Canha joined the show and first spoke about the trade that sent him to the Milwaukee Brewers: “It was wild, and it’s a tough experience… It took a minute, it did take probably a week or maybe two weeks for the dust to settle and for you to start feeling comfortable and kind of normal again.”

Photo by Roberto Carlo

Canha was very outspoken while he was still a Met that he loved living in New York City, and while the trade was tough on him in the sense that he had to uproot himself and his family to a new city, he has certainly settled in. In 46 games since the trade, Canha has compiled an .839 OPS and has exceeded even the Brewers’ expectations of what he would provide for the team.

Naturally, the conversation shifted shortly after to the Mets. After saying he felt “lighter” in Milwaukee, Canha was asked by Sherman if his time with the Mets this year was “heavy,” to which Canha responded: “I think it’s heavy in New York, regardless of the circumstances it’s heavy in New York. I think it was heavy in New York last year. It’s always going to be that way.”

Canha explained that he knew what to expect in New York coming in as a free agent before the 2022 season, but it felt more real this year with the massive drop in performance on the field from the whole team. That allowed Heyman to segue into what has been a hot topic recently: Tommy Pham’s statement that the Mets’ position players were the “least-hardest working” group he’s played with.

When asked for his reaction to that proposition, Canha pushed back on it a bit: “I’ll say this. It doesn’t surprise me, really, that Tommy said that. Not because I feel the same way, but because of the way that Tommy works specifically.”

Canha explained that he believes each player has a specific routine that works for them and that Pham’s routine was more intense than most players did.

“Guys are gonna go about their business in their own way, and Tommy goes about his business in his own way. And the fact of the matter is… his workload that he puts on himself on a daily basis is significantly more than anybody else on the team. So I don’t necessarily agree with the fact that other players don’t work hard, I think it’s just, to expect everyone to work the way that Tommy Pham works every day is a little bit much. And that works for him, and what I do works for me.”

Canha concluded his answer by stating he “can understand where he’s coming from based on what he does and maybe he expects other people to do the same as him,” which perhaps speaks more to Pham’s competitiveness, desire to win, and personality than to the work ethics of certain Mets players.

Whatever the reason for the Mets’ demise this year, Canha doesn’t seem to think it’s for a lack of effort. When asked, “Why didn’t it click this season?” by Sherman, Canha acknowledged he doesn’t have a definitive answer but pointed to injuries and suspensions to the pitching staff, saying, “It made it tough to win” early in the season when some of the best pitchers on the team were unavailable.

The conversation took on a lighter tone when Sherman asked Canha about Buck Showalter, to which Canha heaped praise on his former skipper: “Right when you say his name, I just smile, because I love Buck. Playing for him was amazing and so much fun, and just a great experience,” before raving about Showalter’s attention to detail and his handling of the players on his team. “I think Buck could manage any team. I don’t think he’s a part of a problem there or anything like that.”

Canha was then asked about Pete Alonso and whether he could shed any light on the reports that Alonso is a problem in the Mets’ clubhouse, which Canha vehemently denied.

“He feels like such a New York guy, he really embraces that role…he’s so all-in on the Mets. I loved playing with Pete. Saying that he’s a problem in the clubhouse couldn’t be further from the truth. I could say, ‘Oh, well everyone has their own opinion,’ but I honestly can’t imagine how anyone would come to the conclusion that Pete is a problem in the clubhouse. It’s the opposite of that.”

Both Heyman and Sherman, who have carved out great careers in New York media and have spent plenty of time around the New York Mets, attested to Canha’s review of Alonso as a person and teammate.

While Canha’s time with the Mets didn’t come to the happiest of endings, it’s clear that he holds his time and his relationships with the team in high regard. The Mets will unfortunately be sitting at home this October, but Canha will have the chance to be a key part of a playoff team for the second year in a row.

The post Mark Canha Praises Pete Alonso appeared first on Metsmerized.

Brett Baty. Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports

The Mets got the scoring started early, putting a run up against former Met Taijuan Walker in the first inning. With Brandon Nimmo standing on second, Pete Alonso hit a blooper into shallow right field that just stayed fair before bouncing into the seats. With the ground rule double, the Mets took an early 1-0 lead.

The Mets didn’t score again until the fifth inning, still in a 1-0 game. With Walker’s pitch count rising, he started showing signs of fatigue as he allowed three straight hits off the bats of Rafael Ortega, Omar Narváez, and Brandon Nimmo. Nimmo’s hit came with runners on the corners, and he hit a laser into right field to double the Mets’ lead to make it 2-0.

With the Phillies still not on the board in the fifth inning, it’s no surprise that Mets’ starter Tylor Megill was pitching well against what is a really good lineup. Outside of a Trea Turner walk in the first inning and a Kyle Schwarber double in the third inning, Megill had everything working for him early. Even in the fourth and fifth innings, when he found himself in trouble by allowing a leadoff baserunner, he was able to work around them to avoid putting the Phillies on the board.

Megill then found himself in trouble again in the sixth inning and that’s where things went south. With one out already recorded, Megill spiked a breaking ball in the dirt that came up and hit Bryce Harper who appeared to be in a bit of pain afterwards. Alec Bohm then reached on an infield single, putting two runners on with one out.

Megill then struck out Bryson Stott, needing just one more out to get out of trouble and likely secure a six-inning, no-run outing. However, J.T. Realmuto played spoiler and put a jolt into the Philadelphia crowd by unloading a fastball into the seats in left field, giving the Phillies a 3-2 lead for their first lead of the night.

BRETT BATY OFF CRAIG KIMBREL IN THE 9TH TO TIE THE GAME!

