The Mets have acquired center fielder Jose Siri from the Rays in exchange for right-handed pitcher Eric Orze. Over parts of four seasons (three full) in the majors, he has slashed .210/.266/.408. Siri, 29, is primarily a defensive specialist, ranking in the 99th percentile for OAA with 16. While coming off a down season, he boasts an encouraging barrel rate that ranks in the 94th percentile. In return for Siri, Tampa Bay recieved Orze, a two-time cancer survivor. Orze has limited experience in the big leagues but strong numbers down in the minors.

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Sources told MMO’s Mike Mayer that the Mets Triple-A hitting coach Collin Hetzler is departing the Mets organization for a job with the Red Sox. Hetzler once joined MMO’s weekly show in early 2023 to talk his work and promotion to Syracuse.

The Mets’ bench coach, John Gibbons, praised skipper Carlos Mendoza on a fantastic season. Gibbons called Mendoza a “sharp guy,” mentioning their in-game conversations, while also adding that he often felt like a “sounding board,” or a “security blanket.”

The MLB store in NYC is hosting a Meet & Greet with Mr. and Mrs. Met on November 23!

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Ken Rosenthal writes in The Athletic that, horrifyingly, when Roki Sasaki signs, many international teenagers could lose life-changing money due to pool limits. Or, as Rosenthal says, players “will be abandoned by the team that signs him.” In a recent article, J.J. Cooper of Baseball America has also touched on this topic. Clubs cannot — which should be obvious (but isn’t always followed) — make secret deals or exceed their bonus pool allotments for him.

In some interesting news, Rosenthal of The Athletic published an article on potential new TV packages. MLB commissioner Rob Manfred wants to take control of local TV rights. The new TV plan would not contain blackouts and be a national package.

MLB Pipeline’s X account tweeted the compensation picks teams will receive in the 2025 draft if their free agents who are tied to qualifying offers sign with another team. These picks are awarded as part of the free agent signing process.

Outside of the Reds’ Nick Martinez, all players who received a qualifying offer will decline it, per MLB.com’s Mark Feinstand. The Mets will receive picks after the fourth round if Pete Alonso, Sean Manaea, or Luis Severino depart. Additionally, Newsday’s Tim Healey was first to announce earlier on Tuesday that Severino declined the qualifying offer.

The Rays’ Bobby Kinne is leaving Tampa Bay to join Cleveland’s staff, becoming the Guardians’ new director of baseball operations, reported Rosenthal. Kinne, 29, worked under his role as a pitching strategist for the Rays about a year, but had been with the Rays organization for more than six years.

According to Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times, the Rays added former Met Jake Mangum to their 40-man roster while designating Richard Lovelady for assignment. Mangum, 28, is getting his first ever call-up after a career year in Triple-A, but it’s at the expense of a lefty reliever in Lovelady, who pitched to a 3.77 ERA over 28 2/3 innings for Tampa Bay.

Managers of the Year have been announced in both leagues: It’s Brewers skipper Pat Murphy in the National League and rookie manager Stephen Vogt in the American League. Click here for the full voting in the NL, and here for the AL.

The New York Post’s Jon Heyman revealed that offers were likely not made during meetings with Juan Soto. In other news on the free agent slugger, Heyman tweeted that the Phillies were also planning to meet with Soto. However, it is unknown to what extent their interest goes. The Phillies’ John Middleton has already stated his opinion on things. “Juan Soto wants to be in New York,” Middleton speculated. So perhaps the Phillies’ interest will stay lukewarm, or perhaps not.

Latest on MMO

Andrew Steele-Davis wrote about why signing Soto is a must for the Mets.

Allison Waxman analyzed starting pitchers the Mets could target on short-term deals

On This Date in Mets History

1967: Tom Seaver was named the NL Rookie of the Year. Seaver’s magical rookie season featured a 2.76 ERA in 251 IP, including 18 complete games.

2006: The Mets signed veteran Moisés Alou to a deal worth $7.5 million. Alou finished off his illustrious career as a Met, hitting .342/.391/.507 over his 102 games in Queens.

Born On This Date: Ron Cash (1949), Kevin Lomon (1971), Lino Urdaneta (1979), Amed Rosario (1995).

