Luis Guillorme completed his first rehab assignment on Friday night with High-A Brooklyn. He struck out three times at the plate but his defense was on display when he made a great stop at third base before turning a double play. Guillorme has been sidelined since late July with an injured calf, and this is the first step in his return. Whether his return is with the big league club remains to be seen, as he had a measly .650 OPS before his injury and there may not be room with Ronny Mauricio now in the picture. Nevertheless, it’s good to see Luis back in action and coming back from a tough injury.

Latest Mets News

The Mets dropped the first game of the series against the Twins on Friday night, 5-2. Kodai Senga gave up just two runs in six innings despite not having his best stuff, and Francisco Lindor provided the only offense of the night with a two-run double.

Lindor was announced as the Mets’ nominee for the Roberto Clemente Award for the 2023 season. The full list of nominees from each team can be found here.

Pitching prospect Calvin Ziegler has been activated off the 60-day injured list and is set to make his season debut this weekend with Low-A St. Lucie.

Latest MLB News

Mike Petriello of MLB.com wrote about how the most productive spot in the batting order by OPS is the no. 2 spot, which has never happened in the live-ball era.

Per Jeff Passan and Paula Lavigne of ESPN, the felony domestic violence incident involving Julio Urías was captured on video, which is now in the possession of law enforcement.

Passan also reported that the Rockies and pitcher Germán Márquez agreed to a two-year, $20 million contract extension. Márquez is set to miss most of the 2024 season as he recovers from Tommy John surgery.

The Dodgers announced that Walker Buehler, who is recovering from Tommy John surgery, will not return for the 2023 season and will instead focus on being ready for the start of 2024.

Nationals owner Mark Lehner released a statement on Stephen Strasburg‘s canceled retirement ceremony, expressing disappointment that private discussions were made public. He ended his statement by saying he looks forward to seeing Strasburg during spring training in 2024.

Jon Heyman of the New York Post broke down much of the recent dysfunction surrounding the Nationals and the higher-ups in the organization, including the Strasburg retirement fiasco, the inability to sign GM Mike Rizzo to an extension, the letting go of multiple respected scouts, and the resignation of a top executive in Johnny DiPuglia.

The Staten Island FerryHawks announced that they will be holding “Shaolin Hawks night” on September 13. The game night will be in collaboration with the Wu-Tang Clan and will benefit the Children’s Literacy Society.

With his home run on Friday night, Jasson Dominguez at 20-years-old became the youngest player since at least 1901 to hit a home run in four of his first seven career games.

Latest on MMO

In the latest Mets Minors Recap, Sean Kenny highlights brilliant performances by Joander Suarez and Drew Gilbert.

Allison Waxman writes about the Baby Mets and why they are the key to sustained success.

Jack Markowski breaks down the state of the Mets and Twins following this previous offseason’s Carlos Correa saga, with the Mets and Twins playing against each other.

Jack Sargente analyzes an article from The Athletic that suggests that staying on the West Coast will not mean more to Shohei Ohtani in free agency than the possibility of winning championships.

On This Date in Mets History

1969: The Mets recorded their 82nd win of the season on this date in 1969, clinching the team’s first winning record in franchise history. Tom Seaver threw a complete game and recorded his 21st win of the season in the victory.

Birthdays: Billy Hamilton (33), Kazuhisa Ishii (50), Mike Hampton (51), Todd Zeile (58)

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Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

Good morning, Mets fans.

The Mets lost their seventh game in a row on Friday in embarrassing fashion as they fell to the Pirates 14-7. A poor outing from Tylor Megill and defensive blunders put the game out of reach early despite the Mets’ best effort at a comeback in the ninth inning. The seven-game losing streak is the Mets’ longest since they lost seven straight from June 23 to June 29 in 2019 and it puts them four games under .500 for the first time since 2021. To add insult to injury, the Braves and Phillies are riding six-game win streaks while the Marlins’ own six-game win streak just came to an end last night.

Latest Mets News

Tomás Nido cleared waivers after being designated for assignment earlier in the week, and will accept an outright to Syracuse if he is not traded.

