The Mets, whose top prospects have battled an injury plagued 2024 season, look to get another one of their top prospects back on the field this season. The club got one of the big returns from the Justin Verlander trade in 2023, Drew Gilbert, back from a hamstring strain recently. Now, they look to see their top infield prospect Jett Williams back on the field to finish off the 2024 season.

Williams was hoping to originally avoid surgery, but eventually had to undergo right wrist surgery in early June, which gave him a return date of 8-10 weeks. About nine weeks later, he’s reportedly going to start a rehab assignment with Low-A St. Lucie this coming Wednesday, planning to play this weekend and return to Double-A Binghamton the following Tuesday, per @NickTheMetFan1 on Twitter/X. Williams is also planning to play in the Arizona Fall League to make up for his missed time this season.

The big league club clinched a series win against the Miami Marlins on Saturday behind a masterful performance from Luis Severino. The Mets started their day with a Francisco Lindor leadoff home run and followed that up by scoring a run in each of the first four innings. However, the story of the day was Severino, who threw the first Mets complete game since Jacob DeGrom in April of 2021. Severino completely blanked the Fish and gave the Mets’ bullpen a much needed break en route to a 4-0 win. Click here for the full in-depth breakdown of Saturday’s game.

Paul Blackburn (5-3, 4.43 ERA) will try to complete the sweep, as he goes against Valente Bellozo (2-1, 2.28 ERA) of the Marlins at 12:05 p.m. The Mets gained no ground on the third Wild card spot Saturdy night as the Braves took care of business against the Angels. The Amazins remain one game out of the final spot.

Photo by Ed Delany of Metsmerized

Latest Mets News

Mets OF prospect Nick Morabito has reached 50 stolen bases on the season. He had 11 SB in 24 games with Low-A St. Lucie and 39 SB in 78 games with High-A Brooklyn.

Mets manager Carlos Mendoza told reporters that there is a “good chance” Starling Marte is in the lineup on Sunday, per Zach Braziller of The New York Post.

Latest MLB News

MLB Hall of Famer Ryne Sandberg is officially cancer-free!

Ryno rings the bell: Hall of Famer Ryne Sandberg announces he is cancer-free! pic.twitter.com/nGDKI61EEh

— National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum ⚾ (@baseballhall) August 17, 2024

The Cincinnati Reds placed their flame-throwing ace Hunter Greene on the 15-day IL with right elbow soreness, retroactive to August 14. 

The Pittsburgh Pirates placed DH/OF Andrew McCutchen on the 10-day IL with left knee inflammation. 

The Tampa Bay Rays have placed RHP Zack Littell on the 15-day injured list with right shoulder fatigue, retroactive to August 15. The Rays recalled LHP Tyler Alexander from Triple-A Durham to take Littell’s spot.

The Detroit Tigers recalled the first overall pick from the 2022 draft, Spencer Torkelson, from Triple-A Toldeo. In Torkelson’s first at-bat since being recalled, he ripped a double into the right-center gap.

Forty-four-year-old LHP Rich Hill signed a minor league deal with the Boston Red Sox, per Ian Browne of MLB.com.

RHP José Soriano was placed on the 15-day IL with right arm fatigue by the Los Angeles Angels. Along with that, they reinstated RHP José Cisnero from the IL and outrighted OF Willie Calhoun to Triple-A Salt Lake.

The Houston Astros placed RHP Ryan Pressly on the 15-day IL with a low back strain, retroactive to August 14. Houston’s former closer has been the set-up man for Josh Hader this season, posting a 3.86 ERA in his 46 2/3 innings.

Latest On MMO

Jeff McNeil’s second half power surge continues. 

The Mets stay a game back in the NL wild card race. 

Luis Severino went the distance as he shut out the Marlins offense.

On This Date in Mets History

2019: Pete Alonso breaks the NL rookie home run record by bashing his 40th home run of the season. Alonso becomes the fourth Met to hit 40 home runs in a season, a list that includes Todd Hundley, Carlos Beltrán, and Mike Piazza.

2002: 1969 World Series champion Tommie Agee is posthumously inducted into the Mets Hall of Fame.

Birthdays: Justin Wilson (37), Pat Misch (43),  Terry Blocker (65)

The post Morning Briefing: Jett Williams to Start Rehab Assignment appeared first on Metsmerized.

While the Mets’ bullpen has hit its stride post All-Star break, one of the lone bright spots in the Mets’ ‘pen during the early part of the season could make his return very soon. Reed Garrett, who posted a 1.04 ERA in his first 26 innings of his 2024 season, was placed on the 15-day IL with right elbow inflammation on July 10. Garrett had a steep decline prior to being placed on the IL, climbing to a 3.64 ERA and 1.43 WHIP. 

