Despite injuries to their starting rotation throughout the season, the Mets lead MLB in team ERA. The Mets rotation is rolling, but New York’s staff is getting some reinforcements to help make their pitching attack even stronger. Frankie Montas has begun making rehab starts and now Sean Manaea is expected to make his first rehab start for High-A Brooklyn this Friday. The Mets’ 2024 breakout star is slated to throw two innings or 35 pitches as he comes back from a right oblique strain.

On Wednesday, the Mets secured a season series victory over the Dodgers Wednesday night, topping Los Angeles by a score of 6-1. Griffin Canning threw another gem, going six shutout innings, while Pete Alonso bludgeoned the Dodgers with two home runs and five RBI.

The Amazins‘ will look to grab a series victory over the Dodgers on Thursday as David Peterson (4-2, 2.69 ERA) will face Landon Knack (3-2, 4.58 ERA) in the four-game sets’ finale.

Latest Mets News

Mark Vientos has a low-grade hamstring strain. He’ll receive treatment for 10-14 days then begin ramping back up.

Baseball America’s Top 100 June Update includes four Mets, click here for more.

All-Star Game voting officially opened. Click here to vote for your Mets!

Luisangel Acuña was making plays at a new position off the field on Wednesday night.

Even on the bench, Luisangel Acuña is LOCKED IN 😂 pic.twitter.com/P5HGQB3QGP

— MLB (@MLB) June 5, 2025

Jonah Tong had another great outing for Triple-A Syracuse, going five no-hit innings with 11 Ks, bringing his ERA down to 2.02.

Latest MLB News

The San Francisco Giants made a flurry of moves, including DFAing OF LaMonte Wade Jr. and signing former Met Dominic Smith to a one-year major league deal.

The Cincinnati Reds placed flame-throwing starting pitcher Hunter Greene on the 15-day IL with a right groin strain. They also signed LHP Wade Miley to a one-year major league contract. 

Rob Manfred will propose the ABS system and it’s likely to arrive to MLB in 2026, per Evan Drellich of The Athletic. For more on the report, click here!

Twins former All-Star RHP Pablo López will be out the next 8-12 weeks with a grade 2 teres major muscle strain, per Dan Hayes of The Athletic.

The Colorado Rockies completed a three-game sweep of the Miami Marlins with their win on Wednesday, their first series victory of 2025.

Red Sox outfielder Ceddanne Rafaela hit a measly 308-foot homer to give the Red Sox an 11-9 win over the Angels, recording the shortest walk-off home run in the Statcast Era.

CEDDANNE RAFAELA TUCKS IT INSIDE THE POLE FOR A #WALKOFF HOME RUN! pic.twitter.com/Hl5T74OLjK

— MLB (@MLB) June 4, 2025

Latest On MMO

Tylor Megill bounced back after a rough start to his outing on Tuesday.

The ABS system could be coming soon.

Jonah Tong continues to deal!

On This Date in Mets History

2022: Adonis Medina strikes out Will Smith to get out of a tenth inning jam, giving the Mets a 5-4 win over the Dodgers and Medina’s first career save.

2001: The Mets select third baseman David Wright out of Hickory High School in Virginia with the 38th overall pick. 

Born On This Date: Dedniel Núñez (1996), Robinson Chirinos (1984), Bill Spiers (1966), Paul Siebert (1953)

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The next year, Cohen brought in Max Scherzer, once again signaling that he was going in rather than folding. Beyond Scherzer, though, the only other significant moves the Mets made were to bring in Starling Marte and Eduardo Escobar, both mid-tier veterans, and trade for Chris Bassitt. The team overachieved for much of the season before the team fell apart in September and October.

Neville E. Guard-USA TODAY Sports

Heading into 2023, if the Mets wanted to win, that had to be the year. Justin Verlander replaced Jacob deGrom, and between the two aging starters, it was an all-in season. At that point, though, the Mets stopped; they did not make any significant changes to their lineup except replacing the struggling James McCann with the struggling Omar Narváez. Every part of the team crumbled in 2023.

Heading into 2024, David Stearns can choose to continue the path of the last three seasons or make some significant changes. As Stearns said, the Mets intend to compete in 2024, but compete for what? The answer to that question should be similar to what it was in 2022, with some notable differences.

Yoshinobu Yamamoto. Yukihito Taguchi-USA TODAY Sports

Overview

The Mets’ ideal 2024 plan should go as follows:

1. Sign a No. 2 and a No. 3 starter
2. Bring in a No. 5 starter for one year; try out as many prospects as possible
3. Get one big bat, preferably at third base or corner outfield
4. Re-sign Pete Alonso
5. Sign one late-inning option
6. Fill the remaining hitting needs (2B/3B/RF/LF/DH) with mid-tier veterans, some for one year; evaluate Baby Mets as much as possible
7. Keep throwing darts at relief pitching with controllable arms

Focus on Starting Pitching

If there is one area of the team the Mets should rebuild this offseason, it is the starting pitching. The Mets’ lone holdover starters from 2023 are Kodai Senga and José Quintana. Quintana is 34 years old and not under contract beyond 2024, while Senga can opt out after 2025 if he pitches 234 innings over the next two seasons combined.

There are a number of quality pitching options on the market. The Mets need to acquire at least two starters with multi-year commitments. Instead of relying on aging aces, they need pitchers who have longer windows than a year or two. Although it would be ideal to have young, cheap starters filling out the rotation, that is not currently the case.

Yoshinobu Yamamoto

The linchpin of the Mets’ offseason should be Yamamoto. They’ve been scouting him for months. True, there is a risk for any player coming over from Japan. Still, Yamamoto had a 1.16 ERA, 0.86 WHIP, 1.5 BB/9, and 0.1 HR/9 in Japan last season. The Mets should do everything possible to woo him, especially because he is just 25 years old. Corbin Burnes is a trade option, but acquiring him would mean giving up prospects and a big contract extension.

I doubt Cohen opens the pocketbook for both pitchers. Yamamoto is the preferred option.

A No. 3 Starter

Jordan Montgomery is likely the best free agent in this category, coming off back-to-back solid seasons. Montgomery is worth a significant pursuit as long as the commitment is closer to four years than seven. Entering his age-31 season, he should still be a solid starter for some time. He’d certainly be pitching above his value as a third starter.

Trading for Tyler Glasnow, reportedly a Mets consideration, would be risky. He costs $25 million this season, and his 120.0 innings pitched in 2023 were a career-high. Glasnow would at best be a bridge answer toward the back of the rotation. The Mets should also pass on Dylan Cease.

Any More Starters?

If the Mets don’t intend to seriously contend in 2024, José Butto can be their fifth starter. In nine 2023 games (seven starts), Butto posted a 3.64 ERA, 4.02 FIP, and 0.64 HR/9. His biggest issue is command; he averaged 4.93 BB/9, leading to a 1.33 WHIP.