In more concerning news, Pete Alonso was diagnosed with a bone bruise and sprain of his left wrist. While he fortunately avoided a fracture, the typical time for recovery from this injury is three-to-four weeks. As he was placed on the 10-day IL, Luis Guillorme was recalled from Triple-A Syracuse to replace him.

Zach Muckenhirn was also recalled from Triple-A on Friday, with Stephen Nogosek being designated for assignment.

Joel Sherman of the New York Post talked to Billy Eppler amidst this dreadful stretch for the Mets, and Eppler expressed support in the coaching staff and the team to right the ship.

The Mets are hiring a Biomechanical Analyst. The page to apply for the position is linked here.

Latest MLB News

The Astros placed Yordan Álvarez on the 10-day injured list with right oblique discomfort.

Chris Sale has a stress reaction in his scapula, an injury that will require rest and rehab. He will be re-evaluated in three-to-four weeks.

Per MLB insider Héctor Gómez, Elly De La Cruz will pay 10% of his career salary earnings to Big League Advantage, a company that minor leaguers tend to take loans from due to low bonuses and minor league salaries.

The Nationals released relief pitcher Erasmo Ramírez who had been designated for assignment earlier in the week. The 33-year-old former Met has pitched to a 6.33 ERA in 27 innings out of the Washington bullpen despite a strong 2022 in which he posted a 2.92 ERA in 86 1/3 innings pitched.

The Blue Jays reinstated pitcher Mitch White from the 60-day injured list and designated Anthony Bass for assignment in a corresponding move.

Former Met Óliver Pérez threw the last pitch of his career on Thursday night in the Mexican League. The 41-year-old enjoyed a long MLB career and pitched in the big leagues as recently as last year.

Rustin Dodd of The Athletic wrote about Zack Greinke and why he continues to be effective even at 39 years of age.

The Cape Cod Baseball League announced a streaming partnership with D1Baseball for the 2023 season, allowing games in the CCBL to be streamed completely free of charge for fans.

Latest on MMO

In the latest Mets Minors Recap, Colby Morris highlighted Joey Lucchesi‘s strong performance for Triple-A Syracuse.

Michael Famulari wrote about Francisco Álvarez‘s two-homer game against the Braves on Thursday.

Christian De Block analyzed Justin Verlander‘s disappointing performance in Atlanta on Thursday.

Chris Bello wrote about the reports that the Mets have been scouting Alexis Díaz.

MMO is searching for a new editor. Read this tweet for details if interested.

On This Date in Mets History

Birthdays: Ken Singleton (76)

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Photo by Ed Delany of Metsmerized

In a week that has been mired by injuries, Luis Guillorme provided a much-needed bright spot for the Mets in their 6-1 win over the Marlins on Friday night.

Starting at shortstop, Guillorme got his evening started with a walk in the second inning, but came up with the bases loaded and none out in a tie game in the fourth. Guillorme turned on a Eury Perez cutter, ripping it down the right-field line for a bases-clearing double, giving the Mets a 4-1 lead. Guillorme later came around to score on Brandon Nimmo‘s bases-loaded walk.

Guillorme concluded his day at the dish by hitting an Andrew Nardi slider for a single. He was replaced by José Peraza in the sixth inning.

It was both a big and significant day for Guillorme given that he had struggled at the plate in spring training up to that point. Despite those struggles, however, the veteran was able to reach base three times on Friday and he will now hope to use that as a springboard in which to continue to build for the regular season. Guillorme is currently hitting .250 in the Grapefruit League.

Guillorme will once again be relied on to play a Swiss Army knife role in the infield – as he’s seen time at second base, third base, and shortstop this spring. Last year, the 28-year-old ranked in the 91st percentile in Outs Above Average according to Statcast, racking three OAA at second base, two at shortstop, and one at third base.

