David Stearns

Good morning, Mets fans!

While Mets president Sandy Alderson expressed disappointment this week with the club’s inability to hire a president of baseball operations in 2021, news on Thursday gave Mets fans a little more hope. The news was that a big name baseball executive may still be in the mix for the job, though his hiring may have to wait.

One of the names linked to the job since the beginning was Milwaukee Brewers president of baseball operations David Stearns. According to reports, the Mets are open to leaving that position open and hiring Stearns in 2022. Stearns says he is happily employed with the Brewers, though the Mets are hopeful the the New York native is still an option as long as that position remains open. It is not clear though, how long he is tied contractually with the Brewers, and the organization denied the Mets permission to interview him in 2020 and 2021.

Latest Mets News

While the hiring of the Mets front office personnel has been slow, the team has greatly expanded their analytic department. The team is now at 26 employees in that department, significantly up from where they were a year ago and even higher than under the previous ownership group.

One of the names that is rumored that the Mets have been interested in hiring for their front office has been former Washington Nationals Director of Baseball Research and Development, Sam Mondry-Cohen. The Athletic’s Eno Sarris listed Mondry-Cohen as an option in his piece examining who may be the next generation’s general managers in baseball.

Latest MLB News

MLB’s Silver Slugger awards were announced on Thursday with nine players, one for each position being awarded that position’s best hitter.

Here are the nine hitters to receive the award in the National League: 1B Freddie Freeman, 2B Ozzie Albies, 3B Austin Riley, SS Fernando Tatis Jr. OF Juan Soto, OF Nick Castellanos, OF Bryce Harper, C Buster Posey, P Max Fried.

For the American League the award winners were: 1B Vladimir Guerrero Jr. 2B Marcus Semien, 3B Rafael Devers, SS Xander Bogaerts, OF Cedric Mullins, OF Aaron Judge, OF Teoscar Hernandez, C Salvador Perez, DH Shohei Ohtani.

The Kansas City Royals announced that long time scout Art Stewart has passed away. Stewart was 94 years old at the time of his passing and just completed his 52^nd year working for the organization. He is credited with more than 70 players he scouted that reached the big leagues.

Ken Rosenthal and Even Drellich of The Athletic report that in place of salary arbitration Major League Baseball (MLB) proposed players being paid via Fangraphs calculations of WAR during their meeting with the Major League Baseball Players Associations on Wednesday. Full details of the proposal were not released but it is expected that this part of the proposal would be rejected by the players.

ESPN’s Jeff Passan is reporting that the Philadelphia Phillies are hiring former Rays front office personnel, Anirudh Kilambi as the team’s Assistant General Manager. Kilambi is 27 years old and was the assistant director of research and development for the Rays during the 2021 season.

Tim Healey of Newsday posted that former Blue Jays and Mets pitcher Steven Matz has generated a lot of interest on the free agent market. The left-hander was at the GM meetings this past week. Healey mentioned the Red Sox, Angels, Dodgers and Cardinals as all being interested in the Stony Brook, New York native.

Pirates outfielder and 2021 All-Star Bryan Reynolds is drawing some trade interest, according to MLB Network’s Jon Morosi. Morosi says the team feels no pressure to move him but the Yankees and the Mariners have inquired about the 26-year-old star. Reynolds won’t be a free agent until after the 2025 season.

The Detroit Tigers are one of the that are expected to be very active in the free agent market. Sources told Jon Morosi that the organization has shown interest in free agent pitcher Jon Gray. Gray, formally of the Colorado Rockies was rumored to be traded around the July trade deadline but was not traded and stayed with Colorado. The team did not give him a qualifying offer, therefore any team that he signs with will not have to forfeit a draft pick to sign the right-hander.

Jon Heyman states that infielder Marcus Semien will turn down the $18.4 million qualifying offer from the Toronto Blue Jays. It should be no surprise as Semien is coming off one of his best seasons in the majors. The hit 45 home runs and drove in 102 runs in the 2021 season.

Heyman also reported that the World Series champion Atlanta Braves are hopeful that starting pitcher Mike Soroka will have an early summer return in 2022. Soroka tore his Achilles tendon on August 3 2020, ending his season. He had surgery to repair the injury four days later and but had a setback in May and had to have another surgery in the area.

Starling Marte is one of the top outfielders in this season’s free agent market and several teams will be interested in the 33-year-old. The Philadelphia Phillies are a team that are expected to be hot and heavy for the outfielder.

Latest on MMO

A potential free agent that is on the Mets radar is Eduardo Escobar. John Flanigan gives you all the information you need on the free agent infielder.

Matt Musico examines four potential trades that the Mets can make to add a pitcher to their starting rotation.

Washington Nationals President of Baseball Operations Mike Rizzo discussed Mets General Manager candidate Adam Cromie on Thursday. John Flanigan has that story.

On This Date in Mets History

Tom Seaver wins his third career National League Cy Young on this date in 1975. Seaver led the National League in victories (22) and had a 2.38 earned run average. He also struck out 243 hitters over 280 innings, leading the league in that category. Seaver also won the award in 1969 and 1973.

Birthdays: Aaron Heilman (43), Gary Thurman (57), Al Schmelz (78)

Let’s go Mets!

The post Morning Briefing: David Stearns Says He’s Happy in Milwaukee appeared first on Metsmerized.

Photo by Sandy Alderson

Good morning, Mets fans!

Another day, more news about the Mets front office. Sig Mejdal, the sabermetric analyst and assistant manager for the Baltimore Orioles, is no longer a consideration for the Mets front office, sources tell SNY’s Andy Martino. Mejdal is just one of a list of names the Mets considered for the position.

Another name that was considered for the position was Boston Red Sox assistant general manager Raquel Ferreira. According to Alex Speier of The Boston Globe, Ferreira has opted to not interview for the role after spending several days talking to Mets officials about the position.

Latest Mets News

Kevin Pillar is a free agent. The outfielder played the entire 2021 season for the New York Mets and hit .231 with 15 home runs and 47 RBIs. Pillar signed a one year deal with the Amazin’s prior to the season and had both a club and player option for the 2022 season. Pillar had a player option worth $2.9 million that he declined. Then the Mets declined the $6.4 million club option for next season. That meant the Mets had to pay Pillar a buyout, which they did making him a free agent. Pillar’s buyout was $1.4 million.

The Get Metsmerized Podcast is giving away a Jacob deGrom baseball card to a lucky Twitter follower. You must retweet the selected tweet and follow the Get Metsmerized Twitter page.

The Mets had 57 minor league players graduate from the organization’s educational program at the Dominican complex on Thursday.

Latest MLB News

San Francisco Giants catcher Buster Posey announced his retirement on Thursday. The 34-year-old played 12 major league seasons racking up 158 career home runs, 729 RBIs and a career .302 batting average. He also had a career WAR of 44.9. Most importantly though, is that Posey was the team leader of three World Series championship teams in San Francisco and was a career .252 hitter in the post-season.

Current Mets pitching coach Jeremy Hefner tweeted a video about making his major league debut against the Giants and Posey. In the post, Hefner called Posey a future Hall of Famer, something that many on social media have said about the Leesburg, Georgia native.

Yuli Gurriel‘s $8 million option has been picked up by the Houston Astros, guaranteeing the 37-year old first baseman returns to the defending American League champions. Gurriel was a key part to the Astros offense in 2021, leading the league with a .319 average. He also belted 15 homers and drove in 81 runs. He also hit .311 in the post-season for Houston.

