Despite another disappointing finish in the postseason, the Phillies are likely to extend president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski. Dombrowski has made several great moves in charge of the Phillies, but he also has underperforming veterans such as Trea Turner and Aaron Nola on the books for a lot of money for a long time. It appears Dombrowski is set to continue building the Phillies as they enter a pivotal offseason.

Oct 11, 2023; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies first baseman Bryce Harper (3) hits a three run home run during the third inning against the Atlanta Braves in game three of the NLDS for the 2023 MLB playoffs at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

Latest Mets News

Mets prospects Jefferson Rojas and Sammy Stafura were named by Baseball America among 25 prospects who improved their exit velocity in 2026.

Steve Cohen appeared on the Jimmy Kimmel Live show on Friday night.

Latest on MMO

Matt Mancuso recaps the Brooklyn Cyclones’ season.

Robert Colonna ponders which current Mets could break all-time franchise records.

Robert Colonna discusses if Francisco Alvarez‘s defense is underrated.

On This Date in Mets History

2008: After serving as interim manager, Jerry Manuel signed a two-year deal to remain manager of the Mets.

Born On This Date: Jack Lamabe (1936)

The post Morning Briefing: Dave Dombrowski Extension with Phillies Likely appeared first on Metsmerized.

In what was the final home series of the year, the Mets split with the Phillies, with both teams winning two games apiece. Some inconsistent pitching didn’t help.

As a result, the Mets finished the 2026 season 36-45 at home, which sums up just how disappointing this season has been. The team also bid an emotional farewell to iconic Hall of Fame broadcaster Howie Rose.

On that note, let’s recap everything from the Phillies series in the latest edition of 3 Up, 3 Down…

Carson Benge by Roberto Carlo

3 UP

FAREWELL, HOWIE

The Mets got a chance to say goodbye to a franchise icon over the weekend. Howie Rose, the beloved Mets broadcaster, put it in the books for one final time on Sunday. Despite the fact that Howe’s retirement ceremony was postponed because of bad weather, fans and players were still able to show their appreciation to Howie. As much a part of the fabric of the Mets as anyone, Howie deserves all of the love and adulation he’s currently getting. It will be strange not to hear him on the radio broadcast anymore.

HOMEGROWN DELIGHT

Mets fans have a new homegrown stud to cherish. Carson Benge continues to show why he could be the future of this team. The outfielder is having a dream rookie year, which was on full display over the weekend. Benge became the Mets’ new rookie hit king after tallying his 156th hit of the year on Saturday. Furthermore, Benge hit his 19th homer of the year. As a result, he is now one homer short of joining the 20/20 club. Benge looks every inch a potential future franchise player for the team. If that wasn’t enough, he plays the game the right way and is incredibly easy to root for.

EYE ON THE FUTURE

All four of the Mets’ young starters got the ball in this series. Three of the young arms really stood out. It started on Thursday when Nolan McLean allowed just one run with five strikeouts over six stellar innings. Zac Thornton flashed his toughness on Friday by striking out four over six innings of two-run ball. Then, on Saturday, Christian Scott allowed three runs but struck out seven over 4.2 innings in a laugher of a win for the Mets. All in all, the Mets got an encouraging glimpse at their future with their three young starters all impressing.

Jonah Tong by Roberto Carlo

3 DOWN

SCARY MOMENT

Some things are bigger than baseball. That was the case on Thursday when Jared Young was carted off the field following a collision with Nolan McLean. The infielder was taken to the hospital and underwent tests following what was just a really scary scene. Thankfully, while he has a concussion, Young has since been discharged from the hospital and has full motion in his arms and legs. He is also able to walk. However, it was still a really scary moment and a tough way for Young’s exceptional season to end.

KILLER BLOW

The Mets were down by just two runs in the series finale on Sunday, with a chance to still play spoiler. However, Kodai Senga came in and gave up a three-run triple to Justin Crawford, putting the game out of reach. While wins and losses don’t matter, it still would have been great if the Mets could have taken the series. Plus, it raises fresh questions about Senga’s future role with this team.

MISSTEP

Speaking of players needing to impress, Jonah Tong suffered a slight setback over the weekend. The young pitcher struggled, allowing four earned runs and four walks over 4.2 innings. Tong didn’t have his best stuff, and he faced a lot of traffic. Now, while it was just one start, finishing strong was always going to be important for Tong as he looks to force his way into the rotation in 2027.