While he doesn’t necessarily stand out offensively, he does a good job avoiding strikeouts (13.8% strikeout rate), and his batted-ball data improved across the board in 2022. Guillorme won’t be an everyday player in 2023, but his versatility will allow him to be a leader for the “Bench Mob,” and he’ll be called upon to provide rest for the starters whenever necessary.

As such, the fact that Guillorme is starting to see results at the plate this late in spring can only be seen as a positive, both for him and for the Mets. And, with Brandon Nimmo having left Friday’s game with right ankle soreness, coupled with the fact that the Mets appear snakebitten when it comes to injuries right now, Guillorme may have a bigger role offensively to play in the early weeks of the 2023 regular season.

The post Luis Guillorme Will Play Important Role Again In 2023 Season appeared first on Metsmerized.

Photo by Ed Delany of Metsmerized

The Mets took on the Marlins at Clover Park on Friday night. Carlos Carrasco took the mound for New York while Miami’s number one prospect, Eury Pérez, got the start for the Marlins.

Carrasco experienced issues with the PitchCom device in his cap to start the game, receiving a pitch clock violation and ultimately walking the leadoff batter Garrett Hampson after getting ahead in the count 0-2. Hampson subsequently stole a base and was driven in by a Jerar Encarnación double to make it a 1-0 game.

After not getting anything going offensively in the first two innings, the Mets were able to tie up the game at one apiece in the bottom of the third. Brandon Nimmo ripped a triple down the right field line and scored on a wild pitch that got past Jacob Stallings behind the plate.

Carrasco settled in nicely after giving up the first-inning run. In the top of the fourth inning, he struck out the side, which finished his outing. Through four innings, Carrasco gave up the one run on two hits and a walk and struck out seven in a very impressive performance.

Pérez, however, could not rebound from the run he gave up in the third as the Mets attacked him in the bottom of the fourth. Daniel Vogelbach singled, Mark Canha doubled, and Darin Ruf reached on a catcher’s interference to load the bases with no outs. Then, Luis Guillorme hit a bases-clearing double to give the Mets a 4-1 lead and chase Pérez out of the game.

Huascar Brazobán came on in relief for Pérez but he was unable to limit the damage, giving up two more runs on a walk and a Starling Marte sacrifice fly, making it a 6-1 game.

On the next play, though, the Mets’ scoring outburst would be the last thing on Mets’ fans minds. Nimmo, while sliding into second base, appeared to jam his knee and looked to be in serious pain. He stayed down on the ground for a period of time before getting up and limping off the field under his own power. During the game, the Mets tweeted that Nimmo left the game with ankle soreness and will receive imaging on Saturday.

While the Mets offense couldn’t get much going for the rest of the game after this inning, neither could the Marlins. Jeff Brigham appeared in relief in the top of the fifth inning and struck out two Miami batters batters. Staying on for the sixth, Brigham struck out another batter but left the game with two outs after surrendering two walks. Needing one out to end the inning, Stephen Nogosek came on in relief and got Austin Allen to line out to the shortstop.

John Curtiss appeared in relief in the eighth inning for the Mets and, after walking the leadoff batter, induced a ground ball double play and another ground ball out to escape the inning relatively easily. T.J. McFarland came into the game in the ninth and worked around a couple of infield singles to close the door on the Marlins giving the Mets the victory.

Photo by Ed Delany of Metsmerized

Player of the Game

Luis Guillorme earns player of the game honors in this one. He impressed in tonight’s game, going 2-for-2 with a double and three RBIs. His bases-clearing double in the fourth inning broke a 1-1 tie and gave the Mets a lead that they wouldn’t let up. He added an opposite-field single in his next and final at-bat of the day, displaying his ability to hit to all fields which he has done so well the past few seasons for the Mets.

On Deck

The Mets head to The Ballpark of The Palm Beaches in West Palm Beach to face the Astros on Saturday night. Max Scherzer will be facing Framber Valdez. The game is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. ET.

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Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports

The trigger has been pulled on a significant trade in MLB today with the Minnesota Twins acquiring starting pitcher Pablo López from the Miami Marlins. The deal was first reported by Ken Rosenthal and Dan Hayes of The Athletic.