The Cleveland Indians have picked up the $12 million option on the contract of infielder Jose Ramirez. Ramirez was set to become a free agent. The 28-year-old, who has spent his entire career in Cleveland, was an American League All-Star in 2021, making the game for the third time in his career. He hit .266 with 36 homers & 103 RBIs in 2021. Ramirez has another team option on his contract for the 2023 season, worth in the neighborhood of $13 million.

Yankees outfielder Brett Gardner and pitcher Darren O’Day declined their player options on Thursday, making both players free agents. Gardner, the Yankees longest tenured player, played 140 games for the Bombers in 2021 with 10 home runs and 39 RBIs. He hit .222 on the season. His option was worth $7.15 million. O’Day pitched in just 12 games for the Yankees in 2021, recording a 3.38 ERA with just 10.2 innings pitched. O’Day also had a club option which the Yankees declined. Both players are now free agents and can sign any team.

Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Avisail Garcia opted out of his contract on Thursday, making him a free agent. Garcia had arguably the best year of his career in 2021 recording 29 homers and 86 RBIs in 135 games for the Brew Crew. Garcia was due to make $12 million in 2022.

Oakland Athletics reliever Andrew Chafin declined his mutual option for the 2022 season, making him a free agent. Chafin started the year as a member of the Chicago Cubs but was traded at the deadline for a couple of minor leaguers. The lefty threw 68.2 innings in 2021, with a 1.83 ERA.

With free agency starting, The Athletic reporter Keith Law gave his thoughts on the 50 best free agents heading into the off-season. Who ranks No. 1? Find out here.

Will Leach of MLB.com wrote about the seven Major League Baseball teams who need a championship the most. Does your team make the cut?

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The Mets won’t hire a President of Baseball Operations before the GM Meetings, Matthew Newman has that story which was broke by Tim Healey of Newsday.

Dan Quinones breaks down Francisco Lindor‘s 2021 season and give his report card of the club’s shortstop.

Who hit the five longest home runs for the Mets in 2021? Matt Muscio has the answer.

On This Date in Mets History

Mets pitcher Matt Harvey is awarded the Comeback Player of the Year award on this date in 2015. Harvey missed the entire 2014 season after Tommy John surgery and came back in 2015 to win 13 games and pitch to a 2.71 ERA. Harvey also threw 4 games in the post-season and was sensational, helping lead the Mets to a National League title.

Birthdays: Jose Santiago (47), Mike Bishop (1958), Jim Bethke (75)

Let’s go Mets!

The post Morning Briefing: Mets Front Office Search Continues to Struggle appeared first on Metsmerized.

Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

Good morning, Mets fans!

Game 3 of the 2o21 World Series takes place tonight as the Astros and Braves fly to Atlanta with the series tied at one game apiece. Right-hander Luis Garcia takes the ball for the Astros. He has thrown 9.1 innings in the postseason and is 1-1. Ian Anderson will start for the Braves. In three games this postseason Anderson is 1-0 with a 2.25 ERA. First pitch is scheduled for 8:09 p.m. ET and will be broadcasted on FOX.

Latest Mets News

Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor is a Gold Glove finalist. Lindor led all National League shortstops with 20 Outs Above Average. Lindor is the Mets’ first Gold Glove candidate since Juan Lagares in 2014. If he wins, it would be his third career Gold Glove.

Former Mets prospect Tyler Herron has died. Herron was a first-round draft pick of the St. Louis Cardinals in 2005. He was a right-handed pitcher in the Mets organization during the 2016 season, pitching for both Las Vegas and Binghamton. He also played in the Washington and Pittsburgh organizations. The 34-year-old spent the 2021 season in Fargo, North Dakota pitching for the Fargo-Moorehead Redhawks of the independent American Association.

The New York Jets will have a new starting quarterback this weekend when they square off against the Cincinnati Bengals at MetLife Stadium on Sunday. White has a unique tie to the Mets as he played baseball with Mets infielder Luis Guillorme when the two were growing up in Florida. Read about it in this article written by Dennis Waszak Jr of the Associated Press.

Latest MLB News

The San Diego Padres have a new manager. AJ Cassavell of MLB.com was the first to report that Bob Melvin will be the club’s new skipper. Melvin signed a three-year deal with the Padres, replacing the fired Jayce Tingler.

The 60-year-old had spent the last 11 seasons in Oakland as manager of the Oakland Athletics. He accumulated an 853-764 record with the A’s. The A’s made the post-season six times in Melvin’s 11 seasons. Prior to his 11 seasons in Oakland, Melvin spent five years as manager of the Arizona Diamondbacks and two years as manager of the Seattle Mariners.

The hiring now leaves the Athletics without a manager. The Mets and the A’s are the only two teams currently without a manager.

Atlanta Braves slugger Austin Riley has had an interesting road on his way to Major League Baseball. Riley has been a key part of the Braves success in 2021 but did you know he was a pitcher at one time? Jonathan Mayo has the story.

The Washington Nationals have hired Eric Young Jr. as their first base coach for the 2022 season. Young played 10 years in the big leagues recording 422 hits in his career. He career was split between several organizations including the Mets, Rockies, Braves, Yankees, Brewers and Angels. He spent the 2019 season with the Mariners organization and worked as a coach in their minor league system after he retired from playing in 2019. He spent the 2021 season on the coaching staff of the Triple-A Tacoma Rainers. Young’s dad Eric Young Sr. broke the news on Thursday.

Free agent Marcus Semien has hired the Scott Boras Corporation to represent him this season. Boras is one of the most respected agents in the game an Semien is coming off his best year as a big leaguer, hitting 45 homers and driving in 102 runs and going to his first All-Star game.

SIS Baseball announced their 2021 Fielding Bible Award Winners. The organization held a vote with several industry professionals to come up with the best fielders from the 2021 season.

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James Villiani hands out Dominic Smith‘s report card for the 2021 season. What grades did he get? Find out here.

There have been a plethora of names thrown around for the Mets front office position. Joe D. writes that an internal candidate Tommy Tanous is exactly what the Mets need.

Taijuan Walker had an interesting year in 2021. Matt Musico breaks down Walker’s fastball in 2021.

On This Date in Mets History

On this date in 1969, right-hander Tom Seaver wins his first National League Cy Young Award. It was his first of three career Cy Young Awards. Seaver won the award by getting 96% of the vote. The only other National League pitcher to receive a vote was Phil Niekro. Seaver went 25-7 with a 2.21 ERA. He hurled five shutouts and struck out 208 batters.

Let’s go Mets!

The post Morning Briefing: Braves and Astros Set For Game 3 of World Series appeared first on Metsmerized.

Mandatory Credit: Neville E. Guard-USA TODAY Sports

Good morning, Mets fans!

The Dodgers are headed to the NLCS to take on the Braves after winning a nail-biter Thursday night over the Giants, 2-1. The game ended on a questionable check swing from old friend Wilmer Flores, with Max Scherzer recording the save.

Game 1 of the NLCS begins on Saturday at 8:07 p.m. on TBS.

Today, Game 1 of the ALCS will be played between the Red Sox and Astros at Minute Maid Park in Houston. Framber Valdez will get the start for the Astros, while the Red Sox have yet to announce a starting pitcher for the game. First pitch is at 8:07 p.m. on FOX.

