Good Morning, Mets fans! Welcome to “Summer Camp!” The Mets report to Citi Field for the beginning of training today.

Latest Mets News

The team announced the signing of Jarred Hughes to their 60-man Player Pool.

Steve Cohen will reportedly make another bid for the Mets, according to Laura Goldman.

According to Tim Healey of Newsday, the Mets fired 25 employees last week, but this will be the only round of layoffs according to Jeff Wilpon.

Latest MLB News

Shohei Ohtani will be ready to start the season as a two-way player following Tommy John surgery, according to Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com.

The Tigers signed Spencer Torkelson to his rookie contract, at a thousand dollars over slot, per Jon Heyman of MLB Network.

The Padres traded for Jorge Matos from the A’s in exchange for a PTBNL, according to Jeff Passan of ESPN.

The Rockies signed Matt Kemp, per USA Today’s Bob Nightengale.

The family of former Dodger Andrew Toles is calling for help, as the former outfielder has been in and out of mental facilities and has been homeless, writes Bob Nightengale.

Jared Diamond of the Wall Street Journal wrote about the luckiest fans in baseball.

The Long Island Ducks announced that they have canceled their season in a statement they released this morning.

Latest NL East News

The Mets, Nationals, and Phillies all committed to paying their minor league players through the end of the season, per Baseball America.

Latest on MMO

Michelle Ioannou defended Ian Desmond and all players who decide to opt out of the 2020 season.

Richard Sparago reflected on the joy that was Willie Montanez.

Tim Ryder‘s latest episode of Simply Amazin’ featured a Mets Summer Camp Primer.

On This Day In Mets History

Birthdays: Chris Flexen (26), Craig Anderson (82)

Let’s go Mets!

The post Morning Briefing: Welcome To Summer Camp appeared first on Metsmerized.

In May 2016, Mets’ slugging first baseman Lucas Duda was placed on the disabled list for a stress fracture in his lower back. With his return date in question, the club looked to quickly address their need at first base.

Less than a week from when the Mets placed Duda on the DL, they acquired veteran first baseman James Loney from the San Diego Padres for cash considerations.

Prior to being dealt, the left-handed-hitting Loney was playing for the Padres’ Triple-A affiliate in El Paso, slashing .342/.373/.424 in 44 games. Before signing a minor league contract with the Padres in 2016, Loney had spent his first ten seasons playing for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Boston Red Sox and Tampa Bay Rays.

With the Mets, Loney slashed .265/.307/.397 with 16 doubles, nine homers and 34 RBIs in 366 plate appearances. He also got to reunite with Terry Collins, who was the Dodgers’ field coordinator when Los Angeles selected Loney with the 19th overall pick in the 2002 MLB Draft.

Loney fared well early on with the Mets, recording a 123 wRC+ over 111 plate appearances in June, followed by a 111 wRC+ over 91 plate appearances in July. The month of August is where Loney hit a rough patch, posting a paltry 17 wRC+ with just one extra-base hit while rarely getting on base (.222 OBP, 1.1 BB%).

The veteran reversed his subpar August numbers to finish the season strong, posting a 119 wRC+, recording a 35.5 line drive rate (best of any month in 2016) and a .212 ISO (also his best mark of any month that season).

Unbeknownst to Loney, the National League Wild Card Game featuring the Mets and San Francisco Giants would be the final major league game of his career. In 2017, Loney hooked on with three different organizations on minor league deals (Rangers, Tigers, Braves), but was either released or granted his release and was without a team by the end of May.

In July of that year, the LG Twins of the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) signed the veteran for $350,000. His tenure was short-lived, as Loney left South Korea after playing in just 23 games with the Twins. The club wanted to send Loney to their minor league affiliate after he was having trouble adjusting to the new league, but instead, Loney returned to the States.

After sitting out the 2018 season, Loney attempted a comeback by signing with the indy ball Sugar Land Skeeters in February 2019 as a two-way player (Loney pitched in high school and most teams were scouting him as a pitcher) and coach. He appeared in 11 games for the Skeeters, posting a .278/.357/.333 slash while also pitching an inning in relief for the club before announcing his retirement from baseball in early May.

This past offseason, Loney accepted a job with the Arizona Diamondbacks in their baseball operations department, where he’ll have the opportunity to work in a variety of roles, including scouting, player development and as a mentor.

