Per Jeff Passan of ESPN, Los Angeles traded infielder Gavin Lux on Monday to Cincinnati for a Competitive Balance Round A pick (projected by ESPN to be in the top 40) and outfield prospect Mike Sirota.

Following the signing of Hyeseong Kim, a free agent from the KBO, to a three-year contract last Friday, Lux, 27, who slashed .251/.320/.383/.703 with 10 home runs and 50 RBIs in 2024, became expendable to the Dodgers. Kim will ostensibly replace Lux as the Los Angeles starting second baseman for the 2025 season.

After trading their previous starting second baseman, Jonathan India, to Kansas City on November 22, the Reds desired a replacement under team control. Lux will not be a free agent until after the 2026 season.

Sirota was Cincinnati’s 14th-ranked prospect per MLB Pipeline. He was originally drafted by the Dodgers in 2021 but elected to play collegiately at Northeastern University. He was selected in the third round (87th overall) by the Reds in the 2024 draft. 

The Dodgers, arguably the Mets’ chief challenger for the National League pennant heading into the 2025 season, finally acquire a prospect they have long been interested in while simultaneously creating playing time for their latest international free agent. 

In other baseball news, Jeff Passan also reports RHP Michael Lorenzen will return to the Kansas City Royals on a one-year, $7 million contract. The deal has a second-year mutual option worth $12 million.

Lorenzen, 33, was 2-0 with a 1.57 ERA in seven games (six starts) after being acquired from Texas on July 29.

The post Monday Moves: Reds Acquire Gavin Lux, Michael Lorenzen Stays in KC appeared first on Metsmerized.

The Mets had a golden opportunity to clinch a series win and an above .500 record on their West Coast swing last night. However, their bullpen let them down again. With two outs in the eighth inning and a runner on first, Mets manager Carlos Mendoza decided to go to Edwin Díaz to get a four-out save. Unfortunately, Díaz’s command was erratic again, leaving him in a bases-loaded situation with Corbin Carroll at the plate. Having to throw a strike, Edwin hung a slider over the middle of the plate, and Carroll gave the D-Backs a three-run lead with his second homer of the night. 

While 2022 Edwin Díaz might still be in there, the Mets $100 million closer has blown six saves on the season and has been especially unreliable lately. Díaz and Butto, perceived as the Mets most potent duo, also blew another game on their road trip against the Padres on Sunday. If the Mets’ back-end, particularly their former “reliever of the year” closer, cannot be relied upon, they will continue throwing away crucial games amid a heated wild card race.

To put the icing on the bullpen-mess cake, right-hander Dedniel Núñez was unavailable on Wednesday because of forearm tightness. Mendoza said the high-leverage reliever is currently day-to-day. Núñez has only pitched in one game, 1 2/3 scoreless innings on August 24, since returning from the injured list because of a right forearm strain.

The final game in Arizona will be a showdown between David Peterson (8-1, 2.85 ERA) and Ryne Nelson (9-6, 4.29 ERA) at 3:40 P.M. EDT.

Wild Card Update

The Mets created more distance between themselves and the three wild card teams with their loss last night. With Arizona’s win over the Mets last night, they increased their lead over the Mets to seven games. The Padres losing to the Cardinals also helped Arizona, putting them a full game in front of San Diego for the first wild card spot. The most consequential result for the Mets on Wednesday night was the Braves winning again, as they swept the Twins and are now 8-2 in their last 10 games. New York is four games behind Atlanta for the final wild card spot.

Latest Mets News

Luis Severino told reporters that he felt a lot of pain after getting hit in his foot by a come-backer in last night’s loss. However, Luis said that the x-rays returned negative and he is “100% sure” he will make his next start.

Mets 2024 first-round pick Carson Benge continues to rake. Benge hit his second home run in two days on Wednesday, bringing his OPS up to 1.106 in his seven games for the St. Lucie Mets. 

