The Mets kicked off the 2026 season with a huge home win on Opening Day, defeating the Pittsburgh Pirates 11-7. Carson Benge had a dream MLB debut and the entire offense was firing on all cylinders making for a fun home opener at Citi Field.

The Mets will have a customary day off on Friday before returning to Citi Field on Saturday for the second game of the series. It will be right-handed pitcher Mitch Keller on the mound for the Pirates against left-handed pitcher David Peterson for the Mets as he makes his first start of 2026.

Brad Penner-Imagn Images

Latest Mets News

The Mets made history on Thursday. As noted by Sarah Langs of MLB.com, with the Mets starting Bo Bichette at third base for the first time in his career and Jorge Polanco at first base for just the second time in his career, the Mets became the second team in the last 100 years to start two non-rookie infielders on Opening Day with one or no prior MLB games at that position. They join the 1948 Brooklyn Dodgers, who started Jackie Robinson at second base and Billy Cox at third base.

Per Ryan Morik of Fox News, New York Mets legend Keith Hernandez says he still gets paid “close to $5,000” per year in “Seinfeld” residuals.

Mike Janela shared one of the newest Citi Field features: The Mets now display the title and artist for every Mets batter’s walk-up song.

According to Jon Heyman of the New York Post, Mike Tauchman had surgery on Thursday morning to repair his torn meniscus in his left knee. The surgery went as expected and he will be out another six weeks before being cleared to return to play.

Per Sarah Langs of MLB.com, Carson Benge became the 14th player with a home run and a stolen base in his MLB debut since the modern stole base rule was adopted back in 1898. He is the second Met: Lenny Dykstra on May 3, 1985 and the first MLB player to do so since Weston Wilson on August 9, 2023.

ESPN noted that along with Benge hitting a home run in his MLB debut, Munetaka Murakami of the Chicago White Sox and JJ Wetherholt of the St. Louis Cardinals both hit a home run in their first career MLB games as well. This marked the first season in MLB history that three players, each in his MLB debut, homered on Opening Day.

Mathew Brownstein of Metsmerized mentioned the three youngest players to record at least one walk, one home run and one stolen base on Opening Day. Those included Barry Bonds, who was 24 years, 254 days old (1989); Bryce Harper, who was 23 years, 171 days (2016); and now Carson Benge: 23 years, 65 days (2026).

Jorge Castillo of ESPN reported that the Mets and outfielder Tommy Pham are in agreement on a minor league deal.

Latest MLB News

The Milwaukee Brewers on Thursday announced that they placed outfielder Jackson Chourio on the 10-day injured list with a left hand fracture, retroactive to Wednesday. In return they recalled outfielder Blake Perkins from Triple-A Nashville.

Per Jesse Rogers of ESPN, according to sources, the Chicago Cubs are in agreement with second baseman Nico Hoerner on a six-year deal, pending a physical.

Per MLB, 15-year MLB veteran Carl Crawford shared a moment with his son, Justin, after his Major League Debut.

Latest on MMO

Christian De Block previewed the first series of the Mets/ 2026 season and their home opener against the new-look Pittsburgh Pirates.

Michelle Ioannou and the Metsmerized staff discussed their 2026 Mets hot takes in an MMO roundtable piece.

The Metsmerized podcast released its 2026 season preview.

Michael Simon recapped the New York Mets’ 2026 home opener, including Carson Benge’s home run and the Mets’ offense crushing Paul Skenes.

Alexis Farinacci recapped Carson Benge’s dream MLB debut.

On This Date in Mets History

1987: The Mets traded backup catcher Ed Hearn to the Kansas City Royals along with pitcher Rick Anderson in exchange for pitcher David Cone.

Born on This Date: Clay Holmes (1993), Brandon Nimmo (1993), Johnny Monell (1986), Michael Cuddyer (1979), Bill Sudakis (1946).

The post Morning Briefing: Mets’ Bats Get Off to Rip-Roaring Start appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Welcome to the second half of the Grapefruit League version of the New York Subway Series in Florida. The Mets defeated the Yankees on Feb. 22 in Tampa and will go for the sweep on Sunday with Freddy Peralta on the hill for New York.

Are you Mets Merized? Prove it with these cool t-shirts and show your true colors. Purchase your t-shirts here.

WBC RESULTS

• Korea 6 – Japan 8
• Colombia 2 – Canada 8
• Nicaragua 3 – Netherlands 4. Mark Vientos was 0-5 with two strikeouts.
• Brazil 0 – Italy 8
• Panama 3 – Puerto Rico 4. Jose Ramos was 0-4 with a run scored.
• Israel 3 – Venezuela 11.
• Great Britain 1 – USA 9. Clay Holmes (W, 1-0) threw three shutout innings. He gave up one hit and struck out six, throwing 38 pitches (28 for strikes) and was credited with the win.
• Chinese Taipei 5 – Korea 4 (10 innings)

Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

Latest Mets News

The captain will be in town on Monday! Fans can purchase a pregame meet-and-greet, along with a photo and autograph opportunity and a VIP cocktail hour with the captain before the Mets take on the Marlins at 6:10 p.m. at Clover Park. Tickets can be purchased through the St. Lucie Mets.

