MLB.com’s Anthony DiComo reported that left-handed reliever José Castillo has been non-tendered by the Mets, making him the club’s third and final player to suffer that fate.

New York acquired Castillo in a trade from the Arizona Diamondbacks in May. He was designated by assignment on three occasions by the team, but it wasn’t until September 3 that another club in the Seattle Mariners swooped him and claimed him.

Castillo ended up appearing in 16 games for the Mets, posting a 2.35 ERA in 15 1/3 innings during that span. He also turned in three scoreless outings for the Mariners last season while posting a 11.37 ERA in 6 1/3 frames for Arizona and a 2.45 ERA over 7 1/3 innings for the Baltimore Orioles.

Baltimore placed Castillo on waivers earlier in the offseason, and the Mets brought him back by claiming him. Now, though, he’ll head to the open market.

Updated Post: Nov. 21 at 4:24 p.m. EST

MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand has reported that the Mets avoided arbitration with center fielder Tyrone Taylor by agreeing to a one-year deal worth $3.8 million. He is entering his final year of club control and is set to become a free agent after the 2026 campaign.

Taylor arrived in New York alongside right-handed pitcher Adrian Houser in a trade with the Milwaukee Brewers in December 2023 for right-handed pitching prospect Coleman Crow. The 31-year-old slashed .248/.299/.401 with seven home runs and 11 stolen bases across 130 games for the Mets in 2024.

In 2025, Taylor batted .223/.279/.319 with two homers and 12 stolen bases while ranking among the best defensive center fielders in the league with seven Defensive Runs Saved and four Outs Above Average. He was placed on the 10-day injured list with a hamstring strain on September 2 before returning to the Mets on September 24.

Updated Post: Nov. 21 at 12:24 p.m. EST

According to The Athletic’s Will Sammon, the Mets are non-tendering right-handed pitcher Max Kranick ahead of Friday’s deadline to tender contracts to eligible arbitration and pre-arbitration players for the 2026 season.

Kranick was entering his first year of arbitration after accruing three years of service time, but he’ll now hit the free agent market. MLB Trade Rumors set his salary projection at $1 million in October.

An 11th-round pick by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 2016 MLB Draft, Kranick made his big-league debut for the club in 2021. He underwent Tommy John surgery in 2022, however, and was later designated for assignment in January 2024.

The Mets went on to claim Kranick, and he spent nearly the entire 2024 campaign with Triple-A Syracuse, where he logged a 4.00 ERA in 41 appearances and 63 innings. After recording a 1.46 ERA in 12 1/3 spring training frames, he cracked the team’s Opening Day roster and turned in six-straight scoreless outings to open the season.

Kranick was optioned to Syracuse on June 3 before being recalled on June 13, though he underwent season-ending flexor tendon surgery in July. He finished the year with a 3.65 ERA over 37 innings in the majors.

The Mets now have 38 players on their 40-man roster.

Original Post: Nov. 20 at 6:42 p.m. EST

The Mets are planning on non-tendering left-handed reliever Danny Young, Will Sammon of The Athletic reports. The deadline to tender contracts to players under club control is Friday.

Young isn’t yet arbitration-eligible, but he underwent Tommy John surgery in May. He started throwing recently and could be ready for game action at some point in the first half of the 2026 season. He would’ve been under team control through 2030.

A college teammate of Pete Alonso, Young provided the Mets with solid depth out of the bullpen after signing a minor league contract with the team before the 2024 season. For much of that season, he was the Mets’ most-reliable lefty reliever, though he struggled down the stretch. All told, he finishes his Mets career with a 4.50 ERA and 3.25 FIP, along with 61 strikeouts against 21 walks in 46 innings. Young excelled at keeping the ball in the yard, posting a ground-ball rate of 52% and allowing just three home runs.

With Young gone, this leaves the Mets with 39 players on their 40-man roster. Brooks Raley, A.J. Minter, José Castillo, Brandon Waddell, and Richard Lovelady remain as left-handed relief options.

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• Tylor Megill
• David Peterson
• Francisco Alvarez
• Tyrone Taylor
• Jose Castillo
• Huascar Brazobán
• Luis Torrens
• Max Kranick
• Reed Garrett

The Mets have a few players that they will have to make a decision on whether to keep for 2026 or turn them loose.

Tylor Megill

Every year since 2022, Tylor Megill has found his way into the Mets’ rotation after being on the outside looking in to begin spring training. That will not be the case in 2026, as the towering righty underwent Tommy John surgery in September. MLB Trade Rumors projects Megill to make $2.6 million in arbitration. While his 3.95 ERA and 3.43 FIP in 2025 are the best marks of his career, he won’t pitch at all next season and can become a free agent after the 2027 season. Megill’s Mets tenure has been riddled with injuries and inconsistency. While he’s shown flashes of greatness, it’s hard not to wonder if he’s thrown his last pitch in Flushing.

