Good morning, Mets fans!

After the initial free-agent frenzy, the market slowed down over the Thanksgiving break. Be on the lookout for more action before the GM Meetings start later this week.

Latest Mets News

MetsMerizedOnline’s own Tim Ryder heard that Zack Wheeler‘s free agency might come to a conclusion soon.

Latest MLB News

Rich Dubroff of Baltimore Baseball tweeted out that the Orioles haven’t explored an extension with Trey Mancini yet.

Rob Bradford of WEEI Radio reported Chris Sale was cleared to begin his offseason throwing session. Sale, 30, was shut down in mid-August with inflammation in his pitching elbow.

Jesse Rogers of ESPN said that Craig Driver has been hired as the Cubs’ first-base and catching coach.

The Hiroshima Carp inked former Orioles reliever Tayler Scott to a deal worth $175,000.

Anthony Castrovince of MLB.com writes about this winter’s odd free-agent market.

Latest NL East News

The Nationals avoided arbitration with Wilmer Difo, signing him to a one million dollar contract for the 2020 campaign.

Latest on MMO

Kyle Newman previewed the Mets’ new 2020 coaching staff.

Rob Piersall looks at the Mets’ new bench coach Hensley Meulens.

Piersall also builds the 2020 Mets on a budget.

Finally, Piersall reminisced about his collection of baseball cards.

On this Date in Mets History 

1968: The Mets picked up future World Series champion Wayne Garrett from the Braves in the Rule IV draft.

1991: The Mets inked Bobby Bonilla to a regrettable five-year, $29 million dollar deal.

1998: Robin Ventura came to Queens via a four-year, $32 million dollar contract.

Let’s Go Mets!

The post Morning Briefing: Wheeler Interest Heating Up appeared first on Metsmerized.

Reports came out Friday that the Mets will interview Nationals’ Special Assistant to the General Manager, DeJon Watson, for their vacancy in the front office.

Watson has been in the industry for 33 seasons, and began his executive career with the Dodgers, where he spent eight seasons in their front office.

Prior to working under Mike Rizzo, Watson worked closely with Tony LaRussa and Dave Stewart in Arizona with the Diamondbacks, where he oversaw scouting and player development.

Watson just finished his second season with the Nationals.

Watson, a former professional player himself within the Royals’ system , has played a large role in major international acquisitions for the and the Diamondbacks.

He was a key player in the signings of Yasmany Tomas for Arizona, and then joined an already strong International Prospect system in Washington that held the likes of Wilmer Difo, Pedro Severino, Juan Soto, and Victor Robles.

Watson’s presence was felt right away when the Nationals signed three highly touted international shortstops, going over their signing pool money.

Watson served as the vice president of player development and as an assistant general manager for Arizona, and as a special assistant to general manager Mike Rizzo for Washington.

Watson is one of a few who are known to have interviews set up for next week, including Gary LaRocque, Kim Ng, Doug Melvin, and Watson.

The Mets will come public with a group of second round interviewees next week, but will keep things “in house” until then, according to Anthony DiComo of MLB.com.

The post A Closer Look: General Manager Candidate DeJon Watson appeared first on Metsmerized.

In his first start since contracting hand, foot, and mouth disease over a week ago, Noah Syndergaard did little to make a statement through his first three innings. Following a narrative that has been all too familiar since the start of the second half, Syndergaard was staked to three runs early on, one on a groundball base hit from Bryce Harper in the first and two on an Anthony Rendon home run in the third.

Syndergaard also briefly lost a handle in the middle of the second inning, as he allowed a double to Spencer Kieboom and subsequently walked opposing pitcher Tommy Milone on four pitches. Rendon’s home run came on a hanging slider, just the 19th strike Syndergaard had thrown among his first 36 pitches – and by no means the sort of strike one would hope to remember.

