The Mets (73-62) defeated the Marlins (63-72) 19-9 on Friday night. With 19 runs scored, it is the most ever scored by the Mets in a home game, per Sarah Langs. The Mets knocked Eury Pérez out of the game after just two-thirds of an inning and scored 12 runs over the first two innings. Juan Soto, Brandon Nimmo, Pete Alonso, Mark Vientos and Luis Torrens (Vientos and Torrens off a position player) all homered in the effort.

In addition to the offensive fireworks, Jonah Tong made his major league debut. Tong looked great but saw his pitch count rise late into his outing, especially with some poor defense behind him in the fifth inning. He ended his night with four runs allowed (just one earned) in five innings with six hits, no walks and six strikeouts. His ERA through one start is 1.80.

Soto by Roberto Carlo

Latest Mets News

With the Mets’ win on Friday they remain five games behind the Phillies, who defeated the Braves 2-1, in the NL East. However, the Mets picked up a game on the Reds, who lost 7-5 in 10 innings to the Cardinals. The Mets now have a five-game cushion for the final Wild Card spot in the National League.

Jesse Winker and Jose Siri continued their rehab assignments with the St. Lucie Mets on Friday. Winker went 0-for-3 with three strikeouts, while Siri went 2-for-2 with an RBI single.

Latest MLB News

With the Red Sox calling up Payton Tolle, who excelled in his major league debut Friday, the team released starter Walker Buehler. Buehler had a rough year with the Red Sox, going 7-7 with a 5.45 ERA.

Giants reliever Randy Rodríguez has been recommended to undergo Tommy John surgery. Rodríguez pitched to a 1.78 ERA in 50 appearances this year and was an All-Star.

Guardians pitchers Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz will remain on administrative leave and the restricted list at least through the end of the 2025 season with the investigation into potential gambling ongoing.

Matthew Bowyer, the bookie who was criminally charged along with Shohei Ohtani‘s interpreter, received a prison sentence of 12 months and one day.

Latest on MMO

Michael Mayer wrote about Jonah Tong’s incredible rise to the major leagues.

Jack Ramsey breaks down the success of the Mets’ pitching lab.

On This Date in Mets History

1999: Edgardo Alfonzo had one of the best offensive games in Mets history, going 6-for-6 with three home runs, five RBIs, and six runs scored. The Mets won a laugher, 17-1, against the Astros.

Born on This Date: Sean Reid-Foley (1994), Jon Adkins (1977), Marlon Byrd (1977), Tug McGraw (1944).

The post Morning Briefing: Mets Score Most Runs Ever in Home Game appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Brett Baty. Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports

The Mets got the scoring started early, putting a run up against former Met Taijuan Walker in the first inning. With Brandon Nimmo standing on second, Pete Alonso hit a blooper into shallow right field that just stayed fair before bouncing into the seats. With the ground rule double, the Mets took an early 1-0 lead.

The Mets didn’t score again until the fifth inning, still in a 1-0 game. With Walker’s pitch count rising, he started showing signs of fatigue as he allowed three straight hits off the bats of Rafael Ortega, Omar Narváez, and Brandon Nimmo. Nimmo’s hit came with runners on the corners, and he hit a laser into right field to double the Mets’ lead to make it 2-0.

With the Phillies still not on the board in the fifth inning, it’s no surprise that Mets’ starter Tylor Megill was pitching well against what is a really good lineup. Outside of a Trea Turner walk in the first inning and a Kyle Schwarber double in the third inning, Megill had everything working for him early. Even in the fourth and fifth innings, when he found himself in trouble by allowing a leadoff baserunner, he was able to work around them to avoid putting the Phillies on the board.

Megill then found himself in trouble again in the sixth inning and that’s where things went south. With one out already recorded, Megill spiked a breaking ball in the dirt that came up and hit Bryce Harper who appeared to be in a bit of pain afterwards. Alec Bohm then reached on an infield single, putting two runners on with one out.

Megill then struck out Bryson Stott, needing just one more out to get out of trouble and likely secure a six-inning, no-run outing. However, J.T. Realmuto played spoiler and put a jolt into the Philadelphia crowd by unloading a fastball into the seats in left field, giving the Phillies a 3-2 lead for their first lead of the night.

BRETT BATY OFF CRAIG KIMBREL IN THE 9TH TO TIE THE GAME!

(via @AppleTV) pic.twitter.com/nzqmAUeFG1

— SNY (@SNYtv) September 23, 2023

Despite allowing the home run to Realmuto and that being the moment that will define his start, Megill still had a really solid outing. Over six innings, he allowed three runs on five hits and a walk while striking out six, and with the performance, he now has a 2.89 ERA over his last five starts.

Phil Bickford relieved Megill out of the bullpen and the Phillies immediately tacked on to extend their lead. After Johan Rojas reached on a single, he advanced to third after a bad throw on his stolen base attempt at second base. Schwarber then poked a ball into left field, scoring Rojas, giving the Phillies a 4-2 lead.

The Mets wouldn’t go down quietly, though. With two outs in the eighth inning, Francisco Lindor launched a solo homer into left field for his 27th of the year to bring the Mets back to within one run. Jeff McNeil singled after him to bring Pete Alonso to the plate as the go-ahead run. Alonso popped up on the infield, failing to bring the runner home to end the inning.

With one final chance to tie the game or take the lead in the ninth, the Mets found themselves two outs away from another disappointing loss after Ronny Mauricio recorded the first out. Brett Baty then stepped up to the plate and provided a heroic late-game moment the Mets haven’t experienced much of this season, sending a fastball from Craig Kimbrel 432 feet to dead center to tie up the game at 4-4.

The Mets were able to hold the Phillies at bay in the bottom of the inning, setting the table for extras. In the top of the 10th inning, the Mets loaded the bases against Seranthony Domínguez with a chance to really put pressure on the Phillies in the bottom of the inning. Domínguez, however, struck out Alonso in a crucial moment in the game, sending it to the bottom of the 10th in a tie game.

