Per ESPN‘s Jeff Passan, the Atlanta Braves acquired Chris Sale in a trade with the Boston Red Sox, along with money. In exchange for Sale, infield prospect, Vaughn Grissom, will be heading to Boston. Sale waved his no-trade clause to join Atlanta. According to Alex Speier of the Boston Globe, the Boston is sending $17 million to Altanta with Sale. For more on this deal, read here.

Robert Edwards-USA TODAY Sports

Latest MLB News

According to Jon Heyman of MLB Network, the Cincinnati Reds signed starting pitcher Frankie Montas.

The Baltimore Orioles on Saturday announced that they have signed former Met Michael Perez to a minor league deal.

Per Robert Murray of FanSided, according to sources, free agent pitcher Zach Plesac and the Los Angeles Angels are close to an agreement.

Latest on MMO

Chris Bello analyzed the Mets’ rotation after Lucas Giolito signed with the Red Sox.

Chris Bello discussed the Frankie Montas signing with the Reds.

Chris Bello wrote about the trade of Chris Sale to the Braves.

On This Date in Mets History

Birthdays: Kevin Kaczmarski (32), Rick Aguilera (62)

The post Morning Briefing: Braves Deal Vaughn Grissom For Chris Sale appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Carlos Carrasco. Rich Storry-USA TODAY Sports

Good morning, Mets fans!

Carlos Carrasco threw 52 pitches in his second rehab start for Double-A Binghamton on Sunday, allowing just two hits and one walk with four strikeouts over four scoreless innings.

“Everything feels great,” Carrasco said after the game.

The veteran right-hander has been sidelined for the past four weeks due to elbow inflammation. It’s unknown whether he will need another rehab start before rejoining the Mets’ rotation.

Latest Mets News

The Mets and Nationals resumed Saturday’s game as part of a split doubleheader on Sunday afternoon, with the Nats taking it by a score of 3-2. Michael Perez collected four hits in his season debut, but the Mets left nine men on base and CJ Abrams’ go-ahead homer in the seventh inning was enough to get Washington the victory.

In the second game of the doubleheader, Max Scherzer pitched five innings of one-run ball, allowing two hits and two walks with six strikeouts, and the Mets scored eight runs in the fifth inning to win 8-2. Scherzer threw 83 pitches and averaged 94 miles per hour on his fastball, which is greater than his season average of 93.1. Starling Marte collected two hits and drove in two runs, and Mark Canha went 3-for-4 with two doubles and two RBIs.

The Mets and Nationals will wrap up their four-game series this afternoon at Nationals Park. David Peterson (1-5, 7.68 ERA) will look to get back on track against Patrick Corbin (1-5, 4.87 ERA). First pitch is scheduled for 4:05 pm.

The Mets made some roster moves on Sunday, optioning Joey Lucchesi to Triple-A and recalling right-hander Dennis Santana. However, in between games, the team reinstated Brooks Raley from the injured list and designated Santana for assignment.

Latest MLB News

The Rockies have called up former first-round pick Riley Pint to replace the injured Ryan Feltner. The Kansas native was drafted fourth overall by Colorado out of high school in 2016, but he struggled badly in the minors and even retired in 2021. This year, Pint has spent time in Triple-A Albuquerque.

The Marlins have placed left-hander A.J. Puk on the 15-day IL due to nerve irritation in his left elbow. Puk has served as the team’s closer this year, racking up six saves with 19 strikeouts against just three walks in 14 2/3 innings.

Yandy Díaz left the Rays’ game against the Yankees early on Sunday due to pain in his left groin. Díaz said that his groin had been bothering him for a few days before he slipped at third base during the game, and he will undergo an MRI today.

The Reds are calling up infield prospect Matt McLain from Triple-A Louisville. McLain is the 95th-ranked prospect in MLB Pipeline’s Top 100 Prospects, and he’s off to a rip-roaring start this year. In 36 games, McLain is batting a blistering .346/.464/.713 with 12 homers, 12 doubles, 10 steals, and 40 RBIs across 168 plate appearances.

Latest on MMO

James Villani recaps the Mets’ loss in the first game of their doubleheader on Sunday.

