Carson Benge and A.J. Ewing were among the catalysts, but it was a total group effort to shut down the Dash.

Let’s get into the last week of the Mets’ minor leagues.

Eli Serrano III. Photo Credit: Bella Dunning / Brooklyn Cyclones

Triple-A

The Syracuse Mets dropped four of six games to the Lehigh Valley IronPigs this past week, being outscored 51-35 in the series. The series loss puts Syracuse at 20-25 on the year.

The offense was the main positive takeaway from the series, with several batters performing well.

Jared Young led the team with eight RBIs and had a .917 OPS. He tied with Joey Meneses for the team lead with two home runs. Meneses also had a great week, recording a .994 OPS. Young (.934 OPS overall) has been great in 20 games this year, while Meneses (.747 OPS) has mostly cooled down from his hot start to the year.

Perhaps the best performer of the week was Gilberto Celestino, who led the team with nine hits, including two doubles and a triple. Celestino recorded a 1.074 OPS for the week and raised his season OPS to .768.

With Brandon Sproat and Nolan McLean both struggling, the best start of the week came from Joander Suarez. Suarez allowed two runs, though neither was earned, in 5 2/3 innings while striking out three. Suarez has a 3.21 ERA in six games between Double-A and Triple-A.

Blade Tidwell also impressed, allowing one run in five innings and striking out six. The start from Tidwell lowered his ERA on the year to 4.08.

Nick Morabito. Photo Credit: Rick Nelson

Double-A

The Binghamton Rumble Ponies won four of their six games against the Hartford Yard Goats, winning three of the final four games to take the series. Two of Binghamton’s losses were by a score of 1-0, while their other loss was by two runs. The Rumble Ponies are now 22-16.

Nick Morabito broke out in a massive way for the Rumble Ponies, going 12-for-26 with a home run, four doubles, three walks, six stolen bases, and six runs. Morabito recorded a 1.294 OPS for the week and raised his season OPS to .758. Morabito was the Mets’ Minor League Player of the Year last season, playing mostly in High-A.

Speaking of breaking out, Kevin Parada had a much-needed strong week, going 5-for-19 with two home runs. The former first-rounder has not looked the part in his professional career to date, and he owns just a .498 OPS in 95 at-bats with the Rumble Ponies this year.

Jett Williams continued his fantastic season by going 8-for-25 with two home runs, two doubles, six walks, and a stolen base. After a mostly lost 2024 season, Williams owns an .898 OPS with the Rumble Ponies and continues to make a case for a promotion to Syracuse.

Ryan Clifford led the team with six RBIs in the series, also recording a home run, two doubles, and four walks. Clifford’s resurgence from early in the year continued as he now own an .819 OPS.

Jonah Tong delivered yet another marvelous start, tossing six scoreless innings with eight strikeouts. In his last two starts, Tong has now allowed just two hits and two walks in 12 2/3 scoreless innings with a whopping 21 strikeouts. His ERA on the year is 2.12.

Zach Thornton and Jack Wenninger also shined, with Thornton allowing two runs in 12 innings across two starts and Wenninger allowing just one run in six innings in his start. Both have been fantastic this year, with Thornton owning a 2.04 ERA between High-A and Double-A and Wenninger owning a 3.19 ERA in Double-A.

Carson Benge. Photo by Ed Delany of Metsmerized

High-A

The Brooklyn Cyclones completed their sweep against the Winston-Salem Dash by a combined score of 39 to 18 in a dominant effort both offensively and on the mound. The Cyclones are now 26-12 on the year.

The top of the order was a force, with Carson Benge, A.J. Ewing, and Jacob Reimer all putting together a fantastic series. Benge (.919 OPS), Ewing (1.064 OPS) and Reimer (1.085 OPS) have been among the best players in the Mets’ system this year.

In this last series, Benge recorded two doubles, a triple, and a home run with four walks and a stolen base in 18 at-bats; Ewing recorded two doubles and a triple with five walks and six stolen bases in 18 at-bats; and Reimer recorded three doubles, a home run, two walks, and a stolen base in 18 at-bats.

The pitching in this series was also great, with R.J. Gordon (6 IP, ER, 7 K), Brendan Girton (5 IP, ER, 9 K), and Jonathan Santucci (5 IP, 0 ER, 5 K) each tossing at least five innings and allowing either one or no runs. Both Gordon and Girton have been great this year, while it’s been more of a struggle for Santucci. He lowered his ERA to 6.58.

Noah Hall also had a great start. He allowed two runs in 5 1/3 innings, though only one run was earned. Hall has been fantastic this year, holding a 1.82 ERA through eight starts.

Photo by Ed Delany of Metsmerized

Low-A

The St. Lucie Mets took the series from the Daytona Tortugas, winning four of six games. The Mets outscored the Tortugas 42-34 and improved to 21-18 on the year.

Simon Juan had a fantastic week after a mostly rough start to the year. Juan recorded six hits, including a double, a triple, and two home runs for a 1.114 OPS for the series. His overall numbers still aren’t great, as he raised his OPS to .622.

Daiverson Gutierrez also had a solid week, going 5-for-17 with a home run and six walks with just two strikeouts. Gutierrez, like Juan, has not looked good at all this year and owns just a .573 OPS.

Will Watson and Wellington Aracena delivered the best starts of the week for the Mets, with Watson going 4 2/3 scoreless innings with five strikeouts and Aracena going four scoreless innings with five strikeouts. Watson (2.77 ERA) has looked great this year, while Aracena (4.43 ERA) has mostly struggled.

FCL Mets

The FCL Mets went 3-3 in six games this past week to move to 4-7 on the year. They own the second-worst run differential in the Florida Complex League at -26.

Branny De Oleo, Vladi Gomez, and Randy Guzman were the top hitters for the week, with each hitting a home run. Each recorded a 1.000 OPS or near-1.000 OPS for the week.

On the mound, Jonathan Jimenez and Daviel Hurtado looked sharp, each going four scoreless innings. Jace Hampson also didn’t allow a run in three innings. Of the group, Hurtado has been the best this year and has not allowed a run in seven innings.

Organizational Leaders

Batting (Among Qualified Batters)

AVG – A.J. Ewing (STL/BRK) – .381

OPS – Jacob Reimer (BRK) – 1.085

HR – Jon Singleton (SYR) – 8

SB – A.J. Ewing (STL/BRK) – 27

Pitching (Among Qualified Pitchers)

ERA – Noah Hall (BRK) – 1.82

SO – Jonah Tong (BNG) – 59

WHIP – Joel Díaz (BRK) – 0.97

Players of the Week

Offense – Nick Morabito, OF Binghamton

Morabito entered the week with a .638 OPS on the year and had such a good six-game stretch, he raised that number by .120 points. The organizational Minor League Player of the Year for 2024 did it all, displaying power, contact, and speed. He’ll be hoping he can use this series as a launching pad for the rest of the season.

