They may not have the most star studded roster in the WBC, but across the board they have a balanced team full of major league caliber players. They will look to move past the first round for the first time in 2026.

Notable Players

Josh Naylor, Tyler O’Neill, Otto Lopez, Abraham Toro, Owen Caissie, Denzel Clarke, Bo Naylor, Matt Davidson, and Edouard Julien make up the projected starting nine for Team Canada. While it is not the flashiest lineup, they have a solid floor with some pop. New York Met Jared Young has already hit a home run in spring training while catcher Liam Hicks could take over the starting catcher job if he looks like he did in the first half of 2025.

Jameson Taillon, Logan Allen and Michael Soroka are not a trio of aces, but they are a solid three-piece rotation with a good floor. Their bullpen is their big area of concern. Cal Quantrill has struggled the last three seasons, and the only other pitcher to pitch in the majors was Rob Zastryzny. He pitched 22 innings to a 2.45 ERA and 1.18 WHIP and could end up the closer. James Paxton, who retired after the 2024 season, will also pitch for Team Canada.

Notable Coaches

Former All-Star Ernie Whitt will return to manage Team Canada. He has remained active as an ambassador of Canadian baseball and previously served as the Blue Jays Bench Coach and First Base Coach. Former MVP and four-time All Star Justin Morneau is the hitting coach. He is currently a special assistant for the Minnesota Twins. Paul Quantrill, father of Cal Quantrill, is the pitching coach. The 2001 All Star is a special assistant for the Blue Jays.

WBC History

The big story will be if Team Canada can move past the first round for the first time in the WBC’s history. They almost moved forward in 2006 when they beat Team United States 8-6, but their negative-three run differential overall prevented them from moving on.

Team Canada has had many established major leaguers play for them over the years including Freddie Freeman, Justin Morneau, Paul Quantrill, Jason Bay, Éric Gagné, Nick Pivetta, Cade Smith, and Matt Brash.

Pool

Team Canada will play in Pool A with Panama, Cuba, Puerto Rico, and Colombia. They are arguably in one of the weaker pools, which could help them advance. You could argue that Team Canada is the most complete roster in their pool.

Their first game is against Team Colombia on March 7 at Hiram Bithorn Stadium in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

For a ranking of all 20 teams by MMO, click here.

The post WBC Team Preview: Canada appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Now a day away from the Trade Deadline, the Mets have already added RHP Phil Maton, RHP Ryne Stanek and OF Jesse Winker to bolster their roster. However, there’s still work to do and a glaring gap in the rotation. With injuries to Kodai Senga and Christian Scott, unpredictability from the likes of Tylor Megill and innings concerns with Luis Severino, the Mets are in desperate need of adding a starting pitcher.

So, how should the Mets address this need with a day to spare before the 6 pm EST deadline hits? Jameson Taillon and Erick Fedde are two of the best arms seemingly available right now — it’s time to debate who the Mets should trade for.

Jameson Taillon — Johnluke Chaparro

The Mets are searching for a reliable starter to replace the injured Kodai Senga, following lackluster performances from David Peterson and Tylor Megill. After addressing bullpen needs and bolstering the outfield, their focus has shifted to the rotation. For the Mets to continue to race for the playoffs, they’ll need reinforcements for the rotation. While Sean Manaea, Luis Severino, and Jose Quintana have performed well, Jameson Taillon appears to be a strong candidate to stabilize the rotation and should be the one the Mets can focus on.

Jameson Taillon, Dirty 81mph Sweeper…and Sword. ⚔️ pic.twitter.com/NF0VIEv2Fm

— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) July 10, 2024

Linked to Taillon for some time, the Mets have noticed him having a solid season with the Cubs, boasting a 2.96 ERA and a 1.15 WHIP over 100 ¹/₃ innings. At 32, Taillon offers immediate value and somewhat long-term stability, under contract for $18 million annually through 2026. Due to his contract length, the cost would likely entail one or two prospects but wouldn’t require any high-end ones that have gone out in different deals during this deadline rush.

Although his first season with the Cubs was challenging, posting a 4.84 ERA over 154 1/3 innings, Taillon has rebounded impressively this year, achieving a 2.96 ERA and 3.77 FIP through 17 starts. He excels at limiting hard contact and maintaining a low walk rate. With a career WAR of 13.6, 66 wins, 50 losses, a 3.90 ERA, and 928 strikeouts over 1042.1 innings, Taillon could provide great value and secure a middle rotation spot for the Mets for this season and in the coming seasons as well.

Erick Fedde — Allison Waxman

Erick Fedde is not the same pitcher the Mets once faced when he was a member of the Nationals. From 2017-2022, Fedde owned a career 5.41 ERA, 1.523 WHIP, .271 BAA and 0.3 bWAR. Then, in 2022, he went to the KBO league and reinvented himself, signed with the White Sox and is now pitching to a 3.11 ERA, 1.142 WHIP, .227 BAA and 4.6 bWAR.

What’s changed? Fedde’s become a predominantly pitcher who focuses on movement; he has thrown only TWO four-seamers in 2024. He relies heavily on a cutter, sinker, sweeper and changeup. His sweeper is his newest pitch, one he changed out in the placement of his curveball and slider. In 2024, Fedde’s sweeper has a 27.9% whiff percentage (his highest of any pitch) and an absurd .167 BAA. In comparison, his curveball in 2022 had a 25.9% whiff rate, but batters hit a whopping .321 off it.