Anthony Gabbianelli recaps the Mets’ win in the second game of their doubleheader with the Nationals.

James Villani breaks down Francisco Álvarez’s strong defensive performance behind the plate.

On This Date in Mets History

1970: For the second day in a row, a Mets starter tosses a one-hitter, this time it’s Tom Seaver in a 4-0 victory over the Phillies. The two consecutive one-hitters tie a major league record.

2009: After falling into a 5-1 hole, the Mets score twice in the sixth inning and tie the game on David Wright‘s bases-clearing double in the seventh. Against the Giants’ fireballing closer Brian Wilson, the Mets scratch two unearned runs in the ninth inning before Francisco Rodríguez nails down the 8-6 victory.

2014: Making his big league debut, Jacob deGrom singles in his first major league at-bat to snap the Mets’ pitching staff’s 0-for-64 skid to begin the season. The rookie right-hander also allows just one run and four hits in seven innings but takes a tough 1-0 loss.

The post Morning Briefing: Carlos Carrasco Coming Closer to Return appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Brandon Nimmo. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports

Sunday, May 14, 2023 • 12:35 PM
Nationals Park • Washington, DC
Stephen Nogosek (0-0, 4.85 ERA) vs. Erasmo Ramírez (2-1, 4.58 ERA)
SNY

Major League Baseball and the Washington Nationals sure made a mess of a lot of Mother’s Day plans this afternoon.

The New York Mets and Washington Nationals were in a four-hour rain delay yesterday, with the tarp being off of the field for at least two hours of the delay. After four hours of waiting, the field was determined to be unplayable and the game had to be suspended.

Now, the Mets and Nationals find themselves in a situation where they burned a starter each yesterday and need to find two “starting” solutions today. Further, for the Nationals, whomever they put out first is going to enter a game with runners on second and third base with one out in the inning.

The Mets are down 1-0, they have two runners on and only one out in the top of the third. Brandon Nimmo is at the plate. He has a chance to tie the game or give the Mets the lead. Lets play ball (again)!

Mets Lineup

Unchanged from Friday outside pitcher listed above.

Nationals Lineup

Unchanged from Friday outside pitcher listed above.

Game Notes

As mentioned, Game 1 of the split-admission doubleheader begins today at 12:35 pm ET and picks up the suspended game from yesterday. Game 2 is set for a 4:35 pm ET first pitch.

Per Buck Showalter, Stephen Nogosek will start Game 1 of the doubleheader.

Per Tim Healey of Newsday Sports, struggling starting pitcher Joey Lucchesi was optioned to Triple-A Syracuse. In a corresponding move, pitcher Dennis Santana was activated for Game 1 and pitcher Seth Elledge was designated for assignment (per Mike Puma).

Per Tim Healey of Newsday Sports, Zach Muckenhirn has joined the Mets in Washington. Note, both teams will get a 27th man for the second game of the doubleheader today.

Happy Birthday to Mets’ third base coach Joey Cora!

Three Things To Watch For

1. Brett Baty Bounce Back: Brett Baty has immediately made his bat known in the Mets’ lineup. He’s cooled off a bit over the last four games going 0-for-11 at the plate with two walks and two runs scored. He’s only struck out once though in this stretch (add another before the game was suspended), so  it’s not like he’s lost out there.
2. Michael Pérez gets a start. Pérez got a start yesterday and already made the most of it, getting a hit in his first trip to the plate. With Nido down, and Gary Sánchez making a lot of noise in the minors Pérez needed that hit.
3. Brandon Nimmo broke his strikeout streak! Going into last night’s game, Brandon Nimmo had at least one strikeout in each of his last 12 games making for 16 strikeouts total. He went 2-for-4 at the plate Friday night with a walk and has now gone 6-for-12 in his last three games (not including the suspended game). He has a ridiculous .571 OBP over that stretch.

The post MMO Game Thread: Mets vs. Nationals, 12:35 PM (Game 1) appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports

The Mets are down another catcher. Buck Showalter confirmed before Wednesday’s game that Tomás Nido was headed to the 10-day IL due to dry eye syndrome. The Mets are calling up veteran Michael Pérez to fill in as the backup catcher to Francisco Álvarez while he’s out. To make room for Pérez on the 40-man roster, Elieser Hernández was transferred to the 60-Day IL.

