Edgy MD

Does anybody else think the defense is worse? I mean, it is at shortstop, but that's because the top two shortstops got hurt, but not because of any change the team made. Even last night, as two liners weren't successfully handled by the infielders, really good defense was on display in the outfield and at catcher. I think they are almost certainly better at defense with a chance to improve further as the season progresses.

Tong was deceptively pretty good, but was nibbling himself into holes, ultimately finding the one he couldn't extricate himself from. There definitely was a guy there who needed to trust his stuff. Entering the game in a 2-0 hole probably had something to do with that.

Getting out of town with a win would be some small consolation and that's what Freddy Peralta hopes to make happen for the Mets. A 3:40 start for East Coast viewers allows for daytime baseball engorgement.

In between a handful of stray Met minor-leaguers being lovingly rehomed and sad demotion for Jonah Tong, a strange series of transactions befell Christian Arroyo. Transactions, 5/5/2026 GOING Signed away to Minor-League Contract by WAS Relief Pitchers Colby Frieda R/R DoB: 37462 High Level: Division I+ (2024) Colby Freida, who does not have naturally curly hair, had an ignominious start to his pro career. He was signed by the Mets out of college as an undrafted free agent, but released at the end of spring training, without playing any actual regular-season games for the organization. This is why the only thumbnail pic at left depicts him as a Troy University Trojan. He also played for Kentucky, and frankly, I would have stuck with that, as that Troy hat insignia looks like the Tesla logo, which itself looks like an intrauterine device. Anyhow, his starting off with a 10.50 ERA through six innings, as a 23-year-old playing against teenagers in the Florida Complex League, suggests the Mets may not have been particularly rash in letting him go, but we're glad to see him playing for pay. Transactions, 5/12/2026 GOING Signed away by Saltillo (Mexican League) Relief Pitchers Daniel Juarez L/L DoB: 36797 High Level: AAA (2025) Venezuelan-born infielder Daniel Juarez certainly seems like a natural for La Liga Mexicana de Béisbol. Unfortunately, the circuit has no team situated in Ciudad Juárez, but Daniel has done the next-best thing, settling in with a 1.42 ERA through his first 6 1/3 innings with Los Saraperos de Saltillo (who have a much cooler hat insignia than Troy U!). Having been in the Mets system since 2019, topping out at AAA in 2025, he will almost certainly get another chance in affiliated ball. Transactions, 5/16/2026 GOING Signed away by Ciudád de México (Mexican League) Relief Pitchers Kevin Gowdy R/R DoB: 35750 High Level: AAA (2025) Kevin Gowdy, with his very jocky name, is a minor-league vet still looking for his first taste of The Show at 28. He was within sniffing distance for a few years there, but was deeply ineffective — lotta walks, lotta hits — at Bingo this year, and so it's off to the Mexican capital to find himself. And there are worse ways to live. Transactions, 5/22/2026 GOING Signed away to Minor-League Contract by KCR Relief Pitchers Luke Jackson R/R DoB: 1991-08-24 High Level: MLB (2026) It's been five teams in 10 years for veteran reliever Luke Jackson, and a few more at the minor-league level. After his brief-and-abortive tenure with the Syracuse Mets, we are happy to see him take his career to a new employer, but fans of the Omaha Royals may be less happy as his struggles to remain afloat have continued apace. He's got an MLB championship ring, though, and you don't. Transactions, 6/1/2026 GOING COMING Released Sent to Syracuse on Rehab Assignment Infielders Catchers Christian Arroyo Francisco Alvarez R/R DoB: 1995-05-30 High Level: MLB (2023) R/R DoB: 2001-11-01 High Level: MLB (2026) Francisco Alvarez' capacity for rapid healing and torrid rehab assignments has now reached near-legendary status. He has already gone 2-for-3 with two doubles and an RBI in his first start in Syracuse, while catching six innings and throwing out the only Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRider baserunner foolish enough to run on him. If only he could turn that miracle-working ability toward keeping himself from over-swinging at the big-league level, he could grow into the MVP performer that Mets Roster Central knows he can be. At any rate, don't grow too attached to Hayden Senger. Christian Arroyo has been the most consistent hitter at Syracuse all season — hitting .300 with lots of MLB experience in a big market and all poised to be the guy that makes the Mets everybody's first call when they have an emergency at second base. And that team may very well be the Mets themselves. So why on earth would the Mets just up and release the guy? Mets Roster Central notes that Arroyo got cut loose on the first of the month, which suggests that he had an upward-mobility clause in his contract, requiring the club to release him by a certain date (June 1 is a nice, round date) if he hasn't yet been promoted. AAA guys with beaucoup big-league experience tend to get such clauses. Transactions, 6/2/2026 COMING Transferred from Binghamton to Syracuse on Rehab Assignment Re-Signed and Assigned to Syracuse Infielders Jorge Polanco Christian Arroyo S/R DoB: 1999-11-13 High Level: MLB (2026) R/R DoB: 1995-05-30 High Level: MLB (2023) And there you have it! The cat came back the very next day! After less than 24 hours of free agency, Arroyo is back with Syracuse, and we suspect he never left the club at all. Perhaps he is back with a modest salary bump, and perhaps he has a further promote-me-or-release-me clause set to trigger in another month, but back he is, hopefully continuing to hit .300 and not putting voodoo pins into a Marcus Semien doll. Jorge Polanco has gone