The Mets, who are hosting their first version of fan fest in nearly five years on Saturday, released their star-studded lineup for the day. Amazin’ Day, where fans will be able to hear from and meet current and former Mets players, will have some of the biggest names in the franchise’s history available. Some of those names include Mike Piazza, Francisco Lindor, Juan Soto, Mookie Wilson, Edwin Díaz, Mark Vientos, and Brandon Nimmo. It should be an exciting day in Queens as the club will also be releasing its new road uniforms for the 2025 season.

Brad Penner-Imagn Images

Latest Mets News

Jeff McNeil says he’s “a little surprised” Pete Alonso is still a free agent and hopes his “good buddy” re-signs with the Mets, per Anthony Rieber of Newsday.

The Mets announced that they will be revealing a brand new road jersey at Mets “Amazin’ Day” on Saturday. 

Latest MLB News

Former Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. will launch a hitting competition called “Sluggball”, per The AP. The competition will focus entirely on situational hitting, with no fielding or running required.

The Los Angeles Dodgers are shopping some of their surplus of players in order to get add their new acquisitions to the 40-man roster, per Bob Nightengale of USA Today. One player possibly on the chopping block is reliever Ryan Brasier, who is owed $4.5 million this season. 

On MLB Network, Jon Heyman of the NY Post went into detail on how the Toronto Blue Jays could be an ideal destination for former Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer.

Former all-star shortstop Tim Anderson signed a minor league deal with the Los Angeles Angels, per Bob Nightengale of USA Today. 

The Cleveland Guardians signed former Met Paul Sewald to a one-year, $7 million deal with a mutual option for 2026.

The Oakland Athletics hired former World Series MVP and Athletics Hall of Famer Dave Stewart as a Special Assistant to Player Development for the 2025 season.

MLB Network will broadcast the 2025 Caribbean Series in English starting January 31.

Former Seattle Mariners pitching coach Bobby Cuellar passed away at 72 years old. 

Infielder Jon Berti agreed to a deal with the Chicago Cubs on a contract, per Robert Murray of FanSided.

Latest on MMO

David Wright stays on the HOF ballot!

Billy Wagner finally gets the call!

Four Mets prospects land on Baseball America’s top 100 list.

On This Date in Mets History

1975: Ralph Kiner is selected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in his final year of eligibility.

Born on This Date: Robert Carson (1989), Charlie Greene (1971), Bob Moorhead (1938).

The post Morning Briefing: Mets Set Amazin’ Day Lineup appeared first on Metsmerized.

Those “locks” currently consist of Edwin Díaz, Reed Garrett, Dedniel Núñez, and José Buttó, of course, pending no injuries or trade. Also notable, all four of those arms are right-handed pitchers.

The Potential Internal Options

Other relievers currently on the Mets 40-man roster are Huascar Brazobán, Dylan Covey, Justin Hagenman, Kevin Herget, Max Kranick, Sean Reid-Foley, Danny Young, and Tyler Zuber. Traditional starting pitchers, Paul Blackburn, Tylor Megill, and Griffin Canning, may all be considered in a long-relief type of role as well.

Of the group of middle-reliever options, Young is the only left-handed pitcher. Further, of those, Brazobán (xERA below 3.64 in each big-league season) and Reid-Foley (2.15 ERA across 29 1/3 innings the last two seasons) are the only two that have seen any sense of sustained success in the big leagues.

Elsewhere, the Mets have non-roster invitees in Génesis Cabrera (LHP), Chris Devenski (RHP), Grant Hartwig (RHP), Anthony Gose (LHP), Oliver Ortega (RHP), and Rico Garcia (RHP) set to join them in camp. Additionally, minor leaguer right-handed relievers Trey McLoughlin (1.89 ERA across 33 1/3 Double-A innings in 2024) and Bryce Montes de Oca (struggled in 2024 after returning from elbow surgery) are other potential options.

Then, there is always a possibility that a current starter in the minor leagues can emerge as a bullpen option with the big club, such as Buttó did. Some names to keep an eye on are Blade Tidwell and Dom Hamel.

Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images

The External Options

Surprisingly, the bullpen market thus far through free agency has been extremely slow moving. There are still a plethora of higher-end options in Tanner Scott, Kenley Jansen, Jeff Hoffman, David Robertson, Kirby Yates, and Carlos Estévez. However, as president of baseball operations David Stearns has shown in the past, he usually builds his bullpen through lower-cost options.

There are still several that would fit the bill left. This list consists of Scott Barlow, Caleb Ferguson, Andrew Chafin, Ryne Stanek, and the list goes on and on. All signs point to Stearns either leaning more on internal options, or going shopping in this tier of player rather than the higher-tier of guys outlined above.

The Final Product

With all that being said, here is one option for how the Mets’ Opening Day bullpen can look:

• The Locks (4):
  • Edwin Díaz (RHP)
  • José Buttó (RHP)
  • Reed Garrett (RHP)
  • Dedniel Núñez (RHP)
• Free Agent Acquisitions (1+1):
  • Left-Handed (1):
    • Danny Coulombe
    • Jalen Beeks
    • Caleb Ferguson
    • Scott Alexander
    • A.J. Minter
  • Right-Handed (1):
    • Chris Martin
    • Paul Sewald
    • Austin Voth
    • Scott Barlow
    • Ryne Stanek
• Surprise Camp Performer (1):
  • Génesis Cabrera (LHP)
  • Chris Devenski (RHP)
  • Grant Hartwig (RHP)
  • Trey McLoughlin (LHP)
  • Bryce Montes de Oca (RHP)
• Long Reliever (1):
  • Griffin Canning (RHP)
  • Tylor Megill (RHP)
  • Paul Blackburn (RHP)

Take the first four, one from each external left-handed and right-handed reliever option, one from a potential camp surprise performer, and one on-roster longer reliever and you have your 2025 bullpen. This plan would fit David Stearns philosophy of relatively lower-cost options in his bullpen, yet potentially effective.