The Mets are hoping to get the high-end reliever that they saw early in the season upon his return. Mets manager Carlos Mendoza told the media that there is a “good chance” the 31-year-old RHP will return to the team during their upcoming weekend series in Seattle. Garrett struck out three in a scoreless frame during his second rehab appearance and looks to add to the backend of the Mets’ bullpen.

Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

The Mets tied up their series in Colorado on Wednesday night as they beat the Rockies by a score of 5-3. Paul Blackburn had another wonderful outing, only giving up two runs (one earned) on five hits in his second start as a Met. After scoring two runs in the first two innings, the Mets’ offense went quiet up until the ninth inning. However, with the bases loaded in a 2-2 game, Francisco Lindor came up clutch again with a two-RBI base hit and Jesse Winker added on an RBI single to hand the Mets a three-run lead. Despite giving up a run in the ninth, Edwin Díaz completed the Mets’ win with his 14th save of the season.

The Amazin’s, who are now only 0.5 GB of the Braves for the third Wild Card spot, will look to take the rubber game in Colorado on Thursday. David Peterson (5-1, 3.47 ERA) of the Mets is set to face Austin Gomber (3-7, 4.66 ERA) of the Rockies for a 3:10 p.m. ET start at Coors Field.

Latest Mets News

The Mets come in 10th in Baseball America‘s midseason farm system ranking.

Mets pitching prospect Brandon Sproat will make his Triple-A debut as he will pitch for the Syracuse Mets at 6:35 p.m. on Thursday.

Starling Marte singled in his first plate appearance with Low-A St. Lucie during his rehab assignment, and followed it up by stealing second base. For more on Marte’s rehab assignment, click here.

Luisangel Acuña hit his sixth home run of the season for Triple-A Syracuse on Wednesday. It was his third consecutive at-bat with an extra-base hit.

Luisangel Acuña launched his sixth homer of the season for Triple-A Syracuse.

It was his third consecutive at-bat with an XBH.
pic.twitter.com/YK86e34Z7t

— Metsmerized Online (@Metsmerized) August 7, 2024

Latest MLB News

Former Met J.D. Davis signed with the Baltimore Orioles, per Jon Heyman of The New York Post. Davis was most recently released by the Yankees and is hitting .218/.293/.338 on the season.

The Chicago Cubs signed former Mets pitcher Adrian Houser to a minor league deal, per MLB.com. Houser finished his short Mets tenure in the bullpen, posting a 5.84 combined ERA as a starter and reliever.

Free-agent pitcher Rich Hill is throwing for interested teams on Friday, August 9 in Waltham, Mass., per Robert Murray of FanSided. The Dodgers and Yankees are among the teams that have shown interest in the 44-year-old pitcher.

Brusdar Graterol, who seemed to have suffered a possible season-ending hamstring injury in his first outing of the season, might be able to return this season, per Dodger Insider. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said the MRI showed it was a grade 1 hamstring strain and they are hopeful to have Graterol back this season.

The Baltimore Orioles placed OF Heston Kjerstad on the 10-day IL with a concussion, retroactive to August 1. The club also placed RHP Grayson Rodriguez on the 15-day IL with right lat/teres discomfort, retroactive to August 4.

The Boston Red Sox placed OF Tyler O’Neill on the 10-day IL, retroactive to August 4, with a left leg injection. They also called up INF/OF Enmanuel Valdez from Triple-A Worcester and recalled RHP Chris Martin from the 15-day IL.

With his home run in the Orioles’ 7-3 win over the Blue Jays on Wednesday night, Jackson Holliday became the youngest player in American League history to homer in three straight games.

Latest on MMO

The Mets’ deadline acquisitions have been put to the test early on. 

Luisangel Acuña delivers the walk-off knock for Syracuse.

Starling Marte returns to action in St. Lucie.

On This Date in Mets History

2014: Bartolo Colón records the 200th win of his career as he throws eight innings of one-run ball in a 5-4 Mets win against the Phillies. He joined Juan Marichal and Pedro Martínez as the only Dominican-born pitchers to reach the 200 win milestone.

2011: The Mets come back from a four-run deficit in the eight inning, scoring five runs in the final two innings to beat the Padres by a score of 9-8. Lucas Duda smacked a two-RBI walk-off single off Heath Bell to win the game. Jason Bay also hit his 200th career home run during this game.

1997: The Mets trade Lance Johnson, Mark Clark, and Manny Alexander to the Cubs for Turk Wendell, Mel Rojas and Brian McRae. Wendell would go on to be a big piece of their 1999 and 2000 playoff runs, posting a 2.84 ERA in the 13 postseason games he pitched in during those two runs. 

Birthdays: John Hudek (58)

The post Morning Briefing: ‘Good Chance’ Reed Garrett Returns Against Seattle appeared first on Metsmerized.