Per Mets Player Development, Elian Peña took MLB Pipeline No. 34 overall prospect Liam Doyle deep in his first game of spring training.

Latest on MMO

Mojo Hill recapped Sean Manaea’s first spring outing, discussing his fastball velocity being down in this outing.

Michelle Ioannou and the MMO staff discuss who they think will win the World Baseball Classic and their favorite to win WBC MVP in an MMO roundtable.

Evan Mazza recapped the Mets’ 3-2 Saturday win over the Cardinals that included Kodai Senga giving up two home runs along the way.

On This Date in Mets History

1966: Casey Stengel found at an awards ceremony that he had been unanimously elected to the Hall of Fame.

Born on This Date: Tommy Pham (1988), Williard Hunter (1935).

The post Morning Briefing: Clay Holmes Earns Win For Team USA appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

After hammering out a three-team deal with the Pittsburgh Pirates and Houston Astros that saw them send second baseman Brandon Lowe to the former, the Tampa Bay Rays are also trading right-handed starting pitcher Shane Baz to the Baltimore Orioles. The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal was the first to report the news.

Per ESPN’s Jeff Passan, Tampa Bay will receive prospects Slater de Brun, Caden Bodine, Michael Forret and Austin Overn as well as a Competitive Balance Round A pick in return.

Baz has dealt with his fair share of injuries throughout his career, but the 26-year-old completed a full season for the Rays in 2025. Over 31 starts and 166 1/3 innings, he recorded a 4.87 ERA with 176 strikeouts. The 26-year-old is under club control through the 2028 campaign.

Updated Post: Dec. 19 at 12:30 p.m.

According to The Athletic’s Chandler Rome and Ken Rosenthal, the Tampa Bay Rays, Houston Astros and Pittsburgh Pirates are working on finalizing a three-team trade.

If completed, the deal would send starting pitcher Mike Burrows from Pittsburgh to Houston, second baseman Brandon Lowe, outfielder Jake Mangum and left-handed pitcher Mason Montgomery to Pittsburgh and outfielder Jacob Melton and right-handed pitching prospect Anderson Brito to Tampa Bay. The full details of the trade have yet to be announced, and it’s possible that more players are involved.

Lowe would be a major get for a Pirates club that’s struggled offensively in recent years and has openly searched for a middle-of-the-order bat. He slashed .256/.307/.477 with 31 home runs for the Rays in 2025. Burrows, meanwhile, logged a 3.94 ERA in 23 appearances (19 starts) totaling 96 innings with Pittsburgh this past season.

Melton, who MLB Pipeline ranks as Houston’s No. 2 prospect, slashed .157/.234/.186 in 78 plate appearances during his first taste of big-league action in 2025. Mangum, meanwhile, put up a .698 OPS with 27 stolen bases for Tampa Bay this year.

Updated Post: Dec. 19 at 10:10 a.m.

The Kansas City Royals have made their second notable trade of the past week, this time acquiring left-handed reliever Matt Strahm from the Philadelphia Phillies for right-handed pitcher Jonathan Bowlan, according to FanSided’s Robert Murray.

Strahm, who was drafted in the 21st round of the 2012 MLB Draft by Kansas City, is set to make $7.5 million in the final year of his contract. He appeared in 66 games for the Phillies in 2025 and recorded a 2.74 ERA over 62 1/3 innings with 70 strikeouts.

Bowlan, a second-round pick in the 2018 MLB Draft, made his big-league debut in 2023 and logged a 3.86 ERA in 34 appearances totaling 44 1/3 innings this past season.

The Royals previously acquired outfielder Isaac Collins and right-handed reliever Nick Mears from the Milwaukee Brewers for left-handed reliever Angel Zerpa.

Original Post: Dec. 19 at 9:43 a.m.

The Padres have signed infielder Sung-mun Song, according to Robert Murray of Fansided. The former KBO player will be making around $13 million over three seasons. Those terms were first mentioned by reporter Francys Romero.

Song Sung-mun

The report of Song’s signing comes less than 12 hours after multiple reports revealed that the Padres were re-signing right-handed starting pitcher Michael King.

Song, 29, has played parts of nine seasons for the Kiwoom Heroes of the KBO. A righty thrower and left-handed hitter at the plate, Song has moved around the infield, accumulating games at every position other than shortstop.

