Marcus Stroman going on the injured list on Wednesday was a huge blow to the Mets rotation, and potentially their overall chances of making the playoffs in the 2020 shortened season.

The rotation took a big hit when Zack Wheeler left for the Phillies and another when Noah Syndergaard had Tommy John surgery. The Mets are certainly going into the 2020 season with a less than ideal rotation and starting pitching depth.

End of 2019 Mets Rotation 

• Jacob deGrom
• Noah Syndergaard
• Zack Wheeler
• Marcus Stroman
• Steven Matz

Start of 2020 Mets Rotation

• Jacob deGrom
• Steven Matz
• Rick Porcello
• Michael Wacha
• David Peterson/Corey Oswalt/Erasmo Ramirez

Yikes. That’s a big drop for a team looking to have playoff aspirations in the 2020 season and beyond given Stroman, Porcello, and Wacha will be free agents after the season.

We don’t know how long Stroman will be out, but in a short season any injury can turn out to be a significant blow. The injury leaves the Mets with three options for the fifth start essentially:

David Peterson – LHP

Peterson, the Mets first round pick in 2017, impressed in the original Spring Training and pitched well again in Summer Camp. The left-hander has seen his velocity more consistently in the 91-93 range during camp after being more 88-92 during the 2019 season.

The 24-year-old had a 4.19 ERA, 3.19 FIP, and 122 strikeouts in 119 innings for the Double-A Binghamton Rumble Ponies last season. He’s allowed just 11 home runs in 247 minor league innings.

With Peterson back in the low 90’s with his fastball – combined with a good slider and average change – he would be my pick for the Mets fifth starter spot. The best upside of the options and he’s looked like a guy ready to pitch in the big leagues. He’s not currently on the 40-man roster, but would be added in the offseason anyway to protect from the Rule 5 draft.

Corey Oswalt – RHP

The 26-year-old actually had a stretch of six starts in 2018 when he posted a respectable 3.94 ERA with the Mets. After that, the Mets kind of messed around with him having no concrete role and shuttling him between Flushing and Triple-A.

Oswalt made two relief appearances for the Mets in 2019, allowing nine runs in 6 2/3 innings. Though, in hitter friendly Triple-A, he posted a 2.91 ERA and 5.27 SO/BB over 86 innings for Syracuse.

The former seventh round pick fared well in Spring Training with only one earned run allowed in eight innings. Oswalt, like Peterson, has shown better fastball velocity recently with him being more 92-94 instead of 90-93 previously. Oswalt is on the 40-man roster, meaning he might be the most convenient pick.

Erasmo Ramirez – RHP

The veteran is on a minor league deal with the Mets, though he has impressed throughout the two preseason camps. In eight Spring Training innings, Ramirez allowed only one earned run on five hits, three walks, and struck out 10.

Ramirez, 30, allowed four runs in three innings during his old big league outing in 2019. He struggled to a 6.50 ERA in 45 innings for the Mariners in 2018. The last time Ramirez had success in the big leagues was in 2017 with a 3.92 ERA and 1.16 WHIP in 62 innings for the Mariners.

Anthony DiComo of MLB.com reports that Ramirez is ticketed for the taxi squad to start the season, but things can change pretty quickly as teams shuffle their rosters before the 12:00 p.m. ET deadline on Thursday.

Photo by Ed Delany, MMO

Other In-House Options

The other option that gets mentioned the most by fans, is moving Seth Lugo into the rotation. Mets manager Luis Rojas has been pretty adamant that won’t happen this year (of course injuries can change plans). Mets could use Lugo as an Opener, or they could use someone else in that role as well.

One option could also be to go with a bullpen day every time they need a fifth starter. On one hand you’ve got more arms with the 30-man roster, but it’s also a bullpen with huge question marks in Jeurys Familia, Edwin Diaz, and Dellin Betances. If that trio shows strong early, that could adjust the Mets plans.

They have starters Jordan Humphreys, Thomas Szapucki, and Franklyn Kilome on the 40-man roster, none of them have been mentioned as options though as the trio works back from TJS. Another name not mentioned by Rojas is lefty Stephen Gonsalves, he has made multiple starts in camp and is on the 40.

Finally, the Mets could try to push Jacob deGrom to start more often, which sounds good in theory except that he’s dealt with a back issue in an already unusual preparation for a short season. Doesn’t sound like a wise move with a long-term investment.

Free Agent Group Not Very Appealing 

Mets could decide to look outside of the organization for depth – much like they recently did signing Juan Lagares and Brian Dozier. Problem with that, the cupboards are pretty bare.

Let’s look at current starting pitcher free agents:

• Bartolo Colon – RHP
• Jason Vargas – LHP
• Matt Harvey – RHP
• Ubaldo Jimenez – RHP
• Aaron Sanchez – RHP
• Clay Buchholz – RHP
• Clayton Richard – LHP
• Andrew Cashner – RHP
• Marco Estrada – RHP
• Danny Salazar – RHP

Frankly put, not much there. This could change as teams adjust their rosters in the coming days.