The Pittsburgh Pirates officially called up the firsst overall pick in the 2023 MLB draft, Paul Skenes, on Wednesday.

The national champion pitcher at LSU has had a meteoric rise through the ranks, from transferring from Air Force to LSU over two years ago to getting the call to the big leagues. Skenes dominated his last year in college and continued that in minor leagues, pitching to a 0.99 ERA, .91 WHIP and 45 strikeouts in 27 1/3 innings of work. The 6-foot-6 flamethrower has become the Pirates’ No. 1 prospect and is the third-ranked prospect in all of baseball according to MLB.com.

Skenes is set to make his MLB debut on Saturday against the Cubs at PNC Park. 

Jonathan Dyer-USA TODAY Sports

Latest Mets News

The series finale between the Mets and Cardinals was postponed until August 5. The Mets resume play on Friday at Citi Field against the Braves with José Quintana on the mound. 

David Peterson went 3 2/3 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1BB, and 7 K on 62 pitches in his third rehab start on Wednesday night. He has not allowed a run in his 8 2/3  rehab innings.

Josh Hejka set a Brooklyn Cyclones franchise record on Sunday by making his 48th pitching appearance.

Mets two-way prospect Nolan McLean hit his fourth home run of the season for High-A Brooklyn as he went 3-for-4 with two RBIs on Wednesday night. McLean has a 1.000 OPS and 2.84 ERA on the season.

Latest MLB News

Shohei Ohtani‘s former interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara, is pleading guilty to two counts: bank fraud and subscribing to a false tax return, per Meghann Cuniff. For someone with no criminal history, given Mizuhara’s plea deal, the sentence is between 87 and 108 months.

Ryan Boyajian, a cast member of Bravo’s reality TV series “The Real Housewives of Orange County,” is the bookmaker’s associate to whom Ippei Mizuhara wired money to pay his gambling debts, per Tisha Thompson of ESPN.

The Tampa Bay Rays placed RHP Ryan Pepiot on the 15-day IL, retroactive to May 6, with a left lower leg contusion. They brought back RHP Taj Bradley from the 15-day IL in return. 

The Seattle Mariners made a flurry of transactions, including reinstating RHP Eduard Bazardo from the 15-day IL, selecting LHP Kirby Snead from Triple-A Tacoma, and placing LHP Tayler Saucedo on the 15-day IL.

Bat tracking, which measures each player’s average bat speed, squared-up rate, and much more will be coming to Baseball Savant on May 13. 

The Miami Marlins placed RHP Edward Cabrera on the 15-day IL with a right shoulder impingement. LHP Braxton Garrett was reinstated from the IL in a corresponding move.

The Texas Rangers acquired OF Robbie Grossman in a trade from the Chicago White Sox, sending RHP Anthony Hoopii-Tuionetoa to Chicago in return. Former Met Kolton Ingram was DFA’d to make room on the roster for Texas. 

Brittany Ghiroli of The Athletic wrote an article about why the Perfect Game, Fanatics deal has agents raising concerns about amateur player rights.

Forty-four-year-old free-agent LHP Rich Hill still plans to sign with a big league club during the season, per Ian Browne of MLB.com.

The San Francisco Giants placed OF Jorge Soler on the 10-day IL, retroactive to May 5, with a right shoulder strain. The club recalled OF Heliot Ramos from Triple-A Sacramento to take his spot. 

Latest on MMO

Pete Alonso broke out of his slump in a big way!

Learn about the Mets’ No. 9 prospect, Jeremy Rodríguez.

See what MMO readers had to say about the Knicks big Game 2 win last night!

On This Date in Mets History

1984: Joe West ejects two cameramen who were showing a replay to Bobby Valentine and Mike Torrez of a call made at home plate by West.

Birthdays: Aaron Harang (46)

The post Morning Briefing: First Overall Pick Paul Skenes Set to Make Debut appeared first on Metsmerized.

Good morning, Mets fans!

The Atlanta Braves and catcher Sean Murphy, who they acquired in a trade with the Oakland A’s, agreed to a six-year, $73 million contract through the 2028 season. It was yet another longterm extension made by the Braves. In a press release posted on their social media pages, the deal includes a $15 million club option in 2029.

Meanwhile in Mets land, it’s been one week since New York and Carlos Correa stunned the baseball world and reportedly agreed to a massive 13-year contract. The Mets and Correa’s team, including agent Scott Boras, have continued to talk even after the Mets were seemingly displeased with Correa’s medical reports just as the San Francisco Giants were when Correa signed there first.

At least three other teams have been in talks with Correa even with the deal with the Mets still on the table. Teams can still discuss contracts with unsigned free agents, as Correa is technically one since he has yet to agree to his deal with the Mets. Still, both sides remain optimistic that they will get a deal done.