(via @AppleTV) pic.twitter.com/nzqmAUeFG1

— SNY (@SNYtv) September 23, 2023

Despite allowing the home run to Realmuto and that being the moment that will define his start, Megill still had a really solid outing. Over six innings, he allowed three runs on five hits and a walk while striking out six, and with the performance, he now has a 2.89 ERA over his last five starts.

Phil Bickford relieved Megill out of the bullpen and the Phillies immediately tacked on to extend their lead. After Johan Rojas reached on a single, he advanced to third after a bad throw on his stolen base attempt at second base. Schwarber then poked a ball into left field, scoring Rojas, giving the Phillies a 4-2 lead.

The Mets wouldn’t go down quietly, though. With two outs in the eighth inning, Francisco Lindor launched a solo homer into left field for his 27th of the year to bring the Mets back to within one run. Jeff McNeil singled after him to bring Pete Alonso to the plate as the go-ahead run. Alonso popped up on the infield, failing to bring the runner home to end the inning.

With one final chance to tie the game or take the lead in the ninth, the Mets found themselves two outs away from another disappointing loss after Ronny Mauricio recorded the first out. Brett Baty then stepped up to the plate and provided a heroic late-game moment the Mets haven’t experienced much of this season, sending a fastball from Craig Kimbrel 432 feet to dead center to tie up the game at 4-4.

The Mets were able to hold the Phillies at bay in the bottom of the inning, setting the table for extras. In the top of the 10th inning, the Mets loaded the bases against Seranthony Domínguez with a chance to really put pressure on the Phillies in the bottom of the inning. Domínguez, however, struck out Alonso in a crucial moment in the game, sending it to the bottom of the 10th in a tie game.

Just as Megill’s start ended in disappointing fashion, so did the game for the Mets. Despite the late-inning heroics provided by Lindor and Baty, Adam Ottavino couldn’t keep the Phillies from scoring as Alec Bohm dumped a ball into right field on just the second pitch of the inning. Trea Turner scored easily, giving the Phillies a 5-4 victory for the second consecutive night. With the loss, the Mets are now 71-83 on the year and are officially eliminated from playoff contention.

Stat of the Game

With his home run in the eighth inning, Francisco Lindor broke his own record that he set last year for the most home runs in a season by a Mets shortstop. He is now just three home runs shy of a 30-home run, 30-stolen base, 30-double season and could become the first Mets player to achieve those numbers since David Wright did so in 2007.

On Deck

The Mets’ series with the Phillies will continue on Saturday afternoon with first pitch scheduled for 4:05 p.m. ET. José Quintana (3-5, 3.02 ERA) will get the start for the Mets as his fantastic debut season with the team winds to a close. For Philadelphia, former Met Zack Wheeler (12-6, 3.63 ERA) will take the mound. The Mets roughed up Wheeler in his only start against the team this year, attacking him for five runs over 5 1/3 innings. The game will be broadcast on SNY and can be listened to on WCBS 880.

The post Phillies Spoil Mets’ Late-Game Heroics With 5-4 Walk-Off Win appeared first on Metsmerized.

Peterson looked comfortable throughout his outing, tying a career-high with 10 strikeouts and walking just two batters over 5 2/3 innings. It wasn’t until the fifth inning that he found himself in trouble, and it was the defense that let him down.

In his first game in the big leagues at third base, Ronny Mauricio couldn’t handle a tough hop which allowed Noelvi Marte to advance from first to third. A wild pitch in the following at-bat allowed Marte to break for the plate, and a clean throw by Omar Narváez likely would have thrown him out, but Narváez threw it into the infield to give the Reds a 1-0 advantage.

The Reds tacked on the following inning as Peterson grew fatigued. Spencer Steer hit a two-run homer to extend the Reds’ lead to 3-0. After getting two outs, Peterson allowed two more baserunners to reach which would ultimately end his outing. Over the 5 2/3 innings he pitched, Peterson gave up three runs (two earned) on six hits and two walks while tallying double-digit strikeouts in another promising performance for the former first-round pick.

Home run No. 45 for Pete Alonso is a three-run, game-tying shot against the Reds. pic.twitter.com/XiwRjayFTg

— Anthony DiComo (@AnthonyDiComo) September 16, 2023

Unfortunately for the Mets, though, Greene was at the top of his game, carrying a no-hitter into the fifth inning. After allowing a leadoff double to Jeff McNeil which broke up the no-hitter, Greene still managed to escape the inning scoreless before getting into trouble yet again in the sixth inning. With two outs and two runners on, Reds’ manager David Bell decided to show faith in his young starter by leaving him in there to face Pete Alonso who served as the tying run.

Bell’s decision quickly backfired as Alonso unloaded a three-run shot into the seats in left field to tie the game and put a damper on what was an otherwise brilliant outing from Greene. Alonso’s homer, his 45th of the year, put the game back at square one.

With the game squared at 3-3, the Reds wasted no time regaining the lead. His former teammate at the University of Florida, Jonathan India, punched right back in the top of the seventh inning with a two-run homer off Grant Hartwig to put the Reds ahead once again, this time 5-3.

The Mets had multiple opportunities late to at least tie the game, putting the tying runs on base in both the seventh and eighth innings. In the seventh, Ian Gibaut got Mark Vientos to ground into a crucial double play to hinder the Mets’ scoring threat before Alexis Díaz, the younger brother of Edwin Díaz, silenced the Mets’ threat the following inning.

