The Mariners defeated the Tigers in the 15-inning winner-take-all Game 5 on Friday night to advance to the ALCS.

Tarik Skubal and George Kirby both pitched well as the starters before the bullpens took over in a grueling yet thrilling game. Jorge Polanco won it with a walk-off RBI single in the bottom of the 15th.

With their victory, the Mariners are headed to the ALCS and will face the Blue Jays with a trip to the World Series on the line.

Now, the Cubs and Brewers battle in their own Game 5 at 8:08 p.m. ET. Chances are this one won’t go 15 innings.

Stephen Brashear-Imagn Images

Latest MLB News

Per ESPN‘s Jorge Castillo, Cody Bellinger plans to opt out of his contract with the Yankees and become a free agent. Bellinger had a fantastic first season with the Yankees, recording 29 home runs, 98 RBIs and an .813 OPS. Bellinger also said he would “absolutely” be open to a return to the Bronx.

Per Sam Blum of The Athletic, the Angels are currently in talks with Albert Pujols about their open manager position. According to Blum, a meeting between Pujols and Angels GM Perry Minasian went well, and the two sides are discussing a contract.

MLB announced that Jose Iglesias is suspended for a game and Xander Bogaerts was fined for how they acted towards umpires following their exit in the Wild Card round.

After the Dodgers advanced to the NLCS, Miguel Rojas told Doug McKain of Dodgers Nation that he plans to retire after the 2026 season.

Mark Feinsand of MLB.com analyzes what Munetaka Murakami‘s market in MLB free agency might look like once he gets posted.

Nippon Professional Baseball released a new app, NPB+, which contains Trackman data such as max exit velocity and bat speed. This data was not previously public.

Latest on MMO

Jack Markowski writes about Eric Chavez‘s recent comments on Juan Soto and Carlos Mendoza.

Rafael González grades Francisco Lindor‘s 2025 season.

On the latest MMO Roundtable, we discuss what Pete Alonso‘s next contract will look like and who he will be playing for.

On This Date in Mets History

1969: The Mets played in their first World Series game in franchise history. New York lost Game 1 to the Baltimore Orioles, 4-1. Tom Seaver didn’t have his best game, allowing four runs over five innings. Al Weis recorded the team’s only RBI.

Born on This Date: Jenrry Mejía (1989), Ty Wigginton (1977), Orlando Hernández (1965), Charlie Williams (1947), Joe Ginsberg (1926).

The post Morning Briefing: Mariners Outlast Tigers in Instant Classic appeared first on Metsmerized.

The Mets made history yesterday! Unfortunately, as per usual, the Amazins were on the wrong side of history.

With Thursday’s loss to the Cleveland Guardians, it was the first time in franchise history that the Mets were swept by Cleveland. This continued the Mets’ freefall as of late, continuing to lose series as they drop to seven games under .500, their lowest point of the season thus far.

Despite holding a 3-0 lead going into the bottom of the sixth and having one of his better performances of the season, José Quintana would give up a three-run blast to former Met Andrés Giménez to tie the game. The Mets were shut out the rest of the way, ending up in yet another loss. For a full breakdown of the game, click here.

Luckily, the Mets will return to Queens for a 10-game home stand, hosting three West Coast teams in hopes of grasping some sort of momentum. They start off with the Giants on Friday, with Christian Scott expected to get the ball for a 7:10 p.m. ET start time.

David Richard-USA TODAY Sports

Latest Mets News

Mets catcher Francisco Alvarez is scheduled to take batting practice during the Mets’ next homestand which starts Friday, per Mike Puma of the New York Post. To learn more about Alvarez’s rehab progression, click here.

Mets two-way prospect Nolan McLean made his Double-A debut on the mound for the Binghamton Rumble Ponies. His line: 4 IP, 7 H, 3 R, 0 BB, and 5 K.

Latest MLB News

The MLB and MLBPA announced an expansion of financial programs to support living Negro Leagues players. The benefits are extended to alumni who played in fewer than four seasons in the Negro Leagues. 

Dallas Keuchel was released by the Mariners Triple-A affiliate Tacoma Rainiers. The 36-year-old veteran starting pitcher made seven starts, posting a 4.74 ERA.

The San Diego Padres placed INF Xander Bogaerts on the 10-day IL, retroactive to May 21, with a left shoulder fracture. He intends to play again this season, per Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune.

The contract of outfielder David Peralta was selected by the San Diego Padres. 

White Sox outfielder Eloy Jiménez was placed on the 10-day IL with a left hamstring strain. 

The Texas Rangers signed RHP Nabil Crismatt to a minor league deal, per Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News.

The Seattle Mariners acquired RHP relief pitcher Mike Baumann from the Baltimore Orioles for catcher Blake Hunt, per Jeff Passan of ESPN.

Latest on MMO

Mark Vientos has been making the most of his opportunity. 

Francisco Alvarez is on his way back to the field.

