Who is going to be the new Mets left fielder? And where do they rank in the division? Read more to find out.

No. 5 – Bryan De La Cruz, MIA

Going into the 2023 season, there was a legitimate opportunity for Bryan De La Cruz to turn himself into a centerpiece of the Marlins’ future. Now, while it’s not over for him, the chances are significantly lower. He displayed average power with 19 homers but put up a mediocre .257/.304/.411 slashline. 

Offensively, he was technically below average. Defensively, he was horrible. De La Cruz finished in the 6th percentile in MLB in outs above average. But the Marlins don’t have many other options. Avisaíl García will probably be the DH, and behind him, it’s just a bunch of young outfielders who have struggled in their first MLB showings.

Peyton Burdick has a career .200 average and .649 OPS in 46 games over the past two seasons. Vidal Bruján, once a top prospect, has played in 99 games over the past three seasons and put up just a .157 average and .439 OPS. There’s also Jon Berti, who had 11 starts in left field in 2023, but as of right now, he’s slated to be the Marlins starting shortstop. It’ll likely be De La Cruz again in left field for the fish in 2024.

No. 4 – Joey Gallo, WSH

What else new can be said about Joey Gallo at this point? Every baseball fan knows who he is. Gallo is the ultimate three-true outcomes player. He hits the ball extremely hard, harder than most in the league, and has solid home run numbers as a result. He walks a ton, more than most players, but also strikes out at one of the highest clips in MLB history.

His 2023 season was exactly what anyone could have predicted. Over 111 games for the Minnesota Twins, Gallo hit .177/.301/.440 with 21 home runs and 142 strikeouts. His strikeout rate jumped to 42.8%, the highest of his career in any season he played more than 50 games. Technically, his 101 OPS+ means he was an ever so slightly above-average hitter last season, but his extreme offensive profile doesn’t make many fans.

Defensively he’s versatile, playing all three outfield spots for the Twins last season with left being where he spent the most time of the three. He also spent a lot of time at first base beating out left field by seven innings. With Joey Meneses at first base, Gallo probably ends up playing a lot of left. The Nationals could run the alignment of Meneses at DH, Gallo at first, and Stone Garrett in left, but Fangraphs predicts Meneses at first, Gallo in left, and Garrett at DH.

USA TODAY Sports

No. 3 – Jarred Kelenic, ATL

Did you know that Jarred Kelenic was an above-average hitter last season? He wasn’t great — hitting .253/.327/.419 with 11 home runs — but his OPS+ of 109 technically means he was an above-average offensive player. However, he only played 105 games thanks to a lengthy stint on the injured list after he broke his foot kicking a water cooler.

The Mariners dumped him this offseason to Atlanta along with the contracts of Marco Gonzales and Evan White, not getting much back in return besides salary relief. Now, Kelenic is slated to be the starting left fielder for the Braves in 2024. After a horrible first two seasons in the bigs, he showed signs of life in 2023 when he wasn’t sidelined from self-inflicted wounds. He still strikes out a ton but he hits the ball hard, and most of his advanced metrics are decently above average.

Back in the NL East and set to play the Mets 13 times a year, Kelenic turning into a truly productive hitter for the Braves would be the least surprising thing ever. The former Mets No. 6 overall pick was famously traded to Seattle in the deal that brought Edwin Díaz and Robinson Canó to New York ahead of the 2019 season. 

Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

No. 2 – Brandon Marsh, PHI

Kyle Schwarber led the Phillies with 103 starts in left field in 2023. Jake Cave was next with 31. Then came Brandon Marsh, who started just 13 games in left. However, Bryce Harper has turned into the new everyday first baseman and should DH much less, moving Schwarber back into that role. Cave is a bench player and not a very good one at that. So, that leaves Marsh.

