Met Out of Dodge

 

Okay, so, to recap: only two of the Mets' 2026 additions actually left the team at the deadline. Freddy Peralta and Luke Weaver, all ironically traded to smaller market teams. Which means Bo Bichette, Luis Robert, Jorge Polanco, Devin Williams and Marcus Semien are still with the team. So the Mets, in retaining those pieces, hang onto a combined....-1.9 WAR. Which means everything that either Carson Benge or A.J. Ewing has given to this team on a come-up, those combined guys have taken away. 

The Mets lineup that remains is very similar to the one that was here before, except now they're faced with the soggy decisions they made heading into the year. Semien isn't hitting, he's got a .208 average and keeps striking out. Bichette has been a disaster, only hitting .256 with 11 homers and [a team-leading] 55 RBIs, but completely without any substance, much like his father towards the end of his career. Polanco's batting .144 in 30 games, clearly injury-hampered and off his game. Robert has also been injury-stunted, and his .189 average through 37 games is pretty much par for the course from his Sox era, sad to say. The attempt to reinvigorate the lineup has pulled it down completely, and the guys who've kept the team alive are the tentpoles [Lindor and Soto] and the two new kids [Benge and Ewing]. Lindor's missed a lot of time, but he's not got 9 homers and 25 RBIs in 58 games, and is finally feeling like himself again. Soto is still hurt, but WAS pulling peak Soto numbers and saving the team. Beyond that, though? Any chance at lineup depth has rotted away. Francisco Alvarez is here, healthy and hitting, and at 24 his ceiling's still high, but will his success even be with the Mets anymore? Brett Baty had a chance for a permanent role in the infield but, despite playing in more games than most of the team, he's hitting .219 and still very much a day-to-day bit player. Ronny Mauricio has still refused to factor into the team's success, and Nick Morabito wasn't ready on a brief day-trip from Syracuse. I have even less of an idea of where this team is going than I did last year, and the idea was that adding all the stars would HELP.

I at least know the direction of the rotation. Nolan McLean, Christian Scott, Zac Thornton and eventually Jonah Tong when he manages to stay in the bigs, they will be fine. Not 2015 rotation good, but they're all pretty impressive and they fill me with more hope than the lineup. McLean is a little shaky, but he's got his ERA down to 3.29, and he has 148 strikeouts and a 1.122 WHIP. Thronton's got a 2.88 ERA in 6 starts and looks to be a keeper. Scott is still cruising along with a 3.15 ERA. The Mets also did the unthinkable and brought up the imitable Jefry Yan, a 29-year-old career minor league closer who leaps into the air on a strikeout. The Guardians fans were polarized by him, but I think a basket case like Yan is perfect for the Mets. The stakes are low, the season's over, it's Jefry Yan time. Why not?

So yeah, not really too much left for the Mets to accomplish this year, other than spoiling some NL East wannabe playoff guys. I guess they tried, but they can't buy a championship with artificial depth. Next year will hopefully be a few steps closer to a better approach.

Coming Tomorrow- Ironically a former Mets farmhand, who pitched overseas, came back and unwittingly joined a competitor. 

Press Restart?

 

As we speak, the Mets are currently handily conquering the Philadelphia Phillies on their home turf, which, to be fair, wasn't especially difficult for the AL to do the other night. And now, I assume, people are going to try to position this as a Mets second half comeback. They shouldn't.

The Mets are a team built on broken promises. The most important promises were to Francisco Lindor and Juan Soto, and it was the promise of continued success. Both players were making the playoffs a lot more frequently before they ended up in New York. Lindor got to a World Series with Cleveland, Soto got to a World Series with the Nats and Yanks. Can they get to one with the Mets? Not this Mets team. You can see broken promises all the way down, like the promise of Luis Robert to be a superstar, or the promise of Bo Bichette to flip the family legacy and improve defensively, or the promise of Mark Vientos to deliver on what the 2024 postseason was teasing. So far this season the big additions have either gotten hurt or struggled mightily, the big stars are fighting with each other, and the rookies are doing the brunt of the work. 

Christian Scott, Carson Benge, A.J. Ewing, Zach Thornton and Jonah Tong should not matter this much to a team with this many all-stars on it. Yet none of them are delivering, so fine, the rookies will do. Thankfully Benge and Ewing were both ready, and are some of the few bright spots on this Mets team. Ewing is 21, and looking more confident than most 21-year-olds in his position, hitting .276 with 7 homers and 24 RBIs, plus a .789 OPS, in 57 games. He's currently leading the charge against Philly. This guy, as well as Benge, who's got 11 homers and 37 RBIs, could be dictating the next decade of Mets baseball, along with Nolan McLean if he figures things out a little more [then again Kershaw's sophomore year was kinda rough too].

But...at this point you have to wonder how much more of this Juan Soto is willing to take. The Mets' rise with him hasn't been immediate, which is already kind of a shock, but when the Yankees are still good without him, the buyer's remorse has to be a little real. Soto's still elite, he's got a .967 OPS, 21 homers and 51 RBIs, but would those RBIs be closer to 70 with a better team? He left the Nats and Padres because he wanted a unit, and he left the Yankees because....the Mets felt like more of a unit than the Yankees? I'm gonna go to my grave not understanding this, especially if current trends persist. We'd still get Bellinger, it'd be fine, but...it's a vexing move, even now.

The Mets will likely be a little better than they were, and become the second-half spoiler they usually are. But this is still not a competitive team, even with all these new guys giving their all. Maybe it will be next year, who knows. But this strategy needs to be rethought, seriously. A.J. Ewing was not meant to be the takeaway. Nice that he is, but he's salvaging a flawed situation.

Coming Tomorrow- That rookie Angels pitcher I was teasing this morning.

Met Down

 

The big if with this 2026 Mets team is going to be 'if the Mets hadn't spent all that money on veteran lineup presence clogging the depth chart, and didn't think about emphasizing the defensive possibilities of Bo Bichette and Jorge Polanco at the corners, or if they hadn't put all that money up to get Juan Soto his own box at CitiField, or if they didn't throw the bank at Sean Manaea after an upswing KNOWING he's an up and down pitcher, or if they hadn't banked on Devin Williams thinking the problem was the Bronx....would the Benge-Ewing-Soto outfield be the talk of the season?'

Obviously the Mets still would have needed to trade Brandon Nimmo to clear the room, and eventually grow tired of Tyrone Taylor, but whatever the circumstances...on a better team this would be a good sign. Soto is still A-tier, and leads the NL in OPS right now with 17 homers and 39 RBIs, somehow pedestrian for Soto. Benge, after a slow April, has sprung into motion, now hitting .257 with 9 homers and 32 RBIs, plus 11 steals. A.J. Ewing, a true rookie at 21, has a .279 average and 19 RBIs in 44 games. Ewing and Benge are looking like the future, a lot like Nimmo and Conforto were for a bit. And if the team were better...more people would be aware of this. But it's like the one good part of this team.

The Phillies series, even with a win snuck in, was still an embarrassment, and brought the team down to 39-50, a really torrid record that not even the departure of Carlos Mendoza could really stop. The idea was for Peralta, McLean and Senga to be an unbeatable three, and they're not. Plain and simple. The ghost fork simply does not work anymore, and everyone knows it. Peralta's not throwing his best stuff, and his ERA's at 4.50. Even McLean, fundamentally a terrific arm, has a 4 ERA and a 4-5 record. Zach Thornton and Jonah Tong tried to right things but aren't there yet. The bullpen is only marginally better, and Weaver, Brazoban and Raley are trying to undo all that Tobias Myers and Devin Williams have done, meaning that the Brewers guys just aren't doing it out of Milwaukee. And Brandon Sproat, for the most part, isn't really having that problem the other way. 

