Ronny Mauricio. Photo via Ed Delany, MMO

Even though the New York Mets lost to the St. Louis Cardinals in Jupiter, Florida, on Monday, their minor leaguers ended up providing power in the top of the ninth inning against Cardinals right-hander Tommy Parsons.

It began when William Lugo hit a deep solo home run to center for his first homer of the spring. It was a tape measure shot that ended up going 437 feet and had an exit velocity of 102.5 miles per hour.

One of my Mets prospects to watch this season is William Lugo.

The 21-year-old just hit a 437 foot home run in big league camp.

Can play all over the infield and had 115 wRC+ in 2022.

Video via @Jacob_Resnick pic.twitter.com/HXRxuP1BZQ

— Mike Mayer (@mikemayer22) February 27, 2023

Lugo may not be a star prospect in the Mets system, but the 21-year-old from the Dominican Republic is coming off of a solid 2022 season. In 112 games with Low-A St. Lucie and High-A Brooklyn, Lugo had a slash line of .263/.347/.432 with 25 doubles, 14 home runs, 63 RBIs, and a .779 OPS. It ended up leading to him being named a Florida State League All-Star by MILB.com.

Last year, Lugo earned a promotion to Brooklyn on August 8 and hit four home runs in 28 games. His highlight game came on August 26 against Jersey Shore when he went 4-for-6 with a home run and he drove in four runs in an 18-1 blowout win.

In the early stages of his career, Lugo has shown the ability to play at the corner infield positions in addition to shortstop. Defensive versatility always helps a young player in his progression.

After Baty hit a single to left in the following at-bat, Ronny Mauricio hit his second home run in as many days with a two-run home run to right-center on a changeup. It was another laser that had an exit velocity of 108.6 miles per hour and went an estimated 413 feet.

Ronny Mauricio has homered again.

pic.twitter.com/fbWaNmiZJL

— Metsmerized Online (@Metsmerized) February 27, 2023

Yes, it is only five at-bats this spring, but Mauricio is continuing his momentum from the winter when he was named the MVP of the Dominican Winter League. Power has become a key tool for Mauricio, as evidence by the 46 combined home runs he has hit over the last two years.

For now, manager Buck Showalter told the media after Monday’s game that he has been more impressed with the improvements Mauricio has shown with the glove:

“It’s about defense with young players for me. He did well over there. He’s a better defender now than he was last year when he was here. His work habits, the pace to his game. There is a certain fluidity that he is gaining. He’s got a chance to be a good one.”

Mauricio after the game also told the New York Post he wants “to be on the big leagues on this team.”

Through four spring training games, the Mets have five home runs and four of them have come from players in their farm system. That is never a bad problem to have especially when you look at three of the four Mets’ major affiliates a year ago finished ninth or worst in their respective leagues in home runs (St. Lucie led the FSL with 132).

All in all, even in a spring training loss, Mauricio and Lugo gave Mets fans something to watch in the present and have made themselves maybe players to watch at the higher levels of the system in 2023.

The post Ronny Mauricio, William Lugo Provide Power in Jupiter appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

This is the second edition of the 2023 MMO prospect countdown with the previous post featuring entirely right-handed pitchers.

25. Jacob Reimer, 3B

B/T: R/R     Age: 2/22/2004 (18)
Ht: 6’2″        Wt: 205 lb.
Acquired: 2022 Fourth Round Pick from Yucaipa HS (Yucaipa, CA)
ETA: 2027    Previous Ranks: N/A
2022 Stats (FCL): .261/.414/.478, 3B, HR, 7 RBI

Reimer made a strong impression right out of the gate for the FCL Mets after signing. The third baseman, a draftee out of Yucaipa High School in Yucaipa, California, slashed .261/.414/.478 over a 23 at-bat sample size for the Mets and smashed his first professional homer.

Reimer has a stellar eye at the plate, uses the entire field, and has solid power at the dish. Offensively, the bat projects to be there. His strong eye allows him to be selective with the pitches he sees and optimize his potential to drive the baseball, and his strong frame helps him follow through on that potential.

There have been questions before about his ability to barrel up the baseball, but those were quieting down during his strong senior year in high school. He hit just under .400 and smacked eight homers in his final amateur season.

Jacob Reimer….physically looks the part to go out and play right now…pro body/arm. Will need to smooth out the front arm bar in the swing but shades of a young Evan Longoria here. Plenty of exposure ahead, chance to move up draft boards. #MLBDraft22 pic.twitter.com/3hO5TetQoy

— MLB Draft Room (@MLBDraftRoom) March 1, 2022

His 6’2, 205 lb. frame figures to make him a third baseman, where he has played most of his life, but he also has amateur experience at shortstop. All of the games he started in the field for the FCL Mets came at third base. I would be shocked to see him play anywhere else in his first full season.

His frame should also fill out more, considering he won’t turn 19 until late in February, which will allow for more power to develop. Reimer strikes me as more of a project prospect, but the make is definitely there and he possesses a great build for a third baseman with power.

