What a win! The Mets looked lifeless for the first eight innings of the rubber game against the Blue Jays on Wednesday afternoon, going into the ninth with no hits. However, Bowden Francis, who was looking to complete his no-hit bid, was rudely greeted by the potential NL MVP Francisco Lindor. Lindor ripped a fastball into the right field bleachers to tie the game at one apiece. Francisco Alvarez would give the Mets some much needed insurance with a three-run bomb, leading the Mets to a 6-2 win. Click here for the full game recap.

Lindor, who has come up aces seemingly every time the Mets have needed him, continues to do so in a pivotal playoff push. The Mets star shortstop came into this game with only two hits in his last five games, but after his 0-for-3 start, he was ready to turn the game around. Lindor’s ability to contribute with his glove on an everyday basis, plus his continued clutch play at the dish, have put him in a serious race for the National League MVP.

After an exciting win in Canada, the Mets will have an off day in Philadelphia as they prepare to face the Phillies for a three-game weekend set. Jose Quintana (8-9, 4.09 ERA) is lined up to face Aaron Nola (12-7, 3.41 ERA) in the opening game of the series in Philly on Friday.

Photo by Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

Wild Card Update 

With their win over Toronto and the Braves losing in Washington on Wednesday night, the Mets are now a full game up on Atlanta for the third and final Wild Card spot.

The Diamondbacks thrashed the Rangers by a score of 14-4, keeping their lead over the Mets at two games. The Padres lost to the Mariners, 5-2, so Arizona leapfrogged a half-game ahead of them for the first Wild Card spot.

Latest Mets News

With some key matchups coming up, the Mets are manipulating their pitching staff in order to have Luis Severino, David Peterson and Sean Manaea lined up to face the Braves in the penultimate series of the season, per Tim Britton of The Athletic.

The Mets wore first responder hats on Wednesday to honor all of the lives lost and effected by 9/11. 

Honoring and remembering the heroes 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/4sjw0QXDmi

— New York Mets (@Mets) September 11, 2024

With his game-tying home run on Wednesday, Lindor became the fourth player this season to break a no-hit bid with a home run in the ninth inning or later, per Sarah Langs of MLB.com. This is the first time this has ever happened four times or more in a season on record.

Latest MLB News

Dave Roberts told reporters that former Mets and current Dodgers LHP Anthony Banda fractured his pitching hand by punching a “solid object” after another frustrating outing, per David Vassegh of SportsNetLA. Banda has struggled as of late, allowing seven runs and 10 hits in his last four outings, and is now on the IL with slim hope that he will be able to return this season. 

The Atlanta Braves placed starting pitcher Reynaldo López on the 15-day IL with right shoulder inflammation, per Justin Toscano of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. This move effectively ends Lopez’s breakout regular season, where he had posted a 2.03 ERA in 128 2/3 IP.

Tampa Bay Rays RHP Edwin Uceta was given a three-game suspension and fined for intentionally throwing at Nick Castellanos of the Phillies on Tuesday night, per Bob Nightengale of USA Today. Rays manager Kevin Cash was suspended for Wednesday night’s game as well.

Current Red Sox and former Mariners, Yankees, and Dodgers southpaw starting pitcher James Paxton plans to retire at the end of the 2024 season, per Rob Bradford of Baseball Isn’t Boring. Paxton, who has spent 11 years in the big leagues, was placed on the 60-day IL last month and would likely only return if the Red Sox made the postseason. 

Pirates general manager Ben Cherington told reporters that current manager Derek Shelton is “the right person to manage this team in 2025,” confirming Shelton’s return to the club next season, per Kevin Gorman of Tribune-Review Sports. The Pirates were in the Wild Card race prior to August, where they went 8-19, subsequently falling out of the postseason race.

White Sox owner Jerry Reinsdorf, who rarely speaks publicly, told the media that “solutions won’t happen overnight” in the midst of Chicago’s historically bad season, per Jesse Rogers of ABC 7.

Latest on MMO

Brandon Nimmo gives his thoughts on being moved down in the lineup.

The Mets’ offense could use a September wake-up call!

A Canadian comeback brought the Mets back into the final Wild Card spot.

On This Date in Mets History

2021: Francisco Lindor hits three home runs and drives in five runs in a Mets win over the Yankees. With this performance, Lindor became the first player to hit three home runs in a Subway Series bout.

2019: The Mets set a franchise record by hitting six home runs in a home game. Juan Lagares homered twice while Todd Frazier, Tomás Nido, Robinson Canó and Michael Conforto all hit long balls in a 11-1 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks.

2009: The Mets complete a roaring comeback against the Phillies by scoring six runs in the last three innings at Citizens Bank Park. David Wright led the charge with two home runs, the second giving the Mets the lead with two outs in the ninth inning.

1984: Dwight Gooden breaks Herb Score‘s rookie strikeout record by throwing his 246th strikeout of the season. Gooden finished his rookie season with 276 strikeouts.

Born On This Date: Luis Castillo (1975), Tito Navarro (1970), Keith Hughes (1963), Mario Ramirez (1957), Mickey Lolich (1940).

The post Morning Briefing: Francisco Lindor’s MVP Bid Continues appeared first on Metsmerized.

Devin Mesoraco is thankful for the opportunity he was afforded to play Major League Baseball for as long as he did.

Though his career wasn’t long and he dealt with three surgeries in a matter of thirteen months that marred his swing after an impressive breakout season in 2014, Mesoraco doesn’t look back with regret. Rather, he comes across with the rightful mindset that he did what so few could and made lasting memories during his eight-year major league career.

The Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, native recalls how his dad had him play all over the diamond to increase his skills on the field as a kid. Once they determined that his speed wasn’t an asset, but his arm was, Mesoraco shifted to full-time catching and was on the radar for several teams heading into the 2007 Draft.

Selected 15th overall by the Cincinnati Reds, Mesoraco became the club’s full-time catcher in 2013, and one year later made his first (and only) All-Star appearance. That year, Mesoraco hit 25 home runs, drove in 80 runs, and among 23 catchers with a minimum of 400 plate appearances that season, Mesoraco led in wRC+ (147).

Unfortunately for Mesoraco, the aforementioned surgeries restricted Mesoraco’s ability to replicate his 2014 season offensively. From 2015 until his last season in 2018, Mesoraco appeared in just 179 games, while playing no more than 84 games in any of those years.

Mesoraco, 33, played in his final major league season with the New York Mets in 2018, getting traded to the club while the Reds were playing the Mets in Cincinnati for a three-game set in May for right-handed pitcher Matt Harvey. The trade made for a relatively easy transition for Mesoraco, as he knew Jay Bruce and Todd Frazier from their time in Cincinnati, along with being an easy commute using the concourse underneath the stadium to switch clubhouses.