Want a sobering stat? The hitters on this team have a combined 2.8 WAR. If you take Juan Soto out of it, it's 0.2. This team is hitting .231 as well, and I feel like Soto's .300 average is keeping that up. This is not what Soto signed up for. He was told he was gonna be one of many, not just the one. If he'd have known that, he'd still be in left in Yankee Stadium right now, and lord knows where Cody Bellinger would even be.

The goal for the rest of the season might just be for the Mets to remain dignified, which is quite a concept. Cause at least the Red Sox are having a better week than their reputation means. The White Sox are a 1st place team. The A's are competitive. The Mets are what you've heard, and they can only do so much to dispute it. 

Coming Tonight: A rookie for the White Sox stepping into a crucial contact spot at the right time. 

Miss the Misery

 

So. To give you an idea. Christian Scott comes up for the Mets on May 4th 2024. He's called back down on May 31st. The Grimace thing happens on June 12th. Scott gets called back up to start July 3rd. From this start to Scott going on the IL on the 21st, the Mets are 8-7. Then, after Scott's injury, the Mets keep winning til they get to an NLCS. 2025 happens, it's hysterical. 2026, decent enough start, then the bottom falls out, everybody gets injured and the Mets wind up in last. And it is at this point that Christian Scott rejoins the Mets and becomes their best starter, with a 2.50 ERA in 8 starts.

I'm thinking the #1 question on Christian Scott's mind right now has to be 'how come I'm only up when the team sucks?' Like, we have a Met whose presence boosts the team, that is Francisco Alvarez, it's proven that the team is substantially better when he's healthy. But the Mets also have Scott, who is only healthy when the team isn't very good. Is he the jinx? Or is the team just so messy this year that it can't be helped?

Now, admittedly. Since May 27th, the Mets have been *better*. Since then they've been 7-4. That's very good timing, I think New York sports fans were conflicted over something from 5 days earlier, or Knicks fever kinda bled over into the Mets. I personally credit the upsurge to the outfield stylings of Carson Benge and A.J. Ewing, who've been having great months. Benge is now hitting .264 with 7 homers and 26 RBIs. Ewing is hitting .270 with 24 hits and 7 steals in 26 games. And while Jared Young is not as Young as Ewing or Benge, he's still getting in on the fun with a .270 average, 3 homers and 7 RBIs in 21 games. With everything in this lineup that isn't working [[motions around]], it's nice that there can be a homegrown boost of genuine talent to help things along.

...which begs the question, would this team be better off if they didn't try to buy up all those contracts and instead let the team develop naturally? Maybe? They'd still have Brandon Sproat, PCA and Luisangel Acuna. 

Either way, the inadvertent side effect of loading up for this year is the big items they've taken on are getting eyed by competitors. Freddy Peralta's lowered his ERA to 4, and is having a very good season if you had no idea how good he was in 2024 or 2025. Marcus Semien's doing his usual thing of heating up after 2 months of progress have already gone by. Luis Robert should be back soon, and should be a July target. Some relievers might be on the block too. Probably not Devin Williams, he's suffered enough.

At the very least the Mets are a better team than they were, and have more immediate answers than just buying contracts. But they're still very far from competing, and they're nothing compared to a much sharper and fuller Braves team. So...unless they plan on really trying to see if Christian Scott is a jinx, it's probably more of the same from here on out.

Coming Tonight: I can't remember the last time that someone made breaking into the majors look so easy right from the jump. Maybe Skenes? Either way, this guy's immediately making waves.

Juan Down...

 

Juan Soto really got sent out of Washington on a rail, got out of San Diego before they downturned, went to one World Series with the Yankees and decided that his best way of getting another championship ring would be...signing with the Mets. 

...who missed the playoffs last year and are now last in the NL East and divebombing further. That suite's gotta be nice though, right?

Here is the sad truth about this Mets team right now: Lindor, Robert, Alvarez and Polanco are hurt, as are Holmes and Senga. Bichette and Semien have been disappointments on many levels, Vientos is struggling, and we're already into 'operation bring up more rookies'. A.J. Ewing, Nick Morabito, Carson Benge and Jonah Tong are getting a ton of playing time. The Mets tried this strategy last year, only it was around August. That we're already trying 'just bring up the rookies' IN MAY...that's not a good sign.

All of this to say that the only thing on this team that's anywhere near as-advertised is Juan Soto. He's hitting .294 with 10 homers and 21 RBIs, he's missed some time due to little stuff but is still very much the beating heart of this lineup. I can already tell you that this is not what Soto wanted. He wanted to be part of a like-minded unit that could build each other up and work together to be the best. You know, like the 2019 Nationals. Trouble is, the 2019 Nationals weren't bought, they were built over time. Contracts did help, yes, like Scherzer and Strasburg, but the key figures were homegrown. Rendon, Soto, Turner, Zim, Robles, etc. This team, it's almost all contracts, and they're almost all struggling. The homegrown elements are trying to take the team back, but they're either not well-established yet or they're hurt. Francisco Alvarez has been in position to get going for YEARS, and he keeps getting hurt the moment it would be most appropriate. Luis Robert finally has an opportunity to do well for a competitor, and he immediately gets hurt. 

And so the 2026 Mets right now are leading with Soto, Bichette...Luis Torrens, M.J. Melendez, Brett Baty and A.J. Ewing. Not what was advertised.

Even the rotation feels a little like a cheap compromise. Nolan McLean's doing the best he can, but he's not Jacob deGrom; even with 75 Ks and a 1.092 WHIP, he's got a 4.40 ERA and 30 earned runs in 62 innings. Freddy Peralta's got a 3.52 ERA, much higher than anticipated, and is more human than ever. Peterson's back to how he was, with a 5 ERA and some bullpen-relegated stretches. Clay Holmes WAS doing a bang-up job, but then he got hurt and no one knows when he'll be back. It's just a weak effort from people who were in position to really deliver something.

And yes, it is only May, and great teams have come back from worse. But the Mets have often built something in June and lost it two months later. If they already look lost now, how likely is it for them to find themselves by September? Yes, 2024 happened, but there was arguably more setup to that run than what would be a spontaneous flip of the switch for this year. It's still technically possible, but they need to collectively decide to control the narrative and end this disaster. Because Juan Soto's gonna be a Met for the next decade or so, and if this is how things are starting out...he may want to try a different market.

Coming Tomorrow- The Guardians' wheel of contact player development has landed on this guy, and now he's become a fun breakout in a season chock full of them in Cleveland.

One Saving Grace

 

So uh...not sure if y'all have been up on it, but things haven't been going particularly well for the Mets. They had that epic losing streak, lost Lindor to the IL, now will be without Luis Robert for a bit. The mood is generally pessimistic. Even the die-hard Mets fans are worried. Because Steve Cohen did exactly what he said he was gonna do, and loaded this team with grade-A talent, both homegrown and contracted, and put them all in position to succeed, and they're still getting embarrassed. It both makes absolutely no sense and makes all the sense in the world at the same time. 

Here are some facts. There's only one member of the starting lineup with a WAR greater than 0.2, that being Juan Soto. Francisco Alvarez currently leads the team in home runs with a whopping four, and as a reminder we're one month into the season and not one week. The 'Bo Bichette at third base' experiment is going about as well as you might expect, bringing us back to the 90s trend of a Bichette excelling at the game while being dragged backwards by being forced to play the field 162 games. Most of the production in the last two weeks has come from M.J. Melendez, who somehow wasn't able to do this well enough to keep a job in Kansas City. David Peterson, Kodai Senga and Devin Williams all look positively cooked, and a suddenly-healthy Christian Scott isn't looking much better at the moment. 