Such a plan leaves little margin for error due to injury, though. Butto’s five-game performance at the end of 2023 was encouraging. Still, it’s a small sample and leaves the Mets very thin beyond him. David Peterson will miss much of the season, and Tylor Megill has shown he’s not a starting option.

Wade Miley and Hyun-Jin Ryu are the most logical choices to fill out the rotation. Both would likely take one-year deals. The Mets should not pursue reclamation projects like Lucas Giolito or Luis Severino unless they come cheap.

Promote the Kids in 2024

Prospects Mike Vasil (MLB.com Mets No. 9), Christian Scott (No. 12), Dominic Hamel (No. 16), and Tyler Stuart (No. 17) are all projected to debut in 2024, per MLB.com. Vasil is the most touted, though he had a 5.30 ERA in 16 Triple-A starts. Still, he allowed three or fewer runs in six of his last eight starts.

All four should get opportunities this season. The Mets must figure out which of their minor leaguers could be part of the team in 2025 in some capacity. The team has not developed a pitching prospect into a consistent contributor in years (I’d argue since deGrom in 2014). They need to see if that can change.

Patch Up Bullpen But Don’t Overcommit

The Mets have only Edwin Díaz and Brooks Raley as reliable bullpen options in 2024. Still, they should not seek to bring back David Robertson, who, at nearly 39, would represent a win-now move.

If they want to add one setup man, Jordan Hicks, Yuki Matsui, Robert Stephenson, or Keynan Middleton should be the options they consider. At 27, Hicks will be the most coveted but may seek a closer spot. Matsui is coming from Japan. Stephenson overhauled his pitching repertoire, while Middleton had a sudden solid season. Some are worth longer commitments than others, but choosing one would be a good way to methodically build the bullpen.

Joey Lucchesi can take over as the long reliever. He had a mixed 2023 season, but I think he does best in the two-to-four-inning range rather than as a starter. Perhaps he can be an opener, if needed.

For the rest of the bullpen, I think the Mets should utilize the strategy they erroneously followed in 2022-23: acquire many arms, including several optionable, and hope some stick. It was a mistake when they were trying to win a championship but makes sense in a holdover season. Brett Martin and Jackson Stephens are coming off significant injuries but had previous success and could be cheap signings.

The Mets can also try out some of their prospects in the bullpen if they don’t make it as starters. Finding a young, controllable, reliable reliever has been a Mets goal for several seasons with little success. For example, Scott may not make it as a starter long-term, but he has potential as a reliever.

Sergio Estrada-USA TODAY Sports

Add One Big Power Bat

This should not be the season the Mets look to load up their hitting due to the thin market. Still, the lineup has long lacked big-time power beyond Alonso, often causing him to press. Lindor undoubtedly has pop, but he’s not a pure slugger. Francisco Álvarez can still develop into a middle-of-the-order bat but struggled in the second half of 2023.

If the Mets could acquire Juan Soto without breaking the prospect bank, they should do it. However, I doubt the Padres would trade Soto for Ronny Mauricio, Kevin Parada, and Megill. They would likely want at least one of Luisangel Acuña (MLB.com No. 38), Drew Gilbert (No. 52), or Jett Williams (No. 78). Soto is worth it with one of those top prospects in the package, though. He is just 25 years old and can help solve the Mets’ outfield hitting issues.

Shohei Ohtani is every baseball fan’s dream, but Ohtani seems unlikely to come to the Mets. I’ve always wondered how long a two-way player’s body can hold out. Ohtani is by far the most valuable player in all of baseball, but how long can he remain so, even compared to other players his age?

The most likely free-agent options are Jorge Soler and Rhys Hoskins, who profile as DHs. I prefer Hoskins despite his ACL tear in 2023, as he has never posted a wRC+ lower than 112.

To me, Matt Chapman and Cody Bellinger should not be options. Chapman was mediocre in 2023. Bellinger had a resurgent season after several years of futility. Both declined qualifying offers and are likely to receive deals far beyond their actual value. They have high bust potential due to uneven performance over the past several seasons.

Pete Alonso. Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

Extend Alonso

Perhaps this should be listed as the No. 1 offseason priority. The Mets should negotiate against themselves before they need to negotiate against everyone else. Trading the biggest slugger in team history would be a huge mistake, one Stearns doesn’t seem keen on making.

Scott Boras and Alonso undoubtedly would prefer to hit the market. Still, the Mets should do everything possible to persuade Alonso to sign an extension beforehand. They should not be sanguine about their ability to outbid everyone else next year.

Boras claimed he’s not using Matt Olson‘s eight-year, $168 million deal as a starting point for Alonso’s contract. The Mets should use that as a hard line in negotiations. Olson’s 5.0 fWAR in his final year with Oakland was close to double Alonso’s 2.8 mark in 2023. The Mets can’t push that line too far, but staying away from the 10-year threshold is worth adding some extra per-year dollar value to appease Alonso.

David Banks-USA TODAY Sports

How to Handle the Infield

Alonso will be the Opening Day first baseman. Lindor is locked in at shortstop. The other two infield positions are more iffy.

Jeff McNeil played primarily at second base in 2023, but he saw a decent amount of time at both corner outfield positions. Although the Mets can still move him around, it seems that his home is still second base. If so, that would leave just third base open.

Internally, the Mets have Acuña, their No. 1 prospect, who profiles as a second baseman and could debut in 2024, though he won’t be their Opening Day starter. If he comes up and plays well, McNeil can shift to the outfield on a more full-time basis. For now, though, the assumption should be that the Mets need a starting third baseman and another option who can play second when McNeil moves to the outfield.

Gio Urshela and Justin Turner could both fit that bill. Turner is the better hitter, but Urshela is younger and likely cheaper. Both have positional versatility. Jeimer Candelario would be more of an offense-first move. He posted an OPS of at least .795 in three out of the past four seasons. Candelario’s projections have ranged between $11-18 million, and this move is not worthwhile at the upper end, nor in the four-year range. Still, he should be on the Mets’ radar as a third baseman.

What of the Mets’ three infield prospects who played in 2023? Mauricio played mostly second base and posted a .248/.296/.347 line in 108 plate appearances. Mark Vientos hit .211/.253/.367 and posted -0.9 fWAR in 233 plate appearances. Baty slashed .212/.275/.323 with -0.5 fWAR in 389 plate appearances. It’s difficult to justify a major league spot for any of them, but the Mets must have a definitive answer about all three.