The Reds kept Díaz on the mound for the bottom of the ninth, relying on him to record a five-out save. Without much trouble, Díaz set the Mets’ batters down in order to give the Reds a 5-3 win. The loss for the Mets dropped their season record down to 68-79 as the team inches closer to clinching a losing season.

Player of the Game

Despite not earning a win, David Peterson’s start makes him absolutely deserving of the Metsmerized player of the game. He kept the Mets in the game, going toe-to-toe with Hunter Greene, who looked phenomenal before allowing the three-run home run to Pete Alonso in the sixth inning. Peterson’s 10 strikeouts along with just two walks is a very positive sign for a pitcher who has struggled with command his entire career.

On Deck

The series with the Reds will continue on Saturday evening with first pitch scheduled for 7:10 p.m. ET. Tylor Megill (8-7, 5.03 ERA) takes the mound for the Mets, looking to continue a good stretch of starts. On the other side, rookie southpaw Andrew Abbott (8-5, 3.64 ERA) gets the start for the Reds. The game will be broadcast on SNY and can be listened to on WCBS 880.

The post Alonso’s Three-Run Blast Not Enough As Mets Fall To Reds 5-3 appeared first on Metsmerized.

Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

Good morning, Mets fans.

The Mets lost their seventh game in a row on Friday in embarrassing fashion as they fell to the Pirates 14-7. A poor outing from Tylor Megill and defensive blunders put the game out of reach early despite the Mets’ best effort at a comeback in the ninth inning. The seven-game losing streak is the Mets’ longest since they lost seven straight from June 23 to June 29 in 2019 and it puts them four games under .500 for the first time since 2021. To add insult to injury, the Braves and Phillies are riding six-game win streaks while the Marlins’ own six-game win streak just came to an end last night.

Latest Mets News

Tomás Nido cleared waivers after being designated for assignment earlier in the week, and will accept an outright to Syracuse if he is not traded.

In more concerning news, Pete Alonso was diagnosed with a bone bruise and sprain of his left wrist. While he fortunately avoided a fracture, the typical time for recovery from this injury is three-to-four weeks. As he was placed on the 10-day IL, Luis Guillorme was recalled from Triple-A Syracuse to replace him.

Zach Muckenhirn was also recalled from Triple-A on Friday, with Stephen Nogosek being designated for assignment.

Joel Sherman of the New York Post talked to Billy Eppler amidst this dreadful stretch for the Mets, and Eppler expressed support in the coaching staff and the team to right the ship.

The Mets are hiring a Biomechanical Analyst. The page to apply for the position is linked here.

Latest MLB News

The Astros placed Yordan Álvarez on the 10-day injured list with right oblique discomfort.

Chris Sale has a stress reaction in his scapula, an injury that will require rest and rehab. He will be re-evaluated in three-to-four weeks.

Per MLB insider Héctor Gómez, Elly De La Cruz will pay 10% of his career salary earnings to Big League Advantage, a company that minor leaguers tend to take loans from due to low bonuses and minor league salaries.

The Nationals released relief pitcher Erasmo Ramírez who had been designated for assignment earlier in the week. The 33-year-old former Met has pitched to a 6.33 ERA in 27 innings out of the Washington bullpen despite a strong 2022 in which he posted a 2.92 ERA in 86 1/3 innings pitched.

The Blue Jays reinstated pitcher Mitch White from the 60-day injured list and designated Anthony Bass for assignment in a corresponding move.

Former Met Óliver Pérez threw the last pitch of his career on Thursday night in the Mexican League. The 41-year-old enjoyed a long MLB career and pitched in the big leagues as recently as last year.

Rustin Dodd of The Athletic wrote about Zack Greinke and why he continues to be effective even at 39 years of age.

The Cape Cod Baseball League announced a streaming partnership with D1Baseball for the 2023 season, allowing games in the CCBL to be streamed completely free of charge for fans.

Latest on MMO

In the latest Mets Minors Recap, Colby Morris highlighted Joey Lucchesi‘s strong performance for Triple-A Syracuse.

Michael Famulari wrote about Francisco Álvarez‘s two-homer game against the Braves on Thursday.

Christian De Block analyzed Justin Verlander‘s disappointing performance in Atlanta on Thursday.

Chris Bello wrote about the reports that the Mets have been scouting Alexis Díaz.

MMO is searching for a new editor. Read this tweet for details if interested.

On This Date in Mets History

Birthdays: Ken Singleton (76)

The post Morning Briefing: Mets Lose Seven Straight For First Time Since 2019 appeared first on Metsmerized.

Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

Coming off the team’s first series win in a month, the Mets hosted the Guardians on Friday for the first game of a three-game series. In the first game between the two teams since the blockbuster trade that brought Francisco Lindor and Carlos Carrasco to New York and sent Andrés Giménez and Amed Rosario to Cleveland, Carrasco got the start for the Mets against his former team while Cal Quantrill got the start for Cleveland.

In a wild game in which the Mets played virtually all of it from behind, they came back multiple times, including down two in extra innings, to defeat the Guardians 10-9 in a thriller.

Carrasco took the mound to start the game for the first time since April 15, his last appearance before he was sidelined due to injury. After getting a weak contact out off the bat of Steven Kwan, Rosario hit a ground ball up the middle for a base hit. José Ramírez then walked and in the next at-bat, Josh Naylor took Carrasco deep to put the Mets in an early three-run hole. Josh Bell then flew out and Giménez struck out to put the inning to bed, but not before major damage was done.

The Guardians added another run in the top of the second inning. Myles Straw led off the inning with a double and advanced to third base on a fielder’s choice. Then Cam Gallagher, who entered the game with a .070 batting average and a .223 OPS, dumped a ball into left field for an RBI single to make it 4-0. A ground ball double play off the bat of Kwan ended the inning to limit the damage.