Mets manager Carlos Mendoza mentioned “speed and versatility” as two attributes that will be valued when the Mets expand their roster on Sunday, August 1st, per Mike Puma of The New York Post. That sounds like prospect Luisangel Acuña, who is on the Mets’ 40-man roster. 

Jon Heyman of The New York Post reported on a Bleacher Report “Walk-Off” stream, that Orioles starter and soon-to-be free-agent Corbin Burnes will be on the Mets radar this off-season. Click here for more information on the report.

Latest MLB News

Fans were lined up outside of Dodger Stadium 7 hours before first pitch for Shohei Ohtani bobblehead night on Wednesday.

Excitement level for Shohei and Decoy. 📈 pic.twitter.com/54viWyFYBY

— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) August 29, 2024

The Kansas City Royals placed RHP Michael Lorenzen on the 15-day IL with a left hamstring strain. Lorenzen, who is on his fourth team in the past two seasons, pitched to a 1.85 ERA in his 24 1/3 innings with Kansas City since being traded from Texas.

The 7th pick in the 2023 draft and one of the Cincinnati Reds top prospects, Rhett Lowder, is expected to make his major league debut on Friday, per C. Trent Rosecrans of The Athletic Cincinnati. 

The Houston Astros sent former starting center fielder Chas McCormick down to Triple-A, per Chandler Rome of The Athletic. This move comes a day after the Astros signed veteran OF Jason Heyward off waivers from the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Oakland Athletics manager Mark Kotsay told the media that Miguel Andujar will be undergoing a season-ending core muscle surgery, per Martín Gallegos of MLB.com. Andujar is under control through 2025, Oakland hopes to have him back next season.

Veteran INF Thairo Estrada and left-handed relievers Tyler Matzek and Taylor Rogers were all placed on waivers by the San Francisco Giants on Wednesday, per Grant Bisbee and Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic. Unlike being DFA’d, the players will continue to play for the Giants until the resolution of their waiver process.

Orioles manager Brandon Hyde told the media that utility man Jorge Mateo will undergo season-ending surgery to repair the UCL in his left elbow. Mateo, known as one of the fastest players in the league, originally injured his elbow in late July and was hoping to make a return later in the season before the surgery.

Latest on MMO

Pete Alonso continues to climb the Mets all-time leaderboards.

See how the Mets and Braves schedules compare down the stretch run.

Could the Mets pursue Corbin Burnes to be their ace in free agency?

On This Date in Mets History 

2016: Yoenis Cespedes hits a walk-off solo home run to beat the Marlins 2-1.

2008: Carlos Beltrán launches a ball deep into right field for a go-ahead grand slam in the top of the ninth inning, giving the Mets a 5-2 lead over the Marlins.

Birthdays: Noah Syndergaard (32), Anthony Recker (41), Henry Blanco (53), Bill Latham (64), Rusty Tillman (64)

The post Morning Briefing: Dedniel Núñez Dealing With Forearm Tightness appeared first on Metsmerized.

While the Dodgers captured a 5-2 win over the Padres in Seoul on Wednesday, that was far from the biggest story in “The City of Angels.”

Bill Shaikin of the LA Times reported that Shohei Ohtani‘s interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara, was accused of “engaging in a ‘massive theft’ of the ballplayer’s funds to place bets with an allegedly illegal bookmaker who is the target of a federal investigation.” The accusation comes from Ohtani’s representatives, who did so after finding out that Ohtani’s name came up in said investigation, reportedly involving millions of dollars.

According to Tisha Thompson of ESPN, Mizuhara asked Ohtani to pay off nearly $4.5 million in gambling debt, which he did and Mizuhara promised to never do again. After the news came out, Ohtani’s now-fired interpreter commented:

“I want everyone to know Shohei had zero involvement in betting. I want people to know I did not know this was illegal. I learned my lesson the hard way. I will never do sports betting ever again.”

Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Latest Mets News

Christian Scott had an impressive four-inning outing in the Mets’ 6-3 spring training win against the Miami Marlins. Click here for the game recap. 

