Tom Gatto

Syracuse got a quality start from Jonah Tong and four hits from Yonny Hernández as it defeated Lehigh Valley 4-3 in 10 innings on Friday. Brooklyn edged Jersey Shore 6-5, coming back after blowing an early lead. John Bay clubbed a three-run homer in the first inning for the Cyclones, while Gregori Louis, Hoss Brewer, and Juan Arnaud combined for four scoreless innings of relief. Binghamton was blanked 6-0 at Erie. Gabriel Rodriguez's two scoreless frames were a bright spot. St. Lucie fell 6-2 at Fort Myers, but Elian Peña had a productive night with two hits, an RBI, and two walks. Mets Transactions New York Mets sent RHP Dedniel Núñez on a rehab assignment to St. Lucie Mets. New York Mets activated CF Tyrone Taylor from the 10-day injured list. New York Mets optioned DH MJ Melendez to Syracuse Mets. New York Mets recalled LHP Zach Thornton from Syracuse Mets. New York Mets optioned RHP Daniel Duarte to Syracuse Mets. Tong Effective, Hernández Collects Four Hits As Syracuse Edges Lehigh Valley The Syracuse Mets won 4-3 in 10 innings on the road over the Lehigh Valley IronPigs. The eventual winning run scored on an error by Lehigh Valley's pitcher, who threw wildly to first base on a pickoff attempt. The biggest development of the night was Jonah Tong turning in a quality start. The right-hander allowed two runs and four hits over six innings, walking two and striking out three. His command was excellent overall; 69 of his 98 pitches were strikes. The effort was a needed turnaround for Tong. He has struggled for most of the season, and before Friday he had allowed 15 earned runs in his last 12 innings (11.25 ERA). The Mets also got a big night from Yonny Hernández, who went 4-for-5 with a double, an RBI, and two stolen bases. Syracuse scratched out single runs in the sixth, seventh, and eighth after being blanked for the first five. In the sixth, Jihwan Bae doubled in Cristian Pache to tie the game 1-1. In the seventh, Grae Kessinger drove in Jared Oliva with a sacrifice fly. In the eighth to make it 2-2. In the eighth, Vidal Bruján scored from first on Hernández's double to put Syracuse ahead 3-2. After Lehigh Valley tied the game in the ninth, Syracuse went back ahead in the 10th. Ghost runner Hayden Senger advanced to third on a Pache sacrifice bunt and then scored on the throwing error. Danis Correa closed out the win with a scoreless 10th. Player AB R H RBI BB K Jihwan Bae 5 0 1 1 0 1 Vidal Bruján 5 1 1 0 0 3 Yonny Hernández 5 0 4 1 0 1 Ryan Clifford 5 0 1 0 0 2 Jared Oliva 4 1 1 0 0 0 Ben Rortvedt 4 0 0 0 0 1 Grae Kessinger 3 0 1 1 0 1 Hayden Senger 4 1 0 0 0 1 Cristian Pache 3 1 1 0 0 2 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Jonah Tong 6 4 2 2 2 3 1 Ben Simon 1 1/3 2 0 0 0 0 0 Jefry Yan 1 2/3 1 1 1 1 4 0 Danis Correa 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 Rumble Ponies Blanked In Erie; Rodriguez Sharp In Relief The Binghamton Rumble Ponies were shut out 6-0 on the road against the Erie SeaWolves. The offense managed only four hits and five walks while leaving seven on base. Jaylen Palmer doubled and drew a walk, JT Schwartz singled and walked, and Wyatt Young and Nick Roselli each added a single. Nick Lucky walked twice. Starter Channing Austin took the loss. He allowed three runs on two hits, walking three and striking out one, in his one inning of work. Gabriel Rodriguez followed with two scoreless innings, surrendering one hit and striking out four. Max Green went the final five innings, allowing three runs on five hits, walking two, striking out four, and giving up one home run. Player AB R H RBI BB K Jose Ramos 4 0 0 0 0 0 JT Schwartz 3 0 1 0 1 0 Vincent Perozo 4 0 0 0 0 1 Matt Rudick 4 0 0 0 0 2 Wyatt Young 4 0 1 0 0 2 Jaylen Palmer 3 0 1 0 1 1 Kevin Villavicencio 3 0 0 0 1 0 Nick Lucky 1 0 0 0 2 0 Nick Roselli 3 0 1 0 0 1 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Channing Austin 1 2 3 3 3 1 0 Gabriel Rodriguez 2 1 0 0 0 4 0 Max Green 5 5 3 3 2 4 1 Bay Homer, Late Rally Lift Brooklyn Past Jersey Shore The Brooklyn Cyclones rallied to defeat the Jersey Shore BlueClaws 6-5 at home after surrendering an early lead. John Bay set the tone with a three-run homer, his 10th of the season, in the first inning, But Jersey Shore touched up Brooklyn starter Jose Chrinos for five runs in the fourth to take the lead, going deep three times. The Cyclones came back in the sixth to tie the game 5-5. Jamari Baylor drove home Daiverson Gutierrez with an infield hit, and Colin Houck scored when the throw to first couldn't be handled. In the seventh, Gutierrez singled home Ronald Hernandez for the go-ahead run. Hernandez reached base four times in all (double, three walks), scored twice, and stole a base. Chirinos lasted five innings, allowing five runs on five hits, walking two, and striking out five. The bullpen was outstanding, as Joe Jacques, Gregori Louis, Hoss Brewer, and Juan Arnaud combined for four scoreless innings. Louis earned the win, and Arnaud notched the save. Player AB R H RBI BB K Yonatan Henriquez 5 1 1 0 0 1 Ronald Hernandez 1 2 1 0 3 0 John Bay 3 1 1 3 0 1 Corey Collins 3 0 0 0 1 0 Daiverson Gutierrez 3 1 1 1 1 0 Colin Houck 4 1 1 0 0 2 Jamari Baylor 4 0 2 1 0 0 Trace Willhoite 4 0 0 0 0 3 Sam Biller 4 0 2 0 0 2 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Jose Chirinos 5 5 5 5 2 5 3 Joe Jacques 1 0 0 0 1 1 0 Gregori Louis 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 Hoss Brewer 1 0 0 0 0 3 0 Juan Arnaud 1 0 0 0 0 2 0 Peña Shines In St. Lucie Loss To Fort Myers The St. Lucie Mets fell 6-2 on the road to the Fort Myers Mighty Mussels. Elian Peña went 2-for-3 with an RBI, a stolen base, and two walks to pace the offense. Taylor Darden added two hits, a walk, and a stolen base. Chase Meggers doubled and drove in a run. Antonio Jimenez reached three times (single, two walks), scored a run, and stole a base. St. Lucie got its runs in the sixth and ninth. In the sixth, Meggers doubled in Jimenez. In the ninth, Peña singled home Darden. Starter Jonathan Jimenez took the loss, allowing five runs and four hits over 2 2/3 innings, walking four, striking out one, and surrendering three home runs. Caden Wooster allowed one run in 2 1/3 innings of relief. Joe Scarborough followed with two scoreless innings and three strikeouts, and Zack Mack tossed a scoreless ninth. Player AB R H RBI BB K Elian Peña 3 0 2 1 2 0 Trey Snyder 4 0 0 0 1 3 Antonio Jimenez 2 1 0 0 2 0 Simon Juan 4 0 1 0 0 1 Branny De Oleo 4 0 1 0 0 1 Chase Meggers 4 0 1 1 0 1 Francisco Toledo 4 0 0 0 0 0 Taylor Darden 3 1 2 0 1 0 Jackson Hauge 3 0 0 0 1 2 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Jonathan Jimenez 2 2/3 4 5 5 4 1 3 Caden Wooster 2 1/3 1 1 1 0 1 1 Joe Scarborough 2 1 0 0 2 3 0 Zack Mack 1 3 0 0 0 0 0 Top-20 Prospect Performance Carson Benge: MLB A.J. Ewing: MLB Jonah Tong: 6 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 3 K, 1 HR Elian Pena: 2-for-3, RBI, SB, 2 BB Jack Wenninger: DNP Ryan Clifford: 1-for-5, 2 K Jacob Reimer: DNP Nick Morabito: DNP Mitch Voit: DNP Jonathan Santucci: DNP Chris Suero: DNP Zach Thornton: DNP Wandy Asigen: DNP Will Watson: DNP Eli Serrano III: DNP Randy Guzman: DNP Ryan Lambert: DNP Dylan Ross: DNP Antonio Jimenez: 0-for-2, SB, 2 BB R.J. Gordon: DNP View full article

