They’ve seen their season take a huge hit with a 12-game losing streak and being swept at home by teams such as the Athletics and the Colorado Rockies. There are areas to improve, and New York has been no stranger to early in-season trades in recent memory.

Let’s dive into what the front office can do right now to improve the club.

Brad Penner-Imagn Images

Finding Another Veteran Starter

While the starting pitching has been a bright spot in an otherwise dismal start for the Mets, that rotation could still use another veteran. With the struggles of Kodai Senga and David Peterson, New York has already turned to other options to fill that void. Peterson has been coming out of the bullpen, and the Mets called up Christian Scott as he gets another chance. They are also still waiting on Jonah Tong. A veteran might be what they need right now.

Luis Severino has been a topic of reunion, but the Athletics currently sit in first place in the AL West, so an early in-season trade for Severino seems unlikely at the moment.

Erik Fedde of the Chicago White Sox would be an intriguing option. Fedde has both started and come out of the bullpen for the White Sox and has pitched to a 3.42 ERA.

When the Rockies recently swept the Mets, Michael Lorenzen and Jose Quintana, another former Met, pitched well and could be had for a trade eventually.

Jonathan Hui-Imagn Images

Offensive Help

To the biggest concern of the Mets: the offense. Put simply, they’ve been dreadful, ranking toward the bottom of most offensive categories.

It doesn’t help that the injury bug has bitten the offense. Juan Soto missed two weeks with a calf injury. Then, on the same day Soto returned to the lineup, Francisco Lindor injured his calf and will be out for a significant amount of time. Jorge Polanco, whom the Mets signed to fill the void at first base, tried to play through an Achilles injury before finally going on the injured list with a wrist issue. Luis Robert Jr is currently day-to-day with a back injury. Lindor’s replacement, Ronny Mauricio, fractured his thumb over the weekend, too.

As of now, New York is hoping players such as Brett Baty and Mark Vientos step it up after early-season struggles. Carson Benge has hit well lately. A lot of the Mets’ offense depends on players simply playing better—Bo Bichette, Marcus Siemian, Lindor, Baty, and Vientos to name a few.

In terms of bats the Mets could add soon, there’s someone like Luis Arraez, who could play both second base and first base and give Polanco more at-bats at designated hitter when he returns. Arraez is batting .308 so far in 2026 with 40 hits. The San Francisco Giants are at the bottom of the NL West and are trying to compete, so they can wait until the trade deadline.

A Power Bat

Power is certainly one thing the offense is lacking. It’s not for a lack of talent, but the home run just hasn’t hit the Mets’ offense so far. A player that the Mets saw over the weekend and could help them in the power department is Jorge Soler. Soler has seven home runs and could be a big right-handed power bat at designated hitter, especially if the Mets continue to see Vientos struggle at the plate.

Will The Mets Be in Position to Make a Trade?

Teams can make an early in-season trade before the deadline. For the Mets, they may not be able to afford to wait until August 3. The Mets might have to pull the trigger now on a trade to improve elements on the team before the season really starts slipping away. That’s the position the Mets are in right now, playing below their capabilities.

The post 6 Potential Early-Season Trade Targets for the Mets appeared first on Metsmerized.

Position: IF B/T: L/R

Player Data: Age: 28 (4/9/1997)

2025 Traditional Stats: 675 PA, .292/.327/.392/.719, 181 H, 8 HR, 61 RBI

2025 Advanced Stats: 109 wRC+, 3.1% K%, 3.6% BB%, .289 BABiP, .300 xwOBA, 0.9 fWAR, 1.2 bWAR, 3 DRS (1B), -2 DRS (2B), -6 OAA (1B), -1 OAA (2B)

RUNDOWN

Three-time batting title holder Luis Arráez may be one of the most polarizing players in baseball. He has been hailed as the second coming of Tony Gwynn, but he has also been called an overrated slap hitter. The truth likely lies somewhere in between.

Arraez has been rated an above-average hitter by WRC+ every season of his career, but has only been considered an above-average overall player by fWAR twice and bWAR three times. This is because he is very limited defensively and on the base paths. He has been rated as a below-average baserunner every season since he was a rookie by FanGraphs’ baserunning value at negative-4. He spent most of the last season at either first base or the designated hitter spot because of his defensive limitations, though he did work in at second base in fourteen games. With these limitations, there is even more pressure on his bat.