Mets manager Carlos Mendoza announced that Tylor Megill will be in the starting rotation to begin the season. Click here for more information on the decision. 

Edwin Díaz said he will pitch back-to-back days (Wednesday and Thursday) in one of his biggest hurdles since his knee injury, per Andre Tredinnick of North Jersey.com. He threw 21 pitches while recording two outs on Wednesday. 

Latest MLB News

The Dodgers kicked off the MLB season with a 5-2 win over the San Diego Padres in the first of two games in the Seoul Series in South Korea.

The Texas Rangers and RHP Michael Lorenzen came to an agreement on a one-year,$4.5 million deal, per Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic. The deal includes $2.5 million in incentives and could max out at $7 million.

The New York Yankees and lefty free agent starting pitcher Jordan Montgomery are reportedly back in talks, per Jon Heyman of the NY Post. 

The Blue Jays traded infielder Santiago Espinal to the Cincinnati Reds and received RHP Chris McElvain in return, per Jon Morosi of MLB Network. 

Cincinnati Reds top prospect Edwin Arroyo is going to miss the 2024 season as he will be having surgery for his torn labrum, per Charlie Goldsmith of Enquirer. 

MLBPA’s power struggle will likely come down to a vote on MLBPA executive director Tony Clark, per Evan Drellich of The Athletic.

Latest on MMO

Francisco Álvarez continues to gun runners out in spring training. 

Brett Baty hitting his groove as spring training closes.

Tylor Megill earns final starting rotation spot. 

On This Date in Mets History

2013: David Wright is named as the fourth captain in New York Mets franchise history. He joined Gary Carter, Keith Hernandez, and John Franco as the only Mets to receive the honor.

Birthdays: Anthony Kay (29), Jimmy Yacabonis (32), Bobby Wahl (32), Carlos Carrasco (37), Shawon Dunston (61)

The post Morning Briefing: Shohei Ohtani’s Interpreter Fired, Accused of ‘Massive Theft’ appeared first on Metsmerized.

After Kodai Senga‘s injury, which will have him on the IL through at least opening day, there was a lot of chatter on whether the Mets would be looking to add to their rotation. President of baseball operations David Stearns seemed to dismiss the idea right away, as he told the media, “I don’t think so” when asked if they were going to jump back into the free agent market. He also noted, “We’re always gonna be opportunistic and hear what’s out there, but I don’t think it really changes our thought process.”

However, it seems as though the Mets are going to be a little more active in the free agent market than Stearns initially led many to believe. Multiple reports came out on Wednesday that linked the Mets to multiple starters, including highly sought-after lefty Jordan Montgomery. Click here to learn more about the report. Along with Montgomery, the Mets could look to add a depth piece to their rotation in Michael Lorenzen; click here to read about the Mets’ linking to Lorenzen.

Photo by Ed Delany of Metsmerized

Latest Mets News

Pete Alonso and Trayce Thompson went deep as the Mets took a 3-0 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals. Click here for the full game recap. 

During the broadcast on Wednesday, Daniel Murphy relived the reception the Citi Field crowd gave Chase Utley during the 2015 NLDS: “It was as loud as anything I’ve ever experienced.”

Latest MLB News

The Boston Red Sox announced the unfortunate passing of Tim Wakefield‘s widow, Stacy Wakefield. This comes just five months after Tim passed away after his bout with cancer. 

The New York Yankees claimed infielder Jahmai Jones off waivers from the Milwaukee Brewers. To make room on the 40-man roster, they DFA’d Jordan Groshans.

Yoshinobu Yamamoto struck out three batters in two innings in his Dodgers spring training debut. 

The Baltimore Orioles made their signing of starting pitcher Julio Teheran official and also announced the signing of Kolten Wong to a minor league deal with an invite to spring training, per Jake Rill of MLB.com.

The San Diego Padres signed outfielder Tim Locastro to a minor league deal with an invite to spring training, per Jon Morosi of MLB Network. 