Showalter explained that the issue was affecting Nido’s vision, particularly in night games, and the team felt it was best to place him on the IL so he could get the issue corrected.

Buck Showalter talks about Tomás Nido's vision issue that will send him to the IL

"It's gotten to a point where it's affecting him a lot more in night games. Just need to get it corrected" pic.twitter.com/tcskplcRi7

— SNY (@SNYtv) May 10, 2023

Pérez appeared in six games for the Mets in 2022 and went 2-for-14 with 3 RBIs. The Mets, of course, recently acquired another catcher in former Yankee and Twin Gary Sánchez who is batting cleanup Wednesday night for the Syracuse Mets. With Nido and Omar Narváez out, the Mets could opt to give Sánchez an opportunity to join the big-league club sooner rather than later.

Álvarez was already getting the majority of the starts at catcher after initially splitting time with Nido when he was called up, but he should now be firmly cemented as the Mets’ starter at least until Narváez returns. The rookie hit his second and third home runs on Tuesday night and is now slashing .244/.281/.444 after a slow start.

The post Tomás Nido Headed to Injured List With Dry Eye Syndrome, Michael Pérez Recalled appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

John Jones-USA TODAY Sports

Mike Puma of the New York Post reports that the Mets have brought back veteran catcher Michael Pérez on a minor league deal. Pérez will act as depth in Triple-A Syracuse for the Mets.

Pérez, 30, was claimed off waivers by the Mets from the Pirates on July 23 of last year and made his Mets debut in August. The left-handed hitter went 2-for-14 with three RBIs and six strikeouts in for the Mets last season. He also went just 16-for-107 with six home runs for Pirates, giving him a combined .511 OPS for the 2022 season. The former fifth round pick has a career 50 OPS+ in 591 plate appearances.

Defensively, Pérez has been a below-average framer each season he’s played in the majors according to Baseball Savant. His pop time was in the 20th percentile in the 2022 season.

The Mets also signed right-hander Humberto Mejia to a minor league deal per Jacob Resnick of MLB Pipeline. The 25-year-old made his major league debut in 2020 at Citi Field allowing one run in 2 2/3 innings against the Mets. Mejia has a 6.68 ERA in eight big league starts combined between 2020 and 2021.

Mejia spent most of the 2022 season pitching in Mexico after the Arizona Diamondbacks released him from their Triple-A squad in May when he had an ERA over 9.00.

The post Mets Sign Michael Pérez, Humberto Mejia to Minor League Deals appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Francisco Alvarez, Photo by Richard Nelson

Triple-A Syracuse is the only Mets minor league team left in action.

Triple-A: Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs (75-72) 5, Syracuse Mets (64-84) 8 Box Score

• DH Francisco Alvarez: 1-for-3, R, 2 BB, .226/.371/.439
• RF Carlos Rincon: 1-for-3, HR (5), 2 R, BB, K, .225/.276/.401
• 2B Gosuke Katoh: 1-for-2. 2B, 2 R, RBI, 2 BB, .222/.307/.384
• C Michael Perez: 1-for-3, HR (2), 4 RBIs, BB, K, .183/.231/.317

Syracuse scored eight runs on nine hits as they downed Lehigh Valley in a thriller Monday night.

The Mets trailed 5-2 heading into the eighth inning. They’d load the bases and score two runs on a walk and hit-by-pitch to cut the deficit to one. Michael Perez then unloaded on a grand slam to put Syracuse ahead for good 8-5.

Carlos Rincon would add a home run in a second-straight game — his fifth of the year and third since September 18.

• LHP Locke St. John: 2.0 IP, 3 R, 2 ER, 4 H, 2 K, 5.88 ERA
• RHP Stephen Nogosek: 2.0 IP, 2 H, BB, K, 2.11 ERA
• LHP Sam Clay: (W, 5-3), 1.0 IP, H, BB, K, 3.56 ERA

Locke St. John started a bullpen game for the Mets, allowing two runs on a Jorge Bonifacio home run in the second inning.

Sam Clay would earn the win with a scoreless top of the eighth inning before the Mets scored six runs in the bottom half. R.J. Alvarez would load the bases in the ninth before Trey Cobb came on to coax the final out, earning his third save of the year.