From a pure hit tool standpoint, there may not be anyone better at making contact than Luis Arraez. Last year he was in the 100^th percentile in zone contact at 96.4%, the 99th percentile in whiff rate at 4.8%, and the 99th percentile in K% at 3.1%. Since his debut, he leads all hitters in batting average at .317. He ranks 16th in OBP between Alex Bregman and Ketel Marte.

By WRC+, Arráez ranks 72nd since his debut with a career 117 WRC+. Across the same time period, this puts him between Bryan Reynolds and Luke Voit. He also ranks 210th in SLG between Tyrone Taylor and Daniel Vogelbach.

Luis Arraez last year ranked in the first percentile in hard-hit rate at 18.9%, second percentile in barre rate at 1.1%, seventh percentile in average exit velocity at 84.7 MPH, seventh percentile in max exit velocity at 107.8 MPH, and 15^th percentile in chase rate at 34.1%. He also only pulled the ball in the air 10.8% which was in the bottom 20% of major league hitters. This all coincided with his career worst .719 OPS this season and career worst .292 AVG.

So what does all of this mean? What type of player is Luis Arráez? He is a contact-heavy, above-average hitter that provides limited value outside of his hit tool (which is still elite). But to really make an impact on a team, he needs to be leading the league in hits and pulling the ball in the air at a 13-14% clip like he was when he won all of those batting titles. Arraez could complement a team that has an aggressive, power-heavy lineup and serve as a table setter at the bottom of the lineup.

CONTRACT

MLB Trade Rumors projects Arraez to sign a two-year $24 million contract. His contract will be a test as to how much teams still value batting average in the modern game.

RECOMMENDATION: STAY AWAY

The Mets have reportedly been looking for right-handed bats to complement to add into the lineup. As a first baseman and designated hitter, Arráez would most likely be a replacement for Pete Alonso if he signs elsewhere, not signed in addition to him. The Mets are looking to improve their overall defense, and rostering two players with limited defensive ability does not align with that strategy. If Pete decides to sign with another team, the Mets will more likely target another bat with HR capability to cover some of the gap he will leave. Citi Field’s dimensions may also work against Arraez, as his extra-base hit ability may be diminished. With how the Mets’ roster is currently constructed, it is hard to see how Arraez would fit.

The post FREE AGENT PROFILE: LUIS ARRÁEZ, IF appeared first on Metsmerized.

Arráez became the first player to win three straight batting titles with three different teams in 2024, batting .314/.346/.392 with an NL-leading 200 hits, but only hitting four homers in 672 plate appearances. While his strikeout rate dropped to a minuscule 4.3%, his 3.6% walk rate was the lowest of his career, as was his 86.1 miles per hour average exit velocity and 23.7% hard-hit rate. Arráez’s chase rate also increased to a career-worst 35.3%. His 1.1 fWAR is the second-lowest mark of his career, just ahead of the pandemic-shortened 2020 season. Arráez also struggled defensively, posting negative-6 OAA at first base and negative-7 OAA at second base. Arráez will make $14 million during the 2025 season.

The post Report: Mets Open to Trading for Luis Arráez appeared first on Metsmerized.

On Saturday, the Mets (16-17) fell to the Rays (16-18) 3-1, putting the Mets below .500 for the first time since April 14 when the team was 7-8. It’s been an up-and-down season for the Mets, who have had a losing streak as long as five and a winning streak as long as six. They are now 4-9 in their last 13 games and will look to avoid a series sweep in Sunday afternoon’s contest.

Kim Klement Neitzel-USA TODAY Sports

Latest Mets News

Despite the loss, Christian Scott was as advertised in his major league debut. He threw for 6 2/3 innings, holding the Rays to just one run. He allowed five hits and a walk and struck out six batters. The 24-year-old figures to be a key fixture in the Mets rotation for the rest of the year and should rack up plenty of wins if he can get more run support.

Latest MLB News

Trea Turner told media members on Saturday that he expects to miss at least six weeks with his hamstring injury. Turner was off to a fantastic start this year, slashing .343/.392/.460/.852 with two home runs and 10 stolen bases in 33 games.