I’d Go With David Peterson

Mets certainly might go with Corey Oswalt given he’s on the 40-man roster already, but David Peterson is the best option to pitch the best in my opinion. If they chose Peterson to be the fifth starter, it’s likely Oswalt would be on the roster as well as the long man, so they can make that easy swap if need be.

The post Who Becomes the Mets Fifth Starter? appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

The New York Mets have been very active this week when it comes to adding free agents to their player pool ahead of the upcoming season. Since the initial list of 45 players were announced on Sunday, six free agent signings have been made.

Ryan Cordell and Erasmo Ramirez returned to the team after playing for the Mets in spring training, while free agents Melky Cabrera, Gordon Beckham, Hunter Strickland and the Jarred Hughes were all added into the fold as well. Now the player pool sits at 51, with nine spots remaining for the Mets to fill.

Although New York may keep some flexibility by not filling their roster to capacity before the start of the season, there are still some interesting names available on the market. Here are five free agents the Mets could still look to add to their player pool.

5. Aaron Sanchez

Marcus Stroman‘s former teammate had a great start to his career pitching for the Toronto Blue Jays. As a rookie in 2014, Sanchez pitched to a patently absurd 351 ERA+, allowing just four runs across 33 innings pitched out of Toronto’s bullpen. The following season, Sanchez split his time between the bullpen and the rotation and pitched to a 3.22 ERA.

In 2016, Sanchez was an All-Star, pitching to a 15-2 record. His 3.00 ERA was the best mark in the AL and he finished seventh in the Cy Young voting. . Since that season, Sanchez has been plagued with injuries and inconsistency. Last year, Sanchez was traded to the Houston Astros at the deadline.

In his first start with Houston, Sanchez pitched six no-hit innings as part of a combined no-hitter. Unfortunately a torn capsule in his shoulder ended his season prematurely after just four starts with the Astros. While it is unclear how his shoulder has healed, there is enough upside for the Mets to take a flier on the 28-year-old.

4. Andrew Cashner

Due to the injury to Noah Syndergaard, the Mets are going into this season without much depth in their starting rotation. Outside of their set five starters, the Mets will be relying on unproven starting pitchers like Walker Lockett and Corey Oswalt, or prospects David Peterson and Kevin Smith.

Andrew Cashner is a veteran starting pitcher that could be added to the mix as an insurance policy in case any of the Mets starters gets hurt or tests positive for COVID. Cashner has made 188 starts across his 10-year career and has pitched to a respectable 4.10 ERA.

Last season, Cashner pitched to a 3.83 ERA across 17 starts with the Baltimore Orioles. He was then traded midseason to the Boston Red Sox, where he struggled mightily. Cashner pitched to a 6.20 ERA for Boston, although he primarily pitched out of the bullpen.

3. Rajai Davis

Rajai Davis spent a majority of the 2019 season playing for the Syracuse Mets, although he did appear in 29 games for the big league club. The highlight of Davis’ season was a pinch-hit three-run homer that he crushed to cap off a late victory for the Mets in May. That home run famously came after Davis was promoted so late in the afternoon that he had to take an Uber from Allentown, Pennsylvania to Citi Field.

Despite being 39 years old, Davis is still athletic enough to play center field and help give the Mets some speed off the bases. He was set to play for Acereros de Monclova of the Mexican League this year, but the league just officially cancelled their season. With his flair for the dramatic, it is not hard to envision Davis coming up clutch at some point this season if signed to the player pool.

2. Arodys Vizcaino

Mets fans may know the name Arodys Vizcaino well, as he has been a remarkablly effective reliever for the Atlanta Braves throughout his career. Vizcaino has pitched to a 3.01 career ERA across his 206 appearances at the big league level. Shoulder problems have plagued the hard-throwing righty over the past few years, with last season being the greatest example.

Vizcaino pitched in just four games for the Braves in 2019, before being placed on the IL. His season ultimately ended when he underwent surgery on his right labrum on April 17, 2019.

Now that he is more than a year removed from the shoulder surgery, Vizcanio is definitely worth taking a flier on. Shoulder surgeries are very hard for a pitcher to come back from, but it is too early to count out the 29-year-old reliever.

1. Russell Martin

Considering all of the circumstances, it would make a lot of sense for Russell Martin to either sit out this season or retire altogether. He has had an outstanding 14-year career, being named to four All-Star teams, with a Gold Glove and a Silver Slugger on his mantle.

Still, the 37-year-old catcher has yet to formally announce his retirement, leaving the door open for his return. Martin has also never won the World Series, so taking one more stab at a championship may be intriguing for the veteran ballplayer.

Last year, Martin played 83 games for the Los Angeles Dodgers and hit .220/.337/.330 with six home runs and 20 RBIs. Martin still grades out as an above-average defensive catcher and could be considered an upgrade as a backup catcher over the incumbent Tomas Nido. If Martin is willing to sign, the Mets should make room for him.

Honorable Mentions

When writing an article about the potential free agent options for the Mets, it would be a shame not to mention some of the more fun pitchers that could make a return to Queens.

There is of course the contingent that would love to see the Return of the Dark Knight, as Matt Harvey remains on the market. Also as we pine for the past glory of the 2015 Mets, Bartolo Colon has once again expressed interest in returning to the MLB (with a preference of playing for the Mets).

