The Diamondbacks lost again to the Padres, officially eliminating them from playoff contention. They join the Giants as the latest and final National League West team to be eliminated from a chance at the pennant.

The fact the Diamondbacks were even in the race to begin with was impressive. Entering September, the club was 68-71 and six and half games behind the Mets for the third spot. They were 51-59 and 10 games out entering August.

Failing to make the playoffs never leaves a good taste in anyone’s mouth, but after selling Eugenio Suárez, Josh Naylor, and Merrill Kelly at the deadline, the fact the club came so close speaks volume to their effort level down the stretch.

That leaves the final spot to two final teams: the Reds and Mets. New York lost last night to the Marlins 6-2, falling back into a tie with Cincinnati at 82-78 after their 3-1 win over the Brewers. That leaves the Reds in control of their destiny, as they hold the tiebreaker over the Mets.

The Mets have their hands full with the Marlins over Saturday and Sunday, but it won’t be a cake walk for the Reds. The Brewers still need to win one more game (or have the Phillies lose to the Twins) to get the best record in the majors, plus aren’t going to shorten their pitching with a week off after Sunday’s regular season finale.

Here are the scenarios for the Mets to make the playoffs:

If the Mets go 1-1, the Reds must go 0-2.

If the Mets go 2-0, the Reds must go 1-1 or 0-2.

Or in other terms — the Mets win at least one game, and the Reds must lose at least one game for New York to play in October.

NEW YORK METS (82-78)

The Mets’ rotation is in full desperation mode right now. They still haven’t laid out a Sunday starter, with guys like David Peterson and Sean Manaea as potential options.

Here are the final matchups for Saturday and Sunday:

Mets at Marlins – Clay Holmes vs. Eury Pérez

Mets at Marlins – TBD vs. Edward Cabrera

CINCINNATI REDS (82-78)

As previously mentioned, the Reds hold the tiebreaker over the Mets. So if the season ended today, they’d be heading to Los Angeles for a three-game wild-card series.

Cincinnati hasn’t taken the spot from the Mets over the last couple weeks, and lost two series to the Pirates and Athletics during this time. Still, they’ve hung around, and with Friday’s win over the Brewers, are now in control of their own destiny.

Luckily for the Mets, the Reds have to go through two tough customers. Jacob Misiorowski will go for four to five innings Saturday, then ace Freddy Peralta will pitch Sunday. There’s still a slim chance for the Mets.

Here are the matchups below:

Reds at Brewers – Andrew Abbott vs. Robert Gasser

Reds at Brewers – Brady Singer vs. Freddy Peralta

The post NL Wild Card Update: Reds Control Their Destiny, D-backs Eliminated appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

The Mets (82-78) fell to the Marlins (78-82) 6-2 Friday night. New York got out to a 2-0 lead just four batters into the game but couldn’t muster up any offense afterwards. The team’s sloppy defense continued, and it contributed greatly to a six-run fifth inning for the Marlins that put the game to bed.

Meanwhile, the Reds (82-78) won their game over the Brewers (96-64) 3-1 to put the Mets back on the outside looking in. The Mets and Reds once again own the same record, but with the Reds holding the tiebreaker, they have taken back control of the third Wild Card spot. The Diamondbacks fell 7-4 to the Padres, so it’s officially down to two teams.

As the Mets try to squeeze back into a playoff spot, it was reported late Friday night that they’ve called up flamethrower Dylan Ross. Will Sammon of The Athletic was first with the news.

Ross owns a 2.17 ERA across three minor league levels this season. He worked his way back from two UCL surgeries, as discussed in further detail in an exclusive Metsmerized interview by Mojo Hill this past summer.

Ross’s campaign includes a 1.69 ERA over 32 innings in the hitter-friendly International League. He has an 11 K/9 in that span, although accompanied by a 6.2 BB/9.

He adds a weapon to the Mets’ beleaguered bullpen over these crucial final two days of the regular season.

Dylan Ross. Photo by Kylie-Richelle

Latest Mets News

Brett Baty left Friday’s game with side discomfort after appearing to tweak something on a swing early in the game. The Mets announced after the game that it was an oblique injury, and there’s a fear Baty is done for the season.

Prior to Friday’s game, manager Carlos Mendoza announced that Clay Holmes would start Saturday’s game against Miami and that Sunday’s starter was to be determined. Mendoza, on constructing the rotation, said “this is literally one day at a time.”

According to Anthony DiComo of MLB.com, doctors have recommended that Reed Garrett get Tommy John surgery, but he is seeking a second opinion first. Garrett would be out all of next season if he does in fact need the surgery.

Latest MLB News

After walking off the Tigers Friday night, the Red Sox clinched a postseason berth for the first time since 2021.

MLB released the top 20 jersey sales from this season. Shohei Ohtani had MLB’s most popular jersey for the third consecutive year, while the Mets had three players inside the top 20: Francisco Lindor (no. 5), Juan Soto (no. 6), and Pete Alonso (no. 17).