Adam Duvall. Credit: Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports

Outfield

Considering that Starling Marte’s legs are such a critical part of his game, it’s unreasonable to expect him to bounce back in 2024. Still, he’s under contract for two more years and will probably be part of the Mets’ plans. None of the Mets’ outfield prospects seem likely to hit the majors in 2024. Therefore, If McNeil sticks at second, they need two corner outfielders for next season (although one can potentially platoon with Marte). Soto would ideally be one of them, but he doesn’t seem likely for the Mets.

Lourdes Gurriel Jr. could draw their interest. Gurriel is generally a solid defender and a mostly average bat. If the Mets want to look toward the Asian leagues again, Jung Hoo Lee is also an option. He’s only 25, but he may not project as a power bat in the MLB. Teoscar Hernandez‘s name has repeatedly come up, but the only way I’d pursue him is on a shorter-term deal commensurate with his poor 2023 performance.

The Mets could also pursue a bridge outfielder. Adam Duvall was on their radar last year, and he posted a .247/.303/.531 slash line (116 wRC+) while playing an adequate corner outfield.

How this Works for 2025

The Mets reset by selling off in 2023, but it left them with many holes. Realistically, they won’t be able to fill all those holes in one offseason, nor should they try. Ideally, they can build enough talent so as not to need another major overhaul in 2025. This doesn’t mean writing off 2024, but it does mean not going all-in for a championship.

If they can lock down two front-end starting pitchers, it will be easier to fill in the back of the rotation in 2025. Perhaps one of their prospects can become a fifth starter, which would leave them in a solid position heading into 2025.

The bullpen is a bigger problem. That’s why a setup man makes the most sense. Solve those problems in 2024 and then try to fill in the rest. They’re unlikely to fix the entire bullpen in one free agency cycle.

In the lineup, if they extend Alonso and sign another power bat, they’re more likely to be able to rely on the kids in 2025. Obviously, this depends on Álvarez and McNeil hitting closer to their potential. Possibly signing one other solid bat and a couple of bridge veterans can fill out the lineup.

This would spur the hope that one of their prospects — Baty, Mauricio, Vientos, Acuña, or Williams — can become a viable starting option, possibly necessitating only one significant lineup move in 2025. That’s also when Gilbert, Parada, and Alex Ramírez could join the mix if the Mets don’t trade them first.

This is not a low-spending strategy at all. But it’s a way to try to fill some bigger holes, patch up others until more resources are available, and bridge the gap until the Mets’ top prospects are ready.

One Big Issue

The Mets have many players hoping for improvement in 2024, but they did little at the coaching level to facilitate it. Although changing managers could help, keeping Jeremy Barnes and Jeremy Hefner means the players will be receiving similar coaching. Eric Chávez and Barnes have not been able to develop the Mets’ hitting prospects. Hefner has failed with virtually every Mets pitcher except Diaz.

When Stearns and Mendoza came in, it would have made the most sense to change coaches, as well. Not doing so is a poor prospect for all Mets players, either from elsewhere or from within the organization.

Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

Why Not Buy a Team?

Some Mets fans will bristle at not trying to win a championship every year. It’s sort of the Yankees George Steinbrenner syndrome: what we can’t build, we’ll buy.

Still, Cohen has made clear that this is not a sustainable long-term strategy. The Mets could choose to mostly sit out this free agency cycle, but that would mean potentially tanking in 2024 and even 2025. That doesn’t appear to be in their plans.

This is why much of my proposed strategy involves multi-year deals. The team should determine which acquisitions would be part of their longer-term plans. Ideally, they would be able to play all their young players without being forced to sign other starters, but those players are simply not reliable.

There is a fundamental difference between many of these deals and the Mets’ signing of Marte in 2022. Acquiring a 33-year-old for four years when the player is so reliant on speed is never a good idea. By contrast, players like Hoskins, Soler, and Candelario, all in their early 30s, are power threats rather than speed. Signing them is a lot safer than Marte was.

I still think Cohen can try the strategy he proposed when he first joined the team: spending money in the interim while trying to build a sustainable future. The Mets have enough prospects in the upper minors to be able to field a cheaper roster if they can develop those players. For now, they still need those augmenting pieces, and that will come mainly by spending money. Still, it’s not wise to go out and splurge on every big name on the market in pursuit of a championship in 2024.

We’ll see what path Stearns chooses as he begins to shape the Mets in his vision.

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Well, the team missed the playoffs in 2021, was knocked out in the Wild Card round in 2022, and finished with a 75-87 record with the highest payroll in baseball history ($343,605,087 million) in 2023. It’s fair to say expectations aren’t being met.

Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports

However, year four of the Cohen era commences in 2024, and the landscape is completely different. Cohen finally found his perfect match in David Stearns, the former general manager of the Milwaukee Brewers, and former Met intern that the Wilpons refused to hire internally.

With Stearns at the helm, along with impressive names who were poached from other organizations, the Mets are finally staring at something the organization hasn’t seen since the 1980s — stability.

Year one of the David Stearns era could go in any direction. He turned the Brewers into a perennial threat in the National League Central within three years, but with Cohen’s money, he doesn’t need to be patient with building his foundation.

As it stands now, the Mets payroll is estimated to be $264,288,525 million after factoring in the competitive balance tax and estimated arbitration numbers. However, going into 2025, the Mets payroll is only estimated at $161,866,666 million.

The massively shed team salary in 2025 leaves Stearns with a lot of wiggle room this offseason. He has room to add whoever he wants, and with Cohen’s willingness to blow past the competitive balance tax, Stearns can piece together any roster he desires.

With potential future stars and bonafide future Hall-of-Famers available, Cohen and Stearns have the chance to set up the Mets for the next five years. With all that in mind, I laid out my ideal offseason for the Mets below.

ROTATION WISHLIST

The rotation is, well, not looking great for 2024. Max Scherzer, Justin Verlander, and Carlos Carrasco are all off the roster, and David Peterson will likely miss the first three months of the season.

While some may see that as a net positive for the Mets, the four starters combined for 403 innings last season. That’s 76 combined starts and 47% of all the starts made by Mets’ starting pitchers in 2023.

The Mets will add starting pitchers via free agency and it may be the area where they spend the most. As stated earlier, the Mets have flexibility in the near future with their payroll and shouldn’t be afraid to spend big this offseason.

The starting rotation needs work. Here are the pitchers the Mets should target this offseason:

• Yoshinobu Yamamoto: Seven-year, $215 million
• Wade Miley: One-year, $8 million
• Brandon Woodruff – Two-year, $37 million

The first name is self-explanatory. The Mets should be all in on Yoshinobu Yamamoto. He had another dominating season in the Nippon Professional Baseball League, posting a 1.21 ERA and 0.884 WHIP in 164 innings. Yamamoto is easily the best free-agent starting pitcher available and is only 24 years old. The seven-year deal at $215 million would give Yamamoto an average annual value of $30.7 million and pay him like a top ace in the game.