Overall, Loney appeared in over 1,400 major league games over an eleven-year stretch (2006-2016), posting a career slash of .284/.336/.410 and a 103 wRC+. His ability to stay healthy was evident as he appeared in the fifth-most games from 2008-2014 (1,095), playing in at least 155 games six out of those seven seasons. In his rookie season in 2007, Loney finished sixth in Rookie of the Year voting while posting the second-highest wRC+ (137) among qualified rookies.

I had the privilege of speaking with Loney over the winter, where we discussed his early roots as a pitcher, thoughts on Terry Collins and his time in New York.

MMO: Who were some of your favorite players growing up?

Loney: I would say Ken Griffey Jr., Randy Johnson and Pedro Martinez. I got to play against all of those guys at one point which was pretty cool.

MMO: I read that your high school coach was Matt Carpenter’s father Rick. In past interviews, you’ve named Rick as an influential coach. Can you talk a bit about what made him so memorable for you?

Loney: I just felt like he had a great balance with everything. He always told us not to get too high or too low, and that things are going to fluctuate in this game.

He had such a competitive spirit; if we lost to a team, he felt we had no business losing to, we were going to pay for it in practice by either running or doing something we really didn’t like. He still had that fight in him, even though when you meet him for the first 30 seconds, you’d think he’s probably one of the nicest guys in the world.

MMO: I read that prior to the 2002 MLB Draft, 26 of the 30 clubs were looking at you as a pitcher, and the Dodgers were one of just a handful of teams that had an interest in you as a position player. Did you think heading into the Draft that you were going to be taken as a pitcher?

Loney: I think it was 28 teams, because the only two teams that I remember looking at me as a hitter were the Pirates and the Dodgers.

I thought I was going to be a pitcher, and I always liked doing both. In high school, it was never like I wanted to do one more than the other; I just wanted to play.

I was throwing 92-94 mph in high school as a lefty, so I thought I was definitely going to get drafted as a pitcher. The Dodgers said they wanted to take me as a hitter, and if it didn’t work out, then we can try to go back to pitching later on. And I told them okay, let’s do it!

MMO: I can’t believe that you never made an appearance on the mound during your eleven years in the majors!

Loney: When I was with the Dodgers, I was kind of the young guy, and they didn’t want to blow out your arm. And then when I went to Tampa and had a really good year and I got a three-year contract thereafter, it was like we can’t blow that guy’s arm out either. [Laughs.]

When I went to the Mets, I was a pretty key piece there because with Duda going down, I just don’t think it was ever good timing. Maybe if I played a little bit longer, I think I would’ve gotten that chance for sure. I might’ve gotten that chance with today’s game because I think you are seeing guys get those chances a lot younger now.

MMO: What are your memories from the 2002 Draft? Did you have any notion of where you’d be selected?

Loney: I didn’t know until the day before. The Dodgers called me the day before and said, “Hey, we’re going to take you with this pick, and this is how much it’s going to be.”

And I was like, ‘Yeah, I like it. Let’s go!’

I was ready to start. I think I started a week after my high school season ended. But before that, I was thinking I’d go in the top five rounds, and I was thinking I was going to go as a pitcher.

MMO: You came up with a group of young, talented Dodgers in Matt Kemp, Russell Martin and Andre Ethier. Can you talk a bit about that camaraderie, and if it helped your transition to the majors?

Loney: I don’t think it can hurt. We had a great group and core of guys that were hungry to make it to the big leagues. Guys that fed off each other; I think we all made each other better. It was a lot of different personalities.

I think we helped the younger guys that came up too, whether it was through communication or just the way we played. I think it helped set the tone for those years in L.A.

MMO:  Your career postseason numbers are extremely impressive: a .350 AVG, 16 RBI, .954 OPS. Obviously, the postseason is a completely different animal, and you’re facing some of the best pitchers in the game in a short series. How did you keep so calm and be able to have such great success in the postseason?

Loney: I think, for me, I always believed that I belonged there. When the playoffs came around, it was like, who doesn’t want that? It was a fun time and we all wanted to get to the World Series.

I always believed in my abilities in those situations, I never felt the pressure or that the crowd was on me. I liked playing on the road.

MMO: One of your most memorable moments in a Dodgers uniform was your grand slam in Game One of the 2008 NLDS vs. the Cubs on the road. Can you talk a bit about that at-bat against Ryan Dempster in the fifth?

Loney: We had bases loaded, and Dempster threw me a split-finger in the dirt, and I swung at. He threw another split-finger in the dirt, and I swung at it. Then he threw me a high fastball just out of the zone that I didn’t swing at. Then I was like, I know he’s going to throw another split-finger here; I just knew it after he already threw me two that I swung at. Sure enough, he threw another one, but he didn’t bounce this one. [Laughs.] He left it right there for me to hit, so that’s how that at-bat went down.

