Francisco Lindor won his fourth Silver Slugger at shortstop, beating out Willy Adames and Elly De La Cruz. It’s his second with the Mets and comes after an amazing 2024 season where he slashed .273/.344/.500 and stole 29 bases. Lindor is also a finalist for the NL MVP. Congratulations, Mr. Smile!

Photo by Brad Penner of Imagn Images

Latest Mets News

Lindor was spotted in Los Angeles on Tuesday, sparking speculation that he’s there to recruit Juan Soto as Mets owner Steve Cohen prepares to meet with the free agent. Lindor didn’t explicitly say he was recruiting Soto, but TMZ reports he wished him “nothing but the best,” leaving some room for interpretation.

Latest MLB News

The Angels announced that they’ve signed former Met Travis d’Arnaud to a two-year deal worth $12 million. Following a decent 2024 campaign with the Braves, his time in Atlanta ends with an overall slash line of .251/.312/.443 and a 103 OPS+.

In other news from Los Angeles, Sam Blum of The Athletic reports that Sal Fasano has joined the Angels as an assistant pitching coach. The 53-year-old Fasano caught a whopping two games for the 2002 World Series-winning squad.

According to Ari Alexander of Houston’s KPRC-2, former Athletic Adam Oller is going overseas to become a Kia Tiger. The right-hander, who is now 30 years of age, passed through the Mets organization and was part of the deal that brought Chris Bassitt to New York.

In an article from ESPN, MLB insider Jeff Passan spoke about Nick Pivetta‘s future. Most importantly, he mentioned that Pivetta could command a three-year deal, which would mean that he’d decline the $21.05 million qualifying offer.

Joe DeMayo’s sources indicated that Marc Tramuta is set to be the Toronto Blue Jays’ new scouting director. Tramuta had previously held a role with the Mets for six years, departing the organization in 2023 to join Toronto.

The Minnesota Twins have made changes in their front office: CEO Dave St. Peter is stepping down, with Derek Falvey taking over as President of Baseball and Business Operations. Jeremy Zoll will become the team’s new general manager. St. Peter, 57, has been with the organization since 2000, serving as president before becoming CEO in 2016.

The WBC Baseball qualifiers are approaching, with Chinese Taipei, Nicaragua, Spain and South Africa all battling in the Taipei pool. In the 2022 tournament, none of these teams had much luck: Chinese Taipei failed to make it out of Group A, Nicaragua went 0-4 in Group D, and both South Africa and Spain didn’t even qualify.

The city of Tampa Bay reports that the Trop could potentially be renovated by 2026 at a cost of $55 million. However, with plans for a new stadium by 2028, it’s unclear if the city would be willing to invest in the project for just two years of play.

Click here for the full list of Silver Slugger winners. Notably, free agent slugger Anthony Santander, designated hitter Brent Rooker, Josh Smith, Ketel Marte, Jurickson Profar and rookie Jackson Merrill all earned the award for the first time in their careers.

Latest on MMO

Dom Barone reviewed the Syracuse Mets’ 2024 season.

David Melendi profiled free agent southpaw Max Fried.

Sean Kenny graded third baseman Mark Vientos‘ 2024 season in a Mets report card.

On This Date in Mets History

1985: Backed by a 1.53 ERA in 276 2/3 innings pitched, Dwight Gooden won the NL Cy Young. Doc finally won the award after being absolutely snubbed in his rookie year.

2019: Jacob deGrom won his second consecutive Cy Young Award. His 255 strikeouts that year led the league.

Born On This Date: Bobby Pfeil (1942), George Theodore (1946), Rigo Beltrán (1969), Vic Darensbourg (1970), Asdrúbal Cabrera (1985), Brett Baty (1999).

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Thanks to a loss by the Arizona Diamondbacks on Saturday to the San Diego Padres, the Mets “magic number” now sits at two. Meaning, any combination of two Mets wins over their next three games, or a loss by Arizona on Sunday and at least one Mets win over their next three games, guarantees New York a playoff berth. Because of this, with a Mets win on Sunday in Milwaukee, and a Diamondbacks loss to San Diego in Arizona, the Mets would clinch a spot in the postseason

It has been confirmed that the Mets will turn to David Peterson in their game on Sunday against the Brewers. The Brewers are going to throw right-handed starter Colin Rea. Rea has 4.17 ERA and 4.81 xERA on the season. With the Brewers locked into the No. 3 seed in the National League, and their playoff wild card series set to begin early next week, it remains to be seen how long Rea would throw, what pitchers may pitch from their bullpen, or what the lineup may look like in their 162nd and final game of the season.

Elsewhere, even if the Diamondbacks win their final game against the Padres on Sunday, a game that has a projected pitching matchup of Martín Pérez (2.61 ERA, 4.68 FIP with San Diego) versus Brandon Pfaadt (4.80 ERA. 3.70 FIP), the Mets would still be able to clinch a playoff berth with at least two wins over their next three games (one against Milwaukee remaining on Sunday and two against Atlanta on Monday).