In 66 games with the Mets in ’18, Mesoraco posted a .715 OPS with 10 home runs and 30 RBI. The Mets re-signed Mesoraco to a minor league deal with an invite to spring training for the 2019 season. Mesoraco was under the impression that he’d be third on their catching depth chart and have an opportunity to join the big club should Travis d’Arnaud be unready for the start of the season or if the club carried three catchers on their roster.

The Mets ended up reassigning the veteran catcher to Triple-A at the end of March, however, Mesoraco had no intention of playing in the minors. The catcher asked the Mets for his release to pursue other opportunities, but the club refused his request, placing him on the restricted list instead. Mesoraco packed his bags and returned home, content with his career and wanting to be around his family more.

Since his retirement from the game, Mesoraco has lent his experience and expertise in the game as a volunteer assistant for the University of Pittsburgh’s baseball team. Mesoraco enjoys the team-oriented approach that collegiate ball offers and is something that allows him to aid the next generation of players while staying close to home.

I had the privilege of speaking with Mesoraco, where we discussed the three surgeries he underwent in thirteen months, getting traded to the Mets, and being placed on the restricted list.

MMO: Who were some of your favorite players growing up?

Mesoraco: I would say one is Derek Jeter. At that time, when I was growing up in the late nineties, he was kind of everybody’s guy. The other guys were catchers; I liked Pudge Rodríguez because he was the top catcher at the time. Mike Piazza was a great catcher at that time, and Jason Kendall was a catcher for the Pirates who was a pretty good player.

MMO: At what point during your development did you start focusing more on catching?

Mesoraco: Once I got into high school. Prior to that, I played everywhere. My dad was a coach and he wanted to make me well-rounded at different positions, but I wasn’t super-fast; I got a lot slower as my career went along.

It got to the point where I had a good arm and that was going to be my best path to having an opportunity to play in college or professionally, and it made a lot of sense. Once I got into high school, I was a full-time catcher.

MMO: What are your memories from the 2007 Draft in which the Reds selected you with their first pick (15th overall)?

Mesoraco: It was an unbelievable day! I had a high school state playoff game. We played in Altoona, Pennsylvania, and that year we actually won the state championship. This was probably the second round of the state playoffs, I believe. I want to say we played the game at three o’clock, and we didn’t really have time to drive back to Punxsutawney; it was a little too far.

We went to a local sports bar, and the whole team came, and everybody that was at the game came and we packed the place out. We were able to watch the draft on TV, and it was an awesome memory to be able to share that with family and all my buddies and the other kids on the team.

MMO: Were you aware of the Reds’ interest prior to them selecting you?

Mesoraco: We had kind of a general area that we felt pretty confident that we were going to go in. If I recall right, I want to say that the Phillies picked No. 19, and we felt confident that I wouldn’t get picked past that pick. And there was some other interest earlier on, and we went to visit some places and did a personal workout for a couple of teams in the top-tenish range.

I had no idea that the Reds were super interested; I think they kind of kept their things a bit quiet. We just knew that we’d be somewhere in the five to nineteen range, and I was very happy with that.

MMO: Your breakout season of 2014 was fun to watch. That was your first and only All-Star selection and you posted career highs in games played (114), home runs (25), RBI (80), and OPS+ (147). Was there anything you can think of that accounted for such a breakout season in 2014?

Mesoraco: Prior to that season, I had been kind of more splitting time with a catcher by the name of Ryan Hanigan, who was very good and helped me out a lot defensively and just how to think about the game. At the end of the year in ’13, they told me that I was going to have a good shot [of playing more], and let’s see what you can do.

Not that I didn’t take the previous seasons seriously, because I was prepared and ready to go, but we got a new hitting coach – his name is Don Long, he’s the hitting coach for the Orioles right now – and we talked a good bit in the offseason about a game plan of hey, these are some areas that can I improve, this is what we’d like to see you do. We really had a good foundation of what we thought we needed to do to go into spring training there, and just worked on that stuff and got a chance to play every day.

I hit the ground running and had a really good start. When you’re a young player, at that time that would’ve been my fourth year, and I had never been the everyday guy, you don’t really know if you’re good enough to be there. Can I handle it? Can I do it? You kind of have to find your footing.

I think it was a perfect time where I felt like I could play up there and would be fine, and then they gave me the opportunity to play every day, and a lot of things just clicked. It was a lot of fun and a really good year, and something that I’ll certainly never forget.

MMO: I think something that fans don’t fully take into consideration is just how tough it is coming back from an injury and/or surgery. You had three surgeries in a 13-month span: left-hip labrum, labrum in your non-throwing shoulder, and right-hip labrum. Can you talk about undergoing all of those surgeries in such a short span, and how that impacted your play?

Mesoraco: After ’14, I signed a four-year contract with the Reds. I think the tenth game of the year, my hip was feeling like a stabbing pain. I had no idea what it was. I hadn’t felt pain like that and it just got to the point where I could barely squat down.

The doc checked me out and tried a bunch of stuff to get me back onto the field: cortisone shots, lubricating shots, a bunch of different things. If I was playing the outfield or something, I probably could’ve delayed it, but as a catcher, it was very difficult to do what I had to do behind the plate, and I just couldn’t get in a good position.

I ended up having surgery in July and rehabbed that. The rehab process isn’t very fun; there are steps to take, and it’s just a lot of grind in the training room and doing a bunch of things to help you feel better. I grinded through that rehab, got into spring training next year, and it was feeling okay; the hip was better. I needed to get some at-bats to get my feet underneath me so to speak and get back to how I felt.

We took it slow and started off the season and didn’t play very well and kind of the same thing; ten games into the season, my shoulder was in pain every single swing. It was basically the same thing, just in a different joint. It was like, man, this is unbelievable! You try to grind through a little bit, and it became very evident that I couldn’t play with this.

I think whenever you’re a player, you can play sometimes, but they don’t pay you just to play; they pay you to produce. They pay you to drive in runs; they pay you to hit the ball out of the ballpark. I just flat out couldn’t do any of that; it wasn’t even remotely close. I didn’t have the same swing. My labrum was completely torn, and there was basically nothing there. So, they had to go in and replace that one, and then I grinded through that rehab process.

Then I had hip surgery because my other hip was basically the same from the imagining. I didn’t have any pain in that hip at the time, but the doctor suggested that we do it because, well, heck, they don’t want me to miss three years in a row and something happens to that hip! We ended up doing the hip as well, and the hips came back very normally, no issue. The shoulder was the one that continued to give me trouble. It always felt like I could never get in the same position that I used to be able to hit in. I never felt like I had the same zap in my swing. Whether I didn’t do the rehab correctly or whatever it was, I just never felt like the same guy, and I knew that while I was playing.

That was a tough mental thing, but I was able to play and do okay, but I just was never quite the same. But the three-year gap was very tough, just from a standpoint of, I’m a competitor and I liked to be on the field.