MMO: Terry Collins was the Dodgers field coordinator and director of player development while you were in the early portion of your professional career. You then had him as your manager in 2016 with the Mets. I’m curious what your thoughts of Collins are from your tenure with the Dodgers, and one season with the Mets?

Loney: I thought he was awesome. My first year in pro ball, and I’m eighteen years old, I don’t know what to expect, and you’ve got this guy running around who’s all fiery and yelling. But you could tell that he had passion and he cared for the players, and he cared about the organization.

I remember him taking us to his house that he had in Florida, some of the younger guys and just was talking to us and telling us how it was going to be. That was really special and one of the things I remember with the Dodgers.

Then going to the Mets was pretty cool with like, what you said, being my last year in the big leagues with him and making it to the one-game playoff. But he’s always been a great guy.

MMO: You spent what would be your final major league season with the Mets in 2016. What are your memories from playing with the Mets that year, and what were your impressions of playing in New York?

Loney: I thought it was great! Great guys on the team and made some great relationships there. And just the atmosphere there, with the fans bringing it every single night. You felt like you had a little bit of a home-field advantage. It felt like Dodger Stadium a bit, just with the passion the fans brought. They feel like they’re on the field with you; they felt like they just hit that home run or just struck out a big batter. I loved it.

MMO: You signed with the LG Twins of the Korea Baseball Organization in 2017, and played in 23 games. How was your experience there, and what were some of the major differences between the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) and Major League Baseball?

Loney: Where I was in Seoul was kind of like New York; I think it’s around 9-10 million people. It’s like a big party there versus the U.S. during a game. They’re banging on drums, blowing whistles, boomboxes in the stands. So it’s a pretty good atmosphere there.

You stand out a little bit as an American, so when you leave the game, people know you. But they’re so into baseball; I think overall they might be more into baseball just because I think a lot of the history some of their guys had in the major leagues and the following that they created. And it’s their number one sport for sure.

MMO: We often match up offensive profiles with a player’s position and first base is normally a position that features power. You were a bit different in approach, as you were a guy that made a ton of contact & had low strikeout rates. Can you talk a little about your approach at the plate during your career?

Loney: I look back at it now, and there were probably some times I should’ve tried to pull the ball more and hit for more power. I think from an early age and early in my career, I had pretty good averages, so I think I was just kind of content staying in that range versus if I tried to go for power, and if it doesn’t happen AND my average goes down, then it’ll be like what happened to this guy.

I was getting away with hitting .280-.290 for a while and driving in runs, but when I look back on it, I would definitely have taken a few more chances, especially in situations where I knew or had a good feeling that a certain pitch was coming.

MMO: Throughout your career, how much did you incorporate analytics into your game plan?

Loney: I’d be into it for a little bit and then I’d be out for a little bit. I think looking back I should’ve been into it more, as far as getting the information and then using it and processing how I would use it in a situation. I would watch videos of some guys from my at-bats or maybe their last start, so I was pretty prepared.

Looking back at it, I think I could’ve prepared just a little more, especially for situations where I was looking to hit for more power or certain situations where the game is on the line.

MMO: When you look back over your career, what are you most proud of?

Loney: I would say my health. I wasn’t hurt that much and I think that’s missed a lot in today’s game. Getting on the field, that counts, and I take a lot of pride in that. And even when I did get hurt – I slid into a base and I was out for like six weeks – but that was sliding it wasn’t from pulling a hamstring.

MMO: It was reported this offseason that you accepted a role with the Arizona Diamondbacks in their baseball operations/player development departments. First off, congratulations! Secondly, was this something you were looking to get into for some time? And what types of roles are you going to take on with Arizona?

Loney: I’ve been thinking about it. I was really wanting to get back and help the game any way that I can. I think this is the best way to do it because I’m not necessarily just for player development; baseball operations is a really broad field where you can do some scouting, player development and mental skills.

There are so many different areas, so I get to navigate my way around those different areas this year to kind of see what I like, and see what I can help out without being tied down to one spot.

MMO: Thanks for your time, James. Best of luck with the Diamondbacks.

Loney: Thanks very much.

Follow James Loney on Twitter, @james_loney

The post MMO Exclusive: Former First Baseman, James Loney appeared first on Metsmerized.

Ed Delany/MMO

As per the International League transactions page, New York Mets outfielder Matt Kemp and right-hander Arquimedes Caminero have both been released from their contracts with the Triple-A Syracuse Mets.