Latest Mets News

According to several sources, the Mets are interesting in bringing back utility infielder Jonathan Villar. The sources also say that Villar is interested in returning to the club. It has been reported that the two sides are working on an extension. Villar signed a one-year, $3.5 million deal with the Mets this season and played well, hitting .248 with 18 home runs and 42 RBIs. He played solid defensively as well, playing third base, shortstop and second base over 142 games for the Amazins’ in 2021.

Latest MLB News

The Cardinals fired manager Mike Shildt on Thursday. In a surprising move, Shildt’s tenure with the team ends after three and a half seasons. The Cardinals finished the season with a 90-72 record and played in the Wild Card game this past week against the Dodgers. They lost the contest 3-1 to get eliminated from the playoffs. Cardinals president John Mozeliak said that philosophical differences was the reason for the firing.

The Yankees made a plethora of coaching changes on Thursday. The club did not renew the contract of third base coach Phil Nevin. Nevin had been with the team since the 2018 season and was recently the subject of controversy when he sent home Aaron Judge, who got thrown out trying to score during last week’s Wild Card game against the Boston Red Sox. Nevin wasn’t alone. The club also announced that hitting coach Marcus Thames and assistant hitting coach PJ Piliterre would not return for the 2021 season. Piliterre had been with the organization since the 2004 season, in a variety of roles. Thames had been the hitting coach for the club since the 2016 season.

The Yankees finished the season with a record 92-70 and lost to the Boston Red Sox in the American League Wild Card game. The club has yet to announce the status of manager Aaron Boone, whose contract with the team expires after the World Series.

Seattle Mariners outfielder Mitch Haniger wrote a piece that was published in The Athletic on Thursday. Haniger examined the Mariners 2021 season in which the club finished just a game shy of making the playoffs. He also spoke about the ups and downs in his career and spoke about how optimistic he is about the future of the ballclub.

Astros shortstop Carlos Correra is a free agent at the end of the 2021 season and there will be several teams who are interested in his services. One of those teams may be the Chicago Cubs, who had their eyes on him in the draft nine years ago. Gordon Whittenmeyer discusses how the team and players paths may cross again in the off-season.

On the field, Trey Mancini’s 2021 season was almost perfect. Off the field however, Mancini’s road wasn’t so smooth. Dan Connolly of The Athletic writes about the scare the Orioles outfielder had back in June. Mancini is telling his story to help other people battling cancer.

The National Baseball Hall of Fame announced the eight finalists for the 2022 Ford C. Frick Award. It’s an annual award given for broadcasting excellence. The eight finalists are Pat Flanagan, Jack Graney, Waite Hoyt, France Laux, Rosey Rowswell, Hal Totten, Ty Tyson and Bert Wilson.

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Francisco Lindor‘s 2021 season was one that did not go as planned for the superstar shortstop. Matt Musico explains it’s not the only time that a young star came to the Mets and had a tough go of it at first. He also explains how it worked out okay for Carlos Beltran.

Austin Simmons gives out his 2021 Report Card on Mets pitcher Marcus Stroman.

On This Date in Mets History

One of the most iconic catches in Mets history occurred on this date in 1969. On October 15, 1969, the  Mets and Orioles squared off in Game 4 of the 1969 World Series. Tom Seaver got the ball for the Amazins’ and was spectacular.

The Mets took a 1-0 lead in the second inning on a solo home run by Donn Clendenon. Seaver would hold the lead until the ninth inning when the Orioles threatened. Back-to-back singles by Boog Powell and Frank Robinson put runners on first and third with one out for Brooks Robinson. That’s when ‘the catch’ occurred. Robinson hit a sinking line drive to right field and Mets outfielder Ron Swoboda tried to make a play. That’s when Swoboda, running to his right, leaped forward and made a spectacular catch, robbing Robinson of extra bases.

The Orioles would tie the game on the catch, as Frank Robinson came home to score the tying run on a sacrifice fly, but it could have been much worse. The Swoboda catch helped Seaver escape trouble in the ninth. The game would move to extra innings where the Mets would win in the 10^th inning to take a 3-1 series lead.

The most memorable game in Mets postseason history occurred on this date in 1986. It was Game 6 of the 1986 NLCS, when the Mets defeated the Houston Astros to advance to the franchise’s third ever World Series. The game lasted four hours and 46 minutes, marking the longest post-season game up until that point. It was a 16-inning marathon that started as a 3-0 Astros lead in the ninth inning. The Mets would score three runs in the ninth on a rally started by Lenny Dykstra and Ray Knight. They would take a 7-4 lead in the 16th inning but the Astros scored two runs to pull the game within a run before Jesse Orosco struck out Kevin Bass to end the game.

The Mets advanced to the NLCS on this date in 2015. Leading the NLDS two games to one, the Mets had young Jacob deGrom take the hill. The Dodgers jumped out to an early 2-1 lead in the first but the Mets tied the game in the fourth inning on a sacrifice fly by Travis d’Arnaud. Then in the sixth inning, Daniel Murphy hit a solo home run to give the Amazins’ a 3-2 lead. That was all the Mets needed. DeGrom was brilliant after the first inning and Noah Syndergaard and Jeurys Familia came in in relief and shut down the Dodgers offense the next three innings, not allowing a hit. Familia struck out Howie Kendrick to end the game and advance the Mets to the NLCS.

Birthdays: Lou Klimchock (82)

Let’s go Mets!

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Mandatory Credit: Kam Nedd-USA TODAY Sports

Good morning, Mets fans!

The Mets closed out Citi Field in style on Thursday with a dominating victory over the Miami Marlins winning by a score of 12-3. Pete Alonso hit two homers and Francisco Lindor rocketed a grand-slam on a memorable night in Queens.

For Alonso it was home runs number 36 and 37 on the season. He will try and reach 40 this weekend in Atlanta. Lindor’s blast was his 20th of the season, becoming just the second shortstop in club history to hit 20 or more home runs in a season.

At the end of the game Met fans paid tribute to Michael Conforto who went 3 for 5 and had a nice diving catch in the ninth inning. Conforto has played seven years in New York and is a pending free agent. Thursday night could have been his last game played at Citi Field and while Conforto was walking off the field, Met fans gave him a standing ovation.

Starting pitcher Rich Hill got his first win as a Met, going five innings giving up two earned runs on six hits. Brad Hand, Miguel Castro, Trevor May and Heath Hembree all threw in relief of Hill to secure the victory.

The Mets begin their final series of the season on Friday night as they head to Truist Park in Atlanta to start a three-game series against the Braves. Tylor Megill (3-6 4.78) will make his final start of the season for the Mets, who come into the game with a record of 76-83.

Huascar Ynoa (4-5 3.98) gets the ball for the Braves who clinched the National League Eastern division on Thursday. They have a record of 86-72.

Latest Mets News

The New York Mets have announced their starting rotation for their final series of the season in Atlanta. Rookie Tylor Megill will get the start on Friday with Trevor Williams and Noah Syndergaard finishing out the rotation. Syndergaard pitched an inning on in his start on Tuesday, making his season debut.

Baseball America released their top 10 prospects from the Low-A Southeast League on Thursday and Mets center field prospect Alex Ramirez was ranked as the No. 10 prospect in the league. Ramirez hit .258 in Port St. Lucie this season with 5 HR and 35 RBIs. He played 76 games, including 70 in the outfield. The Dominican Republic native is just 18 years old.