Pete Crow-Armstrong hit his 30th home run of the season on Friday to join the 30-30 club for the first time in his career. Sammy Sosa was the only other Cub to have achieved the feat.

The Braves announced that they claimed former standout pitcher Alek Manoah off waivers from the Blue Jays and transferred Ozzie Albies to the 60-day injured list to make room on the roster. Manoah had a 3.96 ERA in 10 minor league starts this season and last pitched in the majors in May of 2024.

Baseball Savant added a feature to pitchers’ pages which displays their pitch mixes to righties and to lefties.

Latest on MMO

Kai Chang discusses why Nolan McLean got the job done in Thursday’s win over the Cubs despite seemingly poor numbers.

On This Date in Mets History

2000: The Mets punched their ticket to the postseason with a 6-2 win over the Braves, clinching a Wild Card spot. The Mets would go on to win the National League pennant.

Born on This Date: Luis Guillorme (1994), John Lannan (1984), Jon Rauch (1978), Jason Phillips (1976), Don Schulze (1962).

The post Morning Briefing: Mets Call Up Dylan Ross For Final Two Games appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

The Mets fell 10-3 to the Cubs at Wrigley Field on Wednesday, as they struggled against Cubs starter Matthew Boyd. Francisco Alvarez was a bright spot with a massive two-run homer, and Juan Soto added a solo shot in the eighth, but the Mets couldn’t overcome the Cubs’ early offensive outburst. Seiya Suzuki, Moisés Ballesteros and Matt Shaw led Chicago’s offense, with Shaw and Michael Busch hitting home runs that put the game out of reach.

Today, the Mets will send rookie Nolan McLean (4-1, 1.27 ERA) to the mound against Japanese southpaw Shota Imanaga (9-7, 3.38 ERA) in the series’ rubber game. First pitch is scheduled for 7:40 p.m. ET on SNY.

In the NL Wild Card race, the Reds lost to the Pirates in 11 innings. Paul Skenes outdueled Hunter Greene, and despite the Pirates’ bullpen allowing two runs to tie it, former Met Yohan Ramirez was able to shut the door in the 11th.

The Diamondbacks lost to the Dodgers 5-4 in another 11-inning thriller. This was despite the Dodgers’ bullpen blowing a 4-1 lead in the eighth. The Diamondbacks had the bases loaded with one out in the bottom of the 10th, with the game tied, but former Met James McCann couldn’t come through. Los Angeles went on to take the lead and hold on in the 11th.

The Mets are fortunate — with losses by all three teams, they remain a game ahead of both the Reds and Diamondbacks with four games to play.

David Banks-Imagn Images

Latest Mets News

The Binghamton Rumble Ponies are your 2025 Eastern League champions!

The Mets have designated outfielder Jose Siri for assignment. Siri, 30, still had two years of team control remaining, but it appears David Stearns preferred a Cedric Mullins/Tyrone Taylor time-split over a Siri/Taylor split.

The Mets lead all organizations in Baseball America Minor League All-Stars this year. Jonah Tong earned First Team honors, while A.J. Ewing, Carson Benge, and Jacob Reimer were all named to the Second Team. Read MMO’s coverage on the news here, via David Melendi.

Kodai Senga’s live BP session on Wednesday in Florida went “just okay,” Carlos Mendoza said (via MLB.com’s Anthony DiComo). His velocity was down to the 93 mph range, and the hot weather seemed to be wearing him out.

The Mets endured seven-game losing streaks in both June and August, followed by an eight-game skid in September. According to Opta Stats, the only team in MLB history with three separate seven-plus-game losing streaks that still made the playoffs was the 2006 Cardinals, who went on to win the World Series.

Mets radio broadcaster Howie Rose “hopes and expects” to return to the Mets radio booth next season but is taking it year by year, he said on The Show with Joel Sherman and Jon Heyman. Hear his full comments here:

Latest MLB News

Cal Raleigh hit his 60th home run of the season on Wednesday as the Seattle Mariners clinched their first AL West title since 2001.

Baseball America‘s J.J. Cooper analyzed MLB hitters and pitchers who could potentially benefit from the new ABS challenge system. He notes that even with the new challenge system, called strikes in the “shadow zone” vary widely among hitters, so it’s unclear who will gain the most.

The Washington Nationals are set to hire Paul Toboni as their new head of baseball operations, sources told ESPN’s Jeff Passan on Wednesday. Toboni, 35, became assistant GM for the Boston Red Sox in November of 2023 and is considered one of MLB’s top young executives. Toboni oversaw drafts that included Roman Anthony, Marcelo Mayer, Kristian Campbell, Payton Tolle, Connelly Early and prospects traded for Garrett Crochet.