It was just always trying to replicate what I did in 2014. I was always trying to find that swing. It got to the point where I knew I didn’t have that anymore, and you have to find another way to do it. Everything became a grind; I couldn’t just show up to the ballpark and play ball. I had to grind through my neck is hurting today and dealing with my body and this and that. It became a real, real grind, and not a whole lot of fun to show up to the ballpark.

MMO: During your time in the majors, were you a player that readily utilized analytics in your game planning?

Mesoraco: Oh, absolutely! I think people kind of get scared off by the term, but all it is information. I wanted as much information as I could get, especially game-planning for how we’re going to attack the opposition. That stuff was great and made a big difference.

It’s not anything scary and nobody’s trying to change the game; it’s just new things that can help. My thing was always you can use the analytics for evaluation, but how can you help the players become better by using that stuff? I wanted as much as I could get.

I think in general, people are somewhat afraid of change or different stuff. Anything that can help you become a better player or coach is great.

MMO: Can you talk a bit about what a normal day-to-day routine would be for you in let’s say a night game?

Mesoraco: The first thing that I always wanted to do was put the game plan together of how we would attack the opposition. If we had someone with a lot of track record that had faced this team previously, take Jacob deGrom against the Braves, I would go in and watch all of Jake’s at-bats against Freddie Freeman. I would watch all of Jake’s at-bats against Dansby Swanson and kind of see what they were doing. Now, if you faced them a couple of times throughout the year, you don’t necessarily have to watch all the at-bats, you know how you’re going to attack them. Then I wanted to see how those guys were doing recently. I would watch the last 20-to-30 at-bats that they had to see if maybe they’re off on this and that or they’re not hitting this quite as well right now as they usually do. And then put the game plan together.

They gave me a lot of stuff from upstairs, but by the time I got to the Mets, I had a pretty good idea of what I needed to know to go into a game and feel confident in what I’m calling.

I had my routine, and I went through that, put the game plan together, and then I’d get a little bit of hitting in. If it’s the start of the series, then you have a meeting with all the relievers and kind of go through the game plan. Once I got there, Dave Eiland became pretty confident in the homework that I put in, so he kind of let me run the meeting, which I always thought was great because this was the guy that was putting down the signs; this is the guy they have to throw to. If they trust that I’m putting in my homework, they’re just going to follow me and go with the game plan. I think he (Eiland) kind of understood that, too. He would give some input on some guys here and there, but I would say, for Freddie, anything moving into him is better, just no get-me-over off-speed stuff because he really hammers that.

Then we would take BP and meet with the starter for that day, and you go over a more detailed version of the meeting with the relievers.

MMO: Did you call your own game?

Mesoraco: All catchers in the big leagues call their own game. Upstairs may present some suggestions, but not necessarily specific pitches. I do think some teams may do this more now, but a 1-1 count throw a breaking ball to Nick Markakis. They usually don’t get into that, but I think some teams have kind of started to do more of that.

It’s all on the pitchers and catchers. The thing is with the pitchers, they can shake any time they want. It’s their game essentially, right? A lot of pitchers like to follow a catcher, and if you gain the trust of those guys, then they’ll definitely follow you. It just depends.

MMO: What are your memories from the day you were traded across dugouts to the Mets?

Mesoraco: It was wild. I kind of heard about it a couple of days before. Jay Bruce and Todd Frazier were over there, and they called those guys into the office and were asked: what do you guys think of Mesoraco? Just trying to make sure I wasn’t a terrible teammate or guy. [Laughs.) I think they gave a pretty good report, so I was kind of aware that something might happen.

I was supposed to play on the Reds’ side, and we’re just getting ready to play. They probably had to go over my medicals which probably took, who knows, three days? That might’ve been one of the holdups, and they’re going over that. Probably two hours before the game I got called into the manager’s office, and the GM and everybody were there, and just said, “We’re trading you, but you’re going right across.”

I was pumped up; I was excited because we weren’t playing very well at the time and the Mets had the better record. I was pumped to go over there and I knew they needed a catcher. I grabbed all my equipment, walked across the concourse underneath the stadium, and walked into that clubhouse.

It was easy because Jay and Todd were over there, so it was great. I got over there, I want to say fifteen minutes before the game, and I was just sitting on the other bench. It was pretty wild.

MMO: If I recall correctly, you did appear in that game as a pinch-hitter late.

Mesoraco: Yeah, I pinch-hit and struck out. Then I played the next day. As a player, it’s easy whenever you get traded. It’s more of the off-the-field stuff with your wife or whoever, and we had a young son at the time. That aspect of it is a little more hectic.

MMO: You got to catch Jacob deGrom in his first Cy Young-winning season. What makes deGrom so special in your opinion?

Mesoraco: Jake is unbelievable. He can throw any pitch to any spot, both sides of the plate, up and down. He can throw his slider up in the zone and shorten it up and make it cut. He can do anything; there’s nothing that he can’t do.

The other side that you see with Jake is his competitiveness. This guy just doesn’t want to allow any runs, he doesn’t want to make a bad pitch in the bullpen session three days before a start! He gets mad about that. That isn’t typical, not everyone is like that. Everyone is obviously putting work in, but Jake is on a whole other level.

Stuff-wise, he wasn’t throwing as hard as he’s throwing now back in ’18, but it was still unbelievable. To me, it’s probably the best fastball from a starter in the big leagues, probably one of the best sliders, and probably one of the best changeups from a starter. He had all the weapons, the preparation, he just had everything. It’s hard to be as good as Jake is.

MMO: Is deGrom the best pitcher you caught in your career?

Mesoraco: Oh, absolutely. I don’t think that’s relatively close either. I think that Jake is one of the top two or three pitchers of this generation. He’s unbelievable.

MMO: Do you have any beliefs as to why deGrom has been able to add velocity to his 4-seam fastball as he’s gotten older?

Mesoraco: No. I don’t think anyone does. It doesn’t happen, Jake is a complete outlier in that regard. I think it could be partly because he didn’t pitch that much growing up. I don’t think anyone can explain it but it’s fun to watch.

MMO: Things got a bit rocky in 2019 when the Mets reassigned you to Triple-A and then later put you on the restricted list after you made your intentions known that you were not going to play in Triple-A. Can you talk a bit about that series of events and where you’re at with that now? I remember reading a tweet this year in which you asked Steve Cohen to take you off the restricted list.

Mesoraco: Yeah, that was just a joke. I figured that would get some laughs on Twitter. It really wasn’t that big of a deal. I had signed and the idea that Travis [d’Arnaud] may not be ready, and if not, I’d be the guy. Otherwise, I might be good depth and get a chance at some point during the year. And I was fine with that, but they made it seem like I was going to be the third guy.

Spring training came about, and spring training is what it is. I don’t know if I played super well, but I thought I was fine. It got down to it and I didn’t sign there to be the fourth guy, I grinded enough and earned good money so I was comfortable with where I was.