Luis Arráez had a terrific debut for the Padres on Saturday, tallying four hits in six at-bats from the leadoff spot while serving as the designated hitter. He also recorded an RBI and scored two runs in San Diego’s 13-1 win over the Diamondbacks. Arráez raised his batting average on the year from .299 to .315 in the effort.

Meanwhile, Arráez’s former team, the Marlins, were walloped 20-4 by the A’s. The Marlins’ dreadful season continues as they drop to 9-26, while the A’s have been pleasantly surprising and sit at .500 at 17-17.

Latest on MMO

Matt Mongin highlights Friday’s minor league games, including David Peterson‘s second rehab start and Brandon Sproat‘s stellar outing.

Alexis Farinacci writes about Brett Baty‘s impressive night at the plate on Friday.

Jack Markowski details why Christian Scott is set up to have big league success.

Nick Rucco continues our list of MMO’s top 30 prospects with Colin Houck at No. 11.

On This Date in Mets History

2004: Mike Piazza broke the record for the most home runs by a catcher in major league history. His 352nd homer as a catcher broke Carlton Fisk‘s long-standing record, and Piazza still stands today as the home run king at his position.

Birthdays: Juan Acevedo (54)

The post Morning Briefing: Mets Fall Back Below .500 appeared first on Metsmerized.

Late Friday night, the Padres and Marlins completed the first big trade of the year, as Miami sent Luis Arráez to San Diego for reliever Woo-Suk Go and prospects Dillon Head, Jakob Marsee, and Nathan Martorella. Jeff Passan of ESPN was first on the trade, while Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic had the return.

Arráez is a two-time batting champion and two-time All-Star, known for being one of the best pure contact hitters in the game. He’s having a bit of a down start of the season for his standards, but he’s still batting .299 and has a 105 OPS+.

The Marlins are in the midst of a miserable season and there will likely be more trades on the way if things don’t turn around. For now, it’s Arráez who gets dealt to San Diego where he’ll look to help out an underwhelming Padres team.

Rhona Wise-USA TODAY Sports

Latest Mets News

The Mets (16-16) fell to the Rays (15-18) 10-8 Friday night. Jose Quintana could not find his rhythm as he allowed eight runs in 2 2/3 innings. On the bright side, the offense showed signs of life with Brett Baty recording his second and third home runs of the year.

Prior to Friday’s game, manager Carlos Mendoza announced that Adrian Houser will be moving to the bullpen with Christian Scott set to join the major league team. Houser has struggled immensely this season as he currently sits with an 8.16 ERA.

David Peterson made his second rehab start for the St. Lucie Mets on Friday. He pitched 3 1/3 scoreless innings and allowed just one hit while striking out four. He threw 39 total pitches, 23 of which were strikes.

Mets prospect Nick Morabito was named the FSL Player of the Month for the month of April. The 2022 second-round draft pick slashed .397/.518/.529/1.047 over the course of the month in St. Lucie and ended the month with a seven-game hitting streak.

The FCL Mets roster was released on Friday with their season starting Saturday. Jeremy Rodriguez, who was acquired from the Diamondbacks for Tommy Pham in 2023, is the most notable name on the roster.

Latest MLB News

MLB and Nike released a statement on Friday confirming that modifications are coming to the new uniforms by 2025.

The Orioles announced their Hall of Fame Class of 2024 which includes outfielder Nick Markakis, utilityman and hitting coach Terry Crowley, and scout Dick Bowie.

The Pirates activated catcher Yasmani Grandal from the injured list. In a corresponding move, the team sent Henry Davis to Triple-A.

The Twins placed outfielder Byron Buxton on the 10-day injured list with right knee inflammation. In a corresponding move, the Twins recalled Austin Martin from Triple-A. Buxton has recorded a .691 OPS in 92 plate appearances this year.

Latest on MMO

Metsmerized is giving away an autographed Christian Scott card to celebrate his major league debut! Click the link here and retweet and follow us on X to enter.

Sean Kenny highlights Thursday’s minor league games, including Jonah Tong‘s impressive High-A debut.

Michael Famulari writes about Francisco Lindor‘s heroics in Thursday’s walk-off victory over the Cubs.