The Cleveland Guardians announced on Wednesday that David Fry suffered several minor facial and nasal fractures after being hit by a 99-mph fastball from Tarik Skubal. He is expected to make a full recovery in 6-8 weeks without requiring surgery.

Padres outfielder Ramón Laureano has a fractured finger, manager Mike Shildt said (via Dennis Lin of The Athletic), and will miss the first round of the playoffs. The 31-year-old was enjoying a breakout season before the injury, hitting .282/.343/.514 overall. However, he’s been struggling in September, batting just .224/.286/.368.

Latest on MMO

David Melendi looks at southpaw David Peterson and what his role could end up being in the postseaosn.

On This Date in Mets History

2003: After more than 40 years and over 6,000 broadcasts, Bob Murphy calls his final game for the Mets.

2022: Pete Alonso becomes the Mets’ single-season RBI leader when he drives in his 125th run of the year.

Born on This Date: Bill Hepler (1945), David Weathers (1969), Argenis Reyes (1982).

The post Morning Briefing: Good Fortune Softens Disastrous Loss to Cubs appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

The Mets had fallen behind the Reds in the race for the final Wild Card spot on Sunday for the first time since April 5. While tied in the win-loss column with the Reds, Cincinnati held the tiebreaker. 

Fast forward 48 hours, and the Mets finally showed the urgency fans have been clamoring for since the All-Star break. Down 6-1 in the fifth inning after another rough post-break outing from David Peterson, the Mets stormed back. Two singles, a walk, and an error set the stage for Brandon Nimmo’s game-tying three-run blast. Then Francisco Alvarez delivered a go-ahead two-run shot in the eighth, setting up Edwin Díaz to slam the door with a two-inning save.

“Realistically,” reliever Ryne Stanek said, “that feels like the moment we’ve been waiting for.”

The victory was important and showed the grit this team can muster, but there’s still a way to go, and Peterson’s outing did not help. Carlos Mendoza had to deploy the bullpen for 23 outs, raising questions about how fresh arms will be for the weekend in Miami. Additionally, it’s unclear if Peterson’s two-month swoon will force the Mets to get creative in a potential must-win final game of the regular season.

With five games to go and the Mets’ magic number at five, the question is whether Tuesday night’s fireworks were the spark or just a fleeting moment in the Mets’ playoff push.

New York Mets (81-76)

Remaining schedule and probable starters:

Mets at Cubs – Jonah Tong vs. Matthew Boyd

Mets at Cubs – Nolan McLean vs. Shota Imanaga

Mets at Marlins – TBA vs. Sandy Alcantara

Mets at Marlins – Sean Manaea vs. Eury Perez

Mets at Marlins – David Peterson vs. Edward Cabrera

Cincinnati Reds (80-77), 1.0 GB

The Reds’ five-game winning streak was snapped Tuesday night when they fell to the Pirates at home 4-2. They’ll hope to hold firm in the race Wednesday night, facing the Cy Young Award favorite, Paul Skenes. 

Remaining schedule and probable starters:

Pirates at Reds – Paul Skenes vs. Hunter Greene

Pirates at Reds – Braxton Ashcraft vs. Nick Lodolo

Reds at Brewers – Zack Littell vs. Jacob Misiorowski

Reds at Brewers – Andrew Abbott vs. TBA

Reds at Brewers – Brady Singer vs. TBA

Arizona Diamondbacks (80-77), 1.0 GB

The Diamondbacks looked like they were going to lose a game in the race heading into the ninth inning Tuesday night against the Dodgers. However, they rattled off their own come-from-behind victory and tied the game before Geraldo Perdomo walked it off with a single.

Remaining schedule and probable starters:

Dodgers at Diamondbacks – Blake Snell vs. Ryne Nelson

Dodgers at Diamondbacks – Yoshinobu Yamamoto vs. Zac Gallen

Diamondbacks at Padres – TBA vs. Yu Darvish

Diamondbacks at Padres – Eduardo Rodriguez vs. Michael King

Diamondbacks at Padres – Brandon Pfaadt vs. Nick Pivetta

St. Louis Cardinals (78-80), 3.5 GB

The Cardinals, hoping for a miracle, will hope to complete a sweep of the Giants on Wednesday night to remain in the race. 

Remaining schedule: at Giants (1); at Cubs (3)

Miami Marlins (77-80), 4.0 GB

The Marlins have been on a heater, winning eleven of their last twelve, and are riding a seven-game win streak. They hope to force the Mets’ hand in the finals series of the year. 

Remaining schedule: at Phillies (2); home vs. Mets (3)

The post NL Wild Card Update: Mets Regain Control of Their Own Destiny appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Sunday’s 3-2 loss to the Nationals was their 11th defeat in the last 15 games, and this one carried more weight than most. It dropped them into a tie with the Reds at 80-76 for the final NL Wild Card spot. The catch? Cincinnati owns the tiebreaker, leaving New York on the outside looking in. The Diamondbacks (79-77) lurk just one game back, while the Giants (77-79), Cardinals (76-80), and Marlins (76-80) remain alive.