Wade Miley makes sense from an organizational standpoint. The Mets need short-term answers in the rotation while Blade Tidwell, Mike Vasil, and others develop in the minors. Miley, despite being 37 next year, was solid again in 2023. He posted a 3.14 ERA in 23 starts, along with a respectable 1.139 WHIP and outstanding 137 ERA+.

Miley is currently projected to make $7.9 million by Sportrac.com and would be a cheap option to give the Mets breathing room for other additions. Miley is also a name Stearns has acquired in the past and played in Milwaukee in 2018 and 2023.

Another reunion that makes sense for the Mets is between Stearns and Brandon Woodruff. The righty owns a 2.98 ERA since 2018l, has made two All-Star teams, and finished fifth overall in the 2021 National League Cy Young race.

This move, however, wouldn’t impact the Mets until 2025. Woodruff recently had shoulder surgery and will likely miss the entire 2024 season. Still, it’s an opportunity to commit short-term to a once-dominant player and reap the rewards.

Woodruff recently turned down a two-year deal with the Brewers and would likely ask for a sizeable contract despite his injury. Woodruff, however, is one of the best pitchers in the majors when healthy, and Cohen has the money.

Even without Woodruff for 2024, the Mets rotation would still be in great shape. Here is the projected rotation with the additions:

1. Kodai Senga
2. Yoshinobu Yamamoto
3. José Quintana
4. Wade Miley
5. José Butto 

RETOOL THE BULLPEN

The Mets bullpen is getting Edwin Díaz back next year, yet somehow is in a worse position than it was last year.

David Robertson, Adam Ottavino, and Trevor Gott are all gone, and like the starting pitching debacle, leave the Mets with a lot of innings to recover. The three of them combined for 134 2/3 innings in 2023, which the majority of were high-leverage innings.

Looking at the 2024 roster, the Mets are going to need at least new three arms in the bullpen to compete. Brooks Raley and Drew Smith are the only returning pitchers with over 50 innings in the bullpen from 2023, and Díaz is returning from a significant knee injury.

Besides those three, the 40-man roster currently holds Phil Bickford, Reed Garrett, Grant Hartwig, Sean Reid-Foley, and Josh Walker. Again, not great.

Luckily for the Mets, there are a lot of formidable pitchers who are free agents this offseason. Below, I picked out three realistic names that I believe the Mets could and should pursue:

• Craig Kimbrel: Two-year, $21 million
• Dylan Floro: One-year, $2.5 million
• Brent Suter: Two-year, $6 million

Craig Kimbrel might disappoint as the headlining name in an offseason where Josh Hader is available, but hear me out. Kimbrel had another solid year for the Phillies in 2023 and finished with a 3.26 ERA and 12.3 SO/9. He continues to be an effective pitcher out of the bullpen at age 36 and proved he can still get outs in high-leverage situations, finishing and leading the Phillies bullpen with 23 saves in 2023.

Kimbrel might not be Hader, but he is projected to receive an AAV of $10 million a year, which is a steal for a pitcher who still strikes out batters at an impressive rate. Kimbrel did allow 10 homers last season, but put him in Citi Field instead of Citizen’s Banks Park and that number will certainly drop.

Like Kimbrel, Brent Suter is another older pitcher with a proven track record. The 34-year-old owns a career 3.16 ERA since moving to the bullpen full-time and is coming off an impressive year with the Rockies, where he posted a 3.38 ERA in 69 1/3 innings.

Suter is also an inning eater. He has pitched in 209 1/3 innings in the last three seasons with a 3.40 ERA and can come in to provide middle to late relief. Suter is also another Stearns pitcher and pitched in Milwaukee from 2016 to 2022.

Dylan Floro is easily the most surprising name between Suter and Kimbrel. He struggled in 2023, finishing with a 4.76 ERA between the Marlins and Twins in 2023.

But, when looking at the advanced numbers, Floro is due for a massive bounce-back season. He recorded a 2.96 FIP, which was almost two full runs lower than his ERA. Batters also recorded a .401 BABIP and 87.1 MPH average exit velocity against Floro, resulting in runs from weak contact.

Floro, like Suter, is another low-cost bullpen arm that could provide dividends for the Mets. Floro is an underrated arm on the market and has had recent success. He recorded a 2.85 ERA and 25 saves in 142 innings from 2020-2023.

With these additions, here is how the Mets bullpen would look like this:

• CL: Edwin Díaz
• SU: Craig Kimbrel
• SU: Brooks Raley
• RP: Drew Smith
• RP: Brent Suter
• RP: Dylan Floro

EXPLOSIVE OFFENSIVE ADDITIONS

The Mets offense unsurprisingly regressed last season. And yes, some regression was expected. The 2022 team batted .269 with runners in scoring position and led the majors in batting average.

Fast forward to 2023 and the offense only batted .243 with runners in scoring position. That’s a massive drop-off from the year before and another testament to how batting average isn’t a great tool to measure offensive production.

Still, the 2023 lineup dealt with injuries and underperformance, which leads me to believe that not a lot has to change in order for the team to produce runs.

The Mets offense is missing one middle-of-the-order bat, and below, I have my eyes set on one slugger and one player in the midst of a potential hall-of-fame career:

• LF Juan Soto: One-year, $30 million
• DH Rhys Hoskins: One-year, $22 million

JUAN SOTO

Let’s start with the jaw-dropper: Juan Soto. The Mets were connected with Soto in 2022 when the Nationals decided to trade the outfielder after he turned down a mega contact. However, the Mets never had a chance due to their lack of high-level prospects and the fact that Mike Rizzo rarely trades within the NL East.

Instead, the Padres won the Soto sweepstakes and have enjoyed one-and-a-half seasons of the three-time All-Star. While he underperformed in 2022, Soto bounced back in 2023 and slashed .272/.410/.519 with 35 homers and 132 walks, finishing sixth in the NL MVP race. However, like the Mets, the Padres dealt with injuries and underperformance in 2023 and missed the playoffs.

Now, to the Mets’ benefit, the Padres find themselves between a rock and a hard place financially. The organization had to take a $50 million loan last season to afford its payroll and now has to find ways to shed money for the upcoming 2024 season.

Soto is the main candidate to be moved. He is projected to make $30 million in his last year of arbitration for 2024 and is at his highest trade value. Cohen proved last season that money isn’t an issue and a deal between the Padres and Mets makes sense.

A deal for Soto would require a top prospect and MLB-ready pitching. However, Jon Heyman recently reported that two top-100 prospects could possibly get a Soto deal done.

PROPOSED DEAL:

Mets receive: Juan Soto

Padres receive: Ronny Mauricio (No. 87, MLB.com), Kevin Parada (No. 89, MLB.com), and Tylor Megill

This deal checks both boxes for the Padres, according to multiple reports on what the Padres are asking for. The Mets give up two top-100 prospects in Mauricio and Parada, plus Megill, a starting pitcher who has four years of team control and is still pre-arbitration eligible.