Finally, the least popular (but maybe most practical) signing would be the return of everyone’s favorite…Jason Vargas!

Unlike the other two honorable mentions, Vargas actually made some quality starts in 2019 and might be able to help bring the Mets some much-needed rotation depth. At the same time, who really wants to see those 83 mph fastballs again?

The post Five Free Agents the Mets Could Still Sign appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

J.J. Putz had a solid 12-year MLB career as a right-handed relief pitcher. Like most relievers he experienced up-and-down years, but when he was at his peak in 2007, he was one of the best relievers in baseball.

The Seattle Mariners, Chicago White Sox and Arizona Diamondbacks all received some production from the Trenton, MI native, but the New York Mets received arguably his worst season and paid a price for their mistake.

Putz’s Rise In The Evergreen State

Putz was drafted three times before signing on with a major league organization. He was drafted by the White Sox in the third round of the 1995 MLB Draft, by the Minnesota Twins in the 17th round of the 1998 MLB Draft and by the Mariners in the sixth round of the 1999 MLB Draft.

For Putz, age was a factor in not signing with the White Sox in 1995.

“The ’95 one was kind of easy: I just didn’t think I was really ready to be kind of on my own, own,” Putz told Mathew Brownstein in an MMO interview from March 2020. “When you go to school you’re kind of on your own, but you have parental figures around especially playing a sport in college. I didn’t think I was ready to be on my own at that age.”

Putz also shared that health was a factor in not signing three years later with the Twins.

“When I got drafted by the Twins I was coming off a knee surgery and I wasn’t really 100 percent, so I didn’t want to start pro ball not 100 percent,” said Putz. “That was kind of another no-brainer just to go back and play my senior year.”

Putz returned for his senior year of college at the University of Michigan and later signed with the Mariners after being drafted in June 1999. He then started his professional career at the age of 22 with the short-season Single-A Everett AquaSox of the Northwest League.

Putz spent parts of five seasons in the minors from 1999 to 2003. During that time he was primarily a starter. However, the Mariners converted him to a reliever in 2003 while he was in Triple-A which led to an eventual MLB call-up on August 11, 2003.

“It ended up being a great move, that season is the year the Mariners’ starters didn’t miss a start so I probably would have not got called up,” said Putz. “I had some success out of the bullpen in Triple-A that year and got called up and never really looked back.”

He only ended up pitching in three major league games in 2003, but spent the majority of his 2004 campaign with the major league club. In 2005, Putz stepped up his pitching even more and in 2006 established himself as one of the top relievers in baseball.

The 2006 season was when Putz became the Mariners’ closer. He took over for southpaw Eddie Guardado, who was traded to the Cincinnati Reds on July 6, 2006 after closing out games for Seattle since 2004. Guardado had a big influence on Putz in his successful transition to closer.

“I was very fortunate to have guys like Eddie around, Shigetoshi Hasegawa, Jeff Nelson, Arthur Rhodes, etc.,” said Putz. “They kind of taught me the ropes in the bullpen and definitely a guy like Eddie, who had closer experience, obviously was a guy I would lean heavily on from the mental part of it.”

In 2006, Putz set career-highs in appearances (72), innings pitched (78 1/3), strikeouts (104), saves (36), ERA (2.30), WHIP (0.919), FIP (1.73), bWAR (2.8) and fWAR (3.4).

Putz proved he was not a one-year wonder as he dominated again in 2007. He made 68 appearances, pitched 71 2/3 innings, struck out 82 batters and posted career-highs in saves (40), ERA (1.38), WHIP (0.698) and bWAR (4.0). The 30-year-old finished 13th in the American League MVP voting, was recognized as an All-Star and won the Rolaids Relief Man Award.

Putz’s 2008 season was affected by rib cage and elbow injuries, and his overall production while healthy was more similar to his 2005 campaign rather than his 2006 or 2007 campaigns. He was still considered one of the top relievers in baseball by many, including the Mets who proved that at the end of the year with a statement trade.

The 12-Player Trade

On December 11, 2008, the Mets acquired Putz in a 12-player, three-team trade with the Mariners and Cleveland Indians. In addition to Putz, the Mets also received OF Jeremy Reed and RHP Sean Green from Seattle.

The Indians received RHP Joe Smith from the Mets and INF Luis Valbuena from the Mariners, while they sent OF Franklin Gutierrez to the Mariners.

In addition to sending Smith to the Indians, the Mets sent 1B Mike Carp, OF Ezequiel Carrera, OF Endy Chavez, RHP Maikel Cleto, RHP Aaron Heilman and LHP Jason Vargas to the Mariners.

The Mets needed to address their bullpen heading into 2009 and general manager Omar Minaya did that by signing RHP Francisco Rodriguez on December 9, 2008 and trading for Putz two days later.

Putz’s Time In New York

However, the Putz trade did not turn out well for Minaya and the Mets. Putz developed a bone spur in the summer of 2008 that the Mets knew about. While it was deemed that he did not need surgery after the 2008 season, Putz’s elbow worsened in May 2009 and he needed surgery in June.