This team is hitting .227. You get Robert, Semien, Bichette, Soto, Lindor and Alvarez in the same lineup and you still end up hitting .227. At the very least it's not for a lack of trying, but it's just not what you want from these circumstances. 

What is exciting, though, is that the team has unwittingly returned to the deGrom era, in the sense that they're putting out a genuinely terrific starting pitcher every 5 days and getting little to no run support for him. Nolan McLean is undeniably a star, and is pitching like a tenured pro even less than a year into his big league career. So far he's got a 2.55 ERA, an 0.849 WHIP and 45 Ks through 6 starts. Only one win though, which is very reminiscent of deGrom's luck in Queens. I do have a feeling this team will be good again before McLean has to play somewhere else, because if an arm like that gets wasted on teams like these, I don't think Mets fans will be able to take it. At least Doc Gooden got a World Series ring, man. Tom Seaver too. 

At the very least there's been a slight improvement since the losing streak, but the Mets are still blowing games to the Nationals, and that's not a good look. There is still time to build something here, and with a team like this it definitely can be done. But this is not the way you want to start a season like this. I dunno if it'll take a Soto-led sea change or a Mendoza firing for things to get better, but something will need to happen soon.

Coming Tomorrow- Another mid-2025 callup that's playing a major role in his big league club. This team, if you can believe it, might be in more dire shape than the Mets.

Who to Gain, Who to Retain

 

2026 is yet another chapter in the many multi-faceted tactics of the Steve Cohen administration. He packed a roster one way, it didn't make the playoffs, he let it grow out, it made the playoffs, he added to it with Juan Soto, it didn't make the playoffs, he threw in the kitchen sink. And so we're now at the level of roster bloat that, by baseball standards SHOULD lead to a playoff team, but by Steve Cohen standards hasn't quite. The question is 'if you put Luis Robert, Bo Bichette, Freddy Peralta, Marcus Semien, Jorge Polanco, Devin Williams and Luke Weaver on the same team, one that already has Francisco Lindor and Juan Soto on it, can they all play well at the same time?' So far the answer is 'possibly yes'.

The 6-4 start the Mets have gotten off to is earned, and was definitely buttressed by a sharp series win against the San Francisco Giants, but...those losses against the Pirates and Cardinals stand out a little. Robert, Semien and Williams have taken to Queens handsomely, but Bichette is struggling on several levels, Polanco isn't hitting, and batters are finding the flaws in Freddy Peralta somehow. The big veteran Met performers have not been the ones you'd expect, with Clay Holmes getting off to the best start of everybody in the rotation, and Mark Vientos hitting .476 with 10 hits in 7 games. Vientos was looking to seal up the 3rd base spot, then 2025 happened and he was better off a backup, and now Swaggy V seems to be back in full force. I was in a thrift store in the tri-state area and they had a Swaggy V official Mets giveaway bobblehead priced at 15 bucks. I assume someone's snagged it by now, the way he's playing. Then again, when I found my Hunter Pence Phils bobble at a card show it was I think 7 bucks, so...maybe the price is keeping it there.

Ultimately, the Mets are proving that building a team means adding new people and stacking the deck with proven options. Marcus Semien is on this team because he allegedly wasn't gelling well with the Rangers, and you can tell Semien's in a better mood because, for the first time in like 5 years, he's actually hitting well in April. .257 average, 6 RBIs in 10 games, it's definitely better. Even at 35, Semien works as a solid mid-lineup bat with power perks. Like Polanco, he was a gamble, and he seems to be paying off.

But the other side of that coin is that to make room for all these new people, the Mets had to deal away a lot of working MLB options. Brandon Nimmo went to Texas in the Semien deal, and I think the Mets might be regretting that, seeing as he's hitting .359 with 14 hits and 4 RBIs in 10 games, and Carson Benge, in his stead...isn't. I think 'scorned at the way they left town' is sort of the theme of this Rangers team, cause they've got Andrew McCutchen, still mad at the Pirates, and he's hitting well. And I guess Jacob deGrom falls into this category as well, because the Mets didn't want him back and then signed the entire league. deGoat is looking alright so far this season, not fully exacerbating anything yet, but he has, at least been pretty dominant.

That's gotta be a tough one, when the Mets have to play the Rangers. DeGrom the ace, Nimmo leading the pack. Kumar Rocker, who they did not sign, also in the mix. Not like the O's series will be much easier, with Alonso and Helsley after their revenge. 

That's gonna be one of the themes of this season for sure, will the ex-Mets outdo the actual Mets. Last night Amed Rosario had a huge clutch homer for the Yankees, we're still hearing about Dominic Smith's steady work as DH in Atlanta, Alonso's plugged into that Orioles lineup, Seth Lugo's still a crucial part of the Royals rotation...the list goes on. The Rangers, even with their flaws, could be a team that eases into the race this year, and they've got a bit less pressure on them than the Mets. So it's an intriguing narrative, and we'll see if the Mets can do any better than last year, especially in the later months.

Coming Tonight: I know it's fun to talk about ex-Mets, but an ex-Yankee on a team loaded with them is off to a terrific start.

2026: Nothing is Immovable

 

The first game of the day I was able to watch was Mets-Pirates. I think stagnating the day as they did was a little odd, as they could have just done a bunch at 1 and a bunch at 7. Doing one game at 1, and it being Mets-Pirates...I mean, I get that it's a cool matchup, but don't you want to do some other ones as well? A little variety on the first real day of the season? I dunno, they seem to want to do it this way, and...fine. At least they put a game on NBC so people could actually watch it. 

But I did end up watching Mets-Pirates, because it felt like however way it went would be cool. I was of the opinion that Skenes would shut down the Mets' offense and the bullpen would blow it, and Peralta would be strong but not be ironclad against the improved Pirates offense. I was half right. Peralta gave up 2 homers to Brandon Lowe, and a solo shot to Ryan O'Hearn. The new guys did exactly what they were brought there to do, and that makes me feel better overall about the Pirates.

But...Paul Skenes could not get out of inning one. Against the Mets. Not that the Mets are bad, it's just the sort of older, high-risk/high-reward team he could do well against. But the combination of Skenes giving up easy ones and Oneil Cruz not being in position to cast them cost the Pirates 5 runs, and the bullpen cost the Pirates even more. 

The telling stat is this one- without that first inning, the Pirates win the game. If either Skenes doesn't struggle or Yohan Ramirez starts the game, that's 5 runs erased. And even if the Pirates bullpen, mostly Isaac Mattson, gives up even more runs, including the first career homer for Carson Benge, they still outscore the Mets. Freddy Peralta, strong as he was [comparatively], gave up 4 runs, Tobias Myers gave up 1 and Luis Garcia gave up 2 more. If there isn't a lead they need to be padding, they lose a game 7-6 to the Pirates on Opening Day. 

The moral, thereby, other than to always keep fighting, is that even the idea of putting Paul Skenes and Freddy Peralta in a position to succeed doesn't guarantee an outcome. Skenes can still struggle, Peralta can still struggle, and the offenses can still come alive. Nothing is guaranteed, not even Paul Skenes. 

It'll be interesting to see how both teams learn from today. For the Pirates, the game they could rely upon wasn't even a gimme, and they couldn't get it done, despite the continued offensive support. For the Mets, they outdueled a titan and found success with Bichette and Polanco at new positions...but they still allowed 7 runs, even with their best starter on the mound. If the wins are gonna be this close, they need to solve the problem before it ruins them, like last year. 

Regardless, this game was an excellent pacesetter for the season. The rest of the day was full of epic rookie debuts, huge HR moments and incredible pitching [especially in Milwaukee]. And it gives an idea of just how exciting this season's about to be. I'm here for it, for sure. 