Christian De Block previews the Mets’ series against the Rays, who have been uncharacteristically struggling of late.

On This Date in Mets History

1966: Jack Hamilton, who started just 13 games in 1966 despite 57 appearances, pitched a one-hit shutout. The only hit Hamilton allowed was to Ray Sadecki, the opposing pitcher, who bunted for a single.

Birthdays: Akeem Bostick (29), Robinson Cancel (48), Miguel Cairo (50), Manny Aybar (52)

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Jeff McNeil, second baseman for the New York Mets, is one of those players who has accomplished plenty in his six-year career. 2023 was not kind to him, however, and he is surely hoping for a bounce-back 2024 campaign. So, where does he rank among second basemen within the NL East? Does a poor 2023 season knock him down a spot or two? Continuing Metsmerized Online’s series of NL East positional rankings, this is how the second basemen stack up.

Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

5. Luis García – Washington Nationals

There is a clear choice for the no. 5 spot here, and that’s not necessarily a knock on Luis García. All it shows is the talent each team in the division has at the second base position. Nevertheless, García is nothing more than a below-average player at best. He’s been in Washington for four years but didn’t get quality playing time until after the 2021 trade deadline, which saw Trea Turner and Josh Harrison shipped away.

In his four years in the big leagues, García carries a career .690 OPS and has never hit double-digit home runs in a single season; his career high is nine, set in 2023. He has also yet to play more than 122 games or record more than 482 plate appearances in a single season, so 2024 could certainly be a breakout year for him if he can stay healthy and play nearly every day. It’s also important to mention that, despite being in the big leagues for four years, García is still just 23 years old. While he finds himself at no. 5 on this list now, he has plenty of potential to improve his standing in the future.

Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports

4. Bryson Stott – Philadelphia Phillies

Bryson Stott has only been in the big leagues for two seasons, but in those two seasons, he has seen his team reach the World Series and come within one win of going to the World Series in back-to-back years. As the everyday second baseman on a dangerous Phillies team, he has provided many big moments but still leaves much to be desired.

The 25-year-old lefty improved a lot at the plate from 2022 to 2023, seeing his OPS rise nearly .100 points from .653 to .747. Still, though, he is not at the level the Phillies are hoping he can reach. 2024 could be the year he reaches that level, but to this point, he has yet to show he’s nothing more than an average hitter. Playing every day in 2023 and recording 640 plate appearances, Stott recorded just 15 home runs and 62 RBIs. While these numbers are respectable, you would probably expect more from the sheer volume of at-bats he took.

Stott happens to be a very good defender (99th percentile in OAA in 2023) so that certainly makes up for not being elite at the plate. Like García, he is still young and has plenty of room to grow. In most other divisions, Stott would find himself higher than no. 4 in the rankings, but this is where he currently lands in the NL East.

Rick Scuteri-USA TODAY Sports

3. Jeff McNeil – New York Mets

Ranking Jeff McNeil after his 2023 season is difficult because he definitely did not play up to his ability. At his best, McNeil is an All-Star and a batting champion, and he has accomplished both in his career as recently as 2022. In 2023, though, his OPS dropped over .100 points (.836 to .711) from the season before, and his average alone dropped .056 points (.326 to .270).

McNeil is now four years into a pattern that has seen him alternate good and bad years at the plate. In 2024, Eric Chávez returns as hitting coach, which is significant because McNeil won his only batting title with Chávez as the hitting coach in 2022. McNeil is surely hoping he can recapture some of the elite contact ability he has demonstrated throughout his career again in 2024. If he does? He can compete for an All-Star selection and another batting title. If he doesn’t? It’ll be another rough year in the shadow of two of the division’s (and league’s) best second basemen.

Mandatory Credit: Rhona Wise-USA TODAY Sports

2. Luis Arráez – Miami Marlins

While McNeil at his best is regarded as one of the best contact hitters in the sport, he’s not even the best contact hitter in his division anymore. In year one on the Marlins, Luis Arráez casually hit .354 in 617 plate appearances, the highest average in a single season since Josh Hamilton hit .359 in 2010. For a while, it looked like Arráez might be able to hit .400 on the year, but I’m sure he’s okay with settling for .354.