Nick Morabito, Photo by Ed Delany of Mets Minors

24. Nick Morabito, OF

B/T: R/R     Age: 5/7/2003 (19)
Ht: 5’11”        Wt: 185 lb.
Acquired: 2022 Second Round Pick from Gonzaga College HS (Washington, DC)
ETA: 2027    Previous Ranks: N/A
2022 Stats (FCL): .091/.167/.136, 2B, RBI, SB

Nick Morabito was the Mets’ 2nd round selection in the 2022 draft and their fourth player taken overall. Morabito made his pro-debut in the FCL last year, and only mustered a .303 OPS over 22 at-bats. Morabito was drafted out of high school in Virginia, and will make it to Opening Day at just 19 years old.

He projects as a corner outfielder, who also can play some infield up the middle. It would not be surprising to see the Mets deploy Morabito all over the field. Morabito won the Gatorade Player of the Year award for the state of Virginia in 2022, a season in which he hit .545 and stole 52 bases. His build at 5’11 but 185 lbs makes him a smaller, yet thicker and more compact player who will never have questions of athleticism or being in shape.

Virginia prep SS Nick Morabito (Va Tech commit) was 80th overall in my rankings last week but has continued upward movement as directors rush in to see the late riser. Morabito now has a real shot to get into the top 50 picks. 3-for-3 with 2 bombs yesterday. pic.twitter.com/UsfnisH8Nw

— Kiley McDaniel (@kileymcd) May 5, 2022

He projects to have a solid bat that produces some power, but not a ton. One evaluator I spoke to believes that Morabito likely ends up with gap-to-gap type of power, and not exactly the type that consistently puts the baseball over the wall. This can change, obviously, as he continues to age and fill out his frame, but the expectations for power as of right now aren’t too high.

Defensively, it feels too early to project where he ends up, but I expect the Mets to give him the majority of his work in the outfield in the 2023 season. Given that he started a handful of games in 2022 in center field, it feels natural for the organization to continue down the path of defensive growth up the middle for the 19-year-old.

Jawilme Ramirez, Photo by Ed Delany of Mets Minors

23. Jawilme Ramirez, RHP

B/T: R/R     Age: 11/28/2001 (21)
Ht: 6’2″        Wt: 170 lb.
Acquired: Signed as international free agent out of Dominican Republic 
ETA: 2027    Previous Ranks: N/A
2022 Stats (FCL/St. Lucie) 5-5, 2.14 ERA, 0.768 WHIP, 3.3 BB/9, 9.2 K/9

Jawile Ramirez is seeing a burst onto top prospects lists for the Mets organization due to a phenomenal 2022 campaign. Ramirez, who just turned 21, impressed to the tune of a 0.78 ERA over 46.1 MiLB innings last year. Ramirez has a good fastball that sits in the low-to-mid 90’s, and a changeup/slider combination that helps puts hitters away to the tune of an 8.35 K/9. Ramirez, additionally, held walks to an extreme minimum, allowing just 1.94 walks over nine innings.

#Mets RHP prospect Jawilme Ramírez

• FB 91-95 w/ big rise, CH/SL
• FCL Pitcher of the Year
• 0.84 ERA, 40 K/6 BB in 43 IP
• Late promotion to Single-A
• Turned 21 yesterday pic.twitter.com/ke5yV9kcFI

— Jacob Resnick (@Jacob_Resnick) November 29, 2022

Ramirez’ success in 2022 came off the back of a strong 2021 campaign, where he posted a 2.14 ERA over 13 starts and one relief outing. He looks to take the next step forward in 2023 toward becoming a legitimate starting pitching prospect for the Mets, and putting together a third consecutive strong season.

The next development for him will be producing more strikeouts and just continuing his success. If Ramirez can build on his success from last season and continue on this path, he will skyrocket up lists and become a legitimate piece to the future of the Mets. His biggest goal for 2022 should be a complete full-season MiLB year. If he can do that and continue to have success, Jawilme Ramirez will become a very popular name amongst Mets’ prospect circles.

Bryce Montes de Oca, Photo by Rick Nelson

22. Bryce Montes de Oca, RHP

B/T: R/R     Age: 4/23/1996 (26)
Ht: 6’7″        Wt: 265 lb.
Acquired: 2018 Ninth Round Draft Pick from University of Missouri
ETA: 2022    Previous Ranks: NR
2022 Stats (Binghamton/Syracuse): 3-3, 3.33 ERA, 11 SV, 1.422 WHIP, 6.7 BB/9, 14.0 K/9
2022 Stats (MLB): 0-0, 10.80 ERA, 2.700 WHIP, 5.4 BB/9, 16.2 K/9

Montes de Oca is the only player in this group of prospects to reach the major leagues in 2022. The hard-throwing right-hander made his major league debut late in the season, appearing in three games and allowing four runs over 3 1/3 innings pitched. The 26-year-old figures to have a chance to break camp with the Mets based on their current roster construction, and might even be a favorite to do so as of right now.