Later confirmed by Jeff Passan of ESPN, the Marlins received All-Star second baseman Luis Arraez as the cornerstone (and only) piece of the return package. Craig Mish of SportsGrid reported that infielder Jose Salas, the No. 4 overall prospect in the Miami farm system, according to Baseball America, would go back to the Twins.

The final piece of the puzzle in terms of the completed package was outfielder Byron Chourio, who also went to Minnesota along with López and Salas.

It was a major deal and it also looks like an immediate win-win for both franchises. The Marlins acquire a legit offensive weapon in Arraez, who is the reigning American League batting champion. He is also under club control for the next three years, which is another important piece of this deal.

Arraez hit .316/.375/.420/.795 with 49 RBI in 2022. He also finished with a 4.4 WAR and can put the ball in play at a very high rate. The 25-year-old becomes the first player to win a batting title and be traded the following offseason since Hall of Famer Rod Carew was dealt to the Angels after the 1978 season.

Interestingly, in the wake of Friday’s trade, Marlins general manager Kim Ng revealed that Jazz Chisholm Jr. will now play center field. Arraez will take over at second base from Chisholm Jr., with Jean Segura manning third in 2023. Chisholm Jr. has exclusively played at second and at shortstop during his big league career. Miami have now revamped its infield and added a different dynamic to its lineup.

For the Twins, this deal ticks a lot of boxes. For starters, they significantly upgrade their rotation with the addition of López. The righty posted a 3.75 ERA in 2022 with a 10-10 record for the Marlins. He also struck out 174 batters in 180 innings. The 26-year-old has averaged 8.6 strikeouts per nine for his career.

Minnesota also received a highly-rated prospect in Salas, who stole a combined 33 bases in 2022 at Single-A. He finished the year with a .339 on-base percentage and has star potential according to scouts. Chourio, meanwhile, batted .344 in his first season in the Dominican Summer League. He’s regarded as a plus runner, hitter and defender.

While the price was high for the Twins in terms of losing a quality bat in Arraez, they add a solid starter to the rotation and get two very good prospects with high ceilings in return. It adds to an offseason that saw star shortstop Carlos Correa return to Minnesota after his agreement with the Mets fell through. Correa eventually signed a six-year, $200 million contract with the Twins.

This is a pure baseball trade all round. The Marlins upgrade their infield and boost their lineup with Arraez, while the Twins bolster their rotation and add two talented young players to their farm system. While it will take time to see how this deal ultimately shakes out, both organizations arguably got better with the trade which is a rare thing in today’s game.

The post Twins Trade 2B Luis Arraez To Marlins, Acquire RHP Pablo López appeared first on Metsmerized.

Credit: Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports

The New York Mets announced on Friday night that they’ve received Luis De La Cruz from the Baltimore Orioles as the player to be named later from the James McCann trade that happened last month.

As part of the deal, the Orioles will also pay $5 million of McCann’s $24 million salary over the next two seasons.

De La Cruz, 20, hit .291/.396/.349 with five doubles, no home runs, and three stolen bases in 33 games for the Dominican Summer League Orioles last season. The left-handed hitter has only one home run in 60 career games, though he does have a .405 OBP in that span and has struck out only 18% of the time.

De La Cruz played 16 games at first base, eight games in left field, and four games in right field in 2022. De La Cruz got a $130,000 signing bonus in the 2019 international free agency class but the pandemic delayed his debut to 2021.

Luis De La Cruz was not on any Orioles prospect list at the time of the trade.

The post Mets Get Luis De La Cruz to Finish James McCann Trade appeared first on Metsmerized.

This offseason, we’re looking at the Mets’ history with free agency. Leading off the list of forgettable signings were Roger Cedeño, Jeurys Familia, and James McCann. Next is a second baseman who starred for another NL East club, came to New York in a trade, but regressed once he was re-signed.

Luis Castillo‘s career as a Met is defined by a single play. Misplay would be more accurate. If you’re reading this, you probably know it.