Kemp, 34, signed a minor-league deal with the Mets on May 24. Over 36 plate appearances with Syracuse, the 14-year MLB veteran slashed .235/.278/.324 with a home run, three RBIs, and seven strikeouts. He hadn’t played since June 8, suffering from the effects of a broken rib.

Caminero, 32, signed a minors deal with the Mets in January, another addition in general manager Brodie Van Wagenen’s depth movement during his first season at the helm of the franchise.

Over 17 appearances (17.2 innings), the right-hander pitched to a 5.09 ERA with 15 strikeouts and 10 walks. He hadn’t appeared in a game for Syracuse since May 27.

We’ll update you with more information if/when it becomes available.

The post Matt Kemp, Arquimedes Caminero Released From Triple-A Syracuse appeared first on Metsmerized.

Good morning, Mets fans!

And just like that, the first of two Subway Series meetings this year is over in a day-night doubleheader. In game one, Zack Wheeler faced off against Masahiro Tanaka and Jason Vargas opposed fellow southpaw pitcher James Paxton.

Although the Mets tacked on runs early, scoring four runs in the third inning, the Yankees struck back tagging Wheeler for five earned runs in only four and two-thirds innings. The game started off as an offensive battle between cross-town rivals and quickly turned into a lopsided 12-5 win for the Bronx Bombers.

In the second game of the day, the Mets scored three in the first inning on a three-run 424 ft bomb off the bat of Pete Alonso for his 22nd home run of the year. With a few more singles along with homers from J.D. Davis and Carlos Gomez, the Mets came out on top in the second game of their doubleheader with a final score of 10-4.

Jason Vargas will get the win after throwing six innings of three-run baseball. He now holds the second-best ERA in the Mets rotation at 3.68. Vargas also holds the fourth lowest ERA in the National League since April 19th, he trails Hyun-Jin Ryu, Mike Soroka, and Zack Greinke.

The Mets have an off-day today before they start a four-game series at home against the Cardinals.

Latest Mets News

Tim Healy of Newsday reported that Matt Kemp has been placed on the minor league injured list due to a lingering injury that hasn’t gone away. While on the Cincinnati Reds, he broke one of his ribs after colliding with the wall attempting to rob Wil Myers of a hit back in April.

Andres Gimenez was struck on the hand in a game last week and has been sidelined ever since. Fortunately, Anthony Dicomo of MLB.com informed fans that the X-Rays that were done came back negative, and he will be back to the Double-A Binghamton team after a few more days of rest.

Sports Editor, Thomas Jones, of Austin-American Statesman, was first to report that the Mets first-round draft pick, Brett Baty, will sign his big league contract later in the week, while Tim Healy of Newsday provided more information regarding the high school third baseman’s pro contract.

Latest MLB News

The Boston Red Sox released a statement on behalf of Tiffany Ortiz and family regarding the recovery of ‘Big Papi’. Marly Rivera of ESPN, reported that a source “with knowledge of the situation” has informed her that David Ortiz spoke to loved ones and walked a bit on Wednesday.

Yadier Molina was reinstated from the injured list for Wednesday’s game against the Miami Marlins. Molina was sidelined about two weeks ago after “bruising his right thumb” on May 27. It was revealed a few days after the injury that he was suffering from a slight tear between his right thumb and forefinger. The team optioned Andrew Knizner back to Triple-A to make room for Molina.

According to MLB.com, the All-Star Futures Game managers and coaches have been announced. In addition, Major League Baseball included that the contest will return to a seven-inning game.

Latest NL East News

The Miami Marlins recalled Elieser Hernandez from Triple-A New Orleans and they optioned Tyler Kinley to NOLA.

Josh Donaldson was suspended for one game after a benches-clearing incident in Atlanta during the first inning of Monday night’s game against the Pittsburgh Pirates.

The Atlanta Braves placed Kevin Gausman on the 10-day injured list with plantar fasciitis in his right foot. The team recalled A.J. Minter from Triple-A.

Jose Urena was placed on the injured list Tuesday evening. Urena was slated to start on Wednesday for the Marlins, but was unfortunately shut down due to injury. The cause of his placement remains unknown. The Marlins will promote Jordan Yamamoto and the team will need to make a 25-man roster move upon his arrival to Miami.

Latest on MMO

Ryan Finkelstein discusses the most unlikely of heroes in his Players of the Week article.

Dilip Sridhar shares his own scouting report on the Mets 2019 first round pick in Brett Baty.

Michael Mayer wrote about the success of the minor league Mets teams.