A bullpen is a vital part to any team, and, as we saw in 2024, is ever-changing, just because you do not get it right at the beginning of the season, does not mean it won’t come together. Regardless, it will be interesting to see how the Mets approach the unit the rest of the offseason.

The post Roadmapping How To Fill Out The Rest Of The Mets’ Bullpen appeared first on Metsmerized.

Position: RP B/T: R/R

Age: 34 (5/26/1990)

2024 Traditional Stats: 1-2, 4.31 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, 42 G, 39.2 IP, 43 SO, 10 BB, 16 SV

2024 Advanced Stats: 0.2 bWAR, 0.3 fWAR, 98 ERA+, 26.1 SO%, 6.1 BB%, 3.78 xERA, 3.95 FIP, 4.31 xFIP

Rundown

Paul Sewald started 2024 on the injured list with a strained left oblique and ended it on the IL with pain in the left side of his neck. He made his first appearance on May 7 and converted his first 11 save chances until he hit a rough patch in early July.

Sewald blew saves in three consecutive appearances to the Dodgers, Padres, and Braves. He rebounded to convert his next five save chances, but after another blown save and a near scare, he lost his closer job. He had an uneven month of middle relief work in August before making his last outing of the season on Sept. 8.

Lefties hit the eight-year veteran well this year, slashing .281/.361/.500 in 64 at-bats. He was tough on right-handed hitters, holding them to a .195/.237/.391 line. He features a fastball and a slider.

Sewald was picked by the Mets in the 10th round of the 2012 draft and made his debut with New York in 2017. He went 0-6 with a 4.55 ERA his rookie year and 0-7 with a 6.07 ERA in his sophomore season. In four years with the Mets, he was 1-14 with a 5.50 ERA.

A change of scenery did wonders. Sewald went to Seattle as a free agent in 2021, where he went 10-3 with a 3.06 ERA and 11 saves. In three years as a Mariner, he went 18-8 with a 2.88 ERA and saved 52 games.  “I’m the pitcher today because of my three years with Seattle,” he told the Seattle Times in 2023.

Sewald was dealt by Seattle to Arizona at the 2023 trade deadline and became a factor in the Diamondbacks’ improbable run to the pennant. He saved six games combined in the three rounds of the NL playoffs while striking out 11 over eight scoreless innings. He earned the save in each clinching victory over the Brewers, Dodgers and Phillies.

However, he was roughed up by the Rangers in the World Series. He blew a save in Game 1 when he gave up a game-tying, two-run homer to Corey Seager in the ninth inning and surrendered four runs in the ninth inning of a 5-0 loss in Game 5.

Contract

Sewald played 2024 on a one-year, $7.4 million contract. He has accumulated $14.9 million in career earnings, per Spotrac.

Recommendation

It would make for a cool career arc to see Sewald return to the team that drafted him and go out a winner. But I think whatever unlocked Sewald in Seattle and brought him glory in Arizona will be hard to rediscover due to age and injury. Reunions can be fun, but I’d pass on this one.

The post Free Agent Profile: Paul Sewald, RP appeared first on Metsmerized.

Position: RP B/T: R/R
Age: 34 (05/26/1990)

2024 Traditional Stats: 24 G, 21.1 IP, 3.38 ERA, 0.797 WHIP, 0-2, 20 K, 4 BB
2024 Advanced Stats: 122 ERA+, 24.4% K%, 4.9% BB%, 3.77 xERA, 4.57 FIP, 4.28 xFIP, 0.1 fWAR, 0.3 bWAR

Rundown

There was a time when Paul Sewald was a Persona non grata inside the confines of Citi Field. Sure, that was a bit of a product of his undoing in how he reacted upon his return to Queens, but with the boos that rained down on him and how he was often misused, it’s understandable.

There are hard feelings. And Sewald has every right to feel the way he does, especially after jawing with some Mets fans during his most recent trip back to Citi. But with the Mets needing a shot in the arm—or a few—in a beleaguered bullpen, Sewald presents himself as a viable backend option for a team in search of a late-inning anchor. The only problem here, aside from the mixed response it would be received, is Arizona entered the All-Star Break just two games back of the Mets in the loss column.

It remains to be seen if the Diamondbacks will buy or sell, but they could certainly consider some offers on a 34-year-old closer with an expiring contract, especially if they stumble out of the break. (They won two of three this weekend over the Cubs and face the Royals, Pirates and Nationals leading up to the deadline.)

A 10th-round pick in 2012, Sewald debuted with the Mets in 2017. Sewald made a combined 103 appearances in the big leagues over his first two seasons, but an ERA over six and a 0-13 win-loss record to start his career didn’t exactly place him in great standing. He was designated for an assignment in 2019, only to have his contract selected again later that season.

Sewald struggled through 22 appearances with the Mets from 2019 to 2020. However, a breakthrough came in 2019 when he finally earned his first MLB win, snapping a 118-appearance losing streak, the second-longest in baseball history.

The Mets non-tendered Sewald following a COVID-shortened season after 125 appearances and 5.50 ERA. He later signed a minor league deal with the Seattle Mariners, where he revived a career that once looked washed away. Sewald has appeared in at least 60 games in the past three seasons, having the best year of his career in 2022. Sewald posted a career-best 2.67 ERA in 64 innings in his second full season as a Mariner, striking out 72 batters and recording 20 saves, though he did allow a career-high 10 home runs in the process. He was then traded to the Diamondbacks in the middle of the 2023 season.

