Edgy MD

Sometimes, watching Peralta feels like he has money on the Braves.

Mets need to play with a rover in the short outfield.

Wake the kids and phone the neighbors. There's a Met game tonight. AJ Ewing is back in the leadoff spot, and Ronny Mauricio is being deployed, knocking Francisco Lindor to the DH role. METS Starting Pitcher Freddy Peralta RHP 5-7, 4.81 ERA, 92 SO NYM Lineup A.J. Ewing (L) CF Juan Soto (L) LF Bo Bichette (R) 3B Francisco Lindor (S) DH Carson Benge (L) RF Jared Young (L) 1B Francisco Alvarez (R) C Brett Baty (L) 2B Ronny Mauricio (S) SS ATLANTA Starting Pitcher Reynaldo López RHP 4-1, 3.31 ERA, 46 SO ATL Lineup Michael Harris II (L) CF Ozzie Albies (S) 2B Matt Olson (L) 1B Drake Baldwin (L) C Mauricio Dubón (R) LF Dominic Smith (L) DH Austin Riley (R) 3B Mike Yastrzemski (L) RF Jim Jarvis (L) SS

The problem last night began with lifting Brooks Raley after eight pitches. It all cascades from there.

Not really in response to that, but generally speaking. If the Mets can get six months of value out of a player in 2027, great. He's obviously producing right now above the level he was at when he was signed. But if another team can get that plus two more months of value, with those extra two months coming in crunch time 2026, plus quite possibly playoff time 2026, he might be worth more to them than the Mets, and they might compensate the Mets accordingly, especially as his performance has raised his value to something like a peak level. Might, might, might. I dunno, know. All trades stink, but that's how selling off as the trade deadline approaches works — guys gradually become more valuable to good teams than they are to bad teams.

Well, I certainly don't advocate for his trading, but all trades are to get better value back.

According to recent data, Vientos has (or had at the time the data was updated) challenged 22 times and won 13 of them. Where he is really off the charts is his challenge rate compared to expected challenge rate. Wagaman is leading the team succeeding in three out of three challenges. Brett Baty has won a disastrous one out of six challenges. In fairness to him, one of those challenges was an accident.

Vientos even looks like he's praying when he does it.

Gary wasn't there, but yes, Keith Radd (or possibly Patrick McCarthy) worked damn thing into the call of the final out — possibly because Howie and Gary were blowing up their phones in order to cue them. The funny thing is this insane game is what has been happening to the Nationals multiple times a week — pile up a bunch of runs and then turn the game over to their bullpen and watch their lead explode. The funnier thing is the Nats are 8 1/2 games up on the Mets in the standings, and looking like the Nats would be a marked improvement. The win kept them from falling into a tie for last place in the NL with the Rockies — a relatively surging squad that has won five of their last 10.

Bo Bichette is not a good interview subject.

Damn. Thing. Over.

I walk Smitty here.

Amazing. Down to Smitty.

Amazin' stuff here. Historic.

Harris do.

Strikeout means Olson doesn't come up as the tying batter. Harris might, tho'.

It's poetic that the rally began with a flare in between Taylor and Lindor.

And a grand-fucking-salami.

Olson on double-deck is the tying run.

Time for one more sitcom in the ninth.

POS American League National League Catcher Shea Langeliers, Athletics (1st) Drake Baldwin, Braves (1st) First Base Vladimir Guerrero, Jr., Blue Jays (6th) Freddie Freeman, Dodgers (10th) Second Base Ernie Clement, Blue Jays (1st) Ozzie Albies, Braves (4th) Third Base Junior Caminero, Rays (2nd) Max Muncy, Dodgers (3rd) Shortstop Bobby Witt Jr., Royals (3rd) CJ Abrams, Nationals (2nd) Left Field Mike Trout, Angels (12th) Juan Soto, Mets (5th) Center Field Byron Buxton, Twins (3rd) Andy Pages, Dodgers (1st) Right Field Aaron Judge, Yankees (8th) Brandon Marsh, Phillies (1st) Designated Hitter Yordan Alvarez, Astros (4th) Shohei Ohtani, Dodgers (6th) Reserves Dillon Dingler, c, Tigers (1st) William Contreras, c, Brewers (3rd) Adley Rutschman, c, Orioles (3rd) Hunter Goodman, c, Rockies (2nd) Ben Rice, 1b, Yankees (1st) Luis Arraez, 2b, Giants (4th) Travis Bazzana, 2b, Guardians (1st, rk.) Bryce Harper, 1b, Phillies (9th) Miguel Vargas, 3b, 1b, White Sox (1st) Otto Lopez, ss, Marlins (1st) Kevin McGonigle, ss, 3b, Tigers (1st, rk.) Matt Olson, 1b, Braves (4th) Randy Arozarena, of, Mariners (3rd) Sal Stewart, 1b, 3b, Cincinnati (1st) Cody Bellinger, of, Yankees (3rd) Corbin Carroll, of, Diamondbacks (3rd) Riley Greene, of Tigers (3rd) Pete Crow-Armstrong, of, Cubs (2nd) Yandy Díaz, dh, Rays (2nd) Jordan Walker, of, Cardinals (1st) James Wood, of, Nationals (1st) Kyle Schwarber, dh, Phillies (4th) Starting Pitchers Dylan Cease, rh, Blue Jays (1st) Chase Burns, rh, Reds (1st) Parker Messick, lh, Guardians (1st, rk) Max Meyer, rh, Marlins (1st) Drew Rasmussen, rh, Rays (2nd) Jacob Misiorowski, rh, Brewers (2nd) Joe Ryan, rh, Twins (2nd) Eduardo Rodriguez, lh, Diamondbacks (1st) Cam Schlittler, rh, Yankees (1st) Chris Sale, lh, Braves (10th) Ranger Suarez, lh, Red Sox (2nd) Cristopher Sánchez, lh, Phillies (2nd) Michael Wacha, rh, Royals (2nd) Paul Skenes, rh, Pirates (3rd) Logan Webb, rh, Giants (3rd) Yoshinobu Yamamoto, rh, Dodgers (2nd) Relief Pitchers Bryan Baker, rh, Rays (1st) Jhoan Duran, rh, Phillies (1st) Aroldis Chapman, lh, Red Sox (9th) Raisel Iglesias, rh, Braves (1st) Jacob Latz, lh, Rangers (1st) Mason Miller, rh, Padres (2nd) Cade Smith, rh, Indians (1st) Louis Varland, rh, Blue Jays (1st) Mike Trout in the AL and Freddy Freeman and Chris Sale in the NL are the deans. Jacob Latz gets the WHODAT? Award. The NL is announcing two more players than the AL at this time. I don't know if that means somebody is injured in the NL or the AL is keeping some of their powder dry. Not a lot of relievers.

Really, the Braves going to Cookie down two in the ninth was something of an act of mercy.

Matt Olson wanted a piece of that motherly insult.

Here's to Luke Weaver's mother's son continuing to totally not suck.

Vientos and McLean each have an error, which proves this official scorer will reward a fielder with an error if he tries hard enough. As often comes to pass, the Mets' better reliever are all well rested, but I would have them ride McLean as far as he will take them.