Ronny Mauricio had a stellar night at the plate, yet a forgettable night in the field for the Tigres del Licey of the Dominican Winter League on Friday night. In just his second game since joining the team, Mauricio went 4-for-4 with a double, a triple, and 2 RBIs but also recorded three errors in the field playing third base. Mauricio appears to have picked right back up from when he won Dominican Winter League MVP last year, however his fielding issues are cause for concern. He has always struggled in the field, despite only recording one error in a month’s worth of games for the Mets last year, but he continues to prove his hitting and slugging ability that the Mets hope will only continue to improve.

Jordan Johnson-USA TODAY Sports

Latest Mets News

The Mets signed reliever Kyle Crick to a minor league deal on Friday, reported first by Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic. While he did not pitch in 2023, he holds a career ERA of 3.56 in 194 total relief appearances.

The Mets made a couple more moves on Friday, announcing that they claimed utilityman Cooper Hummel and catcher Tyler Heineman off waivers. Both players each have a minor league option remaining.

New Mets’ pitcher Luis Severino posted a statement on Instagram saying goodbye to the Yankees organization and his teammates, and posted a separate statement thanking the fans and expressing his excitement to remain in New York.

Latest MLB News

Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet reported on Friday that Shohei Ohtani‘s free agency is entering its final stretch, and a small group of teams are expected to meet with Ohtani and his representatives this weekend. The Mets are not expected to be in the running anymore, according to ESPN‘s Jeff Passan, as they have turned their attention elsewhere. Passan said the known remaining teams still in the running for Ohtani include the Angels, Cubs, Blue Jays, and Dodgers.

Per Craig Mish of MLB Network, the Marlins hired former Phillies and Giants manager Gabe Kapler to their front office as assistant general manager. Kapler interviewed for the open head of baseball operations job in the Red Sox organization before they hired Craig Breslow to that role. Now, Kapler will work under Miami’s new general manager, Peter Bendix.

Jackson Chourio was in Milwaukee on Friday with his representatives, where his historic contract with the Brewers was nearing its final stages of completion. Adam McCalvy of MLB.com reported that, when completed, the deal will be eight-years, $82 million with two club options and incentives that could max the deal out at over $140 million.

The eighth Hall of Fame ballot was released on Friday, belonging to first-time voter Joe Reedy. Reedy voted for former Mets Carlos Beltrán, Billy Wagner, and Bartolo Colón, while also voting for Adrián Beltré, Todd Helton, Andruw Jones, Joe Mauer, Álex Rodriguez, Gary Sheffield, and Chase Utley. The vote for Colón was the first one he has received.

Latest on MMO

Jack Sargente writes a free agent profile on third baseman Matt Chapman.

Allison Waxman breaks down the Mets’ signing of reliever Austin Adams.

On This Date in Mets History

1991: Bobby Bonilla became the highest paid player in baseball by signing a five-year, $29 million deal with the Mets. His first season in New York was underwhelming by his standards, but he began to live up to the hype in 1993 when he hit a career-high 34 home runs and was an All-Star.

1998: The Mets signed another third baseman to a notable contract, getting Robin Ventura to sign to a four-year deal. Ventura had a fantastic debut season with the Mets, where he recorded 32 home runs and a .908 OPS while winning a Gold Glove and finishing sixth in the MVP race.

Birthdays: Gary Sánchez (31)

The post Morning Briefing: Ronny Mauricio Records Four Hits, Three Errors in Winter Ball appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

Good morning, Mets fans!

On Friday night, the Mets traded third baseman Eduardo Escobar to the Angels for minor league pitchers Coleman Crow and Landon Marceaux. News of the trade broke during Friday night’s game and the Apple TV booth asked Francisco Lindor about Escobar.

“He’s one of the best teammates I’ve ever had,” Lindor said. “We’re going to miss him a lot.”

After the trade was announced, Escobar thanked Mets fans and the organization on Twitter.

For more on the trade, Jorge Eckardt broke it down here.

Latest Mets News

The Mets fell to the Phillies on Friday night, 5-1. Defensive miscues and a sluggish offense were to blame for the Mets’ third loss in a row, bringing the team down to a 34-41 record.

Anthony DiComo of MLB.com reported that the Mets are making a minor rotation change, as Max Scherzer is now scheduled to start today instead of Sunday. That pushes Carrasco back to Sunday’s start and separates Scherzer and Justin Verlander in the rotation, something Buck Showalter has been wanting to do.