Just as Megill’s start ended in disappointing fashion, so did the game for the Mets. Despite the late-inning heroics provided by Lindor and Baty, Adam Ottavino couldn’t keep the Phillies from scoring as Alec Bohm dumped a ball into right field on just the second pitch of the inning. Trea Turner scored easily, giving the Phillies a 5-4 victory for the second consecutive night. With the loss, the Mets are now 71-83 on the year and are officially eliminated from playoff contention.

Stat of the Game

With his home run in the eighth inning, Francisco Lindor broke his own record that he set last year for the most home runs in a season by a Mets shortstop. He is now just three home runs shy of a 30-home run, 30-stolen base, 30-double season and could become the first Mets player to achieve those numbers since David Wright did so in 2007.

On Deck

The Mets’ series with the Phillies will continue on Saturday afternoon with first pitch scheduled for 4:05 p.m. ET. José Quintana (3-5, 3.02 ERA) will get the start for the Mets as his fantastic debut season with the team winds to a close. For Philadelphia, former Met Zack Wheeler (12-6, 3.63 ERA) will take the mound. The Mets roughed up Wheeler in his only start against the team this year, attacking him for five runs over 5 1/3 innings. The game will be broadcast on SNY and can be listened to on WCBS 880.

The post Phillies Spoil Mets’ Late-Game Heroics With 5-4 Walk-Off Win appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Peterson looked comfortable throughout his outing, tying a career-high with 10 strikeouts and walking just two batters over 5 2/3 innings. It wasn’t until the fifth inning that he found himself in trouble, and it was the defense that let him down.

In his first game in the big leagues at third base, Ronny Mauricio couldn’t handle a tough hop which allowed Noelvi Marte to advance from first to third. A wild pitch in the following at-bat allowed Marte to break for the plate, and a clean throw by Omar Narváez likely would have thrown him out, but Narváez threw it into the infield to give the Reds a 1-0 advantage.

The Reds tacked on the following inning as Peterson grew fatigued. Spencer Steer hit a two-run homer to extend the Reds’ lead to 3-0. After getting two outs, Peterson allowed two more baserunners to reach which would ultimately end his outing. Over the 5 2/3 innings he pitched, Peterson gave up three runs (two earned) on six hits and two walks while tallying double-digit strikeouts in another promising performance for the former first-round pick.

Home run No. 45 for Pete Alonso is a three-run, game-tying shot against the Reds. pic.twitter.com/XiwRjayFTg

— Anthony DiComo (@AnthonyDiComo) September 16, 2023

Unfortunately for the Mets, though, Greene was at the top of his game, carrying a no-hitter into the fifth inning. After allowing a leadoff double to Jeff McNeil which broke up the no-hitter, Greene still managed to escape the inning scoreless before getting into trouble yet again in the sixth inning. With two outs and two runners on, Reds’ manager David Bell decided to show faith in his young starter by leaving him in there to face Pete Alonso who served as the tying run.

Bell’s decision quickly backfired as Alonso unloaded a three-run shot into the seats in left field to tie the game and put a damper on what was an otherwise brilliant outing from Greene. Alonso’s homer, his 45th of the year, put the game back at square one.

With the game squared at 3-3, the Reds wasted no time regaining the lead. His former teammate at the University of Florida, Jonathan India, punched right back in the top of the seventh inning with a two-run homer off Grant Hartwig to put the Reds ahead once again, this time 5-3.

The Mets had multiple opportunities late to at least tie the game, putting the tying runs on base in both the seventh and eighth innings. In the seventh, Ian Gibaut got Mark Vientos to ground into a crucial double play to hinder the Mets’ scoring threat before Alexis Díaz, the younger brother of Edwin Díaz, silenced the Mets’ threat the following inning.

The Reds kept Díaz on the mound for the bottom of the ninth, relying on him to record a five-out save. Without much trouble, Díaz set the Mets’ batters down in order to give the Reds a 5-3 win. The loss for the Mets dropped their season record down to 68-79 as the team inches closer to clinching a losing season.

Player of the Game

Despite not earning a win, David Peterson’s start makes him absolutely deserving of the Metsmerized player of the game. He kept the Mets in the game, going toe-to-toe with Hunter Greene, who looked phenomenal before allowing the three-run home run to Pete Alonso in the sixth inning. Peterson’s 10 strikeouts along with just two walks is a very positive sign for a pitcher who has struggled with command his entire career.

On Deck

The series with the Reds will continue on Saturday evening with first pitch scheduled for 7:10 p.m. ET. Tylor Megill (8-7, 5.03 ERA) takes the mound for the Mets, looking to continue a good stretch of starts. On the other side, rookie southpaw Andrew Abbott (8-5, 3.64 ERA) gets the start for the Reds. The game will be broadcast on SNY and can be listened to on WCBS 880.

The post Alonso’s Three-Run Blast Not Enough As Mets Fall To Reds 5-3 appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

Good morning, Mets fans!

On Friday night, the Mets traded third baseman Eduardo Escobar to the Angels for minor league pitchers Coleman Crow and Landon Marceaux. News of the trade broke during Friday night’s game and the Apple TV booth asked Francisco Lindor about Escobar.

“He’s one of the best teammates I’ve ever had,” Lindor said. “We’re going to miss him a lot.”

After the trade was announced, Escobar thanked Mets fans and the organization on Twitter.

For more on the trade, Jorge Eckardt broke it down here.

Latest Mets News

The Mets fell to the Phillies on Friday night, 5-1. Defensive miscues and a sluggish offense were to blame for the Mets’ third loss in a row, bringing the team down to a 34-41 record.

Anthony DiComo of MLB.com reported that the Mets are making a minor rotation change, as Max Scherzer is now scheduled to start today instead of Sunday. That pushes Carrasco back to Sunday’s start and separates Scherzer and Justin Verlander in the rotation, something Buck Showalter has been wanting to do.

The Mets officially announced that they have optioned Tylor Megill to Triple-A Syracuse, with reliever Vinny Nittoli taking his spot on the active roster. Nittoli made his Mets debut last night and pitched a scoreless inning.

The Mets will be playing the Phillies in London next year on June 8 and 9 as part of MLB’s London Series.