He spent the majority of his time at third base in 2025, playing 111 games there, but with the ever-available Manny Machado entrenched there for the long term, Song would likely serve as a backup utility infielder.

Song’s offensive output has surged over the past two seasons, making his move to MLB one to watch. After finishing six of his first seven years in the KBO with an OPS under .700, Song slashed .340/.409/.518 and .315/.387/.530 over his last two seasons, respectively, averaging over 20 home runs, 30 doubles and 20 stolen bases in the process.

The post Rumor Roundup: Orioles Acquire Shane Baz from Rays appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

According to Andy Martino of SNY, after finishing the 2025 season with his elbow feeling good, Sean Manaea might not need surgery to remove the loose bodies from his elbow. He will be reevaluated after he recovers and cools down from the season.

Photo Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Wild Card Game 1 Scores From Tuesday

• The Red Sox defeated the Yankees, 3-1.
• The Tigers defeated the Guardians, 2-1.
• The Cubs defeated the Padres, 3-1.
• The Dodgers defeated the Reds, 10-5.

All series will head to Game 2 on Wednesday in their best-of-three.

Latest Mets News

MLB.com’s Anthony DiComo reported that Jose Siri, Richard Lovelady and Kevin Herget all elected free agency following being outrighted by the Mets.

Latest MLB News

After a year of back-and-forth conversations, the Tampa Bay Rays are officially under new ownership. The team announced on Tuesday that they are now owned by a Florida-based business group owned by business executive Patrick Zalupski.

Per Sam Blum of The Athletic, Ron Washington and Ray Montgomery will not return as Angels manager in 2026. The Angels confirmed the news. Blum did not receive information regarding Perry Minasian.

According to Bob Nightengale of USA Today, Albert Pujols, Torii Hunter and Michael Young are all potential candidates for the Angels’ managerial vacancy. Pujols could be a frontrunner since he is already on the payroll, receiving $1 million annually through his 10-year personal services contract.

Per Jon Heyman of the New York Post, the Pittsburgh Pirates fired pitching coach Oscar Marin.

The St. Louis Cardinals announced that they hired Chaim Bloom as their next president of baseball operations.

According to Katie Woo of The Athletic, the Cardinals and now-president Chaim Bloom also said that Oli Marmol will return as the Cardinals’ manager in 2026.

Former New York Yankee Masahiro Tanaka recorded his 200th win on Tuesday with the Yomiuri Giants.

Latest on MMO

Patrick Glynn recapped David Stearns’ comments during his closing press conference on the Mets’ path forward after being left out of the playoffs this season.

David Melendi discussed Steve Cohen’s casino bid clearing a major hurdle it needed to pass.

Andrew Steele-Davis broke down the Mets’ three-up, three-down from the 2025 season.

Patrick Glynn graded the 2025 New York Mets.

On This Date in Mets History

Born on This Date: Cedric Mullins (1994), Brandon Knight (1975), Chuck McElroy (1967), Jeff Reardon (1955), Pete Falcone (1953), Bob Myrick (1952), Buzz Capra (1947)

The post Morning Briefing: Manaea Might Not Need Surgery appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

The Mets got a two-for-one negative pitching update Friday night. As reported in an Athletic article by Tim Britton, both Tylor Megill and Reed Garrett have been recommended for Tommy John surgery.

Both pitchers are still receiving additional opinions and going through their options before their plans are finalized. Megill was great in March and April before struggling in May and June, and hasn’t pitched in the majors since then. Garrett has had his ups and downs, too, but was still a valuable part of the bullpen who the Mets may be without for the foreseeable future.

NL Wild Card Update

The Mets won 12-6 in their opener over the Nationals. The Reds won their third straight, 7-4, remaining 2.0 games behind the Mets for the third Wild Card spot.

The Diamondbacks lost 8-2 to the Phillies, and the Giants lost 6-3 to the Dodgers. They’re now three and four games back of the Mets, respectively.

Latest Mets News

Britton’s piece also noted that fireballer Dylan Ross likely would have been in the majors by now if not for a blister. There’s still a chance, per Britton, that Ross could be promoted this season and could even make the postseason roster.

Juan Soto achieved history in his first season as a Met when on Friday night he hit home run No. 42 on the season, a career high in home runs for Soto.

According to Mike Mayer of Metsmerized Online, there have been two seasons in MLB history with at least 42 home runs, 30 stolen bases and 120 walks:

• Juan Soto, 2025
• Barry Bonds, 1996

Soto is making big history as a Met.

The Mets are expecting a larger-than usual crowd on Saturday and due to the expected attendance, they have adjusted gate-opening times to earlier:

• Parking lots/ Block party: 1:10 p.m.
• Early entry season ticket member gates: 1:40 p.m.
• All other gates: 2:10 p.m.
• First pitch: 4:10 p.m.

