We are back! Three up, three down returns for the 2026 New York Mets season.

As we’ve done for several seasons now, we’ll be taking a look at the good, the bad, and the ugly after every series throughout the year.

With Opening Day this Thursday, excitement is very much in the air as we gear up for another year of Mets baseball.

However, before we look too far ahead, let’s take a step back and reflect on spring training and the Grapefruit League schedule.

Let’s kick off the 2026 edition of 3 Up, 3 Down with a camp recap …

Jim Rassol-Imagn Images

3 UP

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED 

At the time of writing, the Mets still haven’t officially announced that Carson Benge has made the Opening Day roster. Why the delay is a good question. However, public announcements aside, it would be a shock at this point if Benge isn’t in the lineup to face the Pirates on Thursday. The prospect entered camp with every chance to make the team, and he did everything asked of him to do exactly that. Benge hit .366/.435/.439/.874 with 15 hits and five RBIs. Furthermore, he showed impressive discipline at the plate, while flashing a plus-plus arm out in the field. All in all, Benge more than looked the part and improved week by week. Even if Mike Tauchman didn’t get hurt, Benge did more than enough to win the right field job.

RESURGENCE LOADING 

The Mets were sunk in 2025 because their starting pitching played party pooper. And Kodai Senga, continuing his downward trend, played a big part in those problems. Therefore, there were a lot of question marks surrounding the righty heading into spring training. And, while you have to take everything that happens in camp with a healthy dose of skepticism, Senga has proven a few doubters wrong over the past few weeks. He was stellar across three Grapefruit League starts, pitching to a 1.86 ERA with 11 strikeouts and just two earned runs allowed over 9.2 innings. Granted, there is still a lot to prove, and Senga needs to both stay healthy and pitch at a high level over the course of a full season. But, still, there was a lot to like, including his pitch arsenal.

If the Mets can get the spring training version of Senga throughout 2026, then the starting pitching should be in great shape.

PITCHING DEPTH

One of the biggest positives to emerge from camp was the pitching depth the Mets now have in the organization. Christian Scott, coming off Tommy John surgery, showed flashes of his upside. He could certainly contribute in the big leagues at some point in 2026. Jack Wenninger pitched to a 2.70 ERA while striking out 10 over 6.2 innings. Will Watson and Jonathan Santucci also pitched well. All showed a lot of upside, and Scott and Wenninger in particular are names to watch in 2026. All of a sudden, the pitching depth looks incredibly strong, and that’s something to be uber-positive about.

Rhona Wise-Imagn Images

3 DOWN

TRENDING DOWNWARDS

Are we in full-blown panic mode over Sean Manaea yet? After regressing in 2025, this year’s camp was an important one for the starter. However, rather than settle any lingering concerns, Manaea instead added fuel to the fire thanks to his diminishing velocity. There were some other concerning metrics, too, while he was out-pitched by everyone else in the rotation. As a result, the 34-year-old will now start the season out of the bullpen and in a piggyback role. Of course, Manaea was still working his way back this spring. He had loose bodies in his elbow, which likely impacted a few things. There is also still time to correct the worrying drop in velocity. If he can do that, then that will only further strengthen the rotation. However, if Manaea can’t correct the drop in velocity, and if it continues to diminish, then another conversation may be needed at some point.

LATE INJURY BLOW

Arguably, the biggest roster battle in camp from day one was the fight for the right field job. There was a slew of players all competing for that one spot, with Carson Benge and Mike Tauchman emerging as the leaders in the clubhouse. Before the weekend, it looked all but certain that Tauchman would be on the Opening Day roster in some capacity.

However, the veteran left Saturday’s game with left knee soreness and will now require surgery on a torn meniscus. That’s somewhat of a blow for the Mets, given the value Tauchman brought to the table. He could have been a mentor for Benge, while he showed all spring what he can do at the plate. Furthermore, Tauchman offers more offensive upside than Vidal Brujan, who could now make the Opening Day roster. We will see if Tauchman can win a roster spot once he returns from injury.