In addition to recording a hit seemingly every time he stepped up to the plate, Arráez also walked more than he struck out in 2023, the second consecutive year in which he did that. He has made two consecutive All-Star teams, won two consecutive batting titles, and carries a career .326 average.

The downside for Arráez is that hitting is the only thing he does well. He can’t run and is not very good defensively (1st percentile in OAA in 2023). He hits so well, though, that it almost doesn’t matter. There will never be another Tony Gwynn, but Arráez is the closest thing we’ve seen to him in a long time.

Ozzie Albies. Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

1. Ozzie Albies – Atlanta Braves

You could absolutely make the case that Arráez is the best second baseman in the NL East, but it would be hard to argue against Ozzie Albies. Albies was an All-Star and a second-team All-MLB selection in 2023, the best year of his seven-year career. He recorded a marginally lower OPS than Arráez (.849 compared to .861) but set career highs in home runs (33) and RBIs (109), both of which led primary second basemen in 2023.

What most separates Albies from Arráez is, of course, his ability to hit for power. In 2023, Albies recorded 68 extra-base hits and had a .233 ISO compared to Arráez, who had 43 extra-base hits and a .115 ISO. Albies served as an integral member of one of the most productive lineups in MLB history and is currently one of the top players at his position in the league. Heading into 2024, he takes the crown for best second baseman in the NL East.

The post 2024 NL East Position Rankings: Second Base Edition appeared first on Metsmerized.

Rhona Wise-USA TODAY Sports

José Butto took the mound for the Mets, making a notable return to the majors this month. In his last two starts, he logged an impressive 11 1/3 innings, striking out 13 batters and allowing merely three earned runs.

On the other end for the Marlins on the mound was Edward Cabrera. Since his comeback from an injury sustained in July, Cabrera has appeared twice, covering 8 2/3 innings and accumulating 13 strikeouts. As Cabrera readies himself for a potential postseason role, he endeavors to reverse his past struggles against the Mets, having carried a career ERA of 6.65 in their previous encounters.

Monday marked the return of Luis Guillorme, who was slated to start at second base and was activated off the injured list. He had been sidelined on the injured list since July 22 due to a calf injury. In the 50 games he has played this season, the defensive specialist has posted a batting average of .238 with an on-base percentage of .304 and a slugging percentage of .347. Jonathan Araúz was optioned to Triple-A Syracuse.

In the opening inning, Luis Arraez secured his 200th hit of the season for the Marlins with a base hit. However, Miami failed to score as Butto skillfully navigated out of a tight spot. Butto continued to impress, racking up four strikeouts during his first time through the Marlins’ batting order. The Mets had a runner reach base in the fourth inning when DJ Stewart singled, but he was promptly picked off at first base.

In the subsequent half-inning, Mark Vientos delivered an RBI single to bring in Mauricio, who had stolen a base to secure the game’s first run. In the bottom of the sixth, Jorge Soler launched a towering shot to left field that was initially called a two-run home run. After a discussion among the umpires, the call was reversed to a foul ball. Following this decision, a crew chief review confirmed the foul ball call. Although the ball cleared the pole, it was deemed to have veered foul, hitting the far left side of the left field scoreboard. A few pitches later, Soler struck out on a full count slider.

Both Cabrera and Butto showcased their pitching prowess for their respective teams, as the game was tied during their exits. Cabrera completed 5 1/3 innings, allowing four hits and conceding only one earned run while striking out four. Butto, on the other hand, pitched six innings, surrendering four hits, one earned run, and striking out six.

In the top of the eighth inning, former Met David Robertson entered the game. He started by inducing a groundout from Luis Guillorme but then allowed consecutive hits to Brandon Nimmo and Francisco Lindor. With a jam brewing, Robertson rallied and struck out DJ Stewart and Pete Alonso, both looking. The Mets bullpen, with Grant Hartwig and Phil Bickford each pitching an inning, held Miami off the board and kept the Marlins from scoring.

In the top of the ninth inning, Jeff McNeil stepped up and smashed his 10th home run of the season deep into right field on a 1-1 count against Tanner Scott, giving the Mets a 2-1 lead. Omar Narváez followed with a single to center field after Ronny Mauricio struck out. Vientos hit a line drive to third base, but Jake Burger mishandled it, putting runners on first and second with just one out. Francisco Álvarez came in as a pinch hitter with the opportunity to break the game open but popped out to second base, with the infield fly rule called. Brandon Nimmo then struck out on three fastballs, allowing Miami to escape the jam.

