On Wednesday, the Mets announced that lefty reliever Danny Young will be placed on the 15-day IL, retroactive to April 27, with a left elbow strain. Along with that move, righty Chris Devenski was selected from Triple-A Syracuse and the recently signed lefty Brooks Raley was transferred to the 60-day IL. Unfortunately, this does not seem like a short-term stint, as Mets manager Carlos Mendoza told reporters that the southpaw may need Tommy John Surgery.

On the field, the Mets came up short against the Arizona Diamondbacks last night. Despite getting 4 1/3 scoreless innings of relief from Brandon Waddell pitching in the big leagues for the first time since 2021, a ninth-inning rally from the Mets offense came up shy, resulting in a 4-3 loss. Click here for a full-game recap of Wednesday night’s loss at Citi. 

The Amazin’s will look to take the rubber match against Arizona on Thursday as Kodai Senga (1.26 ERA, 3-1) will face Zac Gallen (5.57 ERA, 1-4) at 1:10 PM EST. New York will look to get back in the win column before hitting the road for a 6-game road trip in St. Louis and Arizona.

Latest Mets News

Francisco Lindor stopped by St. John’s University to speak with the school’s baseball and softball teams.

Chris Majkowski was the producer-engineer for his 5,000th consecutive Mets game on radio on Wednesday night. Jay Horwitz went in-depth on the man behind the Mets radio broadcast. 

Latest MLB News

The Cubs called up veteran RHP Chris Flexen from the minors, per Jesse Rogers of ESPN. Flexen had a 1.16 ERA in 5 starts at Triple-A Iowa. 

Bo Bichette intends to join his brother and play for Brazil at the WBC, per Ayako Oikawa of MLB.com. Bo Bichette on the matter, “It means a lot to our whole family. We want to do our best to contribute to the team’s victory and draw some attention to Brazilian baseball.”

A fan fell onto the field from the Clemente Wall bleachers (21 feet in height) in right field during the Pirates game at PNC park last night. The latest update from the Pirates was that Pittsburgh EMS, along with both clubs’ athletic training teams, responded immediately, and he was taken to Allegheny General Hospital.

Mike Trout left Wednesday night’s Angels game with precautionary knee soreness, per Jeff Fletcher of SoCal News Group. Trout is already feeling better and will try to play on Thursday.

Miami Marlins manager Clayton McCullough announced that outfielder Griffin Conine will miss the remainder of the 2025 season after undergoing shoulder surgery on Tuesday. He is expected to be a full-go for 2026 spring training. 

The Seattle Mariners selected the contract of former Mets draft pick OF Rhylan Thomas and will make his MLB debut when he first appears in a game. 

Former Met Jake Diekman signed with the Lincoln Saltdogs of the American Association.

The Miami Marlins released their new City Connect uniforms.

Latest On MMO

Brandon Waddell sparkled in his MLB return. 

Mark Vientos was the subject of MMO’s Weekly Statistical Spotlight.

Mets ninth-inning rally came up short.

On This Date In Mets History

2011: The crowd erupts in “U-S-A” chants during the ninth inning of a Mets-Phillies game after news of Osama Bin Laden’s death breaks.

1987: Tim Tuefel hits a walk-off pinch-hit solo homer to beat the Expos 7-6.

Born On This Date: Marcus Stroman (1991), Manny Acosta (1981), Joe Hietpas (1979), Armando Reynoso (1966), Charlie O’Brien (1960), Ray Searage (1955), Roy Lee Jackson (1954)

The post Morning Briefing: Danny Young Might Need Tommy John Surgery appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Player Data: Age: 33 (07/26/1991), B/T: R/R

Primary Stats: 63 G, 55 1/3  IP, 4.88 ERA, 1.319 WHIP, 7-3, 67 SO, 25 BB
Advanced Stats: 78 ERA+, 27.8% K%, 10.4% BB%, 3.46 xERA, 4.14 FIP, 4.18 xFIP, -0.6 fWAR

2024 Salary: $4,000,000

Grade: C+

2024 Review

The Mets traded for Ryne Stanek from the Seattle Mariners at the 2024 trade deadline for minor-league outfielder Rhylan Thomas. At the time of the trade, Stanek pitched to a 4.38 ERA with 44 strikeouts in 39 innings with 17 walks. The Mets traded for him primarily due to his 100 MPH fastball and solid splitter, but there were concerns about his control. 

Upon arriving in Queens, Stanek initially struggled, allowing three earned runs in his first appearance as a Met and four runs in his fifth appearance against his old team. Despite this, his ERA dropped from 5.63 in August to 4.05 in September. Stanek was able to curb some of his control issues while not allowing many hits, and he allowed one home run in August & September. He provided stability in the back end of the bullpen after Dedniel Nunez went on the injured list and handled some of the seventh-inning duties.

Stanek performed much better in the playoffs, becoming an integral part of their bullpen and pitching to a 3.38 ERA over eight innings, striking out eight and walking three.

2025 Overview

Stanek is a free agent and may be looking for a similar contract to the one he received for the 2024 season. However, based on his peripherals, he may have to settle for a one-year deal with more money tied into incentives. While Stanek may have more gas left in the tank, his stats have been trending in the wrong direction after his stellar 2022 season with the Houston Astros. A focus on keeping his fastball up in the zone and refining his slider, which he threw 16% of the time and batters slugged .542 against, could help keep his ERA down.

The post 2024 Mets Report Card: Ryne Stanek, RP appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

David Stearns approached the deadline as expected trying to add pieces to help make a playoff push without giving up the future of the organization. Let’s take a look at how his acquisitions have performed thus far.