Meanwhile, the Mets get Soto, a No. 3 hitter that the team desperately needs after the offense finished 20th in runs (717), 18th in OPS (.708), and 10th in homers (215) in 2023.

RHYS HOSKINS

The second — and less exciting — bat the Mets should pick up is Rhys Hoskins.

Hoskins has surprisingly been forgotten this offseason. He missed the entire 2023 season when he tore his ACL in spring training and was then non-tendered by the Phillies after the postseason. No setbacks were reported regarding Hoskins’s injury, but the only team that is reportedly interested in the slugger is the Washington Nationals.

Hoskins deserves more love. A lot more. He’s hit 148 homers across six seasons, which includes his rookie season and the COVID-19-shortened season. Hoskins also pairs his power with a great eye and has a career .358 OBP.

The former Phillie checks multiple boxes for the Mets offense. For starters, Hoskins provides more thump to a Mets lineup that finished 10th in homers. While 10th isn’t terrible, it’s behind the Braves and Phillies, who hit the first and eighth most homers in the majors last season.

The Mets also need another bat who can hit left-handed pitchers. The Mets finished with a .708 OPS (24th in MLB) and .398 slugging percentage (24th in MLB) against lefties last year, and were regularly dominated by southpaws.

Hoskins immediately flips the script for the Mets. He owns a career .250/.399/.522 slash line against lefties, along with 40 homers in 617 at-bats.

The Mets lineup becomes outright scary after adding Soto and Hoskins. Here is a potential lineup card if the two are added:

CF Brandon Nimmo
SS Francisco Lindor
LF Juan Soto
1B Pete Alonso
DH Rhys Hoskins
2B Jeff McNeil
RF Starling Marte
C Francisco Álvarez
3B Brett Baty

IN CONCLUSION

My offseason plan for the Mets may seem unrealistic, but hey, it’s Cohen we’re talking about.

Cohen blew past the competitive balance tax last season and there’s no reason to believe he won’t do it again. After adding up all the suggested contracts, the Mets would add another $113.2 million to their roster. So to sum it up, it would be almost impossible to add every player listed.

But this is what’s fun about being a Mets fan today. Cohen could add everyone on this list if he wanted. While my wishlist won’t be fulfilled, multiple players have to be added to this roster. As of Nov. 25, only 28 players are listed on the Mets 40-man. Stearns has a lot to do before the start of the 2024 season.

The post Opinion: Mets Wishlist For 2024 Roster appeared first on Metsmerized.

Good morning, Mets fans!

Angels third baseman Anthony Rendon has been suspended five games and fined an undisclosed amount by Major League Baseball for trying to hit a fan on Thursday night in Oakland. The confrontation occurred as the team was leaving the visiting dugout following their 2-1 loss to the A’s. Rendon heard the fan heckling him, which led to the situation escalating.

Rendon will appeal the suspension, and already had it reduced to four games, Jeff Fletcher of SoCal News Group reported.

Latest Mets News

Carlos Carrasco struggled mightily and the Mets’ bats couldn’t get anything going against Freddy Peralta as they dropped their series opener with the Brewers, 10-0. Carrasco threw 96 pitches in four-plus innings, getting charged with five runs on four hits and four walks. His fastball averaged just 91.1 miles per hour, the lowest he’s averaged in any start in his career. Tommy Hunter got roughed up too, giving up five hits and five runs, including a grand slam to rookie Brice Turang. The lone highlight for the Mets was Luis Guillorme tossing a scoreless inning of relief in the bottom of the eighth.

The Mets will look to bounce back with Max Scherzer (1-0, 4.50 ERA) on the hill for his second start of the year, facing off against southpaw Wade Miley. Scherzer was solid in his start against the Marlins on Opening Day, allowing three runs, four hits, and two walks with six strikeouts in six innings. First pitch is scheduled for 7:40 p.m.

Right-hander Jeff Brigham was placed on the injured list by Triple-A Syracuse on Sunday. That move leaves the Mets without any non-MLB relievers on the 40-man roster.

Jeff McNeil was honored by MLB.com, winning the Play of the Week presented by Chevrolet for his great hustle and throw to cut down a run in the fifth inning of Friday’s game in Miami.

Jeff McNeil flashed the leather to secure 2023's first Play of the Week presented by @Chevrolet. pic.twitter.com/o6o0r2ceRf

— MLB (@MLB) April 3, 2023

Latest MLB News

Michael Conforto hit his first homer of the season for the Giants in San Francisco’s 12-3 win over the White Sox. Deesha Thosar of FOX Sports spoke to the former All-Star as he seeks redemption with his new team.

Before the Angels and Mariners squared off Monday night, Shohei Ohtani and Ichiro Suzuki exchanged pleasantries in the outfield.

Los Angeles Angels' Shohei #Ohtani takes off his hat and bows to former Seattle Mariners player #Ichiro Suzuki before a baseball game Monday, April 3, 2023, in Seattle. For @AP_Images pic.twitter.com/hkQzsDd30R

— Lindsey Wasson 📸 (@lindseywasson) April 4, 2023

Latest on MMO

Chris Bello recaps the Mets’ series-opening loss to the Brewers.

Nate Mendelson gives us three takeaways from the Mets’ loss on Monday.

Rivka Boord publishes the first edition of 3 Up, 3 Down for the 2023 season.

On This Date in Mets History

1994: With the wind blowing out at Wrigley Field, Dwight Gooden surrenders three homers to Tuffy Rhodes, but the Mets bang out 16 hits, including four from Jeff Kent in a 12-8 win on Opening Day. Kent, José Vizcaíno, and Todd Hundley all go deep, and the Mets’ bullpen records the final 10 outs to seal the win.

2014: Lucas Duda hits two two-run homers and Jenrry Mejia allows just one run in six innings as the Mets earn their first victory of the season, 4-3 over the Reds. José Valverde puts two men on with one out in the ninth inning but gets Joey Votto to fly out and strikes out Jay Bruce to secure his first save as a Met.

2018: The Mets continue their strong start to the season, completing a two-game sweep over the Phillies with a 4-2 victory. Amed Rosario‘s two-run triple and Yoenis Céspedes‘ two-run homer provide all the Mets’ offense, and the bullpen throws five shutout innings after Noah Syndergaard exits.

Birthdays: Ron Locke (81), Tom Herr (67), Eric Valent (46), Cameron Maybin (36)

The post Morning Briefing: Anthony Rendon Suspended For Incident With Fan appeared first on Metsmerized.

Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports

Good morning, Mets fans!