Reed Garrett

Garrett broke out with the Mets in 2024, posting a 3.77 ERA and 3.31 FIP with 83 strikeouts in 57 1/3 innings. He got off to a red-hot start in 2025, posting a 0.95 ERA through June 10, but got roughed up to the tune of a 7.00 ERA for the rest of the season. Garrett went on the injured list with right elbow inflammation in late August, which cost him two weeks. He made four appearances before needing to go back on the injured list with an elbow sprain, and he had to undergo Tommy John surgery. Garrett is projected to make $1.4 million in arbitration, but the Mets face a tougher decision since Garrett is under team control through 2029. While he won’t be available in 2026, Garrett could be an important piece of the Mets’ bullpen once he gets healthy.

Max Kranick

Kranick, who grew up a Mets fan, showed promise after cracking the big league roster in 2025, posting a solid 3.65 ERA with 25 strikeouts against just five walks in 37 innings. However, just like Garrett and Megill, he was placed on the injured list with elbow trouble and underwent flexor tendon surgery later in the summer. Kranick is projected to make $1.1 million in arbitration this offseason and has three years of club control remaining. Unlike Megill and Garrett, though, Kranick could return to the mound in 2026, as his recovery timeline is shorter. It’s unclear what Kranick’s role would be, but it might be premature for the Mets to cut ties with him.

Huascar Brazobán

After a rough end to his 2024 season, Brazobán came out of the gates strong in 2025. He was one of the team’s best relievers for the first two months of the season, posting a 1.30 ERA over his first 26 appearances of the season. However, he was torched for 17 earned runs in 17 innings over his next 18 appearances, and was optioned to Triple-A Syracuse in late July. Brazobán was recalled in late August and was solid the rest of the year, posting a 2.38 ERA in 11 1/3 innings through the end of the year. He is expected to make $1.3 million in arbitration this offseason and is under team control through 2029. Brazobán has struggled with consistency for much of his Mets tenure and is already 36 years old. With the Mets in desperate need of a bullpen overhaul, they could consider parting ways with the righty to give some younger players with higher upside a shot.

Jose Castillo

Castillo split time with four different teams in 2025, including a 16-game stint with the Mets. He was shuttled between New York and Syracuse, but posted a 2.35 ERA with 19 strikeouts against six walks in 15 1/3 innings with the big club. However, opponents batted .333 against him. The Mets designated Castillo for assignment in September, and he was claimed off waivers by the Mariners. Castillo is projected to make $1.7 million in arbitration, which is a hefty amount for a player who only threw 32 innings in the majors this year. The Mets had a similar situation with another lefty, Alex Young, in 2024, and they non-tendered him despite solid work in 13 2/3 innings. While the Mets are in need of bullpen help, Castillo likely wouldn’t have a major league roster spot in 2026.

The post Examining the Mets’ Non-Tender Candidates appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

The first half of the 2025 MLB season is officially in the books. And, at the break, the Mets are well-positioned. They sit half a game out of first in the NL East with a 55-42 record.

It was undoubtedly a wild first half for New York. A scorching start was followed by an all-time slump in June. That included 14 losses over a 17-game stretch. With injuries piling up on the pitching side, the Mets’ train was threatening to fall off the tracks completely.

However, taking two out of three from the Yankees over the July Fourth weekend sparked a resurgence of sorts. The Mets went 7-5 in the first half of July, while offering plenty of hope for the second half of the season.

For now, though, let’s look back on the good, the bad and all the in-between from the first half of 2025…

Juan Soto (22) Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

3 UP

HISTORY MAKER

We are on the cusp of witnessing something truly historic. Pete Alonso (247) is just six home runs away from surpassing Darryl Strawberry (252) for the most homers in franchise history. When Alonso achieves that significant milestone, it will mark a very special day for all connected with the Mets. Alonso inching closer to becoming the Mets’ new home run king will be the biggest storyline heading into the second half. Breaking the record will also be the highlight of what has been a productive year for the slugger so far.

Despite a difficult free agency, Alonso has been at his slugging best, heading into the break with 21 home runs, 26 doubles and 77 RBIs. Granted, there have been some slumps – the first baseman went 16 games without a home run in May. But, overall, Alonso has been great for the Mets so far in 2025. He’s now set for a truly special second half of the year.