Marsh had a breakout 2023 campaign, hitting .277/.372/.458 over 133 games. The vast majority of Marsh’s playing time came in center field, but that started to change during the final few months. It wasn’t cause he’s a bad fielder — he finished the year in the 92nd percentile in outs above average — but because the Phillies had someone positively elite to run out there instead in Johan Rojas. So, that slides Marsh over to left.

Marsh has been almost a brand-new player ever since the Angels sent him to the Phillies at the 2022 trade deadline for catcher Logan O’Hoppe. In 163 games with Los Angeles, Marsh had an OPS of .653. In 174 games so far for Philadelphia, he’s averaged an OPS of .817. He’s not a star, but he’s a very good player and will be an important piece for the Phils in 2024.

Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

No. 1 – Brandon Nimmo, NYM

Last offseason, the Mets signed Brandon Nimmo to an 8-year, $162 million deal presumably to be their starting center fielder for years to come. Now, one year later, Nimmo looks like he’s moving to left field. It’s not cause he’s bad in centerfield, he’s actually well above average. It’s because the Mets brought in someone elite instead. Harrison Bader is essentially a defensive specialist, so when he’s in the lineup, he’ll be in center.

That said, there’s a good chance Bader isn’t in the lineup for a good portion of the games this season. He played just 98 games last season, largely due to injuries, after playing 86 games in 2022 and 103 games in 2021. When Bader is out of the lineup Nimmo should slide back to center field, but he probably finishes the year with more games in left.

At the dish, Nimmo is probably coming off the best season of his MLB career. He played a career-high 152 games, making it the second year in a row he stayed healthy enough to play over 150. He hit .274/.363/.466, good for an .829 OPS, with a career-high 24 home runs — seven more than his previous best from 2018. He is by far the best player of all the projected starting left-fielders in the NL East, and no one even comes close.

Previous NL East Position Rankings

• Shortstop
• First Base
• Starting Pitching
• Second Base
• Third Base

The post 2024 NL East Positional Rankings: Left Field appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

As a refresher, betting odds are set based of what that said company or oddsmaker believes the implied probability of that said outcome is to happen. Lines then are adjusted based off how much money is bet on who and what side, and so on and so forth. Odds also try to take into account the future. For example, the San Francisco Giants are slight favorites to land star pitcher Blake Snell. That is likely slightly contemplated in their other future odds; World Series, win total, etc.

With all that being said, what are the markets saying about what to expect in 2024?

Note, all odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook as of the night of Saturday, December 30. For those curious, odds of +150 would net $150 in winnings when $100 is wagered. Further example is +1600 odds would net a winnings of $1,600 when you wager $100.

World Series

As it stands, the Mets hold the 11th-best odds to capture a World Series title in 2024. Their current odds are set at +2800 (implied probability of 3.45%). They top the likes of the St. Louis Cardinals (+3000), Tampa Bay Rays (+3200), Arizona Diamondbacks (+3500), San Diego Padres (+3800), among several others.

Notable other takeaways are the Los Angeles Dodgers having the best odds at +380 with the Atlanta Braves trailing them at +650. The New York Yankees, Houston Astros, and Philadelphia Phillies round out the top five, in that order.

Ozzie Albies. Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

National League Pennant 

How about which team is the most likely to appear in the World Series as the National League’s representative? The Dodgers, Braves, and Phillies own the top-three odds. Then, the New York Mets check in with the fourth-best odds at +1300 (implied probability of 7.14%), a steep drop off from the third-favored Phillies at +600.

That leaves 11 teams trailing the Mets with worst odds. The most notable are the Padres, who won the eighth-best odds, as well as the National League East Miami Marlins, who own the fourth-worst odds in the National League to appear in the World Series.

National League East Title

From the above, one can deduce the predicted order of finishing in the National League East based off the odds is as follows: Braves, Phillies, Mets, Marlins, and then the lowly Nationals.

Specifically, the Braves own implied probability of 69.70% to win the National League East for the seventh-straight season. The Phillies have the next best odds at an implied probability of 25% with the Mets trailing them at 11.76%. Miami (+2500) and Washington (+10000) are the real long shots to take home a division crown.