Manager Carlos Mendoza is maintaining confidence in his players.

“We’ve got to keep going. We’ve got six more. A lot can happen. That’s where we’re at,” he said postgame on Sunday.“You look at the talent there, we’re one hit away, making one play, making one pitch. We’re close.”

“It’s a tough hill to climb right now, but the boys in here are ready for the challenge,” Sean Manaea, who struggled on the mound Sunday, said. “We just have to put things together. If anyone can do it, it’s us.”

Brandon Nimmo acknowledged the stakes:

“It’s been happening right in front of our eyes, so yeah, I can definitely believe it. We’re down to the last week of the season, and our playoff hopes are in front of us. We’ve got to play winning baseball.”

The urgency isn’t just in the standings — it’s in the small details. Little things, such as misplayed grounders and outfielder errors, have cost the Mets too many games, and they cannot afford any more. Francisco Lindor, one of the players who struggled defensively this weekend, said it bluntly:

“We’ve put ourselves in this position, so we’ve got to find a way to get out of it. If we want to be where we want to be, those things can’t happen. Full accountability on that. I have to be better.”

Every at-bat, pitch, and defensive play is magnified in these final six games. The Mets have little margin for error if they hope to keep their postseason dreams alive.

Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Cincinnati Reds (80-76)

The Reds have now won five consecutive games, capped by a huge 1-0 shutout win over Chicago on Sunday. Their surge has flipped the Wild Card race on its head, and Cincinnati now holds control over its own destiny. Before their winning streak, however, they were swept by the Oakland Athletics in a three-game set.

Remaining schedule: Home – Pirates (3); Away – Brewers (3)

New York Mets (80-76)

Remaining schedule: Away – Cubs (3), Marlins (3)

Arizona Diamondbacks (79-77), 1.0 GB

Arizona was riding its usual rollercoaster, alternating short winning streaks and losing streaks for the past month. They sit just one game behind both the Mets and Reds. However, they are currently on a little hot streak, having taken two of three in three straight series against the Twins, Giants, and Phillies.

Remaining schedule: Home – Dodgers (3); Away – Padres (3)

San Francisco Giants (77-79), 3.0 GB

San Francisco still has a path to the postseason, but must play near-perfect baseball and hope for collapses in front of them. They close with six games at Oracle Park.

Remaining schedule: Home – Cardinals (3), Rockies (3)

St. Louis Cardinals (76-80), 4.0 GB

Like the Giants, the Cardinals will need a miracle to sneak in. They finish on the road against two solid clubs in the Giants and Cubs.

Remaining schedule: Away – Giants (3), Cubs (3)

Miami Marlins (76-80), 4.0 GB

Miami has played their way back into the race, winning ten of their last eleven, including back-to-back sweeps of the Rockies and Rangers. They’ll get a chance to deal a direct blow to New York in the final weekend of the season.

Remaining schedule: Home – Mets (3); Away — Phillies (3)

The post NL Wild Card Update: Mets Lose Control of Their Own Destiny appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Taking two out of three, or even sweeping the series against the Reds, would have all but closed the door on Cincinnati’s postseason chances.
Instead, the Mets dropped two of three in another frustrating weekend. As a result, the NL East race looks all but over. Furthermore, the race for the playoffs is far from being a forgone conclusion with three weeks of the regular season remaining.

On that note, let’s dive straight into another edition of 3 Up, 3 Down…

New York Mets pitcher Brandon Sproat (40) pitches in the first inning between Cincinnati Reds and New York Mets at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati on Sept. 7, 2025.

3 UP

ROOKIE DELIGHT

The wait to see Brandon Sproat arrive in the majors was well worth it. The righty made his Major League Baseball debut on Sunday, allowing three earned runs on three hits and four walks over six innings. He became just the second Mets pitcher since 1974 to have a no-hit bid of at least 5.1 innings in his MLB debut. Despite eventually giving up three runs, Sproat did not look overmatched. Instead, he looked like a seasoned veteran out on the mound. It is just one start, but we got a glimpse of what Sproat could be for this team both now and in the future.

HOUDINI ACT

The Mets’ only win in this series came on Friday night. And they had Edwin Díaz to thank for ultimately not being swept. Coming in to protect a one-run lead in the ninth, Díaz quickly loaded the bases with no outs. To compound matters, the closer suffered a weird cleat malfunction that only added more pressure to an already tense situation. However, equipped with a pair of new cleats, Díaz proceeded to work his way out of an almighty jam. The all-time highlight? Díaz sprinted to cover first base and combine with Luisangel Acuña for an all-time defensive play to record the final out. The rest of the weekend was a wash for New York. However, Díaz’s Houdini heroics served as a welcome reminder of just how critical the closer is to this bullpen.