Latest Mets News

MMO‘s Michael Mayer reports that the Mets officially announced the resigning of reliever Adam Ottavino. The Mets reportedly made the deal last week before the Correa news broke. To make room on the 40-man roster, right-hander William Woods has been designated for assignment.

Latest MLB News

Jeff Passan of ESPN reports starter Rich Hill and the Pittsburgh Pirates are in agreement on a one-year, $8 million contract, pending physical. Hill, a former Met, will turn 43 in March and is entering his 19th season in MLB. The left-hander made 26 starts and throwing 124.1 innings for Boston this year.

FanSided’s Robert Murray reports the Texas Rangers are adding another arm to their starting rotation in Nathan Eovaldi. Eovaldi started 20 games for the Red Sox last season and had a 6-3 record with a 3.87 ERA.

Latest on MMO

Chris Bello looks at the top six free agents the Mets could look to sign.

Patrick Glynn ranks the top five best Mets offensive performances of the 2022 season.

On This Date in Mets History

1967: Johnny Murphy became the Mets’ third ever general manager.

Birthdays: Benny Agbayani (51), Ray Knight (70), John Milner (73)

The post Morning Briefing: Braves Give Sean Murphy Six-Year Extension appeared first on Metsmerized.

Oct 2, 2022; Cumberland, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Braves starting shortstop Dansby Swanson (7) hits a home run against the New York Mets in the first inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Larry Robinson-USA TODAY Sports

Most of the big names are now off the board as Hot Stove season slows down somewhat, but there’s still one significant free agent available. Allow MMO to get you caught up on the latest rumors involving the New York Mets and from around MLB.

Swanson In A Good Spot

Dansby Swanson is the last big, big name available on the open market and he has plenty of suitors interested in him with a plethora of teams looking to upgrade at shortstop. Per Jon Heyman of the New York Post, the Cubs, Dodgers, Twins, Red Sox and the Braves are all interested and it is possible Swanson could get a deal worth over $200 million. It is worth noting also that, according to Dan Hayes of The Athletic, the Twins are very interested in Swanson after losing out on Carlos Correa, who signed a 13-year, $350 million contract with the Giants. However, Hayes notes that the Twins would be likely outbid by the likes of the Cubs and the Braves.

Swanson is a career .255/.321/.417/.738 hitter and, having slashed .277/.329/.447/.776 with 25 home runs and 96 RBI in 2022, he’s projected to earn himself a very nice payday no matter where he eventually ends up landing this winter.

Twins To Be Busy

Let’s stick with the Twins. Having lost out on Correa, the front office are now attempting to figure out what their lineup will look like heading into the 2023 season and beyond. As mentioned above, they are in on Swanson but they are also showing interest in a few more modest free agents. Former Met Justin Turner is believed to be on the radar, per Dan Hayes, while Jon Heyman notes that right fielder Max Kepler is drawing a lot of trade interest after the Twins signed Joey Gallo to a one-year, $11 million deal. It could be a busy few weeks for Minnesota who still have a lot of work to do.

Mets Shopping McCann, Carrasco

It has been a very busy offseason for the Mets and it doesn’t seem that they are done yet. While reports have suggested they are still looking to add a power bat, multiple reports have indicated that the front office are actively shopping catcher James McCann and starting pitcher Carlos Carrasco. Our very own Michael Mayer has reported that the Mets are now aggressively shopping McCann after signing Omar Narváez on Thursday night.

Joel Sherman of The Post has reported that the Mets are listening to offers on Carrasco, with the RHP perhaps expendable following the additions of Justin Verlander, Kodai Senga and José Quintana. Carrasco went 15-7 with a 3.97 ERA, 3.53 FIP, and 152 strikeouts in 152 innings over 29 starts for the Mets in 2022. Carrasco has one season at $14 million left on his contract.

McCann, meanwhile, has largely struggled in Queens and the veteran has hit just .220/.282/.328 with a combined 13 home runs and 64 RBI in 182 games. He is owed $12.15 million in each of the next two seasons and the Mets may have to eat some salary in order to move the veteran catcher.

O’s After More Pitching

The Baltimore Orioles are looking to add some veteran pitching this offseason. According to Rob Bradford of WEEI, the Orioles are showing interest in veteran pitchers Michael Wacha and Rich Hill. Baltimore is looking to take a leap in 2023 and they want to beef up their rotation with two starters who have been there and done that. Hill posted a 98 ERA+ in 26 starts with the Red Sox in 2022, and he pitched for the Orioles way back in 2009.

The post Rumor Roundup: Dansby Swanson Market Intensifying appeared first on Metsmerized.

Mandatory Credit: Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports

We know that changes need to be made. And we know that you’ve thought about it too.  So tell us, what would your offseason as the Mets GM look like? Here’s what we think.