The Mets recorded their first hit of the night in the bottom of the second, after Brett Baty pulled one down the right field line for a one-out double. The Mets wouldn’t cut into the Guardians’ lead, though, as a Starling Marte strikeout and a Mark Vientos fielder’s choice ended the inning.

The Mets got another one-out baserunner in the bottom of the third after Francisco Álvarez was hit by a pitch in a full count. They were unable to do anything with the baserunner again, though, as the next two batters went down in order due to a flyout and a groundout.

Quantrill appeared to be through a quick 1-2-3 inning in the fourth but a two-out error by the first baseman Bell and another hit-by-pitch, this time at Marte’s expense, put two runners on. That brought up Vientos who hit a sharp ground ball to third base, but Ramírez scooped it and stepped on the bag to end the threat.

Although it appeared Carrasco had settled in after a rough start to the game, throwing 1-2-3 innings in the third and fourth, he would surrender another run in the fifth inning. Will Brennan led off the fifth inning with a walk and quickly stole a base. Advancing to third base on a fielder’s choice, he was driven in with a two-out single by Rosario to give the Guardians a 5-0 lead.

With one out and nobody on in the bottom of the fifth, Francisco Álvarez ran the count full once again and this time sent a ball well over the left field wall for a solo shot, his fifth home run of the year. That put the Mets on the board to make it a 5-1 ballgame. Francisco Lindor then recorded his 15th double of the year to put a runner in scoring position with two outs. Jeff McNeil brought him home with an RBI single, extending his hitting streak to six games, to cut the Guardians’ lead to three.

Francisco Álvarez's 5th homer of the season gets the Mets on the board pic.twitter.com/oLtRAMb4UA

— SNY (@SNYtv) May 20, 2023

The inning ended after Pete Alonso hit a weak liner to the shortstop Rosario. Rosario dropped the ball after attempting to catch it, but was able to corral the ball and throw out Alonso at first.

Carrasco exited the game after giving up five runs in five innings, driving his season ERA up to 8.68. Along with the five runs, Carrasco allowed five hits and two walks and struck out three. Dominic Leone relieved Carrasco to start the sixth and gave up a leadoff single to Naylor. A single up the middle by Bell created a threat with runners on first and second base and nobody out. Naylor advanced to third on a flyout but the Mets were then able to double up the speedy Straw to escape the inning.

After a troublesome fifth inning, Quantrill remained on for the sixth and was immediately greeted with an opposite-field homer off the bat of Baty to make it a 5-3 game. Then with two outs and nobody on, Mark Canha recorded an infield hit to chase Quantrill out of the game. Lefty reliever Sam Hentges came out of the bullpen to face the young Álvarez who came to the plate as the tying run. Álvarez hit the first pitch he saw to deep right field but it wasn’t deep enough as it was caught to end the inning.

Brett Baty drives one the other way! 💪 pic.twitter.com/0VKurgwo6P

— SNY (@SNYtv) May 20, 2023

Leone remained in the game in the seventh but for the second straight inning, he gave up a leadoff single, this time off the bat of Brennan. Another hit by the catcher Gallagher put runners on the corners with nobody out. Leone then walked Kwan to load the bases, driving Leone out of the game and bringing in Stephen Nogosek to try to clean up the mess.

In a 3-1 count, Nogosek threw a fastball down the heart of the plate to Rosario who hit a sharp line drive right into the glove of Nimmo in center field. Brennan tagged for home but wasn’t close to scoring, getting tagged out in a rundown for a massive double play.

A walk to Ramírez loaded the bases for the second time in the inning, bringing Naylor to the plate. The Mets couldn’t pull off another miracle, as Naylor drove a single the opposite way to bring in two runs, giving him five RBIs on the night and giving the Guardians a 7-3 lead. Another walk by Nogosek loaded the bases yet again, and this time he was relieved for Tommy Hunter who got Giménez to ground out to end the inning.

With the top of the order up and a chance to rally, Nimmo led off the bottom of the seventh with a walk. A single up the middle by Lindor put runners on first and second with nobody out and the heart of the order coming up. Struggling to throw strikes, Hentges then walked McNeil to load the bases for Alonso who came to the plate as the tying run.

With James Karinchak coming into the game to relieve Hentges, Alonso drove a ball over the wall in right-center field for an opposite field grand slam to make it a 7-7 tie. Alonso’s grand slam extended his home run streak to four games and brought him to 71 career home runs at Citi Field, tying Lucas Duda for the most in the stadium’s history. After Alonso’s mammoth home run, Karinchak struck out three around a two-out walk by Vientos to keep the game tied.

THAT. JUST. HAPPENED. pic.twitter.com/517eystfng

— New York Mets (@Mets) May 20, 2023

Adam Ottavino took the mound in the eighth inning hoping to keep the game tied. Facing the bottom of the Guardians’ lineup, Ottavino induced a flyout and two groundouts in a 1-2-3 inning. Enyel De Los Santos came in to pitch for the Guardians in the bottom of the inning and recorded a 1-2-3 inning of his own.

For the first time this year, David Robertson pitched in three straight games as he came on to pitch in the ninth inning. Robertson needed just nine pitches to induce three ground balls from the top of the Guardians’ order, recording two of the outs on excellent defensive plays from McNeil and Alonso.

Like Robertson, Trevor Stephan also needed just nine pitches to set the Mets down in order in the bottom of the ninth, striking out Alonso and Baty in the process to send the game to extra innings.