Unlike how some feel about Carlos Beltrán, it really did epitomize his time in New York. The three-time All-Star and two-time stolen base champ in Florida used a two-month stint to get a big contract which quickly had its drawbacks.

The Mets became pretty familiar with what Castillo could add to a team. Paired with Juan Pierre, he was a key contributor at the top of a Florida Marlins lineup that captured the World Series title in 2003. Castillo’s primary asset was his speed. He stole 50 bases in 1999, 62 the next year, and 48 more in 2002.

Castillo also played elite defense. In that championship year of ’03, Castillo won the first of three straight Gold Glove awards at second base. From 2000 through 2005, he compiled a 19.9 bWAR.

Castillo was picked up by the Minnesota Twins in 2006, and while he batted better than .300 for more than a year, he wasn’t the same stolen base threat he was in Florida. His on-base percentage also took a slight decline. Nevertheless, the Mets went after him at the trade deadline in 2007.

On July 30, Castillo came to Queens in exchange for two minor leaguers. After the deal, he reached base safely in 40 of his final 46 games, scoring 34 runs and batting .296. That off-season, the Mets decided to turn the two-month rental into a long-term commitment. At age 32, the Mets rewarded Castillo with a four-year $24 million contract.

The rest of Castillo’s time with the Mets was plagued by injuries, underwhelming play, and dissatisfaction from fans and himself. Two of his most redeeming qualities soon dissipated — he would no longer be a stolen base threat and he was no longer a Gold Glove-caliber fielder.

Castillo’s physical health, which started to worsen in 2008, was arguably the biggest reason. Castillo couldn’t stay on the field both because he was hurt and he couldn’t hit when he was presumably healthy. His splits nosedived to .245/.355/.305 over 87 games and stole 17 bases.

The Mets failed to make the postseason for the second straight year in 2008 and fans began to sour on certain players, with Castillo being one of the main targets. It only got worse in 2009 — June 12 specifically. It’s the date everyone remembers, and Castillo would certainly like to forget. His drop on a fly ball that turned a Mets victory into a Yankees walk-off created one of the worst regular seasons losses in team history and was a focal point in a disastrous year all around.

As far as the fans were concerned, Castillo couldn’t live it down. Not even a .302 batting average with a .387 on-base percentage and 77 runs scored over 142 games in spite of more injuries would do it.

If Castillo didn’t feel the hex after that nightmarish occasion, he certainly did on August 4. That was the day the Citi Field dugout steps had it out for him. After an at-bat in which he was retired, Castillo fell coming back to the bench and sprained his ankle. It was another clear sign that wearing a Mets uniform was like walking under a ladder for the former All-Star.

Despite his above-average offensive season in 2009, all Castillo got for his troubles was boos during introductions on Opening Day 2010. Issues with both feet caused him to miss significant time in what became a dreadful year — one in which his OPS+ fell to 68 and he stole only eight bases. That summer, Castillo questioned why he was sitting on the bench despite his numbers.

“I can’t be here anymore,” he said, with another year on his contract. “I know I’m not going to be here next year.”

He was right. In Spring Training 2011, the Mets released him and took responsibility for the balance of the $6 million left on the deal. Luis Castillo was an example of wrong place at the wrong time — both for himself and for the team.

The post Mets Worst Free-Agent Signing No. 7: Luis Castillo appeared first on Metsmerized.

Luis Guillorme

Player Data: Age: 28 (9/27/1994), B/T: L/R
Primary Stats: 102 G, 335 PA, 297 AB, .273/.351/.340/.691, 81 H, 2 HR, 17 RBI, 1 3B, 1 SB

Advanced Stats: 106 wRC+, 13.7% K%, 10.2% BB% .317 BABIP, .302 xwOBA, 1.3 fWAR, 1.6 bWAR
2022 Salary: $875,000

Grade: B 

2022 Review

When the Mets acquired Eduardo Escobar last off-season, the team answered any questions about who the starting third baseman would be heading into the 2022 season. Still, injuries, and the most productive start to Luis Guillorme’s Mets’ career forced manager Buck Showalter‘s hand.