The Aftermath Of The Trade

The Mets let Putz walk in free agency after one poor and injury-filled season in Queens. While the move made sense at the time considering how his 2009 campaign turned out, the White Sox ended up with a quality reliever at a low price when they signed Putz to a one-year, $3 million contract on December 11, 2009.

Putz had a bounceback 2010 season in which he pitched to the tune of a 2.83 ERA, 1.037 WHIP and 2.52 FIP in 60 appearances. He also had 65 strikeouts in 54 innings.

The one season with Chicago was not a fluke either. Putz later agreed to a two-year, $10 million deal with the Diamondbacks on December 6, 2010. He went on to have a great three-year stretch with the Diamondbacks from 2011-13, highlighted by a 2011 season in which he saved a career-high 45 games.

The Mets’ trade for Putz was handled poorly from beginning to end.

In terms of value received, Putz struggled and neither Green nor Reed provided additional value in his absence. Green ended up giving the Mets a total -0.2 bWAR and -0.3 fWAR from 2009-10, while Reed gave the Mets -0.7 bWAR and -0.7 fWAR in 2009.

In terms of value traded away, the Mets did not exactly lose a player that would come back to haunt them in the same way that many before and after have done. However, Vargas did end up having a few solid seasons in the not-too-distant future with the Mariners from 2010-12 and some later with the Los Angeles Angels (2013) and Kansas City Royals (2014, 2017).

Also the Mets lost out on Smith who was already a solid reliever in Queens, and has stayed consistent throughout his 13 MLB seasons and counting. In those 13 seasons, he has never had a year where his bWAR was negative nor where his ERA was higher than 3.83.

Furthermore, had the Mets approached Putz’s injury differently, better scenarios could have ensued. They knew about the injury and could have went a different route to address their bullpen in the offseason. If they still thought it was worth it, they could have at least monitored it better.

According to Putz in a January 2010 interview with Comcast SportsNet, the Mets did not examine his bone spur until he got to spring training in February and he pitched in discomfort in both April and May.

“When the trade went down last year, I never really had a physical with the Mets,” said Putz. “I had the bone spur [in the right elbow]. It was discovered the previous year in Seattle, and it never got checked out by any other doctors until I got to spring training, and the spring training physical is kind of a formality. It was bugging me all through April, and in May I got an injection. It just got to the point where I couldn’t pitch. I couldn’t throw strikes, my velocity was way down.”

Different actions by the Mets before and during the season may have helped Putz possibly pitch more and possibly pitch better. At the least it could have led to a better relationship between Putz and the team for a deal to be worked out for 2010 when Putz returned to his usual self.

In the end, the Putz trade was another transaction in Mets history that did not work out in the team’s favor, nor in the player’s favor.

The post Amazin’ Mistakes: Mets Whiff On J.J. Putz Deal appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

James Wagner, David Waldstein, and Kevin Draper of the New York Times published a history of the Wilpon family this week.

In the piece, they report that the Mets have lost over $60 million in each of the past two seasons and that “they are at the limit of debt allowed by Major League rules.”

That reason and a rift being chronicled between Jeff Wilpon and his family appear to be the two biggest factors that have led to the Wilpons selling the team.

As was reported on Wednesday, the Wilpons intend to sell 80% of the Mets to billionaire and current minority owner of the team, Steve Cohen.

It is certainly worth reading as it talks about many of the specific instances in which the Wilpons meddled such as in the case of Kazuo Matsui and even the Jason Vargas trade this past summer while also detailing the financial issues the organization faced.

The post Mets Lost More Than $120 Million Over Last Two Years appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

By Joe D.

Good Morning, everyone. I wanted to put together an offseason planner for your convenience. I also included important offseason dates to remember. Essentially what follows is a summary I compiled of our 2020 Payroll Commitments, our own exclusive Arbitration Projections and Key Departures.

Guaranteed Contracts

Yoenis Cespedes – $29,500,000

Jacob deGrom – $25,500,000

Robinson Cano – $24,000,000

Jeurys Familia  – $11,667,000

Jed Lowrie  – $11,500,000

Wilson Ramos  – $9,250,000

Justin Wilson  – $5,000,000

Brad Brach  – $1,350,000

Notes:

1. Seattle pays $3.75 million of Robinson Cano salary.

2. Mets pay $2.0 million of Jason Vargas salary.

3. Mets pay David Wright $12.0 million in final year of contract.

The Mets have $117.8 million tied up on these eight players. When you account for the money still owed on the contracts of Jason Vargas and David Wright, and credit the Mets for the money Seattle is responsible for on Robinson Cano, the net payroll on guaranteed contracts comes to $128.0 million.

Total Guaranteed: $128.0 million

2020 Team Options

Juan Lagares – $9,000,000 with $500,000 buyout

The Mets are not expected to exercise their team option on outfielder Juan Lagares. Although they could bring him back on a lesser deal.