The Mets officially announced that they have optioned Tylor Megill to Triple-A Syracuse, with reliever Vinny Nittoli taking his spot on the active roster. Nittoli made his Mets debut last night and pitched a scoreless inning.

The Mets will be playing the Phillies in London next year on June 8 and 9 as part of MLB’s London Series.

Actor Vincent D’Onofrio will be portraying Mets’ owner Steve Cohen in the upcoming movie Dumb Money, which centers around the GameStop stock market short squeeze that occurred in 2021.

Latest MLB News

Julio Rodríguez was announced as the first confirmed participant of this year’s Home Run Derby. The event is set to take place on July 10 in his home ballpark in Seattle.

Friday night, Elly De La Cruz hit for the cycle in the Reds’ comeback win over the Braves. De La Cruz is the first Reds player to hit for the cycle since Eric Davis did so in 1989.

MLB announced some of the participants in this year’s All-Star Celebrity Softball Game. Among the participants are former players Ryan Howard and Adam Jones, as well as notorious Mets fan and NBA superstar Donavan Mitchell.

The Reds released outfielder Wil Myers after he was designated for assignment earlier in the week. Myers has just a .541 OPS in 141 plate appearances this season.

Latest on MMO

In the latest Mets Minors Recap, Colby Morris broke down the impressive performances of Tyler Stuart and Luke Voit.

Allison Waxman wrote about Daniel Vogelbach‘s success at the plate since his break from the lineup.

Jack Markowski discussed who the Mets could trade at the deadline if the team continues to struggle.

Jack Ramsey looked at some of the players in the upcoming draft who have been linked to the Mets through mock drafts.

On This Date in Mets History

1975: Jerry Koosman became, at the time, the second pitcher to have won 100 games in a Mets uniform, achieving the feat in a 5-1 victory over the Cardinals.

Birthdays: Mike Bruhert (72)

The post Morning Briefing: Eduardo Escobar Thanks Mets After Trade appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Jose Quintana. Photo by Ed Delany of Metsmerized

Good morning, Mets fans!

On Friday, the Mets received updates on three injured pitchers. Most important of the group was Justin Verlander, who threw four scoreless innings in a rehab assignment with Double-A Binghamton on Friday afternoon. After the game, Verlander said he felt good and is ready to go. He is likely to return to the Mets and make his debut with the team in the series against the Tigers next week.

Stephen Nogosek also said he is good to go and is eligible to be activated off the injured list on Sunday. Meanwhile, José Quintana played catch for the first time since his rib surgery and said he experienced no pain at all. He will still be sidelined for a while with an expected return date in July.

Latest Mets News

The Mets lost to the Braves 4-0 in five innings on Friday night due to the rain. David Peterson started the game strong but surrendered four runs including a three-run homer by Matt Olson in the fifth inning. Due to the shortened game, the Mets announced that anyone holding a ticket to the game will receive a voucher for a ticket to a future home game.

Latest MLB News

Jacob deGrom left his start against the Yankees with a trainer in the fourth inning.

The Braves activated Michael Harris II off the injured list and optioned both Eli White and Nick Solak to Triple-A.

Carlos Rodríguez of AP Sports wrote about Mexico’s “unprecedented appetite for baseball” following the country’s World Baseball Classic run.

Noah Gittell of the New York Times wrote about Daniel Murphy and his return to baseball with the Long Island Ducks.

The Seattle Mariners unveiled their new City Connect uniforms.

The Reds promoted former Met Matt Reynolds to the major league roster and put Tony Santillan on the 60-day injured list.

Liam Hendriks took the mound as part of his rehab process for the first time since his cancer diagnosis.

Latest on MMO

As we continue to remember and honor the life of our founder, Joe D., a few more writers at MMO shared words about what he meant to them.

Michael Famulari broke down Brett Baty‘s stellar performance on Thursday night against the Nationals.

Michael Mayer recapped Verlander’s scoreless rehab outing.

On This Date in Mets History

1996: John Franco recorded his 300th career save, becoming the first lefty closer to reach the feat.

2022: The Mets threw the first combined no-hitter and second no-hitter overall in franchise history in a 3-0 victory over the Phillies. Tylor Megill, Drew Smith, Joely Rodríguez, Seth Lugo, and Edwin Díaz all pitched in the historic effort.