Drew Smith took the mound in the tenth inning, hoping to strand Ramírez who was serving as the Guardians’ free runner. Smith got Naylor to pop up to record the first out of the inning. However, Gabriel Arias, who entered the game to pinch run and for defense, hit an opposite field home run in his first at-bat of the game to give the Guardians a 9-7 lead. Smith recorded the next two outs to get out of the inning, but not before giving the Mets another hill to climb.

Emmanuel Clase, one of the elite closers in baseball, came into the game in the bottom of the tenth to try to close it out for Cleveland. Marte recorded a loud out as he hit one just shy of the warning track, able to advance the free runner Baty to third. Vientos then hit a ball up the middle for an RBI single, bringing the Mets back within one.

Daniel Vogelbach, who had been struggling recently, came on to pinch hit for Canha. During his at-bat, Eduardo Escobar came into the game to pinch run for Vientos and swiped second base, his first stolen base of the year. However, Vogelbach struck out which brought Álvarez to the plate as the winning run with the tying run on second.

Down to his last strike, Álvarez grounded a ball through the left side of the infield to bring Escobar home and tie the game once again. Álvarez advanced to second on an errant throw home, putting the winning run in scoring position. Also falling behind in the count 0-2, Nimmo chopped a ball to the left side of the infield and reached for an infield hit with Álvarez advancing to third. And then in what was nothing short of a storybook ending, Lindor lined a ball into the outfield on the first pitch he saw to give the Mets a thrilling 10-9 victory.

BALLGAME WON!!! pic.twitter.com/fI3mSAsbFa

— New York Mets (@Mets) May 20, 2023

Player(s) of the Game

Not only did Pete Alonso extend his major league home run lead with his 17th of the year, but he extended his home run streak to four games in a row with arguably his biggest home run of the year. Continuing to deliver in clutch situations, he hit a grand slam while down four to tie the game in the seventh inning after the team had been playing from behind all game.

In his first game against his former team, Francisco Lindor was the hero going 3-for-6 with a double and the game-winning RBI in the bottom of the tenth to walk it off. In a game that seemed nearly impossible to win at times, both Lindor and Alonso provided moments that allowed the Mets to enjoy a memorable win.

On Deck

The Mets will play the second game of the three-game set against the Guardians on Saturday afternoon at 4:10 p.m. ET. Max Scherzer (3-2, 4.88 ERA), coming off a start in which he gave up one run in five innings, will be on the mound for the Mets looking to provide length and consistency. For the Guardians, impressive rookie Tanner Bibee (1-1, 3.22) gets the start after a fantastic performance in his last start in which he gave up one run in 7 2/3 innings. The game will be broadcast on PIX11.

The post Lindor Finishes Mets’ 10-9 Comeback Win Over Former Team appeared first on Metsmerized.

Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports

The Mets played their second game of a four-game series against the San Francisco Giants late Friday night. Joey Lucchesi, who hadn’t pitched in a major league game since the 2021 season, got the start for the Mets in place of the injured Carlos Carrasco. Meanwhile, starting for the Giants was Anthony DeSclafani, who had been pitching excellently through his first three starts of the season.

The Mets recorded their second shutout of the season as they defeated the Giants 7-0. The Mets got the best of DeSclafani, who gave up four earned runs in five innings, while Lucchesi gave the Mets an unexpected yet fantastic performance.

Brandon Nimmo, who has been scorching hot on this road trip, opened the game with a leadoff single which brought his season batting average up to a sensational .377. The next three batters went down in order, however, and Nimmo was left stranded at first.

Lucchesi got into some trouble in the bottom of the first inning, as the familiar faces of Wilmer Flores and Darin Ruf reached base with a double and walk, respectively. Lucchesi, though, worked through it and induced a ground ball double play from another familiar face in J.D. Davis to get out of the inning.

The Mets got the scoring started in the top of the second inning with some small ball. After Daniel Vogelbach led off the inning with a single, Mark Canha reached base on a fielder’s choice. Brett Baty then singled through the right side of the infield. Both of them advanced on another fielder’s choice and Luis Guillorme capitalized with an opposite field single to drive in Canha, giving the Mets an early 1-0 lead.

After working through runners on base in each of the first three innings, Lucchesi recorded his first 1-2-3 inning of the night in the bottom of the fourth, striking out two in the process including striking out David Villar with his signature churve.

In the top of the fifth, Guillorme recorded his second hit of the night batting out of the nine hole. Nimmo then dropped down a bunt looking to steal a hit but was thrown out, although Guillorme safely advanced to second base. After Francisco Lindor struck out looking, McNeil checked a swing but made contact with the ball which rolled right in front of the plate. In what looked like an easy out to end the inning, Joey Bart threw the ball to first but hit McNeil with the throw, enabling Guillorme to come around to score.

On the very next pitch, DeSclafani hung a slider to Pete Alonso who made him pay, sending it over the center field fence to make it a 4-0 ballgame. The home run was Alonso’s 10th of the year, giving him back sole possession of the major league lead and giving him the most home runs ever by a Met before the end of April. The home run also gave him sole possession of most RBIs in the National League with 21.

Pete Alonso is in sole place of the league-lead in home runs again.

This is his 10th bomb of the season, he’s up to 21 RBIs. That RBI total is the tops in the NL.

4-0 #Mets, top 5. pic.twitter.com/DX68ntVtJH

— Metsmerized Online (@Metsmerized) April 22, 2023

Although the offense stalled a bit after Alonso’s homer, Lucchesi continued his dominant performance to preserve the Mets’ lead. He struck out three batters in a fantastic fifth inning, including getting Mike Yastrzemski and Brett Wisely with his churve. In the sixth, Lucchesi erased a leadoff baserunner as the Giants grounded into their third double play of the night.