The 34-year-old Sewald returned strongly from a month-long oblique injury to begin the 2024 season. He converted 11 consecutive save opportunities before hitting a rough patch with three blown saves in a row. However, Sewald has rebounded with back-to-back saves for Arizona.

Despite facing increased offensive pressure this year, with career-highs in average exit velocity and hard-hit rate against him, Sewald has maintained solid numbers. In 21 1/3 innings, he owns a 3.38 ERA, 20 strikeouts, and a stingy .600 OPS against.

While not overpowering, his strikeout rate has been consistent, and his ability to limit walks has been crucial to his effectiveness. While his ERA has fluctuated throughout his career, his underlying metrics suggest he’s a reliable reliever capable of handling high-leverage situations.

PACKAGE

After 2024, Sewalad will become a free agent. It’s hard to imagine that Sewald would command some of the Mets’ most highly-touted prospects, being that he’s on a 1-year, $7.35 million deal. The Mets can take on all of his money. At the same time, with the market being heavy on relief pitching needs, the Diamondbacks will be able to get a viable package for their closer.

While Sewald is a year older, he’s just a calendar year removed from being traded to Arizona for Ryan Bliss, Dominic Canzone, and Josh Rojas. The Diamondbacks likely won’t do as well here, but it certainly begs the question if the Mets are willing to meet a similar asking price.

Mets Receive:

• RHP Paul Sewald

Diamondbacks Receive:

• RHP Mike Vasil (No. 11, MLB Pipeline)
• 1B JT Schwartz

RECOMMENDATION

The Mets’ bullpen woes continue despite acquiring Phil Maton from the Rays earlier this season. The relief corps has been an absolute disaster since the start of July, owning the worst ERA in the majors at 7.49.

The team’s bullpen is in dire need of reinforcements, and Sewald represents a proven, reliable option that can stabilize the back end of their bullpen.

While giving a good prospect in Vasil isn’t ideal, the Mets’ desperate need for bullpen help outweighs the potential future returns of these players, especially with how the Mets have made strides in developing pitchers over the last two seasons.

Sewald’s immediate impact on the team could be the difference between making or missing the playoffs.

The post MMO Trade Profile: Paul Sewald, RHP appeared first on Metsmerized.

Jordan Montgomery. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-USA TODAY Sports

It’s going to be hard to beat the theatrics from Game 1.

The Diamondbacks enter Globe Life Park for Game 2 of the World Series after blowing their lead in the ninth to the Rangers. Paul Sewald surrendered a two-run home run to Corey Seager in the bottom of the ninth to tie the game at 5-5 and Miguel Castro surrendered the walk-0ff homer to Adolis García to lose Game 1. Sewald hadn’t allowed an earned run this postseason before allowing the homer last night.

With their loss in Game 1 against the Rangers, the Diamondbacks are 0-and-4 all-time on the road in the World Series. Another road loss tonight would send the series back to Arizona with the D-Backs trailing 0-2 in the series.

Kelly gets his chance against the potent Rangers lineup tonight. After one scoreless start in the NLDS, Kelly struggled against the Phillies and allowed five earned runs in 10 2/3 innings.

Meanwhile, Montgomery looks to continue his impressive 2023 postseason. The lefty was stellar against the Astros in the American League Championship Series and recorded a 1.29 ERA in two starts and one relief appearance.

D-BACKS LINEUP

2B Ketel Marte
RF Corbin Carroll
C Gabriel Moreno
1B Christian Walker
DH Tommy Pham
LF Lourdes Gurriel Jr.
CF Alek Thomas 
3B Evan Longoria
SS Geraldo Perdomo

RANGERS LINEUP

2B Marcus Semien
SS Corey Seager
LF Evan Carter
RF Adolis García
DH Mitch Garver
C Jonah Heim
1B Nathaniel Lowe
3B Josh Jung
CF Leody Taveras

The post World Series Game 2 Thread: D-Backs vs Rangers, 8:03 PM appeared first on Metsmerized.

Arizona Diamondbacks

Miguel Castro

Miguel Castro found his way to the Mets via an August 31, 2020, trade. Castro would go on to pitch the 2020 and 2021 seasons for the Mets, notching a 3.52 ERA with 91 strikeouts to 51 walks. Castro was effective, but his inability to control the ball led the Mets to trade him to the Yankees for the 2022 season for lefty Joely Rodriguez. Castro would pitch one season for the Yankees, pitching to a 4.03 ERA. Castro was then signed by the Diamondbacks for the 2023 season and pitched to a 4.31 ERA across 64 2/3 innings, striking out 60 while walking 25 batters.

Castro has pitched in two games this postseason, pitching to a 5.40 ERA over five innings, striking out and walking four batters each.

Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports

Paul Sewald

The Mets drafted the reliever in the tenth round of the 2012 MLB draft out of the University of San Diego. Drafted exclusively as a reliever, Sewald worked his way through the Mets minor league system, finally arriving on April 8, 2017.

Sewald would go on to pitch for the Mets every season from 2017-2020, pitching to a 5.50 ERA across 147 1/3 innings pitched, striking out 151 batters while walking 51 batters. In December of 2020, Sewald was non-tendered by the Mets. He would sign with the Seattle Mariners in 2021 and immediately become a good reliever, posting way better numbers across the board, pitching to a 2.88 ERA while he was with the Mariners, and even closing for them.

A 2023 deadline trade would send him to Arizona, where he has continued his high-quality relief, pitching to a 3.57 ERA over the course of the season. Sewald has been even better in the playoffs this season, pitching eight scoreless innings while striking out 11, walking one, and allowing three hits.