On This Date in Mets History

1964: The Mets signed Tug McGraw.

1993: New York acquired Josias Manzanillo from the Milwaukee Brewers in exchange for Wayne Housie.

2011: The Mets signed T.J. Rivera.

Birthdays: Gerry Arrigo turns 78, Keith Miller turns 56, and Damon Buford turns 49.

The post Morning Briefing: Brett Baty Finalizing Contract With Mets This Week appeared first on Metsmerized.

Photo by Ernest Dove, MMN

Rochester (21-33) 9, Syracuse (29-28) 3 Box

• Chris Mazza (1-2, 3.00 ERA): 6 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 4 K, 2 BB
• Louis Coleman (0-0, 108.00 ERA): 0.1 IP, 2 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 2 BB
• Eric Hanhold (2-3, 5.54 ERA): 1.2 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, K, BB
• Stephen Villines (0-0, 1.03 ERA): 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER

Mazza held his own, scattering six hits and three runs (two earned) across six innings. He cruised the first couple of innings before allowing old friend Jordany Valdespin to cross the plate in the third inning. In the sixth frame, Mazza’s throwing error permitted the go-ahead run to score. Rather surprisingly, he’s emerged as Syracuse’s best rotation option this year.

No shocker here, but Stephen Villines was lights-out yet again. He’s only allowed seven runs in 26.1 innings between Binghamton and Syracuse this season. This was Hanhold’s fourth consecutive outing where he allowed multiple runs.

Louis Coleman didn’t make the greatest first impression in his initial appearance for the Syracuse Mets. The journeyman came into the game with the score at 3-2 and left it, one out later, with the Mets in a 9-2 deficit. Coleman struggled with his command, throwing only nine out of his 21 pitches for strikes.  He was signed to a minor-league deal earlier this week.

Relievers Corey Taylor and Daniel Zamora were placed on the IL.

• LF Matt Kemp: 1-4, RBI |  .273/.333/.273
• 2B Luis Guillorme: 3-3, R,  | .290/.406/.383
• RF Arismendy Alcantara  2-3, RBI, R, BB | .292/.394/.460

The Mets threatened for the majority of the afternoon, but no one could deliver the clutch hit as they combined to go 2-for-13 with runners in scoring position. Guillorme tacked on more three singles; his on-base percentage ranks third among Mets minor-leaguers, but, yet again, his power hasn’t shown up (0.96 ISO). Alcantara has a 1.142 OPS since being promoted to Syracuse a few weeks ago.

Harrisburg (36-21) 9, Binghamton (30-22) 8 Box

• LHP David Peterson (2-2, 4.70 ERA): 4.2 IP, 6 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 5 K, 3 BB
• RHP Thomas McIlraith (0-1, 3.60 ERA): 0.1 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 0 K
• RHP Austin McGeorge (0-1, 2.75 ERA): 2.0 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 ER, K, BB
• RHP Joe Zanghi (2-0, 1.93 ERA): 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, K, BB

Binghamton rallied to pull within one in the final innings, but a seven-run fifth doomed the Rumble Ponies. Peterson got through first four innings unscathed, but couldn’t get past the fifth. The Senators poured it on, with four consecutive batters having run-scoring knocks. Despite Peterson’s recent hot streak, his struggles in Double-AA are especially concerning given that he was considered a fast riser when drafted.

• 1B David Thompson: 3-5, 2B, 2 R | .207/.268/.350
• RF Barrett Barnes: 2-5, 2B, HR, 2 RBI, R | .309/.441/.553

The trio of Jason Krizan, Michael Paez, and Barnes all had multi-RBI nights, driving in six of the nine Rumble Ponies runs. Will Toffey‘s sacrifice fly and Paez’s ribbie single gave Bingo a two-run cushion. A frame later, Barnes extended the lead with his fifth homer of the year.  After Barnes’ ninth-inning two-bagger drove in Luis Carpio and put Barnes on the bases representing the tying run, the Ponies couldn’t come up with the game-tying base knock.

Quinn Brodey went 0-for-4 with an RBI and a strikeout in his Double-A debut.  David Peterson‘s one silver lining from his start is that he recorded his first-ever MiLB hit. Shohei Otani who?