Guillorme’s lion’s share of playing time came at second base, where he played 67 games allowing Showalter to give Jeff McNeil a breather or put the National League’s batting champion in the outfield, where he made 47 starts.

Guillorme, who has always been known for his glove, has a reputation as a bench bat, who will not only work counts, but also put the ball in play consistently. Prior to last season, Guillorme never had more than 156 plate appearances in any season in New York, but heading into the All-Star Break, Guillorme owned a .857 OPS and had some of the best offensive success of his career in the first half of 2022.

His bat, however, would come back down to earth in the second half as the season winded down. A couple weeks later, Guillorme would be diagnosed with a moderate left-groin strain, which cost him four-to-six weeks. At that point in the season, Guillorme was slashing .283/.355/.357 with a .712 OPS on the season.

Even with an uneven showing at the plate, in what ended up being a career year for Guillorme, he had another fantastic season defensively. Guillorme had his best shot at winning a Gold Glove in 2022, as Rawlings announced that it would be recognizing the defensive performances of utility players. Guillorme was ultimately snubbed for the award, which was earned by Brendan Donovan of the St. Louis Cardinals.

In 2022, Guillorme bailed out the Mets defensively on numerous occasions. Guillorme had six Outs Above Average (OAA), which tied Brandon Nimmo for third on the Mets, trailing only Jeff McNeil (8) and Francisco Lindor (13). He also saved a total of five runs from scoring, according to Baseball Savant.

While his bat didn’t reach the level of his glove in 2022, he certainly made strides in the right direction under hitting coach Eric Chavez‘s tutelage. If Guillorme can ever become a consistent hitter, watch out.

Photo by Roberto Carlo

2023 Outlook

Barring any unforeseen trades, Guillorme will almost certainly be back with the Mets in 2023. He’s a valuable spot starter, who will be a necessary complement to that of Escobar, Lindor or McNeil off the bench.

While it’s unlikely he’ll be an everyday player for Showalter’s club, there are some scenarios which may enable him to see more playing time going forward. Of course, that depends on a multitude of factors, such as the health of the 28-year-old Guillorme, who played in a career-high 102 games this past season, and who else the Mets bring in this off-season.

Not only can Guillorme start at three different infield positions, but he can do so at a Gold-Glove level. Guillorme’s glove and his ability to come off the bench in a pinch to give the Mets competitive at-bats make him a valuable asset for New York in 2023 and beyond.

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Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

Good morning, Mets fans!

Former Mets skipper Luis Rojas was given a second interview by the Marlins for their managerial role. The 41-year-old spent this past year as the third-base coach for the Yankees. While Rojas went just 103-119 (.464) during his time in Flushing, he’s had some success during his extensive experience as a minor-league skipper. Astros bench coach Joe Espada, Cardinals bench coach Skip Schumaker, and Rays bench coach Matt Quartoro are among the other remaining candidates.

Latest MLB News

Yankees beat reporter Lindsay Adler announced that she is no longer with The Athletic. She spent the last five years covering the Yankees for the outlet.

The Dodgers are expected to compete for Aaron Judge‘s services this offseason. Mark Feinsand of MLB.com suggests that if the Dodgers land the star outfielder, Mookie Betts could be moved to second base.

Latest on MMO

Nate Mendelson profiles Shohei Ohtani as a possible trade candidate.

Nate Mendelson also looks at Carlos Rodón as he heads back to the free-agent market. Mendelson also examines why some Mets deserved more recognition from the Gold Glove voters.

On This Date in Mets History

1986: Down to their final out of the season, the Mets string together three straight two-out hits in the bottom of the 10th inning against Calvin Schiraldi, before Kevin Mitchell scores the tying run on a wild pitch by Bob Stanley. A few pitches later, Mookie Wilson‘s ground ball gets through Bill Buckner‘s legs, bringing home Ray Knight with the game-winning run, giving the Mets a 6-5 victory and forcing a Game 7.

Birthdays: Pedro Martínez (51)

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