The post 3 Up, 3 Down: Mets Finish Home Schedule With Series Split appeared first on Metsmerized.

The Mets look to snap their five-game losing streak tonight against the Phillies. Last week the Mets were flying high, looking to challenge the Marlins for third in the division. Now, they are back in the cellar, two games behind the Nationals. On Thursday night, Aaron Nola held the Mets scoreless over seven innings and the Mets’ batters only mustered four hits. Jared Young had a scary collision with Nolan McLean and Young had to be carted off. He was placed on the 7-day concussion injured list on Friday, but CT scans were negative and interim manager Andy Green told reporters that he is doing, “as good as could be expected, or hoped for.” The vibes heading into the Mets final three home games are not good.

Jun 26, 2026; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets starting pitcher Zach Thornton (49) pitches against the Philadelphia Phillies during the third inning at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images

Mets Lineup

1. Francisco Lindor – SS
2. Juan Soto – LF
3. Bo Bichette – 3B
4. Carson Benge – RF
5. Mark Vientos – DH
6. A.J. Ewing – CF
7. Marcus Semien – 2B
8. Brett Baty – 1B
9. Luis Torrens – C

Starting Pitcher: Zac Thornton

Thornton is winding down his successful rookie season. Over 13 starts he has thrown 73 1/3 innings with a 3.44 ERA, 4.46 FIP, 1.159 WHIP and a 119 ERA+. Thornton is coming off of a fantastic start against the Yankees where he held them to two runs over seven innings. Thornton faced the Phillies back in June, when he held them to one run over six innings, scattering five hits while striking out seven batters.

The Phillies have the following career stats against Thornton:

• Alec Bohm 0-3, K
• Bryce Harper 2-3
• Derek Hill 0-2, 2 K
• Brandon Marsh 0-3, 2 K
• J.T. Realmuto 1-2, 2B
• Kyle Schwarber 1-2, BB
• Edmundo Sosa 0-2, K
• Bryson Stott 0-2, K
• Trea Turner 1-3, 2B

Opposing Lineup

1. Kyle Schwarber – DH
2. Trea Turner – SS
3. Bryce Harper – RF
4. Luis Arraez – 2B
5. Alec Bohm – 1B
6. Edmundo Sosa – LF
7. Bryson Stott – 3B
8. J.T. Realmuto – C
9. Derek Hill – CF

José Urquidy was claimed off waivers by the Phillies from the White Sox on Thursday and is set to pitch for them today in relief behind Tim Mayza, who will serve as the opener. Urquidy won’t be eligible for the postseason roster, but the Phillies are hoping he can help give the team some necessary innings between now and then. Between the Pirates and the White Sox this season, Urquidy has pitched in 11 games totaling 29 innings with a 5.28 ERA, 4.37 FIP, 1.517 FIP and an 83 ERA+. He last pitched for the White Sox against the Pirates ten days ago, where he went four innings, holding his former club to two runs. His first outing of the season was a relief outing against the Mets where he allowed one unearned run.

The Mets have the following career stats against him:

• Marcus Semien 7-for-18, 2 2B, 2 HR, 2 BB, 2 K
• Bo Bichette 4-15, HR, BB, 4 K
• Francisco Lindor 2-6, 2B, BB, 2 K
• Luis Torrens 1-5, BB, K
• Cristian Pache 0-3, K
• Juan Soto 1-2, 2B, BB

Game Notes

• Ronny Mauricio was recalled from Triple-A Syracuse to take Young’s place on the 28-man roster.
• Green stated that Young is currently dealing with short-term memory loss and headaches, but that his “sense of humor is intact.”