Total Buyouts: $500K

Arbitration Eligible

Marcus Stroman (A4) – $7,400,000 / $9.125,000

Noah Syndergaard (A3) – $6,000,000 / $10,750,000

Joe Panik (A3) – $3,850,000 / Non-Tendered

Michael Conforto (A2) – $4 025,000 / $8.125.000

Steven Matz (A2) – $2,625,000 / $5,000,000

Edwin Diaz (A1) – $607,425 / $1,800,000

Seth Lugo (A1) – $591,875 / $1,300,000

Brandon Nimmo (A1) – $598,285 / $1,250,000

Robert Gsellman (A1) – $582,500 / $975,000

Paul Sewald (A1) – $560,000 / $725,000

The number in parenthesis represents each player’s arbitration year, followed by their 2019 salary and our own  projected arbitration awards for the 2020 season.

Projections are exclusive to MetsmerizedOnline.com. In most cases the players will settle with the team before their arbitration hearing.

In 2019 these 10 players earned $26.8 million dollars. According to our projections we expect that number to climb to $39.3 million for nine players. We project that Joe Panik will be non-tendered.

The most significant increases will go to Noah Syndergaard who will get a $4.75 million raise, Michael Conforto will see his salary increase by $4.1 million, and Marcus Stroman who gets a $1.7 million bump.

Total Est. Arbitration: $39.3 million

Non-Guaranteed Contracts

Amed Rosario

Jeff McNeil

J.D. Davis

Dominic Smith

Pete Alonso

Tomas Nido

Luis Guillorme

Tyler Bashlor

Chris Flexen

Drew Smith

Daniel Zamora

Drew Gagnon

Jacob Rhame

Walker Lockett

Chris Mazza

The Mets pre-arbitration players have non-guaranteed contracts and are tabulated at the major-league minimum $560,000 for each player.

Total Non-Guaranteed: $8.4 million

Total Current Payroll: $176.2 million

This includes total guaranteed contracts, projected arbitration, non-guaranteed players, and adjustments for player options.

Last year, the Mets opening day payroll was roughly $158.6 million and by season’s end it was $164.5 million. The competitive balance tax threshold is $208 million for the 2020 season.

Key Departures

Todd Frazier

Zack Wheeler

Luis Avilan

Rajai Davis

Rene Rivera

Photo: Mets.com

Important Dates

October 20, 2019: The World Series begins and will conclude no later than October 28 if it goes seven games.

Day after World Series: All players with at least six years of service time who are not under contract for the 2020 season will become free agents. For the Mets that includes Zack Wheeler and Todd Frazier.

November 3-14, 2019: The Baseball Writers Association of America (BBWAA) will announce the finalists and then the winners of the Rookies and Managers of the Year, Cy Young, and Most Valuable Player Awards. Pete Alonso and Jacob deGrom are expected to be big winners for the Mets.

November 11-14, 2019: General managers meetings take place in Scottsdale, Ariz.

November 19-21, 2019: Owners’ meetings in Arlington, Tex. Any changes to the collective bargaining agreement (CBA) would be ratified at this time.

November 20, 2019: Deadline for clubs to turn in their 40-man reserve lists with the names of players who will be protected in the Rule 5 draft.

December 2, 2019: Clubs must tender contract offers to players on their rosters who are not under contract for the 2020 season, or they will become free agents.

December 9-12, 2019: Winter Meetings in San Diego, Calif.

December 12, 2019: The Rule 5 draft will take place on the final day of the Winter Meetings.

January 10, 2020: Clubs and arbitration-eligible players must exchange salary figures if they were tendered a contract before the Winter Meetings.

January 21, 2020: Hall of Fame voting results will be announced by the BBWAA.

February 1, 2020: Arbitration hearings begin for those eligible players who did not come to terms with their clubs before their hearing date.

February 8, 2020: Pitchers and catchers report to spring training.

February 22, 2020: Mets Grapefruit League season begins  with a pair of split-squad games against the Marlins in Port St. Lucie and the Cardinals in Jupiter.

March 26, 2020: Opening Day! The Mets open the season against the Nationals at Citi Field.

MMO Has You Covered

You can count on Metsmerized Online to keep you up to date on all the Mets news, rumors and happenings all offseason long. We’ll be on hand at the Winter Meetings in San Diego and we’ll be passing along any and all team news, rumors, buzz, etc. and we will file a daily summary each night.

As always, we won’t post any rumors on MMO unless it passes the sniff test and comes from a credible source. We’ll be working around the clock both day and night to ensure that you won’t miss a beat. You can also follow all the action on our Twitter feed @Metsmerized and our Facebook Page.

Thanks so much for all of your incredible support. Please let us know what we can do to make your experience at Metsmerized Online a better one. And as always, Let’s Go Mets!

The post Mets Offseason Planner: Payroll and Arbitration Projections, Key Dates appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

As August comes to a close, the National League Wild Card race remains tight with three teams from the East battling it out with the Cubs for two spots.

Here’s the latest news and updates from all the clubs vying for a Wild Card spot.

Washington Nationals (73-57, +4.0)

The Nationals have won five straight games and have gone 8-2 in their last 10 games as they built upon their Wild Card lead. Reliever Hunter Strickland was placed on paternity leave today, the right-hander has a 1.64 ERA in 11 innings for Washington after coming over from the Mariners in a trade.

