Photo: Ed Delany, MMO

The Mets made a roster move on their off day, optioning catcher Ali Sánchez to the Alternate Training Site on Thursday.

Teams had to bring their active rosters down to 28 by noon on the 15th day of the season. By designating Ryan Cordell for assignment on Wednesday, the Mets only needed to make one additional move.

Sánchez was promoted to the major leagues for the first time on Monday, filling the spot left open by Yoenis Céspedes‘ placement on the restricted list.

The 23-year-old backstop, who was added to the 40-man roster over the winter, did not make an appearance in his three days with the team.

Though rosters were supposed to remain at 28 for the next 14-day segment of the season before being reduced to 26, MLB and the Player’s Association agreed this week to maintain the 28-man allowance through the end of the year, including the playoffs.

Despite a dinged-up Amed Rosario and Jeff McNeil, the Mets have opted (at least temporarily) to roster 10 relief pitchers and four bench players, though their depth will be tested if the two starting infielders remain out. Both have been unavailable yet still active for the last two games.

Sánchez remains the only position player at the Alternate Site that wouldn’t require an additional 40-man spot to bring back to the majors.

If the Mets need an additional infielder or outfielder, the likes of Juan Lagares, Max Moroff, and Jarrett Parker are available but would necessitate a spot on the 40-man roster, which is currently at capacity.

The team is hoping Jake Marisnick and Eduardo Núñez can return soon from their lower body injuries, though they cannot be activated until Aug. 8 and Aug. 9, respectively. Robinson Canó is eligible to be reinstated on Aug. 14.

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The New York Mets added another potential starting pitcher to their player pool on Wednesday, making a deal with the Texas Rangers for RHP Ariel Jurado. Jurado was designated for assignment by the Rangers on July 31st to make room for former Yankee first baseman Greg Bird on their 40-man roster.

Jurado, 24, has made 44 appearances (26 starts) for the Rangers dating back to 2018 and has pitched to a 5.85 ERA. Jurado was ranked as the No. 72 prospect in baseball by Baseball Prospectus prior to the 2017, but has struggled to adjust to the big league level. He has given up 28 home runs in 177 career innings pitched. Jurado has a five-pitch arsenal, but mostly relies on his sinker.

The Mets sent a player to be named later and cash considerations to the Rangers in exchange for Jurado. They have optioned him to their alternate training site in Brooklyn.

To make room for Jurado on the 40-man roster, the Mets DFA’d outfielder Ryan Cordell just a day after he made his first start. Cordell was on the team for his speed and defense in center field, but now that Billy Hamilton is on the roster, Cordell became expendable.

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The New York Mets made a flurry of roster moves ahead of Wednesday night’s series opener at Citi Field against the Boston Red Sox, the most prominent being Jake Marisnick landing on the injured list with a left hamstring strain.

Marisnick, 29, was traded to New York this offseason and has gone 1-for-4 this season, appearing mostly as a late-inning defensive replacement.

To fill his place in the Mets’ outfield stable, the team activated Ryan Cordell from New York’s alternate training facility in Coney Island.

Cordell, 28, signed a minor league deal with the Mets this winter after hitting .205/.290/.355 over 116 games with the White Sox through the 2018 and 2019 seasons (.273/.334/.458 over seven MiLB seasons).

In order to add Cordell to the 40-man roster, the Mets were forced to designate right-hander Jordan Humphreys, the team’s 18th-round draft pick in 2015, for assignment.

After missing nearly two full seasons following surgery to repair the UCL in his right elbow in 2017, the 24-year-old allowed one run over two innings (two appearances) in his return to the GCL Mets last summer and gave up one run over 11.2 innings (8 K, 4 BB) in the Arizona Fall League last October.

In order to make it back to the Mets’ training site in Brooklyn and remain in the organization, Humphreys will need to pass through league waivers unclaimed.

We’ll keep you posted with more information as it becomes available.

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On Thursday, the Mets announced the 30-man roster they will begin the season with. The team has yet to announce the three-player taxi squad.

The roster seems to indicate that RHP Corey Oswalt will take Marcus Stroman‘s spot in the starting rotation after Stroman was placed on the injured list yesterday. Oswalt gets the nod over journeyman RHP Erasmo Ramirez and young LHP David Peterson, who may have had a better chance of making the team if he was on the team’s 40-man roster.