Phil Maton

Maton was acquired on July 9 from the Tampa Bay Rays for cash considerations and has been one of the more reliable arms in the bullpen lately. He has only given up two earned runs in nine innings, with 11 strikeouts in that span. Maton has only walked one and allowed just four hits.

Photo by Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

Ryne Stanek

He was acquired on July 26 from the Seattle Mariners for outfield prospect Rhylan Thomas and rejoined his former Houston Astros teammate Phil Maton to help strengthen the bullpen. Stanek only has three appearances to show for it, but he had a rough go-around against the Atlanta Braves, where he surrendered two home runs. He had a quick bounce back in his next two appearances, giving up no runs in 1 2/3 innings pitched.

Jesse Winker

With Starling Marte‘s return uncertain and DJ Stewart‘s unproductive at-bats, the Mets acquired Winker from the Washington Nationals on July 28 for right-handed pitching prospect Tyler Stuart. Winker has had a tough stretch to the start of his Mets tenure, failing to record an RBI in his first six games with the team. He has only three hits in 15 at-bats (.450 OPS) to show for, but he will continue to be in the lineup against right-handed pitching.

Kiyoshi Mio-USA TODAY Sports

Paul Blackburn 

Blackburn was acquired from the Oakland A’s on July 30 for right-handed pitching prospect Kade Morris and recorded a win for the Mets against the Los Angeles Angels in his first start. He recorded six strikeouts in six innings pitched while only giving up one earned run.

Tyler Zuber

Zuber was acquired from the Tampa Bay Rays on July 30 for right-handed pitching prospect Paul Gervase and was optioned to Triple-A Syracuse the next day. He only has two appearances with the Syracuse Mets and has given up two earned runs in two innings.

Huascar Brazobán

Brazobán was acquired from the Miami Marlins on July 30 for utility prospect Wilfredo Lara and has appeared out of the ‘pen three times for the Mets. He had one of his worst outings of the season against the Angels that featured a go-ahead three-run home run that led to a Mets loss, but he was able to bounce back against the Rockies, throwing a scoreless two innings.

The post Mets Trade Deadline Acquisitions Tested Early appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

With a struggling bullpen and an influx of moves on the horizon, the Mets DFA’d both RHP Adrian Houser and RHP Shintaro Fujinami on July 26. While Fujinami cleared waivers and was outrighted to Triple-A Syracuse on Tuesday, Houser was released by the club on Wednesday, per Will Sammon of The Athletic. The Mets also released RHP Ty Adcock. 

Houser, who was acquired along with Tyrone Taylor from the Brewers in the offseason, had his ups and downs throughout his short Mets tenure. The veteran started in the Mets’ rotation, where he struggled severely, having his ERA balloon up to 8.37 at its highest. The Mets then moved him to the bullpen, where he thrived for a short period, but he came back down to Earth recently, and his subpar performance made him expendable. Houser posted a 5.84 ERA, 1.53 WHIP and 1-5 record in his 69 1/3 innings and 23 games with the Mets.

At Citi Field on Wednesday, the Mets finished their homestand and series against the Minnesota Twins in disappointing fashion. While a Mark Vientos home run gave the Mets an early 2-1 lead in the second inning, it would all go downhill from there. Luis Severino had one of his worst outings in Queens, only lasting three innings while giving up six runs on six hits, leading to an 8-3 Mets loss. However, the Mets leave Citi Field with the series win and a 4-3 record during their homestand. Click here for a full game recap. 

The Mets are now going on a West Coast trip. Their first stop will be in Anaheim, where they will take on the Los Angeles Angels for three games. They will have Thursday off and be back in action on Friday night when Paul Blackburn will make his Mets debut on the mound. 

Photo by David Richard-USA TODAY Sports

Latest Mets News

Baseball America ranked all 89 prospects dealt at the trade deadline. Here is where the pieces the Mets parted with landed: RHP Tyler Stuart (35), RHP Kade Morris (41), RHP Paul Gervase (75), OF Rhylan Thomas (82) and INF Wilfredo Lara (86).

The Mets optioned newly acquired right-handed relief pitcher Tyler Zuber to Triple-A Syracuse prior to Wednesday’s game. They also optioned LHP Matt Gage to Syracuse and activated former Marlin RHP Huascar Brazobán.

Two new promotions were added to the Mets’ schedule for their mid-August homestand. On Saturday, August 17, against the Marlins, the first 15,000 fans will receive an “OMG” T-shirt, and fans can get an “OMG” foam finger through a special ticket offer for the game on Tuesday, August 20th, against the Orioles.

The Mets’ newest starter, Paul Blackburn, will make his first start for the Amazin’s on Friday against the Angels. Tylor Megill, slated to start that game, has been put in the bullpen. He went two innings while giving up one run on three hits during his first appearance out of the ‘pen on Wednesday against the Twins. Click here to learn about Blackburn.

Reed Garrett looked “really good” in his live session on Wednesday, per Joe Pantorno of amNewYork. Garrett, who hit 97 mph in his live session, will be making a rehab appearance on Saturday for the Syracuse Mets. 

Sean Reid-Foley was on point during his rehab appearance for Double-A Binghamton, getting all three batters he faced to strike out swinging. 

Brandon Nimmo left Wednesday’s loss to the Minnesota Twins after fouling a ball off his foot in the sixth inning. Mets manager Carlos Mendoza told reporters after the game that X-rays were negative and Nimmo should be good to go for Friday. Click here for more on Nimmo’s injury.

The Mets signed 18 of their 20 draft picks in the 2024 MLB Draft. The only players the Mets did not sign were ninth-rounder RHP Jaxon Jelkin and 20th-rounder SS Adam Haight.