See what MMO readers had to say about Nolan McLean’s first start in Double-A.

On This Date in Mets History

2010: The Mets beat the Yankees behind 7 2/3 innings of one-run ball from Johan Santana and two Jason Bay home runs.

2009: Omar Santos hits a go-ahead two-run homer off of Jonathan Papelbon, who had not blown a save up until that point in the season. 

1999: The Mets rally for five runs in the ninth inning to take a one-run lead against Curt Shilling, who had thrown eight scoreless innings prior.

Birthdays: Vic Black (36), Ricky Gutiérrez (54), Butch Metzger (72), Pepe Mangual (72)

The post Morning Briefing: Mets Get Swept in Cleveland For First Time appeared first on Metsmerized.

On Wednesday night, the MLB season officially ended as the Texas Rangers defeated the Arizona Diamondbacks in the 2023 World Series, four games to one. Winning Game 5 of the series by a score of 5-0, the 2023 Rangers gave the franchise their first-ever World Series trophy since its inception in 1961.

Game 5 was the definition of a pitcher’s duel, even though each side’s pitcher did it in their own way. Nathan Eovaldi did a masterful job of wiggling in and out of trouble throughout his six innings of work, as the Diamondbacks were getting runners into scoring position consistently. While the D-backs couldn’t cash in on any of their early chances, their ace Zac Gallen did more than keep them in the game as he started his outing with six no-hit innings. However, Mitch Garver helped the Rangers scratch across a run as he was the third of three consecutive hits off of Gallen in the seventh inning. But the final blow came in the ninth inning; Jonah Heim scorched a two-RBI single, which was followed by a Marcus Semien two-run home run, as the Rangers solidified their championship win.

Corey Seager won his second Willie Mays World Series MVP as he tallied three home runs, six RBIs, and hit for a 1.137 OPS during the five-game series. Additionally, three former Mets — Max Scherzer, Travis Jankowski, and Jacob deGrom — became World Series champions, Scherzer winning his second. Rangers GM Chris Young also played for the Mets, and interviewed for their GM opening in 2020. 

Just over a decade after losing back-to-back World Series, even being an out away from accomplishing the feat, Texas overcame all of the odds to win this year’s commissioner’s trophy. They became the third team in MLB history, including the 1969 New York Mets, to win the World Series just two seasons after losing 100 games. 

Latest Mets News

Andy Martino of SNY reported that Mets third base coach Joey Cora has heard from several teams regarding open coaching positions. Cora is not under contract with the Mets any longer, and his future with the team is uncertain as the Mets continue to make changes after the hiring of David Stearns. 

Joel Sherman of the New York Post gave two significant updates to the Mets managerial search on Wednesday, as he reported that the Mets have interviewed Carlos Mendoza and Andy Green for the position. Mendoza, who has been with the Yankees organization for 15 seasons and has spent the past four as their bench coach, is reportedly also in a second-round callback interview with the Mets per Andy Martino of SNY. Green is a former major leaguer, playing four games for the Mets, and has managing experience as he formerly managed the San Diego Padres. 

Latest MLB News

Evan Drellich of The Athletic reported that Major League Baseball will no longer use uniform employee contracts, the agreements with standardized language that MLB long required managers, coaches, trainers, and salaried scouts to agree to across the 30 teams. Clubs are now to draft their own contracts, allowing terms to vary as the MLB makes this move to protect the league office against liability. However, Drellich reports that many are worried that clubs will now attempt to include language that works against employees in new ways. 

MLB’s Arizona Fall League announced the participants for their 2023 Home Run Derby, which will take place on Saturday, November 4. The field has several top prospects: Kevin Alcántara, Kyle Manzardo, Aaron Sabato, Ivan Melendez, Wes Clarke, Damiano Palmegiani, Gabriel Rincones Jr., and Kala’i Rosario.

The San Diego Padres recently took out a $50 million loan to help cover payroll, per a report from Dennis Lin, Evan Drellich, and Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic. Despite being in a bottom-third media market in the league, San Diego had one of the highest payrolls in baseball, as they are obligated to pay hundreds of millions of dollars to Xander Bogaerts, Fernando Tatis Jr., and others. According to the article, the loan was taken out to “address short-term cash flow issues and meet their obligations, including payroll.”

Latest on MMO

Allison Waxman looked back at the infamous Matt Harvey ninth inning in Game 5 of the 2015 World Series and asked the readers, should he have gone back out?

Jett Williams‘ plan to make his major league debut in 2024 was highlighted by Alexis Farinacci. 

Evan Mazza looked into the Mets’ recent interviews for their open manager position. 

On This Date in Mets History

2015: After a historic postseason run in which he led the Mets to an unexpected World Series appearance, Daniel Murphy graces the cover of Sports Illustrated, titled “The Amazin’ Murphy.”