The post MMN Recap: Syracuse Tops Lehigh Valley appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Credit: John Jones-USA TODAY Sports

Unlikely heroes set the tone early for the New York Mets (78-43), who emerged victorious against the Philadelphia Phillies (65-54) by a score of 8-2 on Saturday afternoon. Trevor Williams continued to push all of the right buttons on the mound, reserve catcher Michael Pérez had big moments both behind the dish and with the bat, and the Mets improve to 13-4 against the Phillies this season.

Williams entered the game riding a 20-inning scoreless streak, coming mostly in relief appearances. He was making his first start since firing seven shutout innings against the Miami Marlins in early July, the appearance that kicked off this streak. He allowed two runners to reach base in the first inning but did well to work his way out of the jam, getting through the second and third innings without much trouble.

Williams was matched toe-to-toe by Phillies starter Zack Wheeler, who walked Brandon Nimmo to lead off the game but retired nine straight after that. Wheeler allowed six runs across six innings in his last start against the Mets, and early on it looked as if he was on his way to a much better outing.

The first real scoring chance for either team came in the bottom of the fourth, as the Phillies had runners on the corners with just one out and Garrett Stubbs coming to the plate. However, Williams struck out Stubbs, and Francisco Lindor nailed Bryson Stott at home on a double steal attempt with some help from a great fielding play by Perez.

Perez puts us on top! pic.twitter.com/GYJzk2wgrP

— New York Mets (@Mets) August 20, 2022

Pérez carried the momentum of that play into the top of the fifth, lining a two-run single to right field to give the Mets a 2-0 lead. Pérez entered that at-bat mired in an 0-for-19 slump and hitting just .048 with runners in scoring position this season, but he came through in a massive way, notching his first hit as a Met in the process.

Williams walked the leadoff batter in the fifth inning and was pulled after 71 pitches. He gave way to Seth Lugo, who struck out all three batters he faced in the frame. Williams allowed four hits and struck out three batters in his four innings of work, pushing his consecutive scoreless inning streak to 24 innings.

The Mets did more damage against Wheeler in the top of the sixth inning. Lindor hit an RBI triple to score Starling Marte, and three batters later Jeff McNeil scored Lindor with an RBI single to push the lead out to 4-0. McNeil entered the game 3-for-23 in his career against Wheeler, but he had a multi-hit day against Wheeler in this one.

EN FUEGO! 🔥@Lindor12BC | #LGM pic.twitter.com/NZh1v5TcED

— New York Mets (@Mets) August 20, 2022

Wheeler was pulled after 5 1/3 innings, and although the Mets failed to score any more runs off his replacement Connor Brogdon, they still did plenty of damage to Wheeler’s stat line. He allowed four runs on five hits with four walks, and he has given up 10 runs across his last two starts (11 1/3 innings) against his former team.

The Phillies got on the board in the bottom of the sixth inning, scoring Nick Castellanos on a sacrifice fly from Jean Segura to make it a 4-1 game. The run was charged to Lugo, who allowed Castellanos to reach base on a single, and it was Joely Rodríguez who worked his way out of the inning to keep the Phillies to just one run.

The Mets tacked on some insurance runs in the top of the ninth off Phillies reliever Nick Nelson. Brandon Nimmo scored Brett Baty with an RBI double, Starling Marte collected his third hit of the day with an RBI single, and Darin Ruf even got in on the action with a sacrifice fly. McNeil added one more run for good measure with an RBI single off position player Darick Hall, giving the Mets an 8-1 lead heading to the bottom of the ninth.

Sam Clay got the final three outs on the mound, allowing an unearned run in his Mets debut. Former Gold Glover Yolmer Sánchez also made his Mets debut in the inning as a defensive replacement, making an error that allowed a run to score.

Player of the Game: Jeff McNeil

McNeil has been one of the hottest hitters on the planet over the past few weeks, and he showcased every bit of that on Saturday. He collected three hits, drove in two runs, and scored once. Although one of those hits came against a position player, the other two were off a bonafide ace in Wheeler, who had really had McNeil’s number in their previous matchups. McNeil is hitting .423 in the month of August; it doesn’t get much better than that.

