Edgy MD

Weak buttocks is my diagnosis for the 2026 Mets. Weak, weak buttocks.

I just think it's counterproductive for the team. The illusion that one more reliever, one more reliever, one more reliever is the difference maker is such a spectacular waste of energy.

Is it not true that a lot of folks advocate for their team to eat costs? When a contract that is enticing over the short-term but carries a long-term risk is available to be signed or acquired, do not advocates for a more extravagant team call for their management to embrace that risk on the argument that they can eat those contracts if and when they turn bad?

Ummm, ... Chip Hale! Eric Wedge! Manny Acta!! JOHN FARRELL!!!

Howie transitions to a bizarre opera story, which was something.

The radio booth is torturing themselves to stay engaged. Howie keeps calling Jorge Polanco "Placido Polanco." About Placido, he confesses, "I never met him, I never liked him, he never played for the Mets, and I can't get the stooge out of my head."

I don't think they felt a whole lot toward Willie, so much as they made their personal complaint (the Mets made a big move after we all filed our stories!) about Willie (the Mets fired this prince of a man!). Howie confessing that he knows little more about Star Wars than he knows about Princess Bride.

Austin Slater is a real thing!

Mercy rule triggered!

Maybe this is the time to break the seal on Slater. If he gets in this game, maybe he can be the one to call a team meeting.

But either way, he passed on the third way, which would have been bringing in a reliever experienced in relieving, and presumably experienced in entering a game with runners on base. Raley, for instance. Then, one way or another, Manaea can take over at the top of the next inning.

Last inning, Melendez, with two runners on and no out, down 9-1 with a 2-0 count swung at a knuckle curve out of the strike zone. Madness.

No.

All the lefthanded batters reached for the Mets in the bottom of the first. All the righties made out.

Those of you concerned about the Mets launching last night's lineup with MJ Melendez batting fourth can rest easy. Tonight, MJ bats third. WASHINGTON Starting PItcher: Cade Cavalli (RHP) 0-1, 4.01 ERA Lineup: James Wood (L) DH Curtis Mead (R) 1B Brady House (R) 3B CJ Abrams (L) SS Jacob Young (R) CF Daylen Lile (L) LF Joey Wiemer (R) RF Nasim Nuñez (S) 2B Keibert Ruiz (S) C METS Starting PItcher: David Peterson LHP 0-3, 5.06 ERA Lineup: Bo Bichette (R) 3B Juan Soto (L) DH MJ Melendez (L) LF Francisco Alvarez (R) C Brett Baty (L) 1B Tyrone Taylor (R) CF Carson Benge (L) RF Marcus Semien (R) 2B Ronny Mauricio (S) SS

Binghamton had one of the best minor-league seasons in the organization's history last year. Talent concentrates at different levels from year to year.

That is one miserable game description.

The only problem I have with Freeman's position is that he made it public, letting umps and pitchers and catchers know he isn't arming himself with the same tools they have. Batters sort of have a disadvantage here. In order to work up your confidence, you have to program your mind — at least for the moment — with the notion of your indomitability. You are so potent and prepared and locked in that the only thing that could defeat you is the malicious conspiracy or supreme incompetence of others. That's all bullshit, of course, but you kind of go up there believing it anyway. You have to. So when a strike — especially a third strike — comes in on the corner, your first response is going to be "Oh, BULLSHIT!" Now, when you relax your muscles and take a sober second thought, you come to realize that the fault probably lies with you and your judgment, but the rule says that the challenge has to come immediately, before you get to step out and take that breath. And your first instinct is to double-down. Pitchers who feel like they executed their pitch but didn't get the call may have the same problem. This guy didn't give me the strike I earned and its damned personal! But the defense has the advantage of the catcher making the bulk of the challenges. And the catcher can be objective. His team has a stake in the call but there aren't any neurons firing in his head that says his manhood is on the line and the ump is undermining him personally.

Ewing's Syracuse debut couldn't have gone better, with him leading off, going three for four, with a walk, a double, a triple, two runs scored and three RBI in a 10-4 cakewalk over Lehigh Valley. Binghamton, on the other hand, was so sorry to see him go that they got no-hit.

The Mets saw in the possibilities of their opening game against the Nationals the prospect of the serious professional endangerment of their manager. On the other hand, they saw the tantalizing image of third place only three and a half games ahead of them. And for one glorious night, they pummeled their opponents without mercy. They crushed their enemies, saw their foes driven before them, and heard the lamentation of their women. This, amazingly, has left the 2026 Mets undefeated in division play. As unlikely as an entry into contention seems, one advantage they have is that virtually all of the intradivisional schedule lies before them. The other advantage they have as they deploy lefthander David Peterson against Cade Cavalli in Game Two? With Juan Soto nursing a strained forearm and Luis Robert, Jr. hampered by a stiff back? That second advantage is you!

Kimbrel's last two pitches there were 94.7 and 95.7. Maybe he has something left in the tank after all.

Is Taylor in there just for the defense and the work, or did I miss Melendez getting hurt?

Booth chatter has come around to discussion of The Princess Bride, and Howie Rose seemingly is completely unfamiliar with it.

Please don't believe that. The fifth inning has frequently been breached. And beyond is breachable country. Also, Carson Benge is in the interstate exit lane.

While we just saw Christian Scott last week, an unfortunate Injured List assignment should provide a little bit more of an open-ended opportunity for him to show his mettle and quality. If nothing else happens this season, establishing Scott and Jonah Tong alongside Nolan McLean in the Mets rotation would have to be counted as a win, potentially establishing a foundational stone to build on. They could, indeed, be MST3K — a term originated by our friend Greg Prince at the always-engaging Faith and Fear in Flushing to describe a future built on McLean, Brandon Sproat, and Tong. Brandon Sproat has been dealt to Milwaukee, but hope — along with promising pitchers whose name starts with S — has not Transactions, 4/28/2026 GOING COMING COMING Placed on 15-Day Injured List with Lumbar Spine Inflammation Promoted from Syracuse Transferred from St. Lucie to Syracuse on Rehab Assignment Starting Pitchers Starting Pitchers Relief Pitchers Kodai Senga Christian Scott Joey Gerber L/R DoB: 1993-01-30 High Level: MLB (2026) R/R DoB: 1999-06-15 High Level: MLB (2026) R/R DoB: 1997-05-03 High Level: MLB (2026) As noted above, two or three turns by Christian Scott gives him more of an open door than his previous appearance. Any anticipation, of course, is tempered by the reality that he missed all of 2025, and establishing himself as a big leaguer after a year in the ether at the top of the development chain is a tough ask. But hey, Roger McDowell pulled it off! Maybe he can pull a McDowell! Seeing as Senga's turn won't be coming around for a few days, one might have expected the Mets to add another reliever for a couple of games, being something close to a rule that if a big league team can add a reliever, they will, but a few days for Scott to get acclimated, —instead of having him step off a plane and onto a mound again — is something. Joey Gerber, whose head does not sit centered upon his neck in his thumbnail photo, is close to being ready.