1972: The Mets traded Gary Gentry and Danny Frisella and, in return, acquired Félix Millán and George Stone from the Atlanta Braves. Both players the Mets received played crucial roles in their 1973 pennant-winning season; Millán hit .290 and received MVP votes, while Stone went 12-3 with a 2.80 ERA.

Birthdays: Denyi Reyes (27), Tom Paciorek (77)

The post Morning Briefing: Texas Rangers Win First World Series Championship appeared first on Metsmerized.

Photo by Ed Delany of Metsmerized

Good morning, Mets fans!

The Mets received some good news regarding Justin Verlander, one of the many pitchers who are currently on the team’s injured list. According to Anthony DiComo of MLB.com, Verlander, who is injured with a teres major strain, continued to throw off flat ground at Citi Field, but not off a mound. Buck Showalter said he’s “not planning on” having Verlander back during the Mets’ west coast trip, which runs through April 23.

Verlander will go to Port St. Lucie when the Mets go to California this week, Showalter said. The tentative plan includes a minor league rehab start and Verlander probably not returning to the majors until the Mets return home, according to Tim Healey of Newsday.

Latest Mets News

David Peterson (0-1, 6.00 ERA) took the hill against Ryan Weathers (0-0, 3.60 ERA) in the second game of the series against the Padres, where the Mets fell, 4-2. The Mets took an 1-0 lead in the bottom of the fourth on a Mark Canha sacrifice fly that brought home Francisco Lindor. Manny Machado woke up the Padres’ offense and hit a two-run double to put them ahead, 2-1. Late in the top of the ninth inning, Xander Bogaerts launched a 415-foot two-run shot to put the Padres in the lead for good, 4-1. Tommy Pham had some late game heroics when his RBI single brought the Mets closer, 4-2, but Francisco Álvarez struck out with runners on second and third to end the game.

Tommy Hunter threw 40 pitches in live batting practice, according to Joe Pantorno of amNewYork. Hunter said he felt “really good,” and the hope is that he’ll be ready to go by the time he’s eligible to get off the IL on April 19. 

Right-handed pitcher Seth Elledge has been claimed from the Atlanta Braves and optioned to Triple-A Syracuse, according to the Mets. Left-handed pitcher José Quintana has been transferred to the 60-day IL.

On Tuesday, Mets owner and president of Amazin’ Mets, Alex Cohen, will attend a ribbon cutting ceremony to unveil newly-named Child Center of New York’s Woodside Clinic to “The Cohen Family Wellness Center.” The wellness center will provide therapeutic services for local youth.

Latest MLB News

For the first time in franchise history, the Miami Marlins had a player hit for the cycle. Luis Arraez, whom the Marlins traded for from the Minnesota Twins, went 4-for-5 at the plate in a 8-4 victory against the Philadelphia Phillies.

Gabriel Burns and Justin Toscano of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution said the Atlanta Braves officially reinstated Kyle Wright from his rehab assignment Tuesday morning. Wright was schedule to start against the Cincinnati Reds that evening in his season debut. The team optioned lefty Dylan Dodd to Triple-A Gwinnett to open a roster spot.

Speaking of the Braves, Jeff Passan and Kiley McDaniel of ESPN said Ian Anderson will undergo Tommy John surgery. After a difficult 2022 season, Anderson started the year at Triple-A and struggled in his first start before being diagnosed with a torn UCL. Anderson is expected to return in 2024.

Latest on MMO

Chris Bello examines John Curtiss‘s hot start this season.

On This Date in Mets History

Birthdays: Dennis Santana (27), Tomas Nido (29), Brad Brach (37), Justin Ruggiano (41), Daniel Garcia (43), D.J. Carrasco (46), Paul Lo Duca (51)

The post Morning Briefing: Verlander Makes Progress in Injury Recovery appeared first on Metsmerized.

Shohei Ohtani. Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

Baseball fans across the globe are gearing up for the biggest stage for international play. Even with some big names recently opting-out of the World Baseball Classic (WBC), the tournament is set to begin on March 7. Clayton Kershaw, Jhoan Duran, Paolo Espino, Ramón Urías are among the names who opted out for various reasons, the most interesting reason being due to not gaining clearance by their insurance to play for the respective countries.

Regardless of this, there are loads of MLB, MiLB, and international talent to fill out all 20 rosters. Below we will examine the top two teams in each pool in what looks like will be a terrific WBC.

Pool A: Taichung, Taiwan

Xander Bogaerts. Photo credits: USA Today

1. Netherlands

The Dutch have a nice mix of MLB players and countrymen on their roster. While Pool A is likely the weakest of the field, Netherlands has the edge when it comes to their top players.

They have impact bats that will need to carry the bulk of the lifting. Xander Bogaerts, who just signed a massive 11-year, $280 million contract with the San Diego Padres this winter, is their clear-cut star player. Joined by Didi Gregorius, Jonathan Schoop and Andrelton Simmons in the infield, this group must stay hot at the plate to make a deep run in the elimination round.