Former Mets outfielder Curtis Granderson was on the podcast “Untold Stories” with host Hookah Doncic this week. On the podcast Granderson told stories about what it was like being black in a Major League Baseball clubhouse and shared some of his favorite memories during his career.

Latest MLB News

St. Louis Cardinals manager Mike Shildt confirmed on Thursday that veteran starter Adam Wainwright will get the start in their wildcard matchup on Wednesday night. The Cardinals have clinched a spot in the wildcard game following a 17-game winning streak that ended earlier this week. They will play either the Dodgers or the Giants.

The Boston Red Sox fell to the Baltimore Orioles by a score of 6-2 on Thursday night. Ryan Mountcastle hit a three-run homer off of Red Sox starter Nick Pivetta to give the Os the lead and they never looked back. The loss drops the Red Sox record to 89-70 and they now find themselves tied for the second wildcard spot with the Seattle Mariners. The Red Sox head to the nation’s capital this weekend to start a three-game set against the Washington Nationals. The Mariners finish the regular season at home against the Los Angeles Angels.

The New York Yankees defeated the Toronto Blue Jays 6-2 on Thursday to give them some breathing room for the first American League wildcard position. The Yankees hit five home runs, two by Aaron Judge and one a piece from Anthony Rizzo, Gleyber Torres and Brett Gardner. Corey Kluber threw 4.2 innings giving up two runs, but it was the Yankees bullpen who really stood out. Michael King, Luis Severino, Chad Green and Aroldis Chapman all had scoreless outings to give the Yankees the victory. The Yankees now find themselves up two games in the first wildcard spot, with just three games left to play. The Blue Jays are now a game out of the second wildcard spot, behind both the Red Sox and Mariners.

The Houston Astros topped the Tampa Bay Rays 3-2 on Thursday to clinch their fourth American League West division title in five years. Lance McCullers Jr. beat Ryan Yarbrough at Minute Maid Park. Carlos Correa hit his 25^th home run of the season. It was a three-run job in the 4^th inning and was all the scoring the Astros needed.

Major League Baseball also announced the times of the Wild Card games for both leagues on Thursday. Next Tuesday’s American League Wild Card game will begin at 8:08 p.m. ET and will be broadcasted on ESPN. There will be an alternate statcast-driven broadcast on ESPN2. The first pitch for next Wednesday’s National League Wild Card game will be at 8:10 p.m. ET. That game will be show on TBS. Both games will have a one-hour pregame show on their respected networks.

Baseball Hall of Famer Frank Thomas has purchased a controlling interest in Go the Distance Baseball, LLC, the venture that owns the All-Star Baseball Heaven and the Field of Dreams movie set. Thomas made the purchase along with friend and former Los Angeles Angels General Manager Dan Evans. Thomas will serve as the Chief Executive Officer while Evans will serve as Chief Operating Officer of the venture.

Latest NL East News

The Atlanta Braves clinched the National League East division on Thursday by beating the Philadelphia Phillies by a score of 5-3. Jorge Soler and Austin Riley homered for the Bravos and Ian Anderson got the victory going six strong innings. It’s the fourth straight division title for the Braves.

Matt Gelb from The Athletic reported on the toxic culture within the Philadelphia Phillies farm system. Gelb describes the problems inside their minor league systems not off the field but on the field as well.

Latest on MMO

Team President Sandy Alderson gave his season ending press conference on Wednesday. Nate Mendelson writes about the five things we learned from Alderson on Wednesday.

Jeurys Familia‘s sinker is a pitch has is known for. However, in 2021 Familia’s sinker was very hit or miss in 2021. Matt Musico dove deep into the numbers to look at Familia’s sinker from an analytical perspective.

On This Date in Mets History

The Mets clinched the National League East on this day in 1973. In the first game of a scheduled make-up doubleheader at Wrigley Field, a day after the regular season ended, the New York Mets beat the Chicago Cubs, 6 – 1, to capture the National League East flag. The Mets were 11 1/2 games behind and in last place on August 5th but won their 82nd game and clinched the division, making the second game of the twin bill unnecessary.

The Mets stayed alive in the race for the National League East division on this date in 1985. The Mets were facing off against the St. Louis Cardinals, who they trailed by three games for the lead in the division. The Mets were able to keep their season alive with a 1-0 victory in 11 innings. The lone run came on a solo home run by Darryl Strawberry off of Cardinals reliever Ken Dayley. Ron Darling threw nine scoreless innings for the Mets but Cardinals starter John Tudor matched him going ten scoreless innings. Jesse Orosco pitched the 10^th and 11^th for the Mets to earn the victory.

Birthdays: Brandon Knight (46), John Thomson (48), Chuck McElroy (54), Jeff Reardon (66), Pete Falcone (68), Bob Myrick (69), Buzz Capra (74), Chuck Hiller (1934)

Let’s go Mets!

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Photo by Chris Simon

Good morning, Mets fans!

The New York Mets head to Milwaukee on Friday to take on the Milwaukee Brewers to begin a three-game series at American Family Field. Tylor Megill (3.5 4.57) takes the mound for the Mets to start the series.

The club comes into the series in desperate need of some wins. They have a record of 73-79 and have just 10 games to play in their season. They sit 7.5 games out of the lead in the National League East Division and are 10 games out in the division. They have won just twice in the last eight games.

The Brewers, meanwhile, have clinched a playoff spot and lead the National League Central division. They have a record of 91-62 and a 7.5 game lead in the division. Left-hander Eric Lauer (6-5 3.03) is the scheduled starter for the Brewers on Friday.

Latest Mets News

James McCann’s season at the plate has not gone the way many expected. Tim Britton of The Athletic discusses what went wrong with McCann’s season and how to fix some of the problems that occurred in 2021.

Thursday’s scheduled game for the Syracuse Mets against the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders was postponed due to rain. This comes a day after Wednesday night’s game was suspended due to weather. That means there will be extra baseball for the clubs on Friday and Saturday.

Friday will begin with Wednedsay’s suspended game. The game will start with two outs in the top of the fifth inning, just as it left off before the rainout. Both games on Friday will be nine innings. On Saturday, the teams will play two seven inning games, starting with the make up game from Thursday and finishing with the regularly scheduled game on Saturday.

Latest MLB News

Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic is reporting that the Arizona Diamondbacks have extended the contract of manager Torey Lovullo. The extension ensures Lovullo will be back for the 2022 season and in addition, there will be a club option for 2023.

Lovullo has been the skipper of the D-backs since the 2017 season. He has a career record of 333-365 and made the playoffs in the 2016 season. In 2021, Arizona has a record of 49-104 and are in last place in the National League West division.

Major League Baseball will be experimenting with a new baseball for the final ten games of the Triple-A season Baseball America is reporting. MLB executive vice president of baseball operations Morgan Sword said that a handful of teams in the league will use a pre-tacked baseball. The organization also reported that MLB will experiment with a lot of different rules for the upcoming Arizona Fall League.

The Toronto Blue Jays have designated infielder Jake Lamb for assignment. The Jays needed the 40-man roster spot after Breyvic Valera returned from the COVID-19 IL. Lamb was picked up off of waivers by the Jays from the Chicago White Sox on September 3. In 12 games with Toronto Lamb had four hits in 31 at-bats with a homer and six RBIs.