EXACTLY AS ADVERTISED

The pressure was always going to be on Juan Soto after he signed a record-breaking $765 million contract during the season. Therefore, it wasn’t a surprise that the noise was so loud when the superstar hitter got off to a slow start in Queens. Even so, Soto wasn’t as bad as many people were making out. But, when you get paid the big money, even bigger things are expected and Soto just wasn’t playing to the back of his baseball card.

Then, just like that, it all changed. The generational hitter carved out an all-time June, hitting .322/.474/.722/.1.196 with 25 runs scored, 11 home runs, 20 RBIs, and 25 walks. He has stayed hot since, and has looked like the true superstar we all know he is. Furthermore, the fact that Soto isn’t an All-Star should mean he’s well rested for the second half. He will need to be at the very peak of his powers if the Mets want to accomplish something special in October.

PITCHING CARRIED AT TIMES

The perceived strength of this team entering the season was its offense. Given all the question marks hovering over the rotation, it was believed that the lineup would carry the Mets. However, for most of the first half, the opposite proved true. The Mets owned the best team ERA in all of baseball for a substantial amount of time. That’s despite being without a slew of key starters. The highlights? Kodai Senga pitched at a Cy Young level. Clay Holmes handled his transition from reliever to starter with ease, pitching to a 3.31 ERA. And David Peterson has been the story of the year so far, owning a 6-4 record with a 3.06 ERA. Furthermore, Peterson has been the steady and reliable arm this team has needed amongst the chaos of all the injuries.

On the bullpen side, Edwin Díaz has been dominant. The closer has converted 19 of his 20 saves, pitching to a stellar 1.66 ERA with a 0.87 WHIP and 55 strikeouts across 38 innings. He has also allowed just one earned run in 27 appearances since April 21. Max Kranick emerged as quite the story early on following a strong spring, but has since flamed out. And the likes of Reed Garrett, Ryne Stanek, and Huascar Brazobán have all had as many downs as ups. With that said, the pen has done well to stay afloat given the sheer amount of workload it has had to take on during the first half.

Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

3 DOWN

ADVERSITY OVERLOAD

The Mets were simply decimated by injuries throughout the first half of the season. Sean Manaea and Frankie Montas went down during spring training. A.J. Minter and Danny Young were lost early. Griffin Canning was lost for the year after a strong start. Tylor Megill is currently on the 60-Day IL. Dedniel Núñez is now set for his second Tommy John surgery. Max Kranick and José Buttó are on the IL. On the offensive side, Jesse Winker has struggled to stay healthy and is now back on the IL. And a raft of injuries have also impacted the performances of a slew of other players on the roster. Consequently, the bullpen has been taxed due to the number of starters who have been injured. Plus, Winker’s absence has hurt the bottom of the lineup. The Mets will be hoping for a healthier second half.

TAKING A STEP BACK

Mark Vientos and Francisco Alvarez were both significant X-Factors entering 2025. They were supposed to help carry this offense behind the Big Three at the top of the lineup. Instead, both players have regressed significantly. Vientos has not looked like the player who mashed at a high level in 2024. Instead, he’s looked lost at the plate, hitting just .223/.280/.361 with a .640 OPS and just six home runs. Additionally, his defense, which was already below average, has also taken a considerable step back. Vientos did show signs of life in Kansas City right before the break, coming up with a clutch hit in the opener. The Mets need more from the middle and bottom of the lineup in the second half, and Vientos will be key to that.

As for Alvarez, the catcher saw his play fall off a cliff. Getting hurt in spring training didn’t help. But the combination of missing time and a new swing approach combined to sink the catcher. He wasn’t hitting for any power, producing just three homers while hitting .236/.319/.333. There was a concerning trend with the framing numbers behind the plate, too. As a result, Alvarez was sent down to Triple-A in order to hit the reset button. Since then, the slugger has hit eight home runs and 18 RBIs for Triple-A Syracuse, while he owns a 1.196 OPS in July. A return to the big leagues could be on the horizon. But, overall, New York needs a lot more from both Vientos and Alvarez in the second half, especially offensively.

FALLING SHORT

For all of the offseason hype, the offense hasn’t been all that great so far in 2025. Heading into the All-Star break, the Mets were averaging 4.39 runs per game, which ranks 14th in all of baseball. The lineup has just been maddeningly inconsistent, with the team’s best hitters all going through lengthy slumps. Meanwhile, the bottom of the lineup has almost been a net negative.