According to Major League Baseball, Francisco Lindor is the first shortstop in MLB history with four seasons of 25-plus home runs and 25-plus stolen bases. The 2025 campaign was the third season in a row he has done such.

Tyrone Taylor was 1-for-4 with an RBI and played six innings defensively in his first rehab assignment with Triple-A Syracuse.

Latest MLB News

Baseball legend Clayton Kershaw made his final regular-season start at Dodger Stadium on Friday. The future Hall of Famer struck out the last batter he faced and exited to a raucous ovation.

According to Major League Baseball, Jazz Chisholm Jr. on Friday became the third player in New York Yankees history to post a 30-home run/30-stolen base season.

Latest on MMO

John Stocum recapped the Mets’ minor league affiliate games from Thursday that included Jack Wenninger shining in the game that sent Binghamton on to the ELCS.

Kai Chang recapped Jonah Tong’s rebound performance from Thursday.

Andrew Steele-Davis breaks down the four-up, two-down of the Mets’ series against the Padres.

Check out the most recent episode of the MMO Podcast.

Jack Markowski previews Taylor’s first rehab assignment on his journey back from injury.

Christian De Block previewed the Mets’ series against the Nationals in their final home series of 2025.

On This Date in Mets History

Born on This Date: Zach Pop (1996), AJ Ramos (1986), Jason Bay (1978), Dave Gallagher (1960), Dennis Ribant (1941).

The post Morning Briefing: Megill, Garrett Recommended For Tommy John appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports

Good morning Mets fans!

The Mets took the rubber game of a three-game set from the Arizona Diamondbacks on Sunday by a score of 5-0. David Peterson continued New York’s historic run of work from starting pitchers.

Today, the 7-2 Giants come into town as the two teams start a four-game series. It will be Tylor Megill (2-0, 0.00) up against Alex Cobb (1-0, 3.60).

Latest Mets News

Read a full recap of yesterday’s shutout win.

The Mets announced that they have dedicated their press box to the great Jay Horowitz.

Latest MLB News

Perennial MVP candidate Ronald Acuña Jr. will start a rehab stint with the Gwinnett Stripers, the Triple-A affiliate of MLB’s reigning champion Braves.

Mike Trout, who left yesterday’s game after being hit in the hand, is considered day-to-day after negative X-rays.

A 20-year-old phenom from Japan, Rosi Sasaki, followed up his perfect game last week with another eight innings of perfection on Saturday night. That’s 52 batters retired consecutively.

Buck Martinez, broadcaster for the Toronto Blue Jays, announced that he is battling cancer and will be stepping away from the booth for the time being. We wish Buck all the best.

Rich Hill will start today against the Twins, on Boston Marathon Monday, about a week after the passing of his father, who ran the marathon 37 times.

Latest on MMO

Patrick Glynn wrote about Jon Heyman’s report that the Mets are not a realistic suitor for Aaron Judge come free agency.

On This Date in Mets History

Birthdays: Rico Brogna (52)

Let’s go Mets!

The post Morning Briefing: Mets Take Rubber Game From Arizona appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Credit: USA TODAY

Barry Svrluga of The Washington Post reports the Lerner family has begun investigating selling the Washington Nationals franchise. As part of those efforts, the family has retained Allen & Company to assist in identifying investors or purchasers of the franchise.

The Mets have a history with Allen & Company. Back in 2011, the Wilpons retained them to sell minority shares of the team in the wake of the Madoff scandal. In 2018, Jeff Wilpon’s son, Bradley, was hired as an investment banking analyst. Finally, Allen & Co. was retained after Steve Cohen’s first attempted purchase of the Mets dissolved.

In terms of the Nationals’ rights, they have retained them while the organization continues to battle with Mid-Atlantic Sports Network over broadcasts revenues. It also occurred as the pandemic impacted the Lerners’ commercial real estate business. On that point, Svrluga notes the Lerners net worth has dropped from $5.5 to $3.7 billion.

While not specifically Svrluga’s article, there is also the prospect of the deferred contracts coming due. For example, this will be the first installment of the $15 million deferred payments Max Scherzer will receive through 2027. While these deferred deals are starting to come, the Nationals are also trying to sign a contract extension with superstar Juan Soto.

Team spokesperson Jennifer Giglio said, “This process does not impact the team’s ability to make baseball decisions.” She went on to say, “It will not distract the organization from our goal of being a first-class organization and fielding a winning team.”

Of course, the Nationals have just begun a rebuild, slashing their payroll. Per Spotrac, the Nationals had a $144 million payroll in 2021. That number is down to an active payroll of $88.6 million this season.