Montes de Oca boasts a strong fastball-slider combination, while also mixing in a cutter as his third pitch. The slider figures to be his go-to put-away pitch at the MLB level, while he sets the tone with a fastball that can reach triple-digits.

So Bryce Montes de Oca can throw 102 with elite extension and movement like this

cool cool coooooool cool pic.twitter.com/DWzTqwfNXD

— Mike Petriello (@mike_petriello) September 11, 2022

The downfall for Montes de Oca, however, will be his ability, or inability, to throw strikes. He walked 40 batters over 54 2/3 professional innings last year, which gives anything but confidence. In order to find a way to stick around in the major leagues as an effective reliever, he will need to find a way to cut the walks drastically, possibly even in half.

William Lugo, Photo by Ed Delany of MMN

21. William Lugo, INF

B/T: R/R     Age: 1/2/2002 (21)
Ht: 6’3″        Wt: 230 lb.
Acquired: Signed as international free agent out of Dominican Republic (8/24/18)
ETA: 2026    Previous Ranks: N/A
2022 Stats (St. Lucie/Brooklyn): .263/.347/.432, 25 2B, 2 3B, 14 HR, 63 RBI

Lugo began his 2022 campaign with tempered expectations after a few underwhelming seasons to begin his professional career. However, 2022 was the best year for his prospect stock to date. He had struggled in previous seasons, posting a .499 in his first season in the GCL, and a .700 in his second season.

Lugo began his 2022 season with the Low-A St. Lucie Mets, where he posted a .774 OPS over 84 games, and smacked 10 homers during that time. He spent most of his time at third base, but was able to play second base and shortstop at respectable levels, as well. After a promotion to High-A, Lugo slashed .267/.347/.448 with four homers in just over 100 at-bats.

William Lugo singles in a pair and the Mets lead 7-5. pic.twitter.com/IteIS2MpkF

— ramsey (@jwr082OO2) June 19, 2022

Lugo projects as a third baseman long-term, mainly due to a strong arm and range concerns, but that projection does not hinder his profile much. As he currently stands, a strong hit tool will keep Lugo progressing well through the Mets’ system, but progression with the glove could turn Lugo into a more legitimate MLB-level prospect. Lugo figures to begin the season with High-A Brooklyn, and see time in Double-A Binghamton before the season is over if he can build off his 2022 season.

Previous Ranking: 30-26 led by Grant Hartwig

The post MMO 2023 Top 30 Mets Prospects: 25-21 Led By William Lugo appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

USA TODAY Sports

The San Diego Padres are finalizing a deal with right-hander Seth Lugo, per Jon Heyman of the New York Post. Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reported that it is expected to be a two-year deal, worth $15 million with a player option after the 2023 season. Lugo wanted the chance to be a starting pitcher again, something he should be able to do with the Padres.

Lugo, now 33-years-old, was drafted by the New York Mets in the 34th round of the 2011 MLB Draft. He pitched at the Major League level for the last seven seasons, making his debut for the Mets in 2016. Lugo operated mostly as a starter for the first two seasons of his career. That changed in 2018 when 49 of his 54 appearances came out of the bullpen. He would make seven starts in the shortened 2020 season, but the Mets felt he would be most effective as a reliever.

The former Met had a solid 2022 campaign, pitching to a 3.60 ERA in 65 innings out of the bullpen. Lugo pitched in many high-leverage spots, earning a setup role alongside Adam Ottavino. The Mets have lost quite a bit of their bullpen from a year ago in free agency, with Lugo joining Trevor May, Trevor Williams and Joely Rodríguez as the key departures.

Ottavino is still unsigned after a dominant year with the team, pitching to a 2.06 ERA in 65 2/3 innings. The team can certainly look to bring him back if the two sides can come to an agreement over the coming months. David Robertson, Brooks Raley and Elieser Hernández are among the newcomers to the Mets bullpen. The Mets would still love to add an arm or two in free agency.

The post Padres Sign Seth Lugo to Two-Year Deal appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Seth Lugo

Player Data: Age: 33 (11/17/89), B/T: R/R

Traditional Stats: 62 G, 65 IP, 3-2, 3.60 ERA, 1.169 WHIP, 69 SO, 18 BB
Advanced Stats: 108 ERA+, 25.4 K%, 6.6 BB%, 3.46 xERA, 3.76 FIP, 3.51 xFIP 0.7 bWAR, 0.2 fWAR

2022 Salary: $3,925,000

Grade: B –

2022 Review

When the Mets acquired Adam Ottavino last off-season, the veteran righty seemed to be a natural replacement for Jeurys Familia, while also alternating with Drew Smith and Trevor May as high-leverage relievers that can bridge games for both Seth Lugo and Edwin Diaz.

Lugo, highly considered to be one of the best relievers in the National League, thanks to a devastating curveball with an off-the-charts spin rate, got off to a shaky start to the 2022 season. He was seemingly replaced by Ottavino in manager Buck Showalter’s circle of trust but eventually established himself — once again — as one of New York’s more valuable high-leverage relievers. 