Erick Fedde, Nasty 85mph Sweeper. 😨 pic.twitter.com/L9r4mNcWdq

— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) July 27, 2024

It’s no secret the Mets are in desperate need of rotation help. Fedde fits that bill and then some, in part to his $7.5 million 2025 salary. While he’s not Senga, he provides an immediate spark in the rotation to fill that void. He places in the 93rd percentile in pitching run value, but more importantly, his 6.8% walk rate is a welcome addition to a Mets rotation struggling to limit them.

While the price will be high, it is a seller’s market after all, and the cost for relievers alone has been astronomical, Fedde gives the Mets that extra spark and push to make them postseason contenders. If they want to make it to October and November, they’ll have to pay a price; the question is, how much will the Mets want to pay?

For more on Fedde, click here.

The post Crossfire: You Have One Choice-Jameson Taillon or Erick Fedde? appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Adding a starter should be a priority for president of baseball operations David Stearns. With the injury to Kodai Senga, and the struggles of other Mets starters in Tylor Megill, Jose Quintana, and the now-injured Christian Scott, the need is pressing.

A full breakdown of what the Mets would be getting if they acquired Taillon can be found below via an excerpt from our recent article analyzing five starters the Mets may target:

“Taillon has not only had a strong 2024, but he would also be able to help the Mets beyond this season. The 32-year-old right-handed starter is under contract for $18 million per year through the end of 2026.

The first season of Taillon’s four-year deal with Chicago did not go as planned. He tossed 154 1/3 innings, however, he posted an ERA of 4.84 and FIP of 4.61. Luckily, for the Cubs and the 32-year-old, Taillon has bounced back thus far this season. Through 17 starts, he has posted a 2.96 ERA and 3.77 FIP. These numbers would be the best marks of his career since missing most of the 2019 season and all of 2020.

The analytical profile isn’t as pretty as the traditional numbers paint his season out to be, granted, they’re not bad by any means. His 3.68 xERA is a strong number, but indicates he has experienced some good fortune. The soft-tosser has specifically done a good job of limiting hard contact (69th percentile hard-hit rate) and does not walk batters (89th percentile walk rate). Overall, despite some potential evidence for regression, Taillon has been solid in 2024.

On one hand, acquiring Taillon would not only help the Mets for the remainder of the season, it would also lock down a rotation spot through the end of 2026. However, there is quite a bit of risk associated with acquiring the eight-year veteran. An annual average salary of $18 million is a decent commitment on a 32-year-old pitcher with injury concerns and one who is slightly over-performing in 2024. However, if he can keep the current performances up over the duration of the deal, he can provide great value and lock down a middle rotation spot for the next couple seasons.”

You can read that full article right here.

The post Report: Mets Checked In On Cubs Starter Jameson Taillon appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

With the injury, the Mets are back down to a relatively thin rotation that includes some large question marks. Jose Quintana, who has been much better as of late, still owns an eighth-percentile 5.20 xERA. David Peterson, who somehow owns a 5-0 record, has performed as one of the more luckier starting pitchers in the majors; 5.56 xERA versus 3.14 ERA. Lastly, there is Tylor Megill (5.20 ERA), who was thrusted back into a major-league role after Christian Scott went down with injury, and once again struggled on Saturday.

Couple the current over-performers with the new injury to Senga, and the pre-existing injury and struggles of Scott, the Mets are in desperate need of rotation help if they want to continue their quest for a wild card berth. It appears that the team is fortunately well aware of that as Joel Sherman of the NY Post confirmed that the Mets are now active in the starters’ market. So, as the July 30 MLB trade deadline quickly approaches, where can the Mets turn to for help?

Blake Snell Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports

Blake Snell

After holding out deep into the free agency, the 2023 Cy Young winner finally settled for a two-year deal worth $62 million with the second year of that deal being a player option. The left-handed Blake Snell then got off to an extremely rough start in 2024, battling a couple different injuries, a late start, and overall struggles on the actual mound when he found himself healthy.

Luckily, it seems as if Snell, finally healthy, is finding his groove. Since returning from injury on July 9, Snell has turned in five starts; 24 innings, eight hits, two runs (0.75 ERA), seven walks, and 30 strikeouts. His season ERA has been lowered from 9.51 to 5.10 over that stretch. The most recent performance, on Saturday, saw Snell strikeout 15 over six scoreless frames.

Looking at his season as a whole, despite the dreadful start, Snell’s analytical profile is still extremely strong. His xERA stands at 3.55, much less than his 5.20 actual figure; signifying he’s experienced some bad luck. He is doing a great job suppressing hard contact (73rd percentile average exit velocity and 90th percentile hard-hit rate) and getting strikeouts via swing-and-misses (71st percentile strikeout rate and 91st percentile whiff rate).

With Snell, there will always be the control issues, and add in the injury woes he has had to start the season, there is quite a bit of risk in acquiring him. However, these last four games cannot be ignored and the analytical profile paints a similar pitcher to what he was in his Cy Young-winning 2023 campaign.

According to Jon Heyman of the NY Post, it appears the Giants are certainly open to moving Snell. With a $30 million player option next season, and the Giants trending toward the need for a rebuild, the question of how much Snell would cost is an interesting one. Especially given how strong he has started to pitch. Another interesting factor; the Mets are already reportedly interested in another Giants player in Michael Conforto.