The Blue Jays also made news for other reasons. Manager Charlie Montoyo and reliever Ryan Borucki were suspended for their role in a Wednesday night’s eighth inning incident involving Tampa Bay Rays outfielder Kevin Kiermaier.

Montoyo received a one game suspension and a fine, while Borucki got a three game suspension for intentionally hitting Kiermaier with a pitch on Wednesday. Montoyo missed Wednesday’s game against the Twins to serve the suspension. The incident came just two days after Kiermaier picked up a game-plan card that was dropped by Toronto catcher Alejandro Kirk.

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The Mets have lost a member of their coaching staff. Matthew Newman has more.

Although the Mets have not performed the way the team had hoped in the last month of the season, infielder Javier Baez has. Drew Rosen discusses whether or not Baez has done enough to stay in New York after this season.

Pete Alonso has been the Mets most consistent offensive player in 2021. His power numbers are something that is rarely seen in this organization. Matt Musico breaks down Pete’s power numbers and see how they stack up with other power hitters in the Mets organization.

On This Date in Mets History

The Mets clinched their first ever division title on this date in 1969. Gary Gentry threw a complete game shutout, giving up just four hits against the St. Louis Cardinals at Shea Stadium. Offensively, the Mets hammered Cardinals starter Steve Carlton, knocking him out of the game in the first inning after only recording one out. Donn Clendenon hit a three-run homer and Ed Charles wacked a two-run shot to give the Mets a 5-0 lead after the first inning. That was all Gentry needed as he shut the Cardinals down. After the game, the Mets would celebrate on their home field  winning the first ever National League East title.

Mets third baseman Howard Johnson set a major league record on this date in 1991. On September 24, 1991 Johnson hit his 37^th home run of the season in the Mets 10-8 loss to Pittsburgh Pirates. HoJo broke his old record for most home runs by a switch-handed hitter in the National League, which he had set in 1989 when he hit 36 bombs. Johnson would finish the season with 38 blasts becoming the first NL switch-hitter to lead the league in that category.

Birthdays: Drew Smith (28), Hunter Strickland (33), Bernard Gilkey (55), Hubie Brooks (65)

Let’s go Mets!

The post Morning Briefing: Desperate Mets Head to Milwaukee for Weekend Series appeared first on Metsmerized.

Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

Good morning, Mets fans!

The Mets enjoyed a day off on Thursday, but will be right back to action on Friday as they host the Philadelphia Phillies for the start of a three-game set. Taijuan Walker (7-9 4.29) takes the mound for the Mets, who come into the game having lost three straight games to the St. Louis Cardinals. The Mets now have a record of 72-75 and trail in the NL East by 5.5 games. They trail the St. Louis Cardinals by five games in the Wild Card.

Former Met Zack Wheeler (13-9 2.86) is pitching for the Phillies. The Phillies enter the series with a record of 73-72 and are 3.5 games back of the Atlanta Braves in the NL East. The Phillies are just 2.5 games back of St. Louis in the final Wild Card spot.

Latest Mets News

Mets pitcher Jordan Yamamoto threw four innings in a rehab assignment on Thursday for the Triple-A Syracuse Mets. Yamamoto has been sidelined with a right shoulder injury since May 25. He threw 58 pitches and gave up three hits in his start. No word on whether he will join the Major League club before the season is out.

Mets prospect Mark Vientos started at DH and played his first game for Triple-A Syracuse on Thursday. He went 2 for 4 with an RBI and a run scored. Prior to the game Vientos spoke to Joe DeMayo and Jacob Resnick of SNY.com on this week’s episode of Mets Prospective. During the chat, Vientos shared something that Mets star Francisco Lindor told him this season that has helped him in his growth in becoming a major league player.

Will Leitch of MLB.com wrote an article highlighting the best player in each season since 1969. Both Tom Seaver and Dwight Gooden are featured in the piece.

Latest MLB News

Kansas City Royals starting pitcher Daniel Lynch left his start on Thursday with what the team is describing as tightness in his left calf. The southpaw threw two innings of his start before exiting in the third. Initially it looked to be a more serious injury, but after additional tests there are no major concerns. The team says he should be able to make his next start sometime next week. Lynch started the 2021 season as the Royals third best prospect.

The Baltimore Orioles claimed right-handed pitcher Brooks Kriske off of waivers from the New York Yankees. The 27-year-old from Scottsdale, Arizona pitched in eight games for the Yankees in 2021, throwing 7.2 innings and having an ERA of 15.26. He was placed on waivers by the Yankees on Tuesday.

The San Diego Padres signed former Phillies starter Vince Velasquez to a minor league contract on Thursday. The team also announced that he is expected to start in one of the games this weekend versus the St. Louis Cardinals. The move comes after the Friars had to place Blake Snell on the IL with a left adductor groin strain. Velasquez started 17 games for the Phillies this season, going 3-6 with a 5.95 ERA before being released on September 12. The 29-year-old will look for a fresh start with the Padres.

Latest NL East News

Thursday’s game between the Atlanta Braves and Colorado Rockies was postponed due to rain. The game was scheduled to be the series finale between the two but is now in jeopardy of even being played. The teams do not have any mutual off days the rest of this season and will be made up on the day after the regular season on October 4 but only if there are playoff implications.

Latest on MMO

Matt Musico discusses the evolution of Marcus Stroman and how he has evolved into the pitcher his today.

It was a rough series for the Mets against the Cardinals this past week. Dilip Sridhar writes about some of the positives and negatives from the three-game set against the Cards.

What did you think of ESPN’s documentary “Once Upon a Time in Queens?” Brian Wright talks about some of the key points of the series and catches you up on anything you missed.

Connor Grey features Mets top prospect Francisco Alvarez in his latest piece.

It was an off-day on the field for the Mets, but it was eventful off the field. Mets owner Steve Cohen had a beef with an article written by the New York Post and let the fans know about it on his Twitter page. Read all about that and more from the incident as Matt Musico has you covered.

On This Date in Mets History

Jerry Koosman threw a complete game shutout to give the Mets a 5-0 victory at Jarry Park on this date in 1969. The Mets scored three runs in the fourth inning thanks in large part to a two-run single by Wayne Garrett. They would add two more as Koosman would shut down the Montreal Expos offense. The win gives the Mets a 3-game lead in the NL East with just 14 games left in the season.

The Mets clinched the NL East on this date in 1986. Doc Gooden threw a complete game, giving up just two runs on six hits against the Chicago Cubs. Gooden won his 15^th game and the Mets scored three runs off of Cubs pitcher Dennis Eckersley, knocking him out in the fifth and Gooden was able to hang on. The win clinched the National League East division title for the third time in club history. The would go on to win their second World Series title.

Curtis Granderson became just the eight player in baseball history to hit multiple home runs in extra innings when the Mets beat the Minnesota Twins 3-2 on this date in 2016. Seth Lugo started for the Mets and went five innings, giving up just one run. The Mets tied the game in the eighth inning on a Yoenis Cespedes RBI single, plating Jose Reyes. The game went into extra innings tied at one. The Mets fell behind in the 11^th when Byron Buxton hit a home run off Hansel Robles. Granderson tied it in the 11^th with a solo blast off of Brandon Kintzler. In the 12^th the Twins bullpen retired the first two batters and Ryan O’Rourke came in to pitch to Granderson who hit a walk-off home run to right field to win the game for the Mets. The victory gave the Mets a record of 79-69 and put them in a tie with the San Francisco Giants for the lead in the NL wildcard.