Pitching – Jonah Tong, P Binghamton

Jonah Tong continues to be ridiculously good and is in the conversation as the best arm in the Mets’ system, even ahead of Brandon Sproat and Nolan McLean. He doesn’t allow many baserunners, doesn’t allow many runs, and strikes out the world whenever he’s on the mound. The 21-year-old still has Triple-A ahead of him, which has served as an obstacle for many top pitching prospects, but you couldn’t ask for any better of him right now.

Upcoming Schedule – May 20-25

• Triple-A Syracuse: vs. Rochester
• Double-A Binghamton: vs. Richmond
• High-A Brooklyn: @ Jersey Shore
• Low-A St. Lucie: vs. Jupiter

The post Minors Weekly Report: Powerful Cyclones Sweep Six-Game Set appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Drew Gilbert, Photo by Kylie Richelle of Syracuse Mets

Drew Gilbert was phenomenal in the final series of the year, going 7-for-23 with two doubles, two home runs, 11 RBIs, and five walks with just three strikeouts. Gilbert’s injury-plagued season ends with him possessing a .706 OPS, though he had an .821 OPS in his final 19 games.

Jett Williams was equally as solid, going 8-for-22 with four doubles and eight walks. He slashed .364/.533/.546/1.079 and scored 10 runs on the week! Like Gilbert, he had a great end to an injury-plagued season. We may see Williams—and possibly Gilbert—in the Arizona Fall League to make up some at-bats.

In non-prospect offensive news, José Azocar was fantastic, going 9-for-21 with two doubles, two homers, eight RBIs, a walk, and four stolen bases. Azocar had a brief but effective stint with Syracuse down the stretch, earning a .911 OPS.

Yolmer Sánchez went 5-for-17 with a triple, a home run, five walks, and a stolen base against the Knights. The veteran ends his year with a .739 OPS in 111 games with Syracuse.

Blade Tidwell had a phenomenal outing to finish off his year, striking out 10 and allowing two runs in six innings. Tidwell struggled in Triple-A to the tune of a 5.93 ERA in 19 appearances, but he ends the year on a very positive note.

The same can be said for Dom Hamel, who allowed two runs in five innings while striking out four. It was a relatively good start for Hamel, who ends the year with a forgettable 6.79 ERA.

Kodai Senga made a notable rehab appearance, tossing one scoreless inning. It was expected to be his last outing before rejoining the major league team, but he experienced triceps tightness and still does not feel 100 percent. It’s possible he could join the Mets if they make the postseason but hopes that he could join the team in the regular season are now over.

Out of the bullpen, Kyle Crick shined with two scoreless innings and four strikeouts. Crick looked phenomenal down the stretch as he tried to come back from injury, earning a 1.74 ERA in 10 appearances across three affiliates.

Wilkin Ramos and Eric Orze both looked great, each tossing 3 2/3 innings and allowing one run. Ramos struggled in Triple-A with a 5.40 ERA in 18 appearances, but he had a 1.65 ERA in 23 appearances with Double-A. Orze, meanwhile, looked comfortable all year in Syracuse with a 2.92 ERA.

Organizational Leaders

Batting

(Among Qualified Players)

AVG – Nick Morabito (STL/BRK) – .312

OPS – Luke Ritter (SYR) – .849

HR – Luke Ritter (SYR) – 26

SB – Nick Morabito (STL/BRK) – 59

Pitching

(Among Qualified Players)

ERA – Jonah Tong (STL/BRK/BNG) – 3.03

SO – Jonah Tong (STL/BRK/BNG) – 160

WHIP – Brandon Sproat (BRK/BNG/SYR) – 1.11

Players of the Week

Offense – Drew Gilbert, OF Syracuse

Gilbert had a fantastic end to his season, leading the Mets with 11 RBIs in the six-game series. His 2024 season was mostly a lost one, but he showed some flashes down the stretch, especially with the long ball. He could be in line to join the Mets in 2025, even if he does start the year in Triple-A.

Pitching – Blade Tidwell, P Syracuse

Like Gilbert, Blade Tidwell also had a positive end to his season. In his last two starts, he allowed two runs and struck out 14 in 11 innings, including his final outing where he struck out 10 and allowed two runs in six innings. Tidwell joined Syracuse midway through the year after a stellar start with Binghamton, and though he struggled, he could also be an option to join the Mets at some point in 2025.

The post Minors Weekly Report: Gilbert, Williams Shine in Syracuse’s Final Series appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

On Friday, Andy Martino of SNY announced that the Mets will send a contingent of David Wright, Mike Piazza, Daniel Murphy, and Mookie Wilson to London for the team’s upcoming series in the city with the Phillies. The four Mets icons will serve as ambassadors for the team.

Murphy will also participate in a home run contest in London’s Trafalgar Square with Chase Utley, who will be representing the Phillies.

Latest Mets News

The Mets defeated the Diamondbacks 10-9 on Friday night. The Diamondbacks got out to a 3-0 lead in the first, but the Mets scored four right back and held a 10-5 lead entering the ninth inning. Two consecutive home runs allowed by Reed Garrett made it 10-9, but he was able to record the final out and give the Mets their second consecutive win.

The Mets made a flurry of roster moves on Friday. The most notable were Brett Baty and Christian Scott being sent down to Triple-A. Scott’s stay in the minors is expected to be short and is a move to allow the Mets more flexibility with the way their upcoming schedule is structured.

In corresponding moves, the Mets called up Jose Iglesias to give the team another middle infielder, as well as Dedniel Núñez to add another arm to the bullpen.

Additionally, the Mets traded cash considerations to the Yankees for catcher Luis Torrens and designated Omar Narváez for assignment.

With Darryl Strawberry getting his number retired prior to Saturday’s game, Eric Davis, who has played with and against Darryl since the two were kids, will be in attendance.

Shintaro Fujinami, who has spent the 2024 season with the Mets in Triple-A, is expected to miss 6-8 weeks with a shoulder injury. The Mets are hopeful that Fujinami can avoid surgery.

The Mets granted Jiman Choi his release from Triple-A Syracuse. Choi had a June 1st opt-out in his contract.

Latest MLB News

Zac Gallen, who exited Thursday’s game against the Mets with a hamstring injury, was placed on the 15-day injured list with a right hamstring strain. Slade Cecconi was recalled from Triple-A to replace him on the roster.

The Blue Jays placed starting pitcher Alek Manoah on the 15-day injured list with a right elbow sprain.

The Orioles announced that starting pitchers John Means and Tyler Wells will miss the rest of the season after undergoing UCL surgery.

Anthony Tandron, a prospect on the Giants’ DSL team, received a 56-game suspension after testing positive for Boldenone, a performance enhancing drug.