BAILED OUT

The Mets were probably busy thanking the Baseball Gods on Sunday night. Despite dropping the series to the Reds, both the Giants and the Diamondbacks lost on Sunday. Consequently, New York maintains a four-game cushion on the rest of the field in the race for the final Wild Card spot in the National League. However, the Reds now own the tiebreaker over the Mets, and that could prove critical come the end of the season. It still looks incredibly likely that the Mets will make the playoffs. However, with the NL East race all but over, they can’t afford to keep dropping series like the one in Cincinnati.

New York Mets pitcher Jonah Tong (21) delivers a pitch in the first inning of a MLB game between the Cincinnati Reds and New York Mets, Saturday, Sept. 6, 2025, at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati.

3 DOWN

WELCOME TO THE SHOW

After an impressive debut, Jonah Tong got a taste of just how hard life in the big leagues can be on Saturday. The rookie gave up four runs in six innings of work, including three home runs. It was a tough second act for Tong, who also didn’t get a whole lot of run support, either. The first home run allowed – a two-run blast in the second inning – really set the tone for the rest of the game. However, all rookies will face challenges early on in their careers, and Tong did show some grit and poise by finishing his outing strong.

UNWANTED DEVELOPMENT

The Mets’ ceiling in the postseason may be very low unless David Peterson can find a way out of his current slump. The lefty was better in his last outing on Friday, but still wasn’t exactly great. He gave up four earned runs on seven hits across just 5.1 innings. As a result, Peterson has now allowed 27 earned runs over his last seven starts. He owns an ugly 6.69 ERA over that span. Peterson has been the reliable anchor for this rotation for the majority of 2025. His ability to be an absolute workhorse will be needed in the playoffs. If he continues to struggle, it will put tremendous pressure on the three rookie starters to carry the team in October. And that may be a bridge too far this early in their respective careers.

NOTHING DOING

The offense didn’t make it easy for the pitching staff all weekend long. They scratched out just enough runs to win Friday’s game, although it was too close for comfort. The lineup then managed a total of four runs in the final two games of the series. That just won’t get the job done. Nor will going a combined 5-for-20 with runners in scoring position, leaving a total of 22 runners stranded on base. Despite the likes of Juan Soto and Francisco Lindor staying hot, the offense just couldn’t come through with a crucial hit in the biggest moments. The glaring example of that came on Sunday when Starling Marte grounded into a double play with two runners on in the ninth. The Mets can’t afford to slip back into old offensive habits this close to October. It could end up costing them dearly.

The post 3 Up, 3 Down: Mets Can’t Shut The Door In Cincy appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

The Mets bullpen held onto a one-run lead Friday night in Cincinnati! We are so back!

A win this afternoon will block the Reds from winning the season series, and the tiebreaker, against the Mets. The Mets are looking to run into the playoffs this year on the strength of their bats and the excitement of their rookie starting pitchers. The Mets are about to have three consecutive starts by their most exciting pitchers. Jonah Tong will make his second start this afternoon, Brandon Sproat makes his debut Sunday, and Nolan McLean most likely will start the first game against the Phillies. Today is all about the Canadian Cannon!

Jonah Tong by Roberto Carlo

Mets Lineup

1. Francisco Lindor – SS
2. Juan Soto – RF
3. Brandon Nimmo – LF
4. Pete Alonso – 1B
5. Jeff McNeil – 2B
6. Mark Vientos – DH
7. Brett Baty – 3B
8. Luis Torrens – C
9. Cedric Mullins – CF

Jonah Tong is coming off a fantastic major league debut where he cruised through the first four innings and had a rough fifth inning (a true Mets baptism). He allowed only one earned run, four total runs (everything happened in the fifth inning) from six hits and no walks while striking out six batters. It was also a very strange start where the Mets hitters scored 12 runs over the first two innings, keeping Tong off the mound for over 20 minutes at a time. Tong’s fastball sat in the mid-90’s and the average exit velocity was 86.3 mph, which is very good for a pitcher. Tong’s curveball, which he only tossed 13 times (13.4% usage) had a 50% whiff% according to Statcast!