However, the biggest concern on the offensive side has been the struggles with runners in scoring position. The Mets have stunk with RISP all year long. They just have. At the break, New York is hitting .230 with RISP. Even Juan Soto is hitting just .183 with runners in scoring position. The lack of clutch hitting has cost games. Be it an approach or mentality issue, something has to change. Because, in close games in the postseason, an inability to cash in with runners on could hurt this team in the biggest way.

The post 3 Up, 3 Down: 2025 Mets First Half Edition appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images

Ty Adcock was optioned to Triple-A Syracuse after his outing on Wednesday. Adcock pitched an inning against Atlanta, his second outing in a week.

Dedniel Núñez and Justin Hagenman will take those two spots on the roster. It was reported by Mike Puma of the New York Post earlier on Thursday that Hagenman is part of the plan to fill in for Tylor Megill‘s rotation spot against the Phillies on Friday. It is possible that he will be used after an opener makes that start.

If that were to happen, it would be Hagenman’s second appearance in the big leagues this season, and an identical usage to his first outing. The righty pitched 3 1/3 innings against the Twins on April 16, giving up just a single run, coming in after Huascar Brazoban threw a scoreless first inning.

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For the very first time in 2025, the Mets found themselves on the wrong end of a series sweep. They offered little resistance against a red-hot Rays team.

There were a lot of worrying trends to emerge from the weekend. The starting rotation showed consistent signs of regression throughout the series. The bullpen couldn’t lock games down. The offense was a no-show. And the runners-in-scoring position problem reared its ugly head once again.

All in all, the Mets were forced to eat a very large serving of humble pie by the red-hot Rays.

To that end, let’s trawl through the wreckage from a disappointing weekend in the latest edition of 3 Up, 3 Down…

Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

3 UP

MARTE PARTY

Okay, we’re short on positives from the weekend. That much is clear. There was very little from the series against Tampa Bay to get excited about for Mets fans. Not an awful lot went right for this team over the weekend. However, with that said, Starling Marte did at least provide one bright point. The veteran was the lone offensive spark in the series opener, going 3-for-4 with a season-high three RBIs. After a really slow start, Marte has begun to turn the corner. And, in doing so, he’s showing that he can be a significant contributor in an important part-time role for this team the rest of the way in2025.

ALL ON HIS OWN

Clay Holmes is probably the only pitcher who can hold his head high following what happened over the weekend. The righty enjoyed a strong night on the mound on Friday, allowing just one earned run on three hits and two walks with three strikeouts. He was controversially pulled after just 79 pitches, with the Mets keen to manage Holmes’ workload. Still, whether it was the right call or not, Holmes left having given his team the best chance to win the game. He made one mistake and left with the Mets holding a big lead. Unfortunately, the bullpen couldn’t back up Holmes’ efforts.

DODGING A BULLET 

The Mets caught a significant break on the injury front over the weekend. It was confirmed that Kodai Senga has a low-grade hamstring strain. He will be re-evaluated in two weeks. The news is largely positive, with Senga avoiding a substantial spell on the IL. That’s certainly a huge boost, given that Senga had been pitching at a Cy Young caliber level this year, owning a 1.47 ERA before getting hurt. And, given the cracks starting to show in the rotation, the fact that Senga shouldn’t be out for too long represents a lucky break for the Mets.

Jun 15, 2025; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets pitcher Griffin Canning (46) delivers a pitch against the Tampa Bay Rays during the first inning at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images

3 DOWN

STARTING PAINS

Key to the Mets being one of the best teams in baseball in 2025 has been the success of the starting rotation. That group has been stellar, performing above expectations. However, we saw some worrying signs of regression this weekend. Tylor Megill laid a Godzilla-sized egg on the mound on Saturday, allowing six runs (three earned) on seven hits and two walks over just 3.2 innings. He also flubbed a routine defensive play in the fourth, leading to a run scored and the bases loaded. As a result, three more runs would score in that inning because of Megill’s error, effectively sealing a loss for the Mets.

However, we arguably saw a more concerning pitching performance in the finale on Sunday. Griffin Canning was absolutely shelled, giving up six earned runs on four hits and five walks in just 4.1 innings. Canning’s struggles on the mound set the tone for an ugly 9-0 shutout loss. Furthermore, Canning continues to show clear signs of regression, while question marks remain with Megill. Consequently, we now have reason to worry about this starting rotation for the first time in 2025, especially with Senga out. Not to mention the fact that Frankie Montas continues to struggle throughout his rehab assignment. All in all, this was a really troubling weekend for the starting rotation.