The Braves have the second-best odds league-wide to take home their respective division. The only team with a better chance to win their division is the Dodgers in the National League West at an implied probability of 77.78%.

Kodai Senga. Jim Rassol-USA TODAY Sports

Player Awards

Starting with National League most valuable player, there are two Mets that appear on the list first with the same odds. Both Pete Alonso and Francisco Lindor currently own +2500 odds to capture the National League MVP award. They check in tied with the 10th-best odds. You can also find Brandon Nimmo on the list with the 21st-best odds.

The current favorite to win National League MVP is Ronald Acuña Jr. with National League newcomer Shohei Ohtani owning the fourth-best odds to capture the award.

As for the Cy Young, Kodai Senga has the best odds of any Mets’ pitchers at +1600, this is tied for the seventh-best odds. Spencer Strider comfortably owns the National League’s top odds at +550 while former Met Zack Wheeler trails him in second with +850 odds.

Player Statistical Leaders

The major-league home run race features Aaron Judge as strongly favored compared to his peers with +380 odds (second-best odds are Matt Olson at +750). However, Pete Alonso checks in with the fourth-best odds to lead the majors in long balls with +850 odds. Specifically, Alonso has an over/under of 43.5 home runs. So, the market currently believes Alonso will land on 43 long balls in 2023. Francisco Álvarez is also featured on the potential home run leaders list and is tied with the 41st-best odds.

As for pitchers, the current favorite to lead the majors in strikeouts in 2024 is Spencer Strider (+180). He is a heavy favorite when compared to other pitchers as Kevin Gausman owns the second-best odds all the way at +1000. Mets’ ace Kodai Senga checks in at sixth on the list with +2000 odds (bet $100 to win $2,000).

Another pitching category where a Met is prominently featured is save leaders. Edwin Díaz currently possesses the second-best odds at +800 to lead the majors in saves (tied with current free agent Josh Hader). Emmanuel Clase of the Cleveland Guardians edges Díaz’s chances with a league-tops +600 odds.

Another interesting special player bet featuring a member of the Mets is Starling Marte holding the 11th-best odds to lead the major leagues in stolen bases. Further, Brandon Nimmo (+10000) has the 30th-best odds to lead the majors in hits and former National League batting champion Jeff McNeil (+20000; bet $100 to win $20,000) owns the league’s 45th-best odds in that same category.

The post What The Betting Markets Are Saying About The 2024 Mets appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

The National League East saw a number of key additions and departures this offseason, potentially changing the power dynamics of the division. Today, we are going to take a look at how each team fared this offseason and grade their performances.

New York Mets – A

The Mets entered the offseason in a difficult situation, as a number of top contributors from their 101 win roster in 2022 were set to reach free agency. Despite losing players like Jacob deGrom and Chris Bassitt, New York was able to retain Edwin Díaz and Brandon Nimmo among others, while reloading and replenishing the team in free agency to keep their title window open.

A discussion about the Mets’ offseason has to start with the signing of Justin Verlander. It’s nearly impossible to replace deGrom’s talent atop the rotation, but Verlander is about as good of an alternative as there is. He is coming off a 2022 campaign in which he put up a 1.75 ERA and 6.1 fWAR over 28 starts as part of a Cy Young and World Series-winning season. He will join forces with former Tigers teammate Max Scherzer this season and form a 1-2 punch that is among the best in the league.

Kodai Senga and José Quintana were the other additions to the Mets’ rotation in the wake of Bassitt and Taijuan Walker’s departures. Senga’s production is a bit of an unknown coming over from Nippon Professional Baseball, but he provides a ton of potential and experience and is worth the gamble as a middle-of-the-rotation arm. As for Quintana, he is coming off one of the best seasons of his career, in which he recorded a 2.93 ERA and 4.0 fWAR over 32 starts. He should have a seamless transition into the rotation and supply valuable innings as a back-end arm.