The city of Seattle announced Friday as “Alvin Davis Day.” Davis, nicknamed Mr. Mariner, threw out the first pitch during the team’s game on Friday.

In other Mariners news, the team dismissed bench coach and offensive coordinator Brant Brown. Brown joined the team this past offseason.

Latest on MMO

Michael Mayer highlights Luke Ritter hitting his 10th home run of the season in the latest minor league recap.

Michael Famulari breaks down the four-hit night of Francisco Lindor on Thursday following Wednesday’s players only meeting.

Jack Markowski takes a look at the Mets’ bullpen options during their recent struggles.

On This Date in Mets History

2012: Johan Santana pitched the first no-hitter in Mets history on this day 12 years ago. It took 50 years for the franchise to experience its first no-hitter, and it’s still the only complete game no-hitter in the team’s history. Santana threw 134 pitches, striking out eight and walking five in the historic performance.

The post Morning Briefing: Four Mets Legends Named Team Ambassadors To London appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Among all of these team performances, there were some individual performances that were great and some that were poor. Tylor Megill and Jeffry Rosa were two of the standout players of the week for differing reasons. Megill for his dominance on the mound, and Rosa for his rollicking start at the plate in St. Lucie.

For the rest of the news from this past week, let’s dive into the Mets Minors Weekly Report.

Triple-A Syracuse

Syracuse’s week against the Lehigh Valley IronPigs was thoroughly dominant. The Mets won five of six games, outscoring their opponent 48-15 in the six games including an 18-3 drubbing in the first game. Following their impressive week, the Mets sit at 22-15 and in second place in the International League East.

Three batters (Trayce Thompson, Luke Ritter, Mike Brosseau) recorded a 1.000 OPS on the week, with Ritter leading the pack at 1.111. Ritter played in five games, recording six hits including two doubles, a home run, and six walks. He also drove in eight runs. Ritter has been fantastic this year and he holds an .872 OPS for the season.

Trayce Thompson led the team with two home runs this week, also driving in ten runs. Thompson also recorded two doubles and walked three times. His season OPS is .755.

Ben Gamel also had a very impressive week, recording six hits and six walks. He also drove in seven runs as he continues to be one of the best hitters in the Mets organization. On the season, he has a fantastic 1.032 OPS.

While he wasn’t as good as his teammates, Luisangel Acuña had a notable week considering his ugly start to the year. He slashed .320/.393/.400/.793 on the week with eight hits and four stolen bases. He raised his OPS to .629 as he looks to get his season going.

In two rehab starts, Tylor Megill was very impressive this week. He pitched a total of 9 1/3 shutout innings with 13 strikeouts and just seven hits and one walk allowed. He’s looking to make his way back to the major leagues, but with a currently crowded rotation, his stay in Triple-A might last a bit longer.

Joey Lucchesi had another quality start for Syracuse this week, allowing three runs in 6 1/3 innings during his start against Lehigh Valley. It was his fourth quality start of the year as he consistently looks like a solid depth piece. His ERA on the year is 2.58 through seven starts.

Out of the bullpen, several relievers including Grant Hartwig, Dedniel Núñez, and Yacksel Ríos had scoreless weeks despite making multiple appearances. The Syracuse pitching staff held Lehigh Valley to 2.5 runs per game, so it was a very successful week for a myriad of pitchers on the staff.

Tylor Megill. Jim Rassol-USA TODAY Sports

Double-A Binghamton

Binghamton also had a really good week, winning five out of six games. Binghamton’s games were much closer, however, as they outscored the Portland Sea Dogs 34-24 in the six games. Following their week, the Rumble Ponies now sit in first place in the Eastern League Northeast division at 18-13.

Kevin Parada has had a sluggish start to the year, but he had a productive week for the Rumble Ponies. He recorded seven hits in six games, including two home runs. He also drove in eight runs. Parada’s OPS on the season is still just .634 but he appears to be trending upwards.

In five games, Rhylan Thomas recorded eight hits including a double and he drove in three runs. His OPS for the week was .924, raising his season OPS to .803.

Wyatt Young demonstrated his plate discipline this week, recording six hits and seven walks in five games played while striking out just four times. Young got on base at a .591 clip, raising his season OBP to .446 and his OPS on the year to .835.

Tyler Stuart made two starts this week, allowing three runs in 10 2/3 innings pitched. He allowed 13 baserunners and struck out just six, but overall, he was effective. On the season, Stuart sports a 3.86 ERA.

Joander Suarez continued his fantastic season with another great appearance, this time coming as a starting pitcher. Suarez went six innings, allowing just one run. Suarez now has a 2.41 ERA on the year in six appearances.

Cameron Foster also had a good start for Binghamton, allowing just one run in 4 2/3 innings pitched. He allowed nine baserunners, but he did a good enough job preventing them from scoring. Foster has had a good start to the year for Binghamton, as he has a 3.22 ERA.

Kevin Parada. Photo by Bronson Harris of Binghamton Rumble Ponies

High-A Brooklyn

Brooklyn didn’t have as much success as Syracuse and Binghamton this week, but they did manage a split of their series with the Rome Emperors. After taking the first game of the series, the Cyclones dropped the next two before winning two in a row and then dropping the series finale. Brooklyn currently sits tied in third place in the South Atlantic League North division at 18-15.

In his first week with Brooklyn, Nick Morabito got off to a fast start. In five games, he recorded six hits including two doubles. He also walked four times, giving him an .899 OPS through his first five games in High-A.

Nolan McLean had a productive but interesting week at the plate for the Cyclones. In four games, he recorded five hits including two doubles and a home run, but he also struck out nine times and didn’t walk. Still, his OPS on the week was .978 and his OPS on the season is .874.

McLean also had a positive outing on the mound, allowing two runs in five innings pitched. That outing lowered his season ERA to 3.00, giving him impressive statistics both on the mound and at the plate.

Douglas Orellana had a very dominant game for the Cyclones this week, throwing four scoreless innings and striking out 10 batters. He also allowed just three baserunners. Orellana has now made seven appearances for Brooklyn this year, and he leads the team in strikeouts with 35 and also has a 1.11 ERA.

Brandon Sproat continued his strong start to the year, allowing a run in 5 2/3 innings with eight strikeouts in his start this week. Sproat has been one of the best pitchers in the Mets organization this year, and he currently has a 1.07 ERA in six appearances.

Sproat and Ryan Clifford were both promoted after this series to Double-A.

Low-A St. Lucie

There have been very few positives for the St. Lucie Mets this year, and that continued this week with a six-game sweep against the Bradenton Marauders. The Mets were outscored 39-26 and are now in last place in the Florida State League East division at 12-21.

Jeffry Rosa made his Low-A debut this week, and he is off to a really fast start. In five games, Rosa clocked two home runs and walked three times. He is a name to watch this year, as he can surely do damage with the bat. In his limited playing time, the slugger has a 1.125 OPS.