As noted by Svrluga, the combination of all factors has caused this sudden reversal from the Lerners. On that point, back in 2018, Mark Lerner said the family would never sell the Nationals. Back in 2018, Mark had overtaken the team’s day-to-day operations from his father, Ted.

Now, Lerner states they have begun this “exploratory process” while being “committed as ever to their employees, players, fans, sponsors, and partners and putting a competitive product on the field.”

The post Lerner Family May Sell Washington Nationals appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports

Good morning, Mets fans!

The Mets and Phillies close out their weekend series this afternoon at Citi Field. It will be Marcus Stroman getting the ball for the Mets after an injury scare in his last outing that turned out to be nothing serious.

Latest Mets News

Mojo Hill of Metsmerized was on the Mets’ Zoom press conference on Saturday in which manager Luis Rojas stated that Carlos Carrasco threw a side session that was “not full slope, but just below the mound.” Rojas said Carrasco feels good and his throwing progressions are expected to be ramped up soon.

According to Stats by STATS, the New York Mets have allowed three or less runs in 21 of their last 22 games at home at Citi Field. This makes them the first team since the 1917 world series champion White Sox to achieve this record.

Per Keith Raad of the Brooklyn Cyclones, Brett Baty was scheduled to play left field on Saturday night for the Brooklyn Cyclones, marking the first time he will have played outfield as a professional.

According to John Flanigan of Metsmerized via Jacob Resnick of SNY, Brandon Nimmo played the full nine innings on Saturday night for the Syracuse Mets and was 1-for-4 with a single.

Luis Rojas (via SNY Mets) revealed the Mets’ starting pitchers through Tuesday. It will be Marcus Stroman on Sunday, Jerad Eickhoff on Monday, followed by Tylor Megill on Tuesday.

MLB Stats reported that Jacob deGrom’s 0.69 ERA is the second-lowest through 13 starts in MLB history.

Latest MLB News

Per Robert Murray of FanSided, Atlanta Braves right-handed pitcher Mike Soroka suffered a complete re-tear of his right Achilles tendon and will miss the remainder of the 2021 season. He will undergo season-ending surgery. This surgery will be third surgery on his right Achilles since August 2020. According to the Atlanta Braves, Soroka was simply walking into thhe clubhouse at Truist Park on Thursday when he felt a ‘pop’ in the Achilles.

As reported by MiLB-Transactions, the San Francisco Giants have released first baseman Justin Bour.

Lindsey Adler of The Athletic on Saturday that according to Yankees’ manager Aaron Boone, left-handed pitcher Zack Britton is headed to the injured list with a hamstring injury, along with left-handed pitcher Wandy Peralta who is headed to the injured list with a back injury.

Per Dan Connolly of The Athletic, Major League Baseball has extended an invitation to Orioles’ first baseman Trey Mancini to compete in the 2021 MLB All-Star Weekend Home Run Derby.

According to Jason Mackey of the Post-Gazette Sports, the Pittsburgh Pirates are signing right-handed pitcher Shelby Miller to a minor league contract. Miller has to complete protocols before beginning, but is scheduled to report to Triple-A Indianapolis.

The Cincinnati Reds announced that outfielder Jesse Winkler left Saturday’s game with a right hip contusion.

MLB Stats reported that with 26 home runs through 74 games, Vladimire Guerrero Jr. has the second-most home runs in that span in Blue Jays history. 

Mets Minor League Scores from Saturday, June 26, 2021

Brooklyn Cyclones Jersey 5 Shore Blue Claws 8

St. Lucie Mets 5 Dunedin Blue Jays 7

Syracuse Mets 3 Buffalo Bisons 5

Binghamton Rumble Ponies 13 Reading Fightin Phils 6

Latest on MMO

Cam Adams recaps the Mets’ minor league affiliate action from Friday, June 25,  featuring a home run by Francisco Alvarez in Brooklyn’s win over Jersey Shore.

Dan Quinones recaps Walker and Peterson’s strong doubleheader outings against Phillies, both games in which were pitchers’ duals.

Jack Ramsey looks at some names to watch as the MLB draft approaches.

Brian Wright takes a look back at June 26 in Mets history, featuring Rusty Staub matching the MLB mark with eight straight pinch hits.

Thomas Hall discusses Pete Alonso’s hitting woes returning.

Elliot Teichman had the MMO Game Thread for the Mets vs Phillies on Saturday night.

Patrick Glynn recaps the Mets’ 4-3 walk-off win against the Phillies on Saturday night.

On This Date in Mets History

1962: 17-year-old Monroe High School standout Ed Kranepool signed a contract that included an $85,000 bonus as an amateur free agent with the Mets.

1973: After attending his dad’s funeral hours earlier, right-handed relief pitcher Buzz Capra pitched four hitless innings of relief against the Phillies to get the save in the Mets’ 7-6 win over the Phillies.