Birthdays: John Franco (61)

Let’s go Mets!

The post Morning Briefing: Mets Host Phillies in Critical Three-Game Set appeared first on Metsmerized.

Mandatory Credit: Neville E. Guard-USA TODAY Sports

Good morning, Mets fans!

What a wild 2021 season it has been! On Thursday the Mets swept the Miami Marlins out of Citi Field with a 4-3 win. The winning hit came off the bat of Dominic Smith, who had a two-out pinch-hit RBI single to score the go-ahead run in the seventh inning.

Carlos Carrasco started the game for the Mets and went 5.1 innings, giving up three runs on four hits. The Mets bullpen threw 4.2 innings and held the Marlins scoreless. The Marlins tied the game in the 6th inning after Aaron Loup walked in a run. However, Jeurys Familia, Trevor May and Edwin Diaz shut down the Marlins to help earn the victory. Diaz earned his 28th save.

The win brings the Mets record to 66-67. They now trail the Atlanta Braves by five games in the National League East.

On Friday the New York Mets head to the nation’s capital to take on the Washington Nationals to start a three-game series at Nationals Park. Lefty Rich Hill (6-6 4.11) will pitch for the Mets and he will be opposed by left-hander Sean Nolin (0-2 6.57) for the Nationals. Washington comes into the game with a 55-77 record and are currently on a five game losing streak.

Latest Mets News

On Thursday, the New York Mets claimed left-handed pitcher Brad Hand off of waivers from the Toronto Blue Jays, Deesha Thosar of the New York Daily News reported on the news. Hand signed a one-year deal with the Washington Nationals during the off-season. He pitched in 41 games for the Nats before being traded on July 29 to the Toronto Blue Jays.

The Blue Jays released Hand after just 11 games in which he had a 7.27 ERA in just 8.2 innings pitched. He also had a WHIP of 1.84 in Toronto. It should be noted that Hand will not be eligible for the post-season as only players on a team’s roster on August 31 are eligible for the playoffs. He will join the Mets in Washington on Friday.

Because of the addition of Hand, the Mets designated relief pitcher Geoff Hartlieb for assignment. Hartlieb pitched in three games for the Mets and threw 4.1 innings, giving up seven hits and seven runs. He was selected off waivers by the Mets from the Pittsburgh Pirates on July 7. Hartlieb will have to pass through waivers again if he wants to remain a part of the Mets organization.

Anthony Rieber of Newsday.com reported that the New York Mets have demoted outfielder Kahlil Lee to Triple-A Syracuse just a day after recalling him. Lee and outfielder Albert Almora Jr were called up to the Mets when the rosters expanded to 28 on September 1. He did not play a game while he was up and was shipped back on Thursday. The club recalled right-handed pitcher Yennsy Diaz to take his place on the roster.

Mets starter Jordan Yamamoto pitched a game in Port St. Lucie, the Mets Single-A affiliate on Thursday. Yamamoto threw four innings, gave up three hits and a run while striking out five while on a rehab assignment. He’s been on the IL since late May due to a sore right shoulder. There is no word on when Yamamoto will be ready for regular work.

Yamamoto wasn’t the only Met to have play a game in a rehab assignment on Thursday. Infielder Jose Peraza played seven innings at Triple-A Syracuse and went 1-3 with a walk and an RBI double. Peraza fractured his right middle finger in July.

New York Mets acting general manager Zack Scott appeared in White Plains City Court on Thursday morning stemming from his August 31 arrest. Scott pleaded not guilty to four charges including, driving while intoxicated, stopped/standing/parked on a highway, failure to obey traffic device, and failure to notify DMV of address change. Tim Healey of Newsday.com broke the story. The next court date for Scott is October 7.

The Mets also announced that Scott was placed on administrative leave until further notice effective Thursday. Sandy Alderson will absorb the position for general manager in addition to his team president duties. There are reports that Alderson’s son Bryn will also be helping his father with GM related duties.

The Mets signed right-handed pitcher Justin Courtney to a minor league deal on Thursday. Courtney, a University of Maine product, pitched in 22 games for the Single-A Inland Empire 66ers, an affiliate of the Los Angeles Angels. The Bangor, Maine product recently turned 25 years old. Michael Mayer of Metzmerizedonline.com had the news.

Jeff Passan and Buster Olney discussed the Mets front office situation on the latest Baseball Tonight podcast. In it, the gentlemen agreed that former Redsox and Cubs GM Theo Epstein is unlikely to take the job and the duo gave a couple of names of folks they think are good fits for the role, should the role be open this off-season.

Latest MLB News

The Boston Red Sox claimed infielder Taylor Motter off of waivers from the Colorado Rockies on Thursday. Motter played in 13 games for Colorado and hit .151 with the Rockies. Motter has played 154 big league games since 2016 with the Rays, Mariners, Twins and Rockies.

Matt Cuso of the Baseball Cloud blog discusses the science of spin rate and how it can be used to elevate a pitchers arsenal.

T.D. Bank Ballpark in Bridgewater, New Jersey won’t be seeing baseball anytime soon. The park, which is home to the Somerset Patriots the Double-A affiliates of the New York Yankees, is completely under water thanks to the remnants of hurricane Ida. The team is currently on the road and is not scheduled to host a game at the field until Tuesday, September 7. No word if any games will be affected due to the flooding.

Former Major League catcher Chris Iannetta discusses the first time he interacted with Angels outfielder Mike Trout in this week’s MLBPA.com article written by Jerry Crasnick. Iannetta claims he knew Trout was going to be a star from his first three or four games in the major leagues. There were several other stories about Trout as well, shared by several other significant baseball figures in and around the Angels organization.

Latest NL East News

The Washington Nationals have released infielder Starlin Castro following the completion of a 30-game suspension that the league instituted against Castro following an alleged domestic violence incident. The team had previous said that they have a no-tolerance towards domestic violence and released Castro as soon as they were able. Brit Ghiroli of The Athletic had the story.

Latest on MMO

The month of August wasn’t a great one for the Mets but there were a few players who did their jobs. Alex Horowitz takes a look at some of those players.

Is the Mets offense really that bad this year? Matt Musico takes a dive into the numbers to see if that is just a myth or if there is relevance behind it.

On September 2, 1972 the Mets had a historic day. Rich Sparago goes back in time and talks about the Mets biggest comeback in club history.

On This Date in Mets History

Jim Hickman becomes the first Met ever to hit three home runs in a game on this date in 1965. Hickman hit his homers in the 2^nd, 4^th and 6^th innings all off of Cardinals left-hander Ray Sadecki. Hickman also drove in four runs in the game helping the Mets to a 6-3 victory.

Lee Mazzilli homers from both sides of the plate in the Mets 8-5 win over the Dodgers on this date in 1978. Maz, as he is referred to by many Met fans, was batting from the right side when hit a lead-off first pitch home run off of Dodgers lefty Tommy John in the first inning. Batting left handed versus Dodgers righty Charlie Hough, Mazzilli hit his second home run in the seventh inning to give the Mets an 8-3 lead.