Actor Vincent D’Onofrio will be portraying Mets’ owner Steve Cohen in the upcoming movie Dumb Money, which centers around the GameStop stock market short squeeze that occurred in 2021.

Latest MLB News

Julio Rodríguez was announced as the first confirmed participant of this year’s Home Run Derby. The event is set to take place on July 10 in his home ballpark in Seattle.

Friday night, Elly De La Cruz hit for the cycle in the Reds’ comeback win over the Braves. De La Cruz is the first Reds player to hit for the cycle since Eric Davis did so in 1989.

MLB announced some of the participants in this year’s All-Star Celebrity Softball Game. Among the participants are former players Ryan Howard and Adam Jones, as well as notorious Mets fan and NBA superstar Donavan Mitchell.

The Reds released outfielder Wil Myers after he was designated for assignment earlier in the week. Myers has just a .541 OPS in 141 plate appearances this season.

Latest on MMO

In the latest Mets Minors Recap, Colby Morris broke down the impressive performances of Tyler Stuart and Luke Voit.

Allison Waxman wrote about Daniel Vogelbach‘s success at the plate since his break from the lineup.

Jack Markowski discussed who the Mets could trade at the deadline if the team continues to struggle.

Jack Ramsey looked at some of the players in the upcoming draft who have been linked to the Mets through mock drafts.

On This Date in Mets History

1975: Jerry Koosman became, at the time, the second pitcher to have won 100 games in a Mets uniform, achieving the feat in a 5-1 victory over the Cardinals.

Birthdays: Mike Bruhert (72)

The post Morning Briefing: Eduardo Escobar Thanks Mets After Trade appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports

Earlier this month, the New York Mets lost two out of three at home against the Colorado Rockies. On Friday night, the Mets began a series, this time on the road, with the Rockies hoping to avenge their previous series loss against the team. Game 1 of the series presented a great chance with a favorable pitching matchup for the Mets as Max Scherzer faced off against Connor Seabold.

Scherzer threw seven phenomenal innings as he bested Seabold and Francisco Lindor drove in four runs, as the Mets came away with the first game of the series in a 5-2 victory.

Brandon Nimmo worked a seven-pitch walk to lead off the game, and immediately after, Lindor crushed a home run to right-center field to give the Mets a rare first-inning lead, putting them up 2-0 early. The ball traveled 439 feet, no doubt aided by the Denver altitude, but it was a great swing and result nonetheless, one the Mets have seen far too infrequently in the first inning of games this year. The next three batters for the Mets flew out to keep their lead at two.

First inning runs!

Francisco Lindor clubs a two-run homer for the early lead! #LGM
pic.twitter.com/IQiAUWf3T0

— Metsmerized Online (@Metsmerized) May 27, 2023

Leading off the bottom of the first, Charlie Blackmon bounced an 0-2 pitch right back up the middle for a single. Scherzer would keep Blackmon on first base, though, as a strikeout, popout and flyout allowed him to complete the inning having thrown just 11 pitches.

The Mets’ lead was cut in half in the second inning as a hanging curveball by Scherzer was knocked out of the park by Ryan McMahon. Like the first inning, Scherzer set the next three batters down in order after allowing the leadoff baserunner, but now the Mets were playing with a 2-1 lead.

A hit by pitch with Francisco Álvarez at the plate and Nimmo’s second walk of the game put runners on first and second with nobody out to begin the third inning. Lindor worked a full count, but on the ninth pitch of the at-bat he popped the ball up behind home plate to record the first out of the inning. Jeff McNeil then hit a ground ball that looked like it could have been a double play to end the inning, but the throw to second base from the first baseman Nolan Jones hit Nimmo in the back, resulting in everyone being safe.

That brought up Pete Alonso with the bases loaded and one out. After throwing an up-and-in fastball, Seabold got Alonso to chase a slider away for a strikeout for the second out of the inning. Seabold then got Brett Baty to go down swinging, escaping what could have been a disastrous inning without giving up a run.

In the bottom of the third inning, Scherzer put up his first 1-2-3 inning of the night with the help of two strikeouts at the expense of Ezequiel Tovar and Jurickson Profar. He also got Blackmon to pop a ball up on the infield, ending his inning after just nine pitches.

With one out in the top of the fifth inning, Nimmo lined a ball into the left-center field gap for a triple, his second game in a row with a three-base hit. Then with a full count, Lindor lined a ball into center field for a single to drive in Nimmo and make it a 3-1 game. In a nearly identical at-bat to the one he had in the third inning, McNeil hit a ground ball that probably should have been a double play, but once again, an awkward throw to second base allowed everyone to be safe.

With still just one out in the inning, Alonso flew out to right field, which advanced Lindor to third base. In the next at-bat, Baty drove in Lindor with an opposite-field line drive to give the Mets a 4-1 lead. That was all for Seabold, as he exited the game after 4 2/3 innings. Matt Carasiti relieved Seabold and got Starling Marte to ground out to end the inning.

With two outs in the bottom of the fifth inning, Scherzer had been pitching wonderfully having retired his last 11 in a row. Alan Trejo broke that up with a line drive that just escaped the reach of Baty down the third base line for a double. Scherzer, however, remained composed and struck out Tovar for the second time to get out of the inning and strand Trejo in scoring position.

With a single up the middle with two outs in the top of the sixth inning, Francisco Álvarez extended his hitting streak to six games. Nimmo then walked for the third time to put two runners on for Lindor. Falling behind in the count 0-2, Lindor lined out to right field to end the inning.

Having thrown 85 pitches through six innings, Scherzer came out for the seventh inning for the first time this season. After a ground ball out, Harold Castro hit a bloop single but Scherzer was able to get Nolan Jones to strike out to record the second out of the inning. Alan Trejo then recorded his second extra-base hit of the night by lining a double down the left field line to put runners on second and third and bring the tying run to the plate. A fly ball out off the bat of Tovar allowed Scherzer to get out of the inning without giving up a run and end his outing after seven brilliant innings.