Sharlon Schoop will join his younger brother Jonathan on the team. Sharlon played minor league ball from 2005-2018 before beginning his Dutch Major League career with the L&D Amsterdam Pirates in 2019. In 13 seasons in the minors, he slashed .244/.312/.341.

Kenley Jansen and Pedro Strop will need to lock it down out of the pen mainly because there isn’t a whole lot of proven arms outside of these two.

Former Atlanta Braves’ starter Jair Jurrjens has the most MLB experience among the Dutch rotation. Now 37 years of age, he last played in the MLB on a short-stint with the Colorado Rockies in 2014. Jaydenn Estanista is an intriguing name to watch. The Phillies’ farmhand posted a 2.01 ERA over the course of 31 1/3 innings while striking out 35 batters in 2022, playing in Rookie ball. He tops out at 97-98 MPH and has some of the best stuff on this Dutch staff.

Yoenis Cespedes. Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

2. Cuba

Cuba’s two best players are current-MLB teammates playing for the Chicago White Sox. These are 25-year-old centerfielder Luis Robert who slashed .284/.319/.416 in 2022 with 12 home runs and 56 RBI. The former number-one prospect Yoán Moncada will man third base for the Cuban national team. After what seemed to be a breakout season in 2019 where he hit 25 long balls with a .315/.367/.548 line including a 140 OPS+, he has since regressed in his last two seasons with the White Sox. He still has pop in his bat to contribute at any moment.

It will be interesting to watch Yoenis Céspedes play competitive baseball again. He hasn’t been on a MLB roster since he opted out of the 2020 shortened season while still a member of the New York Mets, where he practically carried the offense into the 2015 postseason. He only played in eight regular season games that year, but boasts career numbers of 165 home runs and a .824 OPS.

Now at age 37, many wonder if he has anything left in the tank. A productive WBC could potentially earn him a chance to sign a minor-league deal with a team before the season begins. He is a two-time All-Star with two home run derby belts.

Cuba’s pitching staff has a few major league arms on its roster. Specifically, Roenis Elias, Miguel Romero and Ronald Bolaños are names to keep an eye on.

Some pitchers who have had success in recent years playing in Japan are Livan Moinelo, Raidel Martinez and Yariel Rodriguez.

Pool B: Tokyo, Japan

Yu Darvish. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-USA TODAY Sports

1. Japan

Japan has won the most WBC tournaments, winning two championships in 2006 and 2009. They are the easy favorites to come out on top of Pool B. This team could potentially be the most exciting out of all 20 teams. The squad has stars all over their roster.

The starting rotation is led by the two-headed monster of Shohei Ohtani and Yu Darvish. Ohtani, arguably the best baseball player in the world right now, will attract eyeballs to the television whenever he is on the field. Darvish has a lot of experience pitching in the WBC, dating back to 2006 when he made his international debut as a 19-year-old. He closed down the championship game in 2009 to secure Japan’s 2nd consecutive WBC championship.

Masataka Yoshida, Seiya Suzuki, Munetaka Murakami, and Ohtani have the ability to provide tremendous power in the top half of the lineup. I’m particularly interested in watching Murakami. The left-handed hitter blasted 56 home runs in 612 plate appearances for the Tokyo Yakult Swalows in 2022. Lars Nootbaar will be making his WBC debut for Samurai Japan.

The oldest pitcher out of the pen is 27-years-old. A young Japanese squad with a lot of velocity and movement will need to hold down the fort in the late innings.

Tommy Edman. Photo Credit: JOE PUETZ-USA TODAY SPORTS

2. Korea

Korea, led largely by the stars of KBO, is typically in the mix at the final stages of the tournament. In 2017, the last time the WBC was held, they lost one of the most shocking games in WBC history to Israel in the playoff round. That still stands as the biggest upset the tournament has seen since it begun in 2006.

The name to watch is outfielder Jung-Hoo Lee. It is widely speculated that he can potentially be posted in the next year or two, before making the transition to MLB. He won the KBO MVP award in 2022 in his age-23 season. In 627 plate appearances for the Kiwoom Heroes, he slashed .349/.421/.575 with a .996 OPS. For many, this may be the first time he gets the global exposure, unless you had woken up in the wee hours during 2020 to watch the KBO while MLB-play was suspended during the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Tommy Edman is the most well-known player on the roster, spending his first four MLB seasons with the St. Louis Cardinals. He has a great mix of contact, speed, and power to boast in front of the global stage. San Diego Padres’ infielder Ha-Seong Kim will be representing his home country as well. After struggling to adjust to MLB pitching in his rookie season in 2021, slashing .202/.270/.352 he was able to improve those numbers to .251/.325/.383 in 2022. His playing time was boosted after Padres’ star shortstop Fernando Tatis Jr. was suspended for 80 games after testing positive for a banned substance. Edman and Kim will provide a slick-fielding middle infield for Korea.