Jack Flaherty

After battling through injuries the past few seasons, Jack Flaherty has quietly emerged as one of the better starters in the American League for the Detroit Tigers this season. Flaherty’s 2.5 fWAR checks in at 11th in the AL, while his 2.95 ERA is ninth. Across 18 starts, the 28-year-old right-handed starter has tossed 106 2/3 innings posting 133 strikeouts and only 19 walks.

Flaherty’s analytical profile in 2024 is also quite strong. As mentioned above, his ability to strikeout opposing batters has been one of the best in the big leagues. His strikeout rate ranks in the league’s 93rd percentile, thanks in large part to a 94th percentile whiff rate and 78th percentile chase rate. He is not allowing hard contact either; as both his hard-hit rate and average exit velocity against rank in the 72nd percentile. He is doing all this without walking batters; owning a 93rd percentile walk rate.

It has been a terrific bounce-back season for Flaherty, and with his one-year, $14 million deal expiring after season’s end, he is likely to cash in during the offseason. Given the current landscape of the market, Flaherty is likely one of the top starters remaining, this despite being a rental. With the Mets seemingly being tied to left-handed reliever Andrew Chafin every offseason, would a package deal with both Flaherty and Chafin, albeit likely pricey, make sense?

Erick Fedde

Former Washington Nationals pitcher Erick Fedde was once a starting pitcher the Mets were very interested in during the offseason. However, he signed a two-year deal worth $15 million with the Chicago White Sox. This interest has supposedly been reignited as Joel Sherman of the NY Post reported the Mets have indeed checked in on Fedde after the injury to Senga. Given his performance thus far in 2024 with the White Sox, he is one of the more sought out pitchers on the market ahead of the deadline.

Fedde revived his career in Korea as a member of the KBO’s NC Dinos. Fedde captured the KBO’s Choi Dong-won award in 2023, which is equivalent to the Cy Young award. He posted a 20-6 record with a 2.00 ERA over 30 starts and 180 1/3 innings, totaling 209 strikeouts to only 35 walks and 137 hits. These numbers were also good enough to win the KBO’s Triple Crown. He parlayed that success into a two-year deal and a very successful 2024 season, thus far.

After posting a 5.41 ERA across his six-year Washington Nationals career, Fedde has posted a 2.98 ERA across 117 2/3 innings in his return to the majors so far this season. He has allowed only 99 hits to go along with 104 strikeouts. The analytics say that his 2.98 ERA may be a bit deceiving, but the overall picture is still very strong. Fedde ranks above the league’s 60th percentile in xERA, average exit velocity, hard-hit rate, walk rate, and ground ball rate.

Not only is the 31-year-old right-handed starter having a solid season, he is under contract in 2025 for an extremely valuable $7.5 million. Given this, one would assume that any potential trade for Fedde would not come cheap. Maybe, as is the case with some of the others mentioned on this list, the Mets would be interested in packaging him with along with reliever John Brebbia.

Jameson Taillon. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports

Jameson Taillon

The Chicago Cubs are enduring another subpar season which means they are likely to sell once again. One of their potential chips is starting pitcher Jameson Taillon. Taillon has not only had a strong 2024, but he would also be able to help the Mets beyond this season. The 32-year-old right-handed starter is under contract for $18 million per year through the end of 2026.

The first season of Taillon’s four-year deal with Chicago did not go as planned. He tossed 154 1/3 innings, however, he posted an ERA of 4.84 and FIP of 4.61. Luckily, for the Cubs and the 32-year-old, Taillon has bounced back thus far this season. Through 17 starts, he has posted a 2.96 ERA and 3.77 FIP. These numbers would be the best marks of his career since missing most of the 2019 season and all of 2020.

The analytical profile isn’t as pretty as the traditional numbers paint his season out to be, granted, they’re not bad by any means. His 3.68 xERA is a strong number, but indicates he has experienced some good fortune. The soft-tosser has specifically done a good job of limiting hard contact (69th percentile hard-hit rate) and does not walk batters (89th percentile walk rate). Overall, despite some potential evidence for regression, Taillon has been solid in 2024.

On one hand, acquiring Taillon would not only help the Mets for the remainder of the season, it would also lock down a rotation spot through the end of 2026. However, there is quite a bit of risk associated with acquiring the eight-year veteran. An annual average salary of $18 million is a decent commitment on a 32-year-old pitcher with injury concerns and one who is slightly over-performing in 2024. However, if he can keep the current performances up over the duration of the deal, he can provide great value and lock down a middle rotation spot for the next couple seasons.

Yusei Kikuchi

Yusei Kikuchi has had a very up-and-down major-league career after coming over from Japan in 2019. He owns a career 4.72 ERA, and currently owns a mark three point higher than that (4.75) so far this season. This after a career-year in 2023 where he posted a 3.86 ERA across 167 2/3 innings with a 11-6 record. What may be the most valuable aspect of Kikuchi’s major-league career; his durability. The left-handed starter has thrown at least 100 innings in each of the last four seasons.