Three Things To Watch For

1. Francisco Lindor. Last Saturday, Lindor hit two home runs, including a grand slam. Since that game, he has gone 2-for-19 with a double and four walks (.105/.261/.158). Is getting his 300th home run becoming a weight? Just a random blip? It’s probably just the latter, but it would be great for Lindor to get his 300th home run at home and get this milestone behind him.
2. Take Advantage of the Phillies. Tonight is the problem night for the Phillies. They are hoping for bulk innings from Urquidy tonight. Jhoan Duran has pitched in back-to-back games. Tonight is the night to put some pressure on this pitching staff. The Mets’ bats have been cold over the last couple of days, collecting only 11 singles and no runs in the last two games.
3. Nate Lavender. It’s been a few days, so it may be another Nate Lavender day tonight. The last time we saw Lavender was on Tuesday, where he pitched 1 2/3 innings while striking out four batters. Over 17 games and 17 innings, he has a 1.59 ERA, 1.21 FIP, 0.882 WHIP and a 261 ERA+. He also has 11.6 K/9.

Let’s go Mets!

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McLean held Philadelphia to one run over six innings, allowing seven hits and three walks while striking out five. He threw 57 of his 82 pitches for strikes and lowered his season ERA to 3.18, though he was ultimately handed the loss in the Mets’ 3-0 defeat.

McLean faced Philadelphia for the fourth time in his career on Thursday. Across those four starts against the Phillies, he owns a 0.71 ERA with 26 strikeouts over 25 1/3 innings. That’s just two total earned runs allowed.

McLean had to weave around traffic early in the game. Bryce Harper singled and Luis Arraez walked with two outs in the first before McLean escaped the inning. Bryson Stott began the second inning with another single, but McLean struck out Brandon Marsh and induced an inning-ending double play from Justin Crawford. He followed with a perfect third, striking out Garrett Stubbs and Kyle Schwarber.

The Phillies finally broke through in the fifth. Marsh singled and advanced to third before McLean walked Schwarber and Trea Turner to load the bases. Harper then hit a ground ball to Francisco Lindor, and Philadelphia successfully challenged the initial force-out ruling, leading to Marsh scoring. McLean was able to limit the damage to one by getting Arraez to line out with the bases still loaded.

Nolan McLean by Berto Carlo

McLean once again used a strong arsenal that has carried him through his first full major league season. He threw seven different pitches, leaning mostly on his sinker and curveball. His curveball has become his most effective weapon. Entering the day, opponents were batting just .135 against it this season, and it had produced a 37.6% whiff rate.

His sixth inning featured something much more important than just his statistics.

With two outs and runners at the corners, Crawford hit a ground ball toward first base that resulted in a frightening collision involving McLean and Jared Young. Young stayed down before eventually being carted off the field. Mark Vientos took his spot at first base.

Interim manager Andy Green said afterward that McLean was “shaken” by what happened.

“He’s a heck of a person. He’s a great competitor, but I think the humanity hit him pretty hard right there, too,” Green said.

After the delay and emotions, McLean still had to finish the inning. He regrouped and froze Stubbs for a called third strike, stranding runners at the corners and completing six innings of one-run ball.

Lindor described how difficult it was for the Mets to watch Young leave the field.

“It is scary to see one of our brothers, one of the most respected and loved teammates that we have here, like that,” Lindor said. “He’s somebody that we all respect and appreciate, and have love for him.”

McLean’s effort kept the Mets within a run, but the offense was not able to provide much support. Aaron Nola shut the Mets out for seven innings, and Philadelphia added runs in the seventh and eighth against Tobias Myers. New York finished with four hits and was shut out, 3-0.

On the bright side, it was yet another quality showing from the rookie right-hander. McLean once again proved to be effective against a Phillies lineup that has struggled to solve him.

The post Nolan McLean Continues to Have Phillies’ Number appeared first on Metsmerized.

In the sixth, Jared Young collided with Nolan McLean on a grounder to first. Young, whose head collided with McLean’s knee, appeared to be knocked out cold and was carted off the field. The Mets later announced that Young was being taken to the hospital for further examination and has feeling in his extremities.

After the game, Andy Green said that Young has “real concussion symptoms” but “is showing really good signs right now.”

The game was scoreless going into the fifth inning, when the Phillies loaded the bases with two outs. McLean induced a slow grounder by Bryce Harper to Lindor’s backhand, but the shortstop’s toss to second base didn’t get there in time upon replay review, allowing the runner from third to score.

The Phillies tacked on two more runs against Tobias Myers in the seventh and eighth, insurance runs they didn’t end up needing. The Mets had four singles and five walks against starter Aaron Nola and four Philly relievers, but couldn’t get anyone home.