Pending free agent Anthony Rendon has been a monster all season for the Nationals and he currently has a 12-game hitting streak with 12 RBI during that span.

Upcoming the Nationals have two games against the Orioles then a three-game series with the Marlins. They then head head to New York for three games against the Mets.

FanGraphs currently has the Nationals odds of making the playoffs at 97.5%.

Chicago Cubs (69-61, 0 GB)

The Cubs head into their upcoming three-game series with the Mets on a three-game losing streak and having gone 5-5 in their last 10 games. Unfortunately for the Cubs, they play 17 of their reaming 32 games on the road. Their .391 winning percentage on the road this season is the worst among teams currently in a playoff spot.

Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo left Saturday’s game with back tightness and is not expected to play on Tuesday against the Mets. Nicholas Castellanos has been a monster for the Cubs since they made a trade right at the wire to acquire him from the Tigers, the outfielder has a 1.114 OPS in 23 games with Chicago.

Fangraphs has the Cubs odds of making the playoffs at 65.4%.

Philadelphia Phillies (68-62, 1.0 GB)

Philly has gone 6-4 in their last 10 to stay in the hunt after blowing a first place lead in the East division in which they held from April 26 through June 9. Bryce Harper has found his groove with nine homers and 20 RBI in only 19 August games for the Phillies. Starter Jason Vargas has a 4.34 ERA in five starts for the Phillies after coming over in a trade with the Mets.

The Phillies play 21 of their final 32 games against the NL East including two series against the Mets. They do get to finish out the 2019 regular season with three games against the Marlins at home, though they’ve gone just 7-9 against the NL’s worst team.

Despite being a game ahead of the Mets, FanGraphs actually has the Phillies with a lower chance of making playoffs at 8.2%.

New York Mets (67-63, 2.0 GB)

It was a rough weekend series for the Mets as they got swept at home by the first place Atlanta Braves. They still own baseball’s best record over their last 30 games at 21-9. A big reason for the Mets surge is their pitching staff’s 3.11 ERA in the second half, best in baseball. Jacob deGrom (2.5 fWAR), Noah Syndergaard (2.2 fWAR), and Steven Matz (1.4 fWAR) have been three of the NL’s top pitchers in the second half.

Outfielder Brandon Nimmo is expected to return soon after having a big night on Monday for Syracuse when he reached base four times. Jed Lowrie had played the field in his last two rehab games for the St. Lucie Mets. The Mets have won 13 of their last 17 home games and have 20 of their last 32 games at Citi Field.

FanGraphs currently has the Mets odds of making the playoffs at 33.1%.

Milwaukee Brewers (67-64, 2.5 GB)

The Brewers led the NL Central as late as July 5, but are now five and half games back of the Cardinals and two and half games out of the final Wild Card spot. Thye’ve gotten there by having a losing July (12-13) and so far a losing August (10-12).

Injuries to the Brewers pitching staff has been a big culprit in their bad second half with Jhoulys Chacin (released now), Jeremy Jeffress, Jimmy Nelson, Gio Gonzalez, and Brandon Woodruff all spending time on the injured list.

FanGraphs currently gives the Brewers a 13.1% chance of making the playoffs.

The Arizona Diamondbacks (4.0 GB) and San Francisco Giants (4.5 GB) are still hanging around as well.

The post NL East Vying For Both Wild Card Spots appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Good morning, Mets fans!

Yesterday afternoon, Zack Wheeler and some incredible defensive plays, led the Mets to their seventh straight win! The right-hander threw seven shutout innings and struck out seven White Sox batters in the rubber match of their three game series. With the help of his defense, Wheeler only gave up four hits on the day.

The offense put up four runs for their teammate, two of which came from Robinson Cano smacking a line drive solo homer in the second and a double in the sixth. A ground ball single off the bat of Wilson Ramos scored two and that was all she wrote. Luis Avilan and Jeurys Familia came in for the last two innings holding down the shutout and leading the Mets to their 4-0 victory to sweep their second straight series.

Long Island’s Steven Matz (6-6, 4.32), will take the bump tonight against Trevor Williams (3-4, 4.87) and the Pittsburgh Pirates. Matz’s last start was against the Pirates at Citi Field where he threw a complete game shutout. Working two straight starts against the same team is difficult, but nonetheless the lefty will toe the rubber to try and get the Mets their eighth straight win.

The game will air on SNY at 7:05 p.m. EST and can be heard on WCBS 880 AM and ESPN 1050 AM.

Latest Mets News 

The Mets have won their seventh straight game and are four games back from the second NL Wild Card spot.

General manager, Brodie Van Wagenen, posted a message to Mets fans on Twitter to thank us for the support and to let us know what his intentions are for the future.

Latest MLB News

Following the Pittsburgh Pirates and Cincinnati Reds all out brawl Tuesday the following suspensions have been issued. Keone Kela received a 10-game suspension, Amir Garrett eight-game suspension, Jose Osuna five games, Jared Hughes three games, Kyle Crick three games, Yasiel Puig three games, David Bell six games, and Clint Hurdle will serve a two games suspension. There are a few contributors two the fight who did not receive suspensions, but nonetheless the ones given out will be served starting today. Mark Feinsand of MLB.com posted more details regarding each player’s suspension. All players mentioned have also been fined as well as Joey Votto, Phil Ervin, and Trevor Williams.