I didn’t have the Triple-A grind all year in me; I didn’t want to do that. I just said I would like to go somewhere where I have a better opportunity to get to the big leagues because it was very clear that they liked [Tomás] Nido, and that’s their right. But that wasn’t my intention of signing there; I didn’t sign to be the fourth guy, so go ahead and release me. Whether I’d sign somewhere else or not or even had a better opportunity, I don’t know. But I had no intentions of showing up and being the fourth guy.

They said, “Let’s take a couple of days and think about this and talk again.” I said, ‘I don’t really need to talk. I don’t want to be the fourth guy. That’s very clear what I am, and that’s your right. Do whatever you have to do to, but I’m not going to be playing for you guys.’

That was it really, and they called and said I was being put on the restricted list, which I was fine with. As I said, I was happy with my career; I wasn’t the same player, and I didn’t want to go to Triple-A and grind it out. The only interest that I had in continuing to play was in the big leagues. If I had to go somewhere for a couple of weeks and do something in Triple-A, sure, I may have done that. But I didn’t really have a ton of interest in doing that. So, I packed up my car and went home and retired, I guess.

MMO: So, you don’t hold any grudges or have any ill will towards the club?

Mesoraco: No, they were within their right to do that. I was under contract, and they don’t have to necessarily come to terms all the time and that’s okay. They were trying to build depth with the organization, and they can go about that in different ways, and I was fine with it. I wasn’t personally mad at those guys or anything, I just didn’t want to do it. I wasn’t interested in being the fourth guy.

I’m not someone that holds grudges or looks at the past, it is what it is. You move on and go to the next phase of your life. Which for me, is mostly being a dad, which is great!

MMO: You joined the University of Pittsburgh’s baseball staff as a volunteer assistant last year. How did that come about and what are your responsibilities with the team?

Mesoraco: I needed to get out of the house. I was in the house and I started doing some wood workings and doing a lot of yard work. I know baseball very well, and I just wanted to be part of teaching kids and helping them out and being part of the team. At the professional level, it becomes a lot individualized these days, and rightfully so because that’s how people earn their living. But down here, it’s more team-oriented and the goals of the team and how can we win and do better, and that kind of appealed to me.

I reached out to coach [Mike] Bell, who is the head coach at Pitt, and they had an opening for a volunteer role, and I thought that was perfect. I’m very thankful that it happened, and I get to come down here and coach, be part of the team and help the kids out. It’s been very enjoyable.

MMO: Where do you envision the next stage of your career going? Would you want to get back to working in the majors, or do you want to stay at the collegiate level?

Mesoraco: I don’t know, that’s a tough question. In pro ball, you see the time that the coaches put in and the time away from their families and at this point, I don’t think that’s necessarily something that I want to do. Sure, at some point once the kids get older, maybe I could see myself getting into that side of it.

College coaching is great because in my role you’re at home. Some of these guys are traveling to recruit a lot, but I don’t have to recruit so that works out well. I could see going into pro ball, but it would have to be something that’s worthwhile. Those guys have to work so hard and work their way up from the minor leagues and the grind of going through each level and things of that nature. I don’t know if I necessarily have that type of grind. I just take it day-by-day at this point.

MMO: Thanks very much for the time today, Devin. It was great speaking with you.

Mesoraco: Appreciate it!

Follow Devin Mesoraco on Twitter, @DMesoraco

The post MMO Exclusive: Former Mets Catcher, Devin Mesoraco appeared first on Metsmerized.

With the 2021 Mets reeling after a 1-6 road trip, low-lighted by being swept in a series by the Phillies, who passed the Mets and moved into first place, this may be a good time to think about a positive memory from the not-too-distant past.

Let’s wind the clock back two years to August 9, 2019. The Mets had begun their phoenix-like rise from the ashes. They had won six in a row and 14 of their last 17 coming into the Friday night game at Citi Field against the Washington Nationals. Their record stood at 59-56, but they were in fourth place, 8.5 games behind the division-leading Braves.

Marcus Stroman made the start for New York, his second in a Mets uniform after the trade with Toronto. The Nationals jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the fourth inning, highlighted by a two-run home run from Juan Soto. However, the Mets quickly battled back, tying the score in the bottom of the frame on a two-run homer by Pete Alonso and a solo shot by J.D. Davis.

Stroman was done after six innings, and Justin Wilson took over in the top of the seventh. To the surprise of no one, Met killer Anthony Rendon put Washington ahead 5-3 with yet another two-run dinger. Things looked bleak for the Mets when Luis Avilan uncorked a wild pitch in the ninth, allowing Trea Turner to score. The Nationals led 6-3, and the Mets were in trouble.

Hoping for late-inning magic, New York came to bat in the bottom of the ninth. Davis singled and Wilson Ramos doubled, both off Nationals closer Sean Doolittle. The Mets had a fighting chance with Todd Frazier stepping to the plate. Frazier delivered a game-tying home run, and it was so dramatic that Gary Cohen gave it the double “outta here!”

The game was now tied, but with the Mets’ bullpen, extra innings did not seem appealing. Juan Lagares singled. After two outs were recorded, Amed Rosario singled. Enter Michael Conforto, and cue suspense-building music. Conforto lined a shot over Adam Eaton‘s head to score Lagares, and everything broke loose.

On this night, a new “thing” began when Pete Alonso ripped off Conforto’s jersey. Conforto would repay the favor later in the season. You can relive the excitement in the video below.

The Mets would win again the next night and continue their surge through the middle of August before running into trouble against the Cubs and Braves to end the month. Though they ultimately fell short of the postseason in 2019, their 39-21 record in the final 60 games provided quite a few thrills.

The 2021 team can use some similar magic. Ironically, after an off-day on August 9, they begin a three-game series against the Washington Nationals at Citi Field. This year’s version of the Nationals will not win the World Series, as the 2019 team did, though.

The Mets need to take advantage of the rebuilding Nationals and get things going in the right direction. And we don’t care if players lose their shirts in the process.

The post OTD 2019: Mets Defeat Nationals, Michael Conforto Loses His Shirt appeared first on Metsmerized.

Late in spring training, as teams sort out their roster decisions, players become available either by being released or exercising options they may have run their contracts. With just a couple of days remaining in spring training 2021, here are some players who have recently become available and may fit with the Mets.

Relief Pitcher, Steve Cishek

Cishek, a right-hander, was released by the Houston Astros on March 25. The 34-year-old began his career with the Florida (now Miami) Marlins. He has closing experience, registering 34 saves in 2013 and 39 saves in 2014 with the Marlins. Since 2014, Cishek has served mostly in setup roles with the Cardinals, Mariners, Cubs and White Sox. Cishek is a fastball/slider pitcher, who has seen his average fastball velocity drop from 93 mph early in his career to just under 91 mph since 2015.

Last season with the White Sox, Cishek posted his career-worst H/9 with a mark of 9.5 in 22 appearances (his career number 7.0 over 11 seasons). He does manage to strike out hitters, having struck out 9.5 per nine innings pitched last year, which is also his career K/9 rate.