Birthdays: Omir Santos (42), Kelly Shoppach (43), Tony Armas (45), Wes Gardner (62), Bob McClure (71)

The post Morning Briefing: Mets Receive Updates on Injured Pitchers appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Mike Vasil, Photo by Ed Delany of MMO

The Mets 2021 draft was nothing short of incredible. After an initial panic by fans after failing to offer Kumar Rocker a contract, all Mets faithful should be ecstatic about how the draft class is shaping up as they navigate their way up the MiLB ladder towards the MLB summit. While this piece focuses on the pitchers slated for Double-A to start the 2023 season, it is worth mentioning that RHP Calvin Ziegler and MIF Wyatt Young had great 2022 campaigns and LHP Nick Zwack, RHP Carson Seymour, and LHP Keyshawn Askew were wins from a draft and scouting perspective even if they were traded. RHP Trey McLoughlin will likely start in High-A Brooklyn, but he spent time at Driveline this offseason and is another arm to keep an eye on, as his riding four seam starts to climb towards the mid-90’s.

Four pitching prospects from the 2021 draft class will likely start the season on the Double-A Binghamton roster. RHPs Dominic Hamel and Mike Vasil will be in the starting rotation, LHP Nathan Lavender will be in the bullpen, and RHP Christian Scott will vie for a starting role but may take time building up after a spring training injury.

Thus far, Vasil is the gem of the group. He put on a show all season in 2022, including an impressive All-Star stint in the Arizona Fall League. Vasil had 103 K’s in 86.2 IP across all levels of the ’22 season, and while he had a 5.13 ERA in High-A Brooklyn in the second half of last year, his 1.17 WHIP and 0.8 HR/9 rate indicate he had a bit of bad luck. The “bad luck” is backed up by his 3.72 FIP and 3.48 xFIP in Brooklyn, per Fangraphs metrics. Vasil has elite stuff on the mound as he touches 98 mph on his four seam fastball and has shown distinct offspeed shapes, showcasing a sharp low-80’s curveball, an upper 80’s cutter, and solid change-up with good separation from the heater. Like all Mets MiLB arms this spring, Vasil has been working with the new, heralded director of pitching development, Eric Jagers, on sharpening up his arsenal. Vasil has been toying around with a sweeping slider to compliment the downer curveball, and has been less reliant on the cutter. It remains to be seen which pitches he takes to games come April, but due to the velocity and talent in his arm, expect polished weaponry.

#Mets RHP prospect Mike Vasil was solid in his High-A debut, striking out 7 for the Cyclones over 4 IP.

Outside of a home run — his first surrendered as a — Vasil gave up mostly soft contact. pic.twitter.com/nlXgWSFwd8

— Jacob Resnick (@Jacob_Resnick) May 29, 2022

Hamel was perhaps the highest-rated prospect following the draft, signing for the most money of any pitcher in this incoming Double-A group at $755K (other bonuses: Vasil $181K, Lavender $125K, Scott $350K). He had an up-and-down season last year, show both flashes of dominance and outings with command issues. Hamel managed to put together a solid 29.4 K% and a 11.4 BB%. His changeup and curveball are solid offerings, used at a combined 21% rate. His primary pitches are his four-seamer with good ride, averaging around 93 mph, and slider with a “slutter” shape at 84 mph. He has already eclipsed his 2022 top velocity of 95.4 this spring, seeing numbers north of 96 mph in his recent outings in St. Lucie. Expect Hamel to be a reliable Double-A arm with potential to make his debut in 2024 as he finds consistency and increased fastball velocity.

Scott also had a turbulent 2022, but his fastball and obvious talent will propel him quickly to Double-A. He had a rough showing in the fall league, sporting a double digit ERA (10.38), and struggled to stay healthy throughout the season. Scott had plenty of success in Low-A and High-A, however, pitching over 30% better than league averages at both levels (xERAs under 70). Unfortunately, his health struggles have continued into this spring, as he has been sidelined since February 17 with a torso injury. In Scott’s last outing, his fastball was cranking in the 94-97 mph range, and his slider got up to 88. He has big league stuff and so long as he stays on the field, he will keep progressing quickly through the system.

Lavender doesn’t quite have the big fastball that the rest in this group do, but he is a clear favorite of skipper Buck Showalter, pitching significantly in 2022 and 2023 MLB spring training games. So far this spring, “Lav” has an impressive stat sheet of 3G, 3IP, 0H, 3BB, 4K. He struck out a massive 34.3% of hitters in 2022, indicating that his low 90’s fastball (60% usage) plays up significantly due to a low 5-foot-4 inch release height, good extension at six-foot-eight, and above average vertical break (~17″). With few lefties in Mets’ system, he has the inside track to a high-leverage relief role in Binghamton.