Uncustomed Heroes of 2025: Mets

 

So typically what happens is throughout the year I get a nice amount of chances to showcase the best players from a team, and then I have more time during the playoffs to celebrate individual game-by-game achievement, and then by the time December rolls around there isn't a ton left for me to do. Well...the Mets were the victim of a year I was busy more than usual on weekdays, then missed the playoffs despite an army of great performers, leaving me with THIRTEEN Uncustomed Heroes subject. And like, that's not even counting some borderline ones I could have done, like Tyrone Taylor or Luisangel Acuna. There were a lot of standout performers for this team, important presences. Good AND bad. 

Because ultimately, the story of the Mets is a story of a team that went for it and failed. They got Juan Soto, they got Clay Holmes, they firmed up their pitching, they went all in at the deadline, they still fell apart in the final two months. With a better team than the one that made an NLCS in 2024, they couldn't get it done. And now they traded Brandon Nimmo, they've lost Edwin Diaz, and now they've lost Pete Alonso. This is not what they wanted, and though this team will still compete, the wind's been taken out of their sails once more.

Clay Holmes, notoriously, was one of two signings deliberately trying to get back at the Yankees. The end of Holmes' Yankee tenure didn't go well, and his agent was selling him as a starter to teams. The Mets bit, signed him to a nice deal, and Holmes got to start. He thankfully stayed healthy all season and made 31 starts, going 12-8 with a 3.53 ERA and 129 Ks. As a statement, this worked well enough without being a full Seth Lugo or Michael King statement. He was very helpful for this team, and he's sticking around.

2026 Prediction: Less starts, but lower ERA.

Jeff McNeil confounds me. Because he got a later start than most players, his breakout was, in actuality, him hitting his peak. So everything else, in the period other players should hit their peak, has consisted of McNeil just sort of paddling away. McNeil's age-27 and age-30 seasons were excellent, and now he's 33, his defense isn't as good, and he's just an above-average hitter with some scrapes. This year he hit .243 with 12 homers and 54 RBIs in 122 games. Not to 2022 levels of dominance.

2026 Prediction: This will be the last year of his contract. So a slight improvement. But he might take more reps at DH, especially considering that there's a much more reliable guy at 2nd now.

Especially considering the usual primary DH, Starling Marte, will be gone next year. Marte has been at this for 14 years, and though in the first year of his Mets contract he showed no signs of slowing down, the other three years weren't to his usual standard. This year, Marte, in 98 games, hit .270 with 9 homers and 36 RBIs. He's beat up, he's 36, and he's not what he used to be.

2026 Prediction: Now...he SHOULD retire...but I think he's gonna try one more year, without his speed and most of his power, as a DH/bench guy with a competitor. 

Once again, Francisco Alvarez continues to be one of the most curiously inconsistent presences on the Mets. Cause when he's on, and healthy, the Mets are great, but the moments around that are painful. In April he was godawful, even while the Mets soared. Then in May when he got better, the Mets tanked. In August, Alvy hit .341 with 11 RBIs and 3 homers. It wasn't enough. Alvarez finished the season with a .256 average, 12 homers and 32 RBIs spread over 76 games. It was a small sample size, but at the very least the offense was worth it.

2026 Prediction: Full season, the wisdom teeth are out, the real fun begins. 30+ homers.

Among the many pitching moves the Mets made in the offseason was snagging Griffin Canning, the oft-injured young fireballer, from the Angels. True to form, Canning was very solid in 16 starts, going 7-3 with a 3.77 ERA and 70 Ks. Then, as he's prone to, he got hurt and missed the rest of the season.

2026 Prediction: Not sure when he'll be back, but I think he'll be a surprise stretch favorite for a playoff hopeful.

Mark Vientos had a huge breakout 2024, and in 2025 he did not even remotely live up to it. Despite 17 homers and 61 RBIs, Vientos hit .233 this year in 122 games, and just could not stay consistent. Plus, his defense was godawful this year. Eventually he lost the everyday 3B job to Brent Baty, meaning for 2026 the position is very much up in the air.

2026 Prediction: Well, uh, a funny thing happened to the non-negotiable at 1st. Though it'd be really funny to sign Dominic Smith to play there, it's looking like Vientos will be moved over so they can get his bat in the lineup. I think they may still bring on a cheap 1B option as a backup, but Vientos will return to 2024 style production and keep the job.

Also failing to live up to a wonderful 2024 was Sean Manaea, signed on the basis that there would be more where that came from. He got hurt in camp, was still recovering upon his return, and was moved to the bullpen to make room for the rookies. He finished the season with a 5.64 ERA, a 2-4 record and 75 Ks in 15 games.

2026 Prediction: Nobody rush him and he will be fine. With the pressure off he'll have another great year, behind Peterson and McLean. Making him the center of the rotation was a mistake.

With all of Alvy's inconsistencies and injuries, the primary catcher in Queens this year was actually none other than former Yankee farmhand and former Mariners bench wiz Luis Torrens. Torrens' main takeaway is his defense, and it was enough to get him nominated for a gold glove this year [which he'd lose to Patrick Bailey]. His bat isn't terrible, he still had some decent contact moments, but the Mets valued his work behind the plate this year, and even still it's an improvement over Alvarez. 

2026 Prediction: Back to being a backup, but not without some cool moments. The Mets are gonna try to start him at catcher so they can DH Alvy as often as possible.

At the deadline, the Mets pulled the then-huge move of landing Cedric Mullins from Baltimore. Mullins was having a shakier than usual season, mired with inconsistency, but his heights were always worth it. Upon arriving in Queens, Mullins had some excellent moments in centerfield, but struggled at the plate, hitting .182 with 10 RBIs and 2 homers in 42 games.

2026 Prediction: You can tell by the fact that the Rays only gave him a one-year deal that they're not exactly hoping for big things. OR, more likely, they know he's gonna bounce back and they can deal him for prospects at the deadline. 

Speaking of the O's, they recently landed Ryan Helsley, who'll be returning to small-market, southern-ish teams. I think he needs it, honestly. The Mets needed relief help, and grabbed him from the Cardinals to set up Edwin Diaz, and even close. Helsley completely fell apart in New York, posting a 7.20 ERA and a -0.9 WAR in 22 games, giving up 16 earned runs and, crucially, notching zero saves. He had a self-deprecating sense of humor about himself, but clearly this was not his best material, and it was one of many factors that led to the Mets missing the playoffs.

2026 Prediction: Hilariously, the Mets were the problem. Helsley chases 40 saves and gets the O's to the playoffs. 

Tyler Rogers, a sidearmer who'd been a highlight in San Francisco, was also brought on to aid the Mets' bullpen woes. He fared better than Helsley, posting a 2.30 ERA in 27 innings. Not quite as dominant as his 2025 Giants numbers, but his cumulative ERA is still under 2, so that's good.

2026 Prediction: I was thinking he'd go for a marginal competitor, but the Jays came calling. Will lead the pen in IP and deliver his usual strong material.

And then, with all else failing, the Mets brought in the rookie starters. Nolan McLean was immediately ready for the show, and Jonah Tong seemed to show promise in his first couple starts. Tong is also a prized Mets prospect, and was dubbed 'the Canadian Cannon' in college. Mets fans quickly saw why, as he was capable of ferocious outings, like shutting down the Padres in September. However, he also accumulated a lot of earned runs, and left the season with a 7.71 ERA and a -0.8 WAR in 5 starts.

2026 Prediction: Will not make the team out of camp, but will come back midyear and finally have things straightened out.