New York’s bullpen was set to be in a state of flux this offseason, but re-signing Diaz early on set the tone and was a move that simply had to be made. The team also brought back last year’s set-up man in Adam Ottavino, who finished 2022 with the second-lowest ERA total of his career (2.06) and added a pair of veterans in David Robertson and Brooks Raley as reliable late-inning options. The Mets also made it a priority to bring on relievers with minor-league options such as Elieser Hernández and Jeff Brigham to provide much-needed depth and upside.

The offense remained largely intact from last season outside of the signings of outfielder Tommy Pham and catcher Omar Narváez. Pham figures to fit in as a platoon bat against lefties while Narváez is likely going to enter a time share with Tomás Nido. It’s debatable whether or not the Mets did enough to bolster this area of the roster, especially as it pertains to adding power, and the whole Carlos Correa debacle doesn’t help things. However, that’s the only real criticism that can be made about yet another stellar offseason for New York.

Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

Philadelphia Phillies – A-

Coming off a World Series appearance and their core locked up for the foreseeable future, the Phillies didn’t need to accomplish much to have a productive offseason. While they didn’t make an exorbitant number of moves, Philadelphia opted for a quality over quantity approach that made them an intimidating opponent once again for 2023.

The Phillies were all over the shortstop market from the beginning of the offseason and eventually landed Trea Turner, signing him to an 11-year, $300 million deal. Turner, who profiles as one of the league’s elite position players, will slot in at the top of a potent lineup and offers a perfect mix of speed, power and contact. He slashed .298/.343/.466 with a 128 wRC+ and 6.3 fWAR in 2022, and his plus defense at short will have positive ramifications up the middle for the Phillies, as it also allows Bryson Stott to move to second base.

Philadelphia also brought in former Met Taijuan Walker, who will slot into the middle of their rotation after the team lost Kyle Gibson, Zach Eflin and Noah Syndergaard. Walker had one of his best seasons to date in 2022, finishing with a 3.49 ERA and 2.5 fWAR over 29 starts.

Where Philadelphia did most of its work, though, was in the bullpen. The Phillies added lefty Matt Strahm during the Winter Meetings before later bringing in Craig Kimbrel and Gregory Soto as backend options. Soto, who the team acquired in a trade from the Tigers, is a high-upside option who recorded 30 saves for Detroit in 2022. His control issues often hurt him, but the Phillies’ experience with making José Alvarado work should give the team some confidence that they can do the same with Soto.

As for Kimbrel, he is coming off of a solid season with the Dodgers in which he put up a 3.75 ERA and 22 saves over 63 games. However, he struggled mightily in high leverage spots and thus has become less dependable in late game situations. He won’t be the primary closer in Philadelphia, but it bears watching whether or not he can turn things around in that regard.

Miami Marlins – B

The Marlins went into the offseason knowing that they needed to switch things up in order to contend for a playoff spot in 2023. While it took them a while to get things going, Miami came away with an improved and more balanced roster that could make them dark horses this season.

The addition of Luis Arraez, while costing the Marlins a front-of-the-rotation arm in Pablo López, was necessary. Miami has a surplus of arms and needed to acquire a top-of-the-order bat in whatever way they could, and Arraez provides them exactly that. He slashed .316/.375/.420 in 2022 on his way to a batting title and All-Star nod, and he immediately becomes one of the team’s best hitters.

Miami also signed Jean Segura to a two-year deal to be the team’s starting third baseman following the departure of former stalwarts Miguel Rojas and Brian Anderson. He has put up a wRC+ of 100 or better in six of his last seven seasons and can do a little bit of everything offensively, making his presence invaluable to a Marlins lineup that needs all the help it can get.