SETTING (A) BAD TONE 

Friday provided a taste of what the weekend would be like. After Clay Holmes was pulled after 79 pitches, the bullpen was tasked with protecting a big lead. Instead, Paul Blackburn came in and just didn’t have it. He gave up four earned runs on four hits with no strikeouts. That allowed Tampa a route back into the game. However, it was Max Kranick who ultimately sealed his team’s fate, giving up a two-run home run to Danny Jansen with what proved to be the go-ahead runs. There is a lot of blame to be passed around for what happened at the weekend. The bullpen has to take the majority of the share for Friday’s implosion. The rest of the weekend was so-so. Ryne Stanek serving up a three-run homer to seal an embarrassing shutout loss in the finale summed up a terrible weekend for the entire pitching staff.

NO-SHOW OFFENSE

For all of the talent in the lineup, the Mets couldn’t get any offense going against a good Tampa team. The lineup couldn’t come up with a big hit in Friday’s opener, going 2-for-16 with RISP and leaving 12 runners stranded on base. The Mets finished 0-for-7 with RISP on Sunday, again leaving 12 runners stranded. However, arguably the biggest culprit for the no-show offense was the performance – or lack thereof – of the big three hitters. Juan Soto, Francisco Lindor and Pete Alonso went a combined 6-for-33 with just two extra-base hits. That just isn’t good enough. If the Mets are to live up to expectations this season and go deep in the postseason, production from the top of the lineup and cashing in with RISP will be crucial. The Mets won’t have a chance against good teams unless those two areas are improved upon.

The post 3 Up, 3 Down: Mets Humbled By Rays In Sweep appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Clay Holmes gave them five solid innings, and they manufactured five runs in a two-inning span.

But by the end of the night, the story was the bullpen — the moves Carlos Mendoza made, and didn’t make, and what exactly went wrong in a sudden six-run implosion in the sixth inning.

Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images

First, it’s important to note that the Mets own the second-best bullpen ERA in all of baseball. Edwin Díaz is back to his dominant self, Huascar Brazobán and Reed Garrett have been terrific, and José Buttó has been good in a robust body of work. The Mets have mostly found a way to patch things together.

But Friday’s 7-5 loss exposed some glaring questions that the Mets still need to answer.

Max Kranick, for example, had been another success story of the bullpen corps. But he’s slowly faded from reliability. The Pittsburgh castoff, who hadn’t pitched in the big leagues since 2022, posted a sparkling 2.65 ERA in April before a more pedestrian 4.30 in May. Then he allowed a run in one inning on June 2 and was optioned to Triple-A.

Brought in to clean up Paul Blackburn‘s mess on Friday, Kranick allowed the Rays to tie the game — with two inherited runs charged to Blackburn — and take the lead on a two-run homer by Danny Jansen. He was leaning on his slider, but he left it right over the middle. His ERA is sitting shakily at 5.19 over his last 11 games.

Kranick did end up pitching a scoreless seventh while navigating around a couple of baserunners. He paved way for Justin Garza — the newest addition, who some on social media were arguing should have entered during that disastrous sixth. Ironically, Garza ended up having a good outing. He didn’t strike out anybody, but he also didn’t walk anybody in two scoreless innings. He navigated a leadoff single in each frame.

Fifteen of Garza’s 22 pitches were cutters, averaging 89.3 mph and only topping out at 90.4 mph. There’s no indication that Garza will be any kind of noteworthy piece in the long run, but his recent addition is at least a small step in the right direction in terms of building up some bullpen depth.

The game’s turning point, though, stemmed from Blackburn’s meltdown. While Blackburn is a veteran, he’s inexperienced when it comes to pitching in relief, and it showed on Friday. It was just the sixth relief appearance of Blackburn’s nine-year MLB career, and only his third since 2019. He admitted his lack of comfort with the new role in his postgame comments with reporters.

“It’s been tough. It’s completely different routines,” Blackburn said. “I just haven’t found a routine for the bullpen. It’s a lot of trial and error.”

Blackburn allowed three singles to immediately load the bases in the sixth. The first one, by Brandon Lowe, was the hardest-hit ball of the game for either team at 112.2 mph. He surrendered a 102.4 mph single to former Mets farmhand Jake Mangum, which drove in two runs and knocked Blackburn out of the game. The Rays combined to go 4-for-5 against him with an average exit velocity of 94.9 mph.

Blackburn’s first MLB outing since returning from injury was a scoreless five-inning start. But now, he’s allowed seven runs over 4 1/3 innings out of the bullpen. He told the New York Post that his comfort zone is in the rotation, and that although it “sucks” to lose Kodai Senga, he’ll be glad to get back to what he knows best. Blackburn is currently slated to start against the Braves on Wednesday.