In the bottom of the ninth, Miami’s heart of the order faced Adam Ottavino. Ottavino got Josh Bell to ground out to second for the first out, struck out Jazz Chisolm Jr. looking for the second out, and then fanned Jake Burger swinging to secure his 11th save of the season. This victory helped the Mets claim the series opener in Miami and boosted their record to 6-2 against the Marlins this season.

Statistic of The Game

According to MLB.com’s Anthony DiComo, Ronny Mauricio has set a new Mets record with six stolen bases in his first 14 career games, surpassing Keith Miller and Mookie Wilson, who both had five, and Lee Mazzilli, who had four.

Player of The Game

José Butto was stellar for the Mets on the mound as he pitched six innings, only giving up four hits, one earned run, and striking out six, matching his counterpart for Miami. His strong start is another notch in his belt and strengthens his case to secure a spot on the 2024 pitching staff.

On Deck

The Mets and Marlins go at it again Tuesday night in the second game of the series, as Joey Lucchesi takes the mound for New York, while Braxton Garrett toes the slab for Miami.

The post Butto, McNeil Help Mets Play Spoiler in 2-1 Win Over Marlins appeared first on Metsmerized.

For the survey, 103 players were polled, representing 22 teams. They were asked to rate if the rules were good for the game on a scale of one to five, with one being “not good” and five being “very good.” Here is what they said.

Shift Ban

The players gave the shift ban an average score of 3.9. Here are a couple of their verbatim responses:

On giving it a 5: “Because I’m a left-handed hitter. The shift killed my career for about three years.”

“Five for me (on banning the shift). I love making cool plays and getting hits on the other end.”

“I’m not much for telling teams how they can and can’t line up.”

Bigger Bases

The larger bases are also seen as a favorable development. The bigger cushions averaged 3.7 in the poll.

“For safety reasons, as a first baseman, I like it.”

“Anything to keep us safer is great.”

“Bigger bases have no real effect. People are stealing more, but it’s not because of the bases.”

Pitch Clock

The rule causing the most discussion this season is the pitch clock. In fact, during the Mets’ telecast on July 9, a point of discussion was whether veteran pitchers are being disproportionately affected by having to suddenly change the way they’ve done something they’ve for many years. Also, it’s fair to wonder if the need to be ready more quickly had an even greater effect on older pitchers, such as Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander. In the poll, the players gave the pitch clock a 3.7 for its impact on the game, and had some interesting comments.

“I’d say five, but there have been a lot of pitcher injuries and I want to see how it plays out through the whole season, to see if they find a correlation between the clock and injuries. But otherwise, it’s great.”

“The clock itself is fine. The result of an at-bat should not be dictated by the clock.”

“Everybody runs the clock differently. Some teams run it fast, some teams run it slow. Some teams, soon as the out happens, the 30-second clock starts. Some teams wait for the ball to get back to the infield before the clock (starts). It’s got its pros and cons, but overall I think it’s good. It shortens the games. … It’s saving our bodies and it’s saving time.”

The last quote is interesting about inconsistencies across ballparks. MLB has to correct that. As a follow up, players were asked if the pitch clock rule should be tweaked for the postseason. The general theme of the responses was that the clock should be set at least 20 seconds for all pitches in the playoffs. That seems to make sense, as it’s not a good look for the game to have critical at-bats decided by clock violations. One player put it this way:

“I wouldn’t mind seeing 20 seconds between pitches with nobody on and 25 or 30 with people on. In the postseason, every pitch is so magnified … there are high-stress pitches being thrown and you’re making them rush through it and it can potentially get dangerous.”

The players were asked about cities for expansion, and overwhelmingly, they said Nashville was the best choice placing Music City well ahead of Portland and Montreal. One player noted, and logically so, that uptake of a team in Nashville may be slow, since fans in the area are likely already rooting for the Cincinnati Reds, St. Louis Cardinals, or Atlanta Braves.