The Mets’ pitching staff now has a 7.09 ERA and 1.57 WHIP through the first three innings since the beginning of the second half – good for 29th and 28th in the major leagues, respectively.

Nonetheless, Syndergaard seemed to turn a leaf after falling into a 3-0 deficit that has often signified the end of the game from an offensive perspective. His fastball velocity, which had dipped into 94-95 mph range in the second, ticked its way back up to 97-98 mph through most of his afternoon, and while his final line only included four strikeouts (just 11 in his last 17 innings of work), Syndergaard was able to put away 15 of his next 16 hitters to eclipse seven innings for the first time since May 20 and third time on the entire season.

“It felt really good… just being able to work ahead, considering where I was two months ago,” Syndergaard told reporters after the game, while he admitted that “…it’s gonna take a while to knock a bit of rust off.”

The turnaround started with Syndergaard weaving three outs out of six pitches to put a cork in the third inning, and made his way through the next three innings burning just 33 pitches – throwing 21 for strikes and making great use of a slider to win a 3-2 at-bat against Kieboom in the fourth and buckle dynamic rookie slasher Juan Soto on a 1-2 count in the sixth. Soto was quickly joined by Matt Adams, who was no match for a 0-2 slider that tied him up inside.

The seventh inning began with a leadoff single from Daniel Murphy to snap a streak of a dozen retired batters, and fell into further peril when pinch-runner Wilmer Difo swiped second base – the fourth Washington steal of the afternoon and sixth of the series. Syndergaard rose to the occasion, though, inducing a 1-3 putout on a shotty bunt from Kieboom and recording two more groundball outs up the middle to end his day.

“I really hit my stride from the fourth to seventh inning. This was a step in the right direction,” Syndergaard added.

It’s naturally going to be difficult to successfully drag along an offense that, with the exception of Jose Reyes and his two home runs, did virtually nothing to pick up its pitcher. It’s a physical impossibility to come out on top with a lackluster defense, as both Wilmer Flores‘ mental and fundamental lapses proved when it opened the door on two unearned runs in the bottom of the eighth inning.

New York managed to score two more runs after the fact, but still cost Syndergaard a chance at a victory that he certainly would have deserved relative to the majority of his more tumultuous, stagnant performances. The seven innings of work couldn’t have come at a better time, as the Mets still have Paul Sewald, Robert Gsellman, and Anthony Swarzak rested and ready to come in for tomorrow’s series opener at home against Atlanta.

The post Despite Lack of Support, Syndergaard Rebounds Over Seven Innings appeared first on Metsmerized.

It was yet another nasty outing from the Mets bullpen on Sunday, who surrendered five runs in the seventh to give Washington a 6-1 lead they wouldn’t relinquish en route to victory.

Headlining the disaster was right-hander Anthony Swarzak and left-hander Jerry Blevins.

Swarzak came on to start the frame and walked the first two batters to greet him. He was then removed for Tim Peterson, who allowed a single to Matt Adams to plate Juan Soto, giving them a then 2-1 lead.

Daniel Murphy then came in to pinch hit and dunked a single into right field that plated another. Peterson settled down to get the next two batters, but Blevins was brought in to face the switch-hitting Wilmer Difo, who he plunked with a pitch.

In fact, Blevins beaned the next batter Adam Eaton as well with the bases juiced to force in another run.

Trea Turner then drove in another to make it 6-1 and essentially drove the nail into the coffin.

Swarzak, 32, and Blevins, 34, were expected to be key pieces in the Mets bullpen this year, but have been dismal overall.

The former had a terrific walk year between Chicago A.L. and Milwaukee in 2017, but had a track record of being a mediocre at best pitcher, and that has shone through this season.

The Mets $14 million man has a -0.5 bWAR with a 7.47 ERA and 7.04 FIP in 17 appearances this year. This is after he missed the first two months of the season with an oblique issue.

After having a 2.23 ERA cumulatively last year, Swarzak has been terrible at fooling batters and his put away pitch which was his bread and butter last year has been completely ineffective this season.