But Blackburn going back to the rotation means, like it or not, that he won’t be available for games like Friday’s to begin with. Kranick, as covered, hasn’t been reliable for the last month-plus. Garza is still mostly an unknown. Ryne Stanek has been shaky. Buttó, while good, hasn’t been as spotless as last year.

The Mets’ options are dwindling. It’s looking more and more like the bullpen will be a major focus at the trade deadline, especially if Stanek or Kranick don’t iron things out soon. In Garrett and Díaz, the Mets have an elite backend of the bullpen, and their starters have been the best in baseball. The issue right now is bridging that gap. If Holmes, say, only goes five innings, who can reliably pitch the sixth and seventh innings?

That’s what the Mets need to figure out right now.

The post Mets Still Figuring Out Middle of the Bullpen appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

The Mets beat the Nationals 4-3 to complete the series sweep on Thursday, but Kodai Senga left with a right hamstring strain after leaping for a high throw at first. Senga had pitched 5 2/3 scoreless innings, lowering his ERA to an MLB-best 1.47. Jeff McNeil hit a three-run homer, Brandon Nimmo added a solo shot, and Edwin Díaz held off a late Nats rally for his 14th save. The Mets are 45-24 with the best record in baseball. For more, check out our recap!

According to Will Sammon of The Athletic, the Mets are expected to recall reliever Max Kranick in Senga’s place. Kranick posted a 3.51 ERA over 22 appearances with the team before being optioned to Triple-A.

Now onto the morning briefing!

Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

Latest Mets News

Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said the team won’t rush Frankie Montas back from his rehab assignment following Senga’s injury. Senga was hurt in Thursday’s game while covering first base, pulling up after leaping to catch a high throw from Pete Alonso. Mendoza added that Senga sent his translator, Hiro, to tell Alonso that he felt something in his hamstring just before jumping for the ball.

Mets prospect Jett Williams is red-hot at the plate. Just a night after belting two home runs, he followed up by going 3-for-4 with a double, two triples, two RBIs, a walk, and a stolen base. His strong performance has pushed his OPS to .937 on the season for Double-A Binghamton.

Latest MLB News

Sam Blum of The Athletic writes that new court filings in the Skaggs family’s $210 million lawsuit against the Los Angeles Angels reveal that Tyler Skaggs admitted to getting Percocets from former teammate Wade Miley. Miley’s name also came up during Eric Kay’s criminal case, though he hasn’t been charged. Kay is serving 22 years for providing drugs that led to Skaggs’ 2019 overdose.

The MLBPA has released its Players Trust 2024 Annual Report, showcasing a year of record-breaking player engagement and over $1.3 million invested in programs and causes that matter to both major and minor league players. Former MMO writer Laney Ortiz was highlighted in their role as Program Coordinator.

Ken Rosenthal and Will Sammon of The Athletic reported that Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Aaron Civale has requested a trade.

Per Taylor Blake Ward of Baseball America, the Angels are set to call up infielder Christian Moore, the No. 8 overall pick in the 2024 draft. The 22-year-old has torn up minor league pitching and needed just 20 games at Triple-A before earning the promotion, continuing the Angels’ trend of fast-tracking top prospects.

Latest on MMO

Mathias Altman-Kurosaki gives more details about Senga’s injury.

On This Date In Mets History

2012: Less than two weeks after Johan Santana’s no-hitter, R.A. Dickey delivered a one-hitter against the Tampa Bay Rays, pitching 32 2/3 consecutive scoreless innings to set a new franchise record, surpassing Jerry Koosman. After the game, the Mets appealed to have the only hit charged as an error on David Wright, but the original call stood, confirming Dickey’s second career one-hitter.

Born On This Date: Thomas Szapucki (1996), Damon Buford (1970), Keith Miller (1963), Gerry Arrigo (1941)

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He was as good as ever for four scoreless frames, highlighted by striking out the heart of the Red Sox order (Alex Bregman, Wilyer Abreu and Kristian Campbell) in the fourth inning.

The fifth inning was a bumpy ride, with a couple of infield singles, a hit batter, a wild pitch, one earned run, and a walk to Rafael Devers that ended his night at 85 pitches. He left with two outs and the bases loaded and Huascar Brazobán struck out Bregman to retire the side.

In a way the start mirrored Megill’s season. In his first five starts, he gave up a total of three earned runs and his ERA was 1.09 after striking out 10 Phillies on April 21. But he slumped after that, giving up four earned runs in each of his three previous starts coming into Wednesday. He lasted only 2.2 innings against the Yankees last Friday, his shortest outing of the year.