1993: Anthony Young set an MLB record dropping his 24^th straight decision.

2008: Carlos Delgado set a new Mets’ team record with 9 RBI’s in one game in the Mets’ 15-6 win over the Yankees. Delgado hit a home run, three-run home run, and a grand slam in that game.

Birthdays: Chris Woodward (45), Ricardo Jordan (51), Jeff Conine (55)

Let’s go Mets!

The post Morning Briefing: Marcus Stroman Takes the Mound For the First-Place Mets appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Jun 12, 2021; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor (12) is greeted by left fielder Dominic Smith (2) after hitting a two-run home run during the first inning against the San Diego Padres at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports

Good morning, Mets fans!

The Mets and Padres conclude their three-game series in New York this afternoon at 1:10 p.m. ET. It will be Chris Paddack (2-5, 4.27 ERA) for the Padres against Joey Lucchesi (1-4, 5.79 ERA) for the Mets as the Mets look to sweep the three-game series and give James McCann a very happy birthday present!

Following this weekend’s series the Mets will remain at home and welcome the Chicago Cubs to Citi Field for a 4-game series starting tomorrow at 7:10 p.m. before heading to Washington next weekend. 

Latest Mets News 

As reported by Mojo Hill of Metsmerized, Luis Rojas said on Saturday that Jacob deGrom said he was fine and that he wanted to go outside and play catch. The Mets did have him undergo an MRI Saturday morning as a precaution and the images came back clear. DeGrom left Friday night’s game against San Diego early with “right flexor tendinitis,” but said he was fine on Saturday. Justin Toscano of The Record/North Jersey stated that deGrom did play catch and that it went well. The Mets are taking it day to day with deGrom.

David Lennon of Newsday Sports reported on Saturday afternoon that the New York Mets had scratched Billy McKinney from Saturday’s lineup against the Padres with a sore right knee. He was replaced in the lineup by Mason Williams. Anthony DiComo of MLB.com noted that Kevin Pillar also slid over to right field in the roster change.

Latest MLB News

Per Eric Stephen of SB Nation, Los Angeles Dodgers’ first baseman Cody Bellinger was limping during and after an at-bat in the sixth inning on Friday night and left the game with the score 11-0. Bellinger was not initially scheduled to start on Friday.

According to Lindsey Adler of The Athletic, the New York Yankees have activated Zach Britton off of the IL. To make room on the roster, Brooks Kriske was optioned to Triple-A Scranton and infielder Mike Ford was designated for assignment.

The Pittsburgh Pirates announced on Saturday that right-handed pitcher Mitch Keller was optioned to Triple-A Indianapolis and right-handed pitcher Trevor Cahhill was placed on the 10-day injured list. They also recalled right-handed pitchers Geoff Hartlieb and Wil Crowe from Triple-A Indianapolis.

The Minnesota Twins announced on Saturday that former pitcher Jim “Mudcat” Grant passed away on Saturday at the age of 85.

Chad Finn of Boston.com reported that broadcaster Jerry Remy left Friday night’s broadcast early due to shortness of breath. According to NESN on Saturday, he is feeling a bit better and resting comfortably at Mass General in Boston.

Andrew Marchand of the New York Post reported on Saturday that for the first time since before COVID-19 shut down the travel of broadcasters, Meredith Marakovits of YES Network is on the road with the Yankees in Philly.

Connor Foley of the Times-Tribune Scranton said that on the YES pregame show on Saturday, Meredith Marakovits announced that Luke Voit is slated to start a rehab assignment on Sunday. Location TBD.

A video by Major League Baseball shows Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hitting his 20th home run of the 2021 season at Fenway Park in Boston. He is the first player to reach 20 in the league this season.

According to Lindsey Adler of The Athletic, Luis Severino, who was pitching in a rehab assignment with the Hudson Valley Renegades was being helped off the field in Coney Island after he apparently took an awkward step on the mound. He appeared to be in a good amount of pain with an apparent leg/ankle/lower body issue.

Latest Mets Minor League News

Per Alexis Farinacci of Metsmerized, St. Lucie Mets shortstop Shervyen Newton left Saturday night’s game against the Palm Beach Cardinals with what appeared to be a shoulder injury after a hard dive in the infield in an attempt to make a diving stop. He was holding his left shoulder & favoring it. He appeared to be in quite a bit of pain as he exited the field Saturday night at Clover Park.

Latest Minor League Baseball News

Per Gerard Gilberto of DK Pittsburgh Sports, Indianapolis Indians outfielder Jared Oliva has been reinstated from the injured list after being on the IL due to a left oblique/abdominal injury.

MiLB-Transactions have reported the following with the trade deadline and MLB draft soon approaching:

– Milwaukee Brewers have signed right-handed pitcher Brooks Hall to a minor league contract.