The Mets, as many teams, can benefit from adding bullpen depth to the organization. While they do have a right-handed heavy bullpen, they have lost a significant piece in Seth Lugo, who will miss at least the first month of the season. Additionally, Dellin Betances has struggled this spring, and while his release seems unlikely at this point, it’s fair to wonder how long the Mets will carry him if he does not perform. Robert Gsellman has also been ineffective this spring, so adding Cishek may make sense as a depth option.

Relief Pitcher, Tony Watson

The veteran left-hander opted out of his contract with the Phillies on March 26. He was not having a good spring, as the 35-year-old surrendered four earned runs in five innings and allowed nine hits total. He did record seven strikeouts while allowing two walks, however.

Watson will turn 36-years-old this season, and is a 10-year major league veteran with the Pirates, Dodgers and Giants. He features a fastball, slider, and changeup, throwing his fastball and changeup the majority of the time. Last year, his fastball velocity dropped from 93 mph for most of his career  to 90 mph. In 21 appearances with the Giants last season, Watson had an impressive 0.889 WHIP, and allowed just 13 hits in a small sample size of 18 innings pitched. Watson is not a strikeout pitcher, with a career mark of eight strikeouts per nine innings pitched.

Luis Rojas has said that he would like to have two left-handers in his bullpen. Aaron Loup is a lock to make the team. Other candidates include Jerry Blevins, Stephen Tarpley, and Mike Montgomery (who may be a candidate for the rotation as well), as noted in this MMO article by Connor Grey.

It would not hurt to bring another candidate into the mix, especially an experienced one in Watson. Though his velocity is down, Watson seems to be effective even in recent seasons (his highest WHIP in there last three seasons is 1.259). Why not expand the field from which Rojas will choose his second lefty?

Third Baseman, Todd Frazier

Should the Mets bring “The Toddfather” to Queens for a third time? The New Jersey native opted to not stay with the Pirates, the team that signed him during the off season and brought him to camp.

Jonathan Villar is nursing what the Mets are calling a minor hamstring injury. It’s not clear if he will be ready for opening night in Washington, and groin injuries tend to linger. Frazier may provide short-term depth. Frazier had a decent spring training slashing .250/.353/.643 with three home runs in 28 at-bats.

The Mets could seek a defensive replacement for J.D. Davis late in games, and Frazier is a better fielder and has a reputation for being a clubhouse leader. However, it’s not likely that he would accept a deal where his release may be likely in the short term.

Relief Pitcher Carl Edwards Jr.

Edwards was in camp with the Braves, and opted out of his contract, becoming a free agent on March 25. The 29-year-old right-hander was with the Cubs from 2015 until he was dealt to the Padres at the trading deadline of the 2019 season.

The South Carolina native has been almost exclusively a setup reliever, logging just three saves in six seasons. Over his career, he’s allowed just 4.8 hits per nine innings, while averaging 12.1 strikeouts per nine innings. Edwards’ average fastball velocity during is career has been 95.2 mph, and his velocity has been a bit below that the last two seasons. He features just two pitches, a fastball he throws 72.5% of the time, and a changeup.

Edwards may be a reasonable option for the Mets to consider. He’s still young, and has the capability to miss bats per his strikeout rate. He could make a nice middle-inning option against a right-handed hitter.

It will be interesting to see if the Mets have interest in any players that have recently become available. The roster is close to set, but as the cliche goes, it takes the entire 40-man roster to win. Having quality depth on that roster is always a good idea.

The post Recently Available Players Who Could Bolster Mets’ Depth appeared first on Metsmerized.

After months of silence, the New York Mets made a gigantic splash on Thursday, acquiring shortstop Francisco Lindor and pitcher Carlos Carrasco in exchange for infielders Andres Gimenez and Amed Rosario along with prospects Josh Wolf and Isaiah Greene.

So what does this blockbuster trade mean for the Mets moving forward?

Well, they certainly don’t have a massive hole at the shortstop position anymore, as they now feature one of the top shortstops in the majors. Assuming Lindor – who’s set to become a free agent after next season – signs an extension in the near future, the 27-year-old should help this organization become a serious playoff contender over the next several seasons.

While this trade appears to be a major win for the Mets, especially since they didn’t surrender any of their top five prospects, sending both Gimenez and Rosario to the Cleveland Indians creates somewhat of a vacancy at the third base spot. Though neither of these players controlled the starting gig at the hot corner last season, whoever wasn’t dealt this offseason probably would’ve spent a massive chunk of time at that position in 2021.

If the front office doesn’t acquire an impact third baseman before next season begins, and there’s still time for that to happen, then there’ll likely be an internal competition for the starting role involving J.D. Davis and Luis Guillorme. That being said, it’s possible this impending battle could be determined fairly quickly this spring and it might not end favorably for the player who controlled the everyday job in 2020.

Despite starting last season in left field, which didn’t last for very long as Davis posted a -2 OAA in just 52.0 innings, the 27-year-old quickly swapped positions with teammate Jeff McNeil and remained at third base through the rest of the campaign. Failing to perform effectively in the infield, the former Houston Astro became a defensive liability on the left side of the diamond and ultimately lost his starting role to veteran Todd Frazier – who was acquired from the Texas Rangers at the trade deadline.

Putting his woes into perspective to the rest of the majors, the 6-foot-3 infielder finished tied with the worst OAA (-3), the sixth-lowest RngR (-1.4), tied for the seventh-fewest DRS (-8), the 11th-lowest UZR/150 (-0.9), and tied for the 12th-lowest UZR (-0.3) among all third basemen who compiled at least 200.0 innings in 2020, according to FanGraphs.com.

John Flanigan/MMO

Adding on to his disappointing defensive showing, Davis also struggled mightily at the plate, which prevented him from making up for his ineffectiveness in the field. Though he broke out in a massive way during his inaugural season in Queens, the right-handed hitter took a major step backward in 2020, as both his contact and slugging metrics regressed significantly.

Over his 229 plate appearances last season, the former fourth-round pick produced just six home runs, 19 RBIs, .142 ISO, .318 BABIP, .339 wOBA, .397 wOBAcon, 24.5% strikeout rate, 29.3% whiff rate, 20.0% LD rate, 56.3% GB rate, 23.7% FB rate, 8.9% barrel rate, 45.2% hard-hit rate, a 3.3 degree average launch angle, a 117 wRC+ score, and a slashing line of .247/.371/.389/.761.

In comparison, the California State product generated 22 home runs, 57 RBIs, .220 ISO, .355 BABIP, .373 wOBA, .478 wOBAcon, 21.4% strikeout rate, 28.1% whiff rate, 22.9% LD rate, 47.0% GB rate, 30.2% FB rate, 10.5% barrel rate, 47.3% hard-hit rate, a 10.2 degree average launch angle, a 136 wRC+ score, and a slasing line of .307/.369/.527/.895 through his 453 plate appearances in 2019.