As for Blevins, the impending free agent who has been so tough on lefties throughout his career has been lit up like a candle against them this year. In fact, he’s actually been more successful against right-handed hitters (lefties are hitting .333 against him, while righties are hitting .163), but manager Mickey Callaway still insists on using him as a LOOGY.

Regardless, these two pitchers who were supposed to solidify the back end of the bullpen have done nothing more than contribute to the problem.

Blevins likely won’t be back next year and may even get traded in the next couple weeks, but New York is hoping Swarzak, their key winter bullpen addition turns it around for his walk year of 2019. They will desperately need it.

The post Struggling Blevins and Swarzak Conclude First Half with Nightmare Outings appeared first on Metsmerized.

The New York Mets (39-55) were defeated by the Washington Nationals (48-48) by a score of 6-1 at Citi Field despite a strong start from rookie right-hander Corey Oswalt.

Pitching

Corey Oswalt‘s third start of the season got off to a quick start, retiring the first two batters on four pitches, and then Juan Soto with a pop up behind the first base bag where Wilmer Flores camped under it, helping Oswalt retire the side on ten pitches.

After Anthony Rendon and Matt Adams both singled to start the second, Michael Taylor grounded into a fielders choice that drove Rendon in, giving Washington the game’s first run. Oswalt got the struggling Matt Wieters to ground into a 1-6-3 double play to escape more potential trouble and retire the side.

After the Adams single that dropped in front of Jose Bautista, Oswalt retired five in a row. The right-hander, much like Wheeler, got through his first three innings easily and kept his pitch count low.

Oswalt stuck Soto out in the fourth on a 3-2 two-seamer low and away, the second out of his one-two-three fourth.

The 24-year old got Taylor to pop up to end the fifth inning, and he had retired eleven in a row, hitting his stride in the middle innings.

After the best start of his young career, Oswalt was followed by Seth Lugo in the sixth. Lugo started off his appearance by committing a cardinal sin of baseball and giving up an infield single to Jeremy Hellickson, the opposing pitcher. The hit wouldn’t cost the Mets anything, as Lugo got Wilmer Difo, Adam Eaton, and Trae Turner all to fly out, even after Lugo threw a pick-off throw to an unoccupied base, resulting in a balk.

Anthony Swarzak got the seventh inning, and walked Juan Soto drew a walk on six pitches to lead off. Soto then took off early for second, but Swarzak couldn’t get a throw on target to Asdrubal Cabrera and Soto reached safely. Swarzak then walked Anthony Rendon and that ended his day.

As Mickey Callaway went to pull Swarzak in favor for rookie Tim Peterson, Brian Chicklo went out to examine Cabrera, who tried to barehand Swarzak’s errant throw.

Peterson’s second pitch was knocked into right field by Adams, which loaded the bases for pinch-hitting Daniel Murphy. Peterson, who entered the game with lefties hitting .304 against him, gave up a two-run single to Murphy, scoring Rendon and Soto.

Dave Martinez then called on Matt Wieters to bunt Murphy and Adams over, which he successfully did, which set up a second-and-third situation for pinch-hitter Brian Goodwin with one out, who popped up to Brandon Nimmo in shallow center field.

Peterson’s day ended after recording two outs in the seventh and Jerry Blevins entered.

Blevins came in to face the switch-hitting Difo, and hit him with a 1-2 curveball that ran too far low and inside. After getting ahead 1-2, Blevins lost a fastball and drilled Eaton in the elbow guard, forcing in a run to make it 4-1 Washington.

Blevins then gave up a two-run single to Turner, putting the game on ice for the Nationals. Trae Turner took off and tried to steal second, but ran out of the baseline trying to avoid Amed Rosario‘s tag, ending the inning.