END OF THE ROAD?

It doesn’t seem like a stretch to suggest that things really aren’t looking good for Mark Vientos. The third baseman struggled offensively in 2025, and those struggles carried over to camp. He hit just .057/.108/.171/.280 with little to no production. It is also perhaps fair to question Vientos’ decision to play in the World Baseball Classic. After all, he’s been asked to take reps at first base for the Mets, yet he mostly played third for Team Nicaragua in the WBC. Given the uncertainty surrounding first base, it would have been preferable for Vientos to remain in camp and really dedicate himself to learning a new position. In any case, none of that may end up mattering. If a disappointing spring translates to a slow start, then maybe there won’t be much of a role for Vientos in Queens going forward.

The post 3 Up, 3 Down: Spring Training Recap appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Carlos Mendoza told the media on Sunday that Craig Kimbrel will not the make the Mets’ Opening Day roster.

Kimbrel allowed three runs in six innings this spring, with five strikeouts and five walks. He will be turning 38 years old this May.

Photo by Ed Delany of Metsmerized

Latest Mets News

Spring training has officially come to a close with the Mets dropping their finale to the Marlins 4-3 on Saturday. They will now have three days off for travel back to New York and preparing for the start of the regular season, which begins Thursday at 1:15 p.m. at home against the Pittsburgh Pirates. It will be Paul Skenes vs. Freddy Peralta making his regular season debut in New York.

Per Max Goodman of NJ.com, the Mets will play an intrasquad scrimmage at Mets camp on Monday first, however. Nolan McLean and Sean Manaea will start for each team and most of the Mets’ regulars will participate. Position players will get a couple at-bats and some relievers will throw as well.

Per Mike Puma of the New York Post, Mike Tauchman has a meniscus tear and will undergo surgery to repair it.

Latest MLB News

According to Craig Mish of Sportsgrid, Marlins outfielder Kyle Stowers was diagnosed with a Grade 1 hamstring strain and will be out for three to four weeks.

Per Mark Bowman of MLB.com, Didier Fuentes will spend the first couple weeks of the season with the Braves as a long reliever and then go to Triple-A Gwinnett to work as a starter.

Jon Heyman of the New York Post noted that left-handed pitcher Joey Lucchesi has been granted release by the San Francisco Giants after they signed Ryan Borucki. Lucchesi touched 92 and 94 mph and gave up no runs in his final spring performance on Saturday.

According to Major League Baseball, the Philadelphia Phillies and left-handed pitcher Cristopher Sánchez have agreed to a contract extension through 2032 with a club option for 2033.

Per Marcus Hayes of the Philadelphia Inquirer, Daniel Robert was released from the hospital after collapsing following a bullpen session on Sunday morning. This was the second time he’s had a cardiac episode in the last five months.

Jesse Rogers of ESPN reported that the Chicago White Sox are signing catcher Reese McGuire.

According to Jake Rill of MLB.com, three Phillies will undergo MRI imaging on Monday: Dylan Beavers, Heston Kjerstad and Keegan Akin.

Per Bruce Levine of 670 The Score, the White Sox re-signed right-handed pitcher Lucas Sims to a minor league deal.

Thomas Harding of MLB.com reported that Colorado Rockies right-handed pitcher RJ Petit underwent Tommy John Surgery on Friday and will miss the entire 2026 season.

Latest on MMO

Alexis Farinacci recapped Jonah Tong’s tough spring finale from Saturday.

Michelle Ioannou and the Metsmerized staff talk Mets record, division winners and playoff predictions in an MMO rountable piece.

Chris Bello discusses Mike Tauchman needing surgery to repair a torn meniscus.

Brandyn Pokrass wraps up the Mets’ 2026 spring training with a recap of the Mets’ loss to the Marlins.

On This Date in Mets History

1978: The Mets traded shortstop Bud Harrelson to the Phillies for minor leaguer Fred Andrews.

