Currently, according to Cot’s Baseball Contracts, the Mets have a competitive balance tax (CBT) 40-man payroll of $309.3 million. This figure sits second only to the Los Angeles Dodgers. For reference, last season New York ended the season at $338.2 million.

Based solely off what they did last year, the Mets are $28.9 million shy of their payroll in 2025. As it was made clear this past weekend, owner Steve Cohen does not believe the team’s payroll will be lower than it was last season. With that, where is a realistic range to see the Mets’ payroll in 2026 with outstanding moves still to be made?

There is a chance that the Mets’ payroll can theoretically decrease. There has been talks of both Jeff McNeil ($12.5 million) and/or Kodai Senga ($14 million) can be moved. If both are moved the Mets can technically see their payroll shrink from $309.3 million to $282.8 million. It is more likely to see only one of the two be moved.

As for the current roster, it should be expected the Mets add another top-to-middle level starting pitcher and an established left fielder/outfielder. Those are likely their last two “splash moves,” to occur that would add considerable payroll. How much payroll would by allocated in those two moves?

Recent Padres’ signee Michael King, likely a comparable level pitcher the Mets will want to bring in, signed for $25 million annually. Another Padres pitcher, which the Mets have had reported interest in, Nick Pivetta, carries an annually payroll hit of around $24 million. With those as baselines, you’d expect the Mets to add a starter with a $20 million-to-$25 million CBT payroll annually.

As for the left fielder/outfielder need, Cody Bellinger, who the Mets have also reportedly shown interest in, is projected to sign a five-year deal worth $140 million according to MLB Trade Rumors. This is about a $28 million hit to the payroll. Another rumored outfield option has been Luis Robert Jr., he carries a payroll hit of $20 million. You’d expect an outfield option the Mets bring in to sit somewhere in the $20 million-to-$28 million range.

Between a starting pitcher and a legit option in the outfield, the Mets are likely looking at around $40 million-to-45 million in additional payroll. You also have to factor in any other minor moves the Mets make, like bringing in another reliever reinforcement or depth at a position like first base. Those ancillary moves could total another $15 million-to-$20 million. That is around another $55 million-to-$70 million in payroll the Mets likely need to add to field a contending team in 2026.

With that being said, it is probably fair to subtract a contract like McNeil ($12.5 million) who seems poised to be traded. Subtract that, and add around $65 million and it would not be surprising to see the Mets come in at around $360 million in payroll. For comparison sake, the Dodgers were at a league-high $415.2 million last season. The Mets were second at the previously mentioned $338.2 million. In 2024, New York was at a league-high $356.5 million. One would expect them to be much closer to that figure in 2026.

The post Projecting Where The Mets’ Payroll May Stand At Offseason’s End appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

After hammering out a three-team deal with the Pittsburgh Pirates and Houston Astros that saw them send second baseman Brandon Lowe to the former, the Tampa Bay Rays are also trading right-handed starting pitcher Shane Baz to the Baltimore Orioles. The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal was the first to report the news.

Per ESPN’s Jeff Passan, Tampa Bay will receive prospects Slater de Brun, Caden Bodine, Michael Forret and Austin Overn as well as a Competitive Balance Round A pick in return.

Baz has dealt with his fair share of injuries throughout his career, but the 26-year-old completed a full season for the Rays in 2025. Over 31 starts and 166 1/3 innings, he recorded a 4.87 ERA with 176 strikeouts. The 26-year-old is under club control through the 2028 campaign.

Updated Post: Dec. 19 at 12:30 p.m.

According to The Athletic’s Chandler Rome and Ken Rosenthal, the Tampa Bay Rays, Houston Astros and Pittsburgh Pirates are working on finalizing a three-team trade.

If completed, the deal would send starting pitcher Mike Burrows from Pittsburgh to Houston, second baseman Brandon Lowe, outfielder Jake Mangum and left-handed pitcher Mason Montgomery to Pittsburgh and outfielder Jacob Melton and right-handed pitching prospect Anderson Brito to Tampa Bay. The full details of the trade have yet to be announced, and it’s possible that more players are involved.