The Colorado Rockies announced that they are claiming outfielder Sam Hilliard off waivers from the Baltimore Orioles.

Cleveland Guardians manager Stephen Vogt told the media that relief pitcher Trevor Stephan will be shut down for the next three weeks because of a deep bone bruise in his elbow, per  Zack Meisel of The Athletic. 

Washington Nationals right-handed reliever Mason Thompson will be undergoing Tommy John surgery on Friday, per Mark Zuckerman of MASN Sports.

Ryan Divish of Seattle Times reported that Mariners reliever Matt Brash is facing a potential extensive absence and and could possibly miss the whole season. 

Latest on MMO

The Mets are monitoring Jordan Montgomery’s free-agent market.

Adrian Houser is continuing his groundball trend. 

The Mets are continuing to check in on possible pitching options. 

On This Date in Mets History

Birthdays: Terrence Long (48)

The post Morning Briefing: Mets Keeping an Eye on Pitching Market appeared first on Metsmerized.

However, they noted, “The communication likely reflects a desire to stay connected if they have another injury rather than imminent, serious interest.” 

Lorenzen, 32, had a 4.18 ERA in 29 appearances (25 starts) between the Tigers and Phillies last season. Overall, he struggled with the Phillies (5.51 ERA), though he did throw a no-hitter on August 9.

Mets ace Kodai Senga recently got shut down with a posterior capsule strain in his right shoulder, which will have him sidelined for Opening Day. In his press conference where he announced the severity of Senga’s injury, president of baseball operations David Stearns proclaimed, “We’re always gonna be opportunistic and hear what’s out there, but I don’t think it really changes our thought process.”

Andy Martino of SNY reports that the Mets were one of the teams interested in right-hander starter Julio Teheran before he recently signed with the Orioles.

While it does not seem likely that the Mets will add more premier starting pitching at the moment, like Blake Snell or Jordan Montgomery, Lorenzen could become a viable option as a depth piece. A previous report on Wednesday noted the Mets have had internal discussions about signing Montgomery in the event his price came down. 

The post Report: Mets Checked In With Michael Lorenzen appeared first on Metsmerized.

The Mets are currently in the middle of an all-out arms race for Japanese Starter Yamamoto. As it stands right now, the Dodgers, Yankees, and Mets are at the forefront, while teams such as the Reds Sox, Phillies, and Giants are following in the rearview mirror.

Yukihito Taguchi-USA TODAY Sports

While the Mets can offer the most money, and most likely will, it’s reported the Dodgers and Yankees have the upper hand. It’s hard to beat playing with Shohei Ohtani or playing in the navy pinstripes.

Still, while it’s no fun to think about backup options before Yamamoto signs, it’s a conversation that needs to be had. The Mets have a high chance to sign the 25-year-old, but could find themselves in a situation where they miss out on their top free agent this offseason.

On the chance they miss on Yamamoto, the free agent list is long and fruitful. There are plenty of names on the list that are mid-tier starters and could fill out the bottom of the 2024 rotation.

In fact, even if the Mets win the Yamamoto sweepstakes, David Stearns will likely add another starter. After signing Luis Severino earlier this offseason, David Stearns stated the Mets would add at least one more arm to the rotation.

Regardless of the outcome, it’s best to be prepared for the worst in life. Below I’ve outlined starters the Mets should target if they miss out on Yamamoto.

Jordan Montgomery 

Pivoting to Jordan Montgomery is probably what most Mets fans want. And I tend to lean toward him as well.

Montgomery has quietly been an above-average talent in the majors throughout his career. Since 2021, he has averaged a 3.48 ERA, 121 ERA+, and 3.62 FIP in 524 1/3 innings.

With those great numbers also comes postseason experience. Montgomery is coming off a 2023 World Series run with the Rangers, where he pitched seven shutout innings in the American League Wild Card round and registered a 1.29 ERA in two ALCS starts.