Another name to watch in this lineup is Jeong Choi, who is second all-time in the KBO in home runs, with 429 long balls. He’ll be tasked to provide much of the power that Korea needs.

The pitching staff is lined with some of the best arms in the KBO. Kwang Hyun Kim pitched the 2020 and 2021 seasons with the St. Louis Cardinals, posting a combined 2.97 ERA in 35 games, including 28 starts. Last year, with the SSG Landers of the KBO, he posted a 13-3 record, 2.13 ERA, and a 1.07 WHIP. The 34-year-old lefty will head the rotation, joined by fellow left-hander Eui Lee Lee. Lee is only 20 years of age who struck out 161 batters in 154 innings in 2022 for the Kia Tigers.

Pool C: Phoenix, Arizona

Mike Trout. Photo via USA Today

1. USA

The most talented team in Pool A are the reigning WBC champions, Team USA. There’s no real surprise here, as USA’s squad is littered the MLB talent from top-to-bottom.

Their lineup is stacked, basically running out a full team of MLB All-Stars. Mike Trout, Mookie Betts, Cedric Mullins, Nolan Arenado and Paul Goldschmidt just to name a few. All of these guys have hit 30-plus home runs at least once in their major-league careers. Some have hit 40-plus home runs in multiple MLB seasons throughout their own careers, including Arenado and Trout.

Four Mets’ players will be representing the stars and stripes, Pete Alonso, Jeff McNeil, Adam Ottavino and newly-acquired lefty reliever Brooks Raley.

Three reigning National League Champions of the Philadelphia Phillies will play a key role with the team. Trea Turner, Kyle Schwarber and J.T. Realmuto will add to an already deep lineup.

The starting pitching took a hit recently when Kershaw was forced to opt-out after facing an insurance issue with the WBC due to his past injury history with his back. Adam Wainwright has the most experience in professional baseball out of this rotation, with Lance Lynn, Merrill Kelly and young-gun Brady Singer all joining him.

While USA does not have the best rotation out of all 20 teams, their bullpen is easily in the top three, if not higher. David Bednar, Ryan Pressly, Devin Williams, Kendall Graveman and Ottavino headline the backend of their bullpen.

Let’s not forget their coaching staff either. Manager Mark DeRosa will have some of the most talented players to ever play the game of baseball aiding his staff. Ken Griffey Jr. and Andy Pettitte are on-board, as well as former-Mets’ manager Jerry Manuel serving as the bench coach.

Randy Arozarena. Mandatory Credit: Mike Watters-USA TODAY Sports

2. Mexico

The best threat to beat out USA in Pool A is Mexico. They have an extremely impressive outfield. Randy Arozarena, Alex Verdugo, Alek Thomas and Jarren Duran are all impact players.

Managed by former MLB player Benji Gil, who played for the Texas Rangers and Anaheim Angels (yes, just Anaheim), Mexico is looking for their first top-four finish in the tournament. Joining him on staff is three-time Silver Slug Award winner Vinny Castilla, known for hitting 40-plus home runs in three consecutive seasons for the Colorado Rockies from 1996-1998.

Rounding out their infield, Nationals’ fan-favorite Joey Meneses as well as Rowdy Tellez, Luis Urías, and Isaac Paredes are expected to start. These four combined for a total 84 home runs and 215 RBI in the 2022 MLB season.

Mexico’s starting rotation is very, very good. Led by World Series Champions Julio Urías and Jose Urquidy, they will be a tough matchup for anyone who steps into the box. Former-Met Taijuan Walker as well as Patrick Sandoval round out the rotation. With this pitching, they can compete with anyone in Pool A.

Pool D: Miami, Florida

Manny Machado. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

1. Dominican Republic

Talk about a stacked team.

The Dominican Republic is well-known for their past, present, and future star players. There is no hole in their starting lineup, and will without a doubt give some fear to opposing pitchers. Manager Rodney Linares could throw a dart at all of the names on the wall and still come away with a lethal starting nine.

The projected starting lineup could include: (2022 AL ROY) Julio Rodriguez, (2020 Batting Title) Juan Soto, (6x AS) Manny Machado, (AS MVP) Vladimir Guerrero Jr., (4x AS) José Ramírez, (2018 WS Champion) Rafael Devers, (2x Silver Slugger) Teoscar Hernández, (2x AS) Gary Sanchez, and (2022 WS MVP) Jeremy Peña.

Now, the competitive aspect of any opposing pitcher should be excited to face this star-studded lineup, but I can’t imagine there are many guys looking forward to it. Need a pinch hitter? How about Ketel Marte? Eloy Jimenez? Nelson Cruz? Wander Franco? The list goes on and on.