This past season, Lugo turned in a 3.60 ERA and 69 strikeouts over 65 innings pitched. On the face of things, Lugo’s numbers were good, but not great for a high-end reliever in a walk year. In total, opposing hitters slashed .233/.290/.378 against him, good for an OPS of .668.

The biggest discrepancy in Lugo’s numbers, which can point to why he wasn’t able to replicate the same success that he had in 2018 and 2019, is that he ranked in the 99th percentile for his curve spin rate, but ranked in the 1st percentile for chase rate and 28th percentile for whiff rate. Lugo’s SO rate of 25.4% is the lowest in a season for the 33-year-old righty since 2018.

Lugo has a significant mixture of pitches in his arsenal, though, he mainly relies on his curveball and fastball, which are his two best. Opposing batters had .159 and .171 batting average against those two pitches, respectively. Where he struggled to maintain success was within his secondary pitches, as opposing batters hit .343 and launched five home runs against Lugo’s sinker — a pitch he used 21.9% of the time in 2022.

Those struggles and successes with his pitches help paint a picture of Lugo’s presumably last season in a Mets uniform. Lugo’s underlying and expected figures also shed some light on what was a relatively decent year for the veteran reliever. His xERA of 3.46 and xFIP of 3.51 are pretty solid numbers.

All in all, Lugo didn’t put together quite the performance that Mets fans had grown accustomed to seeing when he was summoned out of the bullpen. Though, he bounced back after a shaky start and was able to be a reliable option for Showalter and Co. in the second half of the season, but rarely was able to pitch in back-to-back games, as he’s managed to pitch with a partially torn UCL in his elbow since 2017.

USA TODAY Sports

2023 Outlook

Lugo holding back tears following the Mets being eliminated from the playoffs by the San Diego Padres serves as a reminder that returning to New York was never a foregone conclusion.

The Mets selected Lugo in the 34th round of the 2011 MLB Draft and he’s been in the organization ever since. He got his first taste of the big leagues in 2016, as he stepped up in a pinch and pitched to a 2.67 ERA as a starter during his rookie campaign. He started a total of 18 games for the Mets in 2017, but has started just 13 games since then because of the torn UCL.

In any event, while Lugo showed a desire to maintain a starting role, he elevated himself into becoming one of the National League’s best relievers. He has still shown that same desire and since becoming a free agent, Lugo has attracted plenty of interest in free agency and, per Jon Heyman of The New York Post, the Dodgers, Padres and Nationals are all seemingly willing to give the righty a chance to start in 2023.

The Mets have re-signed Diaz and added the likes of David Robertson and Brooks Raley to the backend of their bullpen. While neither was acquired to directly replace Lugo, those additions, as well as several depth moves have made a reunion that much more unlikely.

The post 2022 Mets Report Card: Seth Lugo, RP appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

USA TODAY Sports

Seth Lugo has been a New York Met for all seven years of his MLB career. During that time he has appeared in 275 games and he’s taken on just about every role a pitcher can have.

Will Sammon of The Athletic notes he might have the chance to move back to a role he prefers: starting pitcher.

Early in his major league career Lugo found success as a starter, pitching to a 2.67 ERA in 2016 (his rookie season) while making 7 starts and totaling 64 innings pitched. Seth was a big part of the Mets’ rotation again in 2017, starting 17 games and pitching a career-high 101 1/3 innings, but injury concerns led him to miss significant time and he was relegated to the bullpen.

Since then, Lugo has mostly been used as an effective set-up man. Injuries forced Seth into a starter role for part of 2020, but he put up less than stellar results and has been most effective as a reliever for the bulk of his time in Queens.

In 2018, Lugo made it clear what his desired role would be in an interview with SNY, saying “I think about the future, hopefully getting to that starting role I want to be in, I think I can maintain better stuff than I have in the past. I’m kind of excited to see what the future holds. Hopefully I can win a starting position sometime.”

Now, five years and one surgery to remove a bone spur later, Lugo might have the chance to be a starter again, but it likely won’t be in New York.

It had been reported that the Mets hadn’t begun talks with Seth, and now we might know why. If he gets the chance to start, and gets starter money, he will likely opt to sign elsewhere.

The post Seth Lugo Drawing Interest as Starting Pitcher appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

USA TODAY Sports

Good morning, Mets fans!

Mike Puma of the New York post reports that Seth Lugo has garnered interest from several teams in the early stages of free agency. Puma added that the Mets have not been one of those teams.

Lugo has been a staple in the Mets’ bullpen since 2016. In 2022, after a shaky start to the season, he became one of the more reliable pieces of the bullpen and was often used interchangeably with Adam Ottavino in high leverage situations. Across seven seasons with the team, Lugo has put up a 3.48 ERA in just shy of 500 innings.

The Mets’ bullpen at the start of the offseason is desolate and Billy Eppler will be tasked with rebuilding it. According to Puma, Lugo may not be part of that process.