Binghamton was the lone New York Mets full-season minor-league affiliate to win on Thursday. The Rumble Ponies outslugged Erie on the road. Leadoff batter Jose Ramos paced the offense with three hits, including a home run, and two RBIs. Douglas Orellana earned the win, and Saul Garcia notched a save. Syracuse fell to Lehigh Valley, but Nate Lavender worked two scoreless innings of relief. Mitch Voit, Jamari Baylor, and Daiverson Garcia homered in Brooklyn's loss to Jersey Shore. St. Lucie lost to Fort Myers on a ninth-inning walk-off home run after tying the game in the top of the inning. Major league reliever Dedniel Nunez made a rehab start for St. Lucie. Mets Transactions New York Mets sent RHP Dedniel Núñez on a rehab assignment to St. Lucie Mets. New York Mets placed 2B Marcus Semien on the 10-day injured list. Left hip flexor strain. New York Mets traded LHP David Peterson to Chicago Cubs for 3B Cole Mathis. New York Mets recalled RHP Daniel Duarte from Syracuse Mets. New York Mets recalled SS Ronny Mauricio from Syracuse Mets. New York Mets optioned RHP Jonathan Pintaro to Syracuse Mets. Syracuse Responds Early, But Can't Hold Off Lehigh Valley Syracuse fell 7-3 to the Lehigh Valley IronPigs in Game 3 of their series. The IronPigs jumped ahead with two runs in the first, but Syracuse answered in the top of the second. Grae Kessinger's groundout scored Ryan Clifford, and then Ben Rortvedt followed with an RBI single that brought home Yonny Hernández to tie the game 2-2. Lehigh Valley regained the lead in the bottom of the second, then added single runs in the third and fourth, the latter on a bases-loaded walk, to build a 5-2 cushion. Syracuse snatched a run back in the seventh when Cristian Pache singled home Kessinger, but the IronPigs put the game away with two runs in the eighth. Nick Morabito paced the offense, going 2-for-3 with a double and a walk. Pache added two hits, an RBI, and a stolen base. Adbert Alzolay opened as the Mets went with a bullpen game. He allowed the IronPigs' two runs in the first. Ryan Lambert took the loss after surrendering the go-ahead run in the second. Nate Lavender was the lone bright spot on the mound, striking out three over two scoreless innings. Player AB R H RBI BB K Jihwan Bae 4 0 0 0 0 2 Vidal Bruján 4 0 0 0 0 0 Nick Morabito 3 0 2 0 1 0 Ryan Clifford 4 1 1 0 0 2 Yonny Hernández 4 1 0 0 0 0 Grae Kessinger 4 1 1 1 0 0 Ben Rortvedt 4 0 1 1 0 1 Cristian Pache 4 0 2 1 0 1 Kevin Parada 3 0 0 0 1 2 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Adbert Alzolay 1 3 2 2 0 0 0 Ryan Lambert 1 2 1 1 0 2 0 Dan Hammer 1 1 1 0 1 2 0 Tanner Witt 1 2/3 2 1 1 3 2 0 Guillo Zuñiga 1/3 0 0 0 0 0 0 Nate Lavender 2 1 0 0 0 3 0 Dylan Ross 1 2 2 2 2 0 0 Binghamton's Big Third Inning Fuels Win Binghamton pounded out 15 hits as it outscored the Erie SeaWolves 10-7 in a game shortened to 8 1/2 innings because of rain. The Rumble Ponies broke an early tie with four runs in the top of the third inning. Vincent Perozo singled home Jose Ramos, Jaylen Palmer doubled in Vincent Perozo and Matt Rudick, and Kevin Villavicencio followed with an RBI single that scored Jaylen Palmer to give Binghamton a 5-1 lead. Erie answered with three in the bottom of the third, but Nick Lorusso hit a solo home run in the fourth to make it a 6-4 game. Binghamton pushed across two more in the seventh when Lorusso reached on an error that scored Kevin Villavicencio and Nick Lucky. After Erie cut the lead to 8-7 on a home run in the bottom of the seventh, Ramos provided insurance for Binghamton with a two-run home run in the ninth. Lucky led the way at the plate, going 4-for-5 with an RBI. Ramos finished 3-for-6 out of the leadoff spot, adding a double to his home run.. Starter Brendan Girton failed to qualify for the win. He allowed four runs (three earned).and five hits over 3 2/3 innings, walking three and striking out three. Douglas Orellana earned the win in relief, allowing a run over 1 1/3 innings.. Saul Garcia got the final out in the bottom of the eighth and was credited with the save after the game was called. Player AB R H RBI BB K Jose Ramos 6 2 3 2 0 2 Nick Lorusso 5 1 2 1 1 0 JT Schwartz 6 0 2 0 0 1 Vincent Perozo 4 1 1 1 0 2 Matt Rudick 3 1 0 0 2 2 Jaylen Palmer 4 2 2 2 1 1 Kevin Villavicencio 5 1 1 1 0 0 Nick Lucky 5 1 4 1 0 1 Nick Roselli 4 1 0 0 1 0 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Brendan Girton 3 2/3 5 4 3 3 3 0 Douglas Orellana 1 1/3 1 1 1 1 1 0 Jordan Geber 1 2 0 0 0 2 0 Zach Peek 1 2/3 3 2 2 0 2 1 Saul Garcia 1/3 0 0 0 0 0 0 Cyclones Go Deep Three Times But Fall To Jersey Shore Brooklyn lost 7-5 to the Jersey Shore BlueClaws despite hitting three home runs. The Cyclones grabbed an early lead in the third when Yonatan Henriquez scored on an error, but the BlueClaws answered with three runs in the top of the fifth to go up 3-1. Brooklyn responded in the bottom of the fifth with a solo homer by leadoff man Mitch Voit, but Jersey Shore stretched the margin to 5-2 in the sixth with a pair of runs. Jamari Baylor homered in the eighth to keep the Cyclones within reach. After the BlueClaws added two runs in the top of the ninth, Daiverson Gutierrez launched a two-run home run in the bottom half for the final margin. Henriquez went 3-for-5 with two runs scored and two stolen bases to lead the offense. Starter Noah Hall struck out seven but also allowed five runs (three earned), six hits, and two walks over 5 1/3 innings as he took the loss. Bryce Jenkins and Ryan Dollar were sharp in relief, combining for 2 2/3 scoreless frames with six strikeouts. Player AB R H RBI BB K Mitch Voit 4 1 1 1 1 1 Yonatan Henriquez 5 2 3 0 0 1 JT Benson 4 0 0 0 1 2 Corey Collins 4 0 1 0 0 1 Daiverson Gutierrez 5 1 1 2 0 1 Trace Willhoite 4 0 0 0 0 1 Jamari Baylor 4 1 2 1 1 1 Sam Biller 2 0 0 0 1 1 Yohairo Cuevas 3 0 0 0 1 1 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Noah Hall 5 1/3 6 5 3 2 7 1 Bryce Jenkins 1 2/3 0 0 0 2 3 0 Ryan Dollar 1 0 0 0 0 3 0 Cristofer Gomez 2/3 1 2 2 3 2 0 Hunter Hodges 1/3 0 0 0 0 0 0 St. Lucie Rallies To Tie, Then Loses On Walk-Off Homer St. Lucie lost 7-6 to the Fort Myers Mighty Mussels on a walk-off home run in the bottom of the ninth off Miguel Mejias.. Mejias got the first out in the inning before serving up the game-ending blast. St. Lucie erased an early 2-0 deficit with three runs in the top of the fourth. Julio Zayas singled home Branny De Oleo, Simon Juan singled home Zayas, and Chase Meggers doubled home Juan to put tne Mets up 3-2.. Fort Myers answered with four runs in the bottom of the fourth, aided by a throwing error. St. Lucie got an RBI groundout from Trey Snyder in the eighth to make it 6-4, and then Branny De Oleo singled home Juan and Meggers in the ninth to tie the game 6-6. De Oleo had a big night at the plate, going 3-for-5 with two RBIs and two stolen bases. Juan and Meggers added two hits apiece. Starter Dedniel Núñez, who was sent to St. Lucie from New York for a rehab assignment, allowed two unearned runs in two-thirds of an inning. He threw 20 pitches as he took the next step in his recovery from Tommy John surgery. Joel Lara came on in the third for bulk relief and allowed four runs (three earned) over 3 2/3 innings. He struck out four. Christian Rodriguez followed with 2 1/3 scoreless innings with three strikeouts. Player AB R H RBI BB K Branny De Oleo 5 1 3 2 0 0 Jeremy Rodriguez 4 0 1 0 0 3 Trey Snyder 4 0 0 1 0 2 Julio Zayas 4 1 1 1 0 1 Simon Juan 4 2 2 1 0 1 Chase Meggers 4 1 2 1 0 1 Taylor Darden 4 0 0 0 0 2 Jackson Hauge 4 0 0 0 0 0 Jack Scanlon 2 1 1 0 1 0 Elian Peña 0 0 0 0 1 0 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Dedniel Núñez 2/3 2 2 0 0 1 0 Tyler McLoughlin 1 1/3 0 0 0 1 2 0 Joel Lara 3 2/3 2 4 3 2 4 0 Christian Rodriguez 2 1/3 1 0 0 2 3 0 Miguel Mejias 1/3 1 1 1 0 0 1 Top-20 Prospect Performance Carson Benge: MLB A.J. Ewing: MLB Jonah Tong: DNP Elian Pena: 0-for-0, BB Jack Wenninger: DNP Ryan Clifford: 1-for-4, 2 K Jacob Reimer: DNP Nick Morabito: 2-for-3, 2B, BB Mitch Voit: 1-for-4, HR, RBI, BB, K Jonathan Santucci: DNP Chris Suero: DNP Zach Thornton: DNP Wandy Asigen: DNP Will Watson: DNP Eli Serrano III: DNP Randy Guzman: DNP Ryan Lambert: 1 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 K, L Dylan Ross: 1 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB Antonio Jimenez: DNP R.J. Gordon: DNP View full article