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Carlos Mendoza was named a finalist for NL Manager of the Year, while Francisco Lindor is a finalist for the NL MVP award. Mendoza is joined by Pat Murphy of the Brewers and Mike Shildt of the Padres. Lindor is in the running along with heavy favorite Shohei Ohtani and Diamondbacks second baseman Ketel Marte. Managers of the Year will be announced on Monday, Nov. 18, and MVPs will be revealed on Nov. 21.

Photo by Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

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The Mets have hired Desi Druschel to be an assistant pitching coach for Jeremy Hefner. Druschel served the same role for the Yankees over the last three seasons and was a pitching coach at the University of Iowa in 2017.

Mets prospect Luke Ritter spoke about hitting in the powerful Syracuse lineup in the latest episode of the Meet at the Apple podcast. Ritter said it helps to have other big hitters around him in the batting order because it tires pitchers out, which can lead to more baserunners and better scoring opportunities.

Latest MLB News

Former Mets hurler Seth Lugo was named a finalist for the AL Cy Young Award. In his first year in Kansas City, Lugo made his first All-Star Game and tossed a career-high 206 2/3 innings, turning in a 3.00 ERA with 181 strikeouts. You can find a full list of finalists for each award on the BBWAA website.

Former Rays shortstop Wander Franco was arrested in the Dominican Republic on Monday for an altercation in which guns were drawn. Franco is currently awaiting trial for charges related to a sexual relationship he had with a 14-year-old. According to Meregirdo Espinosa, a Dominican police spokesman, Franco was fighting another man over a woman’s attention.

Aaron Boone told reporters Monday that he plans on flying to California to be part of Hal Steinbrenner and Brian Cashman’s meeting with Scott Boras and Juan Soto. Boone added that he hasn’t had any talk about a contract extension with the team.

The Dodgers are considered the heavy favorites to land Roki Sasaki, but Jon Heyman of the New York Post reports that the Padres have the second-best odds of landing the Japanese sensation. Heyman mentions that Sasaki’s connection to Yu Darvish makes San Diego an attractive landing spot.

Former Mets reliever Adonis Medina is nearing an agreement with the Mariners on a minor league contract. Medina spent 2024 in the Nationals organization, posting a 3.76 ERA with 60 strikeouts in 64 2/3 innings for Triple-A Rochester.

Latest on MMO

Johnluke Chaparro profiles Corbin Burnes as a free agent.

Allison Waxman breaks down where Brett Baty fits into the Mets’ 2025 plans.

Tyler Antonelle grades José Buttó‘s performance in the 2024 season.

On This Date in Mets History

1975: Tom Seaver wins his third Cy Young award, beating out runner-up Randy Jones with 15 first-place votes. Seaver led the NL with 22 wins and 243 strikeouts with a 2.43 ERA and 15 complete games over 280 1/3 innings.

Born On This Date: Al Schmelz (1943), Gary Thurman (1964), Aaron Heilman (1978).

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The rookie manager faced struggle after struggle, but never wavered when faced with adversity. After beginning his managerial career 0-5, sitting 11 games under .500 and faced with the New York media, Mendoza stayed true to himself. Ron Darling, former Met and SNY broadcaster, called the manager “authentic” when choosing one word to describe him. He stayed positive throughout the 162-game season, during the highest of highs and the lowest of lows.

More importantly, Mendoza proved to be a manager of the players. He trusted his players rather than relying solely on the analytics. For example, Mendoza was faced with a choice in Jose Quintana‘s April 28 start against the Cardinals. In the seventh inning of a tied game, with two outs, Quintana was still in the game, the longest a Met starter had gone thus far into the season. After visiting Quintana on the mound and speaking with him, he trusted his pitcher to go out there and get the final out. Quintana struck out Willson Contreras for the final out.

Mendoza became known as a manager who uses his gut and acknowledges that it sometimes will work and sometimes won’t. He was accountable, and for the players and personnel in the clubhouse and front office, it made all the difference.

The Mets had the best record in baseball from June 1 from June 1 (65-40) through the end of the season and were 28-16 in one-run wins. Mendoza and the Mets were third in most comeback wins in baseball in 2024.

Buck Showalter was the last Mets manager to win NL Manager of the Year in 2022.