– The St. Louis Cardinals have signed left-handed pitcher Sean Kealey to a minor league contract.

– The San Francisco Giants have released infielder Ryan Howard.

Per Alex Freedman of the Oklahoma City Dodgers, the Los Angeles Dodgers have signed veteran left-handed pitcher Vidal Nuno. He will join Triple-A Oklahoma City.

Mets Minor League Scores from Saturday, June 12, 2021

Binghamton Rumble Ponies 7 Bowie Baysox 8

St. Lucie Mets 6 Palm Beach Cardinals 8

Brooklyn Cyclones 4 Hudson Valley Renegades 5

Syracuse Mets 2 Worcester Red Sox 11

Latest on MMO

Cam Adams recaps the Mets’ minor league affiliate games from Friday, June 11, which included an impressive start by Tylor Megill in his second Triple-A start and a two-home run game for Brandon McIlwain in Port St. Lucie.

Mathew Brownstein talks to former utility infielder T.J. Rivera in an MMO Exclusive interview.

Dan Quinones recaps Jacob deGrom’s outing on Friday night against the Padres.

Thomas Hall talks about Robert Gsellman enjoying solid under-the-radar performances.

James Villani talks about Edwin Diaz cementing himself as an elite-level closer.

Elliot Teichman had the MMO Game Thread for the Mets’ Saturday evening matchup against the Padres at Citi Field.

Patrick Glynn discusses Billy McKinney being scratched from Saturday’s Mets’ lineup.

Anthony E. Parelli recaps the Mets’ 4-1 win over the Padres in game 2 of the series at Citi Field.

On This Date in Mets History

1965: Ron Swoboda breaks the franchise record for home runs hit by a rookie with a three-run home run against the Cubs at Shea Stadium. He hit 19 home runs on the season.

1969: The New York Mets traded left-handed pitcher Al Jackson to the Cincinnati Reds.

1976: The Mets swept a doubleheader against the Giants to mark the first time the Mets had won two games on the same day. 

2012: R.A. Dickey threw a one-hitter in the Mets’ 9-1 defeat of the Rays.

Birthdays: James McCann (31)

Let’s go Mets!

The post Morning Briefing: Mets Go For Series Sweep Over Robust Padres appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Good morning, Mets fans!

We first want to send extend thoughts & prayers to Durham Bulls pitcher Tyler Zambro who was hit by a hard line drive on Thursday night, as well as Zambro’s family, friends, teammates, and the entire Durham Bulls and Tampa Bay Rays organization.

The Mets continue their series against the Padres tonight at 10:10 PM EST. Joey Lucchesi will get the start for the Mets against his former team. On starting tonight, Lucchesi said, “Of course I want to strike every one of those guys out, but I have to stay content, do my job, hit the glove, and it will go my way.”

Latest Mets News

Per Marcus Stroman and HDMH Apparel, Stroman durags are available online in multiple colors.

Voting is now open for the 2021 All-Star Game and the New York Mets have a bunch of players up for voting. Vote at this link.

Marcus Stroman and HDMH Apparel announced a 2021 Baseball and Softball Clinic with “Stroman and friends.” Registration for the clinic is now open.

Per Tim Healey of Newsday, according to a source, Luis Guillorme was slated to start a rehab assignment with Triple-A Syracuse on Thursday. Guillorme has been on the IL with a right oblique strain since late April.

Michael Mayer of Metsmerized later tweeted that Guillorme’s rehab assignment was rained out.

As Michael Mayer of Metsmerized tweeted, the New York Mets announced on Thursday that tickets for home games through the remainder of the 2021 season will go on Sale this Saturday, June 5 at 10 a.m. on Mets.com. Beginning with the Mets’ next homestand, Citi Field is increasing it’s stadium capacity to 33,875.

New York Mets outfielder Johneshwy Fargas said that he’s “feeling better” on Twitter. He was placed on the 10-day injured list on May 26 with a left AC joint sprain.

Per Tim Healey of Newsday, the Mets announced that they will retire Jerry Koosman’s No. 36 on August 28.

Latest Mets Minor League News 

According to SNY’s Jacob Resnick, Mets minor league right-handed submarine pitcher Josh Hejka has been promoted to Double-A Binghamton.

As reported by Michael Mayer of Metsmerized, Hejka threw three scoreless innings in his Double-A debut.

Per Michael Mayer of Metsmerized, Mets right-handed pitching prospect J.T. Ginn was slated to make his pro debut on Thursday night as the St. Lucie Mets’ starting pitcher on the road against the Fort Myers Mighty Mussels (Twins low-A affiliate). Ginn was the Mets second round pick in 2020 and underwent Tommy John Surgery in March of 2020. He was MMO’s No. 7 prospect.