Marshall Field

This off-season could be cantankerous or calm, busy or docile as the old Collective Bargaining Agreement runs out on December 1. While the owners seem fairly steadfast with the way things are, it is the players who want to seek some major changes. These will be all outlined by MMO as the deadline approaches, but if I was the GM of the Mets, I would think the best course of action is to tread lightly until we know if there is a work stoppage for the first time in about 25 years.

I am aware of the on-field needs the Mets have: depth at starting pitching, catcher, infield and outfield help, etc. That doesn’t mention the qualifying offers already extended to key players. Although the general manager meetings went on as usual, it is the Winter Meetings that could be in jeopardy based on the status of the game as of December 2. So the bottom line here, treading lightly for now might be the fortuitous thing to do. December 1 is only a few weeks away, and if the two sides manage to finalize an agreement, they’ll be plenty of time to tackle the on- and off-field issues the Mets will need to address before Opening Day 2022.

I have seen too many work stoppages in my life in sports, and I am praying there is not another.

Salvatore Manzo

This is an important question, considering the Mets still don’t have a GM! I guess I’ll throw my hat in the ring, so here’s my offseason pitch.

As we know, the Amazins have a lot of holes to fill, and with a lockout looming, this could be the craziest offseason in recent memory. With that being said, let’s start by talking pitching. Re-signing Marcus Stroman and Aaron Loup would be two of my top priorities, along with Rich Hill to try and deepen a very thin starting rotation. On that same thought, another starter I would bring in is veteran and future Hall of Famer, Justin Verlander. He’s coming off of Tommy John surgery and hasn’t pitched since 2019, but the 38-year-old should be ready to rock for 2022 and would be stabilizing, veteran presence at the top of the rotation behind Jacob deGrom.

Now let’s not forget about the Mets lineup, which could use some big-time upgrades! Like many, I would re-sign Javier Báez and anchor him with Francisco Lindor up the middle for the next four to five years, but I’m not stopping there! With the likely departure of Michael Conforto, I would move Jeff McNeil permanently to right field, sign Kris Bryant to play third base primarily, bring in Starling Marte to man center field, and make Brandon Nimmo the everyday left fielder. This would all be in a perfect world, which we know as Mets fans doesn’t really exist, which calls for some alternative options. A team like the Cincinnati Reds or Cleveland Guardians could potentially be good trade partners. A trade package of Luis Castillo and/or Eugenio Suárez would solve a couple of key vacancies for New York, as well as a player like Jose Ramirez from Cleveland.

One thing is certain, whoever the Mets do hire to make these decisions will have their hands full!

Patrick Glynn

Kris Bryant, Kevin Gausman or Marcus Stroman, Javy Báez, and as much pitching and positional player depth as New York can afford. (This is under the assumption Noah Syndergaard accepts the qualifying offer.) The first three additions (which will probably cost about $65 million-plus per year), will plug the most glaring holes on the team. It’ll also stop them from trading their handful of top prospects from the minors, and it feels they just need six freaking months where one of the top five or 10 prospects isn’t dealt. (We can revisit this in July.)

It’s a lofty offseason plan, but I don’t think it’s one that isn’t unattainable. It wouldn’t be spending like a drunken sailor, and it’d give the Mets one of the best rosters in the majors.

Rich Sparago

The focus has to be starting pitching. The Mets do not have depth within the organization, and even if Syndergaard returns, they will still need at least two starting pitchers. Perhaps one can be Stroman (my preference). Other candidates include Gausman and Anthony DeSclafani.

Once starting pitching is addressed, the next priority is Javier Báez. He brings so many dimensions to the team, not the least of which is creating a very solid double-play combination with Francisco Lindor. I’d stay away from Bryant, though he is a masher at the plate. He has an injury history, and I worry that will get worse as he moves through his next contract. I’d like to see the Mets add two outfielders, and someone who can play third base on a fairly short-term contract (no more than two years).

Also, the next GM has to be sure that Aaron Loup comes back. This is a tall order. Two starting pitchers, Báez, two outfielders, a third baseman, and Aaron Loup. Trades will need to be made, and money will need to be spent. There’s a potential work stoppage, and the offseason is already underway with no GM in sight. I wish the new person luck. He or she will need it if the Mets are to be contenders in 2022.

The post What Would Your Offseason as the Mets GM Look Like? appeared first on Metsmerized.

Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports

Rich Hill allowed two runs on two hits and four walks while striking out six in five innings during Saturday’s loss to Milwaukee. The 41-year-old left-handed pitcher is 0-4 in 11 starts (12 appearances) in his Mets tenure, although he’s rarely pitched poorly with his new team.

He’s allowed four or more runs just once in 12 appearances since he was traded from Tampa Bay in July. Hill lines up for one more start this season, which projects as a home date versus Miami this coming week. In his last seven games, Hill has thrown 36 2/3 innings, allowing 33 hits, 13 earned runs and nine walks while notching 39 K, a 3.19 ERA and a 1.15 WHIP.