Tyler Bashlor‘s ninth inning left much to be desired for, as he walked one and gave up a pair of singles. Bashlor worked out of a bases-loaded jam with two flyouts to Conforto in left by Eaton and Turner.

Offense

After a quick 1-2-3 first, Michael Conforto led-off with a walk and  Devin Mesoraco singled up the middle, on which Michael Conforto slipped rounding third forcing him to hold at third.

A Jose Reyes fielders choice where Trea Turner and Wilmer Difo both did their best acrobatic stunts as Turner slipped on the infield dirt forcing an errant throw, costing Washington a double play as Reyes beat out the throw as Conforto crossed the plate.

After Mesoraco singled, Hellickson retired eight in a row, taking him through four one-run innings. After ten in a row being retired, a Jose Reyes double over Adam Eaton‘s head and a wild pitch that moved him to third, Dominic Smith pinch hit for Corey Oswalt, ending his night after five innings and only 59 pitches.

Smith was hit by a two-strike curveball, but Brandon Nimmo flew out to center field, ending the Mets threat.

Asdrubal Cabrera opened up the sixth with a walk, taking two curveballs in a row to get himself on base. Conforto then proceded to ground into an inning-ending double play.

Asdrubal Cabrera was pulled between the seventh and eighth, most likely for injury precaution after appearing to have hurt multiple fingers on his right hand in the seventh. Ty Kelly replaced him.

The Mets went down in order in the seventh. Brandon Nimmo walked with two outs in the eighth, but was stranded after Ty Kelly grounded out to Wilmer Difo.

Jose Bautista lead off the ninth against Kelvin Herrera with a single into left, was followed by a warning track flyout by Conforto and an infield single by Wilmer Flores. Devin Mesoraco flied out to center and Jose Reyes singled to left, his second hit of the game, and loaded the bases for the Amed Rosario, who promptly popped up to Adams in foul ground to end the game; a score of 6-1.

On Deck

The second half of the Mets season begins on Friday as they head to the Bronx to face the second-place Yankees. The Mets will look to win their first series in well over a month, and will send Noah Syndergaard to the mound to make his second start following his return from the DL. The Yankees will start Domingo German, who was solid against the Mets at Citi Field back in June, allowing three runs through six innings and struck out nine.

The post Game Recap: Mets Lose 6-1 To Nationals in First Half Finale appeared first on Metsmerized.

Stop the presses. The sky is not falling over Flushing. Salt and pepper was back in business Wednesday night as the New York Mets got a redemption rally over their NL East rivals in their 11-5 win.

Two consecutive losses unleashed a wave of concern, and although a bit warranted, the bats and bullpen bounced back with a vengeance confirming that the Mickey Callaway Mets are really that good.

Yoenis Cespedes said so long to his slump with a single and grand slam, capping a nine-run eighth inning outburst to avoid being swept up by the Nationals.

Steven Matz settled down after a shaky first inning put the Mets three in the hole via a Howie Kendrick single, Bryce Harper walk and three-run blast off the bat of Ryan Zimmerman. The struggling veteran first baseman busted out of his slow start going 3-for-4 with a triple and additional solo shot in the ninth.

In the bottom of the fourth, the Mets finally figured out Nats starter, Tanner Roark. Asdrubal Cabrera led off with a double to right, Todd Frazier walked and Adrian Gonzalez slapped a clutch RBI single. Zimmerman’s defense then played second fiddle to his offense, throwing a surefire double play ball off the bat of Jose Lobaton, pulling Kendrick off the bag at second, and scoring Frazier to pull the Mets within one.

With runners on first and second, Callaway made the uncomfortable decision of removing a much improved Matz for the pinch hitting Brandon Nimmo, who was plunked to load the bases, and left at first after Ahmed Rosario hit into an inning-ending double play.

Paul Sewald retired his first six batters, striking out three, then ran into a little trouble in the seventh surrendering a leadoff triple to Zimmerman and sac fly to Moises Sierra to put the Nats up 4-2. But the right-hander closed out strong striking out Michael Taylor and Wilmer Difo, swinging.