All four of these arms will likely get their first taste of MLB action sooner rather than later. Whether those debuts come with the Mets or another team following trades for MLB talent, there’s no debate that these players’ rapid ascent play a large part in the Mets rise to No. 5 in Baseball America’s farm system rankings.

*Round of applause for the amateur scouts*

An additional detail worth noting is that this group of progressing and talented arms doesn’t even include the diamond in the rough from the 2021 class, UDFA Grant Hartwig, as he will start the season in Triple-A Syracuse before competing for an MLB call-up this season. Read more here for additional background on Hartwig’s rapid rise.

The post Fast Risers: 2021 Draft Pitchers Climbing the Ladder appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

John Curtiss. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports

One of the more intriguing position groups to watch entering spring training is the bullpen. As we referenced in our article earlier today, citing Zack Britton as a potential option, the unit is getting closer and closer to becoming a complete. Though, given teams usually carry around seven-to-eight relief pitchers, a spot or two may still exist. For context, here is how the unit currently stacks up:

• Closer: Edwin Díaz
• Set-Up: David Robertson
• 7th-8th Inning: Adam Ottavino
• Middle Relief: Drew Smith
• Left-Handed Option: Brooks Raley
• Long-Relief/Spot-Starter: David Peterson / Joey Lucchesi / Elieser Hernández

This leaves one or two more spots to be filled. To potentially fill these roles, the Mets have a plethora of different internal options. Who are the seven potential guys to keep an eye on in spring training?

The Options:

Jeff Brigham

Brigham was acquired by the Mets from the Miami Marlins on November 18. The 31-year-old turned in a career year in 2022. He posted a 3.38 ERA to go along with sub-4.00 xERA, xFIP, and FIP. He also struck out 28 across 24 innings pitched.

If the slider/fastball pitcher can replicate the performance he turned in last year, he would be a nice way to round out the bullpen. Though, worth mentioning, before last season he only threw 55 2/3 major-league innings where he allowed 54 hits and 31 earned runs (5.05 ERA). Brigham has a 3.49 ERA across 485 1/3 minor-league innings.

Sam Coonrod. Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports

Sam Coonrod

The Mets claimed the 30-year-old flamethrower off waivers from the Philadelphia Phillies on February 6. The right-handed reliever has 97 1/3 major-league innings under his belt and on the surface the results have not been pretty. He owns a career 5.27 ERA, posting a 7.82 mark over 12 2/3 innings last season. Though, his career FIP of 4.42 indicates there may be a slightly better pitcher in there.

Coonrod blended a combination of five different pitches last year. His fastball sat at 97 MPH, he also has a sinker that reaches 96 and a fast slider at 93 MPH. It appears the velocity is there, though, it’ll be up to Jeremy Hefner and the Mets’ pitching staff to see if they can mold Coonrod into something productive for the Mets.

John Curtiss

Curtiss is one of the more intriguing options on this list. The Mets signed him on April 6 of 2022 knowing he would miss the 2022 season rehabbing from Tommy John surgery. He appears healthy and ready to fight for a spot in the major leagues this season.

Prior to injury, he spent 2020 with the Tampa Bay Rays and a majority of the 2021 season with the Miami Marlins. He excelled with each. In 2020, he posted a 1.80 ERA across 25 innings. Meanwhile, in 2021 he threw 40 innings with Miami posting a strong 2.48 ERA and 3.22 FIP. He was then injured and found his way to the Mets last off-season.

Like it is with any pitcher, it will be interesting to see how Curtiss looks post-Tommy John surgery. If the fastball/slider pitcher can regain the form he showed with Tampa Bay and Miami in 2020 and 2021, he may be a front-runner for one of the remaining spots.

Zach Greene. Photo by Ed Delany of Metsmerized

Zach Greene

The Mets selected the 26-year-old from the New York Yankees in December’s Rule 5 Draft. He has yet to make a major-league debut, but has put up some intriguing numbers in the minor leagues.

Across 68 1/3 innings in Triple-A last season, Greene posted a 3.42 ERA. The aspect that catches the eye right away is his 12.6 SO9. The Florida native struck out 96 batters which was an absurd rate. He did struggle with walks at times (32), but the “stuff” is certainly there, as evident by that strikeout rate.

Greene also showed flashes in 2021 across High-A and Double-A ball. He posted a 3.17 ERA and 91 strikeouts across a cumulative 59 2/3 innings. Further evidence that his absurd strikeout rate from last season was not a fluke. If Jeremy Hefner and the Mets’ pitching staff can help eliminate the control issues, Greene may be a very intriguing piece.