Another interesting variable to the equation is Atlanta’s potential motivation in the team’s doubleheader on Monday (if needed, as if both the Mets and Braves clinch on Sunday, these games may not be necessary or played). The Braves, with a walk-off win courtesy of a Travis d’Arnaud on Saturday, decreased their “magic number” to one. That means, they can clinch a playoff berth on Sunday with either a victory at home against the already-clinched Kansas City Royals or a Diamondbacks loss. This would mean, if the Mets and Braves do have to play their doubleheader on Monday, the Braves’ focus would, in all likelihood, would solely be on the team’s first wild card playoff game, rather than two games that are meaningless to them against New York on Monday.

The pitching matchup for Atlanta’s game against Kansas City on Sunday has yet to be announced. Of course, if the Braves clinch a playoff spot on Sunday, in a likelihood, the Mets would avoid any of Atlanta’s prime starters (Chris Sale, Spencer Schwellenbach, or Max Fried) on Monday. As well as whoever the starter is for the Braves in their Sunday matchup (if not Sale or Schwellenbach, likely Charlie Morton).

Despite being 162 games long, Major League Baseball’s regular season never ceases to disappoint. At their most important point in the season, the New York Mets have faltered, losing three games in a row. Despite this, they still have a prime shot at returning to the playoffs for the first time since 2022 and the second time in the last eight seasons.

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Wright had been sidelined since April 14, initially with a hamstring injury, then a diagnosis of spinal stenosis, a condition that would ultimately end his career. But his return on Aug. 24, 2015, sparked the Mets’ lineup during their magical year.

Before the Mets barrage in the city of brotherly love, the Phils had raced out to a 3-0 lead off Mets’ starter Jacob deGrom. Philadelphia grabbed the early lead from Mets’ killer Ryan Howard, who launched a first-inning three-run dinger.

Wright led off the top of the second inning against Philadelphia’s starter, Adam Morgan. Wright hit an absolute bomb to left, announcing his return to the lineup in dramatic form.

The Mets, who were in the midst of a battle with the Nationals for first place in the National League East division, still trailed the game 3-1. And that lead widened on a rare night where deGrom struggled against the Phillies.

Cameron Rupp hit a round-tripper to put the Phillies ahead 4-1 in the bottom of the second, and then Dominic Brown hit a three-run shot in the third to give the Phillies a 7-2 lead. It seemed like this was not going to be a the Mets’ night.

But the Mets chipped away before putting down the hammer. Juan Lagares went yard in the third inning to cut the Mets’ deficit to 4-2 and then the runs came crashing down afterward.

9 years ago today, David Wright returned from injury with a thunderous home run.

pic.twitter.com/NANNstOPWi

— Mike Mayer (@mikemayer22) August 24, 2024

In the top of the fourth inning, Wilmer Flores and Travis d’Arnaud went back to back to bring the deficit to 7-5. Then in the top of the fifth, Flores struck again, along with Michael Cuddyer who added a solo shot to jump the Phillies. The three-run homer and solo shot gave the Mets a 9-7 lead, which they never succumbed.

Daniel Murphy got in on the fun in the sixth inning with a two-run homer. D’Arnaud doubled in two runs in the same inning, giving the Mets a 13-7 lead heading into the bottom of the sixth.

Yoenis Cespedes weighed in in the top of the ninth inning, smacking a two-run home run, putting the Mets ahead 16-7 and ending the scoring for the night. The eight home runs were a club record, and winning the game put the Mets up by five and one-half games in the division. Sean Gilmartin recorded the win, pushing his record to 3-1 on the season.

The Mets would go on to sweep the four-game series in Philadelphia, staying red hot after sweeping three from the Rockies in Colorado in their previous series.

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The breaking-out party started in the first at-bat of the game. In classic fashion, Nimmo worked a 3-1 count against Charlie Morton, then lined a fastball into left field for a single. It was a great sign from Nimmo, who came into Monday’s matchup batting .103.

The single, however, was only a precursor of Nimmo’s big night. The real damage began in the top of the fifth, where the Mets were trailing 4-1 and already in their depleted bullpen.

Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

The stage was set for Nimmo after Morton began the inning with consecutive walks to Jeff McNeil and Joey Wendle. With his control waning, Morton tried to throw Nimmo a 1-1 changeup down in the zone. The pitch never dropped, and Nimmo drove it into the Chop House for his first homer of the season, tying the game 4-4.

The homer, which had a 111.1 exit velocity and traveled 435 feet, shifted the momentum of the game for the Mets. It gave them new life after Julio Teheran allowed four runs in 2 2/3 innings and set up the eventual comeback victory.

Following the homer in the fifth, the Mets had an answer for whatever the Braves threw at them. And Nimmo was at the center of both comebacks.

The tenacity showed in the top of the seventh. The Mets were trailing 5-4 after Travis d’Arnaud doubled in the go-ahead run in the bottom of the sixth, and Nimmo stepped up to the plate for his third at-bat. Facing lefty A.J. Minter, Nimmo connected on a 2-1 fastball, sending it 420 feet to center field to tie the game 5-5. Before the at-bat, Nimmo was 1-for-11 with two walks against Minter. The one hit was a single.

“Today was a huge game for Nimmo,” Mendoza said after the game. “A three-run homer, he went big fly there, and then against a lefty. Tough left on left and for him to dead center, that tells you how good of a player, how good of a hitter he is.”

The two homers were the peaks of Nimmo’s huge night. The lefty went 4-for-4 with two homers, a walk, and five RBIs in Monday night’s win, including an RBI single in the top of the eighth, which was the winning run.