Your 2020 #Mets #OpeningDay roster! #LGM pic.twitter.com/srl4MBMvYK

— New York Mets (@Mets) July 23, 2020

Perhaps the biggest surprise on this roster is the inclusion of top prospect Andrés Giménez. The shortstop’s role is unknown at this time, but he will be sharing the roster with other backup infielders Luis Guillorme and Eduardo Nunez. Giménez could be insurance in case either Amed Rosario or Robinson Cano are not completely up to speed yet. Both starting middle infielders missed time earlier in summer camp. Giménez could also act as a speed-first, pinch-runner type with other fast runners like Ryan Cordell being left off the roster.

Again, Gimenez is on the 40-man roster, while Cordell or Johneshwy Fargas are not.

Outfielder Jake Marisnick does make the roster out of the gate, after some hamstring tightness had threatened to hold him back.

With bullpen arms Robert Gsellman hurt and Brad Brach and Jared Hughes missing in action, the Mets’ bullpen will be rounded out by Drew Smith, Paul Sewald, Chasen Shreve, and Hunter Strickland. Shreve makes the roster as the second left-handed reliever, edging out Daniel Zamora.

Strickland, Nunez, and Shreve had to be added to the 40-man roster, to make room the Mets designated Stephen Gonsalves for assignment.

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Less than an hour after announcing the addition of veteran RHP Hunter Strickland to the organization’s Player Pool, the Mets say they’ve signed longtime AL infielder Gordon Beckham and added him to the Pool.

Beckham had been in camp in March with the San Diego Padres, though he received just 14 at-bats without a hit before the shutdown.

Originally the eighth-overall selection by the Chicago White Sox in 2008, he played in parts of seven seasons on the South Side before bouncing around with the Angels, Braves, Mariners, Giants, and Tigers since 2014.

In over 1,000 career games, Beckham has hit .237/.300/.367 with 80 home runs. He hasn’t been a league-average hitter since his rookie season in 2009, when he posted a 109 wRC+ and finished fifth in AL Rookie of the Year balloting.

The Mets’ Player Pool stands at 48 following Beckham’ signing.

In addition to Strickland, it was announced that Ryan Cordell and Erasmo Ramirez were released and re-signed on re-negotiated minor league deals.

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The Mets announced on Monday afternoon they’ve signed right-handed reliever Hunter Strickland. He has been added to their player pool.

Strickland, 31, struggled in 2019 with a 5.55 ERA in 24 1/3 innings between the Seattle Mariners and the Washington Nationals.

The former 18th round pick allowed eight earned runs in 6 2/3 innings during Spring Training this year for the Nats and was released in March.

Hunter has a career 3.16 ERA and 1.198 WHIP in 281 big league innings. From 2015-2017 with the Giants, Strickland had a 2.75 ERA and held opponents to 7.4 H/9.

The Mets original player pool released on Sunday night had 45 players, with the signing of Strickland plus the re-signing of outfielder Ryan Cordell right-handed pitcher Erasmo Ramirez, the pool is now at 48 players.

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Brodie Van Wagenen announced in a press conference Tuesday afternoon that Michael Conforto has a right oblique strain and will be reassessed next week.

Conforto injured himself while making a catch during Monday’s contest against the Marlins. After the game, he received an MRI and was sent back to New York for additional testing.

Conforto slashed a robust .257/.363/.494 in 2019, tallying 33 home runs and 92 RBIs. He also registered a .358 wOBA and .367 xwOBA and accumulated seven OAA in right field.

The Mets outfield depth chart is relatively thin. Should Conforto miss Opening Day, Brandon Nimmo would presumably shift to right field, which would give Jake Marisnick a starting role in center field. Dominic Smith could also fit into the outfield mix. Ryan Cordell, Jarrett Parker, Johneshwy Fargas, and Tim Tebow represent inside-the-organization players who could roam the grass in Conforto’s absence.

Outside the organization, Yasiel Puig still remains unsigned. The Mets haven’t been connected to him all offseason, although that could change now that Conforto is hurt.

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New York Mets (6-9-3) vs Houston Astros (7-8-2) 1:05 PM 

FITTEAM Ballpark, West Palm Beach

RHP Rick Porcello vs LHP Framber Valdez

The Mets tied the Miami Marlins by a score of 1-1 on Monday afternoon in Jupiter. It was the third tied result of the spring.

The Mets’ offense was virtually silent once again, but pitching continued to shine.

Walker Lockett looked good, allowing only three hits in 3.0 innings with two strikeouts. Corey Oswalt became the first Mets pitcher to toss 4.0 innings in a Spring Training game this year. He allowed three hits and one unearned run while striking out five.

Seth Lugo made his spring debut and looked good with a clean inning of work and Tyler Bashlor rebounded from his previous awful outing allowing a walk and a hit and nothing else in one inning of work.

The Mets only mustered five hits yesterday. In the good news department – Rosario had an extra-base hit for a second straight day, a triple this time, raising his spring OPS to .481. Alonso who has also struggled getting hits this spring added one as well.