Latest MLB News

The Houston Astros DFA’d former Mets pitcher Rafael Montero, per Chandler Rome of The Athletic. The flame-throwing right-hander was in year two of his three-year, $34.5 million deal.

St. Louis Cardinals veteran RHP Lance Lynn was placed on the 15-day IL with right knee inflammation. Lynn has a 4.06 ERA and 1.36 WHIP in 106 1/3 innings of work this season.

Jackson Holliday‘s first career home run was a grand slam, which he rocketed deep into right field, onto Eutaw Street.

JACKSON HOLLIDAY!

His first big league homer is a grand slam! pic.twitter.com/UhYSrT2MiQ

— MLB (@MLB) July 31, 2024

Baltimore Orioles third baseman Jordan Westburg fractured his hand after getting hit by a pitch in the fifth inning of Wednesday’s game, per Steve Melewski of MASN Sports. The club hopes he can return by the end of the season.

Former Mets catcher James McCann played in Wednesday’s Orioles game with multiple nasal fractures after taking a 95 mph fastball to the face on Monday. McCann sported a new mask to do so.

Latest on MMO

See what MMO writers graded the Mets’ trade deadline.

The Mets activated their newest reliever, Huascar Brazobán.

More on the news of Nimmo fighting off an injury scare.

The Mets signed 18 of their 20 draft picks.

On This Date in Mets History

2015: Lucas Duda drives in all three Mets runs as his two home runs and eighth-inning go-ahead RBI double power the Mets past the Nationals. This win puts the Mets one game back of the Washington Nationals for first place in the NL East. 

2010: 1986 World Series champions Darryl Strawberry, Dwight “Doc” Gooden, Davey Johnson, and Frank Cashen are inducted into the Mets Hall of Fame.

1999: Pitcher Pat Mahomes gives the Mets a 13th-inning lead with a two-out base hit and gets the save in the bottom of the frame to beat the Cubs in Wrigley. 

1989: Kevin McReynolds finishes off the fifth cycle in Mets history with his ninth-inning triple.

Birthdays: Brian Bohanon (56), Gregg Jefferies (57)

The post Morning Briefing: Mets Release Adrian Houser appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Mandatory Credit: Stephen Brashear-USA TODAY Sports

Stanek, who turned 33-years-old on Friday, went 6-3 with a 4.38 ERA, 3.44 xERA, 1.33 WHIP and 44 strikeouts over 46 appearances with the Mariners this season. He owns a career ERA of 3.54 and has made a living getting hitters to chase, leading to an exorbitant amount of strikeouts (10.5 K/9) while also struggling with his command (4.5 BB/9) at times over the years.

Stanek has continuously shown up in the postseason, which bodes well for the Mets as he figures to settle into a late-inning role. He has appeared in 23 career playoff games, going 3-0 with a 2.70 ERA (6 ER/20.0 IP) with six walks and 21 strikeouts.

Thomas, 24, has slashed .265/.318/.387 with five homers in 305 plate appearances between Double-A Binghamton and Triple-A Syracuse this season. He is not among the top 30 prospects in the Mets’ system according to Baseball America, though our own Michael Mayer ranked him at No. 42 in his updated Top 50 list.

The post Mets Acquire Reliever Ryne Stanek From Mariners appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Tidwell was drafted by New York in the second round of the 2022 MLB Amateur Draft from the University of Tennessee. The now 23-year-old has appeared in five games for Double-A Binghamton this year, tossing 37 1/3 innings with a strong 2.41 ERA. Tidwell has struck out 44 batters this season to go along with only 11 walks. His FIP and xFIP of 2.41 and 3.21, respectively, further indicate an extremely strong season thus far for the right-handed starter.

Last season, Tidwell split time with High-A Brooklyn and Double-A Binghamton. In total, he posted a 3.88 ERA across 116 innings. He struck out 153 batters but did struggle with walks, giving up 63 free passes. The year he was drafted, 2022, Tidwell threw 9 1/3 innings between the Florida Complex League and with Low-A St. Lucie, allowing just two runs.

Blade Tidwell. Photo by Bronson Harris of the Binghamton Rumble Ponies

Tidwell, who has developed a new cutter this season in Double-A, has showcased strong stuff and the ability to be a top prospect sine debuting as a professional. With arguably his biggest weakness the last couple years, walking batters, improving immensely so far this season (dropped 4% points from last season and at a career-low 7.5%), he is an extremely intriguing prospect that may help the Mets before season’s end.

Meanwhile, 24-year-old Rhylan Thomas is set to reach the Triple-A level for the first time in his career. After an extremely strong 2023 (.832 OPS across three different levels), Thomas has backed that up this year with a .315/.373/.391 slash line thus far.

The former 11th-round draft selection has a unique skill set where he hits for high average while not striking out much to go along with a solid eye at the plate. This evident by the fact he walked just as many times as he struck out over his college career and he posted an absurdly high .407 on-base percentage last season.

Tidwell and Thomas join a Triple-A Syracuse team which has been tremendous this year. The Triple-A Mets are 27-16 on the season and feature top prospects in Luisangel Acuña, Dom Hamel, and Mike Vasil.

Tidwell was Metsmerized’s preseason No. 12 prospect in the system. Thomas was not ranked within Metsmerized’s preseason top 35.