David Robertson relieved Scherzer to start the bottom of the eighth inning and was immediately greeted with a solo homer off the bat of Blackmon to cut the Mets’ lead to 4-2. Robertson was able to set the next three batters down in order, including a strikeout of Kris Bryant, to ensure the Mets would pitch in the bottom of the ninth with at least a two-run lead.

Leading off the top of the ninth inning, Nimmo hit another line drive, this time to the right-center field gap, that allowed him to advance to third yet again for his second triple of the game. Nimmo’s two-triple, three-walk game is a feat that has only been achieved four other times since 1901. Lindor then hit a deep fly ball for a sacrifice fly that allowed Nimmo to score, giving the Mets some insurance and extending the lead to 5-2.

Brooks Raley came in to pitch in the bottom of the ninth inning with a chance for a save. Raley walked the leadoff batter McMahon, a lefty. Randal Grichuk stepped up to the plate to pinch-hit and hit a sharp line drive to center field that was caught by Nimmo for the first out of the inning. Raley then walked another lefty in Nolan Jones in four pitches to bring the tying run up to the plate. Buck Showalter had seen enough, as he pulled Raley to give Adam Ottavino a chance to record the final two outs.

Alan Trejo hit a sharp ground ball to third base that Eduardo Escobar had trouble coming up with, and it bounced just beyond the dirt into the outfield. It appeared that the Rockies might score, or at the very least have the bases loaded with one out. But as the baserunner Jones rounded second base, Lindor made a heads-up play by recovering the ball and throwing behind Jones as he attempted to dive back into second base. Jones was called out to give the Mets a crucial second out. Ottavino then struck out the pinch-hitter Mike Moustakas to put the game to bed and secure the 5-2 victory.

Player(s) of the Game

Despite Nimmo’s historic performance in which he went 2-for-2 with two triples, three walks, and three runs, the players with the biggest impact on the game were Lindor and Scherzer. Lindor was able to take advantage of Nimmo getting on base ahead of him by hitting a home run, a single and a sacrifice fly to record four of the Mets’ five runs batted in, giving him 38 RBIs on the year which is good for third in the National League.

For Scherzer, this game was his best outing of the year as he went seven innings and gave up just one run on six hits while walking none. He also struck out eight batters and lowered his season ERA to 3.54. Entering tonight’s game Scherzer had never recorded a win in Coors Field, but in a ballpark notorious for being friendly to hitters, he shut them down in a dominant performance.

On Deck

The series with the Rockies continues on Saturday night as Justin Verlander (2-2, 3.60 ERA) hopes to build off of his previous start against the Guardians in which he gave up just one earned run in eight fantastic innings. For the Rockies, Chase Anderson (0-0, 1.15 ERA) will be making his third start with the team after beginning the season with the Rays. The game will begin at 9:10 p.m. ET and will be broadcast on PIX11.

The post Lindor, Scherzer Shine as Mets Defeat Rockies 5-2 appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

Coming off the team’s first series win in a month, the Mets hosted the Guardians on Friday for the first game of a three-game series. In the first game between the two teams since the blockbuster trade that brought Francisco Lindor and Carlos Carrasco to New York and sent Andrés Giménez and Amed Rosario to Cleveland, Carrasco got the start for the Mets against his former team while Cal Quantrill got the start for Cleveland.

In a wild game in which the Mets played virtually all of it from behind, they came back multiple times, including down two in extra innings, to defeat the Guardians 10-9 in a thriller.

Carrasco took the mound to start the game for the first time since April 15, his last appearance before he was sidelined due to injury. After getting a weak contact out off the bat of Steven Kwan, Rosario hit a ground ball up the middle for a base hit. José Ramírez then walked and in the next at-bat, Josh Naylor took Carrasco deep to put the Mets in an early three-run hole. Josh Bell then flew out and Giménez struck out to put the inning to bed, but not before major damage was done.

The Guardians added another run in the top of the second inning. Myles Straw led off the inning with a double and advanced to third base on a fielder’s choice. Then Cam Gallagher, who entered the game with a .070 batting average and a .223 OPS, dumped a ball into left field for an RBI single to make it 4-0. A ground ball double play off the bat of Kwan ended the inning to limit the damage.

The Mets recorded their first hit of the night in the bottom of the second, after Brett Baty pulled one down the right field line for a one-out double. The Mets wouldn’t cut into the Guardians’ lead, though, as a Starling Marte strikeout and a Mark Vientos fielder’s choice ended the inning.

The Mets got another one-out baserunner in the bottom of the third after Francisco Álvarez was hit by a pitch in a full count. They were unable to do anything with the baserunner again, though, as the next two batters went down in order due to a flyout and a groundout.

Quantrill appeared to be through a quick 1-2-3 inning in the fourth but a two-out error by the first baseman Bell and another hit-by-pitch, this time at Marte’s expense, put two runners on. That brought up Vientos who hit a sharp ground ball to third base, but Ramírez scooped it and stepped on the bag to end the threat.

Although it appeared Carrasco had settled in after a rough start to the game, throwing 1-2-3 innings in the third and fourth, he would surrender another run in the fifth inning. Will Brennan led off the fifth inning with a walk and quickly stole a base. Advancing to third base on a fielder’s choice, he was driven in with a two-out single by Rosario to give the Guardians a 5-0 lead.

With one out and nobody on in the bottom of the fifth, Francisco Álvarez ran the count full once again and this time sent a ball well over the left field wall for a solo shot, his fifth home run of the year. That put the Mets on the board to make it a 5-1 ballgame. Francisco Lindor then recorded his 15th double of the year to put a runner in scoring position with two outs. Jeff McNeil brought him home with an RBI single, extending his hitting streak to six games, to cut the Guardians’ lead to three.

Francisco Álvarez's 5th homer of the season gets the Mets on the board pic.twitter.com/oLtRAMb4UA

— SNY (@SNYtv) May 20, 2023

The inning ended after Pete Alonso hit a weak liner to the shortstop Rosario. Rosario dropped the ball after attempting to catch it, but was able to corral the ball and throw out Alonso at first.