Latest Mets News

Baseball Prospectus listed the Mets’ top prospects heading into the 2023 season.

Nine players who spent time in the Mets organization in 2022 have become Minor League free agents. This list includes Travis Blankenhorn, Travis Jankowski, and Adonis Medina.

Mets pitching prospect Jawilme Ramirez has been named the FCL Pitcher of the Year.

Latest MLB News

The Houston Astros and General Manager James Click have parted ways after Click rejected a one-year contract offer from the Astros. Jeff Passan also reports that the team has fired Assistant General Manager Scott Powers, who was brought to the organization by Click. You can read more about this divorce here.

The Tampa Bay Rays have hired Jon Daniels as a senior advisor for baseball operations. Daniels previously served as the Rangers’ General Manager and President of Baseball Operations up until August of this year.

Jose Ureña and the Colorado Rockies have agreed on a contract for the 2023 season. The deal is one-year, $3.5 million with an option for 2024.

Nick Anderson is in agreement with the Atlanta Braves on a major league contract that will pay him $875,000 for 2023 if he plays in on the Major League team.

Dodgers reliever Blake Treinen had surgery to repair his right shoulder labrum and rotator cuff. He is expected to miss most, or all, of the 2023 season.

The Minnesota Twins are reportedly unveiling a new team logo and new uniforms next Friday, November 18.

Inside Edge released their 2022 All Remarkable Team, a group of players who had remarkable seasons for one reason or another. Jeff McNeil and Edwin Diaz were the Mets players included.

Latest on MMO

Chris Bello writes about Kodai Senga and Masataka Yoshida as MMO’s Michael Mayer has reported that the Mets have scouted both players.

Andrew Steele-Davis profiles free agent Trea Turner and discusses whether he could be a fit for the Mets.

Robby Waldrop analyzes some of the predictions made by MLB Trade Rumors for who the Mets could sign in free agency.

On This Date in Mets History

1975: Tom Seaver was awarded his third Cy Young Award on this day 47 years ago. Tom was truly terrific as he complied a 22-9 record with a 2.38 ERA across 280 1/3 innings. He also led the league in strikeouts with 243.

Birthdays: Aaron Heilman (44), Gary Thurman (58), Al Schmelz (79)

The post Morning Briefing: Multiple Teams Interested in Seth Lugo appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Every aspect of the Mets game really synced up in their Saturday night 5-1 win against the Phillies, as it was the first time they’ve beaten Philadelphia this season.  Despite Seth Lugo having a tough first inning allowing a home run to Rhys Hoskins, he made it through his start without any other issues.

As Lugo finished the night with four hits and eight strikeouts over five innings pitched, it was the first time since mid-August that a Mets starter received the win. 

The Mets bullpen had a stellar night as well, with their consistency and ability to work their way out of some tough situations aiding the Mets greatly in their win. 

Andres Gimenez had a great night. The 22-year-old drove in Jeff McNeil and Todd Frazier on a single and sac fly respectively. The rest of the scoring plays were on singles from Michael Conforto and Dominic Smith as well as a double from Robinson Chirinos who drove home a speedy Gimenez from first.  

Pitching

Lugo had a rocky start in the first but managed to minimize the damage. Starting off the game with a strikeout to Andrew McCutchen, Hoskins stepped up to the plate and delivered a homer to give the Phillies an early lead. 

After having a 1-2-3 inning in the second, Lugo allowed a pair of walks to Adam Haseley and Bryce Harper in the third, and a pair of singles to Jean Segura and Alec Bohm in the fourth, but found his way out unscathed the score holding at 2-0. 

Lugo had a quick frame in the fifth for his last inning,  the 30-year-old having yet another solid outing, here’s his final line: 

5 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 8 K, 1 HR, 81 pitches/50 strikes

Jeurys Familia entered to pitch a scoreless sixth for the relief only allowing a double to Segura. 

Justin Wilson held the score at 5-1 Mets in the seventh, only giving up a single to McCutchen. The pitcher worked his way out of a jam after a fielding error charged to Brandon Nimmo brought Hoskins to second. 

Miguel Castro had a solid eighth inning allowing a single to Realmuto but made it through the frame without any other issues. 

Edwin Diaz came in for the save, obtaining the first two outs quickly, but struggled to get the last strike as he walked two back to back with full counts. He eventually struck out Hoskins to end the game with the Mets getting the 5-1 win,  

Offense

The Mets didn’t get their first base runner on until the bottom of the third when Jeff McNeil hit a ground-rule double to center field. Andrez Gimenez brought home the first run of the night pushing home McNeil on a grounded single down the hole to even the score.  

Gimenez advanced to third with the first two outs and came into score on a single from Michael Conforto giving the Mets a 2-1 lead in the third. 

The fourth started out with Todd Frazier getting hit by a pitch and a double from McNeil to follow. Gimenez stepped up to the plate and hit a sacrifice fly, Frazier tagging home to extend the Mets lead. 

