxman looked back at the infamous Matt Harvey ninth inning in Game 5 of the 2015 World Series and asked the readers, should he have gone back out?

Jett Williams‘ plan to make his major league debut in 2024 was highlighted by Alexis Farinacci. 

Evan Mazza looked into the Mets’ recent interviews for their open manager position. 

On This Date in Mets History

2015: After a historic postseason run in which he led the Mets to an unexpected World Series appearance, Daniel Murphy graces the cover of Sports Illustrated, titled “The Amazin’ Murphy.”

1972: The Mets traded Gary Gentry and Danny Frisella and, in return, acquired Félix Millán and George Stone from the Atlanta Braves. Both players the Mets received played crucial roles in their 1973 pennant-winning season; Millán hit .290 and received MVP votes, while Stone went 12-3 with a 2.80 ERA.

Birthdays: Denyi Reyes (27), Tom Paciorek (77)

The post Morning Briefing: Texas Rangers Win First World Series Championship appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

The Mets have officially reached an agreement with David Stearns to become their president of baseball operations after the regular season ends, as Andy Martino of SNY first reported. They’ve made it clear that their plan is to retain general manager Billy Eppler as well, Martino also reported. The two will work together in their respective positions to try to create a winning product.

Patrick Glynn of MMO has more on this news.

Billy Eppler. Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

Latest Mets News

Buck Showalter said he hasn’t had any conversations with Steve Cohen or Billy Eppler about his job security, Laura Albanese of Newsday reported.

The Mets announced that Sean Reid-Foley was placed on the IL with a right lat strain, while Reed Garrett was recalled from Triple-A Syracuse.

Latest MLB News

Jeff Passan of ESPN reported that the Dodgers called up pitching prospect Kyle Hurt, who has the highest strikeout rate of any qualified pitcher in the minors this year. He made his debut in Los Angeles’s 11-2 win over the Padres on Tuesday and retired Fernando Tatis Jr., Juan Soto and Manny Machado in a nine-pitch eighth inning, then struck out the side to finish out the game.

The Padres put veteran left-hander (and former Met) Rich Hill on waivers, Joel Sherman of the New York Post reported. Hill ended up pitching in the aforementioned Dodgers game, giving up two runs in two innings out of the bullpen. His ERA is 5.53 this year in his age-43 season.

Speaking of former Met starting pitchers, Max Scherzer was pitching well through 5 1/3 innings for the Rangers before wincing during a pitch and being removed prematurely. The Rangers announced it was a right triceps spasm.

Another veteran starter, Yu Darvish, was shut down for the season, Padres manager Bob Melvin said and AJ Cassavell of MLB reported. He reportedly has a bone spur in his elbow.

Next in the line of pitcher injuries: Braves southpaw Dylan Lee was shut down for the remainder of the year, per Justin Toscano of Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Latest on MMO

Watch Ronny Mauricio hit his first major league home run!

Christian De Block wrote more about how Mauricio is impressing early on.

On This Date in Mets History

Birthdays: Daisuke Matsuzaka (43), Grant Roberts (46), Rodney McCray (60), Tom Parsons (84)

The post Morning Briefing: Stearns, Eppler Set to Lead Front Office Together appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Fernando Tatis Jr.

Position: Shortstop, Outfield
Bats/Throws: R/R
Age: 24 (January 2, 1999)
2021 Batting (Missed 2022)
Traditional: 546 PA, .282/.364/.611/, 135 H, 42 HR, 97 RBI, 68 BB (intentional walks included), 153 K
Advanced: .403 wOBA, 157 wRC+, 28.0 K%, 11.4 BB%, .324 BABIP, .407 xwOBA, 7.3 fWAR, 6.6 bWAR

Rundown

I know what everyone is thinking but let us get it out of the way: Fernando Tatis Jr. is without a doubt one of the most talented players in Major League Baseball. Well that statement is probably contingent on believing that his PED suspension is more a result of him using them to recover from left wrist surgery, and that his 2019-2021 seasons are not the result of him using PEDs. Of course, that aforementioned surgery would not have been required if not for a slew of motorcycle accidents.

Probably not a great thing, when Fernando Tatis was asked when his motorcycle accident happened, he responded, 'which one.'

— Jesse Rogers (@JesseRogersESPN) March 14, 2022

I am usually one to dismiss off-field extracurriculars but in the case of Tatis, I think there are some things to think about. I am less concerned about the PED usage as I was with say Robinson Cano. In Cano’s case, it was pretty clear that he was a player looking to stay relevant and not fall off the proverbial cliff.