Kikuchi’s 3.64 FIP he has posted thus far in 2024 would be the second-best mark of his now six-year career. His xERA of 3.97 further indicates that the 4.75 ERA is a bit deceiving and he has likely been a victim of some tough luck and poor fielding behind him. Further analysis into Kikuchi’s analytical profile paints a pitcher that has been doing a solid job in generating strikeouts (75th percentile) and whiffs (72nd percentile); 130 punch-outs across 115 2/3 innings. The analytical profile overall paints him as a middle-of-the-road starter, which would be upgrades over current Mets Megill, Peterson, Scott, and even Quintana.

The 33-year-old is slated to be a free agent at season’s end, carrying a salary of only $10 million. This will likely lead to him being one of the more sought out starters at the deadline, especially for teams who are looking to buy on a budget. Given this, and the fact that the Mets’ rotation currently features three left-handed starters, the team may want to go a different route. However, if they chose to deal for the Japanese starter, he would be an instant upgrade over several current options in the rotation.

Final Thoughts

After hitting what seemed like rock bottom earlier in the year at 22-33, the New York Mets are poised to contend for one of the three wild card spots for the remainder of the 2024 season. This puts president of baseball operations David Stearns in an extremely interesting spot. All of a sudden, the team is poised to be a buyer rather than seller. Something that appeared to be an outlandish proposition just months ago, and is not really in line with how the team’s timeline forecasted entering the season.

For those reasons, Stearns would be wise to not “over-buy” and potentially compromise the ultimate goal of building a sustained winner through a strong farm system. If that is possible to keep that mindset while acquiring any of the five mentioned above, the Mets would be a lot better for it.

Of course, it is much easier said than done, especially with some of the names out there (likely Snell), however, that is what the excitement of the trade deadline is all about.

The post Five Potential Deadline Starter Replacements For Kodai Senga appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Luis Severino (2-2, 2.31 ERA) took the mound for the Mets, and for the second straight outing, he remained perfect his first time through the opposing team’s order. While he couldn’t match his 12-up, 12-down performance at the beginning of his last start against the Giants, Severino still managed to sit down 11 straight batters before allowing a two-out walk to Ian Happ in the fourth inning.

Unlike his last start, where things went south right after he allowed his first baserunner, Severino made just one pitch out of the stretch before recording the out and escaping the fourth. From there, he kept rolling, and it wasn’t until the seventh inning that the Cubs got their second man on base with Mike Tauchman getting hit by a pitch.

Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports

Tauchman advanced to second base on a fielder’s choice, but he curiously took off for third on a batted ball he must’ve thought would find the outfield grass. Jeff McNeil instead made the catch and doubled off Tauchman at second to get through the seventh inning.

Severino finally allowed his first hit of the game with no outs in the eighth inning, officially ending his lengthy no-hit bid. It came on a broken-bat blooper from Dansby Swanson, which followed a leadoff walk, putting two runners on with nobody out.

Up to this point, the Mets had only scored one run, which came on a home run from Brandon Nimmo off Jameson Taillon (2-0, 1.50 ERA) in the first inning. As great as Severino had been throughout this game, Taillon kept right with him and never let the Mets’ lead exceed one.

Now, with two on and nobody out, that meant trouble. The thrill of the no-hit bid was officially over, and the Cubs had a chance to tie or take the lead. Severino managed to get a ground ball fielder’s choice, which put runners on the corners with one out, but a curious decision on the next play by Joey Wendle surrendered the lead. Instead of throwing home for a sure out on a slow ground ball, he tried to turn two, but it wound up being too slow. Just like that, the Mets and Cubs tied at one.

The two teams entered the ninth inning still knotted, and Carlos Mendoza opted to go with Edwin Díaz in a tie game for the second straight game. This time, it didn’t go as well as it did yesterday. Díaz allowed an opposite-field double to Mike Tauchman between a pair of outs before Christopher Morel dropped the hammer with a moonshot of a home run to left field. All of a sudden, seemingly out of nowhere, the Mets trailed 3-1.

Héctor Neris took the mound in the bottom of the inning to try to close the Mets out. He allowed a leadoff walk to Pete Alonso before recording an out and then walking Jeff McNeil to bring the winning run to the plate. Neris fell behind a pinch-hitting DJ Stewart 2-0 but recovered to strike him out. Brett Baty was summoned to pinch hit for Wendle, but a swinging strikeout ended things for the Mets.

New York fought in the ninth but ultimately fell 3-1 in their most disappointing loss of the young season. What could’ve been a special outing from Luis Severino turned into a loss, with a major lack of offense playing a huge part yet again. The Mets are now 14-14 and have lost six of their last eight.

Statistic of the Game: Longest No-Hit Bid in Eight Years

Luis Severino’s seven-inning no-hit bid was the longest by a single Mets pitcher since Steven Matz went 7 1/3 innings without allowing a hit in August of 2016. This followed a game in which Severino started with four perfect innings. While neither outing ended the way he wanted, it’s clear that Severino is a new pitcher this year. When he’s on the mound, you can feel confident he’ll give you a stellar performance.

Player of the Game

This needs no explanation. For all the reasons listed already, Luis Severino is the player of the game, especially in a game where offense was mostly non-existent. Through six starts, Severino has a 2.31 ERA and continues to look like a steal of a free-agent signing for the Mets.

On Deck

The Mets and Cubs continue their series at Citi Field on Tuesday at 7:10 p.m. ET. Sean Manaea (1-1, 3.33) will face Javier Assad (2-0, 2.00 ERA), who is off to a strong start. Manaea has a career 4.67 ERA against the Cubs in four appearances, while Assad has a 1.42 ERA against the Mets in two career appearances.