Carrasco exited the game after giving up five runs in five innings, driving his season ERA up to 8.68. Along with the five runs, Carrasco allowed five hits and two walks and struck out three. Dominic Leone relieved Carrasco to start the sixth and gave up a leadoff single to Naylor. A single up the middle by Bell created a threat with runners on first and second base and nobody out. Naylor advanced to third on a flyout but the Mets were then able to double up the speedy Straw to escape the inning.

After a troublesome fifth inning, Quantrill remained on for the sixth and was immediately greeted with an opposite-field homer off the bat of Baty to make it a 5-3 game. Then with two outs and nobody on, Mark Canha recorded an infield hit to chase Quantrill out of the game. Lefty reliever Sam Hentges came out of the bullpen to face the young Álvarez who came to the plate as the tying run. Álvarez hit the first pitch he saw to deep right field but it wasn’t deep enough as it was caught to end the inning.

Brett Baty drives one the other way! 💪 pic.twitter.com/0VKurgwo6P

— SNY (@SNYtv) May 20, 2023

Leone remained in the game in the seventh but for the second straight inning, he gave up a leadoff single, this time off the bat of Brennan. Another hit by the catcher Gallagher put runners on the corners with nobody out. Leone then walked Kwan to load the bases, driving Leone out of the game and bringing in Stephen Nogosek to try to clean up the mess.

In a 3-1 count, Nogosek threw a fastball down the heart of the plate to Rosario who hit a sharp line drive right into the glove of Nimmo in center field. Brennan tagged for home but wasn’t close to scoring, getting tagged out in a rundown for a massive double play.

A walk to Ramírez loaded the bases for the second time in the inning, bringing Naylor to the plate. The Mets couldn’t pull off another miracle, as Naylor drove a single the opposite way to bring in two runs, giving him five RBIs on the night and giving the Guardians a 7-3 lead. Another walk by Nogosek loaded the bases yet again, and this time he was relieved for Tommy Hunter who got Giménez to ground out to end the inning.

With the top of the order up and a chance to rally, Nimmo led off the bottom of the seventh with a walk. A single up the middle by Lindor put runners on first and second with nobody out and the heart of the order coming up. Struggling to throw strikes, Hentges then walked McNeil to load the bases for Alonso who came to the plate as the tying run.

With James Karinchak coming into the game to relieve Hentges, Alonso drove a ball over the wall in right-center field for an opposite field grand slam to make it a 7-7 tie. Alonso’s grand slam extended his home run streak to four games and brought him to 71 career home runs at Citi Field, tying Lucas Duda for the most in the stadium’s history. After Alonso’s mammoth home run, Karinchak struck out three around a two-out walk by Vientos to keep the game tied.

THAT. JUST. HAPPENED. pic.twitter.com/517eystfng

— New York Mets (@Mets) May 20, 2023

Adam Ottavino took the mound in the eighth inning hoping to keep the game tied. Facing the bottom of the Guardians’ lineup, Ottavino induced a flyout and two groundouts in a 1-2-3 inning. Enyel De Los Santos came in to pitch for the Guardians in the bottom of the inning and recorded a 1-2-3 inning of his own.

For the first time this year, David Robertson pitched in three straight games as he came on to pitch in the ninth inning. Robertson needed just nine pitches to induce three ground balls from the top of the Guardians’ order, recording two of the outs on excellent defensive plays from McNeil and Alonso.

Like Robertson, Trevor Stephan also needed just nine pitches to set the Mets down in order in the bottom of the ninth, striking out Alonso and Baty in the process to send the game to extra innings.

Drew Smith took the mound in the tenth inning, hoping to strand Ramírez who was serving as the Guardians’ free runner. Smith got Naylor to pop up to record the first out of the inning. However, Gabriel Arias, who entered the game to pinch run and for defense, hit an opposite field home run in his first at-bat of the game to give the Guardians a 9-7 lead. Smith recorded the next two outs to get out of the inning, but not before giving the Mets another hill to climb.

Emmanuel Clase, one of the elite closers in baseball, came into the game in the bottom of the tenth to try to close it out for Cleveland. Marte recorded a loud out as he hit one just shy of the warning track, able to advance the free runner Baty to third. Vientos then hit a ball up the middle for an RBI single, bringing the Mets back within one.

Daniel Vogelbach, who had been struggling recently, came on to pinch hit for Canha. During his at-bat, Eduardo Escobar came into the game to pinch run for Vientos and swiped second base, his first stolen base of the year. However, Vogelbach struck out which brought Álvarez to the plate as the winning run with the tying run on second.

Down to his last strike, Álvarez grounded a ball through the left side of the infield to bring Escobar home and tie the game once again. Álvarez advanced to second on an errant throw home, putting the winning run in scoring position. Also falling behind in the count 0-2, Nimmo chopped a ball to the left side of the infield and reached for an infield hit with Álvarez advancing to third. And then in what was nothing short of a storybook ending, Lindor lined a ball into the outfield on the first pitch he saw to give the Mets a thrilling 10-9 victory.

BALLGAME WON!!! pic.twitter.com/fI3mSAsbFa

— New York Mets (@Mets) May 20, 2023

Player(s) of the Game

Not only did Pete Alonso extend his major league home run lead with his 17th of the year, but he extended his home run streak to four games in a row with arguably his biggest home run of the year. Continuing to deliver in clutch situations, he hit a grand slam while down four to tie the game in the seventh inning after the team had been playing from behind all game.

In his first game against his former team, Francisco Lindor was the hero going 3-for-6 with a double and the game-winning RBI in the bottom of the tenth to walk it off. In a game that seemed nearly impossible to win at times, both Lindor and Alonso provided moments that allowed the Mets to enjoy a memorable win.

On Deck

The Mets will play the second game of the three-game set against the Guardians on Saturday afternoon at 4:10 p.m. ET. Max Scherzer (3-2, 4.88 ERA), coming off a start in which he gave up one run in five innings, will be on the mound for the Mets looking to provide length and consistency. For the Guardians, impressive rookie Tanner Bibee (1-1, 3.22) gets the start after a fantastic performance in his last start in which he gave up one run in 7 2/3 innings. The game will be broadcast on PIX11.