On the field, Tatis has been a star since day one. In 2019, he posted a 3.1 fWAR in 84 games while slashing .317/.379/.590 as a 20-year old rookie. He also hit 22 homers and stole 16 out-of 22 bases. He likely would have challenged a 40-40 season had he played a full season. He followed that up with an equally great 2020 season and in 2021, he was an MVP finalist behind Juan Soto and Bryce Harper. In 2021, he posted a 7.3 fWAR and he hit .282/.364/.611 (!). He also had 42 homers and stole 25 out-of 29 bases. His power output is historic for a shortstop and his offensive skillset would likely play anywhere on the diamond.

Nothing on his offensive profile suggests that he would slow down. In 2021, his expected slugging was .617 and his expected weighted-on-base-average was .407, both higher than his actual figures. In 2021, Tatis excelled at hitting the ball hard, only putting it on the ground 40% of the time, and pulled the ball almost 50% of the time. When Tatis hit the ball in the air, he made hard contact close to 60% of the time as well, meaning he made full use of hitting the ball in the air.

Defensively, Tatis grades out as a passable shortstop depending on the statistic you prefer. DRS and UZR thinks he is below average, but outs above average likes him more than those two stats do. The Padres have pretty much moved on from him at shortstop going forward. Xander Bogaerts will be their shortstop in 2023 after they failed at landing Trea Turner. Manny Machado is their third baseman and Juan Soto is in right field. So Tatis will probably be in various spots this season such as the outfield and first base. Feels like a weird position to be in with your $340 million star but he did himself and the Padres no favors in the process.

Package

I think my answer here is: depends on how much the Mets would send back to San Diego. They have been pretty hesitant to trade their more high value prospects in trades in order to rebuild the system. I bet the Mets would use their financial power to minimize the prospect cost of landing Tatis. The Padres might hate selling low on a player who has shown the flashes of greatness like Tatis has, but they have a lot of money tied up to that roster already and have to extend Soto and Machado in the coming offseasons.

My Thoughts

There are a lot of concerns but the upside is also enormous. Tatis can be a perennial 30-30 player and flirting with 40-40 in some seasons, while manning third base for the next 10 years in Queens next to Francisco Lindor. The downsides as evidenced by 2022 also exist.

I think the upside in the case of Tatis is too high to ignore, especially since Steve Cohen does not care about money. The offensive upside in the case of Carlos Correa pales in comparison to what Tatis can provide. Tatis has a career slash line of .292/.369/.596 with a .399 wOBA and 153 wRC+ for his career. The closest Correa has come to reaching that wRC+ was in 2017.

If Fernando’s medicals look good (big if), I think the Mets should do it. Maybe this is just my amygdala talking because I wanted Correa, but I do think this could cement the Mets as a World Series favorite for the next 5 plus years.

The post MMO Trade Profile: Fernando Tatis Jr., SS appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

The San Diego Padres signed free agent shortstop Xander Bogaerts to an 11-year, $280 million deal Wednesday night, in yet another significant Winter Meetings move. Jon Heyman of MLB Network was the first to report the news.

The deal comes after the Padres missed out on fellow free agent star shortstop Trea Turner, who got 11 years and $300 million from the Phillies. Reports afterwards suggested that the Padres offered him more money, but he opted to go to Philadelphia. The two are similar in age as well, with Turner at 29 and Bogaerts at 30.

Jon Morosi of MLB Network reported that the signing has no opt-outs and includes no-trade protection. Jayson Stark of The Athletic pointed out that there have been two free agent contracts of 11-plus years in the last three days after there had only been one in the first 46 years of free agency.

Bogaerts is an interesting fit for the Padres, considering they have the suspended but supremely talented Fernando Tatis Jr. Tatis was suspended for 80 games in August after testing positive for a banned substance, and he’ll be eligible to return before the end of April. The Padres also saw the emergence this year of Ha-Seong Kim, another strong defensive shortstop. With Bogaerts locked down at shortstop for the next decade-plus, the Padres may have another position or solution in mind for Tatis.

Bogaerts joins a core with Tatis, Juan Soto and Manny Machado. The right-handed hitter has been in the majors since 2013 and has spent his entire career with the Boston Red Sox. He’s posted a wRC+ of at least 129 each of the last five seasons while playing shortstop. He’s also played in at least 136 games in every year since 2014, besides the COVID-shortened 2020 season. He owns a career 118 wRC+ and 34.2 fWAR.