Tommy Pham

Tommy Pham was signed by the Mets in January of this year, expecting to be their fourth outfielder. What happened was Pham was one of the few bright spots on the 2023 Mets, pushed into regular playing time due to both injuries and his great play. Pham posted a .268/.348/.472 slash line, with 11 home runs and 11 stolen bases. Pham was traded to Arizona for 17-year-old prospect Jeremy Rodriguez, who finished the season with a 1.247 OPS in 13 games for the DSL Mets.

Upon arriving in Arizona, Pham saw his power and batting average slightly dip to .241/.304/.415, but he still managed to hit six home runs and steal another 11 bases, bringing his combined total on the season to 16 home runs, and 22 stolen bases for a .256/.328/.446 final slash.

Pham has struggled this postseason with a .590 OPS and has more strikeouts (14) than hits (9).

Texas Rangers

Jacob deGrom

Jacob deGrom was selected by the Mets in the ninth round of the 2010 draft. After being drafted, deGrom ascended through the Mets minor league system at an average pace, having some success but never being considered a top prospect at any level. Once he was called up to the Mets in 2014 – he made his mark and proved he would be one of the best pitchers in baseball for the next nine seasons for the Mets.

DeGrom tallied a 2.52 career ERA with the Mets, striking out 1607 batters over 1356 innings, winning the 2014 Rookie Of The Year award and consecutive Cy Young awards in 2018 and 2019. However, injuries would alter his career from 2020 on, never seeing deGrom eclipse 92 innings in any season after that.

After the 2022 season, deGrom signed a five-year, 185 million-dollar deal with the Texas Rangers. When he pitched for the Rangers – deGrom was still lights out, pitching to a 2.67 ERA and striking out 45 batters in 30 1/3 innings, only walking four. After a few small injury scares, it was announced on June 6 that he would undergo Tommy John surgery – ending his season and putting some of his 2024 season in jeopardy.

Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

Max Scherzer

The Mets signed Max Scherzer in December of 2021 with the hopes that he would pair with his future teammate, Jacob DeGrom and lead the Mets to the World Series. Injuries held Scherzer to only 23 starts and 145 1/3 innings, but in those innings, Scherzer posted a career-best ERA. Scherzer will be more remembered for faltering in the last week of the season and in the playoffs than the many great starts he had.

The 2023 season started off the same way, with the Mets signing another ace (Justin Verlander) to pair with Scherzer this time to get them over the hump. Scherzer battled injuries yet again and ineffectiveness, but repeating his 2022 season was never going to be easy. Scherzer became way more susceptible to the long ball than he has been in recent seasons. At the trade deadline, the Mets sent Scherzer to the Texas Rangers for top prospect Luisangel Acuna, brother of Ronald Acuna Jr. of the Braves. Scherzer would improve on his performance in Texas, pitching to a 3.20 ERA but still dealing with injuries.

In the 2023 playoffs, Scherzer has started one game, facing the Houston Astros in the ALCS and giving up seven runs in 6 2/3 innings, giving up four home runs.

Travis Jankowski

On March 17, 2022, the Mets signed Jankowski to a minor-league contract with an invite to spring training. Jankowski would have a brief Mets career as their fourth outfielder. Jankowski suffered a broken hand on May 25, making a diving catch, was activated July 11, and then ultimately designated for assignment. The Mariners picked him up for a brief stint before he returned to the Mets in August.  His Mets career ended with a .167/.286/.167 slash line, stealing three bases.

Jankowski had one of his best seasons in 2023 with the Rangers, with a career-tying 1.4 bWAR over 107 games. He stole 19 bases and was caught only once during the regular season. Jankowski is 1-for-2 coming off the bench in four playoff games for the Rangers.

The post Meet The Former Mets In The World Series appeared first on Metsmerized.

The Fall Classic is officially set. On Tuesday night, the Arizona Diamondbacks officially went from barely in the postseason to winning the pennant, defeating the Philadelphia Phillies 4-2 on the road in Game 7 of the NLCS.

The Diamondbacks will play the Texas Rangers in the World Series, with the first game set for Friday night in Texas. 

MLB has announced the schedule for the World Series, which begins Friday night in Arlington: pic.twitter.com/yv8IuguPte

— Mark Feinsand (@Feinsand) October 24, 2023

The Diamondbacks trailed 2-1 through four innings, but RBI singles from Corbin Carroll and Gabriel Moreno gave Arizona a 3-2 lead in the fifth. A sacrifice fly from Carroll in the seventh extended the lead to two runs. 

Brandon Pfaadt started the game for Arizona, pitching four innings and allowing both Philadelphia runs. The Diamondbacks bullpen was impenetrable, pitching five shutout innings, capped by a save from former Met Paul Sewald. Ryan Thompson was credited with the win. 

An Alec Bohm solo shot in the second and a Bryson Stott double in the fourth encapsulated Philadelphia’s offensive output for the game. Ranger Suarez pitched 4 ⅔ innings and gave up three runs, and was credited with the loss. 

Latest Mets News

Jeff Passan of ESPN said he believes the Mets, entering a pivotal offseason, should be “front and center” in the race to sign Los Angeles Angels two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani. 

Five of the six players the Mets put on outright waivers on Friday elected free agency after not being claimed. Pitcher Anthony Kay was claimed by the Oakland A’s.

Mets radio broadcaster Pat McCarthy was hit by a car while jogging and underwent surgery, according to the Phillies Radio broadcast on WIP. McCarthy was said to be doing okay. 

MLB News 

Former Mets manager Buck Showalter is a candidate for the vacant Angels manager job, according to MLB Network’s Jon Morosi. 

Craig Breslow has been offered the Boston Red Sox head of baseball operations job, and the expectation is for him to accept, according to Alex Speier of the Boston Globe. 

The San Francisco Giants poached Bob Melvin from the San Diego Padres to be the team’s new manager. The news was first reported by Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune. 