The post Lindor Finishes Mets’ 10-9 Comeback Win Over Former Team appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports

In their first Friday home game of the year, the Mets (15-12) donned their black jerseys for the first time in 2023 as they began a four-game set with the Braves (18-9) on Friday night in the rain. David Peterson took the mound for New York looking to bounce back from two straight rough starts, while Max Fried, who came into the game having given up just one earned run in 15 innings, was on the mound for Atlanta.

Due to the rain, the game couldn’t go nine innings as it became too much to play through. Once the game became official, it went into a delay and didn’t start back up. The final result was a 4-0 Mets loss as Peterson ultimately couldn’t shut down the Braves’ potent offense and the Mets’ bats failed to get anything going against Fried.

Peterson’s night got off to a fantastic start as he needed just 11 pitches to set down the dangerous trio of Ronald Acuña Jr., Matt Olson, and Austin Riley which included strikeouts of Olson and Riley. Fried, like Peterson, put up a 1-2-3 inning in the bottom of the first.

After drawing a four-pitch walk in the bottom of the second inning, Jeff McNeil stole his second base of the year to put himself in scoring position. He would not come around to score, however, as Mark Canha flew out and Tommy Pham struck out to end the inning.

Peterson kept cruising through the third inning as he only needed nine pitches to complete a 1-2-3 inning that included a strikeout of Acuña. Through three innings, Peterson had given up just one hit on 36 pitches, a pleasant sight after he was ambushed in San Francisco last Saturday for six runs through the first two innings.

Brett Baty‘s impressive play of late drew him the start against the lefty Fried, his first start against a lefty this season, and he rewarded that decision by leading off the bottom of the third with a base hit up the middle. He was subsequently erased on a fielder’s choice off the bat of Francisco Álvarez, who reached first base. Fried attacked Brandon Nimmo with fastballs in the next at-bat to strike him out and got Starling Marte to ground out to get through the inning.

Pitching to the heart of the Braves lineup in the fourth, Peterson retired Matt Olson with the help of spectacular defense by Francisco Lindor. Lindor made a running play to his right for a ground ball and threw the ball to first to get the out with his momentum carrying him the other way. Peterson then walked Riley but kept his composure to strike out Ozzie Albies and induce a ground ball off the bat of Sean Murphy to escape the inning.

Francisco Lindor showing off his range!
pic.twitter.com/zlQyWJ4tUJ

— Metsmerized Online (@Metsmerized) April 28, 2023

The Mets got a baserunner on against Fried for the third straight inning in the fourth after Pete Alonso reached base with a one-out infield single. Like Baty the previous inning, Alonso was erased the next at-bat after a fielder’s choice off the bat of McNeil. Canha also grounded out to end the inning and keep the game scoreless through four.

Peterson got into his first real trouble of the night in the fifth inning as Eddie Rosario singled and Kevin Pillar doubled to put two runners in scoring position with one out. That brought up Michael Harris II, batting ninth in his first game back from the injured list. After falling behind in the count 0-2, Harris worked the count full and grounded the ball to Baty at third. Rosario, the runner at third, broke for home and was thrown out for the second out of the inning.

The inning was far from over, though, as Acuña attacked Peterson and smoked the first pitch of his at-bat to right field to drive in Pillar and make it 1-0. Matt Olson, who haunted the Mets late last season with home runs, then made Peterson pay with a three-run bomb and just like that the Braves took a 4-0 lead. Finally, Peterson struck out Riley for the second time in the game to end the inning.

The Mets attempt at a response in the bottom of the fifth fell short. Outside of a single by the young Álvarez, Fried got through the inning easily and kept the Braves’ four-run lead intact. With the rain falling heavily and the game now official, the game went into a delay and was subsequently called as a 4-0 Braves win.

Despite pitching well for four innings, Peterson couldn’t get through the fifth inning cleanly and took the loss for his second straight start to fall to 1-4, while Fried threw his third straight scoreless start to improve to 2-0.

On Deck

The Mets will continue their series with the Braves on Saturday at 4:05 p.m. ET, with the game being broadcast on FOX. Tylor Megill (3-1, 3.96 ERA) will look to rebound from a loss in his last start in San Francisco, while Spencer Strider (3-0, 1.80 ERA) will look to build upon his last two outings in which he has thrown 14 scoreless innings.

The post Mets Lose to Braves 4-0 as Rain Cuts Game Short appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports

The Mets played their second game of a four-game series against the San Francisco Giants late Friday night. Joey Lucchesi, who hadn’t pitched in a major league game since the 2021 season, got the start for the Mets in place of the injured Carlos Carrasco. Meanwhile, starting for the Giants was Anthony DeSclafani, who had been pitching excellently through his first three starts of the season.

The Mets recorded their second shutout of the season as they defeated the Giants 7-0. The Mets got the best of DeSclafani, who gave up four earned runs in five innings, while Lucchesi gave the Mets an unexpected yet fantastic performance.

Brandon Nimmo, who has been scorching hot on this road trip, opened the game with a leadoff single which brought his season batting average up to a sensational .377. The next three batters went down in order, however, and Nimmo was left stranded at first.

Lucchesi got into some trouble in the bottom of the first inning, as the familiar faces of Wilmer Flores and Darin Ruf reached base with a double and walk, respectively. Lucchesi, though, worked through it and induced a ground ball double play from another familiar face in J.D. Davis to get out of the inning.

The Mets got the scoring started in the top of the second inning with some small ball. After Daniel Vogelbach led off the inning with a single, Mark Canha reached base on a fielder’s choice. Brett Baty then singled through the right side of the infield. Both of them advanced on another fielder’s choice and Luis Guillorme capitalized with an opposite field single to drive in Canha, giving the Mets an early 1-0 lead.

After working through runners on base in each of the first three innings, Lucchesi recorded his first 1-2-3 inning of the night in the bottom of the fourth, striking out two in the process including striking out David Villar with his signature churve.