BRANDON NIMMO TIES IT UP! A 435ft home run to even it up 4-4 in the top of the 5th! pic.twitter.com/MgbHRXd1dl

— Metsmerized Online (@Metsmerized) April 9, 2024

The night at the plate was much needed for Nimmo. Before Monday, he was slashing .103/.316/.138 with one extra-base hit and zero runs scored. The massive performance on Monday was more indicative of Nimmo’s bat.

“He’s a great player,” Mendoza said about Nimmo. “At some point, these guys are going to get going.”

After his dominating night at the plate, Nimmo’s slash line is closer to a familiar territory. He’s slashing .212/.395/.424/.819 and has a 129 OPS+.

The Nimmo sparked offense also put up eight runs against the Braves, with the other three coming from a RBI single from Starling Marte in the fourth, and a two-run homer from DJ Stewart in the eighth.

The win improved the Mets record to 4-6. They’ve come a long way from their 0-5 start, which speaks to the mentality that Nimmo and the other Mets have.

“You got to show up tomorrow and try to win the next one,” Nimmo said after the game.

“That’s a really good team over there and they’re not back down just because we won tonight. Nice to kind of do to what they done to us a couple of times, but it doesn’t mean they’re gonna back down. You still gotta show up tomorrow ready to go and ready to compete.”

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Travis d’Arnaud. Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports

There was a time when the Atlanta Braves didn’t always have the New York Mets’ number when it mattered most. Go back to 1969 and the inaugural NLCS. Atlanta actually came out of the West and were quickly gone in a best-of-five sweep. The first two players on our list of Mets-Braves overlap were part of that, but the ties between New York and Atlanta are few and far between aside from mutual dislike. Here’s a bit of source material for your future immaculate grids.

Gary Gentry – Mets (1969-72), Braves (1973-75)

In the shadow of a rotation headed by names like Koosman and Seaver, there was the 22-year-old rookie who won 13 times in ’69 with a 3.43 ERA and three shutouts. One of those came in the NL East clincher on September 24. He gave up only four hits and set off a wild Shea celebration. The party continued through the playoffs and through the World Series, where he was the winner in Game 3.

His career though did not go on an upward track following the championship year. He more or so leveled out and was no better than a league-average pitcher over the next three seasons. The Mets deemed him and reliever Danny Frisella, who regressed after an outstanding 1971 out of the bullpen, expendable enough to be dealt. It turned out to be a two-for-two swap. One player the Mets got in return was George Stone. The other? See below.

Félix Millán – Braves (1966-72), Mets (1973-77)

It became one of the best trades in the early history of the Mets. As it turned out, Gentry’s career never really recovered once in Atlanta. Millán, meanwhile, became the most underrated piece to the ’73 NL champs. He had already established himself with the Braves—making three All-Star teams and claiming a Gold Glove Award at second base. In a year when regulars were dropping like flies from injury, Millán played in 153 games and helped the Mets turn an NL–leading 179 double plays while hitting .290 and establishing a franchise record 185 hits as the No. 2 batter in the order.

While he could never come close to repeating his 1973, Millán remained steady. He typified the term everyday player and set team records for hits (191) and doubles (37) in 1975.

Joe Torre – Braves (1966-68), Mets (1975-77)

Torre played for the Braves and later played for the Mets. Then he immediately transitioned to managing the Mets before being fired and taking over the Braves gig. He was a superior player in Atlanta due to better surroundings and younger age. From 1963-68, he had an OPS+ of 135 and was an All-Star in all but one season. In a lineup that featured, among others, Hank Aaron, Torre drove in 100 or more runs twice even if his speed contributed to his league-leading double-play totals.

He was a more successful manager in Atlanta due to better surroundings and the lessons learned in New York. Torre took over the reins in Queens just as Tom Seaver was heading out and was given a thankless task. Being fired in 1981 turned out to be a blessing as he led the Braves to a division title in ’82.

Mike Hampton – Mets (2000), Braves (2003-05, 2008)

That Atlanta school system must be really good. Hampton’s only regular season in New York was good, but his postseason was great. From late March to late September, the left-hander had a 3.14 ERA and earned 15 victories. But he really justified in acquisition in October. Hampton strung together 16 consecutive scoreless innings against the St. Louis Cardinals, capped by a brilliant three-hit shutout in the clinching Game 5. He was rightfully named the series’ MVP.

Famously citing the superior Denver education system, Hampton bolted the Big Apple for Colorado. From there, he excelled as a hitting pitcher but his actual pitching never improved. His tenure with the Braves was interrupted by a two-year hiatus due to numerous injuries.

Tom Glavine – Braves (1987-2002, 2008), Mets (2003-07)

When thinking of great left-handed pitchers and the Atlanta Braves, it’s hard not to think of Glavine. When thinking of Glavine and the Mets, it’s impossible not to think of his final game. The Hall of Famer had a legendary meltdown in the opening inning of a must-win season finale versus Florida. After allowing seven runs, a five-season tenure marked by a 3.97 ERA and his 300th win just a few weeks ago was overshadowed. The Mets’ chances of a postseason berth went up in smoke and the collapse was all but complete. The frustration was amplified for several reasons, one being his dominance over New York during his time in Atlanta. In fairness, most teams couldn’t beat Glavine. From 1991-2002, he had an ERA+ of 134 and collected two Cy Youngs.