When he came back out in the seventh, Lucchesi became the first Mets starter this year to throw a pitch in the seventh inning, a prospect no one could have predicted before the season. He delivered his best inning of the night by striking out the side, and that is how he would end his night with his pitch count at 97. In total, Lucchesi threw seven scoreless innings, giving up four hits and two walks and striking out nine batters in a phenomenal performance.

Just sensational stuff from Joey Lucchesi tonight.

He was dotting the strike zone all night. Nine strikeouts in seven innings, including striking out the side in the seventh.

4-0 #Mets, top 8. pic.twitter.com/7lQi3e1JE3

— Metsmerized Online (@Metsmerized) April 22, 2023

Brooks Raley relieved Lucchesi in the bottom of the eighth inning and posted a 1-2-3 frame of his own, striking out two batters in the process. In his 11th relief appearance of the year, this was Raley’s tenth scoreless outing. To this point, he has been a solid lefty presence out of the bullpen that the Mets dearly missed last year.

The Mets offense got it going again in the top of the ninth as they loaded the bases with singles from Nimmo and Lindor and a hit-by-pitch at the expense of Jeff McNeil. Alonso took advantage as he singled through the infield to drive in two runs, giving him four RBIs for the second straight night and bringing his season total to 23 which ties him with Yordan Àlvarez for the major league lead.

Vogelbach then recorded his second hit of the night, a single to right field that drove McNeil in to make it a 7-0 game. A Canha single to the opposite field gave the young Baty an opportunity with the bases loaded, though he popped out to end the inning.

Tommy Hunter took the mound for the bottom of the ninth, making his first appearance since going on the injured list a few weeks ago. He put the game to rest easily and secured the Mets’ shutout. With the win, the Mets brought their win streak to three and their record on the season to 14-7.

Player of the Game

Joey Lucchesi gave the Mets everything they could ask for and more in this game. With their rotation depleted, Lucchesi was called upon to make his first start since 2021 and not only did he pitch brilliantly, he provided length that other Mets starters have struggled to do early on in the season. Given these circumstances, Lucchesi’s showing was one of the best by any Mets player this year.

On Deck

The Mets play the Giants with a chance to win the series Saturday afternoon at 4:05 p.m. ET, with the game being broadcast on FOX. David Peterson (1-2, 6.10 ERA) will be on the mound going against Logan Webb (0-4, 4.94 ERA), who recently signed a five-year, $90 million contract extension with the Giants.

The post Joey Lucchesi Shines as Mets Silence Giants 7-0 appeared first on Metsmerized.

Pete Alonso. Photo by Ed Delany of Metsmerized

Pete Alonso arrived back from the World Baseball Classic on Thursday and he came back with one thing on his mind: The Mets making it to the postseason.

Alonso represented a Team USA team that lost to Japan in the final of the tournament. So many players came back saying the WBC had the atmosphere of playoff baseball, and Alonso was no different.

“It’s an addicting feeling,” he said in an interview with Andrew DiComo of MLB.com. “To play playoff-type baseball early this year I think is going to be an extremely important experience and learning thing for me. To be able to jump right in during spring and to be able to experience that and be able to participate, it’s really special. I think that performing and then having those at-bats and experience, it’s going to be extremely valuable for October.”

Alonso was back in the lineup for the Mets on Friday for the second time since returning from the WBC, and it was clear that participating in that kind of atmospheric-baseball has him fired up.

Alonso went 2-for-3 against the Rays with a home run, walk, stolen base, and three RBIs. Alonso’s homer, his fourth of spring training, was a two-run blast in the third inning off of Luis Patino and extended his team’s lead.

Pete Alonso’s fourth spring homer gives the Mets a 5-2 lead.

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— Metsmerized Online (@Metsmerized) March 24, 2023

Alonso is now batting .286/.412/.714, with a 1.126 OPS this spring. He has four home runs and seven RBIs. He finished the 2023 WBC 2-for-14 with one run and one RBI, but those lower stats are primarily due to Paul Goldschmidt getting most of the starts over Alonso during the tourney.

Playing competitive baseball this early has sparked the fire in Alonso’s belly, and has also helped him to get locked in for the regular season. That, coupled with the bad taste of losing to the San Diego Padres in the NL Wild Card series last year, has the slugger hungry for more in 2023 with Opening Day now firmly on the horizon.

“The result wasn’t there, but I wanted more,” Alonso said, referring to wanting a World Series win. “I think that’s trial-by-fire. Those high-leverage reps earlier in the year, they gave me a pretty good reminder of what I need to do in order, not just to be physically ready for the season, but how to control emotions in a super tense situation – whether it be a big series in the year or in the playoffs. That’s what it’s all for. I want to be able to draw from those big-game experiences, and then apply them.”

Alonso’s first stop he made upon returning to spring training camp on Thursday was the batting cages to get extra reps in before jumping straight in to a Grapefruit League matchup with the Braves on Thursday. And then Friday he was back in the lineup against Tampa Bay and it was clear he was on mission with his 2-for-3, three RBIs performance.

The Mets now have just two spring training games remaining before they get down to business for real, and it is obvious that Alonso is locked, loaded and ready to go and play his part in what everyone in Queens hopes to be a successful 2023 season.

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Pete Alonso. Photo by Ed Delany of Metsmerized

The Mets traveled to Tropicana Field to take on the Rays Friday afternoon. Max Scherzer got the start for New York in what will be his final appearance before Opening Day. Luis Patiño was the starter for Tampa Bay.