All told, he’s 3-4 in 10 starts with a 3.56 ERA, 1.35 WHIP, and 66 strikeouts in 48 innings.

The reason Megill, 29, may find himself in the bullpen or in the minor leagues soon is that Paul Blackburn looks ready to go. He tossed seven scoreless innings of one-hit ball in Syracuse on Wednesday, threw 87 pitches and appears poised to come off the injured list and return to New York.

“I think we got a decision there after that,” manager Carlos Mendoza told reporters prior to Blackburn’s start when asked what would happen to the roster next.

Blackburn is out of options so the Mets must send a pitcher down to make room for him. Brazobán and Max Kranick have options but seem to have solidified their bullpen roles. Megill has an option so the Mets could send him down, keep him stretched out as a starter, then bring him up when the need for a sixth starter arises.

Another choice is to bring up Blackburn and put him in the bullpen and still another way to go is the Mets could try to drop a reliever through waivers.

Mendoza has a lot to think about. Megill did his job by making the call a little tougher on Wednesday.

The post Megill Strikes Out 10, Awaits Fate appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Coming up with the big hit in key spots was the driving force behind an impressive series win at Citi Field. Some stellar pitching from both the rotation and bullpen also helped.

There were also some negatives too. For instance, the runners in scoring position issue reared its ugly head once again in the second game of the series. And there was a concerning pitching performance on Saturday, too.

To that end, let’s unpack everything from a big weekend for the Mets in the latest edition of 3 Up, 3 Down…

By Roberto Carlo

3 UP

CAPTAIN CLUTCH

Francisco Lindor is the leader and the very heartbeat of this team. That’s undisputed. He can put the entire franchise on his back and carry them to new heights. He can also be counted on to deliver when it matters most. That was the case on Sunday. With the finale tied in the eighth inning, Lindor stepped to the plate and delivered a bomb of a two-run shot to give the Mets the lead. It proved to be the game-winning strike. Lindor’s heroics in a huge spot ensured that his team took the rubber game and the series from Chicago. It was also a big weekend overall for the shortstop, who hit a leadoff home run and came up with a stellar defensive play in the series opener. The Mets are one of the best teams in baseball right now, and Lindor is a massive part of that.

HEATING UP

Mark Vientos and Brett Baty showed promising signs of breaking out over the weekend. Vientos, who has struggled offensively through the first month, posted two multi-hit games against the Cubs. He went 2-for-4 with two runs scored on Saturday, before really exploding offensively in the finale. He again finished 2-for-4 but, this time, had a home run and an RBI single to show for his efforts. Vientos, who has now hit four home runs on Mother’s Day in his career, homered in the sixth to give the Mets the lead again. It was a big-time strike at an important juncture of the game. Overall, he’s now hitting .313/.370/.500/.870 with three homers and seven RBIs over his last 13 games.

As for Baty, the infielder isn’t wasting any time trying to make the most of his latest opportunity in the big leagues. He hit three home runs against the Cubs, finishing the three-game series 4-for-8 with three runs scored and six RBIs. The highlight? Baty hit two home runs and finished with five RBIs on Saturday. As a result, there is now some hope once again that maybe, just maybe, Baty can stick in the majors and be a productive part of this roster.

PITCHING IN

For the most part, the Mets got a lot of good pitching in this series. Clay Holmes allowed his first home run of the year in the opener but was otherwise solid across six innings. His ability to go a full six innings also spared the bullpen somewhat. The relief pitching also did its job for the most part on Friday. Griffin Canning was terrific again in his start on Sunday, allowing just one run on two hits and a walk with five strikeouts. He was supported by a stellar bullpen, with Reed Garrett, Ryne Stanek and Edwin Díaz all firing scoreless innings of relief. In the two wins, the pitching did a nice job of shutting down a dangerous and potent Chicago lineup.

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3 DOWN 

TWO STEPS FOWARD, FIVE STEPS BACKWARDS

Juan Soto continued what looked to be a true breakout with a big night at the plate on Friday. He finished 2-for-4 with a run scored, two RBIs and a walk. He also blasted a mammoth 434ft home run to continue his hot streak in style. However, the rest of the series wasn’t nearly as good. Soto went a combined 0-for-9 with four strikeouts in the final two games, killing any momentum. Of course, it isn’t the end of the world, given that it is just two games. However, with that said, anytime Soto appears to be getting hot, he then gets mired in a mini skid. Hopefully, that’s not the case this time around, and it was just two bad days at the plate. Soto has hardly been known as a streaky hitter throughout his career, but that’s what he’s been with the Mets so far.