Brandon Nimmo was walked to start the fifth, Conforto then stepping up to the plate delivered a single to left field. J.D. Davis was then hit by a pitch to load the bases with no outs putting the Mets in a great position to add to their lead. 

Dominic Smith came up to bat, grounding to force out Davis who got caught between first and second, but Nimmo tagged home giving Smith his 28th RBI of the season. The Mets leading 4-1 after five innings. 

Gimenez got a leadoff walk in the bottom of the sixth then scored on a Robinson Chirinos double, making the score 5-1 Mets. The run was greatly attributed to Gimenez’s stellar baserunning, the rookie making it home from first base.

Davis stepped up to the plate with a leadoff double in the seventh with Smith pushing him to third after legging out a single but were both left stranded with the Mets unable to score for the rest of the game. 

On Deck

Jacob deGrom (2-1, 1.76 ERA) takes the mound on Sunday afternoon to face Aaron Nola (4-2, 2.45 ERA) for the third game of the Phillies series. The first pitch is set for 1:10 p.m. ET.

The Mets ace had a tough outing his last time allowing four runs, only one of which was earned. Hopefully, deGrom is able to find his rhythm again as the Mets really need to buckle down with only 20 games left in the short season.

The post Lugo, Bullpen Strong in Mets 5-1 Win Over Phils appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

It’s been a while without baseball. Too long. It’s frustrating. 

But, we still love the game. We miss it. A lot.

So let us reminisce on those better days. What was the last Mets game you went to? Our team shares ours, but we want to hear yours too. Share it in the comments or tweet it at us @Metsmerized.

Sal 

The last Mets game I went to was a Jacob deGrom start (one of his few non-stellar outings) going for the sweep against the Nationals during the Amazins’ great August run. The Mets would come up short, thanks in part to a 9th inning two-run homer surrendered by none other than Edwin Diaz — helping the Nats win 7-4.

Sam

The last Mets game I went to was in September. Hours before the game I wasn’t feeling well and I was panicking. I did not want to go at all which was really odd since I would go to every game if I could. I was very close to not going, but I’m so thankful I did, considering the current circumstances. I remember my mom and

I had planned to go a week before the game because the stars had aligned for the perfect pitching matchup between deGrom and Ryu. The two were contending for the Cy Young at the time so it was a pitcher’s duel the whole night. The

Mets had just taken out deGrom after seven scoreless innings, giving up only two hits (Ryu also threw seven scoreless, two hits), and it was up to the 2019 bullpen which was never promising. Mickey Callaway thankfully put in Lugo and he worked a scoreless inning.

Then, the Mets scored three runs on a Rajai Davis bases clearing double down the left field line that tricked all the way to the corner. I remember yelling, “WHY IS HE THE ONE YOU PINCH HIT RAJAI DAVIS?” Technically, it was either Lugo or Rajai and in that moment I almost wanted Lugo hitting. Either way, Davis got it done and the stadium was electric—not as electric as Conforto’s walk-off, but still exciting—I couldn’t believe it. Justin Wilson held down the fort for the ninth and the Mets won 3-0. It was an absolutely incredible game and I’m so happy I decided to go.

Lindsay 

The last game I went to was September 28, where Pete Alonso hit his 53rd home run. We all felt it in the air that night that he was going to break that record and I happened to record it too. The best part was seeing Pete come back out to first base with tears in his eyes, and the crowd cheering non-stop for him for what felt like the rest of the game. Pretty sure my dad shed a tear too, and he still talks about how it was the best baseball moment he’s ever seen (and we were also at the second-to-last game at Shea Stadium, so that says a lot)!

GUYS I SAW PETE ALONSO’S 53RD HOME RUN pic.twitter.com/QiXhqD0onS

— Lindsay Moran (@linds_moran) September 29, 2019

Jacob

The last game I went to in 2019 was J.D. Davis’ walkoff against the Cleveland Indians on August 21, right before I went back up to school for the fall. I went with two close friends, both fellow diehards, who had been talking about going to a game together for years – it just hadn’t happened until then. We paid the get-in price, sat in the last row of the upper deck behind home plate, and went crazy when Davis ripped a walkoff single into left field following a nine-pitch at-bat against Brad Hand. Certainly a great way to cap off a wild summer of watching this team.

Matt 

Rather coincidentally, the last Mets game I attended was our MMO meetup in July. Fresh off a 12-hour plane trip, I was exhausted the entire time but I genuinely had a fantastic time. It was a pleasure to meet up with everyone I’ve been interacting with online over the last couple years. From Rob and Jack heckling BVW about the Jarred Kelenic team to watching Pete Alonso smash a ball in the bullpen, every second spent with our team was one to remember. Looking forward for baseball to restart so we can schedule another one!

Jack

Last game I went to was on August 24th of last year with my little brother – a 9-5 loss to the Braves. It was the second heartbreaker in a three-game sweep, and had come about just as the Mets had really started mounting a climb out of the middle of the pack. Three things stuck out to me from that night, the first being the horrendous black and white players’ weekend “uniforms” that looked like an unfinished rendition from a video game demo.