The game will air on SNY and MLB Network.

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Despite losing the first two games of their series against the Cardinals, the Mets bounced back on Sunday with a winning effort. Jose Quintana paved the way with eight brilliant innings, providing the Mets bullpen with much-needed rest ahead of this four-game series. Consequently, the bats came alive when Harrison Bader singled, and Mark Vientos homered in extra innings to avoid the sweep.

As for the Cubs, they also lost their latest series, headlined by a humiliating 17-run loss to the Red Sox on Saturday. With the recent injury suffered by Cody Bellinger, the Cubs’ offense is trending downward heading into this series. Former Mets prospect Pete Crow-Armstrong was recalled to replace Bellinger and has looked sharp to begin his 2024 season.

The Mets and the Cubs have some ground to make up in their respective divisions, so this should make for an interesting series.

Let’s preview the upcoming pitching matchups!

Photo by Ed Szczepanski-USA TODAY Sports

Monday, April 29, 2024: RHP Jameson Taillon (2-0, 1.69 ERA) vs. RHP Luis Severino (2-2, 2.67 ERA)

Jameson Taillon will pitch for the Cubs on Monday. Despite his lack of strikeouts to begin the season, Taillon has relied heavily on his control and ability to avoid barrels. He ranks in the 86th percentile in walk rate and the 88th percentile in barrel rate. One potential catalyst for his good fortune is his decrease in sinker usage, from 10.4 percent last year to just 1.9 percent in 2024. This has allowed his fastball to gain more usage, and batters are hitting just .143 against it this season. Taillon enters the action on Monday with a career 2.33 ERA against the Mets.

Luis Severino will open the series for the Mets. Severino has been a major revelation for the Mets this season, collecting a quality start his last time out against the Giants. The main difference for Severino has been the effectiveness of his fastball. Last season, hitters were very successful against the pitch, batting .355 with a .692 slugging percentage. Consequently, opponents are batting just .222 against it this season with a .267 slugging percentage. 

His fastball spin rate, velocity and usage rate are nearly identical to last season’s numbers, so it is unclear whether those figures correlate to this success. However, Severino’s ground ball rate has jumped by over 13 percent from 2023 to 2024, showing that he is generating more favorable contact. Severino has a solid track record against the Cubs, with a 1.38 ERA against them in his career.

Apr 13, 2024; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets starting pitcher Sean Manaea (59) walks off the field after being taken out of the game in the fourth inning against the Kansas City Royals at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports

Tuesday, April 30, 2024: RHP Javier Assad (2-0, 2.00 ERA) vs. LHP Sean Manaea (1-1, 3.33 ERA)

Javier Assad will pitch on Tuesday for the Cubs. Assad has been among the best in run prevention, ranking in the 95th percentile in pitching run value and the 96th percentile for fastball run value. With a hard-hit rate of just 27.5 percent, Assad places in the 91st percentile among qualified pitchers. While Assad’s calling card is not the strikeout, he is adept at limiting hard contact. His sinker, which he uses primarily, has generated an average exit velocity of just 78.8 mph to start the season. In Assad’s only start against the Mets in his career, he tossed six innings of one-run ball with six strikeouts.

Sean Manaea will pitch for the Mets on Tuesday. While he has been inconsistent to start the year, his decision to use the sinker as his primary pitch has paid off. Opponents are batting just .161 against it, compared to their .286 average against his four-seam fastball. By cutting his four-seam fastball usage by nearly 40 percent, Manaea has allowed his more effective pitches to shine, including a sweeper that has generated a 50 percent whiff rate this year. Manaea enters the game with a career 4.67 ERA against the Cubs across four starts.

Apr 26, 2024; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets starting pitcher Jose Butto (70) delivers a pitch during the first inning against the St. Louis Cardinals at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports

Wednesday, May 1, 2024: LHP Shota Imanaga (4-0, 0.98 ERA) vs. RHP José Buttó (0-1, 2.86 ERA)

Shota Imanaga has been highly impressive to start his MLB career. He mainly relies on a four-seam fastball and a split-finger, occasionally incorporating a sweeper, curveball, and sinker. His split finger has been effective early, with a whiff rate of 42.9 percent. Further, Imanaga has been adept at limiting walks, with a walk rate of just 2.8 percent, placing him in the 94th percentile. While he is not known for the strikeout, he has amassed a chase rate of 37.6 percent, which places him in the 96th percentile in that statistic. His ability to deceive hitters, combined with his precise control, has contributed to his success with the Cubs.

José Buttó will start for the Mets on Wednesday. Like Manaea, Buttó has increased his sinker usage, yielding good results. Opponents are batting just .125 against the sinker, which he has used 22.4 percent of the time compared to just 5.6 percent last year. This has allowed his fastball to gain more prominence, as it has generated a whiff rate of 34 percent while being used 32.7 percent of the time. Buttó’s main struggles have come in walks and hard contact. His 13.3 percent walk rate and 50 percent hard-hit rate are among the worst around the league and have led to some problems in his outings. He enters Wednesday’s contest with a chip on his shoulder, as the team awaits the return of starting pitcher Tylor Megill from an injury.