The post Blade Tidwell, Rhylan Thomas Promoted To Triple-A Syracuse appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Triple-A

Syracuse Mets (22-15) 8, Iowa Cubs (19-20) 7
BOX SCORE

• SS Luisangel Acuña 1-for-5, R, K (.622 OPS)
• RF Ben Gamel 2-for-4, R, BB (1.043 OPS)
• 3B Luke Ritter 1-for-4, 2 RBI (20), 3 K (.872 OPS)
• 1B Mike Brosseau 3-for-3, 3 R, 3 HR (3), 3 RBI (9), SB (1), BB (.768 OPS)
• 2B Jose Iglesias 0-for-5, K (.759 OPS)

Mike Brosseau, Photo by James Farrance

Mike Brosseau was a man on fire, hitting three solo home runs and stealing a base. Syracuse was firing on all cylinders against one-time 2024 New York Met Julio Teheran.

Mark Vientos and Joey Lucchesi were late scratches on the day, as they were both called up to the Mets. Joey Wendle and Yohan Ramirez will both be designated for assignment.

• RHP Cole Sulser (3.00) 2 IP, 2 BB, 2 K
• RHP Jon Duplantier (6.57) 2 IP, 3 H, BB, K
• RHP Max Kranick (6.00) 2 IP, 4 ER, 4 H, 2 BB, 1 HR allowed
• RHP Eric Orze (4.35) 2 1/3 IP, 2 ER, 2 H, 4 K, 1 HR allowed
• LHP Josh Walker (3.07) 2/3 IP, 1 ER, 2 H, K

Joey Lucchesi was the scheduled starter but was called up to the New York Mets, so instead, it was a bullpen game started by Cole Sulser. Syracuse was up big late, but some shaky bullpen work allowed Iowa to make the game look much closer than it was.

Photo by @KristinBasnett

Double-A

Binghamton Rumble Ponies (18-13) 2, Bowie BaySox (17-15) 0
BOX SCORE

• DH Matt Rudick 0-for-2, R, 2 BB, 2 K (.756 OPS)
• 3B Rowdey Jordan 1-for-3, R, HR (3), RBI (16), 2 K (.791 OPS)
• RF Alex Ramírez 0-for-3, SB (16), BB, K (.729 OPS)
• CF Rhylan Thomas 1-for-4, 2B, RBI (12) (.802 OPS)
• 1B JT Schwartz 1-for-3 (.801 OPS)
• LF Ryan Clifford 0-for-4, 3 K (.000 OPS)
• C Kevin Parada 0-for-4, 2 K (.611 OPS)

The Rumble Ponies were caught up in a pitcher’s duel but managed to put just enough runs on the board to win the game. Rhylan Thomas continues to hit with RISP and Ryan Clifford had a cold welcome to AA, striking out three times in his first appearance for the Rumble Ponies.

Ramírez stole his 16th base of the season, and despite seeing his average and OPS drop significantly from its early season peak, he is still walking and then using his speed to get involved in the game.

• LHP David Peterson (0.00) 5 1/3 IP, 5 H, 8 K, (53 of 70 pitches for strikes)
• RHP Joander Suarez (2.17) 3 2/3 IP, 1 H, 5 K

David Peterson and Joander Suarez combined for a six-hit shutout. With the Mets looking to possibly go to a six-man rotation with a long stretch of games ahead, Peterson could be knocking on the door to come to Flushing.

David Peterson had 18 swinging strikes on the day, second in all of Double-A.

High-A

Bowling Green Hot Rods(15-12) / Brooklyn Cyclones (16-13) POSTPONED

The Brooklyn/Bowling Green game was postponed due to rain and will be made up as a doubleheader on Thursday, with the time to be announced.

Low-A

St. Lucie Mets (12-22) 3, Palm Beach Cardinals (19-15) 7
BOX SCORE

• 2B Marco Vargas 1-for-4, R (.841 OPS)
• DH Jesus Baez 1-for-3, 2B, BB (.809 OPS)
• RF Jeffry Rosa 0-for-4, 4 K (931 OPS)
• 3B Boston Baro 1-for-3, RBI (13), BB, 2 K (.780 OPS)
• SS Colin Houck 0-for-4, 2 K, E (7) (.516 OPS)
• C Ronald Hernandez 1-for-4, 2B, R, K (.628 OPS)

St. Lucie struggled to get hits on the day and some sloppy defense also cost them. Colin Houck continues to struggle with both the bat and the glove, and it seems to be only a matter of time before he may become the odd man out in the prospect-filled St. Lucie infield.

After starting his Low-A season scorching hot, Jeffry Rosa is 0 for his last 8 with seven strikeouts.

• LHP Franklin Gomez (3.18) 4 2/3 IP, 3 R (2 ER), 3 H, 3 BB, 5 K (45  of 76 pitches for strikes)
• LHP Ryan Ammons  (4.15) 1 1/3 IP, 1 ER, 2 H, 2 BB, 2 K
• RHP Juan Arnaud (3.52) 2/3 IP, 2 ER, 2 H, 2 BB, 1 K
• RHP Alan Perdomo (5.40) 1 1/3 IP, 1 ER, 2 H, 2 K

Franklin Gomez battled his control on the day, failing to get out of the fifth inning. Every St. Lucie reliever allowed a run.

Florida Coast League

FCL Mets (4-3) 5, FCL Cardinals (5-3) 15
BOX SCORE

• 2B Jeremy Rodriguez 1-for-5, 2 K (.942 OPS)
• 3B/SS Branny De Oleo 1-for-4, R, BB, K (.690 OPS)
• RF Simon Juan 1-for-4, R, BB (.949 OPS)
• DH Willy Fanas 2-for-4, R, BB (1.053 OPS)

The FCL Mets were fighting an uphill battle, with the Cardinals scoring 15 runs against them.

Dangelo Sarmiento was removed from the game due to injury and was replaced by Jake Zitella.