Lowe would be a major get for a Pirates club that’s struggled offensively in recent years and has openly searched for a middle-of-the-order bat. He slashed .256/.307/.477 with 31 home runs for the Rays in 2025. Burrows, meanwhile, logged a 3.94 ERA in 23 appearances (19 starts) totaling 96 innings with Pittsburgh this past season.

Melton, who MLB Pipeline ranks as Houston’s No. 2 prospect, slashed .157/.234/.186 in 78 plate appearances during his first taste of big-league action in 2025. Mangum, meanwhile, put up a .698 OPS with 27 stolen bases for Tampa Bay this year.

Updated Post: Dec. 19 at 10:10 a.m.

The Kansas City Royals have made their second notable trade of the past week, this time acquiring left-handed reliever Matt Strahm from the Philadelphia Phillies for right-handed pitcher Jonathan Bowlan, according to FanSided’s Robert Murray.

Strahm, who was drafted in the 21st round of the 2012 MLB Draft by Kansas City, is set to make $7.5 million in the final year of his contract. He appeared in 66 games for the Phillies in 2025 and recorded a 2.74 ERA over 62 1/3 innings with 70 strikeouts.

Bowlan, a second-round pick in the 2018 MLB Draft, made his big-league debut in 2023 and logged a 3.86 ERA in 34 appearances totaling 44 1/3 innings this past season.

The Royals previously acquired outfielder Isaac Collins and right-handed reliever Nick Mears from the Milwaukee Brewers for left-handed reliever Angel Zerpa.

Original Post: Dec. 19 at 9:43 a.m.

The Padres have signed infielder Sung-mun Song, according to Robert Murray of Fansided. The former KBO player will be making around $13 million over three seasons. Those terms were first mentioned by reporter Francys Romero.

Song Sung-mun

The report of Song’s signing comes less than 12 hours after multiple reports revealed that the Padres were re-signing right-handed starting pitcher Michael King.

Song, 29, has played parts of nine seasons for the Kiwoom Heroes of the KBO. A righty thrower and left-handed hitter at the plate, Song has moved around the infield, accumulating games at every position other than shortstop.

He spent the majority of his time at third base in 2025, playing 111 games there, but with the ever-available Manny Machado entrenched there for the long term, Song would likely serve as a backup utility infielder.

Song’s offensive output has surged over the past two seasons, making his move to MLB one to watch. After finishing six of his first seven years in the KBO with an OPS under .700, Song slashed .340/.409/.518 and .315/.387/.530 over his last two seasons, respectively, averaging over 20 home runs, 30 doubles and 20 stolen bases in the process.

The post Rumor Roundup: Orioles Acquire Shane Baz from Rays appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Position: SP B/T: R/R
Age: 29 (12/28/1995)

2025 Traditional Stats: 32 G, 168 IP, 4.55 ERA, 1.327 WHIP, 215 SO, 71 BB
2025 Advanced Stats: 94 ERA+, 29.8 K%, 9.8 BB%, 3.46 xERA, 3.56 FIP, 3.56 xFIP 3.4 fWAR/ 1.1 bWAR

Rundown

It was an odd season for Dylan Cease in 2025. He threw harder than ever (97.1 mp fastball velocity), had the highest K/9 among starting pitchers (11.9), and completed his fifth consecutive season of making at least 32 starts. Cease also finished with the 12th best xERA (3.46), which was tied with Minnesota’s Joe Ryan and Milwaukee’s Freddy Peralta.

Cease’s SIERA (Skill Interactive ERA), which, unlike xFIP, accounts not just for home runs, walks, and hit‑batters but also the type of contact surrendered, park factors, and balls in play, ranked 13th in MLB at 3.58 (just ahead of Max Fried and just behind Ryan). And yet, the conventional numbers suggest a below‑average season. As evident by an ERA+ of 94 (6% worse than league average), an uptick in walks (3.8 BB/9, up from 3.1 the previous year), and more home runs allowed (1.13 HR/9, up from 0.87).

Digging deeper, several things stand out. Cease actually surrendered less hard contact: 38.4% in 2024 down to 37.4% in 2025. His LOB% (Left On Base %) was nearly static, 69.4% in 2024 versus 69% in 2025, and his barrel rate remained basically unchanged (8.5% in 2024 versus 8.6% in 2025).