Even though it’s still possible for Davis to reclaim the starting third base job this spring, his recent offensive regression and poor defensive results have cast a shadow over his future on the left side of the infield. To make matters worse, it seems management may have lost some confidence in him and might feel Guillorme could make a strong push to take over the everyday role next season.

Is J.D. Davis the starting third baseman?

Mets didn't say outright, but…

"We still have a guy named Guillorme," Sandy Alderson said.

— Tim Healey (@timbhealey) January 7, 2021

Before the 2020 campaign, making any sort of claim about Guillorme serving as the starting third baseman would’ve been laughed at severely, as he owned less than 200 plate appearances of experience at the major league level and was essentially an afterthought at that point of his career. Changing the narrative about himself last season, the 26-year-old was called upon to fill in as an injury replacement for teammate Robinson Cano and ran with the opportunity in both the field and in the batter’s box.

Starting with his defense, the versatile infielder – who’s capable of playing at third base, second base, and shortstop – has gradually improved his traits in the field ever since he made his major league debut in 2018, particularly at the hot corner. Though things didn’t start out well, as he posted a -2 OAA at third base as a rookie, the former 10th-round pick has since improved his range, which resulted in a -0.2 RngR (an increase of 0.5 from 2018) last season.

Thanks to this adjustment, Guillorme started coming into his own at third base, as he created a 1 OAA, -0.2 UZR, and a 2.1 UZR/150 through just 30.0 innings. Considering he recorded a -1.2 UZR and a -43.4 UZR/150 over 98 2/3 innings in 2018, there’s a strong possibility the 5-foot-10 infielder could be capable of serving as an average defender in an everyday role, although his performance could increase even further if he continues to improve his range.

Along with trending in the right direction regarding his defense, the native of Venezuela also took the offensive aspect of his game up another level, as he refined his swing path and became a much more effective contact hitter in 2020. While most experts are teaching hitters to increase their launch angle, the Coral Springs Charter HS product did the complete opposite, which actually allowed him to start unlocking his full potential at the plate.

Despite receiving just 68 plate appearances, Guillorme certainly made the most of them by producing six doubles, nine RBIs, .463 BABIP, .381 wOBA, .345 wOBAcon, 14.7% walk rate, 25.0% strikeout rate, 31.7% LD rate, 31.7% hard-hit rate, an 89.8 mph average exit velocity (2.8 mph increase from 2019), a 144 wRC+ score, along with a slashing line of .333/.426/.439/.865.

Considering all of these metrics were career-highs for him and were created over a small sample size, the youngster will probably endure some sort of regression in 2021, but that doesn’t mean he won’t be able to perform effectively on a regular basis. As long as he maintains his 10.7-degree average launch angle, which he decreased by 6.1 degrees from 2019, the left-handed batter shouldn’t have any issues replicating his impressive contact results moving forward.

Sure, the Mets could decide to platoon both Guillorme and Davis at third base until one of them run away with the starting job, but the coaching staff must prioritize defense over offense in this situation, as it’ll be crucial to dramatically improve the club’s run prevention in 2021. Taking that into account, this team may be better off handing the starting gig to the lefty hitter coming out of spring training.

With the organization aiming to surge into the playoffs for the first time since 2016, they can’t afford to have the third base position become a weakness once again and will need one of these two players, or someone who’s currently playing on another team, to step up and take the reigns of the hot corner.

The post Guillorme And Davis Slated To Compete For Third Base Role appeared first on Metsmerized.

The Mets (25-30) evened their series against Tampa Bay (36-20) with a 5-2 triumph over the Rays on Tuesday night at Citi Field. 

Pete Alonso contributed greatly to the win. He went 2-for-3 with a homer and a walk in his most productive night in weeks, after going just 12-for-66 in the month of September. He drove in three of five runs for New York in what would be the deciding factor of the evening. 

Seth Lugo took home the win after allowing just one earned run over six and 2/3 innings. The outing was his longest and most efficient of the season, with 95 pitches thrown-66 for strikes.

Not yet mathematically eliminated, the Mets are keeping their postseason aspirations alive, as they hang on by a thread in an attempt to clinch a far-off wild card berth. With the Phillies loss on Tuesday, New York is now 2.5 games back of a playoff spot with just five games to play.(Box Score)

ON THE MOUND

Seth Lugo took the mound for New York and tossed a 1-2-3 opening frame. His only earned run surrendered was on a solo home run by Willy Adames in the second. 

He pitched efficiently, giving up a base hit to Yoshi Tsutsugo in the third, a walk to Brett Phillips in the fifth, and a single to Joey Wendle in the seventh but otherwise stayed out of trouble. 

Lugo was lifted for Justin Wilson in the seventh with Wendle on second, and Adames on first after reaching on a fielding error by Todd Frazier. He had his longest outing of the season with six ⅔ innings and 95 pitches thrown. The 30-year-old right-hander gave up two runs, one earned, on four hits with a walk and seven Ks. He lowered his ERA to a 3.82  and improved to (3-3) on the year. 

Wilson entered in relief with the tying runs on base. With first and second and one out, the lefty allowed double-steals to Wendle and Adames to take the double play out of order. Then, Kevin Kiermaier grounded out, reaching on a fielder’s choice but New York saved a run with a one-hopper caught by Todd Frazier to get Wendle out at home. Pinch-hitter Hunter Renfroe replaced Brett Phillips to bat with two outs, and before he could put a ball into play Adames scored on a wild pitch to make it 3-2. With the tying run at second with two outs, Wilson struck out Renfroe with his cutter to limit the damage and keep New York’s lead intact.

Chasen Shreve struck out the side in the eighth. 

Edwin Diaz took over on the bump for the ninth and preserved the 5-2 New York lead. He gave up a two-out base hit to Wendle and recorded one strikeout in earning his fifth save of the year.

In total, New York notched ten hits with three homers and three walks.

J.D. Davis drew a walk in the first for the Mets’ first baserunner. 

New York got one back in the bottom of the second inning after the Rays took a 1-0 lead when Robinson Cano knocked a leadoff solo home run to even it out. The homer marked Cano’s 10th of the season- and the 16th straight year he has reached this feat. Then Pete Alonso walked, and reached second after a two-out wild pitch from Blake Snell. Robinson Chirinos drew a walk for first and second, and Jeff McNeil lined a ball to center field, but Kevin Kiemaier threw out Alonso at home plate to keep the game at a tie. 

New York took the lead on a Pete Alonso solo homer in the fourth. The club got two more on with singles from Chirinos and Jeff McNeil in the fifth, but both were picked off on the basepaths. 

Dominic Smith got the offense going again the the sixth with a leadoff double, moving to third on a Cano groundout. Then with two outs, Alonso knocked in another run as he singled on a sharp line drive to left to send Smith in and put the Mets ahead, 3-2.