Bryce Montes de Oca

Mets’ fans became familiar with the six-foot-seven flamethrower last season. De Oca appeared in five games and posted subpar numbers: 3 IP, 7 H, 4 R, 2 BB, 6 SO. Though, his success in 2022 across Double-A and Triple-A (3.86 ERA and 80 strikeouts across 51 1/3 innings) still paints a very intriguing picture.

As is the case with several up-and-coming pitchers, de Oca struggles with control. It does not seem like a simple fix either, as de Oca has always struggled with control and walks since day one. His walk rate in the minors during the 2022 season was a startling 6.7 per nine innings. This was an issue dating back to college as well.

Regardless, the tools are clearly there. He is just another guy who’s control will largely dictate if he is able to break spring training with the big club.

Stephen Nogosek. Photo by Ed Delany

Stephen Nogosek

On the surface, the 28-year-old had a very strong season at the big-league level for New York last season. He ended up throwing 22 innings and posted a 2.45 ERA. However, his FIP of 4.66 and nearly 4.00 xERA indicates that the success may have been slightly over-exaggerated.

One thing for sure is last season he was very strong at the Triple-A level. He posted a 2.30 ERA across 43 innings with 53 strikeouts. Minor league success is something the former sixth-round pick has grown accustomed to, as his career 3.36 ERA indicates.

Given the surface success he showed last year, Nogosek may be one of the pitchers near the top of the list to capture a spot entering spring training. This for right or wrong.

Stephen Ridings

Ridings was claimed off waiver from the New York Yankees on November 15. The 27-year-old showed great promise before being sent down and subsequently injuring his shoulder which ended his 2021 early.

The aforementioned shoulder injury forced Ridings to miss all but two minor-league innings in 2022. He now appears to be fully healthy and will look to build on the immense success he had in 2021. During that season, Ridings posted a 0.47 ERA in 19 Double-A innings with 30 strikeouts. He then threw 10 innings in Triple-A posting a 2.70 ERA and 12 strike outs.

Ridings then got five innings at the MLB level. He allowed only one run and struck out seven. His FIP of 1.57 and subsequent 1.80 ERA both further demonstrated how impressive he was. Unfortunately, the shoulder injury occurred and he basically missed all of 2022. Certainly a name to keep a close eye on in spring training given the flashes he has shown in his young career.

Final Thoughts

For the first time in a long time the Mets have good reliever depth. It was reported on several occasions that general manager Billy Eppler valued flexibility and relievers with plenty of options. In doing so, he was able to bring in several players that fit that description, cheaply, that may be able to carve out roles at some point this season. Hopefully, one or two of the above seven are able to have a strong spring training and round out a, on paper, very strong Mets’ bullpen.

The post Relief Pitchers To Monitor During Spring Training appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Photo by Ed Delany of Metsmerized

Mets fans, an all-new episode is here!

This week Mike and I are joined by friend of the show Jacob Resnick to preview the World Baseball Classic, Justin Verlander and Kodai Senga‘s first day at Mets camp, Jacob tells us his prospects to keep an eye on this spring, Carlos Beltran is joining the front office, and much more!

Was it surprising to hear Justin Verlander speak about how being the opening day starter wasn’t the priority for him? For Jacob, the ultimate goal of a championship for the the reigning AL Cy Young award-winner is why the Mets were so eager to bring him to the organization:

“The first thing that struck me with Verlander was how much of a professional he is. He’s a guy that’s been around for a longtime and doesn’t have time to play around when it comes to spring training. I’m sure if Verlander was showing up to let’s say the Nationals or Pirate camp he wouldn’t be talking about trying to win a World Series, but he knows why he is here. He’s the kind of guy that seems like he will let his talent and experience do the talking and seems like he’s ready to match wits with Max Scherzer once again.” 

Watch and subscribe to the MMO Youtube channel here.

The post MMO Weekly Episode 34: Pitchers And Catchers Officially Report appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Photo by Ed Delany of Metsmerized

Pitchers and catchers officially reported to Port St. Lucie for the beginning of Mets spring training, officially kicking off the countdown to the 2023 season.

Among those spotted in uniform were Max Scherzer, who is looking to pitch 200 innings for New York this season after producing a career-best 2.29 ERA in his first season in Queens.

Photo by Ed Delany of Metsmerized

Co-ace Justin Verlander also put on Mets gear for the first time outside of his introductory press conference. The two will bring a combined six Cy Youngs to the front of the Mets rotation.