The 2023 season was Dusty Baker’s final as manager of the Houston Astros, according to reporting from The Athletic. 

With a double on Tuesday, Diamondbacks second baseman Ketel Marte has a hit in his first 16 career postseason games, tied with Marquis Grissom for the longest postseason hit streak to begin a career. 

Latest on MMO

Patrick Glynn looks at the free agent profile of starter Blake Snell. 

Tyler Antonelle breaks down how the Mets 2023 draft class in its first professional season.  

Shaun Chornobroff breaks down the Mets shortstop depth chart.

This Date In Mets History

1986: One of the greatest days in Mets history, Game 6 of the 1986 World Series. The Mets defeated the Red Sox 6-5 in ten innings on a ground ball by Mookie Wilson that found its way through the legs of Red Sox first baseman Bill Buckner. The Mets went on to win Game 7 and the 1986 World Series. 

Birthdays: Pedro Martinez (52)

The post Morning Briefing: Arizona Diamondbacks Headed to World Series appeared first on Metsmerized.

Follow along with the latest news, rumors, and other notes, Mets or otherwise!

Tuesday, August 1

6:18 p.m.

Some post-/last-minute deadline moves across MLB:

• Mets traded Dominic Leone to the Angels for a prospect
• They also acquired Phil Bickford and Adam Kolarek from the Dodgers for cash
• Garrett Cooper was traded from the Marlins for Ryan Weathers; the Marlins also acquired Josh Bell from the Guardians for Jean Segura
• The Yankees traded for reliever Keynan Middleton from the White Sox
• The Red Sox got infielder Luis Urias from the Brewers
• Dodgers got starter Ryan Yarbrough from the Royals
• Reliever Scott Barlow is headed from Kansas City to San Diego

5:55 p.m.

After the Mets traded Tommy Pham to Arizona, Jeff Passan reported the Orioles traded for pitcher Jack Flaherty from the Cardinals.

4:54 p.m.

Jeff Passan reports Eduardo Rodriguez invoked his potential no-trade clause and killed a deal that would’ve sent him to the Los Angeles Dodgers. Haven’t seen that one in a while!

3:39 p.m.

And there it is! Justin Verlander is no longer a Met. They got the Astros’ top two prospects—Drew Gilbert and Ryan Clifford—in return.

At the same time, the Phillies traded for pitc Michael Lorenzen, the Tigers’ lone All-Star. They dealt back 20-year-old infield prospect Hao-Yu Lee in the deal.

2:02 p.m.

With less that four hours to go before the deadline, MMO’s Mike Mayer reports that José Quintana is generating trade interest from teams. Starting pitching is hot right now, and Quintana has proved his health after coming back from the injured list with a rib injury. He’s signed through 2024.

1:12 p.m.

And the trades are underway. Met killer Paul DeJong is heading to Toronto, according to Jon Morosi. He will be great insurance for the Blue Jays if Bo Bichette misses time with a leg injury.

1:06 p.m.

Jeff Passan reports the Padres have traded for starter Rich Hill and first baseman Ji-Man Choi from the Pittsburg Pirates. One would think this takes the Padres out of the Justin Verlander trade rumors.

1:02 p.m.

As the trade deadline rapidly approaches at 6 p.m. and no major moves yet today, Robert Murray reports the Braves have acquired reliever Brad Hand from the Colorado Rockies.

10:42 a.m.

The Mets and Orioles are “deep in the weeds” on Justin Verlander talks, but both have other options, Andy Martino reports.

8:05 a.m.

It’s trade deadline day! Yesterday evening, the A’s traded infielder Jace Peterson to the Diamondbacks.

It was also reported by Bryan Hoch that the Yankees were willing to listen on trades for their players on the last year of their deal, including Harrison Bader, Luis Severino, Wandy Peralta, and Isiah Kiner-Falefa. Who thought both New York teams would be sellers?

Monday, July 31

6:28 p.m.

And outfielder A.J. Pollock heads from the Mariners to the Giants along with Mark Mathias. Jeff Passan first reported the news.

6:26 p.m.

Per Ken Rosenthal, Nationals infielder Jeimer Candelario has been dealt to the Cubs, who just a week ago were near sure-fire sellers! Winning eight of nine will do that.

6:02 p.m.

Mark Canha is no longer a Met. He has been traded to the Brewers for minor-league pitcher Justin Jarvis.

5:29 p.m.

Mariners closer (and former Met) Paul Sewald was traded to the Arizona Diamondbacks in exchange for Josh Rojas and prospects Dominic Canzone and Ryan Bliss.

4:54 p.m.

Jon Heyman reports that there is “a lot of action” around Tommy Pham and Mark Canha in the trade market. He also said the Mets would prefer to have a framework for Justin Verlander (if there’s ultimately an agreement) today because of all the moving parts, from money to the no-trade clause.

3:36 p.m.

After a couple days of rumors of the Guardians’ openness to trading Aaron Civale, they’ve dealt the 28-year-old righty to the Tampa Bay Rays, according to Jeff Passan. They received first-base prospect Kyle Manzardo in return.

The Tampa Bay Rays are acquiring right-hander Aaron Civale from the Cleveland Guardians, sources tell ESPN. They will receive first baseman Kyle Manzardo in return.

Deal is done.

— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) July 31, 2023

1:03 p.m.

Bob Nightengale says the Tigers are “definitely” trading starters Eduardo Rodriguez (who can opt out after this year) and Michael Lorenzen.

9:50 a.m.

According to The Athletic‘s Zack Meisel, the Guardians are listening to offers for pitcher Aaron Civale, who has a 2.34 ERA and 1.039 WHIP this season. He has two more years of team control.

8:28 a.m.