from Binghamton to Syracuse on his personal rehab journey, and along the way, has played all of three innings in the field, and number that is not expected to grow propitiously in the coming weeks (or even months) as his struggle with Achilles tendonitis continues. Thanks to Commissioner Manfred, however, playing the field is not a requirement for being a New York Met, so he is expected to return in the near future. But as the former middle infielder was always going to be hardpressed to provide enough offense to justify his deployment at first, whether a wounded-stem version of him can provide the stick to be the Mets DH is certainly an open question. He won't likely take any particular job away, but as a switch-hitter, rather scrape appearances in different measures away from Jared Young, MJ Melendez, Eric Wagaman, Brett Baty, and Mark Vientos, but unless another injury clears a path for his activation, we can expect Waggy to be the guy who loses his roster spot. Transactions, 6/2/2026 GOING NEUTRAL COMING Demoted to Syracuse Transferred from Bullpen Promoted from Syracuse Signed as International Amateur Free Agent out of Venezuela, Assigned to DSL Orange Relief Pitcher Starting Pitchers Relief Pitchers Jonah Tong Sean Manaea Joey Gerber Wraniger Navas R/R DoB: 2003-06-19 High Level: MLB (2026) R/L DoB: 1992-02-01 High Level: MLB (2026) R/R DoB: 1997-05-03 High Level: MLB (2026) R/R DoB: 2008-01-19 High Level: Academy (2026) Mets Roster Central was actually impressed with Jonah Tong's recent outing against Seattle, and was disappointed to see him exiled back to Syracuse for further seasoning. His stuff was certainly big league with several of his offerings qualifying as out pitches, but clearly his faith was not as strong in his stuff as ours is, as he spent much of the evening nibbling around the edges, and lost too many to walks. We retain faith that he has a weaponized future. Who gets his slot in the "rotation" (such as it is, with all the opening an piggy-backing going on) is not a matter that has yet been publicly decided, but Sean Manea has certainly moved himself to the front of the conversation with his long relief work in recent weeks, so we are going to plant him there for now until we hear more. Please welcome back the cute-assed dimples of Joey Gerber. Joey has been far more successful in the majors than in the minors this month, but if you're going to have a disparity, that's the way to have it. And if Manea isn't the answer, we keep looking down that depth chart, and if we go 200 or so steps down, we meet a new Venezuelan teenager with the rocking name of Wranager Navas, A novice he may be for now, but may the Metly circle of life ever continue. See you in San Diego! Your 2026 New York Mets Starting Pitchers Sean Manaea Nolan McLean Freddy Peralta David Peterson Christian Scott R/L DoB: 1992-02-01 R/R DoB: 2001-07-24 R/R DoB: 2996-06-04 L/L DoB: 1995-09-03 R/R DoB: 1999-06-15 Relief Pitchers Huascar Brazobán Joey Gerber A.J. Minter Cionel Pérez Brooks Raley Austin Warren Luke Weaver R/R DoB: 1989-10-15 R/R DoB: 1997-05-03 L/L DoB: 1993-09-02 R/L DoB: 35176 L/L DoB: 1988-06-29 R/R DoB: 1996-02-05 R/R DoB: 1993-08-21 Relief Pitchers Catchers Infielders Devin Williams Hayden Senger Luís Torrens Bo Bichette Brett Baty Vidal Brujan Marcus Semien R/R DoB: 1994-09-21 R/R DoB: 1997-04-03 R/R DoB: 1996-05-02 R/R DoB: 1998-03-05 L/R DoB: 1999-11-13 S/R DoB: 1998-02-09 R/R DoB: 1990-09-17 Infielders Outfielders Mark Vientos Eric Wagaman Carson Benge A.J. Ewing MJ Melendez Juan Soto Jared Young R/R DoB: 1993-12-11 R/R DoB: 1997-08-14 L/R DoB: 2003-01-20 L/R DoB: 2004-08-10 L/R DoB: 1993-11-29 L/L DoB: 1998-10-25 L/R DoB: 1995-07-09 Also on 40-Player Roster Starting Pitchers Relief Pitchers #NAME? Clay Holmes Tylor Megill Kodai Senga Zach Thornton Jonah Tong Alex Carrillo Daniel Duarte R/R DoB: 1993-03-27 R/R DoB: 1995-07-28 L/R DoB: 1993-01-30 L/L DoB: 2002-01-17 R/R DoB: 2003-06-19 R/R DoB: 1997-06-06 R/R DoB: 1996-12-04 Relief Pitchers Catchers Reed Garrett Justin Hagenman Tobias Myers Dedniel Núñez Jonathan Pintaro Dylan Ross Francisco Alvarez R/R DoB: 1993-01-02 R/R DoB: 1996-10-07 R/R DoB: 1998-08-05 R/R DoB: 1996-06-05 R/R DoB: 1997-11-07 R/R DoB: 2000-09-01 R/R DoB: 2001-11-01 Infielders Outfielders Francisco Lindor Ronny Mauricio Jorge Polanco Nick Morabito Luis Robert, Jr. Tyrone Taylor S/R DoB: 1993-11-14 S/R DoB: 2001-04-04 S/R DoB: 1999-11-13 R/R DoB: 2003-05-07 R/R DoB: 1997-08-03 R/R DoB: 1994-01-22 Designated for Assignment Relief Pitchers "Anderson Severino " L/L DoB: 1994-09-17 Your Mets Coaching Staff Manager Bench Coach Pitching Coach Hitting Coordinator Third Base Coach First Base Coach Bullpen Coach Ass't Pitching Coach Carlos Mendoza Kai Correa Justin Willard Jeff Albert Tim Leiper Gilbert Gomez José Rosado Dan McKinney DoB: 1979-11-27 DoB: 1989-07-14 DoB: 1990-09-09 DoB: 1992-08-16 DoB: 1996-07-19 DoB: 1992-03-08 DoB: 1974-11-09 DoB: 1989-06-06 Hitting Coach Strategy Coach Catching Coach Coaching Assistant Bat'g Practice Pitcher Equipment Manager Bullpen Catchers Bullpen Catchers Troy Snitker Danny Barnes J.P. Arencibia Rafael Fernandez Kevin Mahoney Kevin Kierst Eric Langill Dave Racaniello DoB: 1988-12-05 DoB: 1989-10021 DoB: 1986-01-05 DoB: 1988-08-03 DoB: 1987-05-11 DoB: 1964-07-09 DoB: 1979-04-09 DoB: 1978-06-03 Your Mets Training Staff Director of Player Health Head Athletic Trainer Assistant Athletic Trainer Reconditioning Coordinator Reconditioning Therapist Head Performance Coach Assistant Performance Coach Performance Coordinator Soft Tissue Specialist Brian Chicklo Joseph Golia Bryan Baca Sean Bardanett Josh Bickel Dustin Clarke Tanner Miracle Jeremy Chiang Hiroto Kawamura DoB: 1972-07-17 DoB: 1978-??-?? DoB: Circa 1980 DoB: 1988-06-23 DoB: 1996-??-?? DoB: 1987-??-?? DoB: 1991-??-?? DoB: ????-??-?? DoB: 1962-07-19 View full article