Note

Michael Conforto hurt his side while making a catch yesterday. He received an MRI in Florida but is heading back to New York for a further evaluation. Not a good sign right now.

Pitching Today

Rick Porcello gets the start today, as he continues to battle Steven Matz and Michael Wacha for a rotation spot. In three appearances and 6.0 innings Porcello has allowed six hits and one run while walking one and striking out seven. Pretty good. We expect him to toss somewhere between 3-4 innings today.

Mets Lineup

1. Brandon Nimmo, CF
2. Robinson Cano, 2B
3. J.D. Davis, LF
4. Wilson Ramos, DH
5. Dominic Smith, 1B
6. Eduardo Nunez, 3B
7. Rene Rivera, C
8. Ryan Cordell, RF
9. Andres Gimenez, SS

Eduardo Nunez has been getting a lot of playing itme and he’s been making the most of it with 8 hits including a double and a triple in 25 AB, hitting .320/.393/.440. Luis Guillorme, who he is competing with, is hititng .182/.217/.227 in 22 AB.

Let’s Go Mets! Check 213 Miles From Shea for more Mets insights!

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Good Morning, Mets fans! Another week in the books, as spring baseball rolls right along.

The Mets fell to 1-5-1 with a loss to the 6-0 Marlins on Thursday night, 3-1. Rick Porcello tossed two scoreless innings with two strikeouts in his second spring start. Right-handers Brad Brach and Robert Gsellman each tossed a scoreless inning. Prospect Edgardo Fermin knocked in the only Mets run with a single.

Here’s what you need to know:

Latest Mets News

The key to the Mets’ second-half improvement in 2019? Late-night cookies, reports Anthony DiComo of MLB.com. The result of the delivery cookies was everyone yelling, “Peanut butter cups!” when something good happened on the field.

After being scratched from Wednesday’s game in order to undergo additional cardiac testing, outfielder Brandon Nimmo completed all necessary evaluations on Thursday. According to Mike Puma of the New York Post, Nimmo underwent tests for an irregular heartbeat, a condition that he has dealt with for several years. During this testing, he was required to wear a monitor for 24 hours and complete a stress test.

Nimmo’s wife, Chelsea, tweeted on Thursday night that her husband is “fine,” that he “feels great,” and that he simply wants to “just do his thing and play.”

Adding to Chelsea’s good news was Anthony DiComo of MLB.com, who reported that all of Nimmo’s tests came back “in good fashion.” He will resume baseball activities today.

Ryan Cordell got the chance to start on Wednesday after Brandon Nimmo‘s last-minute scratch, and the outfielder certainly made the most of his golden opportunity, smacking a home run and making a diving catch to get his team out of a bases loaded jam.

Per James Wagner of The New York Times: In a fitting display of passion, several Mets fans sent money via Venmo to GM Brodie Van Wagenen in hopes that the front office might have been swayed to sign big names such as Anthony Rendon and Joe Girardi.

Latest MLB News

Hardball Talk reports that umpire Kerwin Danley will be named the first African American crew chief in MLB history.

Dan Connolly of The Athletic remembers Baltimore Orioles pitching prospect Steve Bechler – who tragically passed away at the age of 23 after suffering organ failure due to heat stroke – as well as Bechler’s family, who continue to grieve seventeen years later.

Red Sox manager Ron Roenicke says that Chris Sale – still recovering from elbow issues and a bout of pneumonia – will be on the injured list to start the season, reports Alex Speier of the Boston Globe. Roenicke also noted that Sale is about two weeks behind compared to his fellow starters, and that the Opening Day gig is still up in the air.

According to Baseball America, a new minor league rule involving pickoff attempts will be implemented for the 2020 season. The new rule will require pitchers to step off the rubber before throwing to a base in an attempt to pickoff a runner.

Major League Baseball has announced that long-time umpires Gary Cederstrom, Dana DeMuth, Mike Everitt, and Jeff Kellogg have officially retired. Crew chief vacancies will be filled by Kerwin Danley, Dan Iassogna, Alfonso Marquez, and Jim Reynolds. Five new names will join the Major League umpiring staff in 2020: Nic Lentz, Ryan Blakney, Ramon De Jesus, Chris Segal, and Jansen Visconti.

Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reports that Angels pitcher Griffin Canning is scheduled for an MRI on his right elbow after experiencing pain during his start on Wednesday.

Per Howard Fendrich of AP Sports: For Nationals pitcher Sean Doolittle, it wasn’t late-night cookies that helped him manage the stress of October – it was lavender oil.