Ken Rosenthal reported there is a lot of buzz around Justin Verlander and the Dodgers. Mike Mayer says the Dodgers have also been connected to the Mets’ Brooks Raley, as have the Twins.

Sunday, July 30

9:08 p.m.

Jon Morosi says the Braves have checked in on Justin Verlander with the Mets. There are no active discussions, though.

9:05 p.m.

The Angels are acquiring C.J. Cron and Randal Grichuk from the Rockies for pitching prospects Jake Madden and Mason Albright. Mark Feinsand broke the trade.

8:17 p.m.

Buster Olney said on ESPN’s Sunday Night Baseball broadcast that the Padres are likely to keep star players Josh Hader and Blake Snell as the trade deadline nears. The team is just five games out of the Wild Card race at the end of Sunday.

7:15 p.m.

The Mets have been connected to Twins outfielder Trevor Larnach. The Twins have also been connected to the Mets’ Tommy Pham and Mark Canha.

6:28 p.m.

The Braves announced they’ve acquired infielder Nicky Lopez from the Kansas City Royals for Taylor Hearn, who the team just acquired from the Rangers on Monday.

Lopez has a .602 OPS over 187 plate appearances, though he’s largely been known as a glove-first player in his time in the majors. He has two years of team control left after this season.

5:04 p.m.

After Sunday’s win over the Nationals, where Justin Verlander won his 250th career game, Andy Martino reported the industry belief right now is that Verlander will stay with the Mets through the trade deadline. However, the Mets are (obviously) listening to Verlander offers and will be through Tuesday’s deadline.

Verlander said he’d have to touch base on 2024 plans with the Mets brass, and he’d consider waiving his no-trade clause based on those conversations and plans.

4:03 p.m.

Right after trading Jordan Hicks to the Blue Jays, the Cardinals have dealt starter Jordon Montgomery to the Rangers.

ESPN‘s Jeff Passan reports the full deal is Montgomery and reliever Chris Stratton to the Rangers for prospects Thomas Sagasse, Tekoah Roby, and John King.

3:37 p.m.

The Cardinals have started their sell-off by trading closer Jordan Hicks to the Toronto Blue Jays. Craig Mish first reported the deal.

It was previously reported that the Cardinals would try to sign Hicks to an extension but they’d trade him if they couldn’t come to an agreement.

The Cardinals got pitching prospects Sem Robberse and Adam Kloffenstein.

12:25 p.m.

Jesse Rogers of ESPN.com reported that the Chicago Cubs will not be trading the resurgent Cody Bellinger, according to sources familiar with the situation. The former NL MVP has a .908 OPS this season and is scheduled to be a free agent at year’s end. The Cubs have won eight in a row and are going for a series sweep of the St. Louis Cardinals today.

Gregory Fisher-USA TODAY Sports

Saturday, July 29

5:46 p.m.

Jon Heyman of the New York Post reported that the Mets and Rangers agreed upon a trade for Max Scherzer. The deal between the clubs is agreed upon, but Scherzer needs to waive his no-trade clause in order for it to become official. Heyman also reported that Scherzer has been notified of the trade.

5:14 p.m.

Andy Martino of SNY reported that the Rangers and Mets were in talks of a trade surrounding Max Scherzer. He mentioned that the deal was not done, and hurdles needed to be crossed.

12:42 p.m.

Sports Illustrated’s Pat Ragazzo reported that the Los Angeles Dodgers and Minnesota Twins have checked in on Mets’ outfielders Tommy Pham and Mark Canha.

12:02 p.m.

MMO’s Mike Mayer reports Justin Verlander is garnering “strong interest” from other teams, and the Mets could get an offer they couldn’t refuse. The Dodgers, Rangers, and Astros have been mentioned. Verlander would have to waive his no-trade clause.

8:32 a.m.

Joel Sherman reports that the Mariners are open to trading reliever Paul Sewald give the current strong market for pitching.

David Roberston. Gregory Fisher-USA TODAY Sports

Friday, July 28

6:45 p.m.

The White Sox continued their sell-off and dealt Kendall Graveman to the Astros in exchange for catching prospect Korey Lee. They’ve now traded Graveman, Lynn, Kelly, Giolito and Reynaldo Lopez. The Astros also acquired Graveman at the 2021 deadline, and he has a year left on his deal.

They could still deal Tim Anderson.

2:42 p.m.

Lance Lynn is rumored to be traded to the Dodgers along with reliever Joe Kelly, according to Ken Rosenthal. Joel Sherman reported interest.

1:45 p.m.

SNY‘s Andy Martino reports Tommy Pham and Mark Canha are “generating trade interest and are likely to be traded.” He also said Omar Narváez is “very available,” but his contract with a player option for 2024 could be tough to move.

The post 2023 MLB Trade Deadline Tracker: Flurry of Last-Minute Deadline Deals appeared first on Metsmerized.

Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports

The Pitch Design Age has been a wonderful era to follow.

Over the last generation, the outlook on pitching shifted from a one-approach-works-best strategy to an individualized plan of attack, detailed to each pitcher. Even 10 years ago, this perception wasn’t realized among some major-league front offices. Pirates pitching coach Ray Searage‘s goal to teach Pittsburgh’s starters a strong sinker benefited and elongated the careers of several hurlers, but also stalled the development of Gerrit Cole, among others.

The Houston Astros, known for their progressive teaching methods, acquired Cole prior to the 2018 season and, as they say, the rest is history. Houston unlocked his high-velocity, high-spin-rate fastball, which he later parlayed into the richest contract for a pitcher in baseball history.