An unlikely hero in former-Ray Guillermo Heredia got his first hit as a Met for a homer to tack on another run for New York in the seventh. In the following inning, the club took the final 5-2 lead after Dominic Smith once again reached in the leadoff spot, this time after being hit by a pitch, and back-to-back singles by Frazier and Cano loaded the bases for Alonso. With one out, the first baseman grounded into a force out to send in Smith and tack on another insurance run for the Metsies. 

ON DECK

The Mets look to take the series against the Rays tomorrow evening at Citi Field. Tyler Glasnow (4-1, 4.21 ERA) will face off with Michael Wacha (1-3, 6.75 ERA) in the last of the three-game series. 

In his last start against the Orioles, Glasnow earned the win after allowing one run over five innings. He allowed four hits, walked two, and struck out ten over that span.

Wacha gave up one run on five hits over four innings in his last outing against the Phillies. The right-hander struck out three in the Mets win. 

First pitch in Queens will be at 7:10 PM on September 23rd. The game will be televised by SNY and broadcast on WCBS 880-AM.

The post A Ray of Hope? Mets Topple Tampa, 5-2, to Stay Alive appeared first on Metsmerized.

Every aspect of the Mets game really synced up in their Saturday night 5-1 win against the Phillies, as it was the first time they’ve beaten Philadelphia this season.  Despite Seth Lugo having a tough first inning allowing a home run to Rhys Hoskins, he made it through his start without any other issues.

As Lugo finished the night with four hits and eight strikeouts over five innings pitched, it was the first time since mid-August that a Mets starter received the win. 

The Mets bullpen had a stellar night as well, with their consistency and ability to work their way out of some tough situations aiding the Mets greatly in their win. 

Andres Gimenez had a great night. The 22-year-old drove in Jeff McNeil and Todd Frazier on a single and sac fly respectively. The rest of the scoring plays were on singles from Michael Conforto and Dominic Smith as well as a double from Robinson Chirinos who drove home a speedy Gimenez from first.  

Pitching

Lugo had a rocky start in the first but managed to minimize the damage. Starting off the game with a strikeout to Andrew McCutchen, Hoskins stepped up to the plate and delivered a homer to give the Phillies an early lead. 

After having a 1-2-3 inning in the second, Lugo allowed a pair of walks to Adam Haseley and Bryce Harper in the third, and a pair of singles to Jean Segura and Alec Bohm in the fourth, but found his way out unscathed the score holding at 2-0. 

Lugo had a quick frame in the fifth for his last inning,  the 30-year-old having yet another solid outing, here’s his final line: 

5 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 8 K, 1 HR, 81 pitches/50 strikes

Jeurys Familia entered to pitch a scoreless sixth for the relief only allowing a double to Segura. 

Justin Wilson held the score at 5-1 Mets in the seventh, only giving up a single to McCutchen. The pitcher worked his way out of a jam after a fielding error charged to Brandon Nimmo brought Hoskins to second. 

Miguel Castro had a solid eighth inning allowing a single to Realmuto but made it through the frame without any other issues. 

Edwin Diaz came in for the save, obtaining the first two outs quickly, but struggled to get the last strike as he walked two back to back with full counts. He eventually struck out Hoskins to end the game with the Mets getting the 5-1 win,  

Offense

The Mets didn’t get their first base runner on until the bottom of the third when Jeff McNeil hit a ground-rule double to center field. Andrez Gimenez brought home the first run of the night pushing home McNeil on a grounded single down the hole to even the score.  

Gimenez advanced to third with the first two outs and came into score on a single from Michael Conforto giving the Mets a 2-1 lead in the third. 

The fourth started out with Todd Frazier getting hit by a pitch and a double from McNeil to follow. Gimenez stepped up to the plate and hit a sacrifice fly, Frazier tagging home to extend the Mets lead. 

Brandon Nimmo was walked to start the fifth, Conforto then stepping up to the plate delivered a single to left field. J.D. Davis was then hit by a pitch to load the bases with no outs putting the Mets in a great position to add to their lead. 

Dominic Smith came up to bat, grounding to force out Davis who got caught between first and second, but Nimmo tagged home giving Smith his 28th RBI of the season. The Mets leading 4-1 after five innings. 

Gimenez got a leadoff walk in the bottom of the sixth then scored on a Robinson Chirinos double, making the score 5-1 Mets. The run was greatly attributed to Gimenez’s stellar baserunning, the rookie making it home from first base.

Davis stepped up to the plate with a leadoff double in the seventh with Smith pushing him to third after legging out a single but were both left stranded with the Mets unable to score for the rest of the game. 

On Deck

Jacob deGrom (2-1, 1.76 ERA) takes the mound on Sunday afternoon to face Aaron Nola (4-2, 2.45 ERA) for the third game of the Phillies series. The first pitch is set for 1:10 p.m. ET.

The Mets ace had a tough outing his last time allowing four runs, only one of which was earned. Hopefully, deGrom is able to find his rhythm again as the Mets really need to buckle down with only 20 games left in the short season.

The post Lugo, Bullpen Strong in Mets 5-1 Win Over Phils appeared first on Metsmerized.

The New York Mets needed to make some adjustments to their active roster prior to Wednesday’s game, as their trade deadline acquisitions were set to join the club.

Over the last 48 hours, there had much debate as to how the Mets would accommodate the additions of Todd Frazier, Robinson Chirinos and Miguel Castro, with many wondering if promising young infielders Luis Guillorme or Andres Gimenez could be optioned to the alternate site. Instead the Mets chose to keep a very deep bench and revert to an eight-man bullpen instead.

Last night’s pitchers Ariel Jurado and Franklyn Kilome were both optioned to the alternate site, with backup catcher Ali Sanchez set to join them as well.

Frazier will be in the starting lineup for this afternoon’s game, as he is set to bat cleanup against Orioles left-handed starter John Means.

The post Mets Option Jurado, Kilome and Sanchez For Deadline Acquisitions appeared first on Metsmerized.

Tuesday, September 1, 2020 • 7:35 p.m.
Oriole Park at Camden Yards • Baltimore, MD
RHP Ariel Jurado (0-0, -.–) vs. RHP Asher Wojciechowski (1-3, 5.13)
SNY • WCBS 880 AM • WQBU 92.7 FM

The last several days for the Mets have been interesting:
– Saturday: lose a close game against the Yankees that the Mets tied late
– Sunday: lose a game in extra innings that they had a 7-2 lead going into the last inning
– Sunday: lose a game in extra innings when the home team, playing as the road team, hit a grand slam to start off the 8th
– Monday: lose a game they had an early lead in against the Marlins
– Monday: inexplicably acquire Todd Frazier, a veteran catcher and Miguel Castro at the trade deadline costing Kevin Smith, a starting pitcher, when the rotation is a giant question mark for next season.

So things have been odd at best.

And now they play the Orioles.