Image courtesy of MLB Vault/MLB.com The New York Mets may send just one representative to the 2026 MLB All-Star Game. Juan Soto is the favorite to earn the spot after being left off the National League team last year. He would join the group of one-time Mets All-Stars, although that feels like a temporary “honor.” More than one trip seems inevitable, even after the snub in '25. In this three-part series, Grand Central Mets will look at each player who has made just one All-Star Game appearance as a member of the club. Part 1 will span the franchise's first 20 seasons, 1962 through 1981. Duke Snider (1963) “The Duke of Flatbush” was not the Mets’ first All-Star. Richie Ashburn holds that distinction. But Ashburn was technically a two-time All-Star with the club, even though he played one season for the Mets. There were two All-Star Games in 1962 and he was named to the National League team for both games. Thus, the No. 1 designation goes to Snider. Duke was no stranger to the Midsummer Classic by the time he got to the Mets. He made the NL squad seven seasons in a row (1950 through 1956) during his prime as the Brooklyn Dodgers’ center fielder. As a Mets outfielder, though, he was mostly washed, a big name who could attract nostalgic fans to the Polo Grounds. On the other hand, he was a top player on a club that would go on to lose 111 games, so he deserved the trip to Cleveland for the game. He entered in the ninth inning as a replacement for Los Angeles Dodgers left fielder Tommy Davis. Snider struck out as a pinch hitter in the top half and then played in the field in the bottom half as the NL prevailed 5-3. He finished the year with 14 home runs, 45 RBIs and a .243/.345/.401 slash line in 415 plate appearances. That looked great when compared with the team's anemic .219/.285/.315 line. Snider's return to New York lasted just one season. He wanted to end his career playing for a contending club, and the Mets were years away from becoming one, so they sold him to, of all teams, the San Francisco Giants on April 14, 1964, just prior to the season opener. Ed Kranepool (1965) Kranepool was the Mets’ first homegrown All-Star. The Bronx native signed with the club out of high school in June 1962 for a reported $75,000, a huge sum at the time. He was called up from the minors that September and got into three games, making him an original Met. Three years later, as a 20-year-old, he was backing up NL first baseman Ernie Banks at Metropolitan Stadium in Bloomington, Minnesota. Kranepool didn't get into the game, a 6-5 NL victory. The managers back then treated the All-Star contest as a mini-World Series rather than an exhibition. The berth became his only shot at glory. He never did much better than his 1965 season numbers: 10 home runs, 53 RBIs and a .253/.303/.371 slash line over 575 plate appearances. But Kranepool could boast other accomplishments. He won a World Series ring with the 1969 Mets, hitting a home run in Game 3. He also played a bench role for the Mets in the 1973 World Series. He lasted 18 seasons with the franchise, and his name is still high on many of its all-time lists: first in games played, third in hits, and sixth in RBIs. Cleon Jones (1969) Jones was in the midst of a career year when he represented the Mets alongside Tom Seaver and Jerry Koosman in Washington, D.C. He was fourth in the NL batting race when average still meant something. (He finished the year third at .340, to go with 12 homers and 75 RBIs.) Jones started in left field and went 2-for-4 with two runs scored in a 9-3 Senior Circuit victory. One week later, his season took an odd turn. As the Mets were getting hammered by the Houston Astros in Game 2 of a doubleheader at Shea Stadium, manager Gil Hodges walked to the outfield to publicly yank Jones from the game. The official reason was a hamstring pull, but it was clear in the moment that Hodges was benching Jones for loafing in the field. The incident helped to spark a furious stretch run that ended with the Miracle Mets winning the World Series over the 109-win Baltimore Orioles. Jones caught the final out of the clinching Game 5 victory. Tug McGraw (1972) McGraw became one of the game's top relief pitchers in 1971, posting a 1.70 ERA, 11 wins and eight saves. In 1972, he was even better as the Mets’ late-game stopper. He earned the trip to Atlanta for the Midsummer Classic. The screwballing left-hander wound up playing a huge role in the game. He pitched a scoreless ninth and 10th inning, striking out four (including Reggie Jackson) and allowing one hit. His teammates scored a run in the bottom of the 10th for a 4-3 victory, making McGraw the winning pitcher. He finished 1972 with another 1.70 ERA, along with eight wins and a career-high 27 saves, but by the summer of 1973 he was in a steep decline and no longer reliable. Then came his “Ya Gotta Believe” clubhouse rant. McGraw and the Mets got red-hot in September. The vibes lasted all the way to Game 7 of the World Series, where Jackson homered to power the Oakland Athletics to a championship repeat. Dave Kingman (1976) Kingman was dubbed “Sky King” and “Kong” in New York because of his size (6-foot-6) and power. In ‘76, he was leading the NL with 30 home runs at the break. The fans rewarded him with a trip to Philadelphia for baseball's bicentennial celebration. He started the game in right field and went 0-for-2 with a strikeout (he did that a lot, too) in the NL's 7- 1 triumph. Six days later, Kingman's season fell apart. He tore a ligament in his left thumb diving for a ball in left field against the Atlanta Braves at Shea Stadium. He underwent surgery and missed 33 games. When he returned in late August, his power wasn't quite the same. He hit five more homers to finish the season with 37, eclipsing his franchise record by one. By mid-1977, the Mets were moving on from him. They traded their slugger to the San Diego Padres at the June 15 deadline for Bobby Valentine and Paul Siebert. The move was not the most notable one that night, of course. Pat Zachry (1978) Zachry came to the Mets from the Cincinnati Reds on June 15, 1977, as part of the Tom Seaver “Midnight Massacre” trade. The right-hander from Texas was never going to fill “The Franchise”’s shoes, but he was good enough to lead a rotation and represent his new club in the All-Star Game. He went to San Diego for the ‘78 game but only watched as the NL won 5-3. Two weeks later, Zachry pitched in a game that came to define his career. He was facing the Reds at Shea, and Pete Rose was pursuing Joe DiMaggio's record 56-game hitting streak. Zachry gave up a single to Rose in the seventh inning, extending the streak to 37 games. Zachry was taken out of the game later in the frame with the Mets trailing. After he got into the dugout, he tried to kick a helmet in frustration. He ended up hitting a cement step. Zachry broke his left foot and missed the remainder of the season. His final numbers were solid — a 10-6 record, 3.33 ERA and five complete games in 21 starts. More injuries followed. Elbow and Achilles ailments limited him to seven games in 1979. He finally came back strong in 1980 and went on to pitch into the 1985 season. Lee Mazzilli (1979) The ‘79 game is known as “The Dave Parker Game”: Mets fans could claim it as “The Lee Mazzilli Game.” Parker gained lasting fame for throwing out Jim Rice at third base and Brian Downing at the plate from right field, but Mazzilli