George Foster hits a three-run walk-off home run off of Al Holland to beat the Phillies 6-5 at Shea Stadium on this date in 1983. The Mets scored three runs in the second to go ahead early, but the Phillies came storming back, tying the game in the fifth. They took the lead in the top of the 9^th scoring two runs off Jesse Orosco. Al Holland came on for the save, but gave up a single to Mookie Wilson, and a single to Keith Hernandez. With one out, Foster blasted the homer to win the game.

Birthdays: David Peterson (26), Corey Oswalt (28), Ced Landrum (58)

Let’s go Mets!

The post Morning Briefing: Mets Suddenly on the Rise Again appeared first on Metsmerized.

Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

Good morning, Mets fans!

The Mets made it close but in the end the Los Angeles Dodgers handed the Mets their eighth loss in their last nine games on Saturday. Mets starter Rich Hill threw five innings and gave up three home runs including career home run No. 677 for Dodgers first baseman Albert Pujols. The three homers put the Mets in a 3-0 hole by the top of the fifth when Mets outfielder Brandon Nimmo hit a solo home run to cut LA’s lead to 3-1.

The Dodgers scored one run in the sixth off of reliever Miguel Castro to give the Dodgers a 4-1 lead. The score stood until the top of the sevent when Pete Alonso hit his 28th home run of the season off of Blake Treinen with a man on to make the score 4-3.

That would remain the score into the ninth when Kenley Jansen came in and saved it for the Dodgers in the ninth inning to hold on for the victory. The Dodgers moved their record to 78-64 and brought them to within 1.5 games of the lead in the National League West behind the San Francisco Giants. The loss dropped the Mets record to 60-63. They are now seven games off the lead in the NL East.

The Mets will look to salvage the final game of the four-game set against the Dodgers on Sunday. Marcus Stroman (8-12 2.84) throws the ball for the Mets, going against veteran left-hander David Price (4-1 3.62) for the Dodgers.

Latest Mets News

Javier Baez said “he’s ready” to join the Mets for their series finale on Sunday against the Los Angeles Dodgers, according to Tim Healey of Newsday. “It’s up to them (Mets medical personnel and other decision-makers). I want to go out there,” Baez said. He and fellow infielder Francisco Lindor are eligible to come off of the ten-day IL on Sunday. No word yet on whether or not they will be activated on Sunday.

Mets pitcher Noah Syndergaard threw a live BP session at Dodgers Stadium on Saturday. It’s the second time Syndergaard has thrown to live hitters since his most recent shutdown in May. The right-hander threw 20 pitches, topping out at 94-95 mph. No word on what the next step will be for Syndergaard who is trying to come back from Tommy John surgery performed in April 2020.

A 46-year-old man was found dead at Citi Field on Saturday, this according to multiple reports. According to the New York Police Department the man fell from the second-floor staircase. It is unclear whether the death was accidental. The Mets released a statement saying they are aware of the situation and sent their condolences to the friends and family of the victim. The rock band Dead & Company played a concert at Citi Field on Friday, though it is not certain the fan attended the concert.

Latest MLB News

Minnesota Twins right-handed pitcher Kenta Maeda will undergo an MRI on his right forearm after the veteran pitcher left his start on Saturday against the Yankees after just 4.1 innings pitched. Maeda let up just one run in his first four innings but struggled in the fifth after appearing uncomfortable on the mound throughout the inning. Maeda was showing some discomfort with his right arm. He would struggle in the inning and was pulled from the game later in the fifth.

The Chicago Cubs placed right-handed pitcher Dan Winkler on release waivers on Saturday. The veteran right hander had pitched in 47 games for the Cubbies in 2021. He had an ERA of 5.22 with a WHIP of 1.56. Chicago also announced that former Mets outfielder Johneshwy Fargas has cleared waivers and was sent to Triple-A Iowa. Fargas was designated for assignment on August 18.

Latest NL East News

The Atlanta Braves topped the Baltimore Orioles on Saturday by a score of 5-4. Joc Pederson and Austin Riley homered off Matt Harvey to give the Braves a 4-3 lead. Will Smith got his 27th save of the season. The win puts the Braves record at 67-56 and gives them a four-game lead over the Phillies and a seven-game lead over the Mets.

Latest on MMO

Jeff McNeil has been one of the most consistent Mets over the last few seasons. That makes his struggles in the 2021 season so head-scratching. Mojo Hill takes a deep dive into the numbers on what has been happening with McNeil this season.

The 2015 season had some special moments. Brian Wright looks at one game in-particular in which Yoenis Cespedes had a special day in Colorado.

On This Date in Mets History

The Mets won both games of a doubleheader against the St. Louis Cardinals on this date in 1965. In game one, Jim Hickman hit a three-run homer in the eighth inning to give the Mets a 7-5 lead. Dave Eilers got the save after pitching a scoreless ninth inning to clinch the victory. In game two, rookie Tug McGraw threw a complete game, giving up seven hits and two runs in a 4-2 win. It was the 20-year-old’s first complete game of his career.

The Mets began a six-game winning streak when they beat the Los Angeles Dodgers on this date in 1969. The winning streak helped the Mets chase down the Chicago Cubs for the National League Eastern Division. In the game, Ron Swoboda hit a two-run homer off of Bill Singer to give the Amazins’ an early 2-0 lead in the fourth. The team scored two more in the fifth and that was enough for pitchers Jerry Koosman and Tug McGraw to hold down the lead as the Mets won 5-3 . By the end of win streak, the Mets had cut the Cubs lead in the East to just two games.

John Milner hit a walk-off single to give the Mets a 4-3 victory against the Dodgers on this date in 1973. The Mets were down 3-2 entering the ninth, after a walk-off victory the day before. Jim Brewer started the ninth for the Dodgers giving up a single to Cleon Jones. Tug McGraw sacrificed Jones over to second and a Wayne Garrett fly out would move Jones to third. With two outs, Felix Millan ripped a single to score Jones and tie the game. then Rusty Staub singled  to put runners at first and second base. Dodgers manager Walter Alston brought in Paul Richert who surrendered Milner’s hit, scoring Millan and giving the Mets the win.

Terry Leach threw a complete game three hitter to beat the San Francisco Giants 7-0 on this date in 1985. The Mets beat up Giants starter Vida Blue for six earned runs in 6.1 innings pitched. Darryl Strawberry hit his 19th home run of the season and Wally Backman had three hits in the victory. The win kept the Mets on-top of the NL East by 0.5 game.

Todd Hundley hit a game-tying home run in the bottom of the ninth off future Hall of Fame closer Trevor Hoffman to help beat the Padres 9-8 on this date in 1997. The game was tied at five entering the ninth but Mets reliever Mel Rojas gave up three runs in the top of the inning to give the Friers an 8-5 lead. The Mets came storming back as John Olerud hit an RBI double and then Hundley’s homer tied it at eigh. The Mets would win the game in the 11th on a Carlos Baegra walk-off walk.

Birthdays: Darrin Jackson (58), Ike Hampton (70), Ray Burris (71)

The post Morning Briefing: Mets’ Slide Continues With Third Straight Loss to Dodgers appeared first on Metsmerized.

Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports

Good morning, Mets fans!

The New York Mets swept a doubleheader against the Washington Nationals on Thursday. Game one featured a solid pitching performance by Marcus Stroman and a three-run homer and a four-RBI game from Brandon Nimmo in a 4-1 Mets win.