2007: Omar Minaya signed Fernando Tatis to a minor league deal.

Born on This Date: Dellin Betances (1988), Mike Remlinger (1966).

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Per Anthony DiComo of MLB.com, the Mets are likely to start David Peterson in the second game of the season against the Pirates despite the lack of a formal announcement. Freddy Peralta has already been named the Opening Day starter, and Nolan McLean is expected to start the third game of the season.

Photo Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

Latest Mets News

The Mets lost to the Cardinals 4-3 in Grapefruit League action Friday afternoon. Carson Benge continued his strong spring by going 1-for-2 with a walk.

Laura Albanese of Newsday spoke to Mets ace Freddy Peralta on Friday, and Peralta reiterated his desire to stay with the Mets beyond this season. Peralta spoke about how he has family in New York and grew up a Mets and Red Sox fan: “I used to listen to them talk about the Mets, Mets, Mets. No one (rooted for) the Yankees.”

The Mets are the National League recipients of the Bobby Murcer Award, given out by B.A.T (Baseball Assistance Team) each year to the team whose players raise the most money to aid those in the baseball family in need. The Angels are the American League recipient.

Latest MLB News

The Yankees optioned outfielder Jasson Dominguez to Triple-A. Dominguez had a .719 OPS in 123 major league games last year.

The Nationals optioned outfielder Dylan Crews to Triple-A. Crews has a career .634 OPS in 116 major league games.

The Braves signed first baseman and DH Rowdy Tellez to a minor league deal.

Utilityman Chris Taylor will not make the Angels’ major league roster and has opted out of his contract. He had a near-.800 OPS this spring with Los Angeles.

Latest on MMO

Our countdown of the Mets’ top 50 prospects continues with the no. 20 through no. 16.

In the latest MMO Roundtable, we share our thoughts on Howie Rose’s retirement after the 2026 season.

Kai Chang highlights the latest impressive outing from Kodai Senga in what has been a spectacular spring.

On This Date in Mets History

Born on This Date: Anthony Kay (1995), Frankie Montas (1993), Jimmy Yacabonis (1992), Bobby Wahl (1992), Carlos Carrasco (1987), Shawon Dunston (1963), Tommy Davis (1939).

The post Morning Briefing: David Peterson Likely to Start Second Game of Season appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Carson Benge
Photo by Ed Delany of Metsmerized

Tobias Myers began the afternoon by striking out JJ Wetherholt, MLB Pipeline’s No. 5 prospect in baseball. Despite allowing a home run to the next batter, he worked around a walk by picking Jordan Walker off at first to end the inning. In the bottom half of the first, Carson Benge continued his strong spring by working a leadoff walk. However, the Mets would fail to score, keeping the game 1-0 Cardinals.

Luke Weaver entered the game in relief of Myers in the third after the latter threw a solid two innings. Weaver put together a nice inning of work, allowing a two-out hit before retiring the side.

Brooks Raley replaced Weaver in the top of the fourth inning. The left-hander pitched a scoreless inning, allowing a pair of hits before working his way out of the frame unscathed.

Bryan Hudson relieved Raley in the top of the fifth inning. After a walk, a steal, and a sacrifice bunt, Wetherholt hit a sacrifice fly. After a two-run home run, it was 4-0 Cardinals, chasing Hudson from the game. Cristofer Gomez entered the game, and with one pitch, the inning was finally over.

In the bottom half of the fifth, a two-out single from Vidal Bruján broke up Matthew Liberatore‘s no-hit bid. However, no runs would score and it remained 4-0 Cardinals.

Hudson returned to the mound in the top of the sixth, where he retired the only batter he saw before being pulled from the game again. Gomez returned to the game with one-out in the inning, and retired the two batters he saw to retire the side.

In the bottom half of the inning with two runners on, and no outs, Benge hit a weak single to the left side to load the bases. After Hayden Senger was thrown out on a wild pitch and Tyrone Taylor struck out on a pitch that hit him, Ben Rortvedt grounded out to keep the score 4-0 Cardinals.