Though Commissioner Rob Manfred is not a favorite among baseball fans, the new rules, though not perfect, have increased the pace of play, and added more offense to the game in 2023 (hits, stolen bases, and runs are up). Based on the poll referenced above, the rules have been received well by the players, with opportunities for future adjustments. Time will tell if Manfred and the Competition Committee are open to the idea of making modifications.

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Francisco Álvarez. Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

Sunday, April 9, 2023 • 1:40 PM
Citi Field • Flushing, New York
LHP Braxton Garrett (0-0, 6.00) vs. RHP Carlos Carrasco (0-1, 11.25)
SNY

The New York Mets (5-4) look to close out the weekend with a win and a sweep this afternoon at Citi Field. Yesterday, the Mets rolled through the Miami Marlins (3-6) thanks to an excellent start from Kodai Senga and a fourth home run of the season in only three games from Pete Alonso.

This afternoon though all eyes are on Francisco Álvarez as the Mets’ top prospect gets his first start in 2023.

Mets Lineup:

Sunday funday. #LGM

🆚 Miami
💪 @Cookie_Carrasco
📺 @SNYtv
📻 @wcbs880 pic.twitter.com/VclN81fW4C

— New York Mets (@Mets) April 9, 2023

Carlos Carrasco looks to bounce back for a disastrous first game of the season where he allowed five runs via four hits in four innings against the Milwaukee Brewers. Carrasco allowed a home run, a calling card that he’s in trouble, and his velocity vanished about midway through the start. The whole game made for a disturbing start of the series for the Mets.

Hopefully, the Mets get a more familiar version of Carrasco this afternoon. Carrasco faced the Marlins five times last season allowing 10 runs from 29 hits and seven walks in 28 2/3 innings (3.14 ERA) while striking out 27 batters. The Marlins have the following career numbers against him:

• Avisaíl García, 12-for-45, 2B, HR, BB, 13 K
• Jean Segura, 7-for-18, 2B, 3 HR, 3 K
• Bryan De La Cruz, 4-for-16, 2B, HR, 5 K
• Yuli Gurriel, 5-for-15, 2 2B, 3 K
• Jon Berti, 3-for-12, 2 2B, 2 K
• Jazz Chisholm Jr., 2-for-11, 2B, BB, 4 K
• Jacob Stallings, 1-for-11, 3 K
• Garrett Cooper, 4-for-10, 2B, BB, 3 K
• Jesús Sánchez, 1-for-10, BB, 3 K
• Jorge Soler, 1-for-7, 2 BB, 4 K
• Nick Fortes, 3-for-5, K
• Luis Arraez, 0-for-5, 2 K ,

Marlins Lineup:

#Marlins lineup on this Easter Sunday vs the Mets and Carlos Carrasco. Cooper at DH. Gurriel at 1B. Fortes catching Braxton Garrett. pic.twitter.com/zkohgrnXuT

— Jordan McPherson (@J_McPherson1126) April 9, 2023

Braxton Garrett will make his first start of the season today. So far, he has pitched in one game as a reliever, tossing three innings against the Mets. In those three innings, he allowed two runs from six hits, including a home run.

Garrett made 17 starts last season totaling 88 innings with a 3.58 ERA, 3.56 FIP, 1.250 WHIP and a 114 ERA+. This includes two starts against the Mets who racked up six runs on eight hits and three walks over 9 2/3 innings. The Mets have the following career numbers against him:

• Tommy Pham, 4-for-10, 3 K
• Pete Alonso, 2-for-7, HR, 2 BB
• Brandon Nimmo, 0-for-7
• Mark Canha, 2-for-5, HR, BB, K
• Eduardo Escobar, 0-for-6, K
• Francisco Lindor, 3-for-6, 2B, 2 HR, K
• Starling Marte, 2-for-4, 2B, K
• Jeff McNeil, 1-for-3

Game Notes

Brett Baty is back in Triple-A Syracuse’s lineup. He’s scheduled to play third base and bat second. Baty missed a couple games due to thumb soreness.