Mayer later reported Ginn’s final line from his pro debut. His fastball velocity topped at 94 mph. His final line for the night: 3 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 2 BB, K, 44 pitches/ 24 strikes.

Via Tim Healey of Newsday, the Mets outrighted Cameron Maybin and Wilfredo Tovar to Triple-A Syracuse on Thursday.

Jacob Resnick of SNY reported on Thursday that the Mets have signed infielder Cheslor Cuthbert to a minor league contract. He will join Triple-A Syracuse.

Jacob Resnick of SNY also reported that the Mets have hired a new pitching coach for the Syracuse Mets. Steve Schrenk, who pitched in the Phillies organization from 1999-2000 will now be the pitching coach for the Syracuse Mets.

According to Michael Mayer of Metsmerized, Mets prospect Carlos Cortes was 3-for-3 with two home runs and five RBI’s through four innings for the Binghamton Rumble Ponies.

Latest MLB News

Per Andy Martino of SNY, the Yankees could soon hear some good news on pitcher Corey Kluber. According to Aaron Boone, they don’t have specifics just yet, but Kluber could start throwing off of flat ground “soon.”

Jason Benetti of ESPN announced on Thursday that he will be calling his first Olympic Games this Summer.

The Atlanta Braves announced on Thursday that they have recalled left-handed pitcher Tucker Davidson to Atlanta after optioning infielder Johan Camargo to Triple-A Gwinnett following the Braves’ game on Wednesday night.

As reported by Zach Buchanan of The Athletic, after hearing what Bob Brenly said about Marcus Stroman, former Cub Aramis Ramirez said he also felt targeted by Brenly as well because he is Latino. Brenley has announced that he will be stepping away from broadcasting duties for a week.

Per Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, MLB informed its owners this week of how sever the issue of pitching applying foreign substances to baseballs is. The league, according to sources, told teams that enforcement is coming, but will follow a process that involves communicating with players and umpires.

Latest Minor League Baseball News

Per Dan Evans, MLB has banned four minor league pitchers for using foreign substances to doctor baseballs. According to Seth Stohs of Twins Daily, former Twins right-handed pitching prospect Kai-Wei Teng was one of the four suspended for ten games.

The Durham Bulls announced on Thursday night that they suspended their game in the eighth inning after Bulls pitcher Tyler Zombro was hit by a batted ball. All of minor league baseball has been sending their thoughts and prayers to Zombro and his family.

The Tampa Bay Rays later issued a statement on the condition of Zombro:

“Tyler Zombro was transported to Duke University Hospital in Durham and is in stable condition. He is currently undergoing further treatment and observation. Additional updates will be provided as they become available. Our thoughts and prayers are with Tyler, his family and his teammates.” – Rays –

MLB Trade Rumors updates the MiLB transactions that occurred on Thursday.

Mets Minor League Scores from Thursday, June 3, 2021

Binghamton Rumble Ponies 9 New Hampshire Fisher Cats 3

St. Lucie Mets 0 Fort Myers Mighty Mussels 7

Brooklyn Cyclones 1 jersey Shore BlueClaws 3 through four innings (suspended, to be completed on June 4

Syracuse Mets vs Buffalo Bisons – Postponed due to rain

Latest on MMO

Connor Grey recaps the Mets’ minor league affiliate action from Wednesday, June 2.

Anthony E. Parelli writes an NL East Roundup and discusses the Mets gaining traction as the rest of the division sputters.

Andrew Steele-Davis recaps David Peterson’s brief Wednesday night start against the Diamondbacks.

Patrick Glynn looks at three-up and three-down as the Mets take a series win over Arizona.

Joe D. releases a “How well do you know the Mets” quick quiz on MetsmerizedOnline.com.

Andrew Steele-Davis looks at the heart of the Mets order getting into a timely groove.

Michael Mayer discusses Luis Guillorme starting a rehab assignment. It was later announced the game Guilloreme was expected to pitch in was rained out.

Rich Sparago previews the Mets’ four-game series against the Padres in San Diego.

Matt Musico previews the Mets’ upcoming series against the Padres, followed by the Cubs.

On This Date in Mets History

1976: Mets right-fielder Dave Kingman hit three home runs in the Mets’ 11-0 win over the Dodgers.

1998: The Los Angeles Dodgers traded the 1995 NL Rookie of the Year Hideo Nomo and relief pitcher Brad Clontz to the Mets for pitchers Dave Mlicki and Greg McMichael.

2000: Esteban Yan becomes the 14^th player in MLB history to hit the first pitch thrown to him in a professional game for a home run.

2006: Lastings Milledge hit his first big league home run in a three-hit game against the Giants.

Birthdays: Rick Wilkins (54), Phil Linz (82)

Let’s go Mets!

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