The Mets struck early as a leadoff Luis Guillorme walk and a Francisco Lindor double made it a 1-0 ballgame. Pete Alonso then ambushed Patiño with a base hit on the first pitch he saw, advancing Lindor to third base. A Daniel Vogelbach sacrifice fly then scored Lindor and gave the Mets a 2-0 lead before Scherzer even took the mound.

After an easy first inning, Scherzer appeared to be through an easy second with two outs and nobody on, but he surrendered a walk, a single, and a hit by pitch in consecutive plate appearances to load the bases. Yandy Díaz then hit a blooper that landed in shallow left-center field and the Rays were able to tie the game at two. Scherzer was able to avoid further trouble by getting Wander Franco to ground out to end the inning.

The Mets were able to respond in the top of the third with Guillorme leading off the inning with his second walk of the game. Starling Marte then hit an opposite field double, setting up runners on second and third with nobody out. While Lindor wasn’t able to drive anyone in with a shallow flyout to center field, Alonso cleared the bases in the next at-bat with a strong home run to dead center to retake the lead and make it a 5-2 game.

Pete Alonso’s fourth spring homer gives the Mets a 5-2 lead.

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— Metsmerized Online (@Metsmerized) March 24, 2023

Not satisfied with a three-run lead, the Mets’ offense continued to produce in the top of the fourth. In consecutive at-bats to start the inning, Tommy Pham grounded a single through the infield, Omar Narváez walked, and Guillorme reached base for the third time in the game with an RBI single that scored Pham. Following a Marte strikeout, Lindor recorded his second RBI hit of the game with a single through the infield to score Narváez and make it 7-2.

In an otherwise mundane sixth inning, Narváez led off the inning by hitting his first home run of the spring. Narváez had been struggling in spring training up to this point, albeit in a small sample size, but with his home run he demonstrated the power he possesses that allowed him to hit 22 home runs in 2019. The Mets will be hoping to see more of that in the regular season after catcher was a position that hurt them offensively last year.

After his shaky second inning, Scherzer was able to settle in against the Rays’ hitters allowing just one baserunner over the next four innings and striking out the side in the bottom of the sixth. Scherzer ended his outing through six innings having thrown 100 pitches, giving up two runs on four hits, a walk, a hit-by-pitch, and striking out 11. In his last outing before Opening Day, Scherzer already appears to be in midseason form.

The offensive onslaught continued for the Mets in the top of the seventh inning as a leadoff Alonso walk and a Darin Ruf single set up an opposite field double for Mark Canha that scored both baserunners, extending the Mets’ lead to eight. An infield single by Eduardo Escobar put runners on the corners with still nobody out and a Danny Mendick ground ball double play scored the runner from third to make it 11-2.

Dennis Santana, Zach Muckenhirn, and Trey McLoughlin pitched the final three innings for the Mets with relative ease, each throwing a scoreless inning and putting the game away for a Mets victory.

After the game, Buck Showalter told reporters that Justin Verlander will start the Mets’ third game of he season which will line him up for the Mets’ home opener. Buck also said he expects Brandon Nimmo to be in the lineup on Saturday.

Players of the Game

Max Scherzer and Pete Alonso both played so well, there can’t just be one player of the game. Scherzer was dominant except for a rocky second inning, recording 11 total strikeouts which, according to Jacob Resnick, is a Mets’ spring training record going back to 2006 when spring training box scores became available.

Alonso went 2-for-3 with a home run, a walk, stolen base, and three RBIs in his four plate appearances. His single in the first inning led to a run as he advanced Lindor to third before he scored on a sacrifice fly. His three-run homer in the third inning, however, was the biggest hit of the game as it broke a 2-2 tie and gave the Mets a lead they would hold on to for the rest of the game.

On Deck

The Mets head back to Clover Park on Saturday to face the Cardinals in their penultimate spring training game. The game is scheduled for 6:10 p.m. EDT and can be watched on WPIX and MLB TV. Tylor Megill gets the start for the Mets. 

The post Scherzer Dominates, Alonso Homers in 11-2 Victory Over Rays appeared first on Metsmerized.

Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports

It wouldn’t be much of a novelty to state that Pete Alonso is the Mets’ biggest power threat—not heading into 2023, not in 2022, and not in any season since he joined the major league club in 2019.

That being the case, it is more puzzling to understand why the other major league teams took three years to catch up to that fact—or, at least, in one area they did.

From 2019 through 2021, Alonso was intentionally walked a combined 16 times, or about once per 98 plate appearances.

In 2022, Alonso matched his prior three-year total, piling up 16 intentional free passes, or about one every 43 plate appearances. Those 16 IBBs were good for third in the majors, behind only José Ramírez (20) and Aaron Judge (19).

What changed in 2022? Why was Alonso intentionally walked so often compared to previous years? Did it even work?

2022 Change

The most straightforward explanation for why Alonso was intentionally walked more often in 2022 than in his prior three seasons was that the Mets’ offense was far better. This led to increased RBI situations, including scenarios where Alonso came up with first base open.

Ironically, though, the Mets’ fifth-ranked 2022 offense by runs scored was actually the second-worst in runs scored per game from Alonso’s four-year career, ahead of only the 2021 outfit. From 2019 to 2022, the Mets have averaged 4.88, 4.77, 3.93, and 4.73 runs per game, respectively. It is a mark of how much offense was down across baseball that last year’s 4.73 mark tied for fifth, whereas 2019’s 4.88 runs per game ranked 13th, and 2020’s 4.77 ranked 12th (albeit in a small sample size of 60 games; the Mets ranked 27th in runs scored in 2021).