Wade Miley, Cy Young candidate in the National League, has been claimed off waivers by the Cubs. Miley, 34, had one of the best seasons of his career in 2021. He pitched to a 3.37 ERA over 28 starts, and was arguably the best pitcher on the Reds this season. His 3.37 ERA was good enough for 18th best in baseball. That ERA was also the lowest he has had in a full season since 2012, his first full year in the major leagues, where he posted a 3.33 ERA.

The Reds letting Miley go could be a sign of a potential teardown this offseason. The club entered 2021 with incredible high hopes, but only managed to finish in third place and 12 games out of the top spot in the NL Central. Their star bat in 2021, Nicholas Castellanos, has already declined his option for the 2022 season, and will become a free agent. C. Trent Rosecrans of The Athletic reported that the Reds intend to offer Castellanos a qualifying offer, keeping the potential of him remaining with the club alive. This poses further questions as to which enticing players could potentially be put on the trade block this winter.

Latest Mets News

KBK Sports is hosting an auction for the benefit of the Peter Frates Family Foundation in Boston. Tim Britton of The Athletic reports that there will be a few Mets-related items up for auction.

Latest NL East News

One lucky Braves fan got the opportunity to attend all six World Series games, and has quite the story to go along with each!

The Nationals have claimed lefty Francisco Pérez off of waivers from the Indians.

Latest MLB News

Per Jesse Rogers of ESPN, the White Sox will not be picking up $6 million on second baseman Cesar Hernandez for 2022.

Rogers also reports that the Astros have re-signed manager Dusty Baker to a one-year contract.

According to AP News, Joc Pederson, Kyle Schwarber, and eight other players became free agents after their options were declined.

The Cleveland Indians have named former Cubs assistant hitting coach Chris Valaika their hitting coach for 2022.

Josh Norris of Baseball America reported on the Arizona Fall League’s new “pre-tacked baseballs” that will be used for the rest of the season. These balls come with sticky substances already applied to the ball to make it easier to grip for a pitcher.

Justin Wilson of the Reds exercised his contract option for the 2022 season.

Robert Murray of FanSided reported that the Giants have claimed reliever Hunter Harvey off waivers from the Orioles. He also reported that the Red Sox have claimed outfielder Tim Locastro off waivers from the Yankees.

Jon Heyman of MLB announced that the Giants will be declining the $22m option of veteran starter Johnny Cueto.

Mandy Bell of MLB reported that the Indians picked up the option of third baseman Jose Ramirez, and have declined the option of catcher Roberto Perez.

Latest on MMO

Matthew Newman writes that Robinson Cano‘s 162-game suspension has been served, and he has been re-activated from the restricted list.

He also writes about the interview that Chili Davis did on Friday, where he gave a “scathing rebuke” of the Mets organization.

Connor Grey provides the daily update on how Mets players are doing in the Arizona Fall League.

On This Date in Mets History

2019: Mets radio broadcaster Howie Rose was into the New York State Baseball Hall of Fame.

2020: Steve Cohen officially takes over as the owner of the New York Mets. He promptly fires GM Brodie Van Wagenen, as well other front office personnel.

Let’s go Mets!

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Astros Keep Key Bullpen Piece

Jake Kaplan of The Athletic reports that the Astros have re-signed right-handed reliever Joe Smith to a two-year deal for $8 million.

Smith, former Mets side-armer, had a 1.80 ERA, 0.96 WHIP, and 4.40 K/BB ratio in 25 innings for the Astros in 2019. The 35-year-old has a 2.98 ERA and 1.17 WHIP in 695 career innings.

The bullpen market has been picked over pretty good at this point, with Dellin Betances and Will Harris as the top two arms left.

Brewers Add Outfielder 

The Brewers have signed outfielder Avisail Garcia according to Jon Heyman of MLB Network. Bob Nightengale of USA Today reports the deal is for two years and $20 million guaranteed with an option for a third year that becomes mutual if he hits the 550 plate appearance mark in 2021.

Garcia, 28, hit .282/.332/.464 with 25 doubles, career-high 20 home runs, 72 RBIs, and career-high 10 stolen bases in 125 games for the Rays in 2019. The right-handed hitter is slated to be the Brewers starting left fielder.

Rangers Announce Slew of Signings 

The Rangers announced four minor league signings on Monday including former Red Sox catcher Blake Swihart. They also signed right-hander Arturo Reyes and re-signed Tim Dilliard and Matt Bush.

Rangers also made their signing of lefty Joely Rodriguez official, he received a two-year deal worth $5.5 million. The 28-year-old was reportedly up yo 100 MPH pitching in Japan this past season.

Reds Bring in Starting Pitching Help

Mark Feinsand of MLB.com reports that the Reds have signed veteran left-hander Wade Miley to a two-year, $14 million deal with a $10 million club option for the 2022 season.

Miley, 33, had a 3.98 ERA, 1.35 WHIP, and 2.30 K/BB in 167 innings for the Astros in 2019. He posted a 2.0 bWAR, his highest since 2015 (2.4).

Cardinals Looking at Multiple Options

It’s been a quite offseason for the Cardinals after locking up Adam Wainwright very early on, but that may not continue to be the case.

Jeeho Yoo of Yonhap News notes that the Cardinals ave emerged as a team having interest in Korean lefty Kwang-Hyun Kim.

They’re also still engaged in trying to retain outfielder Marcell Ozuna per Mark Saxon of The Athletic. Ozuna hit .241/.328/.472 with 29 homers and 89 RBIs.

Romo Returns to Twins

Jesse Sanchez MLB.com reports that veteran right-handed reliever Sergio Romo is returning to the Twins on a one-year deal. The contract also has a $5 million club option for the 2021 season.

The 36-year-old had a 3.43 ERA and 60 strikeouts over 60 1/3 innings combined between the Twins and Marlins this past season.

The post MLB Rumor Roundup: Busy Day Includes Joe Smith Returning to Houston appeared first on Metsmerized.

Good morning Mets fans! The New York Mets officially announced RHP Rick Porcello‘s one-year contract with the team on Monday. During a conference call with the media, Porcello said, “This is a big deal for me. I grew up a lifelong Mets fan as a kid. To get the opportunity to play for the organization that I cheered on for so many years is a huge honor.”

Latest Mets News

The $57 million renovations of First Data Field are expected to finish on Feb. 10 according to Keona Gardner of the Treasure Coast Palm. That is the same day that Mets pitchers and catchers are scheduled to report for spring training.

The Mets designated RHP Stephen Nogosek for assignment to make room on their 40-man roster for Porcello.

Anthony DiComo of MLB.com listed and wrote about the Mets’ top-10 defensive plays of the decade.

Danny Abriano of SNY looked at five relievers the Mets could target in free agency or in trades that could add the final piece to the bullpen.