contributed greatly to the NL's 7-6 win at Seattle's Kingdome, too. First, “The Italian Stallion” lined a game-tying pinch-hit home run off the left-field foul pole in the eighth inning against Texas Rangers fireballer Jim Kern. Then, the kid from Brooklyn drew a go-ahead bases-loaded walk in the ninth against New York Yankees ace Ron Guidry. It was a rare moment of pride for a Mets team that finished 63-99 that season. But Mazzilli's magic was about to disappear. Prior to the 1980 season, the Mets moved him from center field to first base to make room for the newly acquired Jerry Morales. He eventually moved back to center, but on April 1, 1982, the Mets traded Mazzilli to the Rangers for two major league-ready pitchers: Walt Terrell and a kid from Yale named Ron Darling. Joel Youngblood (1981) Youngblood possessed speed, pop and versatility, but mostly, he possessed a big arm. In 1981, he also possessed a lofty batting average, and that made him All-Star material. He was hitting .359 in 48 games as the club's everyday right fielder when the players went on strike in mid-June. When the strike ended about two months later, baseball decided to use the All-Star Game in Cleveland as the relaunch. Youngblood's average — and the Mets’ 17-34 record —- hadn't changed, so a spot on the NL roster was his. Youngblood made an early cameo in the game. He pinch-hit for NL starter Fernando Valenzuela in the top of the second. With that out of the way (the NL won 5-4), it was on to the makeshift second half of the season. Youngblood didn't last a week. He had injured his left knee in June, and he injured it again in mid-August. His season was over by Aug. 15. The Mets missed him as they fought for the second-half NL East title in the final six weeks. View full article

Image courtesy of © David Frerker-Imagn Images MLB trade rumor season unofficially begins with June, and for better or worse, the New York Mets figure to be a big part of the proceedings this year. Grand Central Mets identified three of the organization's most valuable trade chips if the club decides to hold a summer sell-off. However, there's an intriguing fourth option if the stars align between now and the trade deadline on Aug. 3. It's a lot of factors to consider, but if the club is buried in the National League wild-card standings before the deadline, if it wants to reduce payroll ahead of a potentially chaotic offseason, and if he's presented an opportunity to play in October with another club, there's also infielder Bo Bichette. Fans are sure to dismiss that. The Mets signed Bichette to a three-year, $126 million contract last offseason. He stunk in the first two months of the deal, which means he has little choice but to opt into the second year of the agreement and weigh down any club's payroll. The response to all that is “Yes, but" multiple times over. When taken together, though, we can build a case for president of baseball operations David Stearns to at least listen on Bichette. Mets Must Weight Reasons to Trade Or Keep Bo Bichette YES: Bichette has a no-trade clause, BUT: Would he exercise it to stay with a club that’s out of contention and can't guarantee that it will be a lot better in 2027? The Mets are on course to miss the playoffs for a fourth time in six seasons under Steve Cohen's ownership. Buying players like Bichette in their win-now frenzy hasn't worked. The organization has been much better at pursuing Cohen's goal of building a perennial contender from within. Tanking should never enter a conversation about a Cohen team, and a Bichette trade for prospects would not be that. It would instead be a move to both add volume to the pipeline and free up cash for multiple offseason moves. YES: The average annual value (AAV) of Bichette’s contract is $42 million, one of the highest salaries in baseball, BUT: The deal's structure makes the player tradeable this year. The pact included a $40 million signing bonus, which the Mets paid in full on March 15. That left a $2 million salary for 2026. By the deadline, he'll be owed about one-third of that amount, or $666,667. That's less than the full-year MLB minimum salary. Plus, any team that acquires him would add $14 million to its competitive balance tax (CBT) payroll total, not the full $42 million, as per CBT rules. Those factors should expand the universe of potential suitors and make a Bichette trade more attractive to the Mets. Low-payroll contenders such as the Athletics, Cleveland Guardians, Pittsburgh Pirates, St. Louis Cardinals, Tampa Bay Rays and Washington Nationals could pay Bichette pennies over the final two months and stay well below the first CBT tax threshold. The Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Yankees and Philadelphia Phillies, on the other hand, would be facing millions in additional penalties and surcharges as multiple-time taxpayers. YES: Bichette will make $42 million in 2027 if he opts in, BUT: Some clubs are willing to pay a high AAV in short-term deals. The Mets committed $43.33 million per year each to pitchers Max Scherzer (three years) and Justin Verlander (two years) in 2022 and 2023, respectively. They flipped both men for prospects at the ‘23 deadline. Lots of cash went to the Rangers and Astros, respectively, in those trades, but clubs with fewer resources can figure out creative solutions if they want to flip Bichette next year. Separately, some clubs might want to add a high-dollar player if they believe a salary floor is coming to MLB in the next collective bargaining agreement and will need to add payroll to comply. YES: Bichette is proving that he isn't a $42 million player, which makes an opt-in almost inevitable, BUT: He's still young (28), he has a track record of above-average offensive production, and he has a World Series appearance on his résumé. And not only a World Series appearance, but also a performance where he played hurt (knee) at an unfamiliar position (second base). Clubs will pay for that type of player. Whether he returns to New York or is elsewhere next year, Bichette could also defer a portion of his salary to help the front office. After all, he agreed to defer the $5 million buyout he'll receive if he opts out after this season or next season. YES: Bichette has been bad this season based on numbers. BUT: His post-Series hangover can be excused because, as he has said, he was pressing early on to live up to the contract. Propelled by a four-hit game against the Mariners in Seattle, he's hitting .321 in June. His poor numbers after 62 games (.591 OPS, 70 wRC+, 0.0 fWAR through June 4) can be excused because some of his peripherals are okay. He's running a 17.4 percent strikeout rate, which is in line with his career figures; a career-high 6.6 percent walk rate; a .263 BABIP, which suggests a lot of bad luck, and a 46.3 percent hard-hit rate, which also is close to his career norms. His fielding is even on the upswing. He has been below average at shortstop, as usual (minus-2 fielding run value, minus-3 outs above average, minus-3 defensive runs saved through June 4). His work at third base has been better (1 FRV, 2 OAA, minus-2 DRS through June 4). Again, this discussion is based on the hypothetical that the Mets will fall out of contention and then look to dump salary. It's much more likely that they'll keep Bichette, regardless of where they are in the standings, and then spend in the offseason. But if the club has a mind to do the unexpected... well, Cohen has never been afraid of shocking the world. View full article