Saul Garcia replaced Gomez in the top of the seventh. The right-hander worked a solid inning without allowing a run.

Jordan Geber replaced Garcia in the eight inning. He worked a one-two-three frame while recording a strikeout. In the bottom of the inning, the Mets finally got on the board with a Rortvedt sacrifice fly to make it 4-1. D’Andre Smith followed that with a two-run double to cut the Cardinals’ lead to 4-3.

Geber stayed on for the top of the ninth, where he worked another clean inning. The Mets failed to score in the bottom of the ninth, though, and lost to the Cardinals 4-3.

Player of the Game: Carson Benge

Despite a disappointing afternoon from the Mets’ offense, Benge continued his strong spring. The 23-year-old went 1-for-2 with a walk. His hit loaded the bases with nobody out in the sixth when he took an inside sinker the other way. His Grapefruit League average now sits at .412 with a .987 OPS.

On Deck

The Mets (12-10-2) will take on the Nationals (13-8) tomorrow in West Palm Beach, Florida. A starting pitcher has yet to be named, and the game will not be televised.

The post Carson Benge Continues Strong Spring as Mets Lose to Cardinals appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Hope you have multiple screens available if you like baseball!

The Mets finally play their first split-squad games of the spring, and they are both scheduled night games. They just so happen to be the same night as two World Baseball Classic quarterfinal games as well. Just an incredibly busy, and hopefully exciting, night for the sport.

Spring training really is about the vibes. The individual results don’t matter in a vacuum, but the feelings they bring, especially over multiple games, do. Yesterday, Sean Manaea’s velocity was down again, and this time it lead to three runs over 2 2/3 innings. The Mets and Manaea are not concerned about it, but it is still feels like something to watch and potentially be concerned about. It reminds us how important the health of each starting pitcher on the roster is.

The story tonight is Clay Holmes. He had a tremendous outing against Great Britain in WBC pool play, throwing three scoreless innings. An amazing 28 of his 38 pitches were strikes, and he held Great Britain to one hit while striking out six. Team USA could not guarantee Holmes enough innings, so the Mets decided they needed to bring him back to ramp him up for the season.

Clay Holmes Photo by Ed Delany of Metsmerized

Mets Lineup

1. Carson Benge – RF
2. Mark Vientos – DH
3. Brett Baty – 1B
4. Ronny Mauricio – SS
5. Christian Arroyo – 3B
6. Vidal Bruján – 2B
7. Hayden Senger – C
8. A.J. Ewing – LF
9. Cristian Pache – CF

Starting Pitcher: Carl Edwards Jr.

Opposing Lineup

1. CJ Abrams – SS
2. James Wood – LF
3. Daylen Lile – RF
4. Luis García Jr. – 1B
5. Dylan Crews – CF
6. José Tena – DH
7. Nasim Nuñez – 2B
8. Drew Millas – C
9. Yohandy Morales – 3B

Starting Pitcher: Zack Littell

Friday, March 13, 2026 • 6:10 PM
Clover Park • Port St. Lucie, FL
RHP Chris Paddack (1-0, 1.00) vs. RHP Kodai Senga (0-0, 6.75)
WPIX

Mets Lineup

[Note to Editor: Please Review lineup below for substitutions]

1. Marcus Semien – 2B
2. Jorge Polanco – 1B
3. Bo Bichette – 3B
4. Luis Robert Jr. – CF
5. Francisco Alvarez – C
6. Mike Tauchman – LF
7. Luis Torrens – C
8. Tyrone Taylor – RF
9. Jackson Cluff – SS

Starting Pitcher: Kodai Senga

Opposing Lineup

1. Esteury Ruiz – CF
2. Heriberto Hernández – LF
3. Connor Norby – 3B
4. Graham Pauley – DH
5. Christopher Morel – 1B
6. Joe Mack – C
7. Fenwick Trimble – RF
8. Jesús Bastidas – SS
9. Chase Jaworsky – 2B

Starting Pitcher: Chris Paddack

Game Notes

• As noted by MLB.com’s Anthony DiComo, Francisco Lindor completed a full session of batting practice on the field today for the first time since undergoing hamate surgery in February. He also went up against A.J. Minter in live batting practice and hit a ground-rule double to center field.