The only damage Hill allowed Saturday was a two-run single to Eduardo Escobar in the third inning. A brilliant double play got Hill through the first inning, and he pitched a solid four more innings the rest of the way.

Overall, Hill has been a solid pitcher for a struggling Mets team and once again, the season will end the same way it has the last four years. The Mets were officially eliminated from Wild Card contention on Friday and from NL East contention Saturday. The Sept. 25 loss meant the Mets couldn’t possibly get 82 wins–a winning record–this season.

Hill has made the postseason each of the last five seasons (with the Dodgers from 2016-2019 and the Twins in 2020), but he’ll miss them this season.

“It’s the joy that it brings, going to the postseason and having that opportunity of hope that this could be the year. To play in those situations, where the team really comes together, you get a sense of self-sacrifice that happens for the next guy,” Hill said in his post-game press conference. “It’s just electric in the postseason, and that’s something that, for me obviously, that’s what I love,” he continued.

Hill’s final line: 5 IP, 2 H, 2 ER, 4 BB, 6 K.

Aaron Loup (1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 0 K) came in for the sixth inning and was able to keep the Brewers under control. Loup now has a 0.98 ERA with the Mets over the whole season. Trevor May (1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 1 K) pitched the seventh, gave up a walk and a hit but nothing more. In the eighth, Seth Lugo (1 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K) had a 1-2-3 inning, but it wasn’t enough to pull out a win. This was the Mets fourth straight loss.

Final score: Brewers 2-1

The post Rich Hill Remains Winless With Mets Despite Solid Start appeared first on Metsmerized.

Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports

Rich Hill’s outing Sunday was short, as the New York Mets could not afford baserunners against the Philadelphia Phillies. The veteran southpaw pitched 4 2/3 innings, giving up six hits, two earned runs, and one walk with seven strikeouts, bringing his ERA to 3.87 on the season.

Hill started his day out with two quick outs in the first inning, including a strikeout of Jean Segura. Following the strikeout, he gave up a walk to Bryce Harper, followed by an RBI double to J.T. Realmuto to deep center to give the Phillies an early 1-0 lead over the Mets in the first. A strikeout of Andrew McCutchen ended the inning.

The 41-year-old pitched well in the second, giving up just one hit and collecting his third strikeout of the day. The third inning had a similar feel. He gave up a one-out single to Segura before collecting two big strikeouts of Harper and Realmuto, settling in and getting to hitters who had success against him in their first at-bats. These whiffs gave him five through through just three innings of play.

This trend continued in the fourth, as Hill gave up a one-out single and collected a strikeout. He had not given up a run since the first inning when Realmuto hit an RBI double.

Hill came back out for the fifth but did not finish the frame. He collected a quick strikeout of Kyle Gibson (his seventh of the night) before things began to unravel. Freddy Galvis singled and Segura immediately doubled to put two on with one out for Philadelphia. After a mound visit, Harper hit a sacrifice fly to center that scored Galvis to give the Phillies a 2-0 lead.

That was all for Hill as manager Luis Rojas went to the Mets bullpen and brought in Jeurys Familia to finish out the fifth inning for New York.

The Mets went on to defeat Philadelphia 3-2, coming from behind with two runs in the fifth and a run in the seventh. Hill walked away with a no-decision, keeping his record at 6-7 on the season. He’s been as advertised for the Mets the organization acquired him in July. Through 11 games (10 starts) and 53 1/3 innings of work, the lefty has produced a 3.88 ERA and 1.24 WHIP with a 20.7% and 5.3% walk rate, which is good for 0.9 fWAR.

The post Rich Hill Strikes Out Seven in Short Sunday Outing appeared first on Metsmerized.

Credit: Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY

The New York Mets, fresh off an energized Subway Series victory against the New York Yankees, sent Rich Hill to the mound as they opened a three-game series with the St. Louis Cardinals.

Hill came into the game following two quality starts in September in which he held the Washington Nationals and Miami Marlins to eight hits, two walks and one run across 12 innings of work.

The Mets were in need of similar production out of the 41-year-old Hill as they were facing off against a rejuvenated 40-year-old Adam Wainwright, who entered the game 15-7 with a 2.98 ERA and 1.025 WHIP in 184 1/3 innings.

While Wainwright was able to put together another one of his stellar 2021 starts, Hill was not quite able to keep pace.

In the first inning Hill struck out leadoff batter Tommy Edman on four pitches to start things off. He proceeded to get Paul Goldschmidt to line out on his signature curveball, which registered at 72.8 MPH.

Hill then lost an 11-pitch battle to Tyler O’Neill, whom he walked. He ended the inning two pitches later by getting Nolan Arenado to fly out to left field.