Their starting rotation is nothing to sneeze at either, led by Sandy Alcantara, Cristian Javier, and Johnny Cueto. Some of the bullpen names include former-Met Rafael Montero as well as Diego Castillo, Yimi Garcia and Gregory Soto among others.

This team is definitely in the top-two talent-wise. Depending on who you ask, they are the best team in the tournament, with USA being the other team within the top two.

Francisco Lindor. Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-USA TODAY Sports

2. Puerto Rico

Making the quick jump from player to manager, Yadier Molina will get his first crack to lead Puerto Rico to their first WBC title. They have finished in second-place twice, both coming in the last two tournaments. Unfortunately for them, they were shutout in both championship games.

Their middle infield has some familiarity with one another. Not only have Francisco Lindor and Javier Báez played together during the WBC, but also spent some time manning the Mets’ middle infield after New York acquired Báez at the 2021 trade deadline.

One interesting note is the pair of catchers who will represent this team. Christian Vázquez and Martín Maldonado are both coming off of a World Series championship with the Houston Astros.

Eddie Rosario is a name to watch, he has a knack for coming up in a big spot despite his down year in 2022. He helped the Atlanta Braves win the 2021 World Series, earning himself the NLCS MVP award.

While Puerto Rico’s lineup may not be quite up to par with the power house teams this year, their pitching is right up there with the best of them.

Edwin Díaz is penciled in as the closer after enjoying his best season of his career with the Mets in 2022. In 62 innings he finished with a 1.31 ERA and 118 strikeouts. He’ll have the honor of teaming up with his younger brother Alexis Díaz, who had a heck of a year for himself, posting a 1.84 ERA and 3.1 bWAR in his rookie campaign with the Cincinnati Reds. Jorge Lopez and Emilio Pagan will also be a key part of this pen.

The starting rotation is headlined by José Berríos and Marcus Stroman. Although Berríos struggled in his first full season with Toronto, he had enjoyed early success with the Minnesota Twins from 2017-2021.

Final Thoughts

The 2023 WBC has all the talent in the world to be an exciting tournament for baseball fans all over. Pool C and D will likely have the most talent involved, and it will be a thrill of a ride to see who comes out on top. There are more than a handful of teams that have a realistic chance to win the championship. Who knows, there could always be a few huge upsets by the end of it.

The post WBC 2023: Top Teams In Each Pool appeared first on Metsmerized.

Recently we have seen some Major League Baseball contracts with longer-than-usual durations. Consider Trea Turner‘s deal with the Philadelphia Phillies (11 years), Carlos Correa‘s contract with the San Francisco Giants (13 years), and Xander Bogaerts‘ contract with the San Diego Padres (11 years). Teams and players are free to negotiate mutually beneficial deals, but if contract length is being used as a means to get around the Competitive Balance Tax (CBT), MLB may have a developing issue.

As a reminder, here is how the CBT will work for the duration of the current Collective Bargaining Agreement, which expires after the 2026 season. The tax thresholds by year are listed below.

2022: $230 million

2023: $233 million

2024: $237 million

2025: $241 million

2026: $244 million

A club that exceeds the CBT is subject to an increasing tax rate, depending on how many consecutive years it has done so.

First year: 20 percent tax on all overages

Second consecutive year: 30 percent on overages

Third consecutive year or more: 50 percent on overages

Going back to Turner’s deal, he signed for a total of $300 million over 11 years. When the contract is in its last year, Turner will be 41 years old, earning roughly $27 million dollars. Did the Phillies structure the contract that way because they felt Turner would be producing at a $27 million level in the 11th year of his contract, or did they do it so they could soften the impact of Turner’s deal on their payroll each year, and subsequently have more maneuverability to spend and remain under the tax threshold?

The same could be said about Correa’s and Bogaert’s contracts, and even the mega-deal the Yankees handed to Aaron Judge. What’s the big deal? The current CBA has some language that calls out CBT manipulation. In an article in The Athletic by Ken Rosenthal, the author summarizes the relevant verbiage in the CBA:

Baseball’s collective-bargaining agreement states neither players nor clubs shall enter into any agreement “designed to defeat or circumvent the intention” of the luxury tax. The language is vague, subject to interpretation. But if the league determined a circumvention occurred, it conceivably could ask the parties to restructure the contract, most likely by agreeing to a shorter term, or reject the deal entirely.

It’s hard to see a contract challenge by either side ending well. It was less than one year ago that we lived through a 99-day lockout, full of blaming, mistrust, and rhetoric. The players would certainly view a challenge by the owners as a way of restricting spending on contracts, and they probably would be correct.

Could this potential issue have been avoided? Yes, it could, if MLB had modeled the National Basketball Association or the National Hockey League. Both leagues have salary caps, and both have implemented contract length restrictions to avoid cap work-around tactics. From Rosenthal’s article:

The NBA’s maximum contract length is five years. The NHL’s maximum is eight years for teams that re-sign their own players, and seven for players signing a free-agent deal with a new team. The NFL has no maximum. Donovan McNabb’s 12-year extension in 2002 is the longest deal in league history, but only $20 million of his potential $115 million was guaranteed. The NFL, unlike the three other major North American sports leagues, does not typically guarantee multi-year contracts for veteran players.