SAME OLD STORY

Tylor Megill enjoyed an encouraging start to 2025, posting a 1.74 ERA over his first six starts. However, his last two starts have been an ugly reminder of the inconsistency that has plagued Megill’s career to this point. The righty was shelled on Saturday, allowing four earned runs on seven hits with two walks and a home run. He lasted just 4.2 innings, and he gave his team too big of a mountain to climb. Overall, Megill has now allowed eight earned runs in his last two outings and 11 in his last three. He has historically always struggled in May (he owns a career 5.97 ERA in May). Therefore, it is only right to be concerned that the same old Tylor Megill is here to stay.

BACK TO EARTH

Max Kranick was one of the success stories of spring training. He then translated that into a terrific start to the 2025 season. It appeared the Mets had unearthed a multi-innings weapon out of nowhere. That could still be the case, obviously. But, as of now, Kranick finds himself mired in somewhat of a slump. He gave up a pair of runs in a huge spot on Saturday, ultimately sealing the Mets’ fate in a close game. As a result, Kranick has now allowed five earned runs over his last four outings with two home runs. His ERA over that span stands at a bloated 7.50. Again, this is baseball andstruggles are just part of the game for every player. Hopefully, this is just a minor blip for Kranick, one he can bounce back from in the upcoming series against the Pirates.

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That reared its ugly head again in the Mets’ 6-5 loss to the Chicago Cubs on Saturday Night. Chicago struck early on Tylor Megill, and the Mets’ offense went 1-for-10 with runners in scoring position.

Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images

Megill Struggles Again

Megill has been known for his hot starts before struggling; to his credit, he’s been pretty solid since the end of last year. However, over his last three starts, Megill has now given up 11 earned runs after he went 4 2/3 innings in the loss to Chicago. It started early after he gave up a leadoff single to Pete Crow-Armstrong in the first inning. Crow-Armstrong stole second and then took third on a bad throw by Francisco Alvarez. Seiya Suzuki drove him in with a single. With two outs and two men on, Dansby Swanson hit a hard line drive that Brett Baty almost caught on the dive and beat out the throw to drive in another run. 

Suzuki started it out in the third with a double, and Michael Busch drove him in with a single. Megill then allowed a home run to Swanson in the fourth inning to make it 4-0 Cubs. After allowing a base hit to Buesch with two outs in the fifth, he was relieved for Huascar Brazobán. All in all, Megill allowed four earned runs with seven strikeouts. 

Baty Homers Twice, But the Offense Slumps 

Baty showed up on Saturday with a two-home run, five RBI performance. The rest of the offense didn’t. Once again, the offense struggled with runners in scoring position by going 1-for-10 on the night. In the bottom of the 3rd inning, down 3-0, the Mets had first and second with one out, but Francisco Lindor flew out and Juan Soto grounded out. In the bottom of the 5th inning in a 4-3 game, Pete Alonso had a chance to tie it with Lindor on second but hit a hard line out directly at third baseman Jon Berti. Brandon Nimmo led off with a single one inning later and stole second. With Nimmo on second and nobody out, Mark Vientos struck out, Luisangel Acuña grounded out, and Baty hit a hard-hit lineout at 108.5 exit velocity to the left fielder, Suzuki.

The struggles continued in the 7th, still down 4-3 with Taylor on second and Lindor on first with one out. Despite hitting better as of late, Soto continued to not come through with runners in scoring position as he struck out. Alonso grounded out on the first pitch he saw to end the frame. In the 9th, Jeff McNeil drew a pinch-hit walk, but Lindor grounded into a double play one batter later. Hitting with runners in scoring position still plagues the Mets, and is currently their biggest problem at this point in the year. 

Max Kranick Gives Up Two Costly Runs

Max Kranick‘s shaky 8th inning ended up hurting the Mets. Still down 4-3, Kranick was tasked to hold the Cubs, but a walk and a pair of two-out singles and walks netted Chicago two runs to make it 6-3. Baty would then hit his second home run in the bottom of the 8th to make it 6-5.

Player Of The Game: Brett Baty

Baty hit a three-run home run in the bottom of the 3rd to left field and then hit an opposite-field two-run homer in the bottom of the 8th inning. It was all part of Baty’s five RBI night as he’s now hit three home runs in his last two games. 

On Deck:

On Sunday, the Mets will send Griffin Canning to the mound to face Matthew Boyd of the Cubs. The game will be telecast on Roku and broadcast on Audacy Mets Radio WHSQ 880 AM at 12:05 pm EDT.

The post Megill Falters, Offense Falls Short in 6-5 Loss to Cubs appeared first on Metsmerized Online.