Final line for McNeil: 3-for-5, 2 RBI, R

On Deck

The Mets will suit up for another game against the Phillies on Saturday night at Citizens Bank Park. First pitch is set for 7:15pm ET, and the game will be broadcast on FOX. The Mets will have David Peterson on the mound, while the Phillies are set to counter with Bailey Falter.

The post Mets Pile On Late In 8-2 Win Over Phillies appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Aug 5, 2022; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets third baseman Luis Guillorme (13) sits on the ground after being thrown out at home in the second inning against the Atlanta Braves at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports

The New York Mets are in Atlanta to open up a huge four-game series against the Braves, but they have received some bad news on a couple of fronts.

Per Tim Healey of Newsday, Luis Guillorme will miss four to six weeks with a moderate left groin strain and he has now been placed on the injured list. Guillorme, who is hitting .283/.355/.357 with a .712 OPS this year, suffered the injury in Sunday’s win over the Phillies at Citi Field.

Healey also reports that the Mets won’t be calling up prospects Brett Baty or Mark Vientos to replace Guillorme on the roster. There was some thought that the No.2 or the No.5 prospect in the farm system could earn a call-up to the majors with Baty recently earning a promotion to Triple-A after hitting .319/.406/.544 with 19 home runs in 89 games with Double-A Binghamton. Vientos has also been mashing at Triple-A level with 19 home runs and a slash line of .274/.354/.517 and a .871 OPS, but neither player will get their first taste of the big leagues just yet.

Meanwhile, the Mets will also be without catcher Tomas Nido for their series against the Braves. Nido has stayed in New York with a non-injury related illness, per the Mets. He was batting .277 over his last 15 games and is slashing .224/.271/.266 on the year. Catcher Michael Perez, who was acquired from the Pirates prior to the trade deadline, is in Atlanta with the team.

The post Luis Guillorme Expected To Miss 4-6 Weeks With Groin Injury appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

Updated Report, 7/26/222, 1:34 p.m.

On top of Jeff Passan’s earlier report, Sports Illustrated‘s Pat Ragazzo says the Mets have discussed a package of both Contreras and David Robertson with the Cubs.

The report repeats the Mets’ claim that both Francisco Alvarez and Brett Baty are off limits, so they wouldn’t be in the deal, but “multiple top prospects” would go to Chicago. There’s no word on who those prospects would be.

Original Report, 7/26/222, 10:02 a.m.

The New York Mets have touched base with the Chicago Cubs about a potential trade for catcher Willson Contreras, per Jeff Passan of ESPN.

With the trade deadline on August 2 rapidly approaching, it is no secret that the Mets need to add a power bat or two to their lineup. They also badly need help at catcher with James McCann on the shelf with an oblique injury. That leaves Tomás Nido , Patrick Mazeika, and the recently acquired Michael Perez (who was sent to Triple-A), but neither player is a World Series caliber backstop.

Given that the earliest stud phenom Francisco Álvarez is likely to be called up is next year now, it is no surprise that the Mets have checked in on Contreras given that he’s the best catcher available at the trade deadline. Not only is he solid behind the plate, he’s also a legit slugger and he would inject some much-needed power into the middle of this lineup. The 30-year-old could also be a very dangerous option at DH, too.

We recently profiled Contreras as a trade candidate for the Mets, which you can read here.

While there is some interest from Queens, Passan has noted that the Houston Astros have also been in contact with the Cubs about Contreras, and the Giants may have interest, too.

One other interesting note from Passan is the fact that multiple teams have concerns over Contreras being able to mesh and build a relationship with a new pitching staff on the fly given his weakness in the game-calling area.

However, for a team like the Mets who have shown glaring signs of holes in the offense with the bats slowing down both heading into and coming out of the All-Star break, Contreras could be acquired as more of a power bat rather than a primary backstop.

It does appear that general manager Billy Eppler is still looking to upgrade at DH despite acquiring Daniel Vogelbach from the Pirates last week, with Passan noting in the same story that there is some interest from the Mets in Red Sox slugger J.D. Martinez.