Kevin Parada, Photo by Ed Delany of Metsmerized

Outside of Verlander and Scherzer, one of the most intriguing names at camp Wednesday was Kevin Parada, one of the Mets 2022 first-round draft picks and one of the organization’s top prospects. Parada will gain valuable experience this spring catching the likes of Verlander and Scherzer while also seeing big-league pitching up close and personal.

Photo by Ed Delany of Metsmerized

Kodai Senga also made his first spring training appearance after being signed in the offseason to a five-year, $75 million contract. Senga is one of the most intriguing players on the Mets this season, and how quickly he can acclimate to MLB will go a long way in determining how good the team’s pitching staff can be.

Photo by Ed Delany of Metsmerized

While Verlander, Scherzer, Senga, José Quintana, and Carlos Carrasco are likely to open the season as the team’s starting rotation, Tylor Megill figures to be another important piece of the team’s pitching staff. Megill and David Peterson will be the first names up when the Mets need an additional starter, and Megill will be looking to bounce back after a 2022 season that was marred by injuries.

Photo by Ed Delany of Metsmerized

In addition to pitchers and catchers, Mets manager Buck Showalter was also in town as he begins his second season with the team. Showalter was named the National League Manager of the Year a season ago after leading the Mets to 101 wins and a postseason birth.

The Mets position players will join the rest of the club next Monday, and the Mets will begin their spring training schedule with games against the Astros and Marlins on February 25.

The post Photos from Port St. Lucie: Pitchers and Catchers Arrive at Camp appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

KAILA JONES/TCPALM

Good morning, Mets fans!

Mets pitchers and catchers report today, officially. Of course, as you will see from the news below, lots of the Mets are already in camp.

Latest Mets News

As the final round of Mets players reach the spring training facility in Port St. Lucie, Mets new ace Justin Verlander is already throwing a bullpen session. Verlander signed a two-year deal with the Mets this offseason as he begins his first spring training with New York.

Noted Mets pitcher Justin Verlander throws a bullpen session on his first day at spring training pic.twitter.com/tRWgO5VjcX

— Tim Healey (@timbhealey) February 14, 2023

Mets closer Edwin Díaz was asked about a number of topics when he met with media members down in the team’s spring training facility. Díaz and the team expect to win the World Series this season was one of many things the closer said during those conversations.

Díaz also expects to keep throwing his two pitches, his fastball and slider, which he hopes to keep striking out opposing batters. Díaz also wants to see Timmy Trumpets, the artist behind his now signature entrance song, at more games this season and loves being back with the orange and blue.

Latest MLB News

Jeff Passan of ESPN wrote an article about MLB’s plans to enforce illegal pitch and balk rules this season. This and the new pitch clock rule will certainly work hand-in-hand, as there is now a 15-second time limit between when the pitcher receives the ball back from the catcher and his next pitch. This time increases to 20 seconds when there is a runner on base.

In addition to the new MLB rule changes, media members were given the first on-the-field look at the base size increase put in place this year, which sees the first, second and third base bags grow three inches to square. This gives the batters a 4.5-inch shorter distance between the bases they run around and three-inch shorter distance to and from home plate.

Free agent starting pitcher Michael Wacha is in agreement on a contract with the San Diego Padres, pending physical, sources tell The Athletic‘s Ken Rosenthal. Wacha’s contract with the Padres is worth $24 million over the next four years. The deal includes a player and team option that protects both Wacha’s upside and downside while lowering his annual average value for luxury-tax purposes.

Looking deeper into the signing, Rosenthal says the Padres addressed long-term uncertainty in rotation. The Padres have already extended pitchers Joe Musgrove back in August and Yu Darvish. With a potential contract for Nick Martinez coming soon, agreeing to a deal with Wacha solves some of those issues. Pitcher Blake Snell is still eligible for free agency at the end of the season.

Chicago White Sox starting pitcher Mike Clevinger, who remains under investigation for potentially violating MLB’s domestic violence policy, will be permitted to fully participate at the White Sox’s spring training camp, according to Bob Nightengale of USA Today. Clevinger is not being placed on administrative leave at this time.

Back in late January, Clevinger’s girlfriend, who is also the mother of their almost one-year-old child, told The Athletic of incidents involving physical, verbal and emotional abuse towards her and their child. According to the article, the White Sox were aware of the investigation after Clevinger was signed.

MLB.TV subscribers will now be able to watch Minor League Baseball (MiLB) this season. If you didn’t think you could get enough baseball, now you have access to over 7,000 streamed games from affiliates of the 30 MLB teams. This includes all 60 Triple-A and Double-A minor league clubs, 40 additional clubs and some postseason games that will all be available through the First Pitch App.