Jesus Baez also had a really productive week, recording nine hits including two home runs and two doubles in six games. In 23 at-bats, Baez recorded a 1.179 OPS and raised his season OPS to .800 on the year.

Marco Vargas also shined, especially with his 5:1 walk-to-strikeout ratio. He didn’t record an RBI, but he himself scored six runs and had a 1.018 OPS on the week aided by a .563 on-base percentage. His season OPS is now .846.

There were very few positive pitching performances from the St. Lucie staff this week, and David Peterson was easily the most effective starter as he made a rehab assignment. In 3 2/3 innings, he allowed no runs and struck out seven. Outside of Peterson who is an established major league pitcher, Kade Morris, Jack Wenninger, Wyatt Hudepohl, and Austin Troesser all struggled this week.

Jimmy Loper was the most effective St. Lucie reliever, throwing 5 2/3 scoreless innings across two appearances. Loper lowered his season ERA to 2.57.

Alan Perdomo, Miguel Alfonseca, Juan Arnaud, and Saul Garcia all had scoreless weeks out of the bullpen. Alfonseca (0.00 ERA) and Arnaud (1.29 ERA) have been the most impressive out of this bunch this season.

Florida Complex League Mets

The FCL Mets went 3-1 this past week, improving to 4-2 on the young season. They are in second place in the FCL East division behind the FCL Marlins.

A.J. Ewing (1.376 OPS), Willy Fanas (1.274 OPS), Simon Juan (1.150 OPS), and Jeremy Rodriguez (1.475 OPS) all had really strong weeks, though Rodriguez only played in two games. It’s still extremely early in the season and the stats reflect that, but these young prospects are off to really good starts.

Organizational Leaders

Batting

AVG – Nick Morabito (STL/BRK) – .385

OPS – Ben Gamel (SYR) – 1.032

HR – Trayce Thompson (SYR) – 7

SB – Omar De Los Santos (BRK) – 21

Pitching

(Among Qualified Players)

ERA – Jonah Tong (STL/BRK) – 0.33

SO – Jonah Tong (STL/BRK) – 47

WHIP – Jonah Tong (STL/BRK) – 0.87

Players of the Week

Offense – Jeffry Rosa, OF St. Lucie

One of the more exciting young players in the Mets system that most people probably don’t know about yet is Jeffry Rosa. Rosa is listed at 6’1″ and 190 pounds, but he’s certainly bigger than that and his power proves that. He had a great first week beyond rookie ball, clocking two home runs in 17 at-bats for St. Lucie while also recording three walks.

If he can slug at the Low-A level the way he did when he led the Dominican Summer League in home runs in 2023, he’ll start to shoot up Mets prospect rankings.

Even though Rosa gets the shoutout here, other players including Luke Ritter, Kevin Parada, and Jesus Baez were also productive enough to be deserving of player of the week. Because of Rosa’s showing, though, in just his first week above rookie ball, he deserves the recognition this time.

Pitching – Tylor Megill, P Syracuse

Maybe it doesn’t count because he’s technically on a rehab assignment, but Tylor Megill is the pitcher of the week for his efforts in Syracuse this week. As tough as it is to pitch in the International League, Megill made it look easy by putting together two shutout starts. Megill has looked really good as he tries to work his way back from injury, and if he stays in Syracuse beyond what’s expected of him, he’ll continue to serve as a really valuable depth piece.

In addition to Megill, Joander Suarez, Douglas Orellana, and Brandon Sproat also had excellent outings this week. Sproat is a well-known name as a top prospect in the Mets system and Suarez is continuing to make a name for himself, but Orellana is pretty unknown. Despite this, he’s performed about as well this year as any pitcher in the Mets system not named Jonah Tong.

Upcoming Schedule – May 14-19

Triple-A Syracuse: vs. Iowa

Double-A Binghamton: vs. Bowie

High-A Brooklyn: @ Bowling Green

Low-A St. Lucie: @ Palm Beach

The post Mets Minors Weekly Report: Megill Dominates Rehab, Rosa Shows Off Power appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Triple-A

Syracuse Mets (4-4) 2, Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders (4-4) 7

Box Score

• DH Ben Gamel: 2-for-4, R, HR (2), RBI, 2K
• 3B Luke Ritter: 1-for-4, R, HR (1), RBI, K
• C Tomás Nido: 2-for-3, K
• 2B Luisangel Acuña: 1-for-4, K, SB (1)

The Mets and RailRiders played a closer game than the score would make it seem, with a three-run eighth inning by Scranton/Wilkes-Barre putting the game out of reach late. The game was scoreless for the first three innings before the RailRiders added three runs in the fourth off of Jon Duplantier. Syracuse quickly responded with back-to-back homers from Ben Gamel and Luke Ritter in the top of the fifth. That was all the RailRiders would allow, though, as they shut down Syracuse’s offense the rest of the way.

The game would remain 3-2 until the seventh inning when the RailRiders scored on a wild pitch, and the three runs they scored in the eighth gave Syracuse a five-run deficit to erase in the final inning. Syracuse didn’t score, and the team dropped to .500 through eight games.

• RHP Hunter Parsons: 2 IP, 0 ER, 0 H, 3 BB, 4 K
• RHP Jon Duplantier (L, 0-1): 1 1/3 IP, 3 ER, 3 H, 3 BB, 2 K
• RHP Carlos Guzman: 2 2/3 IP, 0 ER, 0 H, 1 BB, 2 K
• RHP Shintaro Fujinami: 1 IP, 1 ER, 1 H, 0 BB, 1 K
• RHP Grant Hartwig: 2/3 IP, 3 ER, 1 H, 2 BB, 1 K
• C Matt O’Neill: 1/3 IP, 0 ER, 0 H, 0 BB, 0 K

Yes, you read that right. Matt O’Neill, a catcher on the Triple-A roster, finished the pitching for Syracuse on a day where a few pitchers put together forgettable performances. Parsons and Guzman pitched well, combining for 4 2/3 hitless and scoring innings. Outside of them, though, Duplantier, Fujinami, and Hartwig surrendered seven runs, with Duplantier officially tabbed with the loss. The pitching didn’t get it done, but neither did the offense, as Syracuse’s series with Scranton/Wilkes-Barre comes to a disappointing close.

Double-A

New Hampshire Fisher Cats (2-1) 8, Binghamton Rumble Ponies (1-2) 4

Box Score

• SS Jett Williams: 2-for-4, R, SB (2), 2K
• RF Alex Ramírez: 2-for-4, 2 R, HR (1), RBI, SB (4), 2K
• 3B Jeremiah Jackson: 0-for-3, BB, R
• 1B Jose Peroza: 0-for-3, RBI, 3 K

Despite the lack of offense in this game from Binghamton, the Rumble Ponies jumped out to a quick 3-0 lead in the first inning. Jett Williams and Alex Ramírez singled and pulled off a double steal to put runners on second and third with one out. A wild pitch scored Williams and advanced Ramírez to third before a walk and hit-by-pitch loaded the bases. A second wild pitch scored Ramírez before another walk, and a sacrifice fly gave Binghamton their third run of the inning.