Veteran Johnny Cueto, who had a resurgence with the White Sox in 2022, is primed to take Lopez’s spot in the rotation and should give the Marlins a reliable veteran starter in what is a young group of arms. Miami also brought in a pair of established relievers in Matt Barnes and A.J. Puk to bolster a bullpen that looks to be one of the team’s strengths.

Atlanta Braves – B-

The Braves have positioned themselves to where they don’t need to make a splash in the offseason for it to be considered a success. A majority of their talent is slated to be in Atlanta for the foreseeable future, and despite losing one of their faces of the franchise in Dansby Swanson, the team still boasts one of the league’s better rosters.

Atlanta’s biggest addition this offseason was Sean Murphy, whom they acquired from the Athletics. While the deal cost them a young All-Star in William Contreras, Murphy is one of the best all-around catchers in the league and will help the Braves on both sides of the ball. He slashed .250/.332/.426 with a 122 wRC+ and 5.1 fWAR in 2022.

With the rotation largely remaining the same as it was in 2022 outside of Michael Soroka’s return, the bullpen is the only other area of the roster that underwent change for Atlanta. The team did lose its closer in Kenley Jansen, but they brought in Joe Jiménez and Lucas Luetge via trade to supplant the ‘pen following that loss. Luetge figures to be a middle reliever for the Braves, but Jiménez is in line to pitch important innings after he posted a 3.49 ERA, 2.00 FIP and 1.4 fWAR in 62 games for the Tigers last season.

The one question mark Atlanta failed to address is the shortstop position. Replacing Swanson is no easy task, and while Vaughn Grissom showed flashes as a rookie last season, having him and Orlando Arcia split time there feels as though it could backfire.

Photo by Ed Delany of MMO

Washington Nationals – C+

It’s always tough to evaluate the offseason of a team like the Nationals, who are in the throes of a rebuild. However, they added some veterans and non-tenders that could play a sizeable role and be productive as they trudge on through the 2023 season.

Dominic Smith is the addition that’ll be of particular interest to Mets fans, as the former top prospect failed to gain any steam following a spectacular 2020 season in which he received MVP votes. He’s expected to be the team’s starting first baseman heading into spring training and has a prime opportunity to rebuild his value. Washington also signed another former Met in Trevor Williams, who should provide stability and a veteran presence to an inexperienced rotation after pitching to a 3.21 ERA over 30 games last season for New York.

Jeimer Candelario, who was non-tendered by the Tigers following a brutal 2022 campaign, provides upside for the Nationals as he slashed .271/.351/.443 with 3.9 fWAR in 2021 and has proven himself to be a plus-starter at points during his career. Stone Garrett, who was non-tendered by the Diamondbacks, had an impressive debut over a limited sample size in 2022 and is an intriguing option off Washington’s bench.

The Nationals’ hopes for the near future aren’t high, but they recruited some interesting names that could play themselves into becoming trade candidates or long-term pieces for the franchise.

The post Grading NL East Offseasons appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Ronald Acuña Jr.

One phrase to describe the right fielders in the National League East? Top heavy. Continuing MMO’s series of position rankings in the NL East, here are the rankings of right fielders in the division.

Avisail Garcia. Photo via USA Today.

5. Avisaíl García, MIA

Avisaíl García had a underwhelming 2022 season after signing a four-year, $53-million contract with the Miami Marlins. The 31-year-old outfielder was limited to just 98 games, slashing .224/.226/.317 with eight home runs and 35 RBI in 380 plate appearances. García finished the year with a -1.1 WAR, the lowest total of his career.

The one-time All-Star was down in nearly every offensive category from the year prior. Specifically, his plate discipline took a turn for the worse, with his walk rate going from 7.4% in 2021 to 4.5% in 2022 and his strikeout rate going from 23.5% in 2021 to 28.7% in 2022.

García lands as the fifth-best right fielder in the division following his 2022 season. He could bounce back in the second year of his contract, but the outfielder is now on the other side of 30. The Marlins’ lineup lacks power, something that García has provided in the past (hit 29 home runs in 2021 with the Milwaukee Brewers).