The winners will be announced on Tuesday November 19.

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Fans didn’t think much of the hire — Mendoza would be the fifth manager in Queens in the past six years. He was a rookie manager and young. He came from the crosstown rival Yankees. While fans and critics would harp on what could go wrong, Mendoza quickly made it known things would change in Queens.

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He brought a different energy in his first press conference, something that separated him from other rookie and seasoned managers. Something felt different with Mendoza. Players around the league, including Yankees superstar Aaron Judge, praised the Mets for their hiring choice. The players, like Francisco Lindor, Pete Alonso and Brandon Nimmo, were excited.

Mendoza joined a Mets club at a crossing point. They could either stick to the script and be what people wrote them off as — nobodies. Or, they could shock the world, play the best baseball, and make a run for it. He took a 2023, fourth place 75-87 team and turned them into an 89-73 playoff team who made it to the NLCS round, bested by the possible World Series champions.

While the season didn’t start out as expected, including a first-time manager, Mendoza never lost the faith. He led an 0-5 team, a team 11 games under .500, to the playoffs. Two wins shy of the World Series. How did he do it?

Trust. Keeping the faith. And most importantly, an established relationship with his players. Take, for example, Jose Quintana‘s start against the Cardinals on April 28. In the seventh inning of a tied game with two outs, Quintana was still in the game, the longest a Mets starter had gone thus far in the season. With Willson Contreras up, Mendoza took a mound visit, signaling Quintana’s day was done. However, after a short discussion on the mound, Mendoza left, and Quintana stayed and struck out Contreras to keep it tied and finish his day.

Speaking postgame, Mendoza noted how much respect he had for Quintana and, “Seeing the conviction on his face and in his voice… he said ‘I’m good, give it to me.’ I was like all right, that’s your hitter.” Mendoza became known for managing with his gut and trusting his players, commenting that sometimes it might not work and sometimes it will, but that’s part of the game. It’s a refreshing change of pace compared to managers of the past who would only rely on data or analytics to listen to their players as people rather than just a number. For that, it made all the difference in a clubhouse.

Mendoza also embraced team bonding. While he didn’t force team meetings or any of the sorts, leaving those to his players, the spirit of the game is alive and well in Citi Field. While it can’t all be attributed to Mendoza when the playing is good, the vibes are good, it’s hard not to correlate. In addition, it’s been known the Mets (and other clubs) have had their woes when it comes to clubhouse culture. The 2024 team is a shell of what the Mets were in 2023, even in 2022, when they had a better record. Mendoza has instilled a positive culture at a critical level — in the dugout and clubhouse.

The Mets have struggled to find their staples, wherever it may be: in the front office, dugout, at third. However, 2024 showed things are beginning to fall into place. Carlos Mendoza is just another part of the puzzle fitting perfectly together. It’s hard to imagine the Mets going on this magical run in 2024 if he were not there. For that, it would be baffling for Mendoza to not only not receive a Manager of the Year nomination but a win as well.

Manager of the Year winners will be announced on November 19.

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Good morning, Mets fans!

First baseman Anthony Rizzo opted out of the final year of his contract with the Yankees, making himself a free agent. Rizzo was set to make $16 million this season. In 130 games, Rizzo tied a career-high by hitting 32 homers in 2022 with a .224/.338/.480 batting line, though his .224 batting average is the lowest he’s recorded in a full season. Rizzo was productive during the Yankees’ postseason run, going 8-for-29 with two homers and eight RBIs.

Latest Mets News

As many expected, Taijuan Walker and Jacob deGrom both declined their player options for 2023, making them free agents. Walker was set to make just six million dollars after his strong 2022, while deGrom was slated to make $32.5 million in both 2023 and 2024.

Mike Mayer of MMO reports that there’s been buzz about the Mets potentially making a run at free-agent superstar Trea Turner. A threat both at the plate and on the bases, Turner hit .298/.343/.466 with 21 homers, 39 doubles, 27 steals, and 100 RBIs in 2022. A sizzle reel of Turner’s highlights narrated by Jon Hamm was sent to teams yesterday.

Buck Showalter was named a finalist for the NL Manager of the Year award. He will be contending against Braves’ skipper Brian Snitker and Dodgers’ manager Dave Roberts. A full list of all the awards finalists can be found on MLB.com.

