It was largely a weekend to forget for the Mets in Philadelphia. An implosion from the bullpen led to an ugly 10-2 defeat and a seventh straight loss in Friday’s series opener. The team had seemingly hit rock bottom.

Then, on Saturday, a corner seemed to have been turned. The offense exploded into life with seven home runs in a huge 11-4 win to end the losing streak in style.

However, all that joy and excitement proved to be short-lived. The Mets returned to losing ways on Sunday, dropping the finale and the series to cap off a miserable stretch of baseball. New York has now lost eight of its past nine games. The ballclub no longer sits atop the NL East. A crucial four-game series with the Braves in Queens now awaits.

Before we get to that, however, let’s recap everything from the weekend in the latest edition of 3 Up, 3 Down…

Juan Soto (22) Credit: Kyle Ross-Imagn Images

3 UP

SHOWING IMPROVEMENT

Despite not having plenty of time to prepare, Blade Tidwell delivered a better performance in his second career MLB start. The rookie was told the night before he would be starting Friday’s opener against the Phillies. Despite the resulting rush, Tidwell was better than his nightmare debut in which he allowed six earned runs. The righty held an explosive Phillies offense to three scoreless innings. He did run into trouble in the fourth, allowing two earned runs. However, it was a step in the right direction for Tidwell, who showed plenty of upside with his fastball.

HITTING HIS STRIDE

Juan Soto is starting to look more like himself. He is hitting .350/.458/.800/.1.258 over his last six games. Furthermore, the superstar hitter is reaching base at a high clip. He drew three walks in the two losses to the Phillies. Then, in the middle game of the series, Soto went off. He finished 4-for-5 with two runs scored, two home runs and four RBIs. When he’s at his best, Soto can take over games as he did on Saturday. When looking at a larger sample size, the four-time All-Star is slashing .338/.495/.716 with 22 walks, eight homers, four doubles, 16 RBIs and 20 runs scored over his last 22 games. Those stats, coupled with Saturday’s stellar showing, suggest Soto is becoming more and more locked in. That could be crucial to helping the Mets out of their current rut.

OFFENSIVE POTENTIAL

The lineup didn’t do a good enough job overall this weekend. That’s why the Mets dropped another big series. However, on Saturday, we saw the full potential of this offense. The lineup exploded for 11 runs, including seven home runs. It was just the fifth time in franchise history that the Mets hit seven or more home runs in a single game. They also hit back-to-back-to-back homers for just the 10th time in franchise history. Both Soto and Brandon Nimmo went yard twice. Francisco Lindor, Jared Young and Francisco Alvarez also hit home runs in the win. Although they couldn’t repeat the feat on Sunday, we saw just how dangerous this lineup can be when it is at its best. Now, the offense just needs to find some consistency.

Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

3 DOWN

STUNNING DEMOTION

Okay, so the writing has been on the wall for a while as it pertains to Francisco Alvarez potentially getting sent down to Triple-A. But it didn’t make the actual event any less shocking on Sunday. The struggling Alvarez was officially optioned to Triple-A Syracuse on Sunday. He will now look to work on his flaws and claw back some confidence without having to worry about the spotlight every single day. It is a demotion that makes sense for all parties. Alvarez has regressed both defensively and offensively this year, and not by a little bit, either. He has looked lost both behind and at the plate. He’s been making defensive errors while hitting just .236/.319/.333 with six extra-base hits.

A reset has been needed for a while. As for the Mets, they are trying to compete for a championship and don’t have the luxury of allowing a young player to work it out on the fly. The Mets will now hope that Alvarez can make the necessary adjustments and show he’s ready to return to the big leagues sooner rather than later.

RARE MISTEP 

It is never a good sign when a team’s most reliable starter gets knocked around. That was the case for David Peterson,who endured a rare off-night on Sunday. In the series finale, Peterson got shelled for five runs on six hits and three walks in just four innings. He also gave up two home runs in the fourth, including a three-run shot that blew the game wide open. Peterson never recovered from that blow, and neither did the Mets. With the bullpen exhausted and the offense going quiet again, New York needed Peterson’s usual best. Sadly, he just didn’t have it on Sunday.

RUNNING ON EMPTY

The bullpen is reeling right now. An already taxed unit was pushed to its absolute limits over the weekend. It started in the series opener on Friday. After Blade Tidwell could only go 3.2 innings, the bullpen was called upon to carry the majority of the workload. It worked for a while until Reed Garrett entered the game and proceeded to allow four runs to blow open what had been a tie game. Justin Garza couldn’t limit the damage, also giving up four earned runs as a close game morphed into an embarrassing loss for the Mets. To be fair, the relief pitching rebounded on Saturday with four innings of scoreless relief. But, on Sunday, the bullpen would allow another two earned runs. More crucially, relievers are being asked to log a lot of innings right now. That just isn’t sustainable, and it will lead to more blown games.