Lane Thomas. Photo via USA Today.

4.  Lane Thomas, WSH

Lane Thomas played a significant role in his first full season in the Washington Nationals’ organization. The former 2014 fifth-round draft pick of the Toronto Blue Jays was acquired by the Nationals at the 2021 trade deadline. He then hit .270 with a .853 OPS in 206 at-bats in the second half of that season.

His overall numbers decreased with more plate appearances in 2022, slashing .241/.301/.404 with a 103 OPS+ in 146 games. Thomas showed off some power as well, hitting 17 home runs and 52 RBI, both of which were career highs. Punch outs became a large part of his game with more playing time, striking out 132 times good for a 24.1% strikeout rate.

Thomas slots in as the fourth-best outfielder in the division because of his age and his ability to play more than one position. The 27-year-old can play all across the outfield, especially on the corners. He also adds the speed element, tallying eight stolen bases in 12 opportunities.

For a Nationals team that is in the midst of a rebuild, Thomas is someone manager Dave Martinez can rely on to play everyday.

Nick Castellanos. Photo via USA Today.

3. Nick Castellanos, PHI

Nick Castellanos signed a five-year, $100-million contract with the Philadelphia Phillies last off-season. Going into the year, the plan for the former Cincinnati Red was to see him get a lot of his playing time as a designated hitter. That all changed as soon as Bryce Harper suffered a small tear to the UCL in his right elbow, meaning that he could only hit when he returned from the injured list later in the season.

Castellanos, who has never been known as a great defender, all of sudden slotted in as the everyday right fielder. The 30-year-old had to think about more than just hitting, which you have wonder if that impacted his numbers at the plate.

The Phillies‘ slugger struggled with the bat, slashing .263/.305/.389 with only 13 home runs and 62 RBI in 136 games. In comparison, Castellanos hit .309/.362/.576 and was an All-Star with the Reds in 2021.

The outfielder had some big moments in the Phillies playoff run, most notably a diving catch in Game 1 of the World Series against the Houston Astros. Castellanos has been a very solid player for a numbers of years, and it would not be surprising if he bounces back in 2023. With that being said, he ends up as the third-best right fielder in the NL East going into the season.

Starling Marte. Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports

2. Starling Marte, NYM

Starling Marte had an excellent season with the New York Mets in 2022, hitting .292/.347/.468 with 16 home runs and 63 RBI  in 118 games. The outfielder did have two separate injuries over the course of the year, but his impact was evident when he was on the field. Marte was an All-Star and finished 19th in National League MVP voting.

The biggest concern with Marte going into the 2023 season is his health. The 34-year-old underwent core surgery after the Mets were eliminated from the playoffs, somerthing he has still yet to recover fully from. His availability for the Dominican Republic in the World Baseball Classic, which starts in March, is unknown. Marte could miss some time to begin the year, but his return should come at some point in April at the latest.

When Marte is on the field, he is one of the most dynamic outfielders in the game. He was great in his first season with the Mets, now, it is just about continuing that success in 2023. Marte’s all-around game places him at a very comfortable second place.

Ronald Acuña Jr. David Kohl-USA TODAY Sports

1. Ronald Acuña Jr., ATL

Ronald Acuña Jr. began the 2022 season on the injured list after tearing his ACL in July of 2021, missing the Atlanta Braves run to the World Series that year. His recovery continued into the next season, as his 2022 debut did not come until April 28.

Acuña was good throughout the year, but it was clear that he wasn’t quite back to full speed following the significant injury. He still put up some decent numbers, slashing .266/.351/.413 with 15 home runs and 50 RBI in 119 games.

The 25-year-old will be a year-and-a-half removed from the ACL injury when the season begins in late March. Acuña is a top-tier talent in MLB and should be in the running for an MVP in 2023.