In the top of the fifth, Guillorme recorded his second hit of the night batting out of the nine hole. Nimmo then dropped down a bunt looking to steal a hit but was thrown out, although Guillorme safely advanced to second base. After Francisco Lindor struck out looking, McNeil checked a swing but made contact with the ball which rolled right in front of the plate. In what looked like an easy out to end the inning, Joey Bart threw the ball to first but hit McNeil with the throw, enabling Guillorme to come around to score.

On the very next pitch, DeSclafani hung a slider to Pete Alonso who made him pay, sending it over the center field fence to make it a 4-0 ballgame. The home run was Alonso’s 10th of the year, giving him back sole possession of the major league lead and giving him the most home runs ever by a Met before the end of April. The home run also gave him sole possession of most RBIs in the National League with 21.

Pete Alonso is in sole place of the league-lead in home runs again.

This is his 10th bomb of the season, he’s up to 21 RBIs. That RBI total is the tops in the NL.

4-0 #Mets, top 5. pic.twitter.com/DX68ntVtJH

— Metsmerized Online (@Metsmerized) April 22, 2023

Although the offense stalled a bit after Alonso’s homer, Lucchesi continued his dominant performance to preserve the Mets’ lead. He struck out three batters in a fantastic fifth inning, including getting Mike Yastrzemski and Brett Wisely with his churve. In the sixth, Lucchesi erased a leadoff baserunner as the Giants grounded into their third double play of the night.

When he came back out in the seventh, Lucchesi became the first Mets starter this year to throw a pitch in the seventh inning, a prospect no one could have predicted before the season. He delivered his best inning of the night by striking out the side, and that is how he would end his night with his pitch count at 97. In total, Lucchesi threw seven scoreless innings, giving up four hits and two walks and striking out nine batters in a phenomenal performance.

Just sensational stuff from Joey Lucchesi tonight.

He was dotting the strike zone all night. Nine strikeouts in seven innings, including striking out the side in the seventh.

4-0 #Mets, top 8. pic.twitter.com/7lQi3e1JE3

— Metsmerized Online (@Metsmerized) April 22, 2023

Brooks Raley relieved Lucchesi in the bottom of the eighth inning and posted a 1-2-3 frame of his own, striking out two batters in the process. In his 11th relief appearance of the year, this was Raley’s tenth scoreless outing. To this point, he has been a solid lefty presence out of the bullpen that the Mets dearly missed last year.

The Mets offense got it going again in the top of the ninth as they loaded the bases with singles from Nimmo and Lindor and a hit-by-pitch at the expense of Jeff McNeil. Alonso took advantage as he singled through the infield to drive in two runs, giving him four RBIs for the second straight night and bringing his season total to 23 which ties him with Yordan Àlvarez for the major league lead.

Vogelbach then recorded his second hit of the night, a single to right field that drove McNeil in to make it a 7-0 game. A Canha single to the opposite field gave the young Baty an opportunity with the bases loaded, though he popped out to end the inning.

Tommy Hunter took the mound for the bottom of the ninth, making his first appearance since going on the injured list a few weeks ago. He put the game to rest easily and secured the Mets’ shutout. With the win, the Mets brought their win streak to three and their record on the season to 14-7.

Player of the Game

Joey Lucchesi gave the Mets everything they could ask for and more in this game. With their rotation depleted, Lucchesi was called upon to make his first start since 2021 and not only did he pitch brilliantly, he provided length that other Mets starters have struggled to do early on in the season. Given these circumstances, Lucchesi’s showing was one of the best by any Mets player this year.

On Deck

The Mets play the Giants with a chance to win the series Saturday afternoon at 4:05 p.m. ET, with the game being broadcast on FOX. David Peterson (1-2, 6.10 ERA) will be on the mound going against Logan Webb (0-4, 4.94 ERA), who recently signed a five-year, $90 million contract extension with the Giants.

The post Joey Lucchesi Shines as Mets Silence Giants 7-0 appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports

After an off day on Thursday, the Mets began their west coast trip with a game against the Oakland A’s late Friday night. Kodai Senga, who has impressed through his first two starts, took the mound for the Mets, while James Kaprielian, who has struggled through his first two starts, took the mound for the A’s.

The Mets were able to win this one comfortably by a score of 17-6, as they took advantage of 17 walks by Oakland pitchers and received two key hits including a grand slam from Francisco Lindor to build a gigantic lead early and hold on for the rest of the way. Remarkably, the A’s actually outhit the Mets, 13-11.

The Mets had a chance to pounce on Kaprielian almost immediately, putting runners on second and third in the first inning with hits by Starling Marte and Pete Alonso. The team’s woes with runners in scoring position continued, however, as Jeff McNeil popped up to the catcher to end the inning without a run being driven in.

Kaprielian began struggling with his command in the second inning, issuing three walks in the first four batters of the inning to load the bases. That brought up Brandon Nimmo, who is the last batter a pitcher struggling with command wants to face. Kaprielian walked Nimmo and Marte in back-to-back at-bats, bringing in two runs. He then gave Francisco Lindor a pitch to hit the next at-bat, and Lindor launched it over the center field wall for a grand slam to give the Mets an early 6-0 lead.

The Mets finally saw a strike and Francisco Lindor deposits in the seats for a grand slam.

439 feet

pic.twitter.com/DFm2KckGBK

— Metsmerized Online (@Metsmerized) April 15, 2023

Senga, who pitched an easy 1-2-3 first inning, put two runners on in the bottom of the second with a walk and a bloop single, but he stranded the runners after striking out Shea Langeliers with the ghost fork, his third strikeout of the inning and his fourth through the first two innings.

In the bottom of the third, Senga issued a two-out walk to put Ryan Noda on first base. With the next batter drawing a 3-2 count, Noda got a running start and was able to score after Brent Rooker blooped a hit just beyond the reach of Luis Guillorme in shallow right field. Another weak contact hit by Ramón Laureano put runners on the corners, but Senga struck out Jace Peterson to limit the damage and end the inning.