• RHP Jose Chirinos (4.76) 2 2/3 IP 3 ER,  H, 2 BB, 5 K

Everyone in the FCL Mets’ pitching staff struggled on the day, giving up 15 runs and walking 14 batters.

The post Mike Brosseau Hits Three Home Runs appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Triple-A

Syracuse Mets (19-14) 5, Lehigh Valley IronPigs (12-20) 4

BOX SCORE

• SS Luisangel Acuña: 1-for-4, 2 R, 2B, SB, BB, 2 K (.602 OPS)
• 1B Mark Vientos: 1-for-5, RBI (25), 4 K (.897 OPS)
• CF Trayce Thompson: 0-for-4, RBI (23) (.718 OPS)
• 2B José Iglesias: 2-for-4, R, K (.826 OPS)

There was no repeat of the offensive outburst that Syracuse had on Tuesday. However, the team did get at least one hit from seven of the nine hitters in the starting lineup. Even though Vientos had the golden sombrero at the plate, he delivered the RBI single at the top of the sixth, breaking a 1-1 tie. He has driven in a run in each of the last three games.

Mark Vientos smokes a single at 106 miles per hour into centerfield and drives in Luisangel Acuña.

It's so beautiful 🥺 pic.twitter.com/itjV1TIyCv

— Syracuse Mets (@SyracuseMets) May 9, 2024

• LHP Joey Lucchesi (2.58 ERA): 6.1 IP, 3 ER, 7 H, BB, 3 K (61 of 94 pitches for strikes)
• RHP Dedniel Nuñez (3-0, 0,00): 0.2 IP, 0 ER, 0 H, K (5 of 5 pitches for strikes)
• RHP Drew Smith (9.00): 1 IP, 1 ER, 1 H (10 of 13 pitches for strikes)
• LHP Josh Walker (2.70, 3rd save): 1 IP, 0 ER, 0 H, 2 BB, K (19 of 32 pitches for strikes)

With his quality start on Wednesday, Lucchesi has gone six innings or later in four of his last five starts. He allowed only one run over the first six innings before Lehigh Valley tied the game in the bottom of the seventh. Smith made his first rehab appearance in the eighth and gave up a solo home run to Jordan Luplow.

Double-A

Binghamton Rumble Ponies (15-12) 4, Portland Sea Dogs (16-11) 3

BOX SCORE

• RF Rhylan Thomas: 3-for-4, R, SB (.816 OPS)
• C Kevin Parada: 1-for-4, R, 2B, RBI (10), BB, K (.554 OPS)
• 1B JT Schwartz: 2-for-4, BB, K (.823 OPS)
• SS Wyatt Young: 1-for-3, RBI (7), BB (.810 OPS)

Parada started the scoring for Binghamton in the top of the first with an RBI double to center field. The catcher drove in a run for the first time in the last seven games. Parada drove in Thomas as the right fielder recorded his third three-hit game of the year. The Rumble Ponies had six walks and stole three bases to help them secure the one-run win.

• RHP Joander Suarez (2-1, 2.41): 6 IP, 1 ER, 5 H, 2 BB, 3 K (47 of 75 pitches for strikes)
• RHP Nolan Clenney (2.70, 1st save: 1.1 IP, 0 ER, 0 H, 3 K (10 of 15 pitches for strikes)

Suarez’s great start to the Double-A season continued Wednesday night. The 24-year-old right-hander has gone into the sixth inning in each of his last four outings. Portland scored its lone run against Suarez in the second inning, but he was able to escape trouble when allowing the leadoff batter to reach in the fourth and fifth. He also has allowed one run or fewer in each of his last three outings.

Nolan McLean, Photo Jim Rassol-USA TODAY Sports

High-A

Rome Emperors (15-12) 8, Brooklyn Cyclones (16-13) 7

BOX SCORE

• DH Nolan McLean: 3-for-5, R, 2B, HR (8), 2 RBIs (12), SB, 2 K (.981 OPS)
• 1B Ryan Clifford: 2-for-4, R, 2B, 3 RBIs (9), BB, K (.785 OPS)
• CF Nick Morabito: 1-for-4, 2 R, K (.555 OPS)
• 3B Nick Lorusso: 1-for-5, 2B, K (.891 OPS)J

It has been a great start to the month of May for McLean. The third-round pick in the 2023 MLB Draft has hit two home runs and driven in six runs over the last four games. His home run in the top of the seventh gave Brooklyn a 6-3 lead after he had a double earlier in the game. He can hit the ball a long way when he is making contact.

Nolan McLean, destroyer of baseballs.

Sit back, relax and enjoy the show.#AmazinStartsHere | #LGM pic.twitter.com/otPr6t19Mk

— Brooklyn Cyclones (@BKCyclones) May 9, 2024

As for Clifford, he had a pair of run-scoring hits that gave Brooklyn the lead on multiple occasions. His two-run single in the third inning got the Cyclones on the board. Later in the game, his RBI single in the seventh broke a 3-3 tie, and he would later score on the two-run home run by McLean. In addition to the RBIs, the first baseman drew a walk for the fifth consecutive game (30 walks in 27 games this year). While Brooklyn had four extra-base hits and four steals against Rome, they were held to just hitting 3-for-18 with runners in scoring position in the loss.

• RHP Jonah Tong (1.00): 4 IP, 2 R (1 ER), 3 H, 4 BB, 4 K (50 of 86 pitches for strikes)
• RHP Dakota Hawkins (2.12): 1.1 IP, 1 ER, 3 H, 2 BB, 3 K (25 of 39 pitches for strikes)
• RHP Ben Simon (2-3, 5.40): 0.1 ER, 1 ER, 1 H, 2 BB, K (7 of 16 pitches for strikes)

On Wednesday, Tong allowed his first earned run of the season. The 20-year-old right-hander had a season-high in walks (4) and a season-low in strikeouts (4). The Emperors rallied to score four runs in the bottom of the eighth en route to the 8-7 win.