The Padres capped off a busy couple of days that included numerous long-term contracts and signings of major players.

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Francisco Álvarez, Photo by Rick Nelson

Good morning, Mets fans!

Per Andy Martino of SNY, Francisco Álvarez has been experiencing right ankle soreness and will be evaluated in New York this week. There is a possibility he will have to miss time.

Past and present Mets joined together on Saturday afternoon for a special Old Timers’ Day at Citi Field. The term used most often in press conferences and interviews was “special.” Players talked about how good it was to be back together at Citi Field. It was also a historic and special day for Willie Mays, who’s number 24 was retired by the Mets, making him the fourteenth player in baseball to have his number retired by multiple MLB clubs.

Afterwards, the Mets were able to tally a 3-0 victory thanks to a big day by Brandon Nimmo and stellar pitching. With the victory, and Braves’ loss, the Mets’ division lead increased back to 3.0 games.

Latest Mets News

Per Mike Puma of the New York Post, with Eduardo Escobar returning from the injured list, and the roster moves announced (below), the Mets are keeping rookie Brett Baty in the major leagues. Expect Escobar to play more against the left-handed pitchers.

According to Michael Mayer of Metsmerized Online, the New York Mets made the following roster transactions ahead of their game on Saturday night against the Rockies:

• Recalled left-handed pitcher David Peterson from Triple-A Syracuse.
• Reinstated infielder Eduardo Escobar from the 10-day injured list.
• Optioned right-handed pitcher Connor Grey to Triple-A Syracuse
• Designated infielder Yolmer Sanchez for assignment.

The Mets retired Willie Mays’ number 24 during the Old Timers’ Day ceremonies on Saturday. Mike Teevan explained that Mays joins an elite group of 14 pitchers who have had their numbers retired by multiple MLB clubs:

According to New York Post Sports, Steve Cohen said the Mets will do, ‘whatever we can,’ to keep Jacob deGrom after the 2022 season.

Latest MLB News

According to Alden Gonzalez of ESPN, a spokesperson from Adidas announced that they have terminated their partnership with Fernando Tatis Jr. “We believe that sport should be fair,” stated a spokesperson for the company. “We have a clear policy on doping and can confirm that our partnership with Fernando Tatis Jr. will not continue.”

Per Bobby Nightengale of the Cincinnati Inquiry, the Cincinnati Reds placed Mike Moustakas on the 10-day injured list and selected Colin Moran.

According to Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com, Jarren Duran was optioned by the Red Sox to the Triple-A WooSox.

Per Justin Toscano of AJC, Jackson Stephens suffered a mild concussion and was placed on the seven-day injured list.

The Tampa Bay Rays announced on Saturday that they optioned left-handed pitcher Ryan Yarbrogh to Triple-A Durham and recalled left-handed pitcher Garrett Cleavinger from Durham.

According to Marly Rivera of ESPN, Yankees’ pitcher Aroldis Chapman has a leg infection due to a new tattoo and will be placed on the injured list.

The Seattle Mariners on Saturday welcomed Ichiro Suzuki into the Mariners Hall-Of-Fame.

Latest on MMO

Sam Klein recapped the Mets’ minor league affiliate games from Friday, August 26th. This included a home run by Jose Peroza in Brooklyn’s victory.

Brian Wright looked back at August 27th, 2019 when Pete Alonso broke the Mets’ single-season home run record.

Andrew Steele-Davis discussed Mark Canha‘s August hot streak and his strong performance against the Rockies on Friday night.

Brian Wright previewed the Mets’ Old Timers’ Day festivities on Saturday.

Mojo Hill talked about the Mets’ announcement during Old Timers’ Day of retiring Willie Mays’ number.

Mojo Hill recapped the Mets’ first Old Timers’ Day festivities and game since 1994.

Mojo Hill discussed Steve Cohen’s intentions to do, ‘whatever he can,’ to keep Jacob deGrom after 2022.

On This Date in Mets History

1984: The New York Mets received Ray Knight from the Houston Astros for Gerald Young, Manuel Lee, and Mitch Cook.

1989: The two reigning Cy Young award winners faced off against each other.

Birthdays:

• Joel Youngblood (71)
• Mike Torrez (76)
• Billy Cowan (84)

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