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Sean Manaea looked fantastic in his rehab start in Triple-A on Friday. The lefty tossed 5 1/3 innings, allowing just one run on two hits, no walks and seven strikeouts. He will likely undergo a few more rehab starts before returning to the major league team, but he will certainly be a massive reinforcement when that time comes.

Sean Manaea. Photo by Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

Latest Mets News

The Mets (45-31) lost their seventh straight game, falling 10-2 to the Phillies (46-30) on Friday. Zack Wheeler silenced the Mets before they hit back-to-back home runs off Taijuan Walker in the sixth inning, but Blade Tidwell and the bullpen allowed 10 runs to quickly turn the game into a blowout.

Each game in the Mets’ series in Philadelphia is being broadcast nationally. Friday night’s game aired on Apple TV, Saturday’s game will be on FOX, and Sunday night’s game will be featured on ESPN Sunday Night Baseball.

Speaking to reporters before Friday’s game, Carlos Mendoza said a Monday return is possible for Mark Vientos.

According to Ken Rosenthal and Will Sammon of The Athletic, the Mets are reportedly seeking center field and bullpen help at this year’s trade deadline. The Mets are expected to trade from their surplus of pitching prospects.

The Mets announced a few roster moves prior to Friday’s game. The team recalled Tidwell, who started Friday’s game, and sent Justin Hagenman back to Syracuse. Additionally, the Mets transferred Manaea’s rehab assignment to Syracuse, where he made his start on Friday.

Latest MLB News

The Dodgers made a statement following the recent presence of ICE agents at their stadium, announcing they are committing $1 million towards families of immigrants impacted by recent events in the region.

Per Sam Blum of The Athletic, hedge fund founder Trip Miller has formed a group and has made an all-cash offer to the Rays in an attempt to purchase the team. This comes after the Rays were reported to be in deep talks with real estate developer Patrick Zapulski for ownership of the team.

Pirates reliever and former Met Dennis Santana was suspended for four games on Friday, following an incident where he displayed “aggressive conduct” towards a Tigers fan on Thursday.

In other suspension news, Padres reliever Robert Suarez was suspended three games while Dodgers manager Dave Roberts and Padres manager Mike Shildt were each suspended a game and fined for the recent animosity and throwing at batters between the two rivals.

Blum also reported that Angels manager Ron Washington will not manage the team for the time being due to a health concern. Ray Montgomery, the Angels’ bench coach, will manage the team moving forward.

The Mariners reinstated outfielder Luke Raley from the 10-day injured list and designated Rowdy Tellez for assignment. Raley had just a .669 OPS prior to his injury, meanwhile Tellez had not been much better with a .682 OPS.

Latest on MMO

Christian De Block writes about the Mets pitchers’ command issues as of late.

On This Date in Mets History

1964: The Mets were victims of a perfect game, pitched by Jim Bunning of the Phillies. It was the first perfect game pitched in the National League since 1880.

Born on This Date: Sam Clay (1993), Jeff Musselman (1963).

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Lindor is on some run right now, as he has hit four home runs in his last four games. His first homer of Monday’s game came in the first inning, giving him his second straight game with a leadoff home run. His second of the game was a three-run shot in the seventh inning, extending the Mets’ lead from 2-0 to 5-0. Jesse Winker also hit a home run in the victory, his first of the year.

Aaron Nola pitched into the seventh inning despite giving up the early home runs to Lindor and Winker, taking control of the game after giving up the lead. He nearly let the game slip away earlier than it did, as it appeared Juan Soto crushed a three-run homer in the third inning, but the ball was ruled foul by mere inches. Nola rebounded, getting Soto to ground out, but the Phillies offense gave him no help.

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Tylor Megill pitched for the Mets and delivered his best start of the year, going into the sixth inning and tying his career high in strikeouts. He did all this without allowing a run, keeping the Phillies’ offensive star power from doing any damage. His final line was 5 1/3 innings with no runs allowed on a hit, four walks, and 10 strikeouts. His ERA dropped to 1.09, a stellar mark through his first five starts of the year.

Reed Garrett followed Megill out of the bullpen and got two crucial outs with runners on base in the sixth inning to keep the shutout intact. Max Kranick was then called upon to start the seventh inning and pitched a clean two innings. He remained on for the ninth, looking for the rare three-inning save, but a double and a base hit with no outs brought the Phillies’ first run home to make it a 5-1 game. Another base hit after that was enough for Carlos Mendoza, who lifted Kranick in favor of Edwin Díaz.