Photo by Ed Delany of Metsmerized

New Hampshire pitcher Adam Macko settled down after the dreadful first inning, and the only other run that Binghamton scored came on an Alex Ramírez opposite-field homer in the eighth inning. That was the first home run of the year for Ramírez, who has played well in the Rumble Ponies’ first three games this year. He has five hits, including the home run, and four stolen bases in his 11 at-bats.

• RHP Luis Moreno (L, 0-1): 3 2/3 IP, 4 ER, 5 H, 1 BB, 4 K
• RHP Andre Scrubb: 1 1/3 IP, 1 ER, 2 H, 1 BB, 1 K
• RHP Cameron Foster: 2 1/3 IP, 3 ER, 4 H, 2 BB, 1 K
• RHP Trey McLoughlin: 1 2/3 IP, 0 ER, 1 H, 0 BB, 3 K

Unfortunately for the Rumble Ponies, the Fisher Cats’ offense overcame the early deficit and took the lead in the fourth inning. Luis Moreno had locked it down for the first three innings, but it all unraveled in the fourth when he allowed four runs. Andre Scrubb replaced him and allowed another run. Cameron Foster struggled too, allowing three runs in the eighth inning to put the Rumble Ponies in a late five-run hole.

Trey McLoughlin closed it out with an impressive performance, but it was an ugly day for the pitching staff and the offense, which only recorded four hits despite three runs and two hits in the first inning. Binghamton’s series with New Hampshire ends after just three games, but the two teams will meet again in two weeks for a typical six-game series.

High-A

Brooklyn Cyclones (0-3) 0, Wilmington Blue Rocks (3-0) 1

Box Score

• RF Stanley Consuegra: 2-for-4, K
• C Drake Osborn: 1-for-3, BB
• LF Ryan Clifford: 0-for-4, 2 K

The Brooklyn Cyclones remain winless after three games, having been swept by the Wilmington Blue Rocks. The bad news is that the offense has been putrid, scoring just three runs in three games. The good news is the pitching staff has performed well, allowing eight runs in three games. The staff continued to pitch well in Sunday’s game, allowing just one unearned run, the ghost runner in the bottom of the tenth inning.

Photo by Ed Delany of Metmerized

The bright spot was Calvin Ziegler, who pitched four perfect innings and struck out nine batters. Ziegler’s fastball was up to 96 mph, and at one point he had struck out eight batters in a row. Ziegler was a 2021 second-round draft pick who pitched just one inning in 2023 after battling several injuries. If he can stay healthy, Ziegler has incredible potential, which he demonstrated in his 2024 debut. A 60-grade fastball and curveball highlight his impressive repertoire.

The rest of the staff behind Ziegler pitched well, striking out nine in 5 2/3 scoreless innings. Joshua Cornielly was the unlucky man to draw the loss in extra innings despite not allowing an earned run. Nine times out of ten, Brooklyn wins this game. The offense just hasn’t woken up through three games.

• RHP Calvin Ziegler: 4 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 0 H, 0 BB, 9 K
• RHP Josh Hejka: 2/3 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 1 H, 0 BB, 1 K
• RHP Dakota Hawkins: 3 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 4 K
• RHP Joshua Cornielly (L, 0-1): 2 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 4 K

The Brooklyn offense recorded just five hits, all singles, with Stanley Consuegra being the only man to record multiple hits. Ryan Clifford, one of the Mets’ top prospects, struggled in the leadoff spot, going 0-for-4 with two strikeouts. It’s still early, but the signs from the Brooklyn offense haven’t been encouraging.

Low-A

Daytona Tortugas (2-1) 2, St. Lucie Mets (1-2) 0

Box Score

• 3B Colin Houck: 1-for-4, 2 K
• 1B Ronald Hernandez: 2-for-4
• 2B Diego Mosquera: 2-for-3

If you can’t already tell, the theme of Sunday’s minor league games was a severe lack of offense (six combined runs in four games between the four affiliates). However, like Brooklyn, St. Lucie got a brilliant pitching performance from prospect Jonah Tong. Tong is a starter, but he came into the game from the bullpen after two outs from rehabbing pitcher Max Kranick. Tong then put together an outing where he struck out 11 batters over 4 1/3 scoreless innings. That means 11 of the 13 outs he recorded were via the strikeout.

Tong’s curveball was especially impressive, as he recorded a 53% Called Strike + Whiff rate (CSW%) and consistently had 66-68 inches of drop. Like Ziegler in Brooklyn, though, he got no run support and was taken out during a scoreless game.

The St. Lucie Mets recorded six hits, also all singles and four of them came from Ronald Hernandez and Diego Mosquera. Other top prospects on the offensive side of things were Colin Houck, who went 1-for-4 with two strikeouts, and Nick Morabito, who led off and went 0-for-4 with three strikeouts.

• RHP Max Kranick: 2/3 IP, 0 ER, 2 H, 1 BB, 1 K
• RHP Jonah Tong: 4 1/3 IP, 0 ER, 2 H, 2 BB, 11 K
• RHP Austin Troesser (L, 0-1): 3 IP, 1 ER, 3 H, 3 BB, 2 K
• RHP Brett Banks: 1 IP, 1 ER, 1 H, 0 BB, 1 K

The scoreless game lasted into the seventh inning when Austin Troesser, a 2023 fourth-round pick, allowed an RBI single to put the first run on the board. Brett Banks surrendered the second and final run of the game in the ninth, allowing a solo home run. The 2-0 score would hold as the final score, giving St. Lucie a series loss to the Daytona Tortugas.

The post Calvin Ziegler, Jonah Tong Dominate Despite Losses appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

The World Series kicked off on Friday night, and if Game 1 was any indication of what’s to come, we have quite the series in store.

Both teams traded punches early, but the Diamondbacks got the better of Nathan Eovaldi and brought a 5-3 lead into the ninth inning. Corey Seager then provided a massive World Series moment with the Rangers down to their final two outs, launching a two-run moonshot off of Paul Sewald to tie the game. The game subsequently headed to extra innings, played without the ghost runner on second base, and it was Adolis García who ended it with a walk-off opposite field homer in the bottom of the 11th to give the Rangers a 1-0 series lead.

Game 2 of the series will take place Saturday night at 8:03 p.m. ET on FOX. Merrill Kelly (2-1, 2.65 ERA) and Jordan Montgomery (3-0, 2.16 ERA) are the pitchers in what should be another exciting matchup.