Cole’s development into an ace was only the beginning of the pitch design movement. Three years ago, the Mets gave up on a right-handed reliever, one who posted a 5.50 ERA over 147.1 frames with the club. Paul Sewald‘s since developed into one of the majors’ best relievers thanks to a dominant fastball-slider combination. Despite his fastball sitting in the 91-93 mph range, the offering’s impressive VAA (Vertical Angle Approach) allows it to disappear underneath a hitter’s angled swing.

Jake Mailhot of Fangraphs and Eli Ben-Porat have further broken down Sewald’s arsenal, with Ben-Porat noting his success can be explained by induced vertical break per second, which is excellent. Simply put, his velocity doesn’t lend much explanation for his success.

Advanced Metrics Lend More Depth To Pitching

By applying newer metrics such as Vertical Approach Angle, Seam-Shifted Wake, and Seam Orientation into their repertoire, pitchers are more optimized than ever.

Lindsey Alder’s March 2021 article at The Athletic described some of the methods the Yankees are utilizing to improve their pitchers’ sliders. Pitching labs have popped up across spring training complexes, where players can hone into the details and physics behind their pitches, receiving real-time feedback as they throw.

Even pitch classification systems have undergone a revolution. Slider Research (yes, that’s a thing) has exploded in recent years. Some sliders can be categorized as Sweepers, others are Whirlies, while scores fall in the category of The Warthen Slider. The application of Seam-Shifted Wake has led to a multitude of new pitch grips with the goal of throwing all sorts of sliders. And armed with that knowledge, pitching coaches are employing different techniques to test out sliders, as detailed by Eno Sarris at The Athletic.

Matt Harvey and former Mets pitching coach Dan Warthen

The Mets Have A Type

With a vast multitude of data now available, somewhat thanks to the development of the aforementioned pitching machines, Baseball Savant, MLB.com’s mecca for modern information, recently began reclassifying some sliders as sweepers. When Kodai Senga came stateside, his slider was just that: a slider. However, after only two Grapefruit League starts, Baseball Savant quickly differentiated between his sweeper and his slider.

Senga wasn’t the only marque Mets free-agent acquisition who had intriguing slider characters. As Jacob Resnick of SNY initially pointed out, the Mets targeted pitchers with above-average horizontal movement on their sliders over the offseason. Their 2022 bullpen had a major weakness; these signees address that concern.

In 2022, the Mets’ relievers struggled in a certain area of the strike zone. Thanks to Baseball Savant’s nifty Attack Zones tool, we can visualize exactly where the Mets’ bullpen struggled.

Last season, the team’s bullpen finished 27th in the majors in wOBA in The Heart Zone, which is what many know as middle-middle. It’s the middle of a batter’s strike zone. The Mets allowed a 0.367 weighted on-base average (wOBA). Complicating that issue was that six of the mainstays in the 2022 bullpen were destined for free agency.

A cabinet of new relievers was arguably the team’s greatest need. It’s evident that the Mets’ front office brass prioritized that by targeting pitchers with intriguing sliders.

Some of the relievers they acquired over the winter were old friends. Edwin Díaz will be sorely missed this year, but the team welcomed back Adam Ottavino. Brooks Raley and David Robertson are proven, trusted stalwarts at the backend. Other names are interesting, even if unproven. Jeff Brigham, Stephen Ridings, John Curtiss, Sam Coonrod, William Woods, Jimmy Yacabonis, and the list goes on. Even Elieser Hernández has some interesting slider qualities.

A factor that I misinterpreted here was the beauty in outliers

Elieser Hernandez is a great example of a pitch I probably would have cued an athlete away from before DL

2021 SL avg. movement metrics:

Velo:79.3
HB: -11.42
VB: 9.95
Release height: 5.48
Stuff+: 140🌟 pic.twitter.com/dWEAb52FpX

— Matthew Kress (@m_kress__) February 1, 2022

At first glance, this looks like a “throw spaghetti at a wall and see what sticks” approach to bullpen making. Upon further research, it’s not that.

According to research by Ben Clemens of Fangraphs, sliders with above-average horizontal movement allow for more leeway in the middle of the plate–the exact place last year’s bullpen struggled.

From Clemens’ piece:

“If you have a slider with plus horizontal movement, it’s also okay to miss over the middle of the plate.”

To paraphrase his analysis, it’s incredibly difficult to quantify exactly what makes a slider effective, but one common hypothesis is that pitches with loads of movement perform better in the middle of the strike zone. Research by MLB’s Senior Data Architect, Tom Tango, supports this.

As the Mets work to fix their bullpen’s biggest problem from last season, they’ve invested in pitchers who throw sliders with extreme horizontal movement. These are sweepers.

How Are The Mets Using Sweepers?

A “sweeper” is a relatively new pitch classification in the majors, but it’s an important one. On the spectrum of sliders, where hard, diving cutters are on one end (think Edwin Díaz/The Warthen Slider), sweepers sit on the other plane of the spectrum. They tilt heavily to the pitcher’s glove side, gaining more horizontal movement than a traditional slider.

These sliders tilt more due to a phenomenon known as Seam-Shifted Wake (SSW), which is due to the way the seams of the baseball catch the air. Sweepers are best used when pitchers also have fastballs with low spin efficiencies. The Athletic wrote about the transformation of Rangers pitchers Jon Gray and Dane Dunning, detailing how they have altered their grip on their sliders to take more advantage of Seam-Shifted Wake (SSW). To visualize the effect that SSW can have on a pitch, check out Baseball Savant’s Spin Direction feature

With that said, several Mets hurlers now incorporate a sweeper in their arsenal.

Kodai Senga: 

His ghost fork gets the attention (and it recently received Fangraphs analysis treatment) but don’t sleep on Senga’s sweeper. Due to some poor location at the top of the zone, the sweeper’s been hit hard early on, but it has the potential to develop into a solid change-of-pace offering. If properly located, the 42 inches of vertical drop should begin to induce whiffs.