Image courtesy of © Geoff Burke-Imagn Images A 12-game losing streak in April put the New York Mets’ season in peril. To their credit, they've put together a solid month after stopping that skid. They're 14-12 in their last 26 games, and 6-3 over their last nine. Now, there's hope that this team will be watchable this summer — and maybe good enough to contend for a playoff spot. There’s recent precedent for such optimism, too. Two years ago, the Mets were 21-26 after 47 games — the same as they were at one point in 2026 — and, OMG, did they turn it on after that. They finished with 89 wins and rode the vibes to the NLCS. This year's Mets entered Thursday's action 13th in the National League but just 7.5 games out of a wild-card berth, with more than two-thirds of the season remaining. Still, the team has lots of problems. The roster doesn't have a Jose Iglesias-type veteran who can set the clubhouse alight. Current spark plug A.J. Ewing is a 21-year-old rookie who has yet to totally struggle at the plate. How will a slump affect his energy? The rotation is a minefield. The top bullpen arms are inconsistent. The offense (87 wRC+, 28th in the majors entering the finale of the Nationals series) can't be trusted, even though it averaged 7.6 runs per game during a recent 6-1 streak. Francisco Lindor, Francisco Alvarez and Clay Holmes are out with long-term injuries. Those issues lead to this question: How much time should the front office give this flawed team to complete a turnaround — be at .500 or better, say — before going into sell mode ahead of the Aug. 3 MLB trade deadline? Club president David Stearns has shown during his time in New York that he will be patient. Most recently, he stuck with manager Carlos Mendoza while the team was losing and the fans wanted the skipper to join the Red Sox's Alex Cora and the Phillies’ Rob Thomson on the unemployment line. Expect Stearns to give the players similar support even with half the everyday lineup — Lindor, Alvarez, Jorge Polanco and Luis Robert Jr. — on the injured list. Some of those players might be available for part of an upcoming stretch that will answer our question. The Mets are early into a difficult part of their schedule. After this week's road trip to D.C. and Miami, they're looking at this group of series through the first week in July: Home vs. the Reds and Marlins At the Mariners and Padres Home vs. the Cardinals and Braves At the Reds and Phillies Home vs. the Cubs and Phillies At the Blue Jays and Braves All of those teams are capable of making it to October. Yes, even the Marlins, the team that killed the Mets’ playoff dreams last year. Once the gauntlet ends in Atlanta on July 6, the Mets will have played 91 games, barring rainouts. That'll be a sufficient sample size for Stearns and his lieutenants. It will also be the time that prices for deadline rentals start to increase. Bottom line: If the club is around..500 and 6.5 back or.closer in the wild-card race a week before.the All-Star break, then the front office can remain patient and maybe do some buying. If the Mets are buried in the standings — say, 10 or more games behind — then the sell-off should probably get underway. View full article

Carson BengeA.J. EwingJonah TongElian PenaRyan CliffordJacob ReimerJack WenningerMitch VoitNick MorabitoChris SueroJonathan SantucciZach ThorntonWandy AsigenWill WatsonRyan LambertEli Serrano IIIRandy GuzmanDylan RossAntonio JimenezR.J. Gordon

Image courtesy of © Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images The New York Mets' top offensive performer during the first month-plus of the 2026 season was obvious:. he was the one guy who hit in March/April. Choosing the two runners-up in our rankings was the real challenge. The decision came down to the few players who produced just middling wRC+ numbers. An uninspired method of sorting out an uninspiring group. With that process now complete, here's Grand Central Mets' inaugural Hitters of the Month list: Ranking Mets' Best Hitters In April 3. Francisco Lindor March/April stats: .226 AVG, .314 OBP, 18.1 K rate, 10.5 BB rate, .129 ISO, 94 wRC+ Lindor got off to an odd start at the plate. He walked 10 times in the club's first eight games and had twice as many bases on balls as hits. He looked like an old-school leadoff hitter. But then, the patience ran out. Lindor walked just once more in his next 16 games before he went down with a calf injury April 22 vs. the Minnesota Twins. His selectiveness (a career-low 45.3 percent swing rate) didn't translate to better outcomes. His contact rate was a career-low 76.9 percent and his line-drive rate was a career-low 17.6 percent. Still, his overall performance was good enough to rate a place on this list. 2. Francisco Alvarez March/April stats: .226 AVG, .313 OBP, 21.4 K rate, 9.2 BB rate, .179 ISO, 105 wRC+ The catcher was one of just two Mets regulars to produce an above-average wRC+ in the first month-plus. That was enough to put him on this list. He tallied four home runs and three doubles, but his overall batted-ball stats weren't exceptional: a 34.4 percent hard-hit rate, a 14.1 percent line-drive rate and a 50.0 percent ground-ball rate. But there were also signs that he was maturing as a hitter. He was on pace to post career highs in overall contact rate and zone contact rate prior to a late-month slump. 1. Juan Soto March/April stats: .345 AVG, .441 OBP, 11.8 K rate, 14.7 BB rate, .224 ISO, 185 wRC+ Soto did what he could to breathe life into the offense, both before and after missing 15 games due to a calf strain. He slugged .569 and got on base at a .441 clip in 68 plate appearances. He also smacked three home runs; his opposite-field blast vs. the Washington Nationals on April 28 punctuated a seven-run inning in an 8-0 win. At the time, it felt like the hit that would get everyone going. As usual, he was unwilling to expand the strike zone, no matter the situation. He walked at a 26.3 percent rate with runners in scoring position as opponents avoided pitching to the club's lone threat. And, he avoided becoming pull-happy with the club lacking in slug. His center-field batted ball rate was 42 percent, compared to a 40 percent pull rate. In other words, he remained Juan Soto, one of the best hitters in MLB. View full article

Image courtesy of © Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images The New York Mets are seeing results from owner Steve Cohen's commitment to improving the farm system. Homegrown players such as Nolan McLean and Carson Benge have already made it to Flushing, and the next wave of prospects is not far behind. Grand Central Mets is profiling that up-and-coming group in this series. You can find Part 1 (Nos. 16-20) here. Here's a look at the second set of prospects in our 2026 Top 20 ranking --- the players ranked 11th through 15th. Four of these prospects are teammates to begin 2026. The fifth player hasn't yet begun his pro career, but he may have the highest ceiling of this group. 15. Will Watson, RHP (Binghamton Rumble Ponies) Year Age AgeDif Tm Lg Lev Aff W L W-L% ERA RA9 G GS GF CG SHO SV IP H R ER HR BB IBB SO HBP BK WP BF WHIP H9 HR9 BB9 SO9 SO/W 2026 23 -2.0 BNG EAS AA NYM 0 1 .000 5.14 6.43 2 2 0 0 0 0 7.0 7 5 4 1 4 0 7 1 0 1 1.571 9.0 1.3 5.1 9.0 1.75 Watson, 23, was a two-way player in junior college but switched to full-time pitching after transferring to USC in 2024. The move paid off, as the Mets took him in the seventh round of the 2024 MLB Draft and then promoted him to Double-A late last year. He got a look in major-league spring training before going back to Binghamton for the start of the 2026 season. Watson throws a four-seamer, two-seamer, cutter, changeup and slider. Per MLB.com, his pitch speeds last year ranged from the mid-90s with his fastballs to the mid-80s with the slider. The horizontal movement on his changeup gives Watson reverse-splits potential. Left-handers compiled a .561 OPS and hit three home runs against him last season, while righties put up a .623 OPS with five homers. His ground-ball rate jumped after the promotion to Double-A -- 57.1 percent at Binghamton compared to 44.8 percent at High-A Brooklyn. Control was an issue, however, with an 11.6 percent overall walk rate. Watson issued four free passes in his first seven innings of 2026. 