PLAYER OF THE GAME

McLean put a lot of traffic on the base paths, with seven hits and three walks, but only allowed one run over six innings while striking out five. He now has a 3.18 ERA and 1.19 WHIP on the season.

ON DECK

The Mets and Phillies resume their four-game series on Friday night. Zac Thornton (4–5, 3.44 ERA) takes the mound for New York, following his seven-inning, two-run gem against the Yankees. Philadelphia hasn’t named a starter yet. First pitch is at 7:15 PM EDT, and the game airs on Apple TV. 

The post Mets Shut Out By Phillies, Jared Young Carted Off After Collision appeared first on Metsmerized.

The Mets start their last home series of the season tonight as they welcome the Phillies to town! This weekend the Mets will be retiring Carlos Beltrán’s number and host a retirement ceremony for Howie Rose. Right now the Mets need to get back in the win column and turn the page after being swept by the Orioles this week. If anyone can do it, it’s Nolan McLean!

Nolan McLean by Berto Carlo

Mets Lineup

1. Francisco Lindor – SS
2. Juan Soto – DH
3. Bo Bichette – 3B
4. Carson Benge – RF
5. Jared Young – 1B
6. A.J. Ewing – CF
7. Francisco Alvarez – C
8. Brett Baty – 2B
9. Nick Morabito – LF

Starting Pitcher: Nolan McLean

Nolan McLean has made 29 starts this season, totaling 166 2/3 innings with a 3.24 ERA, 3.67 FIP, 1.176 WHIP and a 125 ERA+. McLean is coming off a rough start in the Bronx where he allowed five runs on 10 hits, including two home runs, over five innings. McLean had a 1.16 ERA in the five starts leading up to that one. In his one start against the Phillies this season, he shut them out over six innings while striking out 10 batters. The Phillies have the following career stats against McLean:

• Luis Arráez 0-2
• Alec Bohm 3-5, K
• Justin Crawford 0-2, 2 K
• Bryce Harper 1-9, 5 K
• Brandon Marsh 0-2
• J.T. Realmuto 0-7, BB, K
• Kyle Schwarber 0-7, 2 BB, K
• Edmundo Sosa 1-2, K
• Bryson Stott 1-6, BB, K
• Trea Turner 1-6, 2B, 3 K

Opposing Lineup

1. Kyle Schwarber – DH
2. Trea Turner – SS
3. Bryce Harper – RF
4. Luis Arráez – 2B
5. Alec Bohm – 1B
6. Bryson Stott – 3B
7. Brandon Marsh – LF
8. Justin Crawford – CF
9. Garrett Stubbs – C

The Mets bats will try to get back on the right track against Aaron Nola. Nola has made 30 starts, pitching 161 1/3 innings with a 4.69 ERA, 4.85 FIP, 1.370 WHIP and a 97 ERA+. He’s also leading the league in home runs allowed with 34, the second time in three seasons he’s led the league in that stat. Aaron Nola has been a different pitcher, though, over the last six weeks, allowing only eight runs over 36 1/3 innings while striking out 36 batters (1.98 ERA, 3.98 FIP). In two starts against the Mets this season, Nola has allowed six runs and 13 hits over 11 innings. The Mets have the following career stats against him:

• Francisco Alvarez 5-10, 3 HR, BB, 2 K
• Brett Baty 3-15, HR, 3 BB, 4 K
• Carson Benge 2-6, K
• Bo Bichette 4-16, 2B, HR, 4 K
• A.J. Ewing 2-6, 2B, 2 K
• Francisco Lindor 8-44, 2 2B, HR, 2 BB, 11 K
• Christopher Morel 3-8, 2B, HR, BB, 4 K
• Cristian Pache 1-8, 2B, 3 K
• Marcus Semien 1-9, 2 K
• Juan Soto 13-46, 3 2B, 5 HR, 19 BB, 11 K
• Luis Torrens 2-6
• Mark Vientos 2-8, 2 BB
• Jared Young 1-7, HR, BB, 3 K

Game Notes

• The Phillies hold a slim 5-4 lead in the season series with the Mets. New York is 24-21 against the NL East this season, having won the season series against the Braves and Marlins, while holding a 6-4 lead over the Nationals.
• Nolan McLean currently ranks in the NL’s top 10 in ERA (9th), strikeouts (7th), innings pitched (8th) and batting average against (3rd). He sits 11th in WHIP.
• The Mets optioned Xzavion Curry to Triple-A after Wednesday’s game and recalled right-hander Cameron Weston.