There was also organizational giant Brandon Sproat, a 25-year-old workhorse who made 4 starts for the Mets, and made a decent impression, with a 4.79 ERA and 17 Ks, despite a 1.210 WHIP. Sproat was a victim of coming in to try and save this team while the wheels were already coming off, and was just filling innings sadly. I don't think this season was indicative of his talent, a lot like Tong. He just needs better circumstances.

2026 Prediction: Because Tong is ahead of him in the depth chart, and because I know Peterson, McLean, Senga, Holmes, Manaea and Megill all factor into the Mets' 2026 plans, and because you also have to remember that Christian Scott might be back soon...unless Sproat has a great spring and locks up a rotation spot off that, he's either gonna be a Syracuse Met or trade bait next year.

Coming Tomorrow- The Nats' season was far more underwhelming than anyone thought, but at least they're a little better off next year, right?

Out of Their Hands

 

In a season where Juan Soto has performed above and beyond expectations, three rookies have revitalized the pitching staff, Pete Alonso has continued his long ball reign over New York and David Peterson had a breakout season years in the making, the New York Mets have still managed to come into the last week of the season needing other teams to lose in order to make the playoffs.

Again. For the second year running.

It's not quite clear if the Mets will need as dramatic of a final series to punch a postseason ticket this year, considering the doubleheader against the Braves that did so last year, but it's just as indistinct, and requires just as much action from the Diamondbacks. The Mets have been holding this playoff spot all month, but have wound down even with surges from Nolan McLean and Juan Soto, and are now only one game ahead of both the Reds and D-Backs, and need to keep winning in order to stay in the mix. And...considering just how great this Mets team has been at its peak, and how much they're working with...it's honestly incredible that we're at this point. Is this just gonna be a staple of the Carlos Mendoza era? Down to the wire regular season finishes? If their postseason ends anywhere near how last year's ended all could be forgiven, but if the Mets don't do as much as they can on their end, they miss out. A team this good shouldn't be waiting for Emilio Pagan to blow a save.

Even worse, the Mets have to spend the better part of this week in Chicago, playing a Cubs team that has already punched their ticket to the playoffs. But that isn't to say the Cubs are mailing it in, despite what Steve Cohen seems to think about Matt Shaw [no comment because if I say even the slightest thing in either direction I might lose my talk show on ABC]. The Cubs still have a lot of energy left, and they still have a lot of weapons with scores to settle. Nico Hoerner is polishing off his single best season to date, with a .302 average, 174 hits and 60 RBIs. PCA is one long ball away from his first 30/30 season, and that could make up for his rough second half. Matt Shaw, controversy aside, has had a very strong rookie season and looks to be the answer going forward at third. Cade Horton's 11-4, and could get a ton of ROY votes, even if the Cubs are limiting his starts til the playoffs. And the Cubs just got Daniel Palencia back, and he's a very sharp closing option.

But last night the Mets struck first, with a big win over the Cubs on the night of a surprise Reds loss to the Pirates. Right now they have the leverage, even if the Reds have the tiebreaker. They have some great pieces to rely upon at the moment, like Brett Baty, who has a .740 OPS and seems to have taken the starting third base job from Mark Vientos. You're also seeing Francisco Alvarez back and surging, which has always been a sign of a winning streak in the past few years. And Cedric Mullins has been an improvement in center field, even if he's still hitting below the Mendoza line.

Whatever the Mets can do during this series will make up for their lost week or so, but the Reds and D-Backs could still spoil it for them by going on a parallel run. It will come down to the wire, and whatever happens will be the result of how much effort the Mets can put in at this point in the season. 

Coming Tomorrow- Speaking of teams running out of time for a playoff spot, a recently-activated outfield threat trying desperately to move the needle. 

Drop Everything

 

What I'm getting from all of this is that the Mets really want to make the playoffs.

Look, August was rough. There was a long stretch of no activity. And then towards the end of the month there were some huge wins, including 4 double digit wins [plus two more in September]. Getting Francisco Alvarez back, once again, meant a rise in production, and now Juan Soto is in full 'untouchable' mode despite some points during this season where he was clearly very touchable. He's looking at a 40 homer year, an 100 RBI year, and one that seemed to come a lot less naturally than the last two. The Mets are taking off, and even if there's still some ill-timed losses that make creeping up to Philly a bit more difficult, they want it bad.

The move they made this week was one that cemented that. In order to include all three prized prospects in the current rotation, meaning all of Nolan McLean, Jonah Tong and Brandon Sproat, the Mets sent Kodai Senga down to Syracuse. The guy who, going into this season, was supposed to be the team's ace, is down in the minors right now trying to straighten out. And thus the current major league rotation consists of David Peterson, Clay Holmes...and three rookies. Explain that to a Mets fan in April. In April this rotation was looking like it was gonna be Senga-Manaea-Holmes-Megill-Montas. Montas and Megill are hurt, Manaea's relieving again, Senga's down, and joining Holmes is Peterson, who'd yet to really click til this year...and three rookies. That'd horrify everybody. On paper there's no leverage. You can't make David Peterson out as the ace before this season, before they realize he's got it.

And how do you sell that the Mets, starting 3 rookies, are still competitors, and favored at that? Well...all three rookies are *ready*. Look at Nolan McLean. I'm already in awe of this guy. Like, deGrom in 2014 levels of in awe. McLean's made 4 MLB starts, and is 4-0 with a 1.37 ERA and 28 strikeouts. The sheer dominance this guy is capable of even NOW..that should be worrying people. Then you have Jonah Tong, whose unconventional windup makes him a wild threat and who only allowed 1 earned run in his debut. And then you have Brandon Sproat...who's supposed to be just as good. All three of those guys, in good condition, hurling at you down the stretch. The future...leading you to a postseason spot. That'll win people over, right?

I know I shouldn't be, but I am kinda worried about the Mets. The Phils have to play these guys next week. It's very likely that they're gonna have to face McLean again, and it didn't go well at all the first time. They're still 20 games over .500, holding onto the wild card spot with no immediate competition [though somehow the Giants are approaching], and threatening to lap the Phils soon. Yes, these are the Mets at the end of the day, but pare back enough MLB pieces and you see the rest of this decade glaring down at you, and that's not comforting whatsoever.

Coming Tomorrow: Possibly one of the most entertaining characters in the game. Losing Joey Votto may have hurt, but there's plenty of Votto-type guys hanging around the league.

Get With the Times

 

In 2022, the New York Mets were the talk of baseball. They were using Max Scherzer, Jacob deGrom, Francisco Lindor, Brandon Nimmo and Pete Alonso to get to the playoffs, and the Buck Showalter way of life was working. The centerpiece of the team was not only an incredible performance from Edwin Diaz, but the most intimidating walk-up in sports, with Diaz's ascent to the mount hailed by Timmy Trumpet and a spine-shattering fanfare. In 2022, it was the most epic entrance in sports. If Diaz was coming on in the ninth, you were toast. 

In 2023, Diaz got hurt, the Mets dealt their nearest pieces, and Buck Showalter lost his job. And the quest to start over began.

In 2024, the New York Mets were the talk of baseball. They make it to an NLCS on the strength of Pete Alonso, Sean Manaea, Lindor, Nimmo and the surprise postseason reappearance of Kodai Senga. Diaz was...alright, but only notched 20 saves and was more of a solid reliever than a solid closer.

And now the Mets are trying desperately to act like they haven't relapsed again, even with Juan Soto doing Juan Soto things in the heart of the lineup. Injuries have left this team a wild card competitor, with a lot of great pitchers just not delivering this year. The stretch from June 13th on has been atrocious, as the Mets have gone from a 1st place team to barely hanging on above the Reds. And most frustratingly...Edwin Diaz isn't a league-best closer anymore.