Billy Wagner – Mets (2006-09), Braves (2010)

If he makes the Hall of Fame, the highlights would be more Mets than Braves. That’s due to quantity than quality. By the end of his New York tenure, his arm wasn’t as strong as it was in Houston, Philadelphia, or during his initial years in Queens.

Wagner arrived to the Mets and became one of the best free-agent acquisitions. He saved 40 and pitched to a 2.24 ERA for the division-clinching ’06 club, finishing sixth in the NL Cy Young Award voting. Wagner was an All-Star for each of the next two seasons and ended up with a 10.9 strikeout/9 inning ratio before his 2008 was derailed by a significant elbow injury. An interlude with Boston preceded his joining the Braves, where he came back nicely with a 1.43 ERA over the last 71 games of his career.

Jeff Francoeur – Braves (2005-09), Mets (2009, 2010)

Full disclosure, it feels like Francoeur was on the Mets roster for more than two seasons. Maybe it was because we saw so much of him before then. Francoeur got to witness the successes and failures of New York from afar, then was right in the middle of it during Citi Field’s infancy. He was a decent hitter with a great outfield arm. His production at the plate over 75 games in 2009, coming over from Atlanta in a July trade, exceeded the performance in 2010 when he tailed off and was benched. At least his defense improved—he went from five assists for ’09 to 11 the very next year.

Travis d’Arnaud – Mets (2013-19), Braves (2020-present)

It can’t be forgotten that d’Arnaud was part of a terrific and timely trade with Toronto for Cy Young winner R.A. Dickey that also brought fellow Blue Jay prospect Noah Syndergaard into the Mets’ system. At his best, he helped the Mets win the 2015 National League pennant. At his worst, he was a liability at the plate and in the field.

By 2019, it was clear that d’Arnaud needed a change of scenery. It didn’t happen in Los Angeles or Tampa. Unfortunately for the Mets, the revival happened right within their division. Letting d’Arnaud go wasn’t a mistake by the Mets even as he’s found long-term success in Atlanta, as many seem to do.

The post Big Apple and Deep South: Playing for the Mets and Braves appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

The New York Mets took a 3-1 lead after Starling Marte hit a three-run home run in the fourth inning. Arizona immediately answered back with two home runs of their own, tying the game at 3-3 going into the fifth. Brandon Nimmo did not waste any time getting the lead back, continuing his recent power surge with a solo shot to right field, to put New York on top 4-3.

Max Scherzer attempted to put up a zero in the bottom of the fifth, but failed to do so. The Diamondbacks had two hits and two walks in the frame, scoring on a bases loaded walk from Corbin Carroll. So, despite all the Mets’ good at bats against Zach Davies, the game was tied at 4-4 going into the sixth inning.

Álvarez stepped up to the plate to face former Mets reliever Miguel Castro with one on and one out in the top of the seventh. The right-hander threw a 97 MPH sinker at the bottom of the strike zone and the catcher punished him for it, driving the ball to deep left center field. Álvarez hit the ball a long way, landing at 467 feet with an exit velocity of 110 MPH. That would prove to be the difference in the ballgame, as the Mets would go onto to win 8-5.

The slugger had a remarkable May, but after struggling for a large part of June, he believes he is starting to turn the corner in July. “I think I am slowly but surely getting back there,” Alvarez said. “I don’t think I am back to the same level that I was that month I was playing really well, but I think I am getting there.”

Álvarez’s home run on Tuesday was important in more ways than one, as his 14th of the season set a new record for home runs in a season by a Mets rookie catcher. He previously owned a share of the record with Travis d’Arnaud, who hit 13 home runs in 2014. It was a big day for Mets, who extended their winning streak to three for the first time in over a month. Álvarez delivered in a big spot for a group that so desperately needed a strong start to their final road trip before the All-Star break.

The post Francisco Álvarez Delivers in the Big Moment appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

Good morning, Mets fans, and happy Easter to all those who celebrate!

The Mets (5-4) and Marlins (3-6) wrap up their series this afternoon at 1:40 p.m. at Citi Field. Carlos Carrasco (0-1, 11.25 ERA) will get the ball for the Mets against Braxton Garrett (0-0, 6.00 ERA) for the visiting Miami Marlins.

Of notable Mets news, according to Steve Gelbs of SNY, Buck Showalter told the media on Saturday that Francisco Álvarez will be the starting catcher this afternoon against the Marlins.

Latest Mets News

Jay Horwitz of Mets PR describes the last conversation he had with the late Hobie Landrith as members of the organization pay homage to the late Landrith who recently passed away.

Per Anthony DiComo of MLB.com, according to Jayson Stark of The Athletic, former Met Darin Ruf is re-signing with the San Francisco Giants on a minor league deal.

Per Evan Petzold of the Detroit Free Press, the Detroit Tigers placed outfielder Austin Meadows on the 10-day injured list and recalled Akil Baddoo from Triple-A Toledo.

Latest MLB News

Andrew McCutchen made his first return to PNC Park as a Pirate on Friday. Justice delos Santos of MLB.com caught up with McCutchen during the offseason about what it was like living in Pittsburgh during the offseason before he was brought back to the organization.