Three Things To Watch For

1. A.J. Ewing. Ewing is back on a mini-hot streak. In his last three games, he has gone 5-for-11 with a home run, a stolen base and two runs scored. He has a 3.1 bWAR and is slashing .256/.327/.383 with a 100 OPS+ over his rookie season.
2. Milestones. Francisco Lindor has four more games to reach 300 home runs at home. Carson Benge is only two home runs away from a 20-20 season.
3. Players with long histories. When baseball reorganized the schedules a few years ago to have every team play each other, teams lost a sizeable chunk of their intra-division matchups. It used to be more common to have pitchers and hitters with deep histories against each other. We sort of have that tonight. Aaron Nola has been with the Phillies throughout his career. Juan Soto has been in the NL East for all but 1.5 seasons. Soto has 46 at-bats against Nola with 19 walks (.492 OBP).

Let’s go Mets!

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PITCHING MATCHUPS

• Thursday: Aaron Nola (6-10, 4.69 ERA) vs. Nolan McLean (11-9, 3.24 ERA): Nola has had a difficult season overall, continuing his downward trend over the last few years. But to his credit, he has pitched well down the stretch. Over his last seven starts, Nola is 3-1 with a 2.18 ERA. He has allowed two runs or less in all of those outings. Nola is 6-7 with a 3.45 ERA in 15 career starts at Citi Field. McLean has had a really strong second half, but he’s coming off a rough outing – five runs allowed on 10 hits in five innings against the New York Yankees last weekend. He gave up two home runs, his first start with multiple allowed since July 30 against the Miami Marlins. McLean is 2-1 with a 0.47 ERA in three career starts against the Phillies.
• Friday: TBD vs. Zac Thornton (4-5, 3.44 ERA): With Jesús Luzardo on the injured list with shoulder inflammation, the Phillies have a spot in the rotation to fill. A bullpen game is the likeliest option for Friday’s game. Last Saturday, Tim Mayza threw three innings as an opener against the Atlanta Braves. After a poor performance against the San Francisco Giants, Thornton bounced back in a big way last weekend. He allowed two runs on five hits in seven innings against the Yankees – his second start of the year, with seven innings pitched. Thornton is 1-3 with a 3.80 ERA in eight home starts this season.
• Saturday: Andrew Painter (3-9, 5.54 ERA) vs. Christian Scott (4-5, 3.76 ERA): Painter came into the season with a big opportunity to succeed in the Phillies’ rotation. Initially, he really struggled. In 14 appearances (12 starts), Painter pitched to a 7.06 ERA in the first half. But as the season has progressed, he has looked more settled in. He has given up three runs or less in three of his last four starts. While he took the loss against the Yankees last time out, Scott pitched really well – he allowed two runs on three hits in six innings. His third outing since the All-Star break with six innings or more. Scott is 1-0 with a 1.80 ERA in two career starts against the Phillies.
• Sunday: Cristopher Sánchez (17-6, 2.93 ERA) vs. Jonah Tong (2-1, 3.43 ERA): While Sánchez isn’t one of the favorites to win the National League Cy Young Award, he has had a very good year. His 17 wins rank first among all MLB pitchers, and the Phillies are 22-9 in games started by him. But his last two outings have been very underwhelming: 11 earned runs over his last 12 1/3 innings, including three home runs. The Mets will look to make him work in the midst of his bad stretch. This final stretch of the season could be a really important step in the right direction for Tong. After a rough season in Triple-A Syracuse, a few good big-league starts could go a long way. Tong is 3-1 with a 3.10 ERA in five career appearances (four starts) at Citi Field.

WHAT’S THE STORY?

I think it’s fair to say that the Phillies have failed to live up to expectations over the last few years. They lost the 2022 World Series against the Houston Astros, and a year later, they fell to the Arizona Diamondbacks in the NLCS despite having Game 6 and 7 at home. With Bryce Harper, Kyle Schwarber, Trea Turner and Zack Wheeler approaching or already in their mid 30s, the urgency to reach the mountaintop should be high as the postseason nears.