Adrian Houser. Mandatory Credit: Jonathan Hui-USA TODAY Sports

Thursday, May 2, 2024: RHP Ben Brown (0-1, 4.30 ERA) vs. RHP Adrian Houser (0-3, 8.37 ERA)

Ben Brown will pitch for the Cubs on Thursday. The rookie has spent time as both a reliever and starter this season, and it appears he will be acting as a starter on Thursday. He relies on a fastball and a knuckle curve, with the occasional changeup. While his fastball has been largely ineffective, his knuckle curve has held opponents to a .167 batting average with a whiff rate of 40.6 percent. Accordingly, he ranks in the 94th percentile for breaking run value, and the 31st percentile for fastball run value. Besides a six-inning outing earlier this year, Brown has not reached the five-inning mark in any of his other starts.

Adrian Houser will pitch on Thursday for the Mets. Houser’s struggles have been well-documented this season, especially given the aforementioned impending return of Tylor Megill. As for why Houser is off to such a horrendous start, his walk rate of 14 percent is partly to blame. Further, his barrel rate has gone up, and his ground ball rate has decreased, indicating that Houser is generating unfavorable contact this year. Interestingly, his four-seam fastball has been his most effective pitch, despite Houser using it just 16.4 percent of the time. Perhaps he should shy away from the sinker in favor of the four-seam fastball to change his fortunes against the Cubs, who he has a career 3.74 ERA against.

Players to Watch

Mark Vientos (NYM)

Mark Vientos has made the most of his limited opportunity in Queens this year after being recalled from Syracuse. He has three hits in four at-bats, including a timely walk-off home run on Sunday to give the Mets the victory. The home run traveled 404 feet with an exit velocity of 105.8 mph, showcasing Vientos’ raw power.

When asked about Vientos’ clutch home run, manager Carlos Mendoza indicated that the third baseman will likely be in the lineup on Monday. With a massive chip on his shoulder, Vientos will continue making the most of his opportunity in this series.

Michael Busch (CHC)

Michael Busch is off to a great start for the Cubs after struggling in his 2023 campaign. He is batting .278/.340/.522 with six home runs in 103 plate appearances. Everything has been clicking for Busch, who has decreased his ground ball rate from 58.7 percent in 2023 to just 27.6 percent this year. Also, his barrel rate of 17.2 percent places him in the 95th percentile among qualified hitters. He has hit fastballs particularly well, batting .327 against them, including three of his six home runs.

Busch has struggled in the strikeout department, with a K rate of 32.3 percent and a whiff rate of 29.2 percent. Many of these swings-and-misses have come from the breaking or offspeed pitches, as Busch has a whiff rate of 38 percent on breaking balls and 40.5 percent on offspeed. So, expect Mets pitchers to provide Busch with a steady diet of breaking and offspeed pitches, as his dead-red approach has brought him much success early on.

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Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports

The Chicago Cubs signed free agent right-hander Jameson Taillon to a four-year, $68 million deal, Jesse Rogers of ESPN reported late Tuesday night. Joel Sherman of the New York Post reported earlier in the evening that Taillon’s camp was meeting with the Cubs.

Taillon, 31, made 32 starts in his second season for the Yankees this year and posted a 3.91 ERA. He spent the first four years of his major league career with the Pirates, and owns a 3.84 ERA in 143 total starts.

Taillon had been a name connected to the Mets this offseason due to their need for starting pitching. They’ve also been strongly connected to Japanese pitcher Kodai Senga, a name they’re likely to pursue harder after missing out on Taillon.

Even with Justin Verlander effectively replacing Jacob deGrom‘s spot in the rotation, the Mets could use a strong middle-of-the-rotation starter, especially after Taijuan Walker signed with the Phillies Tuesday evening. In addition to Senga, they could still go after players like Chris Bassitt, Nathan Eovaldi and Ross Stripling.

Taillon will join Kyle Hendricks and former Met Marcus Stroman near the top of the Cubs’ rotation. With Hendricks’ recent struggles, an argument could be made that Taillon is the Cubs’ new ace. Justin Steele, Keegan Thompson and Adrian Sampson are all candidates to round out the starting five (or six).

The Cubs struggled in 2022, going 74-88 despite some glimpses of up-and-coming talent. They also signed Cody Bellinger to a one-year deal on Tuesday, hoping to help him revert at least relatively closer to his MVP form from not terribly long ago.

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Day 3 of the Winter Meetings has been just as active as the first two with the signings of players like Andrew Heaney, Cody Bellinger, Tommy Kahnle, and with one errant tweet about Arson Aaron Judge‘s potential landing spot.

As day transitioned to night in San Diego, Billy Eppler briefly met with the media to talk about the goings on of the Mets front office.

The general manager, in responding to a question about the “mid-tier” starting pitcher market, said the Mets are paying “close attention” to remaining starters, who would round out a Mets rotation that features Max Scherzer, Justin Verlander and Carlos Carrasco. This mix of starters includes the likes of former Mets Chris Bassitt and Taijuan Walker, Kodai Senga, Jameson Taillon and others.

Additionally, Joel Sherman of the New York Post said the Mets would “like to climb to the top of the second-tier starting-pitching free-agent market by retaining Chris Bassitt.” However, Sherman noted the Mets “seem to have fixated even more on Kodai Senga and Jameson Taillon.”