A couple of numbers could help explain Cease’s poor counting stats in 2025. For starters, Cease had a .320 BABIP in 2025, up from .295 career BABIP. The elevated BABIP contributed to his inflated WHIP (1.327 in 2025 versus 1.067 in 2024). While some of the poor outcomes are clearly bad luck, there were execution issues. Specifically, an increased walk rate as well as slight declines in LOB% and barrel rate contributed to worse results.

The second area that contributed to Cease’s struggles were his results with runners on base. In 2025, Dylan Cease had a 9.35 ERA with a .367 BABIP. However, Cease had a 3.55 FIP and a 3.54 xFIP (11.29 K/9). His luck on balls being put in play with runners on was extremely troublesome.

When looking at his track record, from 2021 through 2024, Cease had a 7.20 ERA with runners on base but had a 3.84 xFIP and a .291 BABIP. For context, the 7.20 ERA with runners on over that stretch is league average and Cease is ahead of Spencer Strider, Charlie Morton, MacKenzie Gore, and Hunter Greene.

If Cease can improve his outcomes with runners on base (and perhaps rehabilitate the BABIP/luck component), his full‑season numbers could look a lot more like his very strong 2024 campaign than the one he posted in 2025. There are a number of paths for Cease to take to improve his results. The first idea is simply pitch the same he did in 2025. Below are Cease’s expected stats in 2024 and 2025: 

• 2024: 3.31 xERA/3.44 xFIP/3.46 SIERA
• 2025: 3.46 xERA/3.56 xFIP/3.58 SIERA

One area Cease could change in hopes of better results is to change his pitch usage. Cease threw his four-seam fastball and slider a combined 82.1% of the time in 2025. The xSLG against those pitches was .399 and .335, respectively. Continuing to rely heavily on those pitches should be the goal. However, his knuckle curve, despite being throw 8% of the time, had an xSLG of .507. Perhaps throwing more sweepers (3.5% in 2025 with a .359 xSLG ) and fewer curveballs could help Cease in 2026. 

Contract

Given how early into the offseason it currently is, the only projection out on what Cease’s next deal could look like is via Sportstrac. They predict a six-year deal worth $158,544,942. This would translate to a $26,424,157 annual average value (AAV). That AAV would place Cease at 11th among starting pitchers.

Cease is coming off a deal that only carried a $13.75 million AAV, so a hefty increase is in the works.

Recommendation: Try To Sign

Based on how the Mets’ current rotation projects, president of baseball operations David Stearns should be very aggressive with trying to sign Cease. His durability and relative younger age (entering age 30) are things that should boost his value despite poor results in 2025. Signing a starting pitcher long‑term always carries risk, but you are buying elite strikeout stuff plus proven volume.

Cease, who has averaged 4.075 fWAR a year from 2022-2025 while throwing an average roughly 179 innings per season and a 114 ERA+, would instantly give the Mets a top-of-the-rotation starter they desperately need.

Concerns over his 2025 season are valid, but every shred of data points to extreme positive regression in 2026. The Mets should be at the front of the line among teams trying to vie for his services once the market officially opens in the coming weeks.

The post Free Agent Profile: Dylan Cease, SP appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

With the end of the regular season fast approaching, the Mets moved another step closer to securing a postseason berth after taking the series from the San Diego Padres.

The Mets took two out of three from San Diego at Citi Field. As a result, New York is now a full two games ahead of the Arizona Diamondbacks and the Cincinnati Reds for the final Wild Card spot in the National League. The Mets are also three games ahead of the Giants with nine games remaining.

Now 48-30 at Citi Field this season, the Mets very much have their destiny in their own hands as we hit the stretch run. It is now time to get the job done.

Before we reach that point, however, let’s recap everything from the Padres series in 4 Up, 2 Down…

Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

4 UP

CHICKS DIG THE LONG BALL

We saw the full explosive potential of this offense throughout the Padres series. The lineup hit 10 home runs in the three games, which is the franchise’s most in a three-game series at home, per Elias. Now that’s impressive. What is also impressive is the fact that this offense now looks like a unit that can cause some damage in October. We saw how this lineup was able to blow away San Diego with brute force. Even in the loss on Wednesday, the offense was able to claw its way back into the game thanks to hitting four homers. Furthermore, the Mets have scored a total of 249 runs since August 1 – the second-most in the majors. If the pitching can sort itself out, then this offense has a chance to really set this team up for success in the postseason.