One final interesting nugget from Passan is that the Cubs could look to use Contreras as part of a blockbuster package for Nationals superstar Juan Soto. After all, Chicago has some interesting pieces in the likes of relief pitcher David Robertson and switch-hitter Ian Happ as well as a collection of high-end prospects. That could alter the entire landscape of the trade deadline if the Cubs decide to enter the Soto sweepstakes. (The Nats could then flip some of the expiring deals for more assets.)

There’s certainly plenty to keep an eye on from Passan’s story alone, and we’ll watch the Contreras situation with interest given that there is clear interest there. Whatever happens, though, it is abundantly clear that the Mets are invested in adding more power bats and sluggers to their lineup and they look to be in play on the biggest names available in the lead-up to August 2.

The post Reports: Mets Have Interest In Willson Contreras, David Robertson appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Francisco Álvarez, Photo by Rick Nelson

Good morning, Mets’ fans.

Despite a gem thrown by Chris Bassitt last night, the New York Mets lost their third straight game. The second in a row against San Diego. New York will look to avoid the sweep tonight in the final game of their three-game set against the Padres.

Though, in some good news, Francisco Álvarez blasted his first career Triple-A home run for Syracuse. The long ball was a grand slam.

Latest Mets News

According to Tim Healey of Newsday Sports, Buck Showalter told the media that Trevor May will start a rehab assignment with Double-A Binghamton on Sunday.

Mets’ top prospect Francisco Álvarez hit his first Triple-A home run, a grand slam, on Saturday against the Worcester Red Sox, per MLB Pipeline.

According to Jon Heyman of MLB Network, the New York Mets acquired catcher Michael Perez from the Pittsburgh Pirates for cash considerations.

Via SNY – Chris Bassitt struck out a career-high 11-batters in his start against the Padres on Saturday night.

Latest MLB News

Per Joel Sherman of the New York Post, Yankees’ relief pitcher Michael King has a fracture in his right elbow.

According to Jon Morosi of MLB Network, MLB teams are calling the Los Angeles Angels to express interest in trading for two-way star Shohei Ohtani. However, the Angels have shown no interest and indicated that they have no plans to trade Ohtani before the August 2^nd trade deadline.

Per Jon Heyman of MLB Network, the Miami Marlins have called up their former first-round draft pick and their number four prospect, 24-year-old JJ Bleday.

The Milwaukee Brewers announced on Saturday that they have signed left-handed pitcher Aaron Ashby to a five-year contract extension through the 2027 MLB season with club options for 2028 and 2029.

The Boston Red Sox made several roster moves on Saturday:

• Placed third basesman Rafael Devers on the 10-day injured list with right hamstring inflammation.
• The team selected outfielder Jaylin Davis to the active major league roster from Triple-A Worcester.
• The team transferred infielder/outfielder Enrique Hernandez to the 60-day injured list.

Major League Baseball announced Saturday evening that Paul Goldschmidt hit his 1,000^th career RBI in the Cardinals’ game against the Reds.

Per MLB Trade Rumors, Detroit Tigers’ pitchers, Alex Faedo and Kyle Funkhouser, are both out for the season.

MLB tweeted a video of Mookie Betts hitting his 200^th career home run on Saturday against the Giants.

Per Craig Mish of Herald Sports, Marlins’ pitcher Max Meyer left his start against the Pirates after facing just three batters with an apparent arm injury. 

Latest on MMO

Sam Klein recapped the Mets’ minor league affiliate games from Friday, July 22nd, which included Alex Ramirez hitting a home run and driving in five RBI for the Brooklyn Cyclones (Single-A).

Mojo Hill talked about what’s next for the Mets after the trade for Daniel Vogelbach.

Andrew Steele-Davis recapped Max Scherzer’s solid outing back at Citi Field.

Andrew Steele-Davis discussed the Mets’ acquisition of catcher Michael Perez from the Pirates.

Jase Bernhardt took a look at the Mets’ defense and shifting from an analytical perspective.

On This Date in Mets History

1973: Willie Mays played his 24^th and final All-Star Game.

1988: The Mets retired Tom Seaver’s No. 41 in a pre-game ceremony.

1993: Anthony Young lost his (at the time) major-league leading 27^th straight game.

Birthdays: Jeff Kaiser (62)

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