If there have been no challenges to date on contract length, when seemingly at least part of the intent has been to preserve spending room under the tax threshold, that may not be the case forever. According to Rosenthal, the Phillies discussed offering Bryce Harper a 20-year contract, before agreeing with the star outfielder on a 13-year deal. This was before the 2019 season, so not very long ago. Further, there is speculation that the Padres considered offering Judge a 14-year extended deal.

At some point, there likely will be a challenge on contract length as a way to circumvent the CBT. The small-market owners already take issue with the spending habits of the large-market owners. Imagine if, perhaps Steve Cohen, signs a player to a 20-year, mega-contract. Not only would he be doing something that smaller clubs say they cannot do, but if the Mets were able to spread the money thinly enough to stay under the CBT threshold, they will not have to contribute to the fund that provides revenue for the Pirates and Orioles of the world.

This contract-length story may be worth watching. MLB doesn’t need more labor strife, but storm clouds may be forming on this one. If not now, this matter may become a sticking point in the next CBA negotiations.

It’s safe to say no one wants to go through that, especially the fans.

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The San Diego Padres signed free agent shortstop Xander Bogaerts to an 11-year, $280 million deal Wednesday night, in yet another significant Winter Meetings move. Jon Heyman of MLB Network was the first to report the news.

The deal comes after the Padres missed out on fellow free agent star shortstop Trea Turner, who got 11 years and $300 million from the Phillies. Reports afterwards suggested that the Padres offered him more money, but he opted to go to Philadelphia. The two are similar in age as well, with Turner at 29 and Bogaerts at 30.

Jon Morosi of MLB Network reported that the signing has no opt-outs and includes no-trade protection. Jayson Stark of The Athletic pointed out that there have been two free agent contracts of 11-plus years in the last three days after there had only been one in the first 46 years of free agency.

Bogaerts is an interesting fit for the Padres, considering they have the suspended but supremely talented Fernando Tatis Jr. Tatis was suspended for 80 games in August after testing positive for a banned substance, and he’ll be eligible to return before the end of April. The Padres also saw the emergence this year of Ha-Seong Kim, another strong defensive shortstop. With Bogaerts locked down at shortstop for the next decade-plus, the Padres may have another position or solution in mind for Tatis.

Bogaerts joins a core with Tatis, Juan Soto and Manny Machado. The right-handed hitter has been in the majors since 2013 and has spent his entire career with the Boston Red Sox. He’s posted a wRC+ of at least 129 each of the last five seasons while playing shortstop. He’s also played in at least 136 games in every year since 2014, besides the COVID-shortened 2020 season. He owns a career 118 wRC+ and 34.2 fWAR.

The Padres capped off a busy couple of days that included numerous long-term contracts and signings of major players.

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Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

Good morning, Mets fans!

Jeff Passan of ESPN reports that the New York Yankees, whose No. 1 priority this offseason is to retain Aaron Judge, have an offer on the table in the neighborhood of eight years and $300 million and could increase it, depending on how much the San Francisco Giants (the other top bidder for Judge) are willing to offer themselves.

Additionally, Chris Cotillo of MassLive reports that Red Sox president Sam Kennedy claimed that the Red Sox are still engaged with Xander Bogaerts and that no doors have been closed there.

Latest Mets News

Michael Mayer reports that the Mets will hold a media availability with All-Star reliever Edwin Díaz via Zoom today at 1:00 pm.

Edwin Díaz is the winner of the 2022 NYBBWAA Good Guy Award, an award voted on by the NY BBWAA for the player who most helped reporters do their job that season.

Jesse Rogers of ESPN anonymously surveyed MLB Executives about MLB free agency. Eight out of twelve executives surveyed believed that Jacob deGrom will stay with the Mets.

Latest MLB News

The Pirates designated Lewin Diaz For Assignment.

Yasiel Puig is pleading not guilty to Federal illegal gambling charges. Puig issued a statement via Twitter: “I don’t know why people like to say bad things about me and believe it. They like makings me look like a monster because of way I looks maybe. All my life’s I been told to be quiet and do what I was told.”

Jon Morosi of MLB Network reports that the Guardians are among the most active suitors for Athletics catcher Sean Murphy, the 2021 Gold Glove winner who could be dealt by the end of the Winter Meetings.

Mike Mazzeo of the Legal Sports Report claims that with a possible opt-out at MetLife Stadium available soon, Sen. Joe Addabbo wants the Jets back in New York, specifically, Willets Point, Queens. “This is a huge, Herculean long shot, I get that. But I hate missed opportunities.”

Latest on MMO

Ross Bentley writes about the Red Sox having uniform advertisements in 2023.