Game two was looking to be a similar affair as the Mets led 4-1 heading into the top of the seventh inning. However, Trevor May and Jeurys Familia struggled, giving up the lead as the Nationals tied the game in the seventh. With one out in the bottom of the inning, Pete Alonso stepped up to the plate and hit a walk-off homer to give the Mets a 5-4 victory against the Nats at Citi Field.

The two wins on Thursday meant the Mets swept the three-game set against the Nationals, putting their record at 59-55. It also brings the club to within 0.5 games of the lead in the National League East behind the Philadelphia Phillies. The defending World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers come into Citi Field starting on Friday for a three-game set.

Left-hander Julio Urias (13-3 3.41) will be on the bump for the Dodgers on Friday night. Urias leads the National League in victories and hasn’t lost a game since May 7. Rookie Tylor Megill (1-2 3.20) will throw for the Mets. He will make his tenth big league start and while he hasn’t pitched poorly, he has lost his last two decisions. The Mets will wear their black jerseys for the second time this season.

Latest Mets News

The New York Mets have signed veteran outfielder Josh Reddick to a minor league deal. Anthony DiComo of MLB.com broke the news. Reddick, a 13-year major league veteran, was released by the Arizona Diamondbacks on August 7 and will add more depth to the Mets outfield.

The 34-year-old hit .258 this year with just two home runs and 21 RBIs in 54 games for the D-backs. His on-base percentage was .285. In his career, Reddick has played a significant role on some successful teams, including winning a World Series with the Houston Astros in 2017. He’s been to the postseason eight times in his career and has 146 career home runs.  It is expected that Reddick will join the Mets Triple-A squad in Syracuse, New York.

Mets outfielder Jose Martinez went 1 for 2 in a rehab assignment with Single-A St. Lucie on Thursday. The 33-year-old played five innings in right field in his third game back after suffering a torn meniscus in Spring Training on March 7. The Mets haven’t given a timetable for Martinez’s return but say he could be back soon depending on how the rest of his rehab assignment goes.

Latest MLB News

Tim Anderson capped off what was a wonderful night for baseball on Thursday night as the Chicago White Sox shortstop smashed a walk-off two-run home run off of Zack Britton to give his team a 9-8 victory against the New York Yankees.

The game took place in a cornfield in Dyersville, Iowa and was an homage to the 1989 movie “Field of Dreams.” The game featured eight homers, including Anderson’s game ender. The Yankees led by a score of 7-6 in the bottom of the ninth after a four-run inning in their half of the frame. Giancarlo Stanton launched a two-run homer off of Liam Hendricks to give the Yankees the lead in the 9th. However, Britton wasn’t able to shut the game down and the Yankees fell in the historic matchup.

Baltimore Orioles designated hitter Chris Davis announced his retirement from Major League Baseball on Thursday. The left-handed hitter made the announcement via the Baltimore Orioles Twitter page. Davis, whose contract ran through the 2022 season, had not played in the 2021 season due to a lower back strain. He also recently had hip surgery and that combined with the previous injury forced Davis’ decision.

Davis had a rocky tenure in Baltimore. Prior to the 2016 he signed a seven-year $161 million contract with the Orioles. This was coming off four straight seasons of 26 or more home runs. He followed that season up with two more seasons of 26 or more homers, but his production dropped substantially following the 2017 season.

His contract had recently become sort of a financially hamstring for a money strapped organization like the Baltimore Orioles. In all, Davis played 13 big league seasons, including 10 with the Orioles. He hit 295 career home runs and drove in 780 career runs. The Orioles will still pay Davis the remaining $17 million of his contract, according to Dan Connolly of The Athletic. However, the team will spread that money over the course of multiple years so the Orioles do not have to pay a lump sum in 2022.

The 2015 National League Cy Young Award winner is now available to be had. The Chicago Cubs have placed starting pitcher Jake Arrieta on unconditional release waivers on Thursday. Sahadev Sharma of The Athletic had the story. Arrieta, a 35-year-old right hander, was 5-11 with a 6.88 ERA for the Cubs in 2021. He was due to make $4 million in 2021 and had a $10 team million option with a $2 million buyout for the 2022 season.

Arrieta is now available to be claimed by any one of the remaining 29 major league teams. If a team shall claim him off waivers, that team is obligated to pay the remaining portion of his contact. Arrieta has the right to reject that claim and explore free agency. If Arrieta clears waivers the Cubs will be no longer responsible for the remaining money on his contract and he will be a free agent.

The Milwaukee Brewers acquired right-handed pitcher John Curtiss in a deadline deal with the Miami Marlins to help their bullpen but unfortunately for the Brew Crew, it looks like lTommy John surgery is on the table for Curtiss. This is according to Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. The club has elected to get a second opinion to explore all their options. Curtis left his August 10 appearance against the Chicago Cubs with elbow soreness.

Latest NL East News

The Philadelphia Phillies topped the Los Angeles Dodgers 2-1 on Thursday at Citizens Bank Park, salvaging the final game of the three-game set between the two first-place teams. Ranger Suarez went 4.2 innings for Phils and gave up just one run. Enyel De Los Santos, Hector Neris, Archie Bradley and Ian Kennedy threw 5.1 innings scoreless innings in relief to help preserve the victory.

The win means Philadelphia maintains their lead in the National League East. They lead the New York Mets by 0.5 games and the Atlanta Braves by one game. The Phillies host the Cincinnati Reds for a three-game set this weekend.

The Atlanta Braves hosted the Reds this week and failed to get the sweep on Thursday after a 12-3 defeat at Truist Park. Reds outfielder Jesse Winker hit a grand slam off Braves left-hander Kyle Muller in the second inning, which broke the game open. Vladimir Gutierrez got the win for the Reds, going six innings giving up an earned run and five hits.

The loss put the Braves one game back in the National League East. They head to Washington D.C. this weekend to take on the Nationals at Nationals Park. Charlie Morton gets the start on Friday for the Braves.

Latest on MMO

21 years ago on Thursday, Benny Agbayani made one of the most legendary blunders in New York Mets history. Brian Wright brings us back to that day and the circumstances around that play.

A couple of Mets prospects are smashing the ball down in the minor leagues. Connor Grey catches you up on some of the biggest names in the Mets farm system.

On This Date in Mets History

On this date in 1967 the Mets won both games of a double-header against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Shea Stadium. The Mets won game one by a score of 3-0 thanks in large part to a four hit shutout pitched by the great Tom Seaver. It was his first of 61 career shutout victories. The soon-to-be rookie of the year won his 12^th game of the season and lowered his ERA to 2.95. In game two, the Mets won 11-9. A Ron Swoboda three-run homer was the big blow for the Mets and Ed Kranepool drove in three runs as well. Don Shaw got the win in relief for the Mets, despite giving up two earned runs in two innings pitched.

On this date in 2000 the New York Mets won their fifth game in a row, a 2-0 shutout against the San Francisco Giants. Al Leiter threw eight innings of shutout ball, striking out 12 in a brilliant performance. John Franco closed the game out for the Mets, striking out former teammate Jeff Kent looking to end the game. The win pulled the Mets within 1.5 games of the Atlanta Braves for first place in the NL East and gave them a 5.5. game lead in the National League Wild Card race.

Birthdays: Taijuan Walker (29), Hansel Robles (31), Jon Switzer (42)

Let’s go Mets!

The post Morning Briefing: Mets Get Back on Track With Doubleheader Sweep appeared first on Metsmerized.