Three Things To Watch For

1. Francisco Álvarez: The Mets’ top prospect was playing in Syracuse (Triple-A) to start the season, 5 1/2 years younger than the average player. In four games and 19 plate appearances, he has collected four hits including a double and two home runs. Last season, he had a .885 OPS between Binghamton (Double-A) and Syracuse (Triple-A) before the Mets called him up.
2. Four in Three Games? Pete Alonso is tied for the league lead in home runs with five after hitting his fourth in three games during Saturday’s game. Alonso only has eight hits so far this season, but, he is making the most of them. Here’s hoping he continues to ride this hot streak (and his very early, way to small sample size .706 slugging percentage).
3. See you later Marlins! The Mets faced the Marlins six times during spring training. Then, New York played the Marlins seven times over the first ten games of the season (including today). The Mets and Marlins won’t see each other again until late September when they will do play another two series against each other over a week and a half. The Mets certainly will be happy to get a break from Luis Arráez. See you in the fall Marlins!

The post MMO Game Thread: Marlins vs. Mets, 1:40 P.M. appeared first on Metsmerized.

David Peterson. Photo by Ed Delany of MetsmerizedOnline

David Peterson took the hill for the Mets’ second game of the season and dodged traffic all night long. The left-hander only pitched one clean inning and allowed multiple base runners to reach in four innings, but he was able to keep the Marlins at bay for the most part.

Peterson had Marlins lead-off man Luis Arraez in an 0-2 hole to start his night, but after narrowly missing on a slider, Peterson ended up issuing a walk. He then induced a double-play from Jean Segura, which was aided by a slick diving stop by Pete Alonso. After Starling Marte misplayed Garrett Cooper‘s shallow fly ball into a triple, Peterson fielded a hard comebacker off the bat of Jazz Chisholm Jr. for the third out.

Peterson surrendered a lead-off homer to Jorge Soler on his first pitch of the second inning, and back-to-back singles by Yuli Gurriel and Nick Fortes put the Marlins in business with one out. Peterson was able to escape though, striking out Jon Berti on a slider and getting Arraez to ground out to Alonso.

There was a lot to prove for Peterson as a starter heading into this game, and indeed into the 2023 season, and his first outing of the year was a real grind from start to finish with both highs and lows. However, rather than worry about what has come before, Peterson stressed that he’s just focused on helping the Mets to win right now.

“I mean, I’m not thinking about previous years and I’m not thinking about anything,” Peterson said after the game. “I was told I was going to start this game and that’s been my whole focus and it’s going to be my focus. Every day is getting ready for the next one. I want to contribute and help this team win. That’s my main goal and focus.”

The Mets’ defense helped Peterson out again in the third inning. With Cooper on first and two out, Soler hit a scorching line drive, but Francisco Lindor made a leaping grab to save a run. Soler’s liner was hit 106.5 miles per hour and had an expected batting average of .900, which was the highest for either side in the game. Peterson was also bailed out thanks to great plays from Jeff McNeil and Alonso.

“Yeah, I mean the defense was outstanding,” Peterson said. “It’s nice to pitch when balls are hit, guys are there and they’re going to make plays and they did a hell of a job. I felt it just came down to being able to use all my pitches, at certain points I was able to throw everything out when I needed to and get out of some of those things. It was just mixing it up and using all of my weapons.”

After a 1-2-3 fourth inning, Peterson immediately found trouble in the bottom of the fifth, allowing singles to Berti and Arraez. After striking out Segura, Cooper hit a ground ball that deflected off Alonso’s glove, but McNeil scrambled after the ball and threw Berti out trying to score from second. Peterson retired Chisholm on a grounder to Alonso, ending his evening. Despite allowing eight hits, Peterson kept the Marlins to just one run in his five innings, striking out five and walking only one.

Peterson’s fastball topped out at 96.1 MPH and averaged just over 93 MPH on the night, which is almost directly in line with his season average from a year ago. However, he registered just two swings and misses on his fastballs. On the other hand, Peterson threw 28 sliders and registered six whiffs on 14 swings. His slider also averaged 96 more RPM than it did last year.

“I liked that he only had one walk, that’s probably why he was able to survive,” Buck Showalter said after the game. “If he stays in the strike zone, he’s got good enough stuff to compete up here every time out.”

While it may not have been the prettiest start, Peterson did a good job staying composed and made big pitches when he needed to in clutch moments. With the Mets down a couple of starters, he has a big role to play in the team’s rotation. His next start is slated for Wednesday afternoon against the Brewers.

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