Bruce Bochy. David Frerker-USA TODAY Sports

Latest MLB News

A report on Friday suggested that local taxpayers would have to pay an estimated $4 billion to $6 billion for a new Royals stadium, up from original estimate of $1 billion. The Royals released a statement after this, calling the report “erroneous, misleading, and inconsistent.”

Per Paul Hoynes of Cleveland.com, the Guardians received permission from the Brewers to speak to Craig Counsell about their open manager position.

According to Bruce Levine of 670 The Score, the Cubs are expected to be involved in the trade sweepstakes for Juan Soto.

Rob Manfred said that a vote on the Oakland A’s relocation to Las Vegas is expected to take place at November owners meetings.

Former Met Vinny Nittoli agreed to a deal with the Athletics on Friday, with an invite to spring training. Nittoli was recently non-tendered by the Mets after pitching just 3 2/3 innings with the team this season.

Latest on MMO

Brian Wright takes a look back on Game 7 of the 1986 World Series, which the Mets won 37 years ago Friday.

The MMO News Desk recaps comments made by Tommy Pham, including that the Mets are more talented than the National League champion Diamondbacks.

Sean Kenny breaks down all of the former Mets on the teams playing in the World Series.

On This Date in Mets History

1961: Robert Wagner, the mayor of New York City, and National League president Warren Giles joined Mets’ front office members to officially break ground on the site of what would become Shea Stadium in Flushing Meadows Park.

2002: The Mets agreed to a four-year deal with Art Howe to become the team’s new manager. Howe lasted just two years and compiled a 137-186 record.

Birthdays: Josh Thole (37), Braden Looper (39), Tim Bogar (57), Lenny Harris (59), Gary Rajsich (69)

The post Morning Briefing: Rangers Walk Off Diamondbacks In Extras In Game 1 appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Game 1 of each National League and American League Division Series will take place today. In the AL, the Rangers and Orioles will get underway at 1:00 p.m. ET before the Twins and Astros start their matchup at 4:45 p.m. ET. Both games will be broadcast on FS1.

The NL will feature a pair of divisional matchups, with the Phillies and Braves playing at 6:00 p.m. ET before the Diamondbacks and Dodgers get things started at 9:20 p.m. ET. Both games will be broadcast on TBS. Major League Baseball announced the umpire assignments for each of these series on Friday.

Latest Mets News

An article in the New York Times on Friday suggested that as part of the MLB investigation into Billy Eppler’s misuse of the injured list, the investigation would also look into Mets’ owner Steve Cohen. Abbey Mastracco of New York Daily News debunked this by stating that MLB has informed the Mets that Steve Cohen is not a target of the investigation.

Latest MLB News

With Zack Wheeler and Aaron Nola still recovering from their appearances in the Wild Card round, Ranger Suárez is expected to start today’s Game 1 matchup against the Braves, going up against Spencer Strider.

Major League Baseball announced the nominees for the 25th annual Hank Aaron Award. The list is as follows:

• American League
  • Yordan Álvarez (HOU)
  • Kyle Tucker (HOU)
  • Shohei Ohtani (LAA)
  • Aaron Judge (NYY)
  • Julio Rodríguez (SEA)
  • Yandy Díaz (TB)
  • Adolis García (TEX)
  • Corey Seager (TEX)
  • Marcus Semien (TEX)
• National League
  • Ronald Acuña Jr. (ATL)
  • Matt Olson (ATL)
  • Corbin Carroll (ARI)
  • Cody Bellinger (CHC)
  • Mookie Betts (LAD)
  • Freddie Freeman (LAD)
  • Luis Arráez (MIA)
  • Bryce Harper (PHI)
  • Juan Soto (SD)

Marlins’ ace Sandy Alcántara underwent Tommy John surgery on Friday and will miss the 2024 season.

While on the Dan Patrick Show, Joey Votto said that he wants to play baseball again, for at least one more year. Votto also mentioned that he would like to be back with the Reds, but would consider playing elsewhere if he has to.

Per Alden González of ESPN, the Angels parted ways with assistant general manager Alex Tamin, who served as general manager Perry Minasian’s right-hand man.

Latest on MMO

Jorge Eckardt writes about Cuban reliever Yariel Rodríguez, who is expected to become a major league free agent after a fantastic year in Japan.

John Sheridan highlights Mets prospect Ronald Hernández, who was named a 2023 All-Star in the Florida Complex League.

Sean Kenny looks at what the next step is for David Stearns in hiring a new general manager.

Michael Mayer breaks down the salary projections for the Mets’ 16 arbitration-eligible players.

Chris Bello grades the season of Mets’ ace Kodai Senga.

On This Date in Mets History

2006: The Mets took Game 3 of the NLDS from the Dodgers with a 9-5 victory. The win ensured a series sweep and a trip to the NLCS.

Birthdays: José Cardenal (80)

The post Morning Briefing: League Division Series Games Begin Today appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

After Mother Nature sent a deluge of rainfall on Citi Field on Tuesday, making conditions unplayable, the two teams were forced to contest a doubleheader on Wednesday. That was just the beginning, however.

With the Marlins holding a 2-1 lead heading into the top of the ninth inning in the series finale on Thursday, Mother Nature reared her ugly head again to throw the game into complete chaos. A three-hour-plus rain delay ultimately forced the game to be suspended, acting as the latest weird chapter in a long line of them in the Mets’ season.

And it might not be over. With this series holding serious playoff implications for the Marlins, who are in the thick of the wild card race heading into the final weekend of the regular season, the suspended game may have to be completed at Citi Field on Monday at 1:10 p.m. ET.

At this point, the Mets probably can’t wait for this wacky year to be done with.

Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports

3 Up

Bouncing Back

While play being suspended on Thursday was a real blow to the Marlins, given that they still have a lot to play for, it didn’t matter for the Mets in the grand scheme of things. However, they will hope that mother nature’s force of will doesn’t overshadow a gem of an outing from David Peterson. After enduring a rough start in his last outing against the Phillies, Peterson bounced back in impressive fashion against the Marlins. He went a full seven innings for the second time this year (August 27 against the Angels), while not allowing a run on four hits with four walks and eight strikeouts. Furthermore, Peterson threw a season-high 113 pitches.

In what was his final start of the year, the lefty really showed a lot and has now set himself up for a huge spring training after a testing up-and-down 2023. Peterson’s ERA ballooned to an ugly 8.08 ERA in eight starts when he was demoted to the minor leagues in mid-May, but he finishes his year with a much more respectable 3.38 ERA in 19 games (13 starts). That’s how you bounce back, and that’s how you leave a good lasting impression heading into the offseason.