The Phillies begin play on Thursday 4.5 games behind the Braves for first place in the NL East. With 10 games to go, Philadelphia will most likely have to run the table as a Wild Card team. In a deep National League, that will be far from easy. And given the state of their roster, you will find few teams with more pressure to win in the 2026 playoffs.

PREDICTION

The Mets have made a habit of playing spoiler against quite a few teams throughout the second half. And with this being the final home series of a bad season, the players will want to give the fans something to cheer about. New York will perform better and take two games, splitting the series in the end.

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In Philadelphia for a three-game series, the Mets took two out of three from the Phillies. As has been the case throughout this season, it wasn’t always perfect or pretty.

However, while series wins don’t matter all that much now, it was nice to see some things click, especially in a dominant performance on Sunday to clinch the series.

With that, let’s recap everything from the Phillies series in the latest edition of 3 Up, 3 Down..

Jun 24, 2026; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor (12) reacts before an at bat during the third inning against the Chicago Cubs at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

3 UP

LINDOR’S BIG DAY

Boy, did Francisco Lindor need Sunday. The shortstop has struggled since returning from injury, and he suffered another defensive mishap on Saturday. Furthermore, Lindor has been the subject of intense trade speculation in recent days. However, ignoring the noise, he reminded everyone in the series finale just how valuable he can be to the Mets. Lindor was a triple shy of the cycle, reaching base a total of five times. He finished 3-for-3 with a home run, a double, one run, three RBIs, and two walks. Talk about a monster day at the plate. It was easily Lindor’s best game of the year, and hopefully a precursor of greater things to come.

DAZZLING MCLEAN

Nolan McLean, the ace, is well and truly back. The young starter has seemingly put his struggles behind him, and he was stellar in the finale on Sunday. He was virtually unhittable, allowing just two hits over six scoreless innings with two walks and 10 strikeouts. As a result, McLean has now given up just two earned runs over his last four outings, while striking out 29 batters against seven walks over that span. This is exactly the level of dominance we expected to see from McLean. Long may it continue.

RISING STAR

McLean wasn’t the only starter to impress over the course of this series. Christian Scott showed on Thursday why he could be a cornerstone of this rotation moving forward. The righty was outstanding in his latest start, allowing just three hits with no walks and seven strikeouts over 5.2 scoreless innings. Scott is trending in the right direction, and the talent and potential are clearly there. Now all he needs to do is start going deeper into games.

Jun 16, 2026; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; New York Mets pitcher Kodai Senga (34) looks to the video board during an ABS system challenge during the game against the Cincinnati Reds in the first inning at Great American Ball Park. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-Imagn Images

3 DOWN

END IN SIGHT?

Is it nearly the end of the road for both Sean Manaea and Kodai Senga? One could make a compelling argument that it certainly should be. The duo was responsible for chucking Saturday’s game away, combining for six earned runs over just 5.3 innings. Manaea was the worst culprit, surrendering a pair of homers. With the offense doing nothing, Manaea and Senga only doomed their team thanks to their respective poor efforts. Consequently, it is hard to envision either pitcher having much left to offer the Mets going forward.

HURTING THEMSELVES

What has been most infuriating about this season has been how the Mets have found new ways to lose games on an almost daily basis. They’ve been unable to get out of their own way while committing the most basic of errors. Look at Saturday’s game as a case in point. The Mets made three errors and committed a slew of sloppy defensive miscues in just an ugly, dispiriting display of ineptitude. The fact that the team also finished with the same number of errors as hits truly says it all. With 69 errors on the season – the second-most in the majors – it is no wonder why the Mets have struggled as much as they have.

BRACE YOURSELVES

I hate to be a gloomy Gus, but the two wins we saw in Philly may be about as good as it will get the rest of the way. Not only do the Mets have one of the toughest remaining schedules, but they also seem truly open for business. With only five players considered untouchable, we could be about to see a lot of talent go out the door. That will likely include Luke Weaver, who has been the team’s best and most reliable reliever this season. As a result, maybe we should enjoy this series win before things potentially fall off even further once pieces begin to be traded away.

The post 3 Up, 3 Down: Mets Come Out Of Break Strong appeared first on Metsmerized.