Look, there's a chance Diaz gets 30 saves this year, and his next one will be #250 as a career, but the guy who chased K-Rod with the Mariners isn't this same guy. He's very much a solid, consistent eighth inning guy who can also do some 9th inning work, and he's made it into the situation where the team has no choice but to trust him as a closer. They did get Ryan Helsley as a closing option, but like Diaz, Helsley is better as a setup guy. At the very least, Diaz is unhittable this year, and has a 1.69 ERA with 70 Ks. But the guy who was always a ninth inning lock in 2022 isn't here. Further, there's an NL East closer that has usurped him in that category. Jhoan Duran not only has a cooler entrance, but is getting much more opportunity to save. It's just not Diaz's time anymore.

And I'm not trying to belittle Diaz for no reason. He's still an excellent relief piece, and has helped the Mets stay in the race. But I don't know if he's THE closer for this team anymore. Which I think the Mets do have to come to terms with.

I think the Mets have a chance to still factor into this season, and you're seeing a slight uptick since the Little League Classic. Nolan McLean is absolutely ready for the bigs, and he's joined Peterson and Senga as sure things in the rotation. Alonso just passed Straw and is still rolling. Soto's got another 30-homer year and still has time for more. But they need to get past their uncomfortably bad stretch and reestablish themselves as an intimidating NL force. This may be difficult with the Brewers, Phillies and Dodgers commanding the narrative, but there's still time now.

Coming Tomorrow- Hard-hitting DH/corner for a team desperately clinging to their probability to compete.

At Least It's Well Shot

 

I was watching the Mets broadcast yesterday, because one of the channels had it on. Where I love, YES is blacked out, but apparently they give you a Mets game on occasion. Kind of a blessing that we didn't get to see a third consecutive Yankee collapse. But yeah, the Mets were on in their purple-grey City Connect uniforms, and they were completely suitable. Lindor hit a homer then made an error, Frankie Montas has been cooked since 2021 yet still keeps getting jobs, the Giants sold and were somehow the better team.

I only watch Mets games on a couple occasions, and most of the time they involve my cousins from Staten Island. Predominantly Mets fans, a few Yankee loyalists peppered in. If I watch a Met game, it's usually with them. I actually do kinda like the broadcasts, Darling and Hernandez are really good to have on there. This year, however, the Mets' SNY broadcast has been receiving more publicity due to its new direction, and I mean that in a literal sense. The guy who's in charge of directing the broadcast is an out-and-out cinephile, and has been framing shots as if he's Martin Scorsese. There have been split diopter shots, insane wide angles from odd areas of the stadium, well-blocked close-ups. It is one of the best looking broadcasts in the bigs because it feels grander and more important than just a baseball game.

I was thinking about this because you're hearing all about Rob Manfred trying to sell baseball as a product rather than a game, and commoditizing every aspect until the fun's been taken out. The Bristol game also happened this weekend, and a very interesting spectacle happened...at the expense of the miserable players. It is not a coincidence that the MVP of the game was a backup outfielder who'd had a 2-homer day. It rained on and off to the point where they had to pick it up Sunday, the two Tennessee-based starters who the game was centered around pitched an inning between them and one of them, Spencer Strider, didn't even go out to pitch at all, leaving the game to be won by a guy who was sitting around at Gwinnett. And you go 'well I'm sure it was cool for the people there', but apparently concessions, housing and hospitality were all godawful, leading to a lot of Fyre Festival comparisons. Because none of the people who suffered are rich, I reckon Manfred's not gonna learn his lesson. 

The Mets broadcast is a product in a way that Manfred's idea of the MLB isn't. It's cinematic, it's exciting, and that makes baseball worth watching more than whatever the hell Manfred's doing will. At one point during the game on Sunday, there was a cross-dissolve marked by a shadowy passerby in the concourse, a transition the director admits was inspired by the works of Edgar Wright. That is awesome. Baseball doesn't need a salary cap, it needs more of that.

If anything, this director should be rewarded for making a relatively inauspicious team like the Mets look even better. Right now the Mets are...fine. They're not bottoming out like they were in late June, but they got lapped by the Phils for the division lead again. David Peterson is manning the rotation, and he's having his best season to date, with a 7-4 record, a 2.83 ERA and 105 Ks. Peterson's been around this roster forever and has been waiting for that opportunity to pitch everyday and be GOOD. And it's finally happened. The issue is more with guys like Montas, but at least Holmes, Manaea and Senga have been on the right track. 

The Mets are gonna be right in it til the end I think, and they'll likely have a nice stretch this month to make the division race interesting. And we at least know it'll look great.

Coming Tomorrow- A pitcher for the Cleveland Guardians who still has a job.

Making All Stops

 

Two teams in freefall getting together for a subway series was never gonna go well. It's a wonder that any of these teams came out of this series with their dignity in tact, but the Mets didn't lose a starter to Tommy John again, nor did they have a shortstop make a series of boneheaded errors. 

I had the misfortune of watching some of the July 4th game while around my Staten Island-based cousins, and while there are a few Yankee fans in there, a lot of people were rooting for the other team. And so as the Yankees ended up spiraling out and the Mets' lineup started beating up Stroman, I just sort of shuddered and went about my drinking. The Mets started a no-name starter based one town over from me, who they were forced to start because their pitchers keep getting injured, and they still won the game because the Yankees managed to find a way to suck more. 

Both of these teams have similar issues, honestly. In both cases, the lineup will pick choice moments to not show up. It's happening now for the Yankees. Judge is slowing down, Stanton's been anemic, Wellsy's been slacking. At the very least Cody Bellinger has been stepping up more, as he now has 13 homers and 47 RBIs. But the May momentum is gone because the lineup just isn't there. The Mets went through this before, but now they're getting production from Alonso, Lindor, Soto, McNeil and the works. Brandon Nimmo, even in what's knowingly a lesser year, has 18 homers and 52 RBIs. You can play the whole 'we traded away PCA' game for hours but ultimately this team has hit its way to 50 homers when the Yankees haven't yet. Even in that period where the Mets weren't winning games, which was fun by the way, they didn't look as bad as the Yankees did in their drought. You didn't hear about how bad the Mets were, because they still managed to score runs. 

The other problem these teams share is the back half of their rotations. The Yankees just lost Clarke Schmidt and Ryan Yarbrough, and are down to a skeleton crew of Fried, Rodon, Warren, Stroman and a to-be-determined minor leaguer who'll have to face the Mariners in a couple days. Who will it be? Rookie Clayton Beeter? Scranton favorite Allan Winans? Hell, is this finally the moment J.T. Brubaker starts a game for us? The Mets may be in even more dire straits, because they're down to just David Peterson and Clay Holmes as viable MLB options. Yes, Frankie Montas is healthy, but like usual in New York he's getting obliterated in between injuries. Justin Hagenman did his best but...he's your 4 guy and he already feels like a last resort. In lieu of a fifth starter the Mets went with a reliever game on Sunday, and if we'd have lost that I think Aaron Boone would have lost his job. There is a belief that both Kodai Senga and Sean Manaea could be back for the weekend series against the Royals, but that's a lot of hope to throw on these guys. I've seen 'everything's gonna be alright when Senga comes back' before, and it didn't go too well last summer. And let's just hope Manaea still has some of whatever made him a Mets hero last year. 

Both the Yankees and the Mets have similar issues, and went through similar stretches. That the Mets were able to wake up first, my hat goes off to them. But this isn't a death sentence for the Yankees yet. There's still half a season to play, and still a lot of momentum to gain. We'll see how we're looking after the break.

Coming Tomorrow- For years he looked like the last true 'can't miss' closer. In April...he missed.