Injuries will always be a concern with his aggressive style of play, but that is what makes him so special. He should be regarded as the unquestioned best right fielder in the NL East.

The post 2023 NL East Position Rankings: Right Field Edition appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Major League Baseball announced they will reveal the 2020 shortened season schedule on Monday night at 6:00 p.m. ET on MLB Network.

Matt Vasgersian, Harold Reynolds, and Tim Verducci will breakdown the 60-game schedule.

We already know that the season will begin on July 23, with the World Champion Washington Nationals hosting the New York Yankees in primetime. The San Francisco Giants will also travel to Los Angeles to play the Dodgers on Opening Day.

The New York Post previously reported the Mets will start their season on July 24 at home against the Braves.

Mets will play 40 games against the National League East and 20 games against the American League East.

The schedule news came minutes before Nationals GM Mike Rizzo canceled the teams Monday workouts because they still haven’t received the results of Friday’s Covid-19 testing.

The post Major League Baseball Announcing Schedule Tonight at 6 PM ET appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

It’s not easy to come away dissatisfied after a 97-win season, but the 2019 Atlanta Braves managed to pull it off.

Following a heartbreaking Game 5, series-ending loss to the St.Louis Cardinals in the NLDS — complete with a deflating 10-run top of the first for the Cards — Brian Snitker‘s group has regrouped, reloaded with talent, and has plenty of reason to be optimistic heading into 2020.

Though, with the talent well-spread throughout the NL East this season — yes,  including the Marlins — replicating 97 wins might be a bit tougher in 2020. Despite a few significant roster departures this winter, they’re still fairly well-prepared for battle.

Subtractions

• Josh Donaldson, 3B
• Dallas Keuchel, SP
• Anthony Swarzak, RP
• Matt Joyce, OF
• Jerry Blevins, RP
• Francisco Cervelli, C
• John Ryan Murphy, C (non-tendered)
• Julio Teheran SP (club option declined)
• Billy Hamilton, OF (mutual option declined)

Additions

• Marcell Ozuna, OF (one year, $18 million)
• Cole Hamels, SP (one year, $18 million)
• Will Smith, RP (three years, $39 million)
• Travis d’Arnaud, C (two years, $16 million)
• Yonder Alonso, 1B*
• Felix Hernandez, SP*
• Chris Rusin, RP*
• Yangervis Solarte, INF*
• Peter O’Brien, OF/1B*

*minor-league contract, invite to major league camp

Outlook

Ronald Acuna Jr., Ozzie Albies, Freddie Freeman, Nick Markakis, and Dansby Swanson — who finally began to come into his own last season (.251/.325/.422, 92 wRC+) — provides Atlanta with a solid incumbent positional core. Ozuna’s addition should provide value, production, and add a scary dynamic to that lineup.

Right-hander Mike Soroka — sixth-place finisher in last season’s NL Cy Young Award voting after a terrific 2019 (2.68 ERA, 2.11 walks per nine innings over 29 starts) — is pegged to head up a strong rotation with left-hander Max Fried, righty Mike Foltynewicz, and southpaw Sean Newcomb behind him.

Where Hamels fits into the mix should be an interesting storyline this spring, as well as King Felix’s first foray outside of his longtime kingdom in Seattle.

Mark Melancon, Shane Greene, and Chris Martin — all acquired via trades last season — return to the Braves’ bullpen. Adding Smith to that group puts Atlanta’s relievers right up there with the Mets’ as best in the division.

D’Arnaud’s defensive presence and newfound offensive output (.251/.312/.433, 98 wRC+ last season) and Tyler Flowers — another framing savant — give Atlanta one of the best defensive backstop tandems in baseball.

Ender Inciarte, Adam Duvall, Adeiny Hechavarria, and Charlie Culberson — or whoever else sticks with the club out of Spring Training; perhaps Alonso — provide the Braves’ bench with some potent bats and solid defensive skills (Inciarte’s defense in center field is still terrific; +61 OAA from 2016 to 2018; +3 OAA in 65 games last season).