Strikeout King

The Mets lost the second game of the doubleheader on Wednesday, but that didn’t matter in the overall context of a lost season. What did matter, though, was their future ace achieving a notable slice of history. Kodai Senga entered his final start needing only six strikeouts to become the second Mets rookie with 200 strikeouts after the great Dwight Gooden racked up 276 in 1984. Senga delivered, just as he has done all year. The rookie quickly amassed five straight strikeouts before recording his sixth of the night later on in the evening on back-to-back forkballs to retire Jake Burger. Now, it wasn’t a vintage Senga outing given that he gave up two home runs – including the first-ever homer on his iconic ghost fork – but finishing with 200 strikeouts was a fitting finale for what was one of the most impressive debut seasons we’ve seen from a rookie. Senga should get serious consideration for Cy Young and Rookie of the Year.

Reclaiming His Crown

It sure seems like Francisco Lindor doesn’t get enough love for being one of the best shortstops in the game. He’s certainly one of, if not the most underrated shortstop in baseball. The veteran delivers year in, year out, and he did something on Wednesday that highlights his elite excellence. In hitting three home runs across the doubleheader – one in Game 1 and two in Game 2 – Lindor became the latest player to join the 30-30 club.

In achieving the remarkable feat of 30 homers and 30 stolen bases for the first time in his career, Lindor put an exclamation point on both his greatness and his importance for the Mets. Lindor, who achieved a career-high in stolen bases, is the first Met to join the 30-30 club since David Wright in 2007. Howard Johnson and Darryl Strawberry are the only other Mets in the hallowed, prestigious club.

Lindor was electric in this series, also knocking in six RBIs, and the star has played hard all year while bringing consistent excellence both at the plate and in the field. The four-time All-Star is batting .254/.334/.469/.803 on the year, with 96 RBIs, 33 doubles and 64 walks. Lindor has morphed into a real leader on this team, the heartbeat if you like, and he’ll be an instrumental piece for new president of baseball operations, David Stearns, to build around in 2024 and beyond.

John Jones-USA TODAY Sports

3 Down

Tough Day At The Office

What a testing week for the grounds crew at Citi Field. Heavy rain has pounded the New York area for days now, and that’s only expected to continue this weekend. The team responsible for keeping the field pristine condition had their work cut out throughout this series. They had to deal with a field resembling a lake on Tuesday, even resorting to using blow torches to help dry out the field some more on Wednesday. Then, after a brief respite, Mother Nature wreaked havoc again on Thursday, leading to more than a three-hour rain delay. The grounds crew certainly didn’t endear themselves to the Marlins, removing the tarp just in time for more rain and then being seen posing for pictures while the game was in a lengthy delay. There may be a few angry words exchanged between Miami and the Mets ground crew on Monday, depending on how this weekend pans out.

Disaster Strikes, Pt. 1

We thought splitting this next topic into two parts would be best. The regular season may be nearly over, but that didn’t stop the Baseball Gods from raining down yet more bad news on the Mets. Literally and figuratively. It began with Jeff McNeil, who saw his year-end a few days early because of a partial tear in his UCL. The versatile veteran hopes a platelet-rich plasma injection in his left elbow on Friday will solve the problem. McNeil is looking to avoid surgery and instead deal with a six-week layoff, which means he would be fighting fit for the start of spring training. That’s certainly a bullet dodged for both the Mets and their two-time All-Star. McNeil won’t want anything holding him back after suffering a disappointing 2023 season.

The 2022 Silver Slugger struggled offensively for much of the year, with only a hot August and September saving his numbers from looking especially bad. He finishes the year with a slash line of .270/.333/.378/.711, with 10 homers, 25 doubles, four triples, and 55 RBIs.

Disaster Strikes, Pt. 2

The weather had another cruel twist waiting in store for the Mets on Thursday. Brandon Nimmo was removed from the fifth inning of Thursday’s suspended game due to an issue with the AC joint in his right shoulder. The injury occurred after Nimmo hit the grass hard while diving to try and make a play in the field in the fourth inning. While initial X-rays were positive, manager Buck Showalter said Nimmo will undergo further imaging on Friday afternoon. Shoulder injuries can be tricky, so the Mets will keep everything crossed that Nimmo has avoided anything serious. The best-case scenario is he is shut down for the season’s final series and can report to spring training fully healthy. The positive is that Nimmo did manage to achieve a career-high in games played with 152, and he also set a career-high in home runs with 24. Both marks to be proud of if Nimmo’s year is indeed done.

The post 3 Up, 3 Down: Mets, Marlins Beat By Mother Nature appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Some great starting pitching and timely offense led the way for the Mets at LoanDepot Park, helping to take down a team in the thick of the battle for a spot in the postseason.

The two victories in Miami helped New York improve to 71-81 on the year, and this team could continue to wreak havoc in the playoff picture given that their remaining 10 games all come against the Marlins and the Phillies.

Jim Rassol-USA TODAY Sports

3 Up

Making A Case

José Butto continues to prove that he could be a nice depth piece in the rotation for the Mets in 2024. The righty put together an absolute gem of a start on Monday, providing six strong and really impressive innings. Butto was nearly unhittable as he held the Marlins to just one run on four hits while walking one and striking out six. He did enter into some trouble in the fifth after putting runners on the corners, but he was able to induce a double play to escape the inning without incurring any damage. Butto has now allowed two runs or fewer in his last three outings. He boasts a stellar 2.08 ERA since returning to the majors, and he is one of a handful of Mets presenting a strong case to earn a more full-time role in 2024.

McNeil To The Rescue  

It isn’t how you start, but how you finish that really counts. Overcoming a slow start to finish strong really does reveal the full character of a person. This hasn’t been a vintage year for Jeff McNeil by any stretch of the imagination, but he’s making sizeable contributions and coming up with big plays down the stretch. The veteran has been red-hot in September, and his fingerprints can be found all over the series win in Miami. McNeil went 5-for-12 with a double, a homer, and a walk against the Marlins, with his 10th home run of the year sealing the win in the series opener on Monday. He also flashed his versatility in this series, shifting to right field on Wednesday because of the injury to DJ Stewart. The result? More defensive magic from the two-time All-Star. McNeil collected two outfield assists in a single inning, including a stunning, inch-perfect one-hop throw to nab Jorge Soler and end the inning.

Jeff McNeil throws out his second runner of the inning to keep the Marlins off the board In the 5th!
pic.twitter.com/MDL553YrKq

— Metsmerized Online (@Metsmerized) September 21, 2023

McNeil has developed a reputation as a swiss-army knife-type player, and his versatility and general excellence out in the field will no doubt excite incoming president of baseball operations David Stearns. Stearns will also no doubt be thrilled to see McNeil finishing the year on a tear, with the 31-year-old now hitting .282/.329/.521/.850 with three doubles, one triple, four homers, six RBIs, a stolen base and three walks in September. That’s called being productive.