Prior to their game on Saturday night, the New York Yankees announced a number of roster moves:

• Recalled right-handed pitcher Jhony Brito from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
• Placed infielder Josh Donaldson on the 10-day injured list (retroactive to 4/6).
• Placed right-handed pitcher Jonathan Loáisiga on the 15-day injured list (retroactive to 4/6)
• Signed outfielder Willie Calhoun to a major league contract and selected him to the active roster.
• Transferred right-handed pitcher Tommy Kahnle to the 60-day injured list.

Per Kris Willis of SB Nation, Brian Snitker said after Saturday’s game that Travis d’Arnaud is expected to go on the seven-day concussion injured list.

Latest on MMO

Dillip Sridhar recaps the Mets minor league affiliate games from Friday, which included a home run for Jett Williams and a solid performance from right-handed pitcher Dominic Hamel.

Mathias Altman-Kurosaki recaps Tylor Megill’s performance from Friday in which he earned his second win of the season.

Andrew Steele-Davis discusses Pete Alonso’s recent hot streak and the history he made against the Miami Marlins this weekend.

Shaun Huntley talks about the 2023 Bowman baseball card sets being loaded with Mets prospects.

Alexis Farinacci recaps the Mets’ 5-2 win over the Marlins from Saturday afternoon that included Kodai Senga and Pete Alonso shining in the win.

On This Date in Mets History

1985: Gary Carter made his Mets debut and hit a home run.

2001: The Mets raise their 2000 pennant flag and won their 2001 home opener over the Braves 9-4. 

Birthdays: Eric Campbell (36), David Robertson (38), Graeme Lloyd (56), Jerry Hinsley (78)

The post Morning Briefing: Francisco Álvarez to Start Behind the Plate Today appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports

We’re about to enter the second full season with the designated hitter in the National League. Teams are likely to use a lot of different players at the position throughout the season to rest their legs a little bit. However, each team has one or two players who are expected to get the bulk of the time at DH this season.

In the NL East, the DH spot boasts a few guys who can slug. The Mets are projected to run with the two platoon bats they picked up last summer, the Braves seem to be shifting an All-Star backstop to the role, and the Phillies have a bat that’s feared across the league. The Nationals will call upon a career minor leaguer to prove he’s more than a flash in the pan, and the Marlins will trot out two guys with huge raw power.

Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports

No. 5 Jorge Soler & Jesús Sánchez, MIA

Jorge Soler and Jesus Sanchez are similar players in the way that they both strike out a lot but have shown that they can hit the ball a long way.

Sánchez figures to get most of the starts against righties, as he hit all 13 of his homers against them. For the season, Sánchez hit .214/.280/.403 (93 wRC+) with 13 homers, 14 doubles, 3 triples, and 36 RBIs in 343 plate appearances. Sánchez made headlines when he hit a 496-foot home run at Coors Field back in May, showing off the 70-grade raw power he received from Fangraphs. He still strikes out a lot, though he cut his strikeout rate down from 31.1% in 2021 to 26.8% in 2022. However, his walk rate also dropped to 7.6% and his .226 xBA and .383 xSLG leave much to be desired. Sánchez also struggled badly against left-handed pitching, going just 8-for-55 with only one extra-base hit and 24 strikeouts against southpaws. Sánchez’s .759 OPS against righties suggests that he could be more effective in a platoon role.

Soler meanwhile failed to live up to expectations in the first year of his three-year, $33 million contract after winning World Series MVP in 2021. Soler played in just 72 games due to injury and hit just .207/.295/.400 (98 wRC+) with 13 homers and 34 RBIs in 306 plate appearances. While he still walked in 10.1% of his plate appearances, his strikeout rate jumped to 29.6%, and ISO dipped below .200 for the first time since 2017. Soler’s 43.1% ground-ball rate was the highest it’s been since 2018, and his 43.9% hard-hit rate was the lowest since that season. Soler hit just .203 against left-handers, but he belted six homers in 69 plate appearances against them, giving him a solid .820 OPS against southpaws. If Soler stays healthy, he could be in for a bounce-back season, and he and Sánchez could supply power for a Marlins team that hit the second-fewest homers in the NL in 2022.

Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports

No. 4 Joey Meneses, WAS

After spending a decade in the minor leagues, Joey Meneses finally cracked the majors after the Nationals traded Juan Soto. Meneses was fantastic after getting the call, hitting a strong .324/.367/.563 (156 wRC+) with 13 homers, 14 doubles, and 34 RBIs in 240 plate appearances. The 30-year-old had a respectable 21.7% strikeout rate and a 47.4% hard-hit rate and was particularly great against left-handed pitching, posting a 1.084 OPS with five homers and seven doubles in 76 plate appearances against lefties.

However, there are some signs that Meneses’ magic might not sustainable over the course of a full season. He only walked at a 6.3% clip, and he had a 47.7% ground-ball rate, which isn’t a great sign for a player that doesn’t have much speed. He also had a .371 BABiP, which is probably the most unsustainable aspect of his game. Meneses’ .457 xSLG and .267 xBA are signs that he’s still an above-average hitter, but likely not a .900+ OPS bat. Even if Meneses regresses though, expect to see him in the middle of the Washington lineup this season and as of right now, it wouldn’t be too surprising if he’s their representative in the All-Star Game.

Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

No. 3 Daniel Vogelbach & Darin Ruf, NYM

The Mets acquired both Daniel Vogelbach and Darin Ruf to help bolster their lineup last summer and they produced two drastically different results.

Vogelbach was solid in 55 games after coming over from Pittsburgh, batting .255/.393/.436 (139 OPS+) with six homers, nine doubles, and 25 RBIs in 183 plate appearances. Vogelbach owned a very impressive 18% walk rate after coming over and his 20.5% chase rate ranked in the 94th percentile of MLB. However, Vogelbach’s numbers were hurt by his 45.5% zone swing percentage, 32.2% swing rate, and 12.8% first-pitch swing percentage. Vogelbach also struggled badly against lefties, going just 10-for-72 with only one extra-base hit against them. However, he was very strong against right-handed pitching, hitting .261/.382/.497 with 18 homers, 18 doubles, and 52 RBIs in 377 plate appearances against righties.

Ruf on the other hand struggled mightily after arriving in Flushing. He hit just .152/.216/.197 with only three extra-base hits and drew just five walks in 74 plate appearances. However, even after his disastrous finish to the season, Ruf finished the year with a respectable .753 OPS in 183 plate appearances against left-handed pitching, and he owns a career .891 OPS against lefties. ZiPS projects Ruf to be a 111 wRC+ bat in 2023, which would be a huge boost to a lineup that lacked a strong DH against left-handed pitching. If Ruf can return to form in some way, he could form a strong tandem with Vogelbach. If Ruf struggles again, expect to see Francisco Álvarez get more at-bats at DH.

Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports

No. 2 Travis d’Arnaud & Marcell Ozuna, ATL

It’s not often you see a Gold Glove finalist get moved to the DH spot, but with the Braves acquiring Sean Murphy, Travis d’Arnaud is expected to see a lot of time in the role. In his age-33 season, d’Arnaud had a nice bounce-back season offensively, hitting .268/.319/.472 (120 wRC+) with 18 homers, 25 doubles, and 60 RBIs in 426 plate appearances. While he walked in just 4.5% of his plate appearances, d’Arnaud’s strikeout rate dropped to 21.1%, which is the lowest it’s been since 2017. Furthermore, d’Arnaud’s ISO rose to .205, which is the highest it’s been over the course of a full season.

When d’Arnaud is behind the plate, Marcell Ozuna is slated to get some at-bats at DH. Ozuna is coming off another disappointing season on and off the field, which included an arrest for a DUI. On the field, Ozuna hit just .226/.274/.413 (89 wRC+) with 23 homers and 56 RBIs in 507 plate appearances. Ozuna struck out in a career-worst 24.1% of his plate appearances and his 89 wRC+ was the lowest mark he’s recorded in a full season. Furthermore, Ozuna’s negative-0.6 fWAR marks the first time he’s dipped below replacement level over the course of a full season. Ozuna also disappeared in the Braves’ NLDS loss to the Phillies, going 0-for-8 with four strikeouts. He did show some signs of life over the last few weeks of the regular season though, hitting .321/.368/.535 in 16 games in September and October. Even if Ozuna struggles again, the Braves have a couple of other formidable options in Sean Murphy and Vaughn Grissom to assist d’Arnaud.

Kyle Ross-USA TODAY Sports

No. 1 Bryce Harper, PHI

Bryce Harper underwent Tommy John surgery in November, meaning he will likely miss most of, if not the entire first half of this season. Still, Harper is by far the most dangerous bat of the DHs in the NL East. He missed time due to injuries and played through a torn UCL in 2022, but he still posted a strong .286/.364/.519 (138 wRC+) batting line with 18 homers, 28 doubles, and 65 RBIs in 426 plate appearances. While his 10.8% walk rate is his lowest mark since 2014, Harper’s 20.4% strikeout rate is the lowest he’s had in a non-Covid shortened year since 2017.

Harper’s batted-ball data remained strong, as his .380 xwOBA, .288 xBA, and .527 xSLG all ranked in the top three percent of MLB, while he ranked in the 92nd percentile of average exit velocity. The only real knock against Harper is that his chase rate spiked to a career-high 35.7%, but his whiff rate fell to 28.2%. Harper took his dominance to another level in the postseason, hitting a scalding .349/.414/.746 with six homers, seven doubles, and 13 RBIs in 71 plate appearances, winning NLCS MVP and helping the Phillies reach the World Series. When he returns to the Phillies’ lineup this summer, it’s going to be very difficult for opponents to pitch to them.

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With pitchers and catchers set to report in just over two weeks, we’re continuing our rankings of each position within the NL East. With catchers, you rarely have just one player get regular playing time, especially with the universal designated hitter option. For that reason, we will be ranking each team by their tandem of catchers heading into the 2023 season.

5. Keibert Ruiz and Riley Adams, WAS

Keibert Ruiz was the centerpiece of the return Washington got when they sent Max Scherzer and Trea Turner to the Dodgers in 2021. Ruiz assumed the starting catcher role full-time in 2022 and showed some signs of greatness. While his .251/.313/.360 (90 wRC+) batting line doesn’t jump off the page, Ruiz struck out in just 11.5% of his at-bats. In addition, Ruiz’s .277 xBA ranked in the 91st percentile on Statcast and suggests that he could improve this season. A switch-hitter, Ruiz had some alarming splits, as he had just a .584 OPS with no homers batting right-handed, compared to a .700 OPS as a lefty. Defensively, Ruiz registered a below-average pitch framer and he threw out a solid 28% of attempted base stealers.