14. Wandy Asigen, SS (DSL Mets) The 16-year-old Asigen caused a stir during this year's January international signing period when he backed out of an agreement with the Yankees at the last minute to sign with the Mets for $3.9 million. Subway Series rivalry aside, Asigen's decision was significant because of his prospect status; he's ranked No. 2 overall in the January class by MLB Pipeline. Asigen's ranking is based on high-end tools. He has both 60-grade power and 60-grade speed according to MLB.com's scouting report. He has drawn raves for his bat speed (exit velocities in the 110s), his ability to lift the ball, and his ability to barrel up pitches. One concern is how he'll handle fastballs up and away, but that's a skill he can develop over time. He already has decent size, listed at 6-0 and 180 pounds. Asigen is not coming into the pro game as a raw prospect, either. He is already a seasoned international player, including representing the Dominican Republic in the 2024 WBSC U-15 World Cup. He'll debut in the Dominican Summer League, but he has the tools to move through the organization quickly. 13. Zach Thornton, LHP (Binghamton Rumble Ponies) Year Age AgeDif Tm Lg Lev Aff W L W-L% ERA RA9 G GS GF CG SHO SV IP H R ER HR BB IBB SO HBP BK WP BF WHIP H9 HR9 BB9 SO9 SO/W 2026 24 -1.0 BNG EAS AA NYM 0 0 .000 1.69 1.69 1 1 0 0 0 0 5.1 2 1 1 0 1 0 4 0 0 0 19 0.563 3.4 0.0 1.7 6.8 4.00 Thornton, 24, took a big step forward last year before suffering a season-ending oblique injury in June. He posted a 1.98 ERA, 28.5 percent strikeout rate, 4.0 percent walk rate and 1.8 percent home run rate in 14 starts and 72 2/3 innings between High-A Brooklyn and Double-A Binghamton. He made a good impression in spring training this year, allowing one run over 6 2/3 innings. The 2023 fifth-round draft pick out of Grand Canyon University in Phoenix relies on his ability to pitch. He complements a deceptive low-to-mid-90s fastball with a plus two-plane slider in the mid-80s and a cutter in the upper 80s. He also throws a changeup and a slow curveball. He attacks hitters in the strike zone, as evidenced by the walk rate. Thornton is back in Binghamton's rotation to begin 2026. Being left-handed with funk will give him an advantage as he works toward a promotion. 12. Chris Suero, C/OF/1B (Binghamton Rumble Ponies) Year Age AgeDif Tm Lg Lev Aff G PA AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB CS BB SO BA OBP SLG OPS TB GDP HBP SH SF IBB 2026 22 -1.9 BNG EAS AA NYM 6 29 21 8 6 0 1 3 10 3 1 6 11 .286 .448 .810 1.258 17 0 1 0 1 0 The New York-born Suero, 22, signed with the Mets as an international free agent out of the Dominican Republic in 2022. Four seasons later, he's a power-speed prospect who can play multiple positions. He had a breakthrough at High-A Brooklyn and Double-A Binghamton last year with 16 home runs and 35 stolen bases in 115 games. He caught in 73 games, played first base in 16 and played left field in 21. The Mets assigned him to the Arizona Fall League after the end of the minor-league season, and his numbers in 15 games there were excellent as well: a .283/.353/.567 slash line, five home runs and eight steals in as many attempts. He reached a maximum exit velocity of 112.5 mph. Suero is squat at 5-11 and 205 pounds, but he moves well enough behind the plate. According to MLB.com, his pop time to second base last season was 1.8 to 1.9 seconds. The raw throwing numbers were not exciting; Suero threw out 23.2 percent of base stealers (23-for-99). He'll get to work on that part of the game as he catches a prospect-laden staff at Binghamton. 11. Jonathan Santucci, LHP (Binghamton Rumble Ponies) Year Age AgeDif Tm Lg Lev Aff W L W-L% ERA RA9 G GS GF CG SHO SV IP H R ER HR BB IBB SO HBP BK WP BF WHIP H9 HR9 BB9 SO9 SO/W 2026 23 -2.0 BNG EAS AA NYM 0 0 .000 6.75 6.75 1 1 0 0 0 0 4.0 3 3 3 1 4 0 8 0 0 0 17 1.750 6.8 2.3 9.0 18.0 2.00 Santucci, 23, was a two-way player for most of his college career, but he was strictly a pitcher when the Mets selected him in the second round of the 2024 draft out of Duke. He made his pro debut last year, and by mid-July he was at Double-A. He was terrific for the Rumble Ponies, too, with a 2.52 ERA and 32.0 percent strikeout rate in 50 innings. He allowed just two home runs. Santucci relies on a low-to-mid-90s fastball that has good ride up in the zone and a high-80s slider that has excellent late bite. He comes at hitters from a high arm angle, which enhances the differences in eye level. His changeup and curveball are still in development, and he still needs to throw more strikes (8.5 percent walk rate). Left-handed batters fared better against him than did right-handers last year, but the overall numbers were still low: a .647 OPS for lefties, a .618 OPS for righties. Durability was an issue at Duke -- Santucci was sidelined by elbow surgery and a rib injury. He got through 2025 healthy, and he's taking a regular turn at Double-A to begin 2026. Continued health and another string of good starts should earn him a move up one or two levels. View full article

Image courtesy of © Sam Navarro-Imagn Images Ronny Mauricio is getting another shot with the New York Mets, thanks to Juan Soto's calf injury. The club recalled Mauricio from Triple-A Syracuse on Monday as the corresponding move for Soto being placed on the 10-day injured list, retroactive to April 4. The return to the majors is an important moment for the 25-year-old. He needs to impress after a difficult ending to his 2025 season. The trouble is, he figures to be the same player who spent most of the final month on the Mets' bench. Let's refresh ourselves on the best (and worst) parts of his game and offer an overall outlook on what's to come for the former top prospect. Ronny Mauricio Returns: Weighing the Pros and Cons of His Game Pro: He Hits the Ball Hard and He Hits It Far The 25-year-old switch-hitter has eight home runs in 292 career plate appearances, and half of them are catalogued by Baseball Savant as no-doubters. Upper-tank rockets at Citi Field and Coors Field, both delivered from the left side, were "wow" moments and teases of his power tool. His maximum exit velocity is 117.3 mph, his barrel rate is an above-average 7.6 percent, and his bat speed is a zippy 73.8 mph. The Mets know he can provide big-time pop off the bench. Con: He Doesn't Hit the Ball Often Enough Pitchers are good at missing Mauricio's bat, especially if they throw in a wrinkle. He sports a poor 29.1 percent strikeout rate and 32.8 percent whiff rate for his young career. His biggest hole is breaking pitches -- he has a .150/.186/.250 career slash line against them. The curveball is an unsolvable mystery, evidenced by a 50.9 percent whiff rate. Mets fans are bracing for more of Mauricio dropping to a knee as he waves at the pitch. Pro: He's an Athlete on the Infield Mauricio is tall and lanky, listed at 6-3 and 166 pounds. His mechanics aren't the smoothest, but he gets to the ball and his big arm (76th percentile arm strength in 2025) gets it across the diamond. Now that he's more than two years removed from the ACL tear that cost him the entire 2024 season, he should be able to move well wherever he plays. And he's expected to play all over as the