Matt Mancuso calculates how much the 2022 Mets paid for a win.

Ross Bentley reports that the Mets are hoping to bring back Chris Bassitt.

Shaun Huntley covers the 2022 Bowman Chrome release.

On This Date in Mets History

1998: The Mets acquired reliever Armando Benitez and OF Roger Cedeño in a three-way deal with the Dodgers and Orioles.

Birthdays: Javier Báez (30), Greg McMichael (56), Julio Machado (57), Herm Winningham (61), Dan Schatzeder (68), George Foster (74)

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We’re a few weeks into free agency and all of the big names are still on the board with teams taking their time before making moves. However, Hot Stove season always moves at a fast pace and, as ever, MMO is here to round up all the latest rumors for you concerning the New York Mets and the rest of MLB.

Padres Going Big-Game Hunting For A Shortstop 

Yes, you read that right. According to Jon Heyman of The New York Post, the Padres are shopping in the big shortstop free agent market as general manager A.J. Preller looks to make yet another major splash. Not content with already having superstar Fernando Tatis Jr. at the position, not to mention Ha-Seong Kim, the Padres are showing interest in free agent SS Xander Bogaerts. Bogaerts is one of the top free agents available this winter and has produced an OPS+ north of 125 over the past five seasons. He can hit for power, he can hit for average and he draws a lot of walks. Per Heyman, if the Padres were to add Bogaerts or indeed another shortstop to their already star-studded roster, they could slide Tatis to the outfield and move Kim to a depth role. Whatever happens, the Padres are always a fun team to keep an eye on in free agency.

Rays Enter Nimmo Sweepstakes

Brandon Nimmo is one of the top free agent outfielders available so it should come as no surprise that he is attracting plenty of interest early on in the offseason. And, per Heyman, the Tampa Bay Rays are the latest team to enter the Nimmo sweepstakes, joining the Mets, Toronto Blue Jays and the San Francisco Giants in all having interest in the 29-year-old. Nimmo is an on-base machine with a .367 on-base percentage in 2022, he’s established himself as an elite leadoff hitter and he’s improved his glove in the field. Having parted ways with centre fielder Kevin Kiermaier earlier this winter, the Rays are looking for outfield help but whether they can dish out the kind of blockbuster deal Nimmo is looking for remains to be seen.

Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

Cubs In On Conforto

That Heyman is a busy man and he has also reported that the Chicago Cubs are looking into the possibility of signing former Met Michael Conforto. The free agent outfielder didn’t play in 2022 due to a shoulder injury and has been linked to a return to Citi Field as a backup plan should Nimmo sign elsewhere. Conforto posted a solid .824 OPS across seven seasons with the Mets and could provide an intriguing option for the Cubs, who are believed to be big players in free agency this winter. Per Heyman, Conforto is seeking a two-year deal with an opt-out as he looks to get his career back on track.

Interest Growing In Rodón

The Mets are believed to be in on a number of the biggest free agents available this offseason, including starter Carlos Rodón who is coming off an impressive two-year run on the mound with both the White Sox and the Giants. But, per Heyman again, the Mets face competition with the Dodgers and the Twins also interested in the lefty. It is hardly surprising given that Rodón posted a 2.88 ERA with the Giants in 2022, to go along with a 33.4 strikeout rate and a 2.35 FIP. He also ranked second among major league starters with a 6.2 fWAR. The Mets, Dodgers and Twins all need rotation help and, for the Mets, Rodón could be the type of elite arm they need should Jacob deGrom sign elsewhere in free agency. Per Heyman, the Yankees and the Rangers are also in on the free agent starter.

Bellinger Man In Demand

Former Rookie of the Year and MVP Cody Bellinger was shockingly non-tendered by the Dodgers earlier this month and, despite a couple of down years, he is attracting a lot of interest. Per Heyman, there is interest from no less than 11 teams with the Astros, Cubs and Giants among the suitors. Heyman also notes that Bellinger is seeing a one-year, prove-it deal in order to reset his value.

Twins Refuse To Let Go

One of the biggest shocks of last offseason was the fact that it was the Minnesota Twins who came out on top in the Carlos Correa sweepstakes, signing the big-time shortstop to a three-year, $105.3 million deal. Now, the contract did include opt-outs and Correa did just that this offseason in order to try and secure the blockbuster long-term deal he missed out on last year. There is plenty of interest in Correa with Heyman noting that eight teams are in the race, but the Twins are going all out to try and keep the two-time All-Star in Minnesota for the long-term.

Clevinger Drawing Interest From Chicago

Per Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, the Chicago White Sox are interested in signing free agent starter Mike Clevinger. The righty posted a 4.33 ERA in 22 starts for the Padres in 2022, striking out 91 batters and giving up 35 walks. He could be a good fit for a White Sox team that needs starting pitching.

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Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross-USA TODAY Sports

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