With nothing doing offensively in the seventh, good fortune was abundant in the eighth when Nats manager allowed relief pitcher Ryan Madson to stay a little too long at the fair on his third straight day of work.

Michael Conforto muscled a leadoff base hit the other way, Cespedes, 0-for-3 with a pair of strikeouts at the time, banged an 0-2 fastball up the middle, Cabrera loaded the bases with a single to right, Frazier brought in the tying runs with a rocket up the middle. Gonzalez drew an intentional walk, then Juan Lagares roped a pinch hit two-run double down the right field line. Rosario and Conforto received free passes, and A.J. Cole got the unenviable call to face Cespedes with the bases loaded, and his 0-2 95 MPH four-seam fastball didn’t fare too well.

“We just went out and took it,” Callaway said after the game “We went there and the players in that clubhouse took that game. They were wanting to win, and they did everything they could.”

The Mets collected nine runs on six hits and three walks in their eighth-inning comeback rally. That is the team’s most productive inning in terms of both runs and hits this season, and their first time scoring at least nine runs in an inning since plating 12 runs in the third inning vs. San Francisco on April 29, 2016.

It was a huge mental win for New York who could have easily fallen down a rabbit hole of a three-game losing streak. Instead, they embark on a 10-game road trip on a high note as the only big league club that remains unbeaten on the road.

The post Mets Bats Come Alive Late To Avoid Sweep By Nationals appeared first on Metsmerized.

The Mets got their first helping of humble pie with an epic meltdown in the eighth by their major league best bullpen, as Washington gave New York a taste of their own come from behind medicine.

“We can’t let this put us into a tailspin,” Mickey Callaway said.

Staked to a 6-1 lead, Jacob deGrom had the Nationals in the palm of his gifted right hand. Riding high on his seven-frame gem of an earned run on four hits, a walk and a dozen strikeouts, New York was closing in on their fourth consecutive defeat against their division rivals.

After surrendering an innocuous leadoff single to Moises Sierra, the ace in Callaway’s deck of cards fanned Michael Taylor, then lost Trea Turner on a 3-2 base hit to left. Seth Lugo traded places with deGrom and immediately loaded the bases with a four-pitch walk to Howie Kendrick.

Lugo was dispatched to the dugout for Jerry Blevins who blew his inheritance on an 88 MPH sinker that Bryce Harper deposited into right field for a two-run single, prompting Callaway’s fourth visit to the mound.

AJ Ramos was the answer for one batter, Ryan Zimmerman, who he fanned looking at an outside pitch framed beautifully by Jose Lobaton. Pedro Severino filled the bags with a two-out base hit to shallow left and Matt Reynolds avenged his former team with a free pass on four pitches to close the gap 6-4.

Callaway, brought in Jeurys Familia to stop the bleeding but the dominant closer was demoralized by Wilmer Difo’s game-tying single to right, then completely unraveled plunking Sierra, and plating the go-ahead run on a five pitch walk to Taylor.

“It’s one inning. It wasn’t even the game,” Callaway said. “We’ll learn from it and make sure that it doesn’t throw us into some kind of tailspin. Because we’re a really good team and we’ve been showing that.”

In the top of the ninth, Hansel Robles, who has been much better this season, tried to keep it a one run game, but his 94 MPH four-seam fastball to leadoff hitter Kendrick was at the wrong place at the wrong time, sailing into the center field seats.

On the Mets battered bullpen, “It was just unfortunate,” Callaway said. “Off night for a few of them. But we have to move on.”

How they respond to Monday’s loss is of utmost importance. If they come into Tuesday’s game with a fire under their rears and rebound, the Mets will be in good shape. If not, then they’re in trouble.

The post Callaway Says Bullpen Had an Off Night, Insists Team Must Move On appeared first on Metsmerized.