Díaz, who has struggled with command immediately after entering games this year, threw strikes upon his entrance and recorded a one-pitch out but subsequently allowed a three-run homer to Bryson Stott to all of a sudden bring the Phillies within a run. Trea Turner and Bryce Harper loomed with just one out, putting the Mets in jeopardy of blowing their five-run lead.

Díaz remained composed, striking out Turner on a center-cut fastball before fooling Harper on three pitches, all sliders, to end the game. It was easy until it wasn’t, but a win is a win. The Mets have now won five straight and are 16-7, tied with the Dodgers and Padres for MLB’s best record. The Mets’ lead atop the NL East is now three games.

Stat of the Game: 20 Multi-Homer Games

Francisco Lindor now has 20 multi-home run games in his career, which puts him in sole possession of third place for players who achieved multiple home runs in a game while playing shortstop. He passes Trevor Story (19) and trails Alex Rodriguez (33) and Ernie Banks (24).

Player of the Game: Francisco Lindor

Tylor Megill did everything he could to earn player of the game honors, and he was certainly deserving, but Lindor is simply on another level right now. He hit two home runs, drove in four, and raised his OPS on the year to .840, bringing it up nearly .100 points in a single game.

On Deck

The Mets will continue their series with the Phillies Tuesday night at 7:10 p.m. ET. Griffin Canning (2-1, 3.43 ERA) will look to build off his best start of the year, while Cristopher Sánchez will take the mound for the Phillies, also coming off his best start of the year. The game will air on SNY and TBS.

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Carlos Mendoza announced the Mets’ pitching schedule for the first two games of the NLDS on Friday. Mendoza surprisingly announced, rather than Tylor Megill or David Peterson, that Kodai Senga would get the ball for Game 1, making just his second start all year. Mendoza then announced that Luis Severino will pitch Game 2 on the road on regular rest.

Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images

Latest Mets News

Start times for NLDS Games 3 through 5 were announced:

• Game 3 (Tuesday): 5:08 p.m. ET
• Game 4 (Wednesday): 5:08 p.m. ET
• Game 5 (Friday): 4:08 p.m. ET

Jeff McNeil and his wife, Tatiana, welcomed their second child, a daughter named Serena.

Former Mets first baseman Lucas Duda was hired as the hitting coach for Lipscomb University’s baseball team.

Latest MLB News

Phillies manager Rob Thomson announced that Cristopher Sánchez will pitch Game 2 at home for the Phillies, partly because Thomson expects Citi Field to be a “pretty hostile environment.” Sánchez has been much better at Citizens Bank Park than on the road this year, owning a 2.21 home ERA and a 5.02 road ERA.

Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune reported that Joe Musgrove will undergo Tommy John surgery. It’s a brutal blow for Musgrove and the Padres, as Musgrove was pitching brilliantly lately, but he exited his last start in the Wild Card round against the Braves early and he’ll now be out through at least 2025. The Padres will have to continue their World Series hunt without him.

Anthony Rizzo will not be on the ALDS roster for the Yankees. The first baseman has been out with fractured fingers on his right hand.

The Reds officially announced they agreed on a contract with legendary manager Terry Francona to be the team’s next skipper. It is a three-year deal with a club option for the 2028 season.

The Twins announced that Thad Levine, their general manager, is departing the organization to pursue other opportunities, both in and out of baseball. Levine spent the last eight seasons as the Twins’ general manager, serving most of his tenure under president of baseball operations Derek Falvey.

According to MLB.com’s Mark Bowman, the Braves plan on picking up the team options on Marcell Ozuna ($16 million), Travis d’Arnaud ($8 million), and Aaron Bummer ($7.25 million). Ozuna had another fantastic season (39 HR, .925 OPS) while d’Arnaud (.739 OPS) and Bummer (3.58 ERA) were both solid.

Per ESPN’s Jeff Passan, Japanese pitcher Tomoyuki Sugano will sign with an MLB team as an international free agent in the offseason. Sugano, who will be turning 35 next week, went 15-3 with a 1.67 ERA in 24 starts for the Yomiuri Giants in 2024.

Latest on MMO

Jack Markowski relives Pete Alonso‘s rollercoaster of a night on Thursday, from his dropped pop-up in foul territory to his season-saving home run in the ninth inning.

Christian De Block recaps the stellar outing from Jose Quintana to help keep the season alive in Thursday’s do-or-die game.

On This Date in Mets History

1986: The Mets capped off their regular season with a 9-0 victory over the Pirates. It was the Mets’ 108th win of the year, finishing with a 108-54 record.

2023: Mets general manager Billy Eppler resigned from his position due to an investigation into his alleged manipulation of the injured list. Eppler was originally set to remain in the organization under new president of baseball operations David Stearns, but he felt it would be unfair to burden Stearns with the investigation.