Juan Year Later

 

I'm still not entirely sure how people are going to talk about Juan Soto's sole year in Yankee pinstripes after more time has gone by. There's clearly comparisons, like Reggie Jackson's 1976 in Baltimore, or Nelson Cruz's 2014 in Baltimore, or even Corbin Burnes' 2024...in Baltimore. Somebody who comes in for one season, does what they can in memorable fashion and leaves. But this is different. This is something that could have worked long-term and for whatever mixture of personal reasons it didn't, and it hurt us. When Reggie left the O's, I don't think there was that level of betrayal, because Yanks-O's was contentious, but not as contentious as Yanks-Mets has been lately.

Or maybe people will emphasize the novelty. Like 'all involved parties really thought this would work, and then were shocked when it didn't.' It's like how occasionally I remember that there exists an album, in between two classics, where Dave Navarro of Jane's Addiction played guitar for the Red Hot Chili Peppers. And I'm not even an RHCP guy, I just hear what they play on the radio, albeit every third song. But I definitely know what that band sounded like with Dave Navarro, because John Fruisciante has a very clear guitar sound, and Navarro is a very different kind of guitar player. It did work, that album, in its own kinda odd, mid-90s way, but like...it wasn't sustainable. And so you have to assume it all happened for the right reasons and that the stuff that comes after is more rewarding [and it is].

Juan Soto, meanwhile, has fit right in with the Mets, after a struggle in mid-May. He now leads the Mets in WAR with 2.9, and in walks with 60 unsurprisingly, but has 36 RBIs and 13 home runs. A lot like in the full season in San Diego, he is just doing his thing, and that still puts him ahead of the majority of his contemporaries. He's only hitting .247, but he gets on base more than most, he hits for contact and power, and he's still only 26. As alright as he's been, he's been way better in June, and is gearing up to get to full capacity by the time the Mets are approaching a run.

And the way things are going, that's looking very likely. With three of the best players in baseball, Soto, Alonso and Lindor, plugged squarely into the lineup, this team is out in front and in a very good place in the NL East. This team has also seen improvements in its bench depth, its late rotation and its bullpen, and even losing Kodai Senga isn't going to kill this team. If anything, they'll get Manaea and Montas back at some point, will do well enough with Paul Blackburn, and should stay on target. 

Juan Soto without the Yankees should, ultimately, be fine. The Yankees without Soto...I suppose we'll see how badly we need him this fall.

Coming Tomorrow- A onetime hard-throwing prospect now trying to keep the big league club from falling in on itself. 

A Nice Reprieve In Between Brutality

 

The Mets' schedule always seems to line up with the moments where they're feeling the most confident. They had one of the best records in the NL, and then suddenly they had to play the Yankees, Red Sox and Dodgers, and a bunch of games got dropped. Surprisingly the team the Mets did the best against, of those three, was LA, as they took 2 hard-fought wins from them. Those two are pretty evenly matched, and they definitely have a score to settle after the 2024 NLCS. 

So the bulk of this week has been something of a joyride for the Mets. Three straight series against competitors, and now they get to play the two worst teams in the majors. They just got 2 wins against the White Sox, and now they're hosting the Rockies for a series. So that should help, right?

Well...perhaps losing those games to the Yankees pointed out a lot of the flaws in this team. First of all, there's a lot of holes in this lineup. Vientos really doesn't have it right now. McNeil, Alvarez and Marte are slowly catching up. Nimmo is hitting for power but isn't the guy they signed to a major contract. Tyrone Taylor is *fine*. People have been pointing out lately how silly the Mets must feel that they traded Pete Crow-Armstrong for two months of Javier Baez only to be stuck using guys like Tyrone Taylor in center. But ultimately, a lot of this Mets lineup is guys who are perfectly acceptable, and who aren't really doing a great deal at the moment. 

And then you look at someone like Francisco Lindor, who's one of the team heroes. Lindor's start, by Lindor standards, is a little on the quieter side. He's got a 1.4 WAR, he's hitting .269, he has 31 RBIs and 10 homers. It's not terrible, but you'd expect more. Pete Alonso's doing exactly what was asked of him, he has 11 homers and 43 RBIs, plus he's hitting for average. Lindor hasn't really jumped to full gear yet, and in past New York seasons that's happened closer to like July. I also think that he's slowed down with the team, so when they rev back up again he'll probably boost his average a ton.

And even if Lindor is comparatively kinda human, at least he's racked up goodwill with Mets fans. Juan Soto is being left out to dry for hitting .224, and the New York news media are converging on him like a pack of vultures. Like Lindor, Soto will find his groove, he's just facing a lot of unfair attention just for saying no to the Yankees. Dude can do whatever he wants, even if he's wrong. Maybe lay off him, give him some room to breathe, then he'll play like Juan Soto.

The Mets had better enjoy this Rockies series, and from the looks of things David Peterson is really helping them enjoy themselves there, because immediately afterwards the schedule ramps right back up again. Then they have to play the Dodgers, meaning more very close games, and then a June stacked to the brim with competitive teams like the Braves, Phillies and Rays. The good news is that 3 more Rockies games are hidden in there, and Colorado ones as well, but it's only gonna be a positive stretch for the Mets if they click back into place. The momentum of last fall just isn't there at the moment, and they need to find it before things get even worse.

Coming Tomorrow- Too many closers are insistent upon being ferocious, unlikable people, which is why it's very refreshing to see a closer who's just really into anime. 

Mets-Yankees 5/16: An Army of Boos

 

They call this the Subway Series...but yesterday it was a better idea to avoid the subways altogether. NJ Transit went on strike literally the day I had Yankee tickets, which was the kind of cosmic irony that just tends to happen these days. My dad and I figured it'd just be easier to get parking across the street and just drive in, and barring the obligatory traffic at the GW, it worked out. Just funny that I didn't ride the 4 to get there, as is custom. 

Going into this Mets-Yankees game, the tickets to which were handed to us just days in advance, I was very cautious. Subway series games are the exact kinds of games that the Yankees tend to misplay. Last year we bobbled a lot of games to the Mets, and it's been a couple years of the Mets just figuring out how to get past us. Especially now with Juan Soto on the team, which added an extra dimension to the rivalry. As much as something called 'Rivalry Weekend' should have consisted of a Yanks-Sox matchup, Yanks-Mets is just as important. It's far from tenuous. 

The game itself looked to be a pretty even one, judging from the fact that the majority of both teams' starters were in play tonight [barring Jeff McNeil and Ben Rice], and both teams were starting solid pitchers, the Mets with Tylor Megill, and the Yankees with staff workhorse Carlos Rodon. I was relatively optimistic going in.

So, uh...a word about the response to Juan Soto. You see...Yankee fans aren't particularly happy that Soto took the 10-year mega-deal to join the Mets. Not at all. And literally any chance they got, they let Soto hear it. The boos for this man...were tremendous. Lots of chants of 'f--k Juan Soto'. One guy a few seats over from me who kept bringing shit up about Soto's sister, which, dude, that is personal. You do not bring that to a game. I, and this should be relatively obvious, did not partake in the boos. I'm a little miffed at Soto, to be honest, but the Yanks' management screwed things up and Soto got a better deal from Cohen, so he had a right to call our bluff. I think the boos are gonna go down on a yearly basis, as the wound is gonna be less fresh going forward. But last night they were angry. And I think the Yanks were onto this, as Soto was walked three times but never got a hit. He did steal a base in the first, but his average didn't exactly go up this game. So I guess the Yankee fans won there.

Something to note, as you'll see from the picture, taken from my dad's friend's seats which I really don't like drawing attention to on the basis of my own humility, is that both teams wore white caps for the 'rivalry weekend' thing. I'm not sure if I love that. Like, I get having pink trim for mother's day or camo for Memorial Day or stuff like that, but this is just a flagrant excuse to sell shit. And it's not even something that looks good. Just kinda off-putting. 