Three Things To Watch For

1. Clay Holmes. Holmes became a rock in the Mets’ rotation during his first season with the club. He couldn’t go incredibly deep into games consistently, but he still blew through his single-season innings record, tossing 165 2/3. For context, in his previous three seasons as a reliever, he threw 189 2/3 innings combined. He had a 3.53 ERA, 4.11 FIP, 1.304 WHIP and a 114 ERA+ for the Mets, and his 1.9 bWAR was a career high! When you combine spring training and the WBC, he has tossed 10 2/3 innings, allowing three runs on five hits while striking out 10 batters.
2. Checking in on challenges. With two games tonight, the Mets have double the chances to practice challenging calls with the ABS system. It has not gone well for the Mets so far, though. Overall, teams have had a 52% success rate with ABS. The Mets, however, have been successful only 27% of the time. Baseball Savant has created a comparative stat for teams challenging identical calls, and the Mets have -5.1 calls overturned vs. expected. That mark is good for No. 26 in the league.
3. Kodai Senga: Don’t look at the results! In his last outing, Senga allowed two runs, both on solo homers, over 2 2/3 innings while striking out two batters. His fastball in his last start averaged 96.7 mph, which a good bit higher than it was last season (94.7 mph) and also higher than it was in 2023 (95.7 mph). Hopefully this wasn’t an aberration!

Let’s go Mets!

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Freddy Peralta, the new Mets ace, is reportedly seeking a deal of seven or eight years in extension talks with the Mets. Peralta, 29, was acquired from Milwaukee this offseason and is line for a big payday. The former Brewer went 17-6 with a 2.70 ERA in 2025 and will look to be just as productive leading the Mets’ rotation in 2026.

Freddy Peralta, Photo Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

WBC Results

• Venezuela 6 – Netherlands 2
• Cuba 3 – Panama 1. Mets minor leaguer José Ramos went 1-for-3 with a double for Panama
• Japan 13 – Chinese Taipei 0
• Mexico 8 – Great Britain 2. Mets pitcher Alex Carrillo allowed a run and struck out a batter in 0.2 IP for Mexico.
• Puerto Rico 5 – Colombia 0. Former Mets pitchers Seth Lugo and Jose Quintana combined for seven scoreless innings as the starters for both teams.
• Dominican Republic 12 – Nicaragua 3. Juan Soto went 2-for-4 with a walk and a run for the Dominican Republic while Mark Vientos went 0-for-3 with a walk for Nicaragua.
• USA 15 – Brazil 5
• Chinese Taipei 14 – Czechia 0. The Chinese Taipei team set a WBC single-game record by stealing eight bags in seven innings. Czechia dropped to 0-3 in pool C after the loss.

Latest Mets News

FanGraphs released its top 45 Mets prospects ahead of the 2026 season. Nolan McLean, unsurprisingly, tops the list with Carson Benge, Jonah Tong, Jack Wenninger and Jacob Reimer rounding out the top five.

Mets reliever Robert Stock will miss the rest of the WBC with shoulder discomfort. Stock had been with Team Israel.

Latest MLB News

Cristopher Sánchez struck out four in an inning for the Dominican Republic in the WBC against Nicaragua on Friday, becoming the first pitcher to ever strike out four in an inning in the World Baseball Classic.

Eric Hosmer is joining the Royals.TV broadcast this year. Hosmer spent the first seven years of his career in Kansas City.

Latest on MMO

MMO has released merchandise with WBC designs. Check them out here.

Alexis Farinacci previews Team Italy in the World Baseball Classic.

Kai Chang highlights the right field debut of Brett Baty, who hit a home run in the same game.

Jack Ramsey previews Team Mexico in the World Baseball Classic.