The second memory I have was watching fans boo Edwin Diaz off the mound as he came out with a trainer. He entered in a 7-5 deficit and left after allowing a homer to Freddie Freeman, striking out Josh Donaldson, and then walking a pinch-hitter. Probably the most disgraceful display of emotion I’d ever seen in-person from my own kind, but I’d be lying if I said that was the thing I took away from the experience.

The Mets had been down 4-0 early in the game. Wheeler had been having issues with his command and his defense wasn’t helping him, but they slowly climbed back. Pete Alonso came up with two on and two out in the fifth – now down 4-2 – and hit a Max Fried fastball out of sight to put us ahead, and the place exploded. I didn’t even see the ball land onto that apple concourse in center, and watching the video back, I would’ve expected about 40 extra feet of distance. Pretty much everyone knew it was gone by the time he’d taken his first step out of the box, and we didn’t sit back down till the end of the inning. The homer was his 41st of the year and tied the record Carlos Beltran and Todd Hundley had shared for decades.

Watching a Pete Alonso no-doubt home run at Citi Field is something every Met fan should have on their bucket list. The ball flies pretty differently when you’re looking at it up-close. I was certain we were going to win the game after that tank. It was like he’d sent the entire Braves lineup into space with that swing.

Marissa

The last Mets game I went to was versus the Diamondbacks on June 2nd of last year. It was quite uneventful honestly nothing really sticks out about it. The Mets lost 7-1, Steven Matz gave up 5 runs and Wilson Ramos drove in the only run with a solo homer…. sounds pretty typical.

Michelle 

My last Mets game? September 26, 2019 in which the Mets lost to the Marlins (it’s always a bit embarrassing typing that sentence, isn’t it?). It was Zack Wheeler’s last start as a Met, and he not only dominated by keeping the Marlins scoreless, but he also broke the Mets scoreless streak in the seventh by singling to center, scoring Todd Frazier.

The Marlins tied it up in the eighth… and then Edwin Diaz gave up the game-winning home run to the Marlins in the ninth and the Mets couldn’t answer back, because of course my 2019 ended normal on that note. I did, however, also enjoy my last Nicolette chicken parm sandwich of the season and have been craving one ever since.

 

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last night was my last #mets game of 2019 and wow, what a ride it’s been! a strong second half push, a rookie making history, another cy young worthy performance from our ace, and, on a personal level, the opportunity to experience this season both as a lifelong fan and officially as media. this season is something i didn’t expect, but i could not be more grateful for (well, the playoffs would’ve been nice, but alas). thank you to everyone who has supported, who has followed along, and to @metsmerized_online for bringing me on. is it time for spring training yet?! #lgm #lfgm

A post shared by michelle ioannou 🧿 (@mnioannou) on Sep 27, 2019 at 6:28am PDT

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A quiet night from the Mets’ (77-72) bats wasted a quality start from Zack Wheeler, as they lost 3-2 to drop their three game series with the Dodgers (97-54) at Citi Field. They now sit five games above .500, and have fallen to four games back of a Wild Card berth with 13 games left to play.

(Box Score)

Offense

The Mets struck first in the bottom of the second. With one out, Robinson Cano was walked, and J.D. Davis knocked a sharp line drive to right field to put runners on first and second. Then Brandon Nimmo sent another ball to right for a triple to drive in the pair of runners and make it an early 2-0.

In the bottom of the seventh, Cano singled and Davis was hit by a pitch to put runners in scoring position, but New York couldn’t capitalize with back-to-back strikeouts from Nimmo and Amed Rosario keeping the game close at 2-1.

Los Angeles took a 3-2 lead in the top half of the ninth and the Mets were unable to rally in the bottom of half of the frame. With two outs, Cano was walked and Joe Panik struck out to end the night.

The team reached base seven times on three hits, three walks, and a hit batsman, and went 1-for-5 with runners in scoring position. Cano went 1-for-2 with two walks.

Pitching

Wheeler took the mound for New York and cruised through seven solid innings, tossing 97 pitches. He held the Dodgers’ potent offense to just six hits and one earned run, while striking out nine and walking none.

The only run scored off of the Mets’ starter came in the fourth when Wheeler surrendered a leadoff single to Max Muncy. After the first baseman advanced to second on a Chris Taylor groundout, Corey Seager singled to drive him in and cut New York’s lead 2-1.

Seager struck again in the seventh with a leadoff base hit to right. Then, with one out, Gavin Lux hit a bloop single to put runners on first and second. The starter’s night ended recording back-to-back strikeouts of Enrique Hernandez and Matt Beaty to get out of the inning clean.

Justin Wilson relieved Wheeler on the bump for the eighth and couldn’t get out of the inning. He walked Jedd Gyorko to kick off the frame, with the third baseman advancing to second on a balk and third on a wild pitch. A one-out double from Taylor tied it up, and Wilson was lifted for Lugo with runners on first and second. He lasted 2/3 of an inning recording two strikeouts, walking two, and allowing one run to score.