Adam Ottavino: 

Ottavino’s parlayed his offering into a career renaissance as told by the New York Times’ Matt Foley. His sweeper is a social media darling. Clips of it have gone viral on PitchingNinja’s Twitter account.

Adam Ottavino, Disappearing Slider. 👻 pic.twitter.com/8QmnWNNQVd

— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) February 25, 2023

So far in 2023, his slider has produced a .228 xwOBA against, which is in line with his 2022 .209 xwOBA against. It drops 40 inches while moving horizontally five percent more than league-average comparables.

Jeff Brigham:

Jeff Brigham, a reliever acquired from the Miami Marlins this offseason, has even more movement on his sweeper. It moves right to left (from his point of view) 11% better than league-average comparisons. Last season, Brigham’s sweeper was his primary pitch, throwing it 58% of the time. It produced a .325 wOBA/.302 xwOBA, which led to a career-best 3.38 ERA.

Brooks Raley: 

Raley, the lone southpaw in the Mets’ current iteration of their bullpen, is a frequent user of the sweeper. It’s been a key ingredient in his repertoire, as batters have yet to record a hit against it this season. Coming from a unique release point, the pitch elicited a 34.8% whiff rate last season.

Other noteworthy pitchers:

In a bid to make the Mets’ bullpen as their second lefty, T.J. McFarland debuted a sweeper this spring.

Veteran LHP T.J. McFarland has completely changed his slider as he tries to make the Mets' roster as an NRI.

• Career horizontal break: 5 inches
• Mets debut: 21-inch sweeper

Last year's slider had a 16.7% whiff rate. Similar pitches to the new one (velo/mvmt) were above 30%. pic.twitter.com/OXEtsxXS9k

— Jacob Resnick (@Jacob_Resnick) February 28, 2023

Jimmy Yacabonis:

Yacabonis was recently called up to serve as an extra reliever out of the pen. The stuff’s tantalizing, but his command issues have proved to be elusive to overcome.

Jimmy Yacabonis completely dismantling Eduardo Escobar with 3 pitches: a slider with 30" of horizontal then a pair of sinkers with 23" of horizontal the other way. Insane. pic.twitter.com/hMRnZdZnjE

— Codify (@CodifyBaseball) January 9, 2023

It’s evident the Mets have taken advantage of modern pitch design to target certain pitchers. It’s a smart move.

With a caveat that it’s still tremendously early in the season, the club’s pen has pitched to a solid 3.48 ERA, as of Saturday, April 15. In particular, several of the pitchers who throw sweepers have performed well. Ottavino’s allowed one run in six innings, Raley’s provided to be an effective fireman, and Yacabonis earned his call-up on the heels of 4.1 scoreless frames with Triple-A Syracuse.

Keep an eye on the sweeper, folks. It’s the pitch currently changing Major League Baseball.

Note: The code that drives this analysis, including an additional visualization of the movement behind some of the Mets’ sweepers, can be found on my Github.

The post The Mets Have A Type: The Sweeper appeared first on Metsmerized.

Photo by Chris Simon

Good morning, Mets fans!

The Mets lost their first series of 2022 on Sunday when their late rally fell short in a 8-7 loss to the Seattle Mariners at Citi Field.

The Mets are right back in action on Monday when the Cardinals come to Citi Field for a four-game series. Trevor Williams will likely start in the place of the injured Tylor Megill in the first game.

Latest Mets News

Megill was placed on the injured list with right biceps tendinitis, though an MRI showed no structural damage. Right-hander reliever Colin Holderman was added to the active roster to take Megill’s place. Holderman tossed a scoreless inning with two strikeouts in his big league debut on Sunday.

Holderman had to take an Uber to get to the game, and didn’t arrive until the game was already being played on Sunday.

Right-hander reliever Trevor May was moved to the 60-day injured list to make room for Holderman on the 40-man roster. May was placed on the injured list in early May with a stress reaction in the lower part of his humerus bone.

Former Mets reliever Paul Sewald pitched a scoreless eighth inning in his revenge tour against the Mets.

Mets minor league submarine pitcher Tom Hackimer recently had Tommy John surgery and has begun vlogging his way through the grueling recovery.

Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports

Latest MLB News

The Reds became the second National League team in history to throw a no-hitter, but lose the game. They lost to the Pirates on Sunday with Pittsburgh scoring their run on a RBI groundout in the eighth inning. Reds rookie Hunter Greene tossed 7 1/3 hitless innings before reliever Art Warren threw 2/3 of an inning. The Reds are the only team in baseball yet to hit the 10 win plateau.

Red Sox shortstop Xander Bogaerts told the Boston Globe that he is now open to extension talks during the season.

The Cardinals have shut down right-handed pitcher Alex Reyes with shoulder soreness.

Future Hall of Famer Albert Pujols pitched the ninth inning in the Cardinals 15-6 win on Sunday. He allowed four runs, but did finish the inning.

The Cubs have placed shortstop Nico Hoerner on the injured list and called up veteran Andrelton Simmons.

Latest on MMO

The fourth episode of MMO Weekly drops later on Monday with Mike and Sal being joined by former big leaguer Cody Decker.

Christian De Block wrote about Mets closer Edwin Diaz continuing his elite season on Saturday in his first appearance against his former team.

John Sheridan wrote about Mets left-handed prospect Thomas Szapucki beginning to look closer to his old self.

On This Date in Mets History

Birthdays: Frank Seminara (55), Jerrod Riggan (48)

1983: Mets rookie outfielder Darryl Strawberry hits his first major league home run.

The post Morning Briefing: Mets Drop First Series of 2022 appeared first on Metsmerized.