Per Chelsea Janes of SNY, the Mets and Clay Holmes are expecting to begin extension talks in the coming days. Holmes has been out due to injury since mid-May, but he was spectacular early on in the season. Through nine starts, he has a 2.39 ERA after having a 3.53 ERA a year ago. There’s a possibility Holmes gets traded, but he’s clearly seen as part of the long-term plans.

Brad Penner-Imagn Images

Latest Mets News

The Mets continue their series with the Phillies on Saturday afternoon with a 4:05 p.m. ET first pitch time. Sean Manaea (2-4, 4.56 ERA) will look to put together another strong start, while Jesús Luzardo (8-4, 3.51 ERA) will take the mound for Philadelphia.

Will Sammon of The Athletic provided updates on the trade status of certain Mets players. Most notably, Sammon said the Mets trading Francisco Lindor remains unlikely.

The Mets signed their third-round pick, Aiden Robbins, on Friday night. Robbins, who many thought would go in the first round, earned a $1 million deal at $859,900 slot value.

Clay Holmes is set to begin a rehab assignment Saturday night for the High-A Brooklyn Cyclones. Holmes is looking to come back from his fractured fibula and continue his stellar 2026 season, either with the Mets or potentially another team.

From 2025 to 2026, attendance at Mets games has dropped eight percent.

Ron Hunt, the first Met to ever start an All-Star Game, passed away at the age of 85 on Friday. Hunt played four seasons for the Mets from 1963-1966, recording a .282 batting average and .723 OPS in that span.

The Mets have three players from their Dominican Summer League teams playing in the DSL All-Star game. Cleiner Ramirez (.837 OPS, 11 SB), Jonnhan Sanchez (.349 BA, .994 OPS) and Abner Meza (30.1 IP, 1.78 ERA) will all represent the Mets.

Latest on MMO

Kai Chang highlights the two-homer performance from Francisco Alvarez in the Mets’ first game after the All-Star break.

Jack Markowski breaks down yet another strong outing from Christian Scott in his last start against the Phillies.

Robert Colonna profiles reliever Brooks Raley as a piece the Mets could deal at the deadline.

On This Date in Mets History

1986: The Mets lost to the Astros 3-0 to fall to 60-26 in their second game after the All-Star break. Bob Knepper pitched a three-hit shutout for Houston, while Ron Darling got the loss despite a seven-inning, two-run-allowed effort.

Born on This Date: Ryan Helsley (1994), Robert Gsellman (1993), Joe Torre (1940)

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Francisco Alvarez homered twice, and Christian Scott delivered 5 2/3 shutout innings to help New York beat the Phillies 4-1. The game was pushed an hour earlier due to the poor air quality caused by the Canada wildfires.

Scott was excellent, allowing just three hits with seven strikeouts and no walks. The righty was in control, throwing 56 of his 79 pitches for strikes to get the win. He’s now 3-1 with a 2.87 ERA and 1.22 WHIP on the season.

The Mets bullpen, which will likely be transformed via trades over the next couple of weeks, was superb as well. Brooks Raley, Huascar Brazobán, Luke Weaver, and Devin Williams combined to allow just one run on one hit over 3 1/3 innings. The lone run was allowed by Weaver, ending his streak of 28 1/3 innings without giving up an earned run. Devin Williams recorded the 100th save of his career.

Alvarez provided the big blows, both solo shots, while Brett Baty and A.J. Ewing helped pad the Mets’ lead. Baty homered right before Alvarez hit his second, and Ewing added an insurance run in the ninth on an RBI double.

“As much power as you’re ever going to see in the 9-hole, probably means he doesn’t really belong in the 9-hole,” said manager Andy Green of Alvarez, who was batting ninth tonight.

It wasn’t all good news for the Mets on Thursday. Juan Soto left the game with left calf soreness, though Green said he expects Soto to be back playing this weekend.

PLAYER OF THE GAME

Hit two homers, win POTG honors. Alvarez’s 10th and 11th dingers of the year were an encouraging sign.

UP NEXT

For the second time this season, the Mets and Phillies are off Friday before resuming their series on Saturday. Sean Manaea (2–4, 4.56 ERA) looks to build on his best start of the year, a seven-inning gem against the Royals on July 9. Lefty Jesús Luzardo (8–4, 3.51 ERA), who pitched a hitless inning in Sunday’s All-Star Game, starts for Philadelphia. The game is at 4:05 PM EDT and airs on SNY. 

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