Nevertheless, with runs at more of a premium across the league, it makes sense that a team would want to intentionally walk the greatest power and RBI threat on the fifth-ranked offense in baseball—at least, if you believe that intentional walks are a sound strategy to begin with (more on that later).

Following Hitter

Alonso predominantly batted fourth for the Mets in 2022. When he was intentionally walked, the hitter behind him was one of Darin Ruf, Eduardo Escobar, Daniel Vogelbach, J.D. Davis, Luis Guillorme, or Mark Vientos. None of those batters inspired fear in opponents anywhere near the level of Alonso, and only Vogelbach really inspired any fear at all.

In fact, five of Alonso’s intentional walks came with Darin Ruf hitting after him. Several of them came when the opponent had in a left-handed pitcher and was going for the platoon advantage against the left-handed Vogelbach. The Mets would automatically pinch-hit Ruf for Vogelbach in those situations.

Notice that Alonso was not intentionally walked when Jeff McNeil was batting fifth.

Overall, in the at-bat following Alonso’s intentional walks, the Mets were 4-for-15 with 9 RBI, 5 strikeouts, and one sacrifice fly. They had one grand slam and one walk-off hit in those at-bats. However, there were also two instances when Alonso was intentionally walked with fewer than two outs and scored on a hit two or more batters after his walk.

Did the teams gain from intentionally walking Alonso? Perhaps, as they got the out they needed to end the inning in nine instances, including one forceout at second. However, the four hits, sacrifice fly, and RBI in subsequent at-bats were damaging enough to make those teams reconsider the strategy in hindsight, even with the lesser hitters behind Alonso.

For the Mets, though, they might want to think long and hard about who their hitter after Alonso is. In 2022, Vogelbach put up a .236/.387/.446/.832 from the fifth spot in 137 PA, while Ruf went .159/.220/.205/.425 in 50 PA. Following an Alonso intentional walk, Vogelbach was 1-for-3 with a grand slam, a strikeout, and a fly-out DP (Marte was thrown out at the plate trying to score on a flyout), while Ruf was 1-for-5 with two strikeouts and a two-run single.

To Walk or Not To Walk

Current Mets manager Buck Showalter issued perhaps the most infamous intentional walk in MLB history when he chose to walk Barry Bonds with the bases loaded. In May 1998, Showalter’s Arizona Diamondbacks were leading Bonds’ San Francisco Giants 8-6 with two outs in the ninth inning.

Showalter, who had no bullpen left, took the risk to walk Bonds, the most feared hitter in the game, and take his chances with Brett Moyne. It paid off when Moyne lined out to right to end the game.

An average baseball fan would likely justify Showalter’s move in that situation. FanGraphs Baseball and other analytical outlets, however, have calculated that walking in a run with the bases loaded never makes sense—not even when that hitter is peak Barry Bonds.

Overall, the intentional walk should and have been going the way of the bunt and the stolen base (pre-2023, anyway): used less and less often. Just as giving up extra outs on the offensive side is foolhardy, allowing extra base runners is not a sound strategy.

The Mets happily took the extra base runners when Alonso was intentionally walked. Did they capitalize as much as they could have? No. But nine RBI in 16 at-bats is a pretty hefty ratio, and, when you add in the two other subsequent hits that led to Alonso’s scoring, they received 11 extra runs as a result of the intentional walk strategy. (Maybe they actually want the other team to keep doing it.)

Showalter talks a lot about blending an old-school for the game feel with new-age analytics. He might want to lean more on the latter when it comes to intentional walks. From an offensive standpoint, though, the number one idea must be not to take the bat out of his best hitters’ hands.

The post Pete Alonso And The Curious Case Of The Intentional Walk appeared first on Metsmerized.

Pete Alonso. Photo by Ed Delany of Metsmerized

Pete Alonso looks primed and ready as the 2023 Mets’ spring training season officially gets under way.

Alonso was 3-for-3 with an RBI and two runs scored. One of those hits was a lead-off, solo home run in the bottom of the second inning off of Marlins’ starting pitcher, Braxton Garrett. It was a long home run, deep over the center field wall of Clover Park, clocked at 105.3 MPH off the bat.

Alonso spoke with the media after his day concluded. One of the topics he discussed was how he has altered his routine and structured his spring camp with the World Baseball Classic coming up in a couple weeks.

“I wouldn’t say I’ve changed anything,” stated Alonso. “It’s just trying to do the best I can to master consistency,” he said. Alonso talked about trying to be in control of as many outcomes as a possible in a, “Sport where you have little to no control.”

Pete crushed this one in his first AB of the spring! Exit velo was 105.3 mph.pic.twitter.com/ccO1XQX4vz

— Metsmerized Online (@Metsmerized) February 25, 2023

“If I can stay within myself and stay disciplined in any situation, I want to be able to get the most out of my ability,” he expressed.

Alonso also spoke about getting used to the new pitch clock rules that are now in place and what it’s been like figuring out a routine and clock management.

“I’m just trying to figure it out right now. I want to be able to establish a routine,” he said. “I want to be able to develop something where I have time, where I have certain cues,” stated Alonso. He went on to elaborate that now that spring games have begun and players get to experience real use of the pitch clock that he can now “tinker,” or figure it out ahead of the regular season.

“I just want to develop a routine or ritual and get it down. I’ll kind of play with some stuff during these spring games, but so far, so good,” Alonso stated.

Regardless, it looked like the new pitch clock had little-to-no effect on Pete. Who exploded out of the gates. It’s early, but a 3-for-3 game with a rocket of a home run is always a great early sign.

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