Born On This Date: Rey Sánchez (1967), Brent Gaff (1958), Dennis Bennett (1939).

The post Morning Briefing: Mets Announce Starters For Games 1 and 2 appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Wild Card Update

Despite the Mets getting shellacked by the Phillies in a 12-2 loss Friday night, they remain two games ahead of the Braves for control of the final Wild Card spot after Atlanta lost to the Marlins 4-3. It’s a painful loss for the Braves, who couldn’t defeat the lowly Marlins to take advantage of New York’s defeat.

While the Mets will take staying two games in front of the Braves, with their loss they fell back behind the Diamondbacks and further behind the Padres, as both teams won Friday night. The Mets are now one game behind Arizona for the second Wild Card spot and three games behind San Diego for the top Wild Card spot.

Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

Latest Mets News

The Mets and Phillies play their third game of the four-game series at 4:10 p.m. ET Saturday afternoon. It will be a battle of lefties, with Sean Manaea (11-5, 3.26 ERA) taking the mound against Ranger Suárez (12-7, 3.13 ERA).

Manager Carlos Mendoza told reporters before Friday’s game that Kodai Senga will pitch for Syracuse on Saturday and he will throw about 30-35 pitches over one or two innings. The belief is that Senga’s next outing after that will be in the major leagues, which could come in the final series against the Brewers.

Mendoza also mentioned to reporters that Francisco Lindor would resume baseball activities on Friday, and there was a hope he’d be able to return to the lineup for Saturday’s game.

The Mets announced their Player Development Award winners early Friday, given to this season’s top minor league players and staff members. Here are the winners:

• Player of the Year: Nick Morabito (.312/.403/.398/.801, 4 HR, 32 RBI, 59 SB, 74 R, 142 H in 119 games between St. Lucie and Brooklyn)
• Pitcher of the Year: Brandon Sproat (7-4, 3.40 ERA, 1.11 WHIP, 130 SO, 116 1/3 IP in 24 appearances between Brooklyn, Binghamton, and Syracuse)
• DSL Player of the Year: Edward Lantigua (.263/.397/.395/.792, 1 HR, 22 RBI, 9 SB, 28 R, 40 H in 45 games)
• DSL Pitcher of the Year: Jose Guevara (3-2, 1.64 ERA, 0.841 WHIP, 52 SO, 44 IP in 10 appearances)
• Minor League Staff Member of the Year: Ches Goodman (Coordinator, Minor League Operations)
• Dominican Academy Staff Member of the Year: Anthony Sambois (Manager, Latin America Baseball Systems)

Latest MLB News

Juan Soto was scratched from the Yankees’ lineup Friday night, a day after he injured himself sliding into the outfield wall. Soto experienced soreness and swelling in his knee, prompting his removal from the lineup. Soto’s X-rays came back negative, and he is not expected to undergo additional testing.

The Diamondbacks reinstated outfielder Lourdes Gurriel Jr. from the injured list and designated former Met Luis Guillorme for assignment. Gurriel last played September 1, but he’s been a big part of the Diamondbacks offense this year with 17 home runs and a .744 OPS. Guillorme, meanwhile, had just a .563 OPS in 18 games with Arizona, and he has a .574 OPS overall this year between three teams.

Latest on MMO

In the latest Mets Minors Recap, Michael Mayer highlights another stellar performance in Syracuse from Jett Williams.

Colin Chatto breaks down the fantastic night at the plate from Brandon Nimmo on Thursday, which helped the Mets defeat the Phillies.

David Melendi writes about how Mark Vientos has earned consideration for the Silver Slugger Award this year. He would become just the third Mets third baseman (Howard Johnson, David Wright) to win the award.

On This Date in Mets History

2001: The Mets played in the first sporting event in New York City following the 9/11 attacks just 10 days prior. Mike Piazza delivered his iconic home run in the eighth inning to help the Mets defeat the Braves 3-2.

Born On This Date: Antonio Bastardo (1985), Joaquín Arias (1984), Greg Burke (1982), Scott Rice (1981), D.J. Dozier (1965).

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Two consecutive losses to the elite Phillies ensured the Mets failed to make up any ground on their NL Wild Card rivals. More importantly, though, a nagging injury to a crucial player ensured a rather dark cloud will hover over this team heading into the week.