UNSTOPPABLE POWER SURGE

Pete Alonso seems determined to drag the Mets across the finish line all on his own. The slugger has now hit a home run in four consecutive games. All in all, Alonso finished with three homers, five runs scored and four RBIs against the Padres. Consequently, he now sits fourth in franchise history for the most RBIs in a single season with 121. This current captain clutch version of Alonso could give the Mets a real edge come playoff time.

BOUNCING BACK

Full kudos to Jonah Tong. Not only did the rookie bounce back from a nightmare start, but he also showed why he could be a weapon in the playoffs. The righty looked like a seasoned veteran in his outing against San Diego on Thursday, striking out eight and allowing just one unearned run over five stellar innings. Tong looked untouchable, retiring the final seven batters he faced and striking out four in a row at one point. His four-seam fastball was absolutely lethal and did the most damage. Tong showed a lot of maturity to respond the way he did to adversity. He also showed the kind of high upside that could see him play a starring role in October.

SIGNS OF HOPE

The Mets opted to piggyback Clay Holmes and Sean Manaea for Tuesday’s game. The experiment paid off. Both pitchers pitched well, with Manaea’s outing being particularly encouraging. The lefty allowed just one earned run – a solo homer – while striking out four over five solid innings. Not only did Manaea look good, but he also offered hope that maybe his best stuff could still be to come. Furthermore, maybe the strategy of piggybacking Holmes and Manaea could be one that potentially pays off in the playoffs.

Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

2 DOWN

HOUSTON, WE HAVE A PROBLEM

The Mets officially have a David Peterson problem. The lefty struggled yet again in his latest outing on Wednesday, allowing six earned runs. That included a back-breaking grand slam that changed the entire tenor of the game. As a result of his latest struggles, Peterson now owns a 7.59 ERA over his last eight starts, allowing a total of 34 earned runs. That isn’t good. Furthermore, Peterson just hasn’t looked like the same pitcher since the All-Star break. He looked gassed and devoid of any confidence on Wednesday, which also isn’t good. If the Mets want to go deep in October, they will need Peterson to go back to the big-innings ace he was in the first half.

SETBACKS

Injuries continue to bite the Mets. Francisco Alvarez was hit on the arm yet again during Tuesday’s series opener. While it seems the catcher has escaped serious injury, you wonder how many more knocks he can take before he breaks completely. Plus, it is hard to get into a rhythm when you are constantly being hurt and removed from games. Meanwhile, Reed Garrett was placed back on the IL with a right elbow strain. Tommy John surgery is a possibility. If Garrett is indeed done for the year, then that will require another body to step up in the bullpen. As streaky as Garrett has been, this bullpen can’t really afford to lose key arms.

The post 4 Up, 2 Down: Mets Show Off Power Against Padres appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

He expanded on his report saying that Manaea would be available on Sunday, and if not used then, likely be deployed behind right-handed starter Clay Holmes during Tuesday’s opening game against the San Diego Padres. Given Manaea was not used on Sunday in the Mets’ victory against Texas, it appears the most likely scenario that he will be used behind Holmes on Tuesday.

After pitching like the team’s ace in 2024, Manaea has struggled drastically in 2025. Due to injury, it was a late start for Manaea to begin with, then, after five really strong appearances to begin the season, it has been dire struggles for the 33-year-old veteran. Manaea had a 2.08 ERA across his first five appearances of the season in July. He struck out 22 over 17 1/3 innings, and all looked well.

However, since then, Manaea has allowed at least four or five runs in six of his last seven outings, and the longest start he has had over that time has been 5 2/3 innings. In all, over his last seven starts, he has thrown 32 2/3 innings, allowing 41 hits and has posted a 7.71 ERA.