Jameson Taillon, pitcher for the Pittsburgh Pirates, will undergo elbow surgery to repair his elbow flexor tendon. The surgery will have him out of the game for a few months, and if all goes well he can return by mid-May of the 2020 season.

Right-handed pitcher Danny Farquhar has announced his retirement via Instagram.

With the trade deadline now over, MLB has updated their Top 100 prospects list, you can find the list here.

The St. Louis Cardinals threw a combined one hitter Thursday evening against the Chicago Cubs and took sole possession of first place in their division.

Latest NL East News 

Former Met Jason Vargas has arrived to his new team in the Philadelphia Phillies and is scheduled to start today against the Chicago White Sox. The club has optioned outfielder, Nick Williams to Triple-A as the corresponding roster move.

The Miami Marlins have called up RHP Kyle Keller, welcome to the show Keller!

The Braves added their trade deadline acquisitions, RHP Shane Greene, RHP Chris Martin, and RHP Mark Melancon to their active roster. The team has optioned LHP A.J. Minter, RHP Chad Sobotka, and RHP Jeremy Walker to Triple-A.

Latest on MMO

Matt Musico analyzes Noah Syndergaard‘s new found confidence in his slider.

John Sheridan talked about, recently designated for assignment former Met, Asdrubal Cabrera‘s season stats so far.

On This Date in Mets History

Happy Birthday Dae-Sung Koo(49)!

1967: The Mets purchased Cal Koonce from the Chicago Cubs.

1979: The Mets purchased Jose Cardenal from the Philadelphia Phillies.

2008: The Mets signed free agent Ramon Martinez.

#LFGM Let’s Go Mets!

The post Morning Briefing: Mets Inch Closer to Second Wild Card Spot appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Unfazed by the trade rumors surrounding him, Jason Vargas escaped multiple jams to help the Mets win their fourth consecutive game. With poor defense behind him, Vargas surrendered six hits and three runs in 5.2 innings.

He racked up five strikeouts and walked three in what might be his last game in a Mets’ uniform.

“… It’s never really been an issue for me in the middle of the year,” Vargas said about dealing with trade rumors. “So it’s not something I’m aware of, or really have to think about. …”  (Anthony DiComo, MLB.com)

While the left-hander is rumored to be on the trading block, there hasn’t been any concrete reports that he will be dealt. Vargas has a $8 Million club option for next season.

In the first inning yesterday, Vargas faced Kevin Newman, who drew a walk to lead off the game. Vargas then got his next three batters out via the pop up, ground out, and line out.

Gifted with a six-run lead thanks to Michael Conforto’s homerun and Chris Archer’s nightmarish first inning, Vargas responded by recording three quick outs on two pop ups and a strikeout.

“I think it changes the way you attack the strike zone,” Vargas said to reporters about the Mets big first inning. “I think it’s definitely key to not get yourself in a position where you’re trying to always minimize damage you always want to try and make them beat you by putting the ball in play.”

To start the third inning, Vargas gave up a lead-off home run to Jacob Stallings which put the Pirates on the board with their first hit of the day. Their second hit came a walk and an out later off the bat of Starling Marte for his 999th hit of his career. The Pirates were unable to produce a hit with two outs and two men on base and the score remained 6-1.

The fourth inning was troublesome for the veteran left-hander giving up a two singles to Adam Frazier and Jacob Stallings. The hit by Stallings scored Frazier after a throwing error by Michael Conforto that sailed past Todd Frazier at third base and towards the Pirates dugout. Vargas didn’t back-up the play.

“I was being lackadaisical,” Vargas said to reporters. “Backing up third would’ve been an ideal situation […] backing up there would’ve controlled things better.”

The Bucs final run scored against Vargas came in the fifth inning. After a lead off walk to rookie outfielder Bryan Reynolds, Marte grounded into a fielders choice and took Reynolds’ place at first base with one out now away. The third batter of the inning, Jose Osuna, struck out to grant Vargas another out. With two away, Melky Cabrera hit a double to center which scored Marte to make it 6-3 Mets. Vargas would go on to get an easy ground out to finish the fifth inning.

The veteran appeared to finish the sixth strong with a strikeout in the dirt, but Wilson Ramos failed to block the pitch, causing Joe Musgrove, to reach first base and ending Vargas’ afternoon.

During the 2019 season, Jason Vargas has exceeded expectations. In 18 out of Vargas’ 19 starts for the season he has given up 4 runs or less which is something not many Mets fans saw coming. After Sunday’s outing, Vargas raised his ERA 4.01, and improved his record to 6-5. Unless Vargas is traded, he should face the Pirates once again in his next outing.

The post Jason Vargas Helps Mets Win 4th Straight, Unfazed By Rumors appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Steven Matz and the New York Mets were ready to welcome the southpaw back to the rotation with open arms as they took on the Minnesota Twins in a 3-2 win. Matz performed well in his return to the rotation for the Metropolitans.