Opposing Lineup

1. TJ Friedl – CF
2. Noelvi Marte – RF
3. Elly De La Cruz – SS
4. Austin Hays – LF
5. Gavin Lux – DH
6. Spencer Steer – 1B
7. Sal Stewart – 3B
8. Jose Trevino – C
9. Matt McLain – 2B

The Mets’ bats look to give Jonah Tong 19 runs again, this time against Brady Singer. Singer has pitched 143 1/3 innings over 27 starts with a 4.08 ERA, 3.75 FIP, 1.256 WHIP and a 113 ERA+. Singer is coming off of the definition of a quality start, allowing three runs from five hits over six innings while striking out eight. Before that he allowed only two runs over 18 innings over three starts. The Mets have the following career stats against him:

• Pete Alonso 2-3, K
• Brett Baty 0-3, 2 K
• Francisco Lindor 0-8, 4 K
• Jeff McNeil 0-3
• Cedric Mullins 1-2, 2B
• Juan Soto 3-7, 2B, 2 BB
• Luis Torrens 0-3, 2 K
• Mark Vientos 1-3

Game Notes

• According to Anthony DiComo, the Mets expect Reed Garrett to be an option tomorrow out of the bullpen. Garrett was on the shelf with right elbow inflammation.
• Lefty Joe La Sorsa, who elected free agency earlier this week, has agreed to terms with the Mets on a minor league deal, according to Anthony DiComo. La Sorsa pitched to a 2.82 ERA in AAA this year and made five appearances for the Reds.
• A.J. Ewing extended his hitting streak to 14 games last night. You can read more about the Mets’ minor league system from Friday here.

Three Things To Watch For

1. Late Summer Mark Vientos. Mark Vientos has played in 25 games since August 1st, slashing .277/.333/.638 with seven doubles and nine home runs, including the one he hit Friday night. Over 50% of his home runs have come in the last month! He’s raised his season slash line from .234/.285/.372 to .245/.298/.441. He has completely flipped the script on his season, going from a negative bWAR to essentially 0 and from a below-average OPS+ to 108. Hopefully he keeps raking tonight!
2. A collection of Juan Soto stats to tell a friend. Juan Soto had a very 2025 Juan Soto night on Friday, going 2-for-4 with a double, a walk, and a stolen base. He now has 5.8 bWAR, the third most in his career, a .924 OPS (third consecutive season above .900), and a 161 OPS+ (also the third highest in his career). Soto has led the league in walks, pretty much the whole season, and now leads the league in OBP at .401. At 116 walks, he is now only nine away from John Olerud’s franchise record of 125 walks in a season. He is only three home runs and two stolen bases away from a 40-30 season.
3. Scoreboard Watching. The Phillies maintained their six-game division lead on Friday with another win. This afternoon will be a Marlins battle as the Phillies send out Jesús Luzardo against Sandy Alcantara. Things are getting interesting in the wild-card race, though. The Padres lost their fifth straight game, this time against the Rockies last night. The Mets and Padres are now tied for the last wild card spot. The Giants won, so they stayed four back in the race, while the Reds fell to six back. Two weeks ago, it looked like the Reds were the only team that had a chance at that last spot. As they have struggled, they have let the Giants and Diamondbacks (5.5 back) slip in front of them. We may have a surprise race now for the last wild card spot!

Let’s go Mets!

The post Game Chat: Mets vs Reds, 6:40 PM appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Beginning with Saturday’s game against the Reds, the Mets are about to enter a three-game stretch where Jonah Tong, Brandon Sproat and Nolan McLean will start for New York.

Sproat’s outing will be his major league debut, while Tong and McLean have put a jolt into a Mets team that badly needed it — McLean has had a historic four-start stretch to begin his career, while Tong looked great in his first outing last Friday. The Mets will be hoping all three can perform in big games against the Reds and Phillies.

Jonah Tong by Roberto Carlo

Latest Mets News

The Mets (76-65) defeated the Reds (70-71) 5-4 in their series opener in Cincinnati Friday night. The Mets got out to an early 4-0 lead but quickly saw that shrink to 5-4. Edwin Díaz found trouble in the bottom of the ninth by loading the bases with no outs, but he miraculously got out of it with a pair of strikeouts and a groundout to earn the win.

With the win, the Mets are now six games ahead of the Reds in the NL Wild Card race, but just four games ahead of the Giants, who have surpassed the Reds with a recent hot streak. The Mets also remain six games behind the Phillies, who won on Friday, in the NL East.

Prior to Friday’s game, the Mets optioned starter Kodai Senga to Triple-A and activated Francisco Alvarez from the injured list. Senga’s expected to make a couple of starts in Syracuse to hopefully get right after he has been largely ineffective since returning from the injured list. Meanwhile, Alvarez rejoined the starting lineup Friday and went 1-for-4.

Mike Petriello of MLB.com wrote about Juan Soto‘s recent success with runners in scoring position and how he’s been able to reverse his fortunes from earlier in the season.

Former Cub Adbert Alzolay, who is currently in the Mets’ system rehabbing from Tommy John surgery, posted a video to X of himself facing live batters.

FOCO released a Mets cowboy hat, which can be purchased for $50.

Latest MLB News

Tigers reliever Kyle Finnegan is being placed on the injured list with a right adductor strain. Finnegan has yet to allow a run in 14 1/3 innings since being traded to Detroit at the trade deadline. The Tigers also activated Parker Meadows from the injured list.