Hill entered into immediate trouble in the second inning. Yadier Molina smacked a double to left field on the first pitch Hill threw. Dylan Carson followed suit as he hit a double to left field to give the Cardinals an early 1-0 lead.

Hill was able to settle down against the lower part of the order as he retired his next three batters faced on a couple of groundouts to third base and a popup to shortstop.

The third inning started similarly to the second for Hill. Edman sent the second pitch he saw into left field for a double, and came home a batter later as Goldschmidt singled into center on the first pitch he saw.

Hill rebounded by getting O’Neill to fly out and Arenado to strike out. He gave up his fifth hit of the night as Molina hit a ground ball single to right field, but then he closed the inning out by inducing a pop out to first base.

The fourth inning began with a three-pitch strikeout of Edmundo Sosa by Hill. Harrison Bader made him work a little harder as he drew a six-pitch walk. Hill got his second out of the inning through Wainwright’s successful sacrifice bunt. However, Bader did not come around to score as Edman hit a sharp lineout to Francisco Lindor at short.

In the fifth inning, Hill failed to retire the leadoff batter as Goldschimdt took his 68.6 MPH slider deep to left center for the first home run of the game. It was the sixth home run Hill allowed since he was traded to the Mets in late July.

Just like the second and third innings, Hill did not let the early inning struggles get out of hand. He bounced back by striking out O’Neill, getting Arenado to line out and getting Molina to pop out.

Hill’s night was done after his five innings. He struck out four Cardinals on 83 pitches during his five innings of three-run ball. He allowed two walks, two singles, three doubles and a home run.

Hill’s overall body of work was not bad, but his early struggles in the second, third and fifth innings gave the Cardinals more than enough runs to work with as Mets hitters were shutout by Wainwright and the St. Louis bullpen.

The post Rich Hill Outdueled In Pitching Matchup Between Longtime MLB Veterans appeared first on Metsmerized.

Mandatory Credit: Andy Marlin-USA TODAY Sports

The New York Mets (72-72, third place in the National League’s eastern division) continue their second-to-last home stand of the season, hosting manager Mike Shildt’s St. Louis Cardinals (73-69, third place in the National League’s central division) for three night games at Citi Field. For the Mets, coming off an emotional series victory over the New York Yankees, complete with a 9/11 memorial, comebacks, blown leads, and a benches-clearing incident, the story remains the same. They need to win basically every day, get help from other teams, and see what happens. The hope is that the series against the Yankees propels them to do exactly that.

The optimistic view is that the Mets need to shave two games off the Braves’ five-game lead before October 1, when the Mets will travel to Atlanta for a season-closing three-game series. Of course, if the Mets go into that series needing to sweep to tie and force a playoff game, they would be in a dire situation. However, most Mets fans would sign for that possibility right now, given that the guys from Flushing find themselves five games behind Atlanta with 18 games to play.

After this series, the Mets will take Thursday off, before hosting the second place Phillies in a three-game series over the weekend. The Mets will then travel to Boston for two games, then visit Milwaukee for three before returning home to play the Marlins three games, prior to heading to Atlanta.

The Braves will be hosting the Rockies (Tuesday through Thursday) as the Mets take on the Cardinals. After that series, Atlanta travels to San Francisco, Arizona, and San Diego before returning home to close the regular season against the Phillies and Mets.

There it is. The work is difficult, and it needs to be done immediately. The Mets have some momentum,  but are running out of time to wait on “the process.” If they can get hot, they can trim the deficit to three (or perhaps fewer) games and give themselves a chance going into the last weekend. The Braves will face reasonable competition (with the exception of Arizona) the rest of the way. None of that will matter if the Mets don’t start winning immediately and often. The Mets also remain in the hunt for the second wildcard in the National League. They are currently three games behind in that race, trailing the Reds, Cardinals, and Phillies.

The weather may pose a few challenges with showers possible Tuesday and Wednesday nights in New York. However, it would appear that the games will be played as scheduled.

Let’s take a look at the pitching matchups for the series with the Cardinals.

Monday, September 13: RHP Adam Wainwright (15-7) STL vs. LHP Rich Hill (6-6) NYM 7:10 pm

Wainwright is no stranger to the Mets, and at age 40 (he turned 40 on August 30) is having one of his best seasons. The tall right-hander from Georgia has a 2.98 ERA and a 1.03 WHIP this season. His career record is 182-105. He has a career ERA of 3.35 and a career WHIP of 1.21. In 2021, Wainwright has struck out 163 batters in 184.1 innings pitched. He does not appear to be slowing down as he pitches in his 16th major league campaign.