Matz, 28, tossed just four innings in Minnesota on Tuesday while allowing two runs on five hits as he walked one and struck out two. Steven tossed just 68 pitches in his return and was on a limited pitch count of 75 entering the night.

The southpaw surrendered a scorcher of a home run to Jonathan Schoop in the third inning and a second run on a Max Kepler ground out in the fourth before exiting. Minnesota was hitting Matz hard prior to handing over the ball to the bullpen.

“I definitely wasn’t as sharp as I’d like to be, but I felt great out there,” Matz said. “I felt comfortable. I was attacking guys, so it was good.” (MLB)

It was a step in the right direction for Matz as he looks to get back on track and solidify himself as one of the cogs of this starting rotation. With Zack Wheeler and Jason Vargas possibly on their way out of New York come the trading deadline, the Mets will need to lean on Matz.

Matz’s stats have left a bit to be desired this season as his record sites at 5-6 with an ERA of 4.87 and a WHIP of 1.48. He has accumulated a FIP of 5.43 and a WAR of just 0.1.

He has put together a 8.47 K/9 and a 3.18 BB/9 in 85 innings pitched in 2019.

The post Steven Matz Allows Two Runs Against Twins appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Good morning Mets fans! After four days in which there was no New York Mets baseball, the Amazin’s return to action in Miami as they open a three-game series with the Miami Marlins.

Latest Mets News

Jason Vargas (3-4, 3.77 ERA) will get the first taste of second half action as he is matched up against Caleb Smith (4-4, 3.50 ERA). First pitch is scheduled for 7:10 p.m. EDT, with coverage on SNY, WCBS 880 and ESPN Deportes 1050.

Mike Puma of the New York Post wrote about the Mets’ trade-deadline reality. He also mentioned how they would have to be overwhelmed by an offer to trade Noah Syndergaard or Steven Matz.

James O’Connell of the New York Daily News wrote about how even the throw-ins of the Mets’ offseason trade with the Seattle Mariners have been a catastrophe for the Mets.

Keith Law of ESPN ranked Ronny Mauricio 48th in his updated Top 50 MLB Prospects list. Law also placed Anthony Kay in his honorable mention notes.

Latest MLB News

The Texas Rangers (49-42) defeated the Houston Astros (57-34) 5-0 in the first game back from the All-Star break and only game played on Thursday.

Jake Marisnick was suspended for two games due to his home-plate collision with Jonathan Lucroy, per Sam Dykstra of MiLB.com.

The Atlantic League announced four new rules that will be implemented in the second half of the season. These rules involve the pitcher needing to step off the rubber in order to attempt a pickoff, one foul bunt being permitted with two strikes before a strikeout is called, batters being allowed to steal first base on any pitch not caught in flight (the risk being that the batter can be thrown out if he attempts to run), and the check swing rule being made more batter-friendly.

The Boston Red Sox released an update on the condition of David Ortiz. They announced that he underwent a third surgery for complications resulting from his gunshot wound.

Bubba Starling, the fifth overall pick in the 2011 MLB Draft, will make his MLB debut for the Kansas City Royals per Bob Nightengale of USA Today Sports.

Shelby Miller agreed to a minor league deal with the Milwaukee Brewers according to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic.

Latest NL East News

The Atlanta Braves start the second half of the season in first place at 54-37. The Washington Nationals are currently 6.0 games behind the Braves at 47-42. The Philadelphia Phillies are neck-and-neck with the Nats as they stand at 6.5 games behind first at 47-43. The Mets and Marlins are double-digit games behind first, with the Mets at 40-50 and 13.5 games back, and the Marlins at 33-55 and 19.5 games back.

The Phillies and Nats will battle for second in the NL East and first in the NL Wild Card race over the next three days as they open a series against one another in the City of Brotherly Love.

Teams have reached out to the Marlins about Starlin Castro according to Jordan McPherson of the Miami Herald. However, McPherson considers their biggest trade asset to be Sergio Romo, with Curtis Granderson and Neil Walker being veteran players on one-year deals that some teams may be interested in as well.

Latest on MMO/MMN

Mojo Hill analyzed Edwin Diaz‘s first-half struggles and explained why there is hope that he will turn things around.

Tim Ryder graded the performance of the Mets outfielders during the first half of the season.

John Sheridan wrote a special version of his “3 Up, 3 Down” series, focusing on the Mets’ first half.

Sheridan also wrote a Mets “Neon Moment of the Week” piece highlighting Pete Alonso‘s Home Run Derby victory.

Rob Friedland wrote a piece highlighting Jeff McNeil‘s accomplishments.

Michael Mayer recapped the games played by the Mets minor league affiliates on Wednesday.

This Day in Mets History

2011: The Mets traded Francisco Rodriguez and cash to the Brewers for two players to be named later. The two players were pitchers Danny Herrera and Adrian Rosario.

Birthday(s): Dick Rusteck turns 78.

The post Morning Briefing: The Mets Are Back From Their Brief Hiatus appeared first on Metsmerized Online.