Something needed to be done, and it appears New York has reportedly made the decision to remove him from the rotation for the time being. For whatever it is worth, his first appearance was out of the bullpen, behind Holmes, and he struck out seven over 3 1/3 innings allowing only one run.

The post Report: Manaea Moved To Bullpen; Likely To Follow Holmes Tuesday appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Nolan McLean started the contest and gave the Mets exactly what they needed. The rookie pitcher went six innings, allowing five hits, no runs, and only walked two. He struck out seven and lowered his season ERA to a minuscule 1.19. This, despite battling through some issues with his middle finger, once again.

Like Saturday, the game unraveled a bit when manager Carlos Mendoza went to his bullpen. Brooks Raley, allowed a single, and hit a batter, before Reed Garrett came on and allowed a two-run hit. Just like that, the Mets’ 2-0 lead evaporated and the ballgame was tied.

New York was able to obtain the 2-0 lead via a run-scoring ground out by Juan Soto in the fifth and a solo home run from Brandon Nimmo in the sixth. The Nimmo solo shot was his 23rd of the season and his first extra-base hit in the month of September.

After a clutch Francisco Lindor double play got Edwin Díaz out of dire trouble in the ninth inning, Ryne Stanek came on for the 10th, and stranded the winning run at third base. He was able to get a strikeout and induce a pop out with a runner on third base. That set the table for the Mets in the ninth.

The Rangers decided to intentionally walk Juan Soto, bringing Pete Alonso to the plate. Alonso sent the third pitch he saw over the right-field wall and the Mets celebrated at home plate.

The Mets, who sit at 77-73 will now scoreboard watch for the remainder of the afternoon. As of writing, the Arizona Diamondbacks and Cincinnati Reds are currently winning, while the San Francisco Giants are trailing.

Player of the Game: Pete Alonso

Alonso only had one hit in Sunday’s game, but it was the most important one as he drove the game-winning hit over the left-field fence. The three-run shot ended the Mets’ losing skid. It was Alonso’s 34th homer of the season, and counted for RBIs No. 115, 116, and 117.

On Deck

The Mets have an off-day Monday before welcoming in the San Diego Padres to begin a series Tuesday. The first game is set for a 7:10 pm ET first pitch. The probably pitching matchup is Michael King versus Clay Holmes.

The post Alonso Walks It Off In Extras As Mets End Losing Streak appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

The game got off to a bit of an emotional start in the Mets bullpen. José Buttó was seen in the top of the second, processing things in the bullpen before emotionally leaving the outfield to give hugs to the dugout and make his way to the clubhouse to grab his belongings as his time with the Mets came to a close. He was traded, along with prospects RHP Blade Tidwell and OF Drew Gilbert, to the Giants for reliever Tyler Rogers.

Coming into Wednesday’s matchup, Darvish had yet to get out of the fifth inning for San Diego this season, but he was dominant against the Mets as they couldn’t get anything going against him.

On the other side of the mound, Holmes did not have his strongest stuff on Wednesday. The Padres took the early lead off Holmes in the bottom of the second. With bases loaded, Manny Machado got things started for San Diego with a two-RBI single to give the Padres the 2-0 lead early.

The Padres extended their lead in the third, with one on, the former Met, Jose Iglesias, hit a two-run home run off Holmes to make it a 4-0 Padres lead.

Holmes’ day ended in the bottom of the fourth. After recording the first two outs, he gave up a single to Xander Bogaerts and a hit Jake Cronenworth. That was all Carlos Mendoza allowed as he went to the Mets bullpen, bringing in Reed Garrett to take over on the mound and finish out the fourth.

Injury woes for the Mets and a roller coaster season for Francisco Alvarez continued in the sixth as, after taking a ball to the mask in the fifth inning, Alvarez exited the game in the sixth. Luis Torrens came in to replace Alvarez behind the plate to catch Ryne Stanek. Alvarez did pass concussion protocol.

The Padres extended their lead by a run in the bottom of the eighth. Jackson Merrill hit a sacrifice fly with two on to make it a 5-0 game in which the Mets accumulated just three hits.

Brandon Nimmo, Mark Vientos, and Ronny Mauricio represented the Mets’ only hits. Juan Soto was out of the lineup after fouling a ball off his foot on Tuesday. He’s expected to return to the lineup on Friday.