However, all hope is not lost, and, on that note, let’s dive straight into another edition of 3 Up, 3 Down…

Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images

3 UP

PLENTY TO PLAY FOR

This weekend wasn’t all doom and gloom for the Mets. Yes, they dropped a series at a time when they could ill afford to. And, yes, a certain star player is dealing with an injury that could prove problematic. More on that later. But, despite all of that adversity, the Mets are still right in the thick of things. With Atlanta losing to the Dodgers on Sunday night, New York is still tied with the Braves for the final Wild Card spot in the National League. As a result, this team could send a real statement by taking care of business against the Nationals to start the week. It isn’t over yet. There’s still a hell of a lot of baseball yet to play.

CAREER DAY

David Peterson gave the Mets every chance to clinch the series against the Phillies on Sunday. The lefty tossed a career-high 7.2 innings. He allowed one run on four hits with one walk and six strikeouts. In other words, Peterson was absolutely money when he needed to be. He did his job, but unfortunately, the offense couldn’t hold up their end of the bargain. Despite that, Peterson lowered his ERA to 2.85 on the year. He has easily been one of the Mets’ biggest surprises of the year.

GREAT FIRST IMPRESSION

Mets fans finally got their wish during the series in Philadelphia. The team called up highly-rated prospect Luisangel Acuña to The Show, and his first showing did not disappoint. The shortstop collected a pair of hits in his Major League debut on Saturday, recording a pair of hard-hit singles. Acuña also made some nice plays in the field on Sunday, including some fancy glovework to get the final out of the fourth inning. All in all, Acuña flashed some tantalizing signs of what we could come to expect from the prospect down the road.

Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports

3 DOWN

HOPE AND PRAY

Monday will be a nerve-wracking experience for everyone in Mets land. Francisco Lindor, the team’s MVP of this year, will undergo an MRI on Monday to determine the full extent of his lower back tightness. Lindor was hindered by back pain all weekend, exiting early on Friday, and not playing in Saturday’s game. He was in the lineup for the finale on Sunday but lasted less than two full innings. The star shortstop was clearly in a lot of discomfort, and we now wait and hope for positive news. Lindor will likely play through as much pain as possible for the final 13 games of the regular season if can. He’s a gamer. However, if he’s forced to miss any time at all, that could act as a fatal blow to the Mets’ hopes of making the playoffs.

SAME OLD STORY

The bullpen has been a major concern for most of the year. It was considered a weakness coming into the season, and despite some high points here and there, the relief pitching could be what ultimately dooms the Mets. That was certainly the case over the weekend. Danny Young, Reed Garrett and Ryne Stanek combined to allow three runs on five hits with a walk as the bullpen melted down on Saturday. Then, in the series finale, Edwin Díaz entered a tied game in the bottom of the ninth and gave up a walk-off single to J.T. Realmuto. The Mets need their relievers to be money and clutch down the stretch. If not, October baseball may remain a distant dream.

GOING COLD

Other than Friday’s offensive explosion, the lineup didn’t really produce the goods for the Mets against the Phillies. And, even in the series opener, it took until the fifth inning for the bats to wake up. The offense was shut out for the final six innings of Saturday’s game before being held to just one run on Sunday. All in all, the Mets went just 3-for-12 with runners in scoring position over the final two games of the series in Philadelphia. And, with the top of the lineup not delivering consistently enough, that should be a real concern heading into the final couple of weeks of the regular season. Especially if Lindor ends up missing any more time.

The post 3 Up, 3 Down: Mets Endure Tough Weekend In Philly appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Manager Carlos Mendoza gave an update on Friday about Paul Blackburn‘s status, mentioning that Blackburn is not expected to pitch in the next 7-10 days and is being considered week-to-week. Blackburn was expected to return off the injured list and make a start on Monday but missed it due to a sore back. His status has worsened, and he is now expected to miss more time than originally anticipated.

Francisco Lindor left the Mets’ 11-3 win in the seventh inning with lower back soreness. He’s day-to-day and would’ve likely played through if the score was closer than 7-0 at his time of removal.

Denis Poroy-USA TODAY Sports

Wild Card Update

The Mets remain in the third Wild Card spot after Friday’s game results. The Mets and Braves both won, so New York remains a game ahead. The Padres also won, but the Mets gain a game on the Diamondbacks, who lost 2-1 to the Brewers. The Mets are now a game behind both the Padres and Diamondbacks for the top Wild Card spot.

Latest Mets News

The Mets defeated the Phillies 11-3 in Friday’s game. Francisco Alvarez, Brandon Nimmo, and Harrison Bader each hit three-run homers while Jose Quintana tossed six scoreless innings in the victory.

The Mets and Phillies play the middle game of the series Saturday afternoon with a 4:05 p.m. ET start time. Luis Severino (10-6, 3.74 ERA) will take the mound against possibly Kolby Allard (2-0, 3.50 ERA), though that has not yet been confirmed.