Latest on MMO

Patrick Glynn predicts the Mets Opening Day roster.

On This Date in Mets History

2011: Mets bring back Jason Isringhausen with a minor league deal.

Birthdays: Mark Canha (35), Barry Jones(60), Chuck Estrada (85)

The post Morning Briefing: Pitchers and Catchers Report Today appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Gregory Fisher-USA TODAY Sports

There’s a lot of speculation and hoopla around the limitations on the infield shift and how it may affect various hitters. Earlier this week, I speculated about how the rule changes might impact various Mets’ hitters. There has been less chatter about how the changes will affect specific pitchers, though.

At the request of some commenters on the hitting article, let’s dive into how the new defensive alignment restrictions might affect the Mets’ pitchers, specifically their starting five (or six).

Max Scherzer

In Max Scherzer’s last 11 seasons of pitching, he has had a groundball/flyball ratio over 1.00 just once (1.07, in 2019), per Baseball Reference. Last season, Scherzer posted the lowest GB/FB rate of his career at 0.63. A large fly ball share definitely makes changes to the shift less noteworthy for Scherzer.

Scherzer is also still a strikeout pitcher. His 10.71 K/9 ratio from 2022 was the lowest he had posted in nine seasons, and he was still in the 89th percentile among pitchers in strikeout rate, per Baseball Savant. Although the shift does somewhat affect strikeout rates due to the way a pitcher attacks a batter, the difference is small enough not to be particularly significant.

The Mets shifted 35.9% of the time against righties and 51% against lefties when Scherzer pitched last season for a total shift rate of 43.6%, per Baseball Savant. That is a large enough chunk to wonder if the shift will affect Max. It is worthwhile to note, however, that Scherzer despised the shift and often complained about pitching in front of it (not that his opinion has any statistical significance).

There was a significant difference in BABIP against Scherzer with or without the shift last season. With the shift, batters recorded a .239 BABIP (on 134 balls in play); without it, their BABIP rose to .306 (206 balls in play). His total BABIP against was .279.

However, let’s put that supposedly stark difference into context. A 67-point difference in BABIP on 134 balls in play equals out to just nine more hits across the entire season. Considering that the shift mostly accounts for singles, that means Scherzer would’ve allowed a maximum of nine more total baserunners in 2022 if every single one of those balls was actually hit into the shift.

Although a nine-hit difference would have changed his total BABIP from .279 to .305, that just shows one of the limitations of a stat like BABIP in and of itself: nine more singles for a pitcher who strikes out more than one batter per nine and ranks in the top 4% of the league in walk rate (4.2%) is not that significant in the grand scheme of things. It is ultimately unlikely that all nine of those balls would have been hit into the shift, as even an extreme pull hitter does not pull the ball 100% of the time. This is exactly why BABIP is considered a fluky stat.

Overall, it is unlikely that the shift limitations will have a noticeable impact on Scherzer.

Justin Verlander

Although Justin Verlander’s GB/FB rate was listed at 0.62 in 2022, in his case, the stat is somewhat misleading. GB/FB ratio includes line drives as fly balls; if we remove those from the picture, Verlander had a 37.9% groundball rate and a 28.5% fly ball rate in 2022, which means he does allow more contact that could be affected by a shift. Additionally, his 21.1% line drive rate could have had results that were shift-impacted.

In fact, Verlander has been a groundball and line-drive pitcher for most of his career. 2018 was his only season in which he had a higher rate of fly balls than groundballs allowed.

Verlander is also a strikeout pitcher who prevents walks. He was in the 80th percentile in strikeout rate and the 94th percentile in walk rate in 2022. Those balls that aren’t put in play will not be affected by the shift.

The Astros shifted 32.6% against righties and a whopping 84.1% of the time against lefties when Verlander pitched last season. That would make it seem as if the shift limitations could have a much more significant impact on Verlander than Scherzer.

Indeed, there was a steep difference in BABIP against Verlander with vs. without the shift. Hitters put up a BABIP of .225 with the shift (227 BIP) and .271 without it (218 BIP), for a total of .247. That 46-point difference in BABIP would translate to a 10-hit increase over 227 BIP, which would have raised Verlander’s total BABIP to .270. Since a league-average BABIP is about .290-.300, this means that Verlander would have still allowed a lower rate of balls in play than usual even without the shift, and that is assuming that all 10 of those balls would be hits otherwise.

Like Scherzer, Verlander is unlikely to be significantly impacted by the changes in the shift.