In media availability today, manager Buck Showalter called Senga “impressive,” and that the team “enjoyed” their talk with the 29-year-old Japanese starter. However, SNY‘s Andy Martino reports the Mets feel Senga’s market might be getting “too expensive.”

As for Taillon, Martino says the Mets are “even deeper” on the starter, who has pitched the last two seasons with the Yankees. He’s pitched to a perfectly average 100 ERA+ each of the last two years with a 4.08 ERA while amassing over 310 innings after returning from Tommy John surgery–the second of his pro career.

Earlier Tuesday, MMO’s Mike Mayer reported the Mets have interest in Ross Stripling, as well, and Martino said the Mets could check in on Nathan Eovaldi should Senga’s and Taillon’s markets get away from them.

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Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports

After the news of Jacob deGrom signing a five-year deal with the Texas Rangers on Friday night, several are now curious as to how the Mets are going to address their rotation. Well, even before the deGrom news, it was no secret that the Mets had some rebuilding to do in hopes to improve their starting rotation. This all due to deGrom, Chris Bassitt, and Taijuan Walker becoming free agents, subsequently leaving at least two gaping holes.

Well, one of the names New York has seemingly been tied to most this off-season is not a pitcher in the upper echelon of names, but one that would bring nice stability to the middle of the rotation. That being former Pittsburgh Pirates’ hurler Jameson Taillon. The Mets were first rumored on Taillon a few weeks ago, and after the deGrom deal, as recently as Saturday by several in the industry.

Worth prefacing, an acquisition of a pitcher of Taillon’s level would not stop the Mets from acquiring a pitcher from the upper echelon of the market. As SNY reported on Friday night, the Mets are expected to sign/acquire two starting pitchers. One top-tier starter and one from he mid-level Taillon tier.

Why Would Taillon Be A Fit? 

Taillon is your prototypical middle-of-the-rotation pitcher. His numbers throughout his career has always resembled such. Throughout the 31-year-old’s six-year career, his ERA has been no lower than 3.20 but no higher than 4.44. Meanwhile, his FIP has no lower than 3.46 and no higher than 4.43. He has been the definition of consistency throughout his career.

Taillon’s stuff maxes out at around 94 MPH. Similar to potentially former Mets’ pitcher Chris Bassitt, he builds his game upon consistently blending six different pitches. Last season, he threw his four-seam fastball 35.7% of the time. Meanwhile, the other five pitches he threw at a rate between 8.5% and 18.8% of the time. His game is built on keeping opposing hitters guessing on what is coming. This explains why the rate at which opponents chase Taillon’s pitches has been in the league’s 60th percentile or better every season he has been in the major leagues.

Further to his style of pitching, Taillon is not exactly a strikeout inducer. His strikeout rate in his career has fluttered in the low 20% range to even the high teens. This figure has usually ranked slightly below the league’s 50th percentile. On the other sides of things, Taillon does not walk batters. His walk rate last year was the second lowest of his career and ranked all the way in the league’s 94th percentile. This has been a theme in his career.

Overall, throughout his career, Taillon has consistently shown himself to be an effective third-or-fourth starter in any rotation. He relies on a plethora of different pitches to invoke chasing and, at his best, soft contact. He does not blow hitters away, but is effective enough to turn in value equivalent to a strong middle-of-the-rotation starter.

Potential Concerns 

There are two main concerns surrounding the right-handed Florida native. These being Taillon’s struggles with injuries throughout his career, and the likelihood that the contract he receives does not exactly match up with his true value as a third-or-fourth slotted pitcher.

Taillon missed both the 2014 and 2015 seasons with surgeries, one of which was Tommy John. Then, in 2017, he had to be shut down as he was treated for testicular cancer. Thankfully, Taillon was back and fully healthy for a full 2018 season before injury unfortunately struck again in 2019. He had surgery to address a forearm issue and to make revisions on his UCL which was repaired during his Tommy John surgery back in 2014. His recovery knocked him out for the duration of the 2020 season as well.

The past two seasons with the Yankees, Taillon has been relatively healthy throwing 144 1/3 innings and 177 1/3 innings. In evaluating whether or not a long-term deal should be extended to Taillon, this should certainly be taken into consideration.

The big question surrounding Taillon is how much he is going to get paid. All of the reports have referenced that he is going to be in for a huge payday. And given how the starting pitcher market has been trending, this appears all but certain. How much, realistically, should you be paying for a middle-of-the-rotation reliever?

Fangraphs has Taillon projected at a three-year, $36-million deal. Meanwhile, MLB Trade Rumors is projecting a four-years, $56-million contract. The $14 million a season deal is more likely, and given the market, it would not be surprising to see a figure surpass that projection.

For comparison’s sake, Carlos Carrasco, one of the Mets’ projected current middle-of-the-rotation pitchers, is scheduled to make $14 million this upcoming season. This appears to be a very fair price for Carrasco, especially when you take in account a buy out worth $3 million essentially making him worth $11 million. Expect Taillon’s number to surpass this figure, comfortably.

Final Thoughts

As he been described in detail above, no doubt the 31-year-old Taillon can serve as an effective middle-of-the-rotation piece. He, when healthy, has shown to be very consistent, and given his age, would not be a one-or-two year-and-done type of player. He would be a fixture, unless due to injury, for years to come.