Hill will be making his tenth start for the Mets since be acquired from Tampa Bay in July. He has yet to win a game in the orange and blue, and has lost twice. Overall, Hill has pitched well since joining the Mets. At this point of his career, the 41 year-old from Boston can realistically be expected to provide five or six innings of effective baseball, and he has generally done that. His last two starts have been very good. On September 3, he faced the Nationals in Washington, tossing six innings of shutout ball on three hits. He followed that up on September 8 against Miami with another six innings, this time letting up one run on five hits. Hill will need to be on his game against Wainwright.

The game can be seen locally on WPIX and heard locally on WCBS radio 880 am.

Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY Sports

Tuesday, September 14: RHP Jake Woodford (2-3) STL vs. RHP Marcus Stroman (9-13) NYM 7:10 pm

Woodford is 25 years old and from St. Petersburg, Florida. He appeared in 12 games for the Cardinals last season, his first in the major leagues, and has been in 22 games in 2021. He is pitching to a 4.28 ERA and a 1.39 WHIP this season. Woodford has struck out 40 batters in 48.1 innings pitched in 2021. Over his brief career, he has logged 69.1 innings, striking out 56 hitters. His career ERA is 4.67 and his career WHIP is 1.33.

Stroman has been solid all year, posting a 2.87 ERA and a 1.13 WHIP. At times he has gotten the “deGrom treatment”, in that the Mets have not scored runs in his starts. An example of this would be his last start on September 9 in Miami. In that game, the native of Long Island threw 6.1 innings of one-run ball on four hits, only to see the Mets score just two of their own runs in the game and ultimately lose.

The circumstances were different in his start in Washington on September 4 (first game of a doubleheader), but the result was the same. The Mets scored nine runs for Stroman, who pitched five innings in a seven-inning game, allowing three runs. The Mets coughed up the lead before winning in extra innings, but Stroman was unable to get credit for the win.

The game can be seen locally on WPIX and heard locally on WCBS radio 880 am.

Mandatory Credit: D. Ross Cameron-USA TODAY Sports

Wednesday, September 15: LHP Jon Lester (5-6) STL vs. RHP Tylor Megill (3-4) NYM 7:10 pm

Lester was acquired by St. Louis at close to this year’s trading deadline from the Washington Nationals. He has a combined ERA of 4.75 this year, to go with a 1.54 WHIP. The native of Tacoma, Washington is in his 16th season, and has a career record of 198-117. His career ERA is 3.65 and his career WHIP is 1.28. Lester is now 37 years old, and has been very good in his last three starts. On August 30 against the Reds, he allowed just one earned run in 6.1 innings. On September 5, he went 5.1 innings against the Brewers, letting up just one run. He faced the Reds again on September 10, and this time he threw seven innings, with the Reds scoring two earned runs against him.

Megill is coming off the best start of his career on September 10 against the Yankees. In that game, the native of Long Beach, CA went seven innings, allowing the Bronx Bombers just two earned runs in a game the Mets won by a 10-3 score. In his rookie season of 2021, Megill has an ERA of 4.06 and a 1.20 WHIP.  He has struck out 88 batters over 77.2 innings pitched. Megill’s best month was July, when he posted a 1-0 record and a 1.04 ERA in five starts. In August (six starts) and September (two starts) his ERA marks are 6.44 and 4.15 respectively. The Mets will need another start like Megill’s effort against the Yankees this Wednesday night.

The game can be seen locally on SNY and heard locally on WCBS radio 880 am.

Miscellaneous Series Notes

The Cardinals and Mets both have a .239 team batting average (tied for 19th in MLB)

The Cardinals have hit 161 home runs (23rd), the Mets have hit 160 home runs (25th)

Cardinals’ team OPS is .707 (22nd), Mets’ team OPS is .709 (21st)

Cardinals’ OPS leaders are Tyler O’Neill (.866), Paul Goldschmidt (.832), Nolan Arenado (.811)

Mets’ OPS leaders among active players are Pete Alonso (.855), Javier Baez (.819), Jonathan Villar (.783), Francisco Lindor (.729)

The Cardinals haver a staff ERA of 4.13 (14th), the Mets’ staff ERA is 3.75 (4th)

Brandon Nimmo is on the injured list for New York, as is catcher Tomas Nido

Pitcher Jack Flaherty is on the injured list for the Cardinals, as is outfielder Justin Williams (seven-day)

The Mets’ season is on the line (it seems as though we say this all the time). They have a positive push from an emotional weekend at Citi Field. As noted above, at minimum they need to trim two games off the Braves’ lead in two and one-half weeks to give themselves a chance for the division. If they can win their games (six of which are against the Cardinals and Phillies), they have a realistic shot at a wildcard. It can be done. However, the Mets have almost no margin for error, and need to go out and take care of their own business, while hoping for help elsewhere.

It all needs to start Monday night at Citi Field, and continue for the seventeen games after that.

The post Series Preview: Mets Host Cardinals For Three Games At Citi Field appeared first on Metsmerized.