Tampa (24-33) 6, St.Lucie (28-29) 4 Box

• LHP Kevin Smith (3-4, 3.48 ERA): 3.2 IP, 8 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 3 K, 2 BB
• RHP Conner O’Neil (2-1, 6.56 ERA): 2 IP, 2 H, R, 2 K, 2 BB
• LHP Andrew Mitchell (2-0, 1.30 ERA): 1.1 IP, 2 H, 0 R, K
• RHP Joe Cavallaro (1-1, 5.71 ERA): 2.0 IP, H, 0 R, 2 K

Smith had the worst outing of his professional career, as he failed to make it out of the fourth inning. While short stints are nothing new for the lefty, the eight hits and five runs represent a career-high. Smith struggled from the onset, allowing two runs in the first and three more in third. Mitchell’s only allowed two earned runs since his promotion to St.Lucie two weeks ago.

• 3B Blake Tiberi: 3-4, 2 2B, RBI, 2 R, BB | .272/.347/.356

After Dermis Garcia‘s two-run single in the first inning, Carlos Cortes halved in the lead by doubling in Blake Tiberi in the latter half of the inning. The Mets tried to rally in the ninth, but come up just short. With two runs already in and Alfredo Escalera dancing off the basepaths, Jeremy Vasquez and Dan Rizzie both came up as the game-tying run, but they were both retired by Andrew Bellatti.

Columbia (23-35) 3, Rome (26-32) 2 Box

• RHP Willy Tavares (4-5, 3.90 ERA): 6 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 8 K
• RHP Billy Oxford (0-2, 4.12 ERA): 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, K
• RHP Tylor Megill (1-0, 0.82 ERA): 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 2 K

After allowing two runs to score in the first inning, Tavares proceeded to shut down the Braves for six innings, scattering only six hits and striking out eight. Tylor Megill‘s pristine 0.82 ERA and 12.27 K/9 looks promising, but his command issues (6.54 BB/9) are troubling.

• SS Ronny Mauricio: 2-4 | .284/.327/.355
• DH Shervyen Newton: 2-4, R | .205/.281/.311

A three-run second was all the offense Tavares and the rest of the Mets’ bullpen needed. Ronny Mauricio and Shervyen Newton led the charge with back-to-back knocks to open the frame. After Juan Uriarte drove in Vientos, Walter Rasquin beat out an infield single to even up with the game. Hansel Moreno‘s sacrifice fly,a batter later, proved to be the difference-maker. Ronny Mauricio‘s third-inning single extended his hitting streak to eight games.

DSL Mets I (3-0) 2, DSL Twins I (1-2) 1 Box

• SS Bradly Encarnacion: 2-3, 2B, 2 RBI, | .400/.500/.600
• 2B Federico Polanco: 2-4, | . 385/.429/.462

Polanco and Bradly Encarnacion both tallied multi-hit efforts, but the rest of the Mets’ offense was non-existent. Encarnacion drove in Carlos Dominguez to put the Mets up one in the bottom of the second and doubled Dominguez two frames later

• RHP Joshua Cornielly (1-0, 1.80 ERA): 5 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 4 K

In his first start of the year, Joshua Cornielly twirled five solid innings, punching out four Twins. Jose Valdez, who relieved Cornielly, struck out five Twins over two innings.

DSL Mets 2 (3-0) 11, DSL Diamondbacks (1-2) 5 Box

• CF Dyron Campos: 2-3, 3 R, HBP, 2 RBIs, 2 BB, SB | .417/.563/.750

Campos led the offensive onslaught as he got on-base five times. The Mets scored in six out of their nine innings.

• RHP Carlos Castro (0-0, 3.86 ERA): 2.1 IP, 0 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 4 K, 5 BB

The Mets had a no-hitter going until the bottom of the sixth inning despite allowing one run. The no-no ended as Pablo Marinez allowed a ground-ball single to Luis Rubio. Marinez proceded to struggle throughout the game, allowing seven hits and four runs in 2.2 innings

The post Mets Minors Recap: David Peterson Struggles in Loss appeared first on Metsmerized.

As per Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, the New York Mets have signed veteran outfielder Matt Kemp — most recently of the Cincinnati Reds — to a minor-league contract.

Kemp, 34, was slashing .200/.210/.283 with a homer and two doubles in 62 plate appearances before being released by the Reds on May 4. When released, he as on the injured list with a broken rib.

Last season with the Dodgers, Kemp hit .290/.388/.481 with 21 homers, 85 RBIs, 25 doubles, a .348 weighted on-base average, 122 weighted runs created plus rating, and 1.6 wins above replacement (FanGraphs) over 146 games for the NL West champions.

Kemp accumulated -9 defensive runs saved, a -5.3 ultimate zone rating, and -7.6 UZR/150 over 873 innings in the outfield (357 in right field, 516 in left) before being traded to Cincinnati in December.