Disappointing to see that Cionel Perez' beard isn't nearly as neat as it looks in his thumbnail photo.

Too late, sadly, to recommend Vientos take a pitch.

MLB honoring and commemorating the legacy of Lou Gehrig tonight by having everybody wear a 4 on their shoulders. There are other (and better!) ways to call to mind and summon forth the qualities of a player, guys. It isn't always numbers numbers numbers.

But nothing is out of reach when Carson Benge is on the prowl.

Crushing blow.

Doing an unusually large bit of testicle talk in the booth.

Too much respect for Crawford.

More strikes, Tongman.

Hard gloves tonight.

Tong pitching with intense purpose is also a happy thing.

Ewing and Benge will not stand for their buddy pitching with a deficit.

Tong comes out angry though.

A second-inning Wisdom bomb is the keynote.

Gilbert grips the ball outside of his glove. You can pick up his pitches.

Gary and Murph doing the pre-game from The Pike Place Fish Market.

Marlins eked ahead of the Mets by a half game last night, and they're winning in the ninth tonight, but hey, they're beating the Nats, and the Mets have to catch both of them.

Looks like Operation Huascar is a go.

If you are looking for the Mets to try something/anything with the lineup to shake up Bo Bichette ... today isn't looking like your day. If you like waiting until game time to find out who your pitcher is, though, you're totally in luck. METS STARTING PITCHER: TBD Huascar Brazobán (RHP), 3-1, 1.86 ERA, 24 SO LINEUP: Carson Benge (L) RF Bo Bichette (R) SS Juan Soto (L) LF Jared Young (L) DH Mark Vientos (R) 1B Brett Baty (L) 3B Marcus Semien (R) 2B A.J. Ewing (L) CF Hayden Senger (R) C SEATTLE STARTING PITCHER: Logan Gilbert (RHP) 3-4, 3.69 ERA, 69 SO LINEUP: J.P. Crawford (L) SS Julio Rodríguez (R) CF Randy Arozarena (R) LF Luke Raley (L) RF Cole Young (L) 2B Dominic Canzone (L) DH Patrick Wisdom (R) 1B Jhonny Pereda (R) C Colt Emerson (L) 3B

"My little faccia bella."

Still no officially announced starter as far as I can see, so I imagine we are looking at Tong after an opener — which wasn't written to sound dirty, but now totally does.