backup to second baseman Marcus Semien, shortstop Francisco Lindor, and third baseman Bo Bichette. Con: He Is a Liability Against Left-Handed Pitching Liability is putting it kindly: Mauricio sports a .134/.174/.195 career slash line and 36.0 percent strikeout rate in 86 plate appearances as a right-handed batter. Mets manager Carlos Mendoza would have a tough time justifying a start for Mauricio against a left-hander if Semien, Lindor, Bichette, Jorge Polanco, Brett Baty and Mark Vientos are all healthy. The Mets would be wise to consider making Mauricio a full-time left-handed hitter, or a simple platoon option if he wants to maintain some faux flexibility. Outlook: Mauricio Is a Full-Time Backup Mark Vientos has slipped into a full-time role in the starting lineup thanks to a white-hot start and a minor injury to Jorge Polanco, though most of the rest of the infield is struggling this season (Francisco Lindor and Bo Bichette, in particular, are off to frigid starts). Mauricio will likely get an opportunity or two to spell them for a game, but he'll have to be really impressive in a small sample to stick around in New York for longer than it takes Soto to recover from his calf injury. View full article

Image courtesy of © Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images The New York Mets found out Thursday just how much their attention to the major league roster will affect them in this summer's MLB Draft. MLB allotted the club $6.731 million to sign its picks, according to a league announcement. That figure is the third-lowest pool total in the draft and about three times smaller than the $19.1 million in pool money available to the top club, the Pittsburgh Pirates. More than half the Mets' bonus pool was dedicated to their first-round bonus slot: $3.47 million for the 27th overall selection. New York is picking 27th as a penalty for exceeding the second Competitive Balance Tax (CBT) surcharge threshold last season, with an estimated $347 million tax payroll. This is familiar territory for the club; It is the fourth year in a row MLB has dropped the Mets 10 spots for exceeding CBT thresholds. Last year, the team's first selection was 38th overall. The Mets chose University of Michigan two-way player Mitch Voit at that spot and signed him to a $1.75 million bonus. The club's 2026 draft was further compromised in February when it agreed to sign free-agent infielder Bo Bichette to a three-year, $126 million contract. Bichette had received a qualifying offer from his previous club, the Toronto Blue Jays, meaning the Mets had to forfeit their second- and fifth-round selections for signing him. Barring any trades for supplemental-round picks between now and the draft, the Mets will pick 27th overall and then not again until 92nd, their pick in the third round. They received a compensatory pick after the fourth round for the Dodgers' signing of free-agent closer Edwin Diaz. The Mets made a qualifying offer to Diaz, who rejected it. The 2026 MLB Draft will be held July 11-12 in Philadelphia, the site of the 2026 MLB All-Star Game. The Chicago White Sox have the first overall selection; they're expected to take the consensus No. 1 draft prospect, UCLA infielder Roch Cholowsky. 2026 MLB Draft bonus pools Pittsburgh Pirates: $19,130,700 Tampa Bay Rays: $19,009,300 Chicago White Sox: $17,592,100 Minnesota Twins: $16,929,600 St. Louis Cardinals: $16,612,300 Kansas City Royals: $15,954,000 Atlanta: $15,870,800 Colorado Rockies: $15,557,600 San Francisco Giants: $14,080,400 Athletics: $13,840,300 Houston Astros: $13,712,700 Arizona Diamondbacks: $13,603,100 Baltimore Orioles: $13,114,000 Cleveland Guardians: $12,573,900 Washington Nationals: $12,278,300 Miami Marlins: $11,960,100 Los Angeles Angels: $11,755,400 Cincinnati Reds: $10,758,500 Texas Rangers: $10,219,200 Chicago Cubs: $9,644,100 San Diego Padres: $9,479,000 Detroit Tigers: $9,165,100 Boston Red Sox: $8,219,200 Seattle Mariners: $8,218,200 Milwaukee Brewers: $8,042,900 Philadelphia Phillies: $7,773,000 New York Yankees: $7,342,800 New York Mets: $6,730,900 Toronto Blue Jays: $5,543,100 Los Angeles Dodgers: $3,951,900 View full article

Image courtesy of © Jeff Curry-Imagn Images The New York Mets didn't need a new #LOLMets viral moment this early in the season, but here we are. The fact a team leader produced it makes it worse. Now, there are more questions about whether the club's culture has improved at all after an offseason roster overhaul. By now, you've probably seen the blunders Francisco Lindor committed Wednesday against the St. Louis Cardinals. The shortstop forgot how many outs there were in the first inning and turned a routine double play into an embarrassing fielder's choice. Cameras caught Lindor tapping his chest afterward, claiming accountability. Fortunately for Lindor and the club, Freddy Peralta pitched around it and put up a zero. The play didn't directly factor into New York's eventual 2-1 loss in 11 innings, but, as Lindor noted after the game, Peralta had to throw more pitches and that needlessly shortened his start. "I forgot the outs,” Lindor said in response to a question by SNY's Steve Gelbs. “Unexcusable," he added. Manager Carlos Mendoza was brief, too, saying in his postgame presser Lindor "knows" he messed up. Lindor's other blunder did affect the final score, though. In the top of the sixth inning, he was picked off first base without so much as an attempt to get back to the bag. He was completely caught napping. Three pitches later, Juan Soto blasted a home run that would have prevented the game from going to extras had Lindor still been on base. Just over a week into a pivotal season for the club, the world can feel that all is right in it because the Mets are doing bad fundamentals again. Lindor's critics get another chance to gloat and troll. They can claim again that Lindor was never captain material. They can pile it onto the other dramas -- his reported tension with Juan Soto, the rumors Lindor disliked Brandon Nimmo for his politics (Lindor denied this one, telling the New York Post he "loves" his "brother"), his on-field issues with Jeff McNeil, the thumbs-down to booing fans. The league's media outlet had its own takes Thursday. MLB Network analyst Jake Peavy said on "MLB Now" that the team's vibe may still be off after it tries to move past last year's collapse. MLB Network analyst Kevin Millar said on "Intentional Talk" that mental errors are inexcusable and players show a lack of respect for the game when they commit them. Lindor tried to be a hero in spring training. He sped up his rehab from hamate surgery to be ready for Opening Day. He made it and started the first six games of the season, but he's off to another slow start: a .712 OPS inflated by seven walks, and just three hits. He needs to lock back in. Maybe Mendoza could give him a night off -- issue a suspension disguised as maintenance. If, instead, Lindor is in the lineup for every game against the Giants in San Francisco, then it'll be clear the people who matter have already moved on. It'll be left for the fans to chew on it and once more experience the bitterness that comes from rooting for a franchise that specializes in boneheaded moves. View full article