On This Date in Mets History

Born on This Date: Jeff Kent (1968), Mauro Gozzo (1966), Galen Cisco (1936), Ed Bouchee (1933).

The post Morning Briefing: Freddy Peralta Seeking Long-Term Contract appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

It’s been a busy week for the Mets. We had Jonah Tong and Nolan McLean’s first starts of spring. We’ve seen the first spring training home runs from Marcus Semien and Ronny Mauricio. There has been a lot to be excited about.

That all continues today as two critical players for the 2026 Mets make their spring training debuts. The Mets entered the offseason needing a frontline starter and a star closer. Devin Williams, while not the first choice for the latter, looks to bounce back and return to his former self as the Mets’ new closer. Freddy Peralta was the playoff-contending move the Mets desperately needed to make. It’s a great day!

Photo by Ed Delany of Metsmerized

Mets Lineup

1. Carson Benge – RF
2. Juan Soto – LF
3. Christian Arroyo – 3B
4. Jose Rojas – 1B
5. Hayden Senger – C
6. MJ Melendez – DH
7. Vidal Bruján – 2B
8. Jackson Cluff – SS
9. Nick Morabito – CF

Starting Pitcher: Freddy Peralta

Opposing Lineup

1. JJ Wetherholt – DH
2. José Fermín – SS
3. Nolan Gorman – 3B
4. Nelson Velázquez – LF
5. Ramón Urías – 2B
6. Thomas Saggese – CF
7. Pedro Pagés – C
8. Nathan Church – RF
9. Blaze Jordan – 1B

Starting Pitcher: Quinn Matthews

Game Notes

• Justin Hagenman, Huascar Brazoban, Williams and Alex Carrillo are the Mets’ scheduled pitchers after Peralta’s outing is finished.
• Craig Kimbrel, who signed a minor league deal with the Mets in January, is set to make his spring debut for the club on Saturday against the Washington Nationals at Clover Park.

Three Things To Watch For

1. Freddy Peralta. The Mets have been searching for an established, major league ace to anchor the rotation for the last couple of seasons, and they finally got one in Peralta. He is coming off of his best season in the majors, as he had a 5.5 bWAR with a 2.70 ERA, 3.64 FIP, 1.075 WHIP and a 154 ERA+ over 176 2/3 innings for the Milwaukee Brewers. Today he finally makes his Grapefruit League Mets debut!
2. Devin Williams. Williams’ Mets journey starts today! The Mets were hoping to have Williams and Edwin Díaz in the back of the bullpen this year, but that wasn’t meant to be. Williams is coming off of a down year with the Yankees where he posted a -0.3 bWAR over 62 innings with a 4.79 ERA, 2.68 FIP, 1.129 WHIP and an 85 ERA+ over 62 innings. It was a major departure from his six years with the Brewers, where he had an 1.83 ERA, 2.39 FIP, 1.023 WHIP and 231 ERA+. The Mets are hoping that is the version of Williams that shows up when closing out games in the ninth inning this season.
3. Home runs. Save some home runs for the regular season! The Mets enter play today tied with the Royals for fifth in MLB with nine home runs this spring. The Yankees are running away at the top of the leaderboard with 15 homers, followed by the Diamondbacks and Rockies, who each have 12. The power on the Mets has come from regular, major league players and minor league players. Yesterday Semien and Tyrone Taylor hit homers off of Tatsuya Imai. The day before that, Mike Tauchman and Mauricio hit home runs in the first inning. All nine home runs have come from nine different players too!

Let’s go Mets!

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One of the last few notable starting pitcher free agents came off the board on Friday, with Zac Gallen re-signing with the Diamondbacks. Per Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, the deal is for one-year, $22.025 million, the same value of the qualifying offer Gallen initially rejected. Gallen struggled to a 4.83 ERA in 2025, but he’s been the ace of the Arizona rotation for several years now, finishing in the top 10 of NL Cy Young balloting three times.

Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

Latest Mets News

Francisco Alvarez has lost eight or 10 pounds this offseason after focusing on his nutrition. He is also planning on keeping the same batting stance that saw him have success late last season.

Jonah Tong told reporters he is focused on continuing to develop his off-speed pitches this season.

Latest MLB News

Per Robert Murray of FanSided, the Cubs signed reliever Shelby Miller to a multi-year deal. Miller was solid in 2025 between the Diamondbacks and Brewers, recording a 2.74 ERA in 48 appearances. He looked especially strong in Arizona, where he had a 1.98 ERA in 37 appearances.

Per ESPN‘s Jeff Passan, the Astros traded outfielder Jesús Sánchez to the Blue Jays for outfielder Joey Loperfido. Sánchez spent 2025 between Miami and Houston, where he recorded 14 home runs and a .699 OPS. Loperfido returns to the Astros, who originally traded him for Yusei Kikuchi in 2024, after recording an .879 OPS in 104 major league plate appearances last year.

According to Mark Feinsand of MLB.com, the Brewers signed infielder Luis Rengifo to a major league contract. Rengifo, a career Angel, had just a .622 OPS a season ago after three consecutive solid years at the plate.

Feinsand also reported that the Reds signed first baseman Nathaniel Lowe to a non-roster deal. Lowe spent 2025 between the Nationals and Red Sox, struggling in Washington before finding late-season success in Boston.

Anthony Castrovince of MLB.com wrote an article on everything fans should know about the new ABS Challenge System.

Latest on MMO

Elliot Teichman provides insight on Mets non-roster invitee Christian Arroyo.

David Melendi analyzes a recent survey from The Athletic which pins the Mets as the most improved team in the National League.

Michael Mayer breaks down MMO’s 41st through 45th ranked Mets prospects.

On This Date in Mets History

Born on This Date: Tyler Clippard (1985), Kelly Stinnett (1970).

The post Morning Briefing: Diamondbacks Re-Sign Zac Gallen appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Francisco Alvarez Photo by Ed Delany of Metsmerized

Alvarez Drops Weight, Keeping Same Stance

The 2025 campaign was a tale of two halves for Francisco Alvarez. He fractured the hamate bone in his left hand during spring training and didn’t make his season debut until April 25. Alvarez ultimately slashed .236/.319/.333 over 138 plate appearances with three home runs.

He was optioned to Triple-A Syracuse on June 22 as a result of his struggles and later came back up to the majors on July 21. Alvarez’ bad injury luck continued in August, though, as he injured his right thumb sliding into second base at the MLB Little League Classic vs. the Seattle Mariners on August 17 and was subsequently placed on the 10-day IL.

During his rehab appearance in Syracuse, Alvarez fractured his left pinky on a hit-by-pitch on August 27. He was activated just a week later, though, and remained healthy for the final few weeks of the regular season.

Alvarez’ option to Triple-A in June ended up paying dividends in the long run, however, as he batted .276/.360/.561 during the second half and had a season-long OPS of .787 when it was all said and done.

Per Newsday’s Laura Albanese, Alvarez is sticking with the batting stance that he re-adopted upon being recalled from Syracuse last summer after posting inflated numbers with that change. Furthermore, the 24-year-old stated that he dropped somewhere in the range of eight to 10 pounds by focusing on his nutrition, and he also noted that he worked with Mets director of hitting Jeff Albert during the offseason as well.

Jonah Tong Photo by Ed Delany of Metsmerized

Tong Turning Focus Towards Off-speed Pitches

After dipping his toes into the big-league waters and debuting for the Mets last September, posting a 7.71 ERA across five starts and 18 2/3 innings, top prospect Jonah Tong told reporters that he’s focused on upping his confidence in both his curveball and slider after feeling good about where he stood with his fastball and changeup this past season.

“I think just continuing to develop the off-speeds,” Tong said, per a video from SNY. “Last year I was really confident in the fastball and changeup. Now it’s just about making sure I can have that same level of confidence with my other two offerings.”