The Red Sox placed reliever Jordan Hicks on the injured list with right shoulder tendinitis. Hicks had a brutal 8.20 ERA in 21 games since coming over from the Giants in the Rafael Devers trade.

On Saturday, the Oakland Ballers of the Pioneer League will become the first professional sports team to be managed by AI. Manager Aaron Miles will defer all decision-making to artificial intelligence, including the starting lineup, when to bring pitchers in from the bullpen, and when to use pinch hitters.

Latest on MMO

Gabe Herz writes about McLean emerging as the potential ace of the Mets’ staff.

Johnluke Chaparro breaks down the 2025 season for Brandon Sproat and whether he’s ready for the big leagues.

On This Date in Mets History

Born on This Date: Donnie Hart (1990), Jerry Blevins (1983), Alex Escobar (1978).

The post Morning Briefing: Mets Set for Three Straight Rookie Starts appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

The next seven games can decide if the Mets make the playoffs.

Heading into play today, the Mets trail the Philadelphia Phillies for the NL East lead by six games. They are five games ahead of the Cincinnati Reds for the last Wild Card spot. A solid series in Cincinnati this weekend could effectively knock the Reds out of the postseason picture (barring a Padres and Giants collapse). In July, the Reds took two of three games from the Mets at Citi Field, so there is a possibility that Cincinnati could get the tiebreaker outright from the Mets this weekend. New York is still in control of their destiny, however. Let’s go!

Jordan Godfree-Imagn Images

Mets Lineup

1. Francisco Lindor – SS
2. Juan Soto – RF
3. Pete Alonso – 1B
4. Mark Vientos – 3B
5. Brandon Nimmo – LF
6. Starling Marte – DH
7. Jeff McNeil – CF
8. Francisco Alvarez – C
9. Luisangel Acuña – 2B

David Peterson has thrown 152 innings over 26 games this season with a 3.61 ERA, 3.38 FIP, 1.309 WHIP and a 111 ERA+. He is coming off of a rough start against the Miami Marlins where he allowed eight runs over the first two innings on eight hits and three walks. Before that outing, he allowed only three runs over his previous 13 2/3 innings while striking out 18 during that stretch. He had a great start against the Reds back in July, holding them to one unearned run over six innings, scattering four hits.

The Reds have the following career numbers against Peterson:

• Miguel Andujar 2-7, 2B, BB
• Elly De La Cruz 1-3
• Santiago Espinal 1-4
• TJ Friedl 1-6, BB, 2 K
• Ke’Bryan Hayes 4-9, 2B, 2 BB, K
• Austin Hays 0-4, K
• Gavin Lux 0-2, BB
• Noelvi Marte 2-5
• Matt McLain 1-3, 2 K
• Spencer Steer 1-6, HR, 2 BB, K
• Jose Trevino 1-1

Opposing Lineup

1. TJ Friedl – CF
2. Noelvi Marte – RF
3. Elly De La Cruz – SS
4. Miguel Andujar – DH
5. Austin Hays – LF
6. Spencer Steer – 1B
7. Tyler Stephenson – C
8. Ke’Bryan Hayes – 3B
9. Matt McLain – 2B

Andrew Abbott has pitched 139 innings over 24 starts with a 2.65 ERA, 3.63 FIP, 1.115 WHIP and a 173 ERA+. August was a rougher month for Abbott, who posted a 4.45 ERA and 3.63 FIP over 30 1/3 innings spread over five games. That stretch included a seven-inning shutout (August 17) and seven runs (six earned) over four innings (August 23).

He held the Mets to two runs over six innings back in July. and the Mets have the following career stats against him:

• Luisangel Acuña 1-1, 2B
• Pete Alonso 0-4, BB, 2 K
• Brett Baty 2-6, K
• Francisco Lindor 3-7, 2B, HR, BB, K
• Starling Marte 1-2, BB, K
• Ronny Mauricio 2-2
• Jeff McNeil 1-4, 2 BB
• Cedric Mullins 2-4, 2B, HR, K
• Brandon Nimmo 1-8, 3 K
• Juan Soto 3-8, BB
• Luis Torrens 1-3
• Mark Vientos 2-5, K

Game Notes

• Reed Garrett made the first appearance of his rehab assignment on Thursday night for Double-A Binghamton, striking out a pair of batters as part of a scoreless inning. For more, check out our minor league recap!
• Kodai Senga officially accepted an assignment to Triple-A Syracuse on Friday and is expected to make two starts with the affiliate, per SNY’s Andy Martino.