Latest NL East News

Brittany Ghiroli of The Athletic chronicles the efforts of Nationals pitcher Joe Ross as he seeks out the fifth spot in Washington’s rotation. Ross, who is out of minor league options, must either make the team or face being designated for assignment – which would ultimately lead to a trade or waivers.

Latest on MMO

Yes, the Mets must win ballgames, says Matt Musico – but who they defeat will be just as important when it comes to reaching October.

Daniel M. gives us all the information we might need on Mets pitching prospect Franklyn Kilome.

A question from Doug in our latest Fan Shot: Will the real Steven Matz please stand up?

This Day in Mets History

1975: The Mets acquire Dave Kingman from the Giants.

Birthdays: Brian Bannister turns 39

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Photo by Ed Delany/MMO

The New York Mets (1-4-1) played the team that forever will be associated with the word asterisk next to it, the Houston Astros, and lost 4-2. The crowd booed lustily when the Astros were introduced saving their best vitriol for plate appearances by George Springer who was part of the 2017 championship team. Many of the other veteran players for Houston did not make the trip to Clover Field.

Noah Syndergaard pitched for the first time this spring and was very effective, pitching a strong 2-innings. Edwin Diaz was not as effective giving up three hard-hit balls and two runs. The other notable for the Mets was Ryan Cordell who was a late addition to the line-up. He homered, singled and made a terrific catch in center with the bases loaded to keep the game close.

Pitching

Noah Syndergaard made his spring debut for the Mets and could hardly have been more efficient. He pitched two innings, tossing 18 total pitches (9 per inning) and gave up only one hit. He struck out two and walked none. His off-speed pitched broke effectively and he hit 99-mph on his fastball.

Justin Wilson started the third inning for New York and also had a strong outing. He threw 15 pitches and had a 1-2-3 inning. He struck out one Astro in his appearance.

If Syndergaard was the object of the most scrutiny in his debut this year, Edwin Diaz was a close second coming off a poor 2019 season. Diaz came on to pitch the fourth inning and gave up three hard-hit balls and two runs. He did throw a few effective sliders and his fastball did top out at 98 mph in his 25-pitch inning. Four-time All-Star Michael Brantley led off with a hard-hit single. Doubles by Aledmys Diaz and Dustin Garneau (both hard-hit) made the score 2-0.

29-year old Chasen Shreve came in for inning five. It was Shreve’s second appearance of the year. He gave up two runs in his first outing and was looking to bounce back. He ended up giving up an unearned run in the frame as he loaded the bases with no one out but escaped by allowing only the one run. Brantley, who hit the ball hard three times for Houston, lifted a sacrifice fly to make the score 3-1. Ryan Cordell made a terrific catch with the bags full preventing a bases-clearing hit.

Walker Lockett pitched the sixth and didn’t have his customary control but got through the inning unscathed. He survived an error and a walk to keep the score at 3-2. Lockett stayed in the game and got the first two outs of the seventh. Yefry Ramirez, who pitched for the Baltimore Orioles and Pittsburgh Pirates in 2019, recorded the final out.

Tyler Bashlor took the mound in the eighth and allowed a single in an otherwise strong inning. Bashlor was the Mets seventh pitcher used on Wednesday afternoon.

Stephen Villines, a Mets minor-leaguer since 2017, was next to the mound in the ninth. The 24-year old was greeted rudely by the Astros as Cesar Salazar hit a long home run to right to extend the Astros lead to 4-2.

Offense

The Mets managed just six hits on Wednesday.

The offense started with a single by Jeff McNeil on the first pitch of the first inning. He was erased on a double play off the bat of Pete Alonso.

The bats stayed silent until the bottom of the fourth when Ryan Cordell, who was a late replacement in the line-up for Brandon Nimmo, homered to right-center to cut the Houston lead to 2-1. Nimmo was scratched due to additional cardiac testing deemed necessary by the team cardiologist.

For Cordell, it was his first homer of the spring. He hit seven last year as a member of the Chicago White Sox. Cordell would later get his second hit of the game to add to his defensive gem in the fifth.

The Mets crept closer in the bottom of the fifth. The Amazins’ strung together three straight hits in the frame, beginning with a single by Max Moroff. He stole second and scored on a single by Dominic Smith. Eduardo Nunez also singled moving Smith to second but the Mets could not bring him around and settled for one run to cut the Houston lead to 3-2.

On Deck

The Mets get their first taste of night baseball in 2020 as they play a 7:05 tilt against the Miami Marlins Thursday at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium. Rick Porcello will be making his second appearance for the Mets this spring pitted against Robert Dugger, who also will be making his second outing. There will be no television or radio coverage for the game.

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