José Quintana

Since we don’t have MLB data for Kodai Senga yet, his profile is somewhat of a wild card. Whatever stats he put up in Japan may change drastically with the altered ball, mound, and pitching schedule in the U.S.

Jose Quintana is a groundball pitcher, recording a 45.2% groundball rate and a 20.3% flyball rate for his career. His 27.7% line-drive rate could also be in play where the shift is concerned. Quintana is more susceptible to hits on balls in play than Scherzer or Verlander, allowing a .304 BABIP in 2022.

The Cardinals did not shift a ton behind Quintana, doing so just 10.2% of the time against righties and 56.2% of the time against lefties for a total of just 17.3% of 673 batters faced. His BABIP was identical on those plays: .304 with and without the shift. This suggests that Quintana won’t see too much of a change this season, since he didn’t pitch with the shift all that often, anyway.

Carlos Carrasco 

Since the Correa signing fell through, the chatter about the Mets trading Carlos Carrasco has died down to a large extent. Therefore, Cookie will, presumably, be the Mets’ fifth starter in 2023.

Carrasco allowed a very high .339 BABIP in 2022, which partially explains why his FIP (3.53) was lower than his ERA (3.97). Although BABIP is considered somewhat fluky, Carrasco was in the 32nd percentile among pitchers in hard-hit rate and 29th percentile in expected batting average, which means that many of his hits allowed were likely earned rather than attributable to luck.

Over 71% of the contact Carrasco allowed in 2022 came on groundballs and line drives, and the Mets shifted 46.8% of the time when he pitched. This would suggest that he can be significantly impacted by shift changes, particularly because he gives up a lot of hard contact.

Ironically, though, Carrasco’s BABIP was actually better without the shift in 2022. He gave up a .353 BABIP with it (187 BIP) and a .329 BABIP without it (249 BIP).

It’s hard to definitively say that this will continue to be the case in 2022, but it doesn’t seem as if the shift did Carrasco any favors in 2022, suggesting that its removal is not particularly likely to have a negative impact in 2023.

David Peterson

Considering that the Mets have talked about giving their aging starters a break throughout the season, it is likely that David Peterson will see a healthy number of starts in 2023 even if the starting five manage to stay fully healthy (which is a pipe dream). Therefore, checking out his shift numbers is important.

Peterson allows a lot of hard contact; he was in the 18th percentile in average exit velocity and the 21st percentile in hard-hit rate in 2022.

The Mets seemingly shifted a lot with Peterson on the mound, doing so 25.2% of the time against righties and 68.8% of the time vs. lefties. However, because he faced almost four times as many righties as lefties, his total shift rate was only 34%.

Peterson did see a pretty stark difference in his BABIP with vs. without the shift, at .284 with it (88 BIP) and .333 without it (259 BIP). His total .317 BABIP was on the high side to begin with, and coupled with his hard-hit rate, the lack of a shift might hurt Peterson. Although this averaged out to only 4 more hits last year, if he sees a larger workload this season, there could be more of an aggregate loss.

Bottom Line

Although the Mets have several pitchers who were helped by the shift, the differences are not so stark as to be particularly concerned about them. Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander, in particular, have little to be overly concerned about, as both were around the 75th-80th percentile in hard-hit rate, and they both strike out a large rate of batters. A few singles here or there are definitely livable.

The bigger worry for the Mets is that their pitchers hold up health-wise and hold out against Father Time. They can try to find ideal infield alignments for their pitchers, but it’s not something to sweat about all that much.

The post How Shift Limitations Will Affect Mets’ Pitchers appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Photo by Alexis Farinacci, MMO

The New York Mets announced that pitchers and catchers will report for spring training in Port St. Lucie on Feb. 15. The first full-squad workout at Clover Park is scheduled for Feb. 20.

Report dates for players participating in the WBC are Feb. 13 for pitchers and catchers and Feb. 16 for position players. The Mets are expected to have multiple players participating in the World Baseball Classic including Pete Alonso, Francisco Lindor, Edwin Diaz, and Mark Vientos.

The Mets’ first Grapefruit League game is at 1:05 p.m. ET on Feb. 25 on the road against the Houston Astros and their first home game of the schedule comes on comes later that day at 6:10 p.m. ET hosting the Miami Marlins.

The Mets will host Team Nicaragua on March 8 at 6:10 p.m. ET and Team Venezuela on March 9 at 1:10 p.m. ET.

The post Mets’ Pitchers and Catchers Report on Feb. 15 appeared first on Metsmerized Online.