Lugo stopped the bleeding with one pitch, getting Will Smith to fly out to close the frame. He returned to pitch the ninth and gave up the lead after Hernandez doubled with one out, and Gyorko ripped a base hit to drive him in and make it 3-2. With two outs and a runner on, Muncy was called out on strikes but the damage was done. Lugo took the loss and now has a 6-4 record with a 2.82 ERA this season.

On Deck

The Mets travel to Colorado to open a three-game series with the Rockies on Monday evening. Steven Matz (10-8, 3.84 ERA) will take the mound for New York facing off with Antonio Senzatela (9-10, 6.87 ERA).

The game will begin at 8:40 PM ET. It will be televised on SNY and broadcast on WCBS 880 and ESPN-1050.

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What a freaking shit show…

I’m sorry, but as much as I love the New York Mets, they can often bring out the unabashed worst in me, and last night as I watched them blow a six-run lead to the Washington Nationals in the bottom of the ninth, the Mets unleashed the Kraken in me.

Things were actually looking pretty good at first, but it didn’t take long to devolve after one very questionable (what else is new?) decision by Mickey Callaway…

With the Mets leading 10-4 heading into the final three outs of the game, reliever Paul Sewald started the ninth and allowed hits to four of the first five Nationals he faced.

Some, including myself, wondered why Sewald was in the game in the first place especially after an effortless 1-2-3 inning by Seth Lugo in the eighth.

At this point in the season it’s become pretty apparent that Lugo is the best reliever on the team, and being he doesn’t make consecutive appearances anyway, why not let him finish the game and seal the victory for Jacob deGrom?

Things went from bad to worse pretty quickly after Callaway turned to Luis Avilan next, and then from worse to stunningly nightmarish when Edwin Diaz was brought in to stop the bleeding.

Rather than ending the hemorrhaging, Diaz was his usual disastrous self and instead gave up a pinch-hit double to Ryan Zimmerman and then a bone-crushing, walk-off, three-run homer to Kurt Suzuki. Game over.

The scene that unfolded next shook each of us to our core as we couldn’t believe our eyes. It felt like time slowed down to a trickle as the Nationals raucously celebrated on the field as the Mets slowly trotted, heads down, one by one, to the visiting dugout.

This wasn’t just a crushing blow, God knows this team has had plenty of those. This one was different, it was more like a dagger being plunged deep into your heart and easily felt like one of the worst losses in over five years and undoubtedly the worst defeat of this season.

“We definitely let this one get away,” a dejected Jacob deGrom said after it was all over. “It felt like we had it, you know. We were up late in the game and we put together some great at-bats, this was ours to win. This one really hurts.”

Jeff McNeil, who had a two-run single and belted his 18th home run of the season, seemed inconsolable. “This might be the toughest one of the season. We had it. We had it and we blew it.”

“We are chasing the Nationals, we are chasing the Cubs, and a game like that we have got to win.”

McNeil is right of course, you can’t lose a game like that. Not now. Not ever. This loss was a disgrace. That six-run lead is now the largest ninth inning lead the Mets have ever blown in franchise  history.

There’s so many questions and blame to go around, but what I really want to know is where was Justin Wilson while this apocalypse was unfolding?

If Lugo is our best reliever, certainly Wilson is our second best, why wasn’t he on call? In a must-win game? Against the Washington f’king Nationals?

What the hell was Mickey thinking? With the bases loaded and the game on the line how do you go to Edwin “The Virus” Diaz (5.65 ERA, 13 HR) instead of Justin Wilson (2.10 ERA, 3 HR)?

If Diaz wasn’t already finished as a Met, he should be now. He is arguably one of the worst Mets acquisitions in a long time and should not pitch in anymore meaningful games as long as the Mets have any hope of still earning a wild card. Diaz has become absolutely worthless. Thanks Brodie.

“It kind of feels like a bad dream,” lamented Brandon Nimmo who had a huge game and has been red hot since being activated from the injured list.

“They scored seven runs in the bottom of the 9th against guys that were throwing 99 miles per hour… I just can’t believe it. I don’t really have words for that. That’s even hard to do in a Little League game.”

Edwin Diaz is literally the difference between the Mets being a Wild Card and not. Simple as that. He has been an absolute train-wreck in every sense of the word.

What did Mickey have to say about Diaz during the postgame? The first words out of his mouth, “He was electric.”

Thanks for your two f’king cents, pitching coach.

You know, we’ve seen the Mets bounce back from some tough losses or stretches more than a few times already this season.  They’ve been an incredibly resilient team.

But with 24 games to go and looking at all those demoralized faces in that clubhouse, the looks of shock, the words of dismay, and their overall body language, I’m not so sure the Mets are bouncing back from this one.

I’m not saying they can’t, but that was as stunned and depressing a club house as I’ve seen all season. They finally figured out how to wipe the smile off Brandon Nimmo‘s face.

Shot through the heart…

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