Named the MiLB Pitching Prospect of the Year in 2025 after logging a 1.58 ERA with 179 strikeouts over a combined 113 2/3 innings between Syracuse and Double-A Binghamton, Tong threw his curveball and slider just 12.4 percent and 2.7 percent of the time, respectively, in the majors while leaning heavily on his four-seam fastball (57.4 percent) and changeup (27.5 percent), as he noted.

Ranked as the No. 23 prospect in baseball entering the year by Baseball Prospectus, Tong will likely open with Syracuse and continue to get some experience under his belt at the highest level of the minor leagues before emerging as a rotation option for New York down the road.

Tong isn’t switching up his mindset in his first big-league camp either, stating that he’s concentrated on having fun and soaking up as much knowledge as possible.

“The mindset stays the same,” he said. “I’m just going to go out there and have a lot of fun, enjoy these people and try to learn as much as I possibly can, and I think everything else will just fall as it may.”

The post Alvarez Keeping Stance After Late-Season Success, Tong Focusing on Off-speed Pitches appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

With A.J. Minter potentially starting the season on the injured list, the Mets currently have at least four Opening Day roster spots up for grabs. The Mets still need to decide on who will fill the final outfield spot, who the final bench spot will go to, and who the final two pitchers will be.

Outfielders

The main player to watch here is top prospect Carson Benge. David Stearns has repeatedly stated that Benge will have an opportunity to earn a roster spot out of camp. He will be competing with the other non-roster outfielders as well as Brett Baty, Jared Young, Nick Morabito, and newly signed MJ Melendez.

Top prospects A.J. Ewing and Ryan Clifford are two other names to watch as both could make their way to the majors at some point in 2026.

Infielders

Currently, Ronny Mauricio is slated for the final bench spot per FanGraphs’ roster resource. The Mets kept him on the major league roster in 2025 to retain his final minor league option, so he may start the year in Triple-A, getting regular at-bats. Mark Vientos does not have an option.

Ryan Clifford could force his way onto the roster at first base if the Mets want Brett Baty to be a super utility player, or if he becomes the Opening Day left fielder. Or if Mark Vientos is at first base or DH, one of the other NRIs could take the final bench spot.

Top prospect Jacob Reimer is another name to watch as he could make the majors in 2026.

Christopher Suero has experience between the infield, outfield, and at catcher, which could make him an interesting option off the bench.

Pitchers

Per roster resource, the two final bullpen spots are filled by Huascar Brazobán and Austin Warren. Both have one option left. In addition to Dylan Ross, who is on the 40-man roster, prospect Ryan Lambert, former star closer Craig Kimbrel, and lefty prospect Nate Lavender could compete for those final spots. Lavender could make sense as Brooks Raley is the only lefty reliever on the roster if Minter starts on the injured list.

Former Cubs closer Adbert Alzolay spent 2025 rehabbing from Tommy John surgery but did not see action in any minor league games. He did pitch four innings in the Venezuelan Winter League, but since he signed a minor league contract, the Mets could decide they want him to get some more reps in Triple-A coming off an injury before being called up.

Prospect Jack Wenninger is another player to watch as he could make an impact in 2026.

Below is the full non-roster invite list:

Pitchers

• Adbert Alzolay
• Mike Baumann
• Nick Burdi
• Daniel Duarte
• Carl Edwards Jr.
• Kevin Herget
• Joe Jacques
• Craig Kimbrel
• Ryan Lambert
• Nate Lavender
• Anderson Severino
• Robert Stock
• Matt Turner
• Brandon Waddell
• Jack Wenninger

Catchers

• Austin Barnes
• Kevin Parada
• Chris Suero

Infielders

• Christian Arroyo
• Ryan Clifford
• Jackson Cluff
• Grae Kessinger
• Jacob Reimer
• Jose Rojas

Outfielders

• Ji Hwan Bae
• Carson Benge
• A.J. Ewing
• Cristian Pache
• Jose Ramos

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