Per Dariel Álvarez-Montes of El Extrabase, the Mets are calling up prospect Luisangel Acuña from Triple-A Syracuse. Acuña has struggled in Triple-A this year with a .654 OPS, but he possesses elite speed and defense. Acuña is ranked as MMO’s No. 12 Mets prospect.

According to Carlos Mendoza, reliever Dedniel Núñez will miss the rest of the season with a flexor injury. It’s a huge blow for the Mets, who saw Núñez thrive out of nowhere to the tune of a 2.31 ERA in 25 appearances this year.

The Mets hired NBA executive Samantha Engelhardt to be the team’s new Chief Operating Officer, according to Sports Business Journal. Engelhardt will start on Monday and is expected to oversee financial strategy, information technology and public relations. A source told SBJ, “She is a force. Total superstar with limitless potential. Mets got a star.”

Latest MLB News

The Rangers signed general manager Chris Young to a multi-year contract extension. The team also promoted him from Executive Vice President and General Manager to President of Baseball Operations.

ESPN’s Alden González reported that there is a slight chance Shohei Ohtani could pitch in the postseason for the Dodgers. Ohtani, who hasn’t pitched all year, was not expected to return at any point this year but Dodgers manager Dave Roberts reportedly left that possibility open.

Dave Roberts also said that Tyler Glasnow felt discomfort on the same area of the arm that put him on the injured list during a warm-up session. Roberts said this was a setback.

The Yankees are moving starting pitcher Marcus Stroman to the bullpen and will allow Nestor Cortes to make his next turn through the rotation. Stroman has pitched to a 10-8 record with a 4.07 ERA in his debut season with the Yankees, but his move to the bullpen is attributed to his more recent struggles; he owns a 5.50 ERA in his last 14 starts.

SportsLogos.net announced that all MLB teams will sport the logo of Strauss, a German workwear company, on their batting helmets during all postseason and World Series games, as well as all games played in Europe, through the 2027 season. The logo will also be on all minor league team helmets for all games through the same timeframe.

FanGraphs announced that they are moving all FanGraphs and RotoGraphs articles to a metered paywall. Readers will get 10 free articles per rolling month but will have to become a member to read more.

Rimas Sports, the agency created by Bad Bunny, had its penalty for defying a court order reduced from over $215,000 to just over $10,000, a reduction of 95%.

Latest on MMO

In the latest Mets Minors Recap, Jack Markowski highlights Nolan McLean‘s latest great performance on the mound for the Binghamton Rumble Ponies.

On This Date in Mets History

1963: Cleon Jones made his MLB debut as a defensive replacement in the ninth inning of what would end up as a 4-0 loss to the Houston Colt .45s. Jones would go on to have a lengthy career with the Mets and was an integral member of the 1969 World Series championship team.

Born On This Date: Chad Bradford (1974), Mike Draper (1966), Harry Parker (1947), Dave Hillman (1927).

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Daniel Murphy defeated Chase Utley in a virtual home run derby in London on Friday. The derby was a promotional event held in Trafalgar Square before this weekend’s series in London between the Mets and Phillies. Legendary home run derby pitcher and former Mets bench coach Dave Jauss pitched to Murphy.

The London Series gets underway Saturday afternoon at 1:10 p.m. ET. Sean Manaea (3-2, 3.63 ERA) and Ranger Suárez (9-1, 1.70) are the starters in game one of the two-game set.

Latest Mets News

The Mets announced on Friday that Jett Williams underwent right wrist surgery with a recovery time in the 8-10 week range. Williams has only played in 11 games this season and will now miss most of the rest of the season.

MLB.com’s Anthony DiComo reported that Francisco Alvarez‘s return to the big leagues will be slightly delayed, as he had to return to Venezuela for a family matter. Alvarez was expected to join the Mets immediately following their series in London, but the Mets will have to wait at least a few more days.

DiComo also reported that Edwin Díaz, who made a rehab appearance in Brooklyn on Thursday, will pitch again for Brooklyn on Sunday.

Mike Puma of the New York Post reported that Kodai Senga will throw a bullpen session early next week as he continues rehabbing for a return to the major leagues.

Puma also noted that Brett Baty is joining the Mets as the 27th man in London, and Baty is going to begin taking reps at second base as he looks to find a way back onto the major league roster.

David Wright sat down with Michelle Margaux of SNY to talk about his experience in London so far, growing baseball internationally, and what he has seen from the Mets this year.

Latest MLB News

The Tigers announced that they traded infielder Buddy Kennedy to the Phillies in exchange for cash considerations. Kennedy has a .714 OPS in Triple-A and a home run in 13 big league plate appearances this year.