Image courtesy of © Brad Penner-Imagn Images The New York Mets showed off their retooled roster this past weekend at Citi Field. Nine offseason acquisitions made the 26-man Opening Day squad. They represented the front office's emphatic response to last season's second-half collapse and reported clubhouse drama. Fans and media got to form their initial judgments on the key newcomers as all of them appeared in the club's series win over the Pittsburgh Pirates. What did we learn from their play? Here's a quick rundown: Bo Bichette's transition to third base won't be seamless Bichette had a bumpy first series at the hot corner. He showed good hands, but his throwing was poor, a carryover from his days at shortstop. Three times he pulled first baseman Jorge Polanco off the bag with throws. All of them sailed to the arm side, an indication his release point was too low. On top of that, fans booed him for a slow start at the plate. Manager Carlos Mendoza told reporters Saturday that Bichette will put in the work to improve, but until that work pays off, he will be the weak link on the infield. Devin Williams will make the ninth inning interesting Edwin Diaz's replacement got the ninth in a 0-0 game Saturday. The results were good, but the process was messy. Williams allowed a double and a walk but then fanned Reynolds to end the threat. His pitch mix was his typical 50-50 split of changeups and four-seamers, but the heater averaged just 93.0 mph, more than 3 mph off his peak of 2019 and 2020. He was unavailable Sunday after throwing 19 pitches the previous day. If only Luis Robert Jr. can stay healthy... That has been the mantra around Robert the past few years. His injury history makes him a wild card. He's healthy right now, and he came up aces this weekend. He delivered a three-run, walk-off homer in the 11th inning Saturday, a pair of RBI singles on Opening Day and two more hits Sunday. He showed why the Mets took on all of his $20 million salary for 2026. Freddy Peralta looks as advertised Peralta's Mets debut on Opening Day looked like most of his Brewers tenure: lots of Ks, lots of pitches, lots of battling, not a lot of innings. The right-hander got through five on 80 pitches (53 strikes), striking out seven and allowing a pair of home runs to Brandon Lowe. Zero bases on balls was a positive sign, given that Peralta has a career 9.3 percent walk rate. Marcus Semien's bat may not bounce back Semien had hits in his first two times up on Opening Day (thanks, Oneil Cruz), and then none the rest of the weekend. He extended the drought to 11 plate appearances by going 0-for-3 with a sac fly Sunday. Maybe his 89 wRC+ and .134 ISO last season were signs rather than outliers. The second-base defense still looks solid as he starts his age-35 season, so there's that. Jorge Polanco had his own adventures at first base Between lunging for Bichette's throws and knocking down grounders behind the bag, the guy who's replacing Pete Alonso had a busy weekend at his new position. The good news is he got through it without incident. His weekend at the plate was just slightly better; five walks inflated his OBP to .500. The jury remains out on Luke Weaver Weaver did not resemble the 2024 version of himself. He turned in two scoreless outings, but he was inefficient. He stranded one runner in a tie game Saturday and two runners in a tie game Sunday. Control was an issue -- 20 strikes and 18 balls combined. He got the ninth inning Sunday with Williams down, but it's fair to wonder how long he'll remain the fill-in closer. View full article

Image courtesy of © Jim Rassol-Imagn Images As with most team developments, New York Mets fans were not happy last November when the club acquired second baseman Marcus Semien in a trade with the Texas Rangers in exchange for outfielder Brandon Nimmo. The doomscrolling denizens of Mets Twitter were highly perturbed that team president David Stearns dealt away a fan favorite for a guy who looked washed. Were they right about the washed part? Well, they could point to the steep decline in Semien's offense over the past two years, from a 128 wRC+ in 2023 to a 101 wRC+ in 2024 and an 89 wRC+ in 2025, which was his worst output over a full season. They could also claim he was falling apart physically; he missed the Rangers' final 33 games last year with a foot contusion, and now he's entering his age-35 campaign. The response to the dissatisfied is that there's enough underlying data to argue Semien is a bounce-back candidate in 2026. Here are three reasons why he will rebound -- and three reasons why he won't: Why Marcus Semien Will Bounce Back In 2026 Semien's contact has not gotten worse. His 88.3 mph average exit velocity, 35.0 percent hard-hit rate and 6.7 percent barrel rate last year were all in line with his numbers from the previous three seasons. His average launch angle bounced back to 19.4 degrees in 2025, in line with results dating to 2020. His bat speed is slow (eighth percentile in 2025), but it did increase by a tenth of an mph to 68.4 in 2025. If the ball keeps coming off the bat the same and he gets better luck than last year's .251 BABIP, then better results should follow. He'll be hitting in a better lineup. Semien is going from a club that ranked 22nd in runs per game last year to a club that ranked ninth. Obviously, the Mets' lineup was revamped over the offseason -- Stearns essentially swapped out Nimmo, Pete Alonso and Jeff McNeil for Bo Bichette, Jorge Polanco and Semien. The top six most days will be Francisco Lindor, Juan Soto, Bichette, Polanco, Luis Robert Jr., and Brett Baty. Those guys should present Semien with a lot of RBI opportunities from the seven-hole. He'll be hitting in a better home park. Citi Field rates as friendlier to right-handed hitters than Globe Life Field in Arlington. Last season, Citi ranked 25th in MLB with a 95 park factor for righty swingers (100 is considered league-average), while Globe Life ranked dead last at 90. The ball just does not carry well in the retractable-roof stadium. Semien said in spring training that he remains intent on pulling the ball in the air. His pull air percentage last year was slightly down at 23.8 percent, but that was still above average. Driving the ball to the pull side in a better hitting environment should at least help him improve on last year's career-low .364 slugging percentage. Why He Won't He couldn't handle the hard stuff last year. This is the biggest red flag. His numbers against four-seamers tanked -- he produced a career-worst minus-5 run value against the pitch. His 36.0 percent hard-hit rate and .235 xBA against it were way down from previous seasons. Consequently, his .391 slugging percentage on the pitch was significantly lower as well. The naysayers can carp that the old man can't catch up to the heater anymore. He's making less contact overall. His Z-contact rate (contact on pitches in the strike zone) fell by just one point in 2025 to 88.0 percent, but his O-contact rate (contact on pitches outside the zone) dropped by 5.7 points, to 52.2 percent. That could be attributed to opponents working him differently. He saw larger percentages of sinkers, cutters, split-fingers, and curveballs, and smaller percentages of four-seamers, sliders and changeups, in 2025 compared to 2024. His overall whiff rate ticked up by 2.4 points from 2024, and so it followed that his K rate, while still good, increased by 2.8 points to 17.4 percent last year. His plate appearances will drop by a lot. Semien regularly made 700 or more PAs in a season as a leadoff hitter, but he's looking at a sizable decrease hitting in the lower third of his new club's order. The outlook will be even more grim if he misses time with an injury again. Verdict Semien will return to being league average if he stays healthy. His preseason wRC+ projections back up that claim; they ranged from 95 (OOPSY) to 105 (THE BAT X), with most of the others in the range of 100 to 103. His 30-100-100 days appear to be over, but 20-70-70 looks realistic. It's fair to assume the Mets would take those latter numbers from their seventh hitter. View full article