[EDIT: I’ve been told this is for Armed Forces weekend. Don’t I come off well from that..]

Also, completely unrelated, my main observation from Yankee Stadium last night was that, more than usual, the concourse smelled incredible. More than ever there was this wafting current of sausages and barbecue that persisted throughout the game. The food still isn't as good as CitiField, but there are worse-smelling ballparks out there. Also, I did not know Goose Island was doing the 'official beer of the Yankees'. Tasted damn good.

The game itself, yes, I should probably explain what happened. So...Carlos Rodon, as he was paid to, pitched 5 strong innings. He struck out 5, he walked 4 [two of which being Juan Soto], and he allowed one run thanks to a Brandon Nimmo RBI single. Rodon cooked himself way earlier than I'd thought, getting to 102 pitches by the fifth. It was still a great start, and a low-scoring one, but it was tinged with a little suspense. Still, the majority of the Mets' lineup couldn't get anything done against him. Even Luisangel Acuna, who's had a nice start this year, was listless at the plate last night. 

As for the Yankees? Well, if I tell you nobody hit any home runs, you might get worried. Because that's one of the things this lineup does best. And I will give Tylor Megill and the Mets' bullpen credit for keeping Aaron Judge at bay, limiting him to a single on the night. But...the bases were loaded a bunch of times. And when you have contact guys like Paul Goldschmidt and Jasson Dominguez on your team...you're gonna score some runs. The third inning is where things really sparked, as with the bases loaded, Goldy smoked a single, and the throw from Lindor to first was overdone, meaning two runs scored. Lindor looked really smooth all night, so a rare error from him was astounding. Then Anthony Volpe hit a sac-fly that scored another run. Then Megill loaded the bases again and walked Oswald Peraza.  Tyler Megill's day ended at 2 and 2/3rds, which was wild. The guy's capable of great things, but he did not have his stuff yesterday, walked 5 people and gave up 4 runs. 

Then, an inning later, Max Kranick got into even more trouble, with Goldschmidt again singling in Judge after a Bellinger double got him to second. This was the moment I officially fell in love with Goldy as a Yankee- he'd infuriated me as a Cardinal, but his contact game is truly excellent this year, and he's hitting .350 at the moment. It's a privilege that he gets to play for my team, and be responsible for big contact runs like this. 

After another RBI from Dominguez, it was now 6-1. From there, the Yankee bullpen went to work, including the long-awaited return of Jonathan Loiasiga, and a truly incredible 3-K setup performance by Devin 'the Airbender' Williams, who may be finding his mojo after all. The rest of the game, needless to say, flew. The atmosphere continued to be pretty even-keel for a near-sellout teaming with royal blue. Two fans that sat in front of us kept reporting the Knicks score every 20 minutes, which was very helpful. At one point they even put it on the Jumbotron, which the fans, Yanks and Mets alike, enjoyed. 

Yerry de los Santos let a Lindor RBI go by as we were heading to the car, but Luke Weaver notched the save, getting Soto to fly out to center to end the game. Honestly, it couldn't have ended any other way, it had to be Soto. 

It was a fantastic night for baseball, and a really nice game. The Yanks can be a contact team this year, which is very nice. Paul Goldschmidt might be a Yankee favorite yet, as I was worried he'd be a Donaldson-esque past-his-prime waste of a contract. And the Soto response...is gonna be like this for a while.

Eastern Promises

 

This year, Ichiro Suzuki will become the first Japanese player inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. It's hard to look back at 2001, where Ichiro was an insane rookie hitter, and think about how the Japanese player was a novelty at one point. Hideo Nomo playing for the Dodgers may have broke the thresholds open 30 years after Masanori Murakami, but the conveyer of Japanese players to the MLB was still very spotty and unrefined for a while. Whereas now they're everywhere and serving so many purposes.

My point of reference is the period where the Japanese imports were already in their thirties, guys like Kosuke Fukudome, Yasuhiko Yabuta and Hiroki Kuroda, guys who'd maybe have one or two of their peak years in the states before declining. Now they're coming over in their prime and continuing it playing for the best of the best. It's to the point where now that we once again have an older, veteran Japanese rookie in Tomoyuki Sugano, that feels like more of a novelty than anything. Sugano, 35, has been a bright spot in a very disappointing last place Orioles team. Through 8 games he's 4-2 with a 2.72 ERA. He's not a high strikeout guy but he's just been dominant and consistent, and with all the injuries in Baltimore, they need that right now. 

Meanwhile, Kodai Senga, despite being 32, is still one of the most fearsome starters in the game. Right now through 8 he's also 4-2, but with a league leading 1.22 ERA, plus 42 Ks. This was the dominance that Senga displayed in his fantastic rookie season, and despite some shakiness in his rehab season last year, he seems to be back and stronger than ever...much like the Mets. 

And you're also seeing that getting a young, full-prime Japanese player isn't the slam dunk it used to be. Roki Sasaki is 23 and was an absolute phenom in Japan, yet he's struggled mightily in the States, culminating in an injury. Even while the strategy evolves, sometimes planning and expectation is meaningless, and the players themselves chart their own course anytime they want. 

Let's have a look at some of the other Japanese imports in the league, and see if any are defying their own ages:

Angels: Yusei Kikuchi is 34, and despite not getting a win yet he's still very reliable, and has a 3.72 ERA. Kikuchi has only gotten better as he's matured in the majors, and his Jays run has been his peak so far, which the Angels hope continues with them.

Cubs: Seiya Suzuki is 30 and is still pretty much in his prime, though I worry he's not exactly the hitter that was advertised. Shota Imanaga's 31 and still definitely in his prime. 

Dodgers: Ohtani is Ohtani. Yamamoto is 26 and having an incredible season, with a 1.80 ERA and 53 Ks. A Japanese pitcher has never won a Cy Young award, despite Darvish coming in 2nd a few years back, and Yamamoto is already figuring heavily into the conversation.

Nationals: Shinnosuke Ogasawara, in his rookie season at 27, has a 4.80 ERA in 3 starts...in Rochester. I don't know if it's the Nats rotation or Ogasawara himself but this may be more on the side of novelty.

Padres: Well, Yu Darvish is 38 and injured, but he's had a full career. Yuki Matsui is 29 and still a very crucial part of this bullpen, with a 2 ERA. 

Red Sox: Masataka Yoshida is still very much in his prime, but he is currently hurt. 

Tigers: Kenta Maeda, a rare care of a Japanese player clearly past his prime, was cut a few weeks ago after posting a 7.88 ERA in relief. 

So honestly, it varies, but the quality of player is now good enough that there's less drop-offs and more powering through, even in their early 30s. It bodes well for both these players, and their teams. And for Roki Sasaki honestly. He may not have clicked now, but who's to say he won't eventually?

Coming Tomorrow- The closest thing to a veteran star the White Sox have.

Opposite Poles

 

I'm headed into New York today to see an old friend in Manhattan. I don't get into the city as much as I'd like to. I've got a lot of friends there, spread throughout the city, and it costs more than I'd like to get up there. I know I'm getting to a Yankee game in a few months, probably another later on. It just becomes an occasional treat. Y'know, I live a 90 minute train ride away, give or take a drive to the train itself, it's a nice luxury to have. And it's a great day to just walk around, take it in.

I say this because it's gonna be weird being in the city at a time where the Mets are king. The Yankees are no slouch, let's be clear, but the Mets are the best team in baseball right now. Nobody's hitting like the Mets, nobody's pitching like the Mets. Nobody, not even the Dodgers, are doing what the Mets are doing