All in all, this is a complete, extremely talented team that made up for losing some key cogs with smart, win-now additions. Gotta tip your cap to that.

The National League East is shaping up to be one of the toughest in baseball this season. The Phillies, Nationals, and Mets are all good ballclubs and Miami — on paper — certainly doesn’t look to be the pushover they were last season.

The path back to an outstanding regular season and a division title likely won’t be an easy one to traverse for the Braves in 2020, but they appear to be prepared for the journey.

The post NL East Preview: Atlanta Braves appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Mark Feinsand of MLB.com reports that the Twins have signed veteran third baseman Josh Donaldson to a four-year deal.

Jeff Passan of ESPN says the deal is four years, $84 million guaranteed that includes an option for a fifth season that could bring the total to $104 million.

Donaldson, 34, had a resurgence in 2019 in which he hit .259/.379/.521 with 37 home runs and 94 RBI to give himself a 132 wRC+.

He was an elite defender this past season as well with 15 DRS and a 2.4 UZR at the hot corner. Overall, he had a 4.9 fWAR and 6.1 bWAR.

Both the Braves and Nationals were serious bidders for Donaldson, but luckily for the Mets he is leaving the National League East.

The post MLB News: Twins Sign 3B Josh Donaldson appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

MLB Network finished their annual countdown of the Top 100 players right now on Thursday night. Unsurprisingly, Mike Trout and Mookie Betts were No. 1 and No. 2 on the list respectively.

The first of six Mets player on the list was starter Jacob deGrom at No. 10. DeGrom was the second pitcher on the list after Nationals starter Max Scherzer at No. 5.

Newly acquired closer Edwin Diaz is the next Met on the list all the way down to No. 52. Diaz was the second ranked reliever on the list right behind Josh Hader whom came in at No. 51.

The Mets then have a cluster of players with second baseman Robinson Cano at No. 54, outfielder Brandon Nimmo next at No. 55, and outfielder Michael Conforto coming in at No. 60.

Lastly for the Mets, starter Noah Syndergaard comes in at No. 79 right after Nationals starter Patrick Corbin.

The Nationals led the National League East with seven players on the list, followed by the Phillies with five, the Braves with four, and the Marlins were shutout.

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Jon Heyman of FanCred Sports reported on his weekly WFAN spot that the Miami Marlins do not want trade J.T. Realmuto to another National League East team.

Both the Washington Nationals and the Atlanta Braves have shown serious interest in Realmuto. The 2018 All-Star catcher hit .277/.340/.484 with 30 doubles, 21 home runs and 74 RBI. He led all MLB catchers with his 4.3 bWAR and 4.8 fWAR this season.

One of the clear needs for the Mets this offseason is the catching position, with them already reportedly showing interest in free agents Wilson Ramos, Yasmani Grandal and Martin Maldonado.

It’s also been reported that the Marlins don’t think the Mets prospect pool is strong enough to acquire Realmuto.

The 27-year-old Realmuto is under contract through the 2020 season and is second year arbitration eligible this offseason.

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After just two months at the post, the Braves have parted ways with assistant general manager and former Mets Director of Baseball Operations Adam Fisher, according to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic.

Perry Minasian will now move from director of player personnel to assistant general manager.

Original report – Sept. 11, 6:11 p.m.

According to Bob Nightengale of USA Today, the Atlanta Braves have hired Adam Fisher as their new assistant general manager.

Fisher has served as the Mets Director of Baseball Operations since 2013. He joined the organization as Baseball Operations Assistant in 2004.

The Braves also hired Perry Minasian as Director of Player Personnel, the former Special Assistant to the General Manager for the Toronto Blue Jays.

The Braves (64-78) are currently in third place in the National League East division, 1.5 games in front of the fourth place Mets (63-80).

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