The Mets were able to get two more runners on in the fourth inning with a Nimmo single and a Marte walk. Like he did in the first inning, McNeil came up to the plate with two outs and runners on second and third, but his fortunes did not change as he hit a weak line drive to first base to end the inning.

Oakland was able to trim the lead for the second straight inning as Langeliers hit a two-run homer to left field to make it 6-3 in the bottom of the fourth. A walk and a reach on a strikeout due to a passed ball brought the tying run to the plate, but Senga once again deployed the ghost fork and was able to induce a weak groundout to third base to once again limit the damage.

Hogan Harris appeared in relief to start the fifth inning for the A’s and he struggled to throw strikes, walking three of the first four batters in the inning. He subsequently hit Nimmo with a pitch to bring in a run and walked Marte to bring in another, a very similar sequence to what Kaprielian allowed in the second inning. Francisco Lindor, once again coming to the plate with the bases loaded, roped a pitch down the left field line and cleared the bases for a three run double, giving him a total of seven RBIs on the game and giving the Mets a monstrous 11-3 lead.

Alonso walked in the next at-bat and McNeil was hit by a pitch to once again load the bases. Daniel Vogelbach, who led off the inning, grounded into a fielder’s choice which scored Lindor from third to make it 12-3 and Eduardo Escobar struck out to end the nightmare inning for Oakland. Gary Cohen mentioned on the SNY broadcast that the Mets scored six runs in both the second and fifth innings on just one hit in each inning, and the great Sarah Langs confirmed that the Mets are the first team to do this in two separate innings of the same game since at least 1957.

With two outs and nobody on in the bottom of the fifth, Aledmys Díaz hit a solo shot to left field to cut the Mets’ lead to eight, the second home run of the game given up by Senga. After issuing a walk to Conner Capel, Senga was pulled with just one out to go to qualify for the win. In total, Senga threw 96 pitches and went 4 2/3 innings, giving up four runs on seven hits. He also issued four walks but struck out seven in a so-so performance.

Stephen Nogosek relieved Senga and loaded the bases after giving up two straight singles, but he was able to strike out Tony Kemp to end the inning and strand the three runners on base.

The Mets added on to their lead with an RBI double from Marte in the sixth, driving in Nimmo, who doubled himself to extend the Mets’ lead to nine. Marte’s double was his second hit of the night and his fifth time reaching base in his first five plate appearances.

The A’s answered right back in the bottom of the sixth with a Brent Rooker solo home run to bring the score to 13-5. That was Rooker’s fourth home run in the last three games and Oakland’s third of the game against Mets’ pitchers. Later in the inning, Nogosek was hit hard in the back by a comebacker and was forced to leave the game. Dennis Santana replaced Nogosek and put the inning to bed without issue.

The A’s scored again in the bottom of the seventh off of a sacrifice fly, their fifth straight inning scoring at least one run which would mean trouble if the Mets didn’t already build a comfortable lead. The sacrifice fly by Kemp brought the score to 13-6.

Former Met Jeurys Familia pitched a spotless eighth inning against the Mets, but staying on for the ninth he walked four straight batters to bring in a run to make it a 14-6 game. The A’s, now down by eight in the ninth inning, brought in catcher Carlos Pérez to try to save the rest of the bullpen. Eduardo Escobar took advantage of this by hitting a double and driving in two more runs to make it 16-6. Luis Guillorme piled on with a base hit of his own, his fifth time reaching base in the game, to make it 17-6.

John Curtiss put this eventful game to bed with a scoreless ninth inning, giving the Mets the 17-6 victory. The Mets scored their 17 runs on 11 hits and a club record 17 walks. It was just one short of the nine-inning MLB record of 18.

Player of the Game

Francisco Lindor earns player of the game honors for his performance Friday night. He benefitted greatly from poor Oakland pitching as he came to bat with the bases loaded twice in this game and capitalized both times. His final stat line was 2-for-5 with a grand slam, a double, a walk and a total of seven RBIs, which tied a career high.

On Deck

The Mets will look to take the series on Saturday, with first pitch scheduled for 4:07 p.m. ET. Carlos Carrasco is on the mound for the Mets looking to bounce back from consecutive poor starts, while Japanese rookie Shintaro Fujinami is looking to do the same for the A’s. The game will be broadcast on PIX11 and MLB.TV.

The post Mets Draw 17 Walks in Wild 17-6 Win Over A’s appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Photo via Mets

Good morning, Mets fans!

Steve Cohen announced that the Mets have an agreement in place with New York-Presbyterian to alter the new sponsorship patch that first appeared on the Mets’ jerseys during Friday’s home opener. The new patch has been met with backlash for both its color and its size. Cohen said that the red and white on the patch are “Phillies colors” and wants them to be Mets colors. It remains to be seen whether the size of the patch will be reduced in addition to the color change.

The Mets won comfortably in their home opener on Friday, a 9-3 victory over the Marlins. The Mets will look to secure the series victory this afternoon at 4:10 p.m. ET.

Latest Mets News

Justin Verlander gave an update on his injury, noting it’s reasonable to expect him to return before the end of April.

Edwin Díaz thanked Mets fans on Twitter after his special introduction during the home opener.

Latest MLB News

MLB.com’s Mike Petriello listed key trends to take away from the first week of the season.

Matt Gelb of The Athletic reported that Darick Hall will have surgery next week to repair a torn ligament in his right thumb. He is expected to return this season, but not for a few months.

The Braves placed Michael Harris II on the 10-day injured list with a lower back strain. In a corresponding move they recalled outfielder Eli White.

Latest on MMO

Michael Mayer wrote about some minor league pitchers to watch for in the Mets’ system.

Alexis Farinacci recapped Friday’s 9-3 victory against the Marlins.

Michael Mayer listed some quick takes for the Mets from the early portion of the season, including Brandon Nimmo‘s base stealing potential and the Mets’ spotless defense.

On This Date in MLB History

1996: The Mets acquired Matt Franco from the Cubs. He spent 1996-2000 with the Mets, primarily as a pinch hitter.

Birthdays: Jeff McNeil (31), Eddie Kunz (37), Timo Pérez (48), Pete Walker (54), Mac Scarce (74)

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