San Diego never looked back on that lead as they went on to defeat New York 5-0 and complete the three-game sweep.

ON DECK

The Mets have an off-day Thursday as they travel back to New York to open a six-game home stand that begins with three against the San Francisco Giants. All eyes on Thursday will be on what else David Stearns and company do to improve the Mets roster before the 6 p.m. ET deadline.

The Mets’ probable pitchers for the weekend series are David Peterson, Kodai Senga, and Frankie Montas.

The post Mets Offense Shut Down in 5-0 Loss to Padres appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Also, good morning to any Knicks fans out there!

A good Wednesday for the guys in blue started in Arizona where the Mets took the rubber match against the Arizona Diamondbacks by a score of 7-1. Despite having some control issues early on, Kodai Senga found the range and went six innings of shutout ball, lowering his ERA to 1.16 on the season. Along with that, Juan Soto had his second multi-homer game of the season, going 2-for-4 with two long balls and three RBIs. Click here for a full game recap!

The Mets have an off day on Thursday and will start a three-game set against the Chicago Cubs on Friday at Citi Field. The projected starters are Clay Holmes, Tylor Megill and Griffin Canning. 

Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Latest Mets News

The Mets signed veteran left-handed reliever Colin Poche to a minor-league contract and he will report to Syracuse. Click here for more on the signing. 

Padres’ Jose Iglesias was ‘totally shocked’ he didn’t receive contract offer from Mets in the offseason, per Anthony Rieber of Newsday.

Latest MLB News

The Baltimore Orioles acquired RHP Luis F. Castillo (not the All-Star) from the Seattle Mariners for cash considerations. 

The Los Angeles Dodgers announced Evan Phillips is on the IL with right forearm discomfort, per Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic.

Royals first baseman Vinnie Pasquantino announced he will be playing for Team Italy in the 2026 WBC, per his X page.

Former Mets relief pitcher Stephen Nogosek signed a contract with the Kansas City Royals, per player agent John Shinn.

Alex Bregman launched his 200th career home run over the Green Monster on Wednesday night.

Breggy Bomb No. 200 💥 pic.twitter.com/E0QPmJ47lE

— MLB (@MLB) May 7, 2025

Colorado Rockies manager Bud Black told reporters that Kris Bryant is undergoing an ablation procedure on his lower back on Thursday.

The Cincinnati Reds placed on the 10-day injured list IF Noelvi Marte, retroactive to May 5th, with a left oblique strain. 

The Chicago White Sox placed outfielder Andrew Benintendi on the 10-day injured list, retroactive to May 5th, with a left calf strain.

Latest On MMO

The Mets sign a veteran lefty reliever.

Soto goes deep twice in the Mets’ win.

Mets have three players in Baseball America’s updated top 100. 

On This Date In Mets History

2010: Henry Blanco hits a walk-off home run to beat the Giants.

1961: New York’s National League expansion team announces that they will be known as the “Mets.” 

Born on This Date: Sean Gilmartin (1990), Adrián González (1982), John Maine (1981).

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The Padres, who have had several questions concerning their financial status, were able to lock up one of their young stars on Wednesday. San Diego’s center fielder, Jackson Merrill, had an All-Star campaign in his rookie year, slugging 24 home runs with a .292/.326/.500 slash line. Merrill agreed with the club on a nine-year, $135 million contract extension which can max out at $204 million and includes a $30 million club option for a 10th season that can convert to a player option, per Robert Murray of FanSided.

Denis Poroy-Imagn Images

Wednesday night the Mets were able to secure their first series win of the season by taking the rubber match against the Marlins down in Miami. Clay Holmes had a solid start for the Mets, going 4 2/3 IP with six hits, two runs (1 ER), and six strikeouts. Pete Alonso tied the game with a dead center game-tying three-run homer in the eighth, and New York would go on to win the game in the 11th inning. 

The Mets have an off day today as they prepare to come home for the first time this season, hosting the Toronto Blue Jays for three games at Citi Field this weekend.