Latest MLB News

The Milwaukee Brewers and OF Avisail Garcia agreed to a two-year, $20 million contract according to Jon Heyman of MLB Network.

The Cincinnati Reds and LHP Wade Miley agreed to a two-year, $15 million contract with a team option for 2022 according to Mark Feinsand of MLB.com.

The Houston Astros re-signed RHP Joe Smith to a two-year, $8 million contract.

The New York Yankees and RHP Adam Warren agreed to minor league contract, with an invitation to spring training, per Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic.

The Pittsburgh Pirates signed C Luke Maile to a one-year contract.

The Texas Rangers signed C/OF Blake Swihart, LHP Brian Flynn, RHP Tim Dillard and RHP Arturo Reyes to minor league deals with invitations to spring training. The team also signed RHP Matt Bush to a two-year minor league contract.

Latest NL East News

The Philadelphia Phillies officially introduced RHP Zack Wheeler and SS Didi Gregorius at a news conference on Monday.

In response to comments made by Mets general manager Brodie Van Wagenen regarding the Mets’ projections for Wheeler not matching his market, Wheeler told Kevin Kernan of The New York Post, “I don’t need any more motivation. I already got it. But that’s his opinion. Everybody is entitled to their own opinion, but yeah, that may help me out a little bit.’’

Wheeler also complimented the Phillies’ analytics team and said, “I think it’s definitely going to help me get to that next step.”

The Washington Nationals are aggressively pursuing 3B Josh Donaldson according to Heyman of MLB Network. Bob Nightengale of USA Today Sports reported that the Nationals are willing to pay Donaldson $90 million-plus for four years.

Latest on MMO/MMN

Matt Musico analyzed how Porcello’s pitch mix should change in 2020 to rebound from a tough 2019 campaign.

Tim Ryder uploaded the latest episode of the Simply Amazin’ podcast, with Michael Mayer as guest.

Michelle Ioannou wrote about Porcello’s Mets fandom as a kid.

Jack Ramsey wrote an “MMO Rumor Roundup.”

John Sheridan wrote about LHP Kevin Smith, who had a breakout season for the St. Lucie Mets in 2019.

This Day in Mets History

2012: The Mets completed a trade of RHP R.A. Dickey, C Josh Thole and C Mike Nickeas to the Toronto Blue Jays in exchange for C Travis d’Arnaud, RHP Noah Syndergaard, C John Buck and OF Wuilmer Becerra.

Birthdays: LHP Josh Edgin turns 33, RHP Dale Thayer turns 39, RHP Edwin Almonte turns 43 and LHP Bob Ojeda turns 62. 

The post Morning Briefing: Rick Porcello Officially Joins Favorite Childhood Team appeared first on Metsmerized.

Zack Wheeler is expected to leave the Mets in free agency this winter. That’s a huge blow to the Mets staff, but one that was expected. Wheeler is coming off back-to-back seasons with over 4 fWAR. He has been relatively healthy in both years as well having thrown 377.2 innings in 60 starts. He had an ERA of 3.65 over the last two years and had a FIP under 3.5 in each of those years.

There is no way the Mets are really going to replace Zack Wheeler without going out and getting Gerrit Cole. That’s not a likely scenario for a Mets team that is likely to see an increase in salary simply from arbitration. The Wilpons just don’t operate in a way that will see the team blow past the luxury tax. That’s a big part of the reason the team went after Marcus Stroman at the deadline. The hope is that the combination of Stroman, deGrom, Syndergaard, and Matz will be strong enough that they can be carried by a fifth starter type until one of David Peterson, Thomas Szupucki, or Kevin Smith is ready to step in.

Whether or not this plan is smart, or logical is not what’s up for debate here. It’s not what a major market team should be doing. The Mets should 100% be resigning Zack Wheeler and fortifying their five ace rotation. That is what they built this team around, and that’s what makes them so dangerous at the end of the season and in the playoffs. Going away from that to save money that they likely won’t spend on the bullpen or fixing the defense is not ideal. However, that’s what the Mets seem likely to do, so who is available who can step in and make a real impact at low cost?

Hyun-Jin Ryu

Ryu is about to hit MLB free agency for the first time. The lefty is likely to finish top three in Cy Young voting this year, but his price shouldn’t be that high. Ryu is going to be 33 next season, and free agency hasn’t been kind to players over 30 in recent years. That’s especially true for pitchers, just ask Dallas Keuchel and Craig Kimbrel.

Ryu is coming off the best season of his career with a 2.32 ERA, 3.10 FIP, 3.32 XFIP, and 4.8 FWAR. He dominated baseball not by striking people out and overpowering hitters. Rather, Ryu lived off of his low walk rate, just 1.18 BB/9, and his ability to both limit hard contact and force soft contact. Ryu’s 20.1% soft contact rate was seventh-best in baseball, and his 33.8% hard-hit rate was tied for 11th in baseball. Put all that together and it’s easy to see how Ryu kept the bases clear.

This isn’t a one-season aberration either. In 2018 Ryu posted similar, though slightly worse numbers, in all three categories. Ryu is a late-blooming lefty who looks primed for a huge second half of his career.

The only issue is his injury history and his lack of innings. Ryu has had injury issues since he came over from Korea. He saw time on the IL multiple times this year. Despite that, he threw more innings this year than in any season since his rookie year in 2013 with 182.2 innings pitched.

With his age and his injury history, Ryu is a gamble, and that’s why he’ll be more affordable than a pitcher with his numbers should be. With the Mets letting Wheeler walk they’re going to need to take a gamble to replace him, and there would be no more perfect replacement for him than Ryu. The Mets should be able to stomach a two or three-year deal at around $12-15 mil a year. If they trust analytics and their team doctors, remember the Mets didn’t have a single starter miss extended time due to injury this year, then they should dive headfirst into the market for Hyun-Jin Ryu.

Michael Pineda

The downside with Pineda is obvious. He has never been healthy. There is no reason to believe that he will be healthy for the first time in his age 31 season in 2020. That shouldn’t stop the Mets from making a move for him.

With so many potential back end starters likely to be close in AAA or AA to start next season they shouldn’t fear an injury to their fifth starter. This pitcher could be nothing more than a bridge to David Peterson who should make his debut at some point next season.

In the meantime, Pineda is going to do what he has always done. Throw strikes and limit home runs. That’s all he has ever needed to do, and that’s all he has to do next season. As a fifth starter, next year all the Mets need is a guy who isn’t going to cost them games every fifth day, and who won’t burn the bullpen. When he’s healthy Pineda can do that.

This past season Pineda averaged about 5.2 innings per start. The Mets would take a pitcher who averages about six innings a start. On top of that, he had a 4.01 ERA, 4.02 FIP, and 4.30 XFIP. Pineda has only had an ERA of 4.40 or higher once in his career. He’s only had a FIP over 4 twice, one of those was this year at 4.02.