Per Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times, the Rays designated Harold Ramírez for assignment to make room for Taylor Walls. Ramírez was a .300 hitter each of the past two seasons and he was especially productive in 2023 with an .813 OPS. However, he’s only batting .268 this year with a .589 OPS, hindered by only three walks and four extra-base hits in 48 games played.

John Schneider, manager of the Blue Jays, told reporters that starter Alek Manoah will undergo UCL surgery later this month and miss the rest of the season. Manoah was having somewhat of a bounceback campaign this year, as he had a 3.70 ERA in five starts.

Latest on MMO

In the latest Mets Minors Recap, Michael Mayer recaps Thursday’s games including another Ryan Clifford home run in Binghamton.

Andrew Steele-Davis provides some important information on the history of baseball in London and which Mets have played in London before.

On This Date in Mets History

1965: The first ever MLB draft of eligible high school and college draftees was held on this date in 1965. The Mets drafted Les Rohr second overall, and he had a very brief major league career. In the 12th round with the 295th overall pick, however, the Mets drafted Nolan Ryan out of Alvin High School in Alvin, Texas.

Birthdays: R.J. Alvarez (33), Terrance Gore (33), T.J. McFarland (35), Dave Mlicki (56), John Gibbons (62)

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On Friday, Andy Martino of SNY announced that the Mets will send a contingent of David Wright, Mike Piazza, Daniel Murphy, and Mookie Wilson to London for the team’s upcoming series in the city with the Phillies. The four Mets icons will serve as ambassadors for the team.

Murphy will also participate in a home run contest in London’s Trafalgar Square with Chase Utley, who will be representing the Phillies.

Latest Mets News

The Mets defeated the Diamondbacks 10-9 on Friday night. The Diamondbacks got out to a 3-0 lead in the first, but the Mets scored four right back and held a 10-5 lead entering the ninth inning. Two consecutive home runs allowed by Reed Garrett made it 10-9, but he was able to record the final out and give the Mets their second consecutive win.

The Mets made a flurry of roster moves on Friday. The most notable were Brett Baty and Christian Scott being sent down to Triple-A. Scott’s stay in the minors is expected to be short and is a move to allow the Mets more flexibility with the way their upcoming schedule is structured.

In corresponding moves, the Mets called up Jose Iglesias to give the team another middle infielder, as well as Dedniel Núñez to add another arm to the bullpen.

Additionally, the Mets traded cash considerations to the Yankees for catcher Luis Torrens and designated Omar Narváez for assignment.

With Darryl Strawberry getting his number retired prior to Saturday’s game, Eric Davis, who has played with and against Darryl since the two were kids, will be in attendance.

Shintaro Fujinami, who has spent the 2024 season with the Mets in Triple-A, is expected to miss 6-8 weeks with a shoulder injury. The Mets are hopeful that Fujinami can avoid surgery.

The Mets granted Jiman Choi his release from Triple-A Syracuse. Choi had a June 1st opt-out in his contract.

Latest MLB News

Zac Gallen, who exited Thursday’s game against the Mets with a hamstring injury, was placed on the 15-day injured list with a right hamstring strain. Slade Cecconi was recalled from Triple-A to replace him on the roster.

The Blue Jays placed starting pitcher Alek Manoah on the 15-day injured list with a right elbow sprain.

The Orioles announced that starting pitchers John Means and Tyler Wells will miss the rest of the season after undergoing UCL surgery.

Anthony Tandron, a prospect on the Giants’ DSL team, received a 56-game suspension after testing positive for Boldenone, a performance enhancing drug.

The city of Seattle announced Friday as “Alvin Davis Day.” Davis, nicknamed Mr. Mariner, threw out the first pitch during the team’s game on Friday.

In other Mariners news, the team dismissed bench coach and offensive coordinator Brant Brown. Brown joined the team this past offseason.

Latest on MMO

Michael Mayer highlights Luke Ritter hitting his 10th home run of the season in the latest minor league recap.

Michael Famulari breaks down the four-hit night of Francisco Lindor on Thursday following Wednesday’s players only meeting.

Jack Markowski takes a look at the Mets’ bullpen options during their recent struggles.

On This Date in Mets History

2012: Johan Santana pitched the first no-hitter in Mets history on this day 12 years ago. It took 50 years for the franchise to experience its first no-hitter, and it’s still the only complete game no-hitter in the team’s history. Santana threw 134 pitches, striking out eight and walking five in the historic performance.

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Jeff McNeil, second baseman for the New York Mets, is one of those players who has accomplished plenty in his six-year career. 2023 was not kind to him, however, and he is surely hoping for a bounce-back 2024 campaign. So, where does he rank among second basemen within the NL East? Does a poor 2023 season knock him down a spot or two? Continuing Metsmerized Online’s series of NL East positional rankings, this is how the second basemen stack up.

Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

5. Luis García – Washington Nationals

There is a clear choice for the no. 5 spot here, and that’s not necessarily a knock on Luis García. All it shows is the talent each team in the division has at the second base position. Nevertheless, García is nothing more than a below-average player at best. He’s been in Washington for four years but didn’t get quality playing time until after the 2021 trade deadline, which saw Trea Turner and Josh Harrison shipped away.

In his four years in the big leagues, García carries a career .690 OPS and has never hit double-digit home runs in a single season; his career high is nine, set in 2023. He has also yet to play more than 122 games or record more than 482 plate appearances in a single season, so 2024 could certainly be a breakout year for him if he can stay healthy and play nearly every day. It’s also important to mention that, despite being in the big leagues for four years, García is still just 23 years old. While he finds himself at no. 5 on this list now, he has plenty of potential to improve his standing in the future.

Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports

4. Bryson Stott – Philadelphia Phillies

Bryson Stott has only been in the big leagues for two seasons, but in those two seasons, he has seen his team reach the World Series and come within one win of going to the World Series in back-to-back years. As the everyday second baseman on a dangerous Phillies team, he has provided many big moments but still leaves much to be desired.

The 25-year-old lefty improved a lot at the plate from 2022 to 2023, seeing his OPS rise nearly .100 points from .653 to .747. Still, though, he is not at the level the Phillies are hoping he can reach. 2024 could be the year he reaches that level, but to this point, he has yet to show he’s nothing more than an average hitter. Playing every day in 2023 and recording 640 plate appearances, Stott recorded just 15 home runs and 62 RBIs. While these numbers are respectable, you would probably expect more from the sheer volume of at-bats he took.

Stott happens to be a very good defender (99th percentile in OAA in 2023) so that certainly makes up for not being elite at the plate. Like García, he is still young and has plenty of room to grow. In most other divisions, Stott would find himself higher than no. 4 in the rankings, but this is where he currently lands in the NL East.

Rick Scuteri-USA TODAY Sports

3. Jeff McNeil – New York Mets

Ranking Jeff McNeil after his 2023 season is difficult because he definitely did not play up to his ability. At his best, McNeil is an All-Star and a batting champion, and he has accomplished both in his career as recently as 2022. In 2023, though, his OPS dropped over .100 points (.836 to .711) from the season before, and his average alone dropped .056 points (.326 to .270).

McNeil is now four years into a pattern that has seen him alternate good and bad years at the plate. In 2024, Eric Chávez returns as hitting coach, which is significant because McNeil won his only batting title with Chávez as the hitting coach in 2022. McNeil is surely hoping he can recapture some of the elite contact ability he has demonstrated throughout his career again in 2024. If he does? He can compete for an All-Star selection and another batting title. If he doesn’t? It’ll be another rough year in the shadow of two of the division’s (and league’s) best second basemen.

Mandatory Credit: Rhona Wise-USA TODAY Sports

2. Luis Arráez – Miami Marlins

While McNeil at his best is regarded as one of the best contact hitters in the sport, he’s not even the best contact hitter in his division anymore. In year one on the Marlins, Luis Arráez casually hit .354 in 617 plate appearances, the highest average in a single season since Josh Hamilton hit .359 in 2010. For a while, it looked like Arráez might be able to hit .400 on the year, but I’m sure he’s okay with settling for .354.

In addition to recording a hit seemingly every time he stepped up to the plate, Arráez also walked more than he struck out in 2023, the second consecutive year in which he did that. He has made two consecutive All-Star teams, won two consecutive batting titles, and carries a career .326 average.

The downside for Arráez is that hitting is the only thing he does well. He can’t run and is not very good defensively (1st percentile in OAA in 2023). He hits so well, though, that it almost doesn’t matter. There will never be another Tony Gwynn, but Arráez is the closest thing we’ve seen to him in a long time.

Ozzie Albies. Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

1. Ozzie Albies – Atlanta Braves

You could absolutely make the case that Arráez is the best second baseman in the NL East, but it would be hard to argue against Ozzie Albies. Albies was an All-Star and a second-team All-MLB selection in 2023, the best year of his seven-year career. He recorded a marginally lower OPS than Arráez (.849 compared to .861) but set career highs in home runs (33) and RBIs (109), both of which led primary second basemen in 2023.

What most separates Albies from Arráez is, of course, his ability to hit for power. In 2023, Albies recorded 68 extra-base hits and had a .233 ISO compared to Arráez, who had 43 extra-base hits and a .115 ISO. Albies served as an integral member of one of the most productive lineups in MLB history and is currently one of the top players at his position in the league. Heading into 2024, he takes the crown for best second baseman in the NL East.

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