Low-A

Bradenton Marauders (11-18) 3, St. Lucie Mets (12-17) 2

BOX SCORE

• 2B Jesus Baez: 3-for-4, R, HR (6), RBI (15), K (.763 OPS)
• RF Jeffry Rosa: 1-for-3, R, BB (1.025 OPS)
• SS Colin Houck: 0-for-4, 2 K (.590 OPS)
• DH Estarling Mercado: 1-for-4, 2B, RBI (6), K (.675 OPS)

The Mets managed only six hits in the loss, but Baez had one of his best games of the season. He hit a solo home run in the top of the first to start the scoring. It is his third three-hit game of the season. Rosa had a hit to give him hits in back-to-back games since being promoted to Low-A.

• LHP David Peterson (0.00): 3.2 IP. 0 ER, 1 H, BB, 7 K (38 of 62 pitches for strikes)
• LHP Zach Thornton (4.35): 4 IP, 2 ER, 4 H, 3 BB, 3 K (43 of 68 pitches for strikes)
• LHP Ryan Ammons (0-2, 3.68): 0.1 IP, 1 ER, 2 H (4 of 9 pitches for strikes)

Peterson continued his rehab assignment on Wednesday night and was excellent on the mound. In 8.2 innings with St. Lucie, the left-hander has 16 strikeouts to one walk. The only hit he allowed came on a leadoff single in the bottom of the third. The Mets could not hold a late 2-1 lead as Bradenton tied it in the eighth against Thornton and then walked it off in the ninth on an RBI single against Ammons.

The post David Peterson Pitches Well; Nolan McLean Homers appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

As we look ahead at 2024, left field is maybe the position that’s the most up in the air. There are three outfielders on the 40-man roster, and none of them are natural left-fielders. Let’s check out the options.

Big League Starter

Brandon Nimmo is the starting center fielder, and Starling Marte will likely be the starting right fielder provided he’s healthy. That leaves Stewart, the only remaining outfielder on the 40-man roster, the presumptive starting left fielder. A pleasant surprise for the Mets after being thrown into an everyday role over the final third of the season, Stewart played well. His .238/.328/.494 slash line with 11 home runs over 58 games was well above any expectations for him. He had just three plate appearances for the Orioles in 2022 and a .698 OPS over 100 games in 2021, so his .822 OPS for the Mets was a noticeable step up. Stewart was a first-round draft pick by the Orioles in 2015 and he could be coming into his potential now.

Stewart is a prototypical power-hitting lefty. Almost all of his hits last year were pulled, including all of his home runs. He hits the ball hard, but he also swings and misses a lot. He was far from a qualifier, but if he were, his 30.3% strikeout rate would have been the seventh-worst in baseball, sandwiched between Eugenio Suárez and Kyle Schwarber. Players with this profile can absolutely be starting-caliber players in today’s league, but the margin for error is slimmer. Stewart only walks an average amount and is a below-average fielder and runner, so if he’s not hitting for power, he’s not bringing much else to the table. He doesn’t have a track record of success, and while he was good in 2023, it was only in a little under 200 plate appearances. He certainly earned a spot on the 2024 roster, but ideally, it’s as a fourth outfielder. As it stands right now though, he’s got the starting job.

Big League Depth

The largest source of big league depth in left field for the Mets comes from two players who are already starters at other positions — Jeff McNeil and Nimmo. McNeil will probably be the Opening Day starter at second base, but the Mets have more depth there. Ronny Mauricio probably hasn’t earned the starting job, but he’ll also probably get at least some playing time there to open up the season. McNeil’s versatility helps, as he can easily move to left field or right field when needed. He made 32 starts in left in 2023, and it’ll probably be around the same if not more in 2024.

Nimmo is another option there, having made 10 starts in left in 2023, but it’ll happen less than McNeil. The Mets don’t have a backup center fielder on their roster yet, but they’ll need one. Whoever the backup center fielder is could get a couple of starts while sliding Nimmo over to left. Aside from those two though, there aren’t many other options. There are some ideas of trying Mauricio and Brett Baty in left, and both played there a bit in the minors, but counting on them as true depth might be a bit of a stretch. 

Upper Levels Depth

There aren’t many minor league outfielders at Triple-A who could be ready soon to contribute at the major league level. One name to keep an eye on is Brandon McIlwain. He was solid in 2023, putting up a .736 OPS in 85 games in Double-A and .773 OPS in 43 games in Triple-A. The power isn’t great but there’s some there, with 12 homers between the two levels. He also hit 30 doubles, tied with Mauricio for the most among Mets minor leaguers. Lorenzo Cedrola is another option, but he spent a lot of 2023 on the injured list. He played 59 games in Triple-A and, like McIlwain, was solid but not extraordinary, putting up a .783 OPS. The most impressive part of his season? He walked 27 times with just 30 strikeouts, and his strikeout rate was one of the lowest in the organization.

The more interesting minor league depth comes in Double-A. Drew Gilbert, acquired by the Mets in the Justin Verlander trade, has a very real chance to make his MLB debut in 2024. He spent most of 2023 in Double-A and was excellent, especially after the trade. In 35 games with the Rumble Ponies, Gilbert hit .325 with a .984 OPS and a 3-4-5 slash line. He will probably start 2024 in Triple-A, and if he plays well, that could mean an opportunity in the big leagues before the season is over.