Many would look at Pineda’s ERA while playing for the Yankees and say he can’t pitch in New York. However, his FIP in each of his four years with the Yankees was 2.71, 3.34, 3.80, and 4.66.

If the Mets are looking for an effective bridge to David Peterson on a short term deal Pineda is the way to go. He won’t replace what Wheeler brought to the table, but if the Mets idea is for Stroman to do that while they have a traditional fifth pitcher Pineda offers more than a Jason Vargas Esque pitcher could, likely with less commitment in money and years.

Wade Miley

Wade Miley has quietly been one of the most effective back-end of the rotation starters in baseball. After signing as a free agent midseason with the Brewers in 2018 Miley put together a 2.57 ERA, 3.59 FIP, and 4.30 XFIP in 80.2 innings. This season with the Astros Miley has a 3.98 ERA, 4.51 FIP, and 4.51 XFIP.

There is no secret to Miley’s game. He doesn’t strike batters out, he doesn’t avoid walks, he doesn’t limit hard hit, not does he endure soft contact. The one thing he does well is limit the home run ball, but to the extent that Ryu does. His home run numbers are similar to Pineda’s, so why is he effective all of a sudden?

Miley has mastered pitching to contact. He can get a hitter to hit the ball where he wants it when he wants it. It’s an unbelievable skill that works well with a good defensive team but doesn’t need on, for instance, the Brewers in 2018 had Travis Shaw at 2B and Jonathan Schoop at SS for a large portion of the second half. He managed to make that work.

The key to this is understanding positioning. It would take an analytically inclined manager who understands shifts well to maximize Miley’s ability. That’s why he’s found so much success with the Astros and Brewers.

Miley would be a gamble for the Mets. He could end up like Jason Vargas, or he could continue to excel. It all depends on how well the new coaching staff understands his game. It takes a special understanding of analytics to take advantage of Wade Miley. Will the Mets have a manager that can do that?

If yes than Miley is a better option than Pineda. For no other reason than he dealt with injury issues before. He can eat innings in a way that Pineda couldn’t. He would be a true fifth starter that should last the whole of 2019.

Again Miley isn’t going to replace Wheeler like Ryu could, but he would provide a real option at the majors. He would give the team a legitimate fifth starter that would force the team to throw away a game every fifth day. He should also come exceedingly cheap, he made just $4.5 mil for the Astros this year. He is likely to be one of the better value signings in baseball again this offseason. That is, if he’s signed by a team who understands how to use him.

The post Three Options to Replace Zack Wheeler Via Free Agency appeared first on Metsmerized.

Good morning Mets fans! New York Mets pitchers and catchers report to Port St. Lucie this month. The Mets will also begin Grapefruit League play this month as well. February marks the first of nine straight months in which there will be baseball in some capacity. 

Latest Mets News

Mike Vaccaro of the New York Post compared the New York Knicks’ 2018-2019 season to the Mets’ 1962 season.

Will Leitch of MLB.com listed 10 dark horse MVP candidates for 2019. Among the 10 was Robinson Cano.

Russell A. Carleton of Baseball Prospectus wrote a farewell piece as he has accepted a position within the Mets analytical department.

Keith Hernandez underwent back surgery yesterday according Mike Puma of the New York Post.

Latest MLB News

Wade Miley agreed to a one-year deal with the Houston Astros according to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic. He will make $4.5 million and will have a chance to boost it to $5 million with incentives according to Bob Nightengale of USA Today Sports.

Dayn Perry of CBS Sports broke down how much each team has spent on free agents this offseason.

Shohei Ohtani will not be ready for Opening Day as Los Angeles Angels general manager Billy Eppler indicated on a Thursday conference call.

Kyle Glaser of Baseball America talked with John Barr and Fred Uhlman Jr., two former front office members of the Baltimore Orioles, about how the organization scouted Mike Mussina ahead of the 1990 MLB Draft.

Latest NL East News

The Washington Nationals and Philadelphia Phillies are among four teams that are actively in pursuit of Bryce Harper according to Jon Morosi of FOXSports. The Chicago White Sox and San Diego Padres are the other two teams. A fifth unnamed team remains in pursuit to an extent, but not to the same extent as the other four.

The Atlanta Braves are among four teams in the running to trade for J.T. Realmuto according to Jon Heyman of Fancred Sports. The other three are the Padres, Tampa Bay Rays and Cincinnati Reds. The Los Angeles Dodgers are not completely out on the All-Star catcher, but at the same time are not as engaged as the aforementioned four teams.

Latest on MMO

Michael Mayer covered the news about the Mets hiring Andrew Perpetua to their analytics department, in addition to Carleton.

Mayer also came up with a 2019 All-Free Agent Team using the remaining free agents on the market.

Mathew Brownstein conducted an interview in the summer with Carleton that was re-posted yesterday in response to the hire.

J Doubleday wrote a Fan Shot in which he shared the love that he had for the game as a kid and the love he continues to have for the game now. If you are interested in writing a Fan Shot, find out more information here.

This Day in Mets History

2008: Johan Santana agrees to a six-year, $137.5 million deal with the Mets to complete the trade that sent prospects Philip Humber, Kevin Mulvey, Deolis Guerra and Carlos Gomez to the Minnesota Twins.

Birthdays: Austin Jackson turns 32, Rich Becker turns 47 and Joe Vitko turns 49.

The post Morning Briefing: There Will Be Baseball This Month appeared first on Metsmerized.

As per Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, free-agent left-hander, Wade Miley has come to an agreement with the Houston Astros on a one-year deal. According to Bob Nightengale of USA Today Sports, the 32-year-old starter will earn $4.5 million plus $500,000 in incentives with the ‘Stros.

Miley experienced a resurgence with Milwaukee last season, putting up a 2.57 earned-run average over 16 starts after missing over three months of the season (right oblique; sidelined May 9 to July 12).

Over 80.2 innings pitched, Miley notched 50 strikeouts to 27 walks with a fielding independent pitching rating of 3.59, 1.215 WHIP, a .269 batting average on balls in play against, and 1.5 wins above replacement, as per FanGraphs.

Wade Miley’s career line of a 4.26 ERA, 2.27 strikeouts-to-walks ratio, 1.388 WHIP, 4.06 FIP, and .308 BABIP against when compared to his rejuvenated campaign last season surely drove his price down a bit. But this could end up being a low-risk, high-reward move for the defending AL West champs.

With Houston’s primary need lying within their depleted rotation (Lance McCullers is out for the year, Dallas Keuchel is gone — for now), Miley could be a fine complement to Justin Verlander, Gerrit Cole, and Collin McHugh.

The post MLB News: Wade Miley Signs One-Year Deal With Astros appeared first on Metsmerized.