Power Ranger

We raved about Mark Vientos showing us something in this space earlier in the week. Now, it is time to marvel over the rookie’s pure power. Vientos has seemingly dug deep and discovered another level to his game, one that could help elevate his talents to the next level. The 23-year-old is now getting regular playing time, mostly against legit teams in the playoff hunt, and he’s paying back that faith by flashing every inch of his scary power potential. Vientos smacked two homers in the series finale against the Marlins on Wednesday, the first multi-homer game of his major league career. His first long ball left the bat at 100.7 mph and gave the Mets the lead. His second home run, however, was more impressive as it traveled a massive 417 feet at 109.2 mph. Not only did that effort stretch the Mets’ lead, but Vientos now sits fifth in MLB average exit velocity leaders (min. 100 balls in play) with a 93.6 mark.

Mark Vientos with an absolute rocket for his second home run of the night! 💥
pic.twitter.com/r283Hsw2oU

— Metsmerized Online (@Metsmerized) September 21, 2023

The four above him in that list? Matt Olson (94.1), Shohei Ohtani (94.4), Ronald Acuña Jr. (94.7) and Aaron Judge (97.1). Now, that’s some impressive company. It also continues an impressive stretch for Vientos, who now owns a five-game hitting streak and is 8-for-20 with four RBIs in that span. And, with his monster game on Wednesday, Vientos is gradually showing that he could be the long-term answer to finally provide the kind of raw, brutal power from the DH spot that the Mets have long craved.

DJ Stewart. Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

3 Down

Bad Practice

The Mets must have really annoyed the Baseball Gods in a past life because they continue to be cursed when it comes to being hit by pitches. The latest victim? DJ Stewart. But, to add insult to injury, Stewart got plunked on the left wrist during batting practice before Wednesday’s game. He wasn’t even hit by an opponent. As a result, the feel-good story of the year for the Mets sat out the game, with the X-rays returning negative. You hope that a sore left wrist doesn’t keep Stewart out of the lineup for long as he looks to finish strong down the homestretch and further prove why he should have a key role on this team in 2024.

Brain Fart

It happens to the best of us. We’re in our flow, getting the job done and then, bang, our brains suffer from a temporary malfunction, and everything collapses like a cheap pack of cards. Luckily, for most of us, the consequences aren’t important. For Joey Lucchesi, however, his brain fart cost his team big time on Tuesday night. Coming off a stellar seven-inning start in his last outing, Lucchesi was looking to continue on his upward trend. He certainly started in that direction, but then disaster struck in the fifth as the lefty threw a sacrifice bunt to an unoccupied third base. It allowed a run to score, a run that proved to be costly. And then it was over to the bullpen to choke yet again, with Trevor Gott entering the game in the bottom of the ninth, only to put runners on and eventually give up the winning run. Lucchesi didn’t have a bad outing, but his one mistake ended up really hurting the Mets, who were denied the chance to go for a sweep.

Get It Done

This was another series that ended up being dominated by talk of Pete Alonso‘s future. With reports surfacing that the star slugger wants a 10-year deal and that the two sides are apart in talks, general manager Billy Eppler came out and tried to shut down the noise. Look, at this point, get a freaking extension done. Alonso should be a huge part of this team’s future. Period. Eppler and the front office have fumbled the bag on this one from day one, and all the gossip is proving to be more damaging at this point. The Mets need to lead with actions, do the right thing and give their homegrown star the contract he deserves, and finally shut down all the negative noise in the process. It has gone too far now.

The Mets continue their road trip by heading to Philadelphia for a four-game set against another playoff hopeful in the Phillies. The series opens on Thursday at Citizens Bank Park.

The post 3 Up, 3 Down: Mets Play Spoiler in Marlins Series Win appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Photo by Roberto Carlo

After losing two out of three games against the Los Angeles Angels, the New York Mets (60-71) are preparing to go up against the Texas Rangers (73-57) at Citi Field for three games.

Despite winning in walk-off fashion on Sunday, the Mets had trouble producing on the offensive side over the weekend. Scoring only seven runs among the three games made it difficult for the Mets to string together meaningful victories.

While the Rangers are in the midst of an excellent season, they struggled over the weekend against the Minnesota Twins, losing two out of three games. Newly acquired starting pitcher Max Scherzer will not be pitching in this series against his former team. That said, pitching has been a strong suit for the Rangers, so the Mets will be in for some tough matchups this week.

Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports

Monday, August 28, 2023: RHP Jon Gray (8-7, 3.76 ERA) vs. RHP Tylor Megill (7-7, 5.54 ERA)

Jon Gray will pitch for the Rangers on Monday. His season has been solid so far, but he did not fare so well last time around, allowing five earned runs in four innings. Last season, he pitched against the Mets at Citi Field as a member of the Rangers, and allowed three earned runs over 5 2/3 innings.

Tylor Megill will open the series for the Mets. Although he has been very inconsistent this season, his last two outings have been a small step in the right direction. Over his last 9 2/3 innings, he has struck out 10 batters while allowing five earned runs. He will look to continue building up his stock for a role in the 2024 rotation as he goes up against the Rangers for the first time in his career.

Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports

Tuesday, August 29, 2023: LHP Andrew Heaney (9-6, 4.34 ERA) vs. LHP José Quintana (1-5, 3.73 ERA)

Andrew Heaney will pitch for the Rangers on Tuesday. He has not been providing the Rangers with much length as of late, only pitching 9 1/3 innings over his last three starts. Last time around, he allowed three earned runs over 4 1/3 innings with five strikeouts. He pitched against the Mets last year at Citi Field as a member of the Dodgers, and he allowed two earned runs over five innings.

José Quintana will pitch for the Mets in the second game of the series. His record is very misleading, as he has been excellent since returning from his rib injury, with the exception of his most recent outing. Although he allowed five earned runs in his last start, he had not allowed more than three prior to that. Quintana has not pitched against the Rangers since 2021, and he has a 3.81 ERA in 10 appearances against them.

Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

Wednesday, August 30, 2023: RHP Dane Dunning (9-6, 3.36 ERA) vs. RHP Kodai Senga (10-7, 3.17 ERA)

Dane Dunning will close out the series for the Rangers. The former White Sox prospect has posted an excellent season so far, but he did struggle in his most recent start by allowing four runs in as many innings. His success this season can be attributed to better command, as his walk and hit rate have both decreased from last season.

Kodai Senga will pitch for the Mets on Wednesday as he continues his spectacular rookie campaign. Last time around, he put on a good show for Japanese Heritage Night at Citi Field, striking out 10 hitters over 6 2/3 innings while allowing only two earned runs. Senga has established himself as a premier rotation arm who has a lot of room for growth going forward. The five-year agreement that pays Senga $15 million annually is starting to look like a bargain for the Mets, as Senga continues to put up impressive numbers.

The post Series Preview: Mets Continue Homestand Against Rangers appeared first on Metsmerized Online.