Rowdey Jordan spent all of 2023 in Double-A and could be a possible depth option. Matt Rudick did the same and posted a .849 OPS, but also spent a good amount of time on the injured list. There’s also Rhylan Thomas, who moved from Low-A to Double-A in one year and impressed along each stop, but will probably start 2024 still in Binghamton. Luisangel Acuña played 4 games in center last season when in the Rangers organization, so who knows, maybe he could be an option. The same goes for Jett Williams, who saw a lot more time in center, and Jeremiah Jackson, who is looking like a potential true utility player.

Alex Ramírez is another name fans might think of with how long he’s been in the organization and on the top prospect lists, but he’s not close to being a major league contributor. He spent all of 2023 in High-A after spending half of 2022 there as well and struggled. He has a long way to go before he gets a shot on an MLB roster.

Potential Acquisitions

There is maybe a scenario where Gilbert is the starting left fielder for the Mets on Opening Day, but it’s highly, highly unlikely. Stewart is an option, and currently the penciled-in starter, but it’s far from set in stone. It’s unknown what direction the Mets are leaning, but there’s at least a decent chance the primary left fielder in 2024 isn’t currently on the roster. When looking at options, there are three clear tiers: League-altering trade, mid-tier free agent, or short-term placeholder. 

The league-altering trade would be Juan Soto. There has been chatter all offseason about the Padres potentially moving on from Soto this offseason, and if that’s the case, the Mets should make every effort to get him. It’s almost pointless to list his numbers because at this point it doesn’t need to be said. Soto is a superstar. His plate discipline is legendary, especially in today’s offensive environment, and he set a career-high in home runs last year with 35. He also only just turned 25. It’s a rare, rare, rare opportunity to acquire a player of Soto’s caliber at his age. The Mets (and 28 other teams) have an opportunity to trade for Soto, extend him for life, and create a franchise legend. It’s not often you can go out and get someone who you know has a legitimate chance to be a Hall-of-Famer with your logo on his cap. The Mets should be all hands on deck. No one is off-limits.

While that is the best option, it’s also the most unrealistic of the three. There’s no guarantee Soto is even traded at all this offseason, and if he is, plenty of other teams will be in the mix. So, that gets us to the mid-tier free agents. In this group, it’s a trio: Teoscar Hernández, Jorge Soler, and Lourdes Gurriel Jr. 

Soler had the best 2023 out of the three, hitting .250 with a .853 OPS and 36 home runs for the Marlins. He simply crushed the ball, looking a lot like the version of himself that hit 48 home runs in 2019 with the Royals to lead the American League. However, aside from those two seasons, 2019 and 2023, he hasn’t had a lot of success. He’s only hit more than 20 home runs in a season once, 2021, and even then he had a .749 OPS and 99 OPS+. He did much better after a trade to the Braves at the deadline, go figure, but still wasn’t enough to boost his OPS+ above the league-average mark. He’s also more of a DH and right fielder but has over 800 innings in his career in left. He’ll get at least three years, and probably at least four years in free agency at over $20 million per year. It would likely be a deal a lot like Starling Marte’s, for a player with much less of a track record.

Hernández is the player who probably has the best track record, but he also had the worst 2023. He wasn’t bad, but he wasn’t that good, hitting .258 with a .741 OPS and 26 home runs for the Mariners. He had a lot of success with the Blue Jays, hitting .283 with a .852 OPS in over 300 games from 2020-22 before being shipped to Seattle last offseason. The most concerning thing with Hernández is he has been on a downward trajectory for the last couple of seasons. While he was still good in 2022, his OPS dropped almost 70 points from 2021. It then dropped about another 70 points from 2022 to 2023. At 31 years old, there’s no guarantee he ever hit his Toronto level of success again. Also of note — he walked 38 times and struck out 211 times in 2023. Like Soler, also more of a right fielder, but has over 1,500 innings in left. His potential contract is really up in the air. How much did his 2023 season hurt his value? Will teams be willing to bet on him getting back to the All-Star caliber player he was with the Blue Jays? Who knows, but he’s certainly a risky buy.

Another former Blue Jay who was traded away this past offseason is Gurriel Jr., and he’s on the market too. He was better than Hernández in 2023, but still wasn’t anything special, hitting .261 with a .772 OPS and 26 home runs. He doesn’t walk, but he also doesn’t strike out an overwhelming amount. His 35 doubles are also noticeably more than what Soler and Hernández posted in 2023. He’s also about a year younger than the other two and is the only one who is a true left fielder. He doesn’t have a single inning in right-field in his career but does have over 600 innings in the infield. While he hasn’t played the two middle infield spots in many years, he could still serve as the emergency first baseman, similar to what Canha did when he was with the Mets. Gurriel Jr. was good enough that he’s probably going to get at least a three-year deal, maybe more, and probably for at least $15 million per year. For the right price, he could be an interesting addition. 

There is a wildcard and potential fourth name in this group, and that’s Jung Hoo Lee. A superstar in Korea, he’s expected to come to MLB for the 2024 season. In seven years in the KBO, starting at age 18, Lee has hit .340/.407/.491, which is a .898 OPS. He doesn’t have a ton of pop, but it’s coming along, hitting a career-high 23 home runs in 2022. His 2023 was cut short due to injury, but he still hit six home runs and 23 doubles in 86 games. He also walks more than he strikes out, with 383 walks and 304 strikeouts in 884 career games. He’s played mainly centerfield and not a ton of left field, but he has experience at all three outfield spots. Lee is also still just 25 years old, so he could be in line for a decent-sized contract.