Backing up Ruiz is 26-year-old Riley Adams, who wasn’t much of a factor on either side of the ball in 2022. In 48 games, Adams chipped in negative-1.2 fWAR, almost outweighing Ruiz’s 1.7 mark. Adams hit just .176/.245/.310 while striking out 29.7% percent of his at-bats. The one positive Adams has from 2022 is that he went 4-for-12 with two homers against the Mets.

Jul 17, 2021; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates catcher Jacob Stallings (58) hits a game winning grand slam home run to defeat the New York Mets during the ninth inning at PNC Park. Pittsburgh won 9-7. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

4. Jacob Stallings and Nick Fortes, MIA

After being one of the more productive catchers in 2021, Jacob Stallings took a major step back in 2022. His OPS dropped from .704 to .584, his wRC+ fell from 94 to 71, and he tallied just four homers and 12 doubles in 384 plate appearances. Stallings regressed significantly on defense as well, registering negative-4.3 framing runs in 2022 after recording 8.8 in 2021. His arm took a step back too, as he threw out just 19% of attempted base stealers. All told, Stallings’ fWAR fell from 2.5 to negative-0.6 in 2022.

Nick Fortes, however, emerged as a solid backup option for the veteran Stallings. In 240 plate appearances, Fortes hit a respectable .230/.304/.392 (100 wRC+) with nine homers and struck out in just 18.8% of his at-bats. Defensively, Fortes was an above-average framer with 1.8 framing runs and he threw out 29% of attempted base stealers. In just 72 games, Fortes was able to put up 1.4 fWAR. There’s a strong chance that he will assume the starting catcher role at some point this season.

Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports

3. Omar Narváez and Tomás Nido, NYM

At some point this season, Francisco Álvarez is expected to take over as the Mets’ starting catcher. For now, though, Omar Nárvaez and Tomas Nido are slated to share most of the catching duties.

Neither Nárvaez nor Nido provided much value offensively in 2022. A year after making his first All-Star Game, Nárvaez hit just .206/.292/.307 (71 wRC+) with four homers in 296 plate appearances for the Brewers. His walk rate remained around 10% though and he struck out in under 20% of his at-bats. Nido meanwhile hit a slightly better .239/.276/.324 (74 wRC+) in 313 plate appearances with three homers, all of which came in September. Nido did show some promise though with an .854 OPS over the final month of the regular season and he hit .333/.395/.410 with two outs and runners in scoring position. He also led MLB with 12 sacrifice bunts.

Both players, however, were fantastic behind the plate. Once considered one of the worst framers in baseball, Nárvaez posted his third straight above-average season of framing, recording 7.5 framing runs. Statcast ranks him in the 89th percentile of pitch framing. Nido was a Gold Glove finalist, racking up 7.2 framing runs and ranking in the 93rd percentile for pitch framing. Thanks to their defense, Nárvaez and Nido combined for 2.0 fWAR in 2022, which is greater than both the Washington and Miami tandems.

2. J.T. Realmuto and Garrett Stubbs, PHI

There is a gargantuan gap between the second and third spots on this list, as the Phillies have one of the best catching duos in MLB.

Through the end of June, J.T. Realmuto had just a .677 OPS and just five homers. However, from July 1 on, Realmuto was one of the best hitters in baseball. He hit .311/.366/.591 with 17 homers, 15 doubles, and 55 RBIs in 284 plate appearances. Realmuto’s 163 wRC+ during that stretch ranked eighth among hitters with at least 160 plate appearances and his OPS ranked fifth. Overall for the season, Realmuto hit .276/.342/.478 (128 wRC+) with 22 homers, 21 steals, and 84 RBIs. Defensively, Realmuto recorded 1.1 framing runs and threw out an MLB-best 44% of attempted base stealers. Realmuto’s 6.5 fWAR led all catchers, and he won his second Gold Glove and third Silver Slugger while finishing seventh in MVP voting.

Backing up Realmuto is Garrett Stubbs, who also had a strong offensive season, albeit in a small sample size. In 121 plate appearances, Stubbs hit .264/.350/.462 (128 wRC+) with five homers, four doubles, and 16 RBIs. However, he grades as a below-average framer, and as a result, he only racked up 0.6 fWAR. Still, having two catchers who can put up a 128 wRC+ is quite the luxury.

1. Sean Murphy and Travis d’Arnaud, ATL

What’s better than having one top-10 catcher on your roster? Having two of them. While they dealt away William Contreras, the Braves brought in Sean Murphy, who’s coming off the best season of his career. In 612 plate appearances for the A’s, Murphy hit .250/.332/.426 (122 wRC+) with 18 homers, 37 doubles, and 66 RBIs. Murphy also struck out in a career-low 20.3% of his at-bats and walked in 9.2% of his plate appearances, which is the highest he’s recorded over a full season. Defensively, Murphy put forth another fantastic season of framing, recording 8.7 framing runs, and he threw out 31% of attempted base stealers. Overall, Murphy racked up 5.1 fWAR and received an MVP vote.