Though, there is some concern. The deal Taillon is bound to receive will likely automatically be perceived as an overpay due to market conditions. Though, that is the risk you take when you have to address a very desolate rotation in the off-season. Though, even at the potential price, he would still be a better option than say guys like Sean Manaea, Ross Stripling, Corey Kluber, Tylor Megill, etc.

Let’s say the Mets do convert on what was reported by SNY above and sign two pitchers. One in the upper-echelon tier, and one on the Taillon level. This is what New York’s rotation can look like next season:

1. Max Scherzer
2. Carlos Rodon / Justin Verlander
3. Jameson Taillon
4. Carlos Carrasco
5. David Peterson

Of course, there are several other pitchers available on the market. Regardless, it will certainly be interesting to see what direction general manager Billy Eppler and his staff take.

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Photo: Ed Delany, Metsmerized Online

It is the morning after the night before and life after Jacob deGrom starts now for the New York Mets, who face a plethora of key decisions that will define their offseason and perhaps the entire 2023 campaign.

The dust still hasn’t settled on the blockbuster news that deGrom has opted to take his talents elsewhere in free agency, signing a five-year, $185 million contract with the Texas Rangers. The deal also includes a conditional sixth-year option and a full no-trade clause. It is a significant transaction for the Rangers who are just a year removed from spending a combined $500 million on Corey Seager and Marcus Semien.

While the possibility of deGrom playing elsewhere always loomed large this winter, the fact that it has now become reality leaves a lot of question marks for the Mets who must now proceed ahead without their face of the franchise and one of the best pitchers in all of baseball.

There are two sides to this too. Firstly, there’s the emotional aspect of what unfolded on Friday. There was no doubt that deGrom was the face of this organization and he was meant to be a forever Met. He was meant to carry this franchise to World Series wins and retire as a Met before going to the Hall of Fame. Drafted and developed by this team, deGrom leaving was always going to be a sad day and that melancholy feeling will linger for a while.

However, baseball is a business and it became clear early on that the Mets had a number in mind they were willing to go to and not exceed when it came to term. Ultimately, the Rangers, who are desperate to exit baseball purgatory, were determined to give deGrom the entire world and more and the length of the deal and the mega bucks was what ultimately made the ace starter’s decision for him. Sports is a cold, ruthless business and that has to be remembered this weekend.

As for what is next, the possibilities are endless for the Mets. Their biggest priority heading into the Winter Meetings on Sunday will be to replace deGrom with an elite arm that can pair with Max Scherzer at the top of the rotation. Per Jon Heyman of The New York Post, the front office seem very interested in bringing three-time Cy Young Award winner Justin Verlander to New York.

Verlander, who was teammates with Scherzer in Detroit with the Tigers, is coming off a stellar 2022 season in which he won the American League Cy Young and a World Series, and he seems built to thrive on the big stage in New York. While he will be 40 in 2023, Verlander would certainly be equipped to help the Mets win next year and perhaps even the year after that. His MLB best 1.75 ERA in 2022 proves that the veteran still has plenty good baseball left in him.

If not Verlander, then the Mets also remain engaged with Carlos Rodón who is much younger at 29 and who has put together two elite years with both the Chicago White Sox and then the San Francisco Giants. With deGrom now officially a figure of the past for this team, it does seem as though one of Verlander or Rodón will end up pitching in Queens in 2023. Which one remains to be seen for now.

General manager Billy Eppler has also spoken with Japanese star Kodai Senga, one of the most intriguing free agents available this winter, with the rest of the rotation also needing rebuilding. Outside of Scherzer, only Carlos Carrasco is a nailed on certainty for the Mets next year and the likes of Senga, Jameson Taillon, Andrew Heaney and Nathan Eovaldi could all make very good middle-of-the-rotation starters. There is also the possibility that the front office could look to bring back Chris Bassitt after a very solid first year in Queens in 2022.

Andy Martino of SNY has reported that the Mets are determined to sign one of Verlander or Rodòn, then a middle-of-the-rotation starter from the next category of pitchers below the elite level. With that in mind, it does seem as though pitching is the most pressing priority for the front office this offseason.

Despite signing elite closer Edwin Diaz to a record-breaking and historic five-year, $102 million contract earlier this offseason, the bullpen also needs rebuilding and Eppler must right his wrongs from the trade deadline by actually going out and acquiring a high-leverage lefty arm. There are options out there, including the likes of Andrew Chafin and Matt Moore.

Outside of pitching, the biggest question mark left facing this team is whether or not they want to bring Brandon Nimmo back to Queens and sign him to a big-ticket, multi-year deal. Nimmo established himself as an elite leadoff hitter in 2023, he really set the tone for the offense and he improved his glove in the field. Plus, like deGrom, Nimmo was a respected figure within the clubhouse and losing two leaders in the same offseason could be tough.

Should Nimmo leave, the Mets would need to add another bat to the lineup and they could bring back a familiar face in Michael Conforto, while former Rookie of the Year and MVP Cody Bellinger could also be an intriguing option on a one-year, prove-it type deal. When it comes to the DH spot, it has been reported that the front office will address that internally with a number of prospects ready to compete at the major league level.

Overall, deGrom leaving was very much a business decision and while it marks the end of an era for both team and player, the show must go on for the Mets. They can not sit in a chair and waste time being sentimental and reminiscing about a lost friend, instead they must now turn the page and get right back to business because life after deGrom starts now and what this team does over the coming days and weeks will shape what lies ahead in 2023 and beyond.

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