Mets Lineup

1. Brandon Nimmo – CF
2. Michael Conforto – RF
3. Dominic Smith – 1B
4. Robinson Cano – 2B
5. Jeff McNeil – LF
6. Pete Alonso – DH
7. Luis Guillorme – 3B
8. Andres Gimenez – SS
9. Ali Sanchez – C

Orioles Lineup

1. Cedric Mullins – CF
2. Anthony Santander – RF
3. Jose Iglesias – DH
4. Renato Nunez – 1B
5. Chance Sisco – C
6. Ryan Mountcastle – LF
7. Rio Ruiz – 3B
8. Pat Valaika – 2B
9. Andrew Velazquez – SS

The Mets will be sending Ariel Jurado tonight to pitch in his first game as a Met. Last year as a Ranger he had pitched in 32 games making 18 starts posting a 5.81 ERA, 5.10 FIP, 1.504 WHIP and 89 ERA+ over 122.1 innings. He was less effective as a starter with a 6.68 ERA over 93.0 innings and a WHIP that jumped from 1.159 to 1.613. He faced the Orioles last year and allowed 3 runs over 6.0 innings from 8 hits while striking out 6. All this being said, he had a four good starts in AAA last year with a 3.57 ERA over 22.2 innings and the year before in AA he had a 3.72 ERA over 101.2 innings.

The Orioles send out Asher Wojciechowski tonight who is seeing regular time as a starter for a second consecutive season. This year in 6 starts and 26.1 innings he has a 5.13 ERA, 6.02 FIP, 1.405 WHIP and 90 ERA+. In his last three games he has allowed 9 runs off 16 hits and 4 homers in 12.2 innings, a 6.39 ERA. Last year he made 16 starts and pitched in 17 games, totaling 82.1 innings with a 4.92 ERA, 5.30 FIP, 1.312 WHIP and 96 ERA+. A few Mets have seen him in action before:

• Dominic Smith 1-1, HR
• Robinson Cano 2-2, 2 2B
• Amed Rosario 1-1

Game Notes

Before the game, the Mets recalled Jurado, designated Hunter Strickland for assignment, and transferred Eduardo Nunez to the 45-day injured list.

Right-handed pitcher Walker Lockett was claimed off waivers by the Mariners.

Ariel Jurado will be the 10th player to start a game for the Mets this year. This will surpass the total number of starters that the Mets used in 2019. The franchise record for starters used in a season is 20 set by the 1967 Mets. Entering the day, the Braves, Marlins, Rays and Red Sox have had 11 players start a game, the most in the majors.

Let’s Go Mets

The post MMO Game Thread: Mets vs Orioles, 7:35 PM appeared first on Metsmerized.

The Mets (15-20) travel to Baltimore to take on Brandon Hyde’s Orioles (15-19) in a two-game series beginning Tuesday night at 7:35 pm. The teams will tangle Wednesday afternoon at 4:05 pm to wrap up the brief series.

Looking at the teams’ records, it’s obvious that this is not quite a rematch of the 1969 World Series. However, with expanded playoffs in 2020, both teams are technically in the race in their respective leagues, and these games will have a degree of importance in that regard.

The Mets are in the midst of a stretch of play that can be described using many words, but let’s use “horrible”. After sweeping the Yankees in a doubleheader Friday night, the Mets proceeded to lose three straight to the Bronx Bombers, all in gut-wrenching fashion. Then on Monday afternoon, even ace Jacob deGrom could not stop the bleeding, as poor clutch hitting and shoddy defense cost the Mets a game in a 5-3 loss to the Miami Marlins.

The Orioles snapped a five-game losing streak on Monday afternoon against the Toronto Blue Jays, and sit in fourth place in the AL East. Baltimore began the season playing above expectations, posting a 12-8 record through 20 games. However, they have fallen on hard times of late, and are 3-11 in their last 14 games.

The big news for the Mets is that they will have some new players and a returning familiar player when the series begins. Before Monday’s trade deadline, the Mets acquired catcher Robinson Chirinos from Texas and pitcher Miguel Castro from the Orioles, and re-acquired Todd Frazier from the Texas. The Mets will need to make roster moves to accommodate their new additions.

The Mets have not yet named a pitcher for Tuesday. They could go with a bullpen game (though the relievers have been working a lot lately). It’s not likely that they would use either Michael Wacha or David Peterson on short rest. The Orioles will send right-hander Asher Wojciechowski to the mound.

Wojciechowski is 1-3 on the season with a 5.13 ERA and a 6.02 FIP. He has struck out 24, walked 10, and allowed 27 hits in 26.1 IP. He features a four-seam fastball, a cutter, and a slider, using these pitches a combined 93% of the time.

The Mets have not yet named a starter for Wednesday afternoon, though both Wacha and Peterson would be in line to pitch. The Orioles have also not named a starter for the game.

What to Watch

How will the Mets use Frazier? What will the roster move be? Chirinos will likely replace Ali Sanchez on the roster as Wilson Ramos‘ backup.

How will the Mets use Castro? Did they bring him in to be the closer after Edwin Diaz‘s epic meltdown on Sunday? Castro has 24 strikeouts in 15.2 IP, but he’s allowed 17 hits and walked five for a 1.404 WHIP.

Robinson Cano has stayed hot for the Mets, and is now slashing .375/.411/.648 with six home runs, for an OPS of 1.058.

Dom Smith continues to rake at .326/.404/.685 for an OPS of 1.088 with seven home runs and 26 RBIs.

Jeff McNeil had two doubles on Monday, and more importantly, looked much more comfortable at the plate. The Mets need him to get hot and stay hot.

Pete Alonso, though he’s had some moments, is struggling with a slash line of .213/.333/.385 for an OPS of .719 with six home runs.

The Mets bullpen…well, it has been bad lately. The bullpen ERA was 4.36 going into Monday’s game, good for 15th in MLB. Since Seth Lugo‘s move to the rotation, the Mets have had three save situations, and blown all three of them.

Who are the Orioles? Here are a few notes about them (all statistics are through games of 8/30).

Their starters have a 5.46 ERA, 25th in MLB.

Their relievers have a 4.12 ERA, 11th in MLB.

The Orioles’ team BA is .259, 7th in MLB. Their .323 OBP is 16th and their SLG of .438 is 10th in MLB. They can hit.

Anthony Santander leads the Orioles with 10 home runs. He has a .902 OPS.

First baseman Renato Nunez is slashing .282/.348/.516 with eight home runs.

Catcher Pedro Severino has five home runs and 21 RBIs, and is slashing .312/.386/.516.

Second baseman Hanser Alberto has a slash line of .324/.345/.456 for an OPS of .801

The Mets have absolutely no time to waste with 25 games left to play. If the post-season were to start now, the Mets would be one of seven NL teams to go home. They need to pitch better, hit better, and field better to string together some wins and get back in the race. For the Mets, there is a fierce urgency of now.

The post Series Preview: Mets Travel To Baltimore For Two With Orioles appeared first on Metsmerized.