Onto the third tier, there are a handful of guys who can still be productive players but probably won’t require a huge financial or time commitment. Whit Merrifield is still a good player, and while most known as a second baseman, did have almost 600 innings in left field last season. He did just decline his side of the $18 million mutual option though, so that could give some idea of the type of money he is seeking. Joc Pederson was decent for the Giants last year but mostly was a DH, and he might be redundant with what the Mets already have in Stewart. Eddie Rosario just had his option declined by the Braves, and he was about a league-average bat with below-average defense for Atlanta in 2023. Of course, there’s also Pham, who the Mets could look at bringing back. However, after the year he had, he will probably get more than the 1-year, $6 million deal the Mets gave him last offseason.

Maybe take a look at Michael Brantley and Adam Duvall, two solid veterans who would likely be available for relatively affordable 1-year deals. Even Jesse Winker, Mets’ fan-favorite, might be worth a look, but he’s coming off back-to-back rough seasons and has trouble staying healthy.

TL;DR

There are a lot of options, at a lot of different price points. Juan Soto, Teoscar Hernández, Jorge Soler, Lourdes Gurriel Jr., Jung Hoo Lee, Whit Merrifield, Joc Pederson, Eddie Rosario, Tommy Pham, Michael Brantley, Adam Duvall and Jesse Winker all could be in the mix.

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Big League Starter

Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

Brandon Nimmo had an outstanding 2023 campaign. He played in 152 games, which is a career-high, and the second year in a row he played over 150. After securing an eight-year, 162 million dollar contract, Nimmo posted a strong .274/.363/.466 line, with a career-high 24 home runs and 68 RBIs batting out of the leadoff spot. Nimmo kept the same solid eye at the plate but struck out 30 more times in nine more plate appearances. In the field, Nimmo had another solid season, but the biggest plus was in a season marred by injuries; Nimmo was in the lineup almost every day, either in the outfield or at DH. Having stability in center field is something that allows the Mets to focus their attention elsewhere.

Big League Depth

The Mets only have Starling Marte signed in the outfield, with DJ Stewart arbitration eligible. Marte is coming off an injury-riddled campaign; it seems like a long shot the Mets will play him in center, even in an emergency.

Upper Levels Depth

At Triple-A, the Mets have Brandon McIlwain and Lorenzo Cedrola. McIlwain spent the majority of the year at Double-A but finished off the last third of the season at Triple-A. Overall, he slashed .247/.356/.393 with 12 home runs and 20 stolen bases while playing the majority of his games in center field. While not the highest upside profile, he hits for some power, steals some bases and has a good batting eye. Cedrola was injured for most of the year, but when he played, he managed to slash .250/.368/.399 with six home runs and 15 stolen bases. Cedrola has much less power to offer, but in his small sample size, he ran a 27/30 BB/K ratio, a vast improvement from his 13/84 ratio in the 2022 season.

At Double-A, the Mets have top prospect Drew Gilbert waiting in the wings. After he arrived from Houston as part of the Justin Verlander trade, all Gilbert did was hit. He slashed .325/.423/.561 with Binghamton, with six home runs and two stolen bases. Overall, between the Astros and the Mets, Gilbert slashed .289/.381/.487 with 18 home runs and 12 stolen bases. Gilbert isn’t the most imposing figure at 5’9″ and 195 lbs, but when he gets a hold of a ball, his left-handed swing sends them a long way. Gilbert could wind up starting the year in Triple-A if the Mets see fit, putting him one step away from Flushing.

Drew Gilbert. Photo by Photo by Anne-Marie Caruso of NorthJersey/USA TODAY NETWORK

In addition to Gilbert, the Mets have Rowdey Jordan and Rhylan Thomas to consider in center. Jordan profiles more as a super utility player, playing every position but first base, shortstop and catcher, but having too much versatility isn’t something to be afraid of. Jordan hit .230/.344/.733 with 13 home runs and 30 stolen bases. He has a propensity for striking out but also has shown the ability to take walks. Rhylan Thomas was a fast riser in the Mets system, starting his season in Low-A St. Lucie and finishing up in Double-A. Across three levels, Thomas slashed .328/.407/.425 with three home runs and seven steals.

However, these aren’t the only prospects who may be center field options. Luisangel Acuña, acquired from the Texas Rangers in the Max Scherzer trade, played four games in center for the Rangers Double-A team and has been mentioned as getting some playing time in center field to get his bat into the lineup. Between the Rangers and Mets, Acuña slashed .294/.359/.410 with nine home runs and 57 stolen bases. He primarily played shortstop but took reps at second base as well. While the power vanished when he came to the Mets, he continued to steal bases. It would not be surprising to see him start the season in Triple-A.

Jett Williams, Photo by Bronson Harris of the Binghamton Rumble Ponies

Lastly, Jett Williams finished his first full season in professional baseball in Double-A after tearing through both A-ball levels. Over the entire season, Williams slashed .263/.425/.451 with 13 home runs, 45 stolen bases and 104 walks. Williams, primarily a shortstop, also played 21 games in center field. Since Williams only got 26 plate appearances in Double-A, he will likely return to Double-A to continue his ascension up the ladder with an off-chance of seeing Citi Field in the 2024 season.

Potential Acquisitions

The Mets will be in the same position they were last season – looking for a potential fourth outfielder who can spell all three outfield spots. Despite his comments saying the Mets had more talent but may not have tried as much – Tommy Pham would make sense, especially after the season he put up for both the Mets and the World Series runner-up Arizona Diamondbacks. Harrison Bader makes some sense, offering good defense with some offensive value – but has struggled to stay on the field and would probably require more than a one-year contract due to his age. Adam Duvall also could make sense in a vacuum, offering a lot of power and the ability to play all three outfield positions.

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