Latest Mets News

Juan Soto on Sandy Alcantara: “It would be one of the best trades that we could have. I know we have great pitching here, but adding a Cy Young winner like that would be huge,” per Mike Puma of the NY Post.

Jonah Tong is one of three Mets prospects who impressed scouts on spring training backfields, per Baseball America.

Mets third-round pick from Mississippi State, Nate Dohm, gets the ball for the St. Lucie Mets‘ opener.

The Mets signed first baseman Jon Singleton and infielder Niko Goodrum to minor league contracts, per Mike Mayer of MMO.

Carlos Mendoza told reporters that Frankie Montas has started throwing and has started throwing from 60 feet, per Tim Healey of Newsday. Montas is returning from a lat strain.

Latest MLB News

The Los Angeles Dodgers acquired Estuery Ruiz from the A’s in exchange for RHP Carlos Duran. Ruiz, who stole 67 bags in 2023, was DFA’d four days ago and will be optioned to Triple-A.

The Red Sox today signed INF/OF Kristian Campbell to an eight-year, $60 million contract extension that spans the 2025-2032 seasons, with club options for 2033 and 2034, per Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com.

The Diamondbacks have signed Ketel Marte to a new extension through 2031. It is worth $116.5 million, $64 million of which is new money, per Nick Piecoro of Arizona Republic. 

Latest On MMO

Max Kranick is having a strong start to the season!

Frankie Montas has resumed throwing.

Pete Alonso leads the charge in Mets victory.

On This Date in Mets History

2006: Gary Cohen and Keith Hernandez call the first regular season Mets game for SNY.

2006: David Wright goes 2-for-3 with a homer and Xavier Nady tallies four in a 3-2 Mets Opening Day win over the Nationals.

2001: Robin Ventura hits two go-ahead home runs, including a game-winning blast in the 10th inning.

1966: The Mets win a lottery and get the rights to sign Tom Seaver.

Born on This Date: Hayden Senger (1997), Jay Bruce (1987), Rod Gaspar (1946), Hawk Taylor (1939), Don Rowe (1936).

The post Morning Briefing: Jackson Merrill Inks Nine-Year Extension appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Wednesday saw some of the final big names on the market find their homes for the 2025 season. While Alex Bregman caught most of the headlines, starting pitcher Nick Pivetta landed in San Diego after his five-year stint in Boston.

The right-handed starting pitcher, who the Mets showed interest in throughout the offseason, signed a four-year, $55 million deal with the San Diego Padres, per Jeff Passan of ESPN. The deal includes a pair of opt-outs and comes in the midst of trade rumors that continue to swirl around Padres starting pitchers Michael King and Dylan Cease. 

David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports

Latest Mets News

The Mets officially announced the Pete Alonso signing!

It seems as though the Mets are moving on without Jose Iglesias, as David Stearns stated, “Having some flexibility there in that role is frankly probably needed for us right now”, per Anthony DiComo of MLB.com.

The Mets agreed to a one-year deal with reliever Drew Smith, per Mark Feinsand of MLB.com. The deal includes a club option for the 2026 season.

Latest MLB News

All-Star third baseman Alex Bregman has agreed to a three-year, $120 million deal with the Boston Red Sox, per Chandler Rome of The Athletic. There are opt-outs after each season for Bregman.

Former Met Daniel Vogelbach has been hired by the Pittsburgh Pirates to be a special assistant to the hitting department, per Noah Hiles of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. 

Anthony Rendon‘s injury-ridden run continues. He will be missing a “long amount of time” as he is undergoing hip surgery, per Sam Blum of The Athletic.

Dodgers high-end relievers Michael Kopech and Evan Phillips are behind schedule and likely to start the season on the IL, per Bob Nightengale of USA Today. 

The Miami Marlins signed right-handed starting pitcher Cal Quantrill to a one-year major league deal, per Alden González of ESPN.

The Milwaukee Brewers signed LHP Tyler Alexander to a one-year deal.

Latest on MMO

Alex Bregman found his new home, the Boston Red Sox.

The Mets seem to be closing the book on the “OMG” era.

Drew Smith is coming back to Queens.

On This Date in Mets History

Born on This Date: Mike Nickeas (1983), Brian Rose (1976), Howie Rose (1954).

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