Due to his success in the regular season and playoffs, Montgomery won’t come cheap. According to Will Sammon of the Athletic, Montgomery is looking for a hefty contract following his age-30 season and is using Carlos Rodón‘s contract as a baseline.

This is where the crossroads for Montgomery hits. He’s consistently good and reliable, but asking for a contract fit for an ace. Sure the Mets have the money, but overpaying for Montgomery isn’t a necessity.

Plus, in Sammon’s article mentioned earlier, he stated the Mets reportedly won’t pivot to Blake Snell or Montgomery out of impulse. If the price point comes down, I’m all in.

Lucas Giolito 

Lucas Giolito is another Severino-esq project the Mets should pounce on.

Giolito blossomed into a high-end starter after being traded to the White Sox in 2017. He registered a 3.86 ERA and 112 ERA+ from 2019-2022, along with making an All-Star appearance in 2019.

Giolito continued that success into the first half of 2023 as well. He pitched to a 3.79 ERA in 21 starts with the White Sox and struck out 131 batters in 121 innings.

With Giolito having another solid season and the White Sox plummeting in the standings, Chicago opted to trade their No. 2 starter to the Angels. Once being moved, Giolito’s season derailed.

He pitched to a 6.89 ERA in six starts with the Angels, going 1-5, and eventually was DFA’d once the Angels also fell out of postseason contention. Giolito got another chance with the postseason-hopeful Guardians, but also struggled there, registering a 7.04 ERA in six more starts.

While his second half of 2023 was less than desirable, Giolito is a project that could benefit the Mets. His track record from 2019-2022 is proven and an offseason in the Mets’ pitching lab could return him to form.

Plus, even if the product is mediocre, Giolito is a proven innings eater. He’s made at least 29 starts in every season since 2018 and the Mets rotation needs innings.

Shōta Imanaga

Another intriguing option out of Japan is Shōta Imanaga.

Imanaga’s profile is very different from Yamamoto’s. The left-hander is 30 years old and utilizes his command to get batters out. Imanaga’s plus pitch is his change-up, which he uses to keep batters off balance from his fastball.

The fastball Imanaga features sits at 92 miles per hour but has topped out at 96. The fastball and changeup are Imanaga’s bread and butter, along with his curveball and slider that he mixes in throughout his outings.

With his four pitches, Imanaga has been a premier pitcher in Nippon Professional Baseball. He holds a career 2.96 ERA in eight seasons and is coming off another impressive 2023, where he registered a 2.80 ERA, 1.054 WHIP, and 10.6 SO/9 in 148 innings.

Imanaga is truly an enticing pitcher. And he’s going to come cheap. The 30-year-old is currently projected to receive a five-year, $85 million contract by MLBTradeRumors and is also listed as their tenth-best free agent heading into 2024.

The value is certainly there. The projected contract by MLBTradeRumors would set Imanaga at an AAV of $17 million, matching pitchers such as Taijuan Walker, José Berríos, and Jameson Taillon.

If the Mets miss out on Yamamoto, then Imanaga would be a great pivot. He’s cheap, talented, and fits a rotation that desperately needs innings.

2024-25 Offseason

Another option, and the most realistic for the Mets, is to wait for the next offseason.

The 2024-25 free agent market for starters is filled with imposing names. Zack Wheeler, Corbin Burnes, Shane Bieber, Walker Buehler, John Means, and Charlie Morton are at the top of next offseason’s list, along with many other mid-tier starters.

If the Mets miss on Yamamoto, there’s no need to overpay for a No. 3 or even No. 2 starter for 2024. Next offseason’s pick of the crop is much better, and Steve Cohen should absolutely keep the payroll clear for one or two of these names next offseason.

And as it stands right now, the Mets can afford two top starters next season. Spotrac has the Mets tax payroll for 2025 at $146.06 million, leaving the Mets $94.93 million under the luxury tax threshold.

The post Opinion: Plan B if Mets Miss On Yamamoto appeared first on Metsmerized.