Three Things To Watch For

1. Francisco Alvarez. Alvarez is starting tonight’s game, which is impressive because he has been through it over the last month. Against the Seattle Mariners in mid-August, he sprained his UCL in his right thumb sliding into a base. He’s playing through the injury despite needing surgery to really fix it. While rehabbing, he got hit in his left hand by a pitch, fracturing his pinky finger. So here comes Alvarez with two hurt hands. He was smoking the ball before getting injured, with three multi-hit games in his last seven played with three home runs, two doubles, seven runs scored and nine RBIs over that stretch. He’s coming off a game in the minors where he hit a grand slam as well.
2. Ballpark Factors. Over the last three years, Great American Ball Park has had a park factor of 103 per Baseball Savant, which is fourth in the majors (positive for hitters). Great American’s park factor is almost entirely due to its home run numbers (123), meaning that players from all teams are observed to have 23% more home runs at GABP compared to their performance elsewhere. We already know the Mets smash home runs. We also know the Mets’ bullpen has been a struggle recently. This will play part of the story all weekend. Interestingly, Abbott has much better splits at home (81 innings, 2.11 ERA, 8 HR) compared to on the road (58 innings, 3.41 ERA, 7 HR).
3. Scoreboard watching. The Wild Card race has gotten interesting over the last couple of days. The Padres have lost eight of their last ten games and now have a one-game lead over the Mets for the second spot. They are playing the Colorado Rockies this weekend. The San Francisco Giants, on the other hand, have surged, winning nine of their last ten games while leapfrogging the Reds. While Cincinnati is five games back, the Giants are only four games back of the Mets for the last Wild Card spot. The Phillies, with their six-game lead in the division, start a series with the Marlins tonight.

Let’s go Mets!

The post Game Chat: Mets vs Reds, 6:40 PM appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

The Cincinnati Reds (70-70), who are five games back of the final Wild Card spot, have lost seven of their last 10. It’s certainly a critical series for them as well. Let’s take a look at some notes ahead of the three pitching matchups.

Jonah Tong by Roberto Carlo

PITCHING MATCHUPS

• Friday: David Peterson (8-5, 3.61 ERA) vs. Andrew Abbott (8-5, 2.65 ERA): For large stretches of this season, Peterson was the only reliable starter in the Mets’ rotation. But like some of his teammates, he is in the middle of a rough stretch. Over his last five starts, Peterson is 1-1 with a 7.56 ERA. Walks have been an issue as of late, surrendering 15 over his last 25 innings. Peterson will try to bounce back against Cincinnati, a team he has yet to beat in his career (four starts). Abbott is having his best season yet. But like Peterson, he is also struggling. Abbott finished the month of August with a 4.62 ERA across five outings. In particular, his last two starts were difficult: nine runs allowed (eight earned) over nine innings pitched.
• Saturday: Jonah Tong (1-0, 1.80 ERA) vs. Brady Singer (12-9, 4.08 ERA): Mets fans will get their second opportunity to watch Tong take the ball at the big league level. His first start was good, as he went five innings and gave up four runs (one earned), six hits and six strikeouts against the Miami Marlins last Friday. If some plays were made behind him, Tong may have pitched into the sixth inning. He threw 97 pitches in that start, so the potential to go deeper against the Reds is absolutely there. Singer has been a reliable, backend starter for Cincinnati all season. August was a good month for him, going 4-1 with a 2.41 ERA over six starts. That stretch included four starts with six innings pitched. Singer has performed well at home this season, pitching to a 3.19 ERA.
• Sunday: Brandon Sproat (8-6, 4.24 ERA in Triple-A) vs. Hunter Greene (5-4, 2.70 ERA): The wait is finally over. Sproat has joined Tong and Nolan McLean in the big league rotation, at least for now. Going into this season, the expectation was that Sproat would be the first young starter to debut. That was not the case, but his promotion comes at a good time, as he has pitched to a 2.44 ERA over his last 59 innings for Triple-A Syracuse. Greene has been limited to 15 starts this season. Unfortunately, injuries have been a big factor since he debuted for the Reds in 2022. But when he has been healthy, Greene has pitched like one of the best starters in the National League. He is 0-2 with a 4.84 ERA in two career starts against the Mets.

WHAT’S THE STORY?

Francisco Alvarez is back. The Mets’ starting catcher is set to return during an important stretch in the season. The question is, how much can he provide for them? Alvarez is dealing with a right thumb sprain and a left pinky fracture. Not ideal, especially for a catcher. Alvarez was red-hot before he had to go on the injured list. Over a 21-game stretch, he was slashing .323/.408/.645 with four home runs and 13 RBIs. It appeared that previous demotion to Triple-A Syracuse paid off in a big way. If he can play through the pain but more importantly succeed through the pain, a Mets lineup that is performing very well would quickly get a whole lot deeper.

PREDICTION

This is an important series for both teams. The Reds need a series victory, maybe even a series sweep to remain in the Wild Card hunt. On the other hand, the Mets are looking to stay within striking distance of the Phillies in the division. With the way Juan Soto, Brandon Nimmo and the rest of the offense are performing, I can only seeing this series going one way. The Mets will take two of three.

The post Series Preview: Mets Face Reds As Wild Card Hunt Continues appeared first on Metsmerized Online.