Travis d’Arnaud is expected to back up Murphy and serve as the team’s starting DH. In 426 plate appearances, d’Arnaud hit .268/.319/.472 (120 wRC+) with a career-high 18 homers, 25 doubles, and 60 RBIs. While he walked in just 4.5% percent of his plate appearances, he cut his strikeout rate down to 21.1%, which is the lowest it’s been since 2017. Defensively, d’Arnaud had arguably the best season of his career, recording 8.9 framing runs and throwing out 25% of attempted base stealers, which is a huge increase from the 16% he recorded in 2021. All told, the former Met put up a career-high 3.9 fWAR, was a finalist for a Gold Glove, and made his first career All-Star Game. Regardless of who the Braves put behind the plate on a given day, they will always have a strong bat and a great defensive catcher in the lineup.

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Gregory Fisher-USA TODAY Sports

On June 20, Major League Baseball mandated that teams may have no more than 13 pitchers on their rosters. The intent of this rule is simple: limit pitching changes to move games along more quickly and create a product with more on-field action to entertain fans and keep them coming to and watching games. Simple, right? Let’s take a look at what has happened since June 20.

Jayson Stark recently wrote about the thirteen pitcher limit in The Athletic. Starting with the good news, baseball on regional sports networks regularly beats all programming on network television in the ratings. Moving to the not-so-good news, we know that baseball’s fan demographic is skewed, far more than that of all other sports, to older fans, with the median age of fans attending games being over fifty years old. This does not bode well for the viability of the game over the long term.

Stark recaps what fan surveys have shown that fans want from baseball:

• More action.

• Less dead time.

• More great athletes doing that awesome athletic stuff they do.

• More doubles, triples, stolen bases, runners in motion, etc.

And now here’s the important part, at least as it applies to this rule. They also want:

• Fewer pitching changes!

• More starting-pitching matchups fans can get excited about — in part because they can feel reasonably sure those starting pitchers will be out there for more than like, 12 outs.

Well, then baseball is doing the right thing, correct? It hasn’t really played out that way, at least for now. Fewer pitching changes start with starters going deeper into games. That’s not happening in a significant way. Since June 20 across baseball, starters are averaging 5.33 innings pitched, versus 5.11 innings pitched from the start of the 2022 season up to June 20.

There are fewer pitchers on rosters, and the starters are not picking up the slack, so who is gobbling up these innings? We know that managers don’t like to use the same relievers over and over (not to mention that doing so is bad for the hurlers’ effectiveness and careers). As you may have guessed, position players are pitching more in 2022 than ever before (as long as their teams trail by six or more runs).

Stark points out that in 2016, there were 26 position players who pitched that entire season. Since June 20, 34 position players have taken the mound (through games of August 9), and this season overall through that same date, 76 non-pitchers have toed the slab. Further, Stark notes that position players taking the hill regularly is really a recent phenomenon, as in 2005 it occurred just once all year and only three times in 2008.

Is it a mistake for baseball to use limited numbers of pitchers on rosters as one method to reduce “dead air” in games? There are a couple of different ways to answer that question. First, some find the old “reserve catcher on the mound” to be fun. After all, it’s a game, and it should be entertaining. Former Met and current Brave Travis d’Arnaud see it this way. From Stark’s article:

“It makes it fun. Like, the game is out of hand, obviously. And it just brings back a little fun dynamic back into it when the score is out of hand, instead of it kind of being boring and everybody just wants to get (the game) over.”

Another answer to the question is that though starters are not going deeper into games now, the roster limit may eventually lead to a change, where starters are groomed to go longer into games. This will take time, of course, but it would be “back to the future”. In 1972, starters averaged more than seven innings per start.

As recently as 2014, Stark notes, starters averaged six innings per outing. So the pendulum can swing back to longer starts. That would mean fewer pitching changes, perhaps faster and more action-packed games, etc. Maybe it’s not that the roster limit isn’t working, it’s just not working yet.

Yankees’ closer Clay Holmes would like to see a reduction in the frequency of position players pitching. It’s fair to say he did not like what happened on July 5, 2022, when five teams used non-pitchers on the mound in the same day. From Stark’s article:

“It’s definitely not ideal. I don’t think it’s great. When it’s every once in a while, I understand it. But I don’t know. It’s not something I want to see continuing.”

The reality is that if your team is using their backup middle infielder to pitch, your team is losing badly. That may be entertaining once in a while, but the proliferation of the tactic in recent years has progressed beyond the point of novelty.

Perhaps the main point of the roster rule–getting starters deeper into games as one way to reduce pitching changes and increase action–is exactly where it needs to be in its evolution. Initially, the trend goes in the wrong direction, but as the game reacts and adjusts to the new rule, the desired endpoint can be reached.

Sure, it was fun to watch Anthony Recker pitch in 2013, and Jose Reyes do so in 2018 (and others since), but it gets old. The rule limiting the number of pitchers on rosters may need time to settle in. Organizational and managerial philosophies will need to change as well. Baseball does evolve (did you ever think we’d see ghost runners still in effect after 2020, or the DH permanently in the National League?). Just give the roster rule some time.

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