The Mets’ starting outfield is currently decimated — Michael Conforto (concussion), Brandon Nimmo (neck), and Jeff McNeil (hamstring) are all currently on the injured list — and some added depth on the cheap appears to be just what the doctor ordered for this organization.

The recent success of Carlos Gomez and Rajai Davis — both on minors deals, themselves — among the bevy of absences helped lead the Mets to a four-game sweep over the Nationals earlier this week.

We’ll keep you posted as more information is released.

The post Mets Sign Matt Kemp To Minor League Contract appeared first on Metsmerized.

Yesterday we saw as one of the top pitchers on the free agent market was developing a serious suitor, an interesting trade of large contracts went down, and a veteran pitcher re-signed to be with his team for a tenth year.

The Chicago Cubs are in the market for a starting pitcher and with the way things look now, they don’t appear to be settling for less than the best. Bruce Levine of CBSChicago.com reports that the organization is interested in Yu Darvish.

The Cubs showed interest in Alex Cobb just as recent as a week ago. That changed at the Winter Meetings when the Cubs learned of Cobb’s anticipated contract which they thought was too big in terms of price and length for him.

Instead of pursuing Cobb, the Cubs are looking to go all-in for the 31-year-old Darvish.

Other MLB News and Notes

Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic expects J.D. Martinez to land a seven-year deal with Scott Boras as his agent. Boras was able to aid Matt Holliday, Jacoby Ellsbury, Chris Davis, Shin-Soo Choo, and Jayson Werth to seven-year deals each.

Matt Kemp was traded back to the Los Angeles Dodgers from the Atlanta Braves in a five-player deal. The Braves received Adrian Gonzalez, Brandon McCarthy, Charlie Culberson, Scott Kazmir, and cash considerations in return.

Upon receiving Gonzalez, the Braves designated him for assignment, enabling him to become a free agent on Wednesday. Kemp may be on the move as well, as Rosenthal’s sources indicate he’s likely to be traded or released.

C.C. Sabathia re-signed with the New York Yankees. He will pitch in the Bronx for 2018 on a one-year, $10 million contract.

Matt Albers will be remaining in the nation’s capital. Jerry Crasnick of ESPN.com notes that he’s expected to re-sign with the Washington Nationals sometime next week.

Yovani Gallardo agreed to a deal with the Milwaukee Brewers. The 31-year-old had his $13 million option declined by the Seattle Mariners after going 5-10 with a 5.72 ERA, 5.53 FIP, 1.515 WHIP, and 94 strikeouts in 130 2/3 innings and 28 games (22 starts) in 2017.

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Good morning Mets fans! The Hot Stove was surprisingly busy on Saturday and hopefully the Mets will join in on the action soon!

Latest Mets News 

Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports that the Mets are one of four teams interested in Evan Longoria.

James Wagner of the New York Times talked to Juan Lagares about his altered swing.

Latest MLB News

The New York Yankees re-signed C.C. Sabathia to a one-year deal worth $10 million.

The Atlanta Braves traded Matt Kemp to the Los Angeles Dodgers for Adrian Gonzalez, Scott Kazmir, Brandon McCarthy, Charlie Culberson, and cash. More details on the ramifications of the trade here.

Yovani Gallardo agreed to an MLB deal with the Milwaukee Brewers, according to Jon Heyman.

Bruce Levine of CBS Chicago reports that the Chicago Cubs have interest in Yu Darvish.

Mark Polishuk of MLB Trade Rumors has the latest on the Yankees’ interest in a Gerrit Cole trade.

Latest NL East News 

Chelsea Janes of the Washington Post got Dave Martinez‘s thoughts on the pitcher hitting eighth next season for the Washington Nationals. She also got Daniel Murphy‘s thoughts on Kevin Long being his hitting coach again.

Clark Spencer of the Miami Herald gets Derek Jeter‘s thoughts on the fans’ frustration with the organization.

The Braves designated Adrian Gonzalez for assignment shortly after acquiring him.

Matt Gelb of Philly.com writes about how the Philadelphia Phillies’ recent spending gives the team credibility.

Latest on MMO

Matt Balasis analyzes the Mets success in the often ignored stat of BABIP.

This Day in Mets History

1969: Tom Seaver is named Sportsman of the Year.

Birthdays: Josh Edgin turns 31.

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The Mets will try to win the series against the Miami Marlins today and they will send Jacob deGrom to the mound to face Adam Conley. The game starts at 1:10 p.m. and will be aired on SNY.