The Mets will release single-game tickets for spring training at 10 am today on Mets.com. The Mets are set to host 16 games at Clover Park, including two games against World Baseball Classic teams on March 8-9.

The Mets announced they have named Brenden Mallette their Senior Vice President of Corporate Partnerships. Mallette will be tasked with leading the Business Development, Strategy, and Partner Activation teams. Mallette comes to Flushing after serving the same role for the Detroit Pistons.

Latest MLB News

Angels general manager Perry Minasian said that Shohei Ohtani will not be traded this offseason despite much speculation. Ohtani is entering his walk year with the Angels, in which he’s set to make $30 million.

MLB announced they will air the first-ever draft lottery on Tuesday, December 6 at 8:30 pm. The Nationals, A’s, and Pirates all hold the top odds of getting the first pick at 16.5 percent.

The Phillies announced they have picked their club option on Aaron Nola and declined their option on Jean Segura. Furthermore, right-hander, Zach Eflin has declined his mutual option and will enter free agency.

Albert Belle, Rafael Palmeiro, Barry Bonds, Don Mattingly, Roger Clemens, Fred McGriff, Dale Murphy, and Curt Schilling will be on the Contemporary Baseball Era Players Committee ballot for the Hall of Fame. The 16-member committee will vote next month.

The Rockies announced two changes to their coaching staff. Former Mets bench coach Hensley Meulens will take over as the team’s hitting coach, while Warren Schaeffer will serve as the third base and infield coach.

Latest on MMO

Nate Mendelson explains why Daniel Vogelbach‘s contract is a steal for the Mets.

Tyler Antonelle profiles Trey Mancini as he enters free agency.

On This Date in Mets History

1979: Mets president Lorinda de Roulet announces that the team is up for sale. This begins a two-month bidding war for the team.

Birthdays: Shane Halter (53), Edgardo Alfonzo (49)

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Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports

Major League Baseball announced the finalists for MVP, Cy Young, Rookie of the Year, and Manager of the Year on Monday night. The winners will be declared across four nights starting Nov. 15 with the rookie of the year announcement and ending Nov. 18 with the MVP awards.

Here are this season’s finalists:

Rookie of the Year

AL: Randy Arozarena (TB), Wander Franco (TB), Luis Garcia (HOU)

NL: Dylan Carlson (STL), Jonathan India (CIN), Trevor Rogers (MIA)

Winner’s declared Nov. 15 at 6 p.m. ET on MLB Network.

Manager of the Year

AL: Dusty Baker (HOU), Kevin Cash (TB), Scott Servais (SEA)

NL: Craig Counsell (MIL), Gabe Kapler (SF), Mike Shildt (STL)

Winner’s declared Nov. 16 at 6 p.m. ET on MLB Network.

Cy Young

AL: Gerrit Cole (NYY), Lance Lynn (CWS), Robbie Ray (TOR)

NL: Corbin Burnes (MIL), Max Scherzer (WSH/LAD), Zack Wheeler (PHI)

Winner’s declared Nov. 17 at 6 p.m. ET on MLB Network.

MVP

AL: Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (TOR), Shohei Ohtani (LAA), Marcus Semien (TOR)

NL: Bryce Harper (PHI), Juan Soto (WSH), Fernando Tatis Jr. (SD)

Winner’s declared Nov. 18 at 6 p.m. on MLB Network.

If you can’t wait until next Monday for awards to start rolling in, Silver Slugger Awards will be announced Thursday night at 6 p.m. Jacob deGrom is the lone Mets representative there.

deGrom is the most recent Met to win Cy Young. Having done so twice in 2018 and 2018. The Mets have five other Cy Young awards in franchise history. Tom Seaver (1969, 1973, 1975), Dwight Gooden (1985), R.A. Dickey (2012).

Six Mets have won Rookie of the Year. Seaver (1967), Jon Matlack (1972), Darryl Strawberry (1983), Gooden (1984), deGrom (2014), Pete Alonso (2019).

A Mets manager has never won manager of the year since it was introduced in 1983 nor has any Mets player won MVP.

Who do you think will win this year? Who do you think was snubbed? Let us know in the comments.

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