Last night, the Mets beat the Marlins 8-1. Rafael Montero started the game for the Mets and had a very strong performance. He went six innings, allowed only one run, and struck out five batters.

The Mets bats struggled to get going against Vance Worley until the sixth inning when they scored seven runs. That attack was highlighted by two-run homers by Wilmer Flores and Kevin Plawecki. The Mets extended the lead in the eighth inning with a solo shot by Dominic Smith, the second of his MLB career and first at Citi Field.

Latest Mets News 

The Chicago Cubs were awarded catcher Rene Rivera after claiming him off waivers from the Mets on Saturday.

The Mets called up Kevin Plawecki and Tommy Milone to take the roster spots left by Rivera and Curtis Granderson.

Terry Collins won his 535th game as Mets manager on Saturday and is now one victory away from tying Bobby Valentine (536) for the second-most in club history. Davey Johnson holds the all-time record with 595 victories.

Latest NL East News 

Jorge Castillo of the Washington Post reports that Stephen Strasburg will return today to make his first start since July 23.

Mark Bowman of MLB.com writes about Matt Kemp‘s return to the team last night and his hopes to put his hamstring injuries behind him.

Greg Cote of the Miami Herald argues that the Marlins new ownership needs to make a statement to the fans by making a commitment to Giancarlo Stanton.

Todd Zolecki of MLB.com talks about the possibility of Jorge Alfaro starting at first base going forward as he did so last night for the first time in his MLB career.

Latest on MMO

Rob Piersall pens a thank you letter to Curtis Granderson for his incredible Mets tenure.

John Sheridan writes about the reasons fans should still watch the Mets this season.

This Day in Mets History

1969: Jim McAndrew throws a two-hit shutout at Shea Stadium.

1973: Mets scout Al Harper signs Lee Mazzilli to a contract.

1985: Dwight Gooden strikes out 16 batters against the San Francisco Giants.

1989: Howard Johnson becomes only the 32nd player in MLB history to join the 30/30 club in more than one season in a career.

Birthdays: Cliff Cook turns 81, Cory Sullivan turns 38 and Lance Broadway turns 34.

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It may not have been Jacob deGrom’s finest moment on the mound, but it was good enough to get a win against his former teammate, Braves newly crowned elder statesman, Bartolo Colon.

The Mets bats crushed Colon for five-runs in three innings off a series of faulty sinkers, a far cry from his previous six-inning outing at Citi Field where he gave up a stingy run on two hits.

Jose Reyes raked in five runs, matching his career high, and the rest of Mets line-up pounded Atlanta pitching with 20 hits en route to a 16-5 rout at SunTrust Park.

Rene Rivera, getting the catching call due to Travis d’Arnaud’s sore right wrist, drove in three-runs, while Michael Conforto, Asdrubal Cabrera, and Neil Walker all had doubles in the first inning, staking deGrom to an early 2-0 lead.

In the third, Colon’s lack of location cost him after hitting Cabrera in the leg and walking Walker, the slumping Curtis Granderson, entering the game hitting .122,  unleashed an RBI double.

DeGrom’s pitching performance started to fray in the fourth giving up consecutive singles to Nick Markakis and Tyler Flowers, and a walk to the .156 hitting Dansby Swanson.  A double play on Jace Peterson’s ground ball erased a runner, but Emilio Bonifacio’s pinch-hit triple closed the gap 5-3.

Josh Collmenter relieved Colon in the fifth and got a not so fine how do you do as the Mets erupted for four-runs off of a Walker single, Granderson double, Reyes’ sac fly, a Rene Rivera base hit, T.J. Rivera’s double, and deGrom’s helping his own cause RBI single to right for his second hit of the night.

But in the fifth, deGrom’s pitch count bloated as he struggled with two more walks, for an uncharacteristic five on the night, and two additional runs crossed the plate compliments of a Matt Kemp single and Jace Peterson double, before getting pinch hitter Lane Adams on a called strike three.

After both teams went quietly in the sixth and seventh, a rare occurrence for Mets relievers of late, New York bombarded the Braves bullpen for seven-runs, five of which occurred with two outs.

Michael Conforto batted around with a single and double, raising his slash line to .357/.427/.700 and T.J. Rivera joined his namesakes with three hits, continuing to be an offensive force with Lucas Duda on the DL.

And the most amazing stat of all is that the Mets did all of this offensive damage without hitting a home run.

Tomorrow in the finale of the four game series, Georgia native Zack Wheeler, coming off his impressive previous outing, will try to get the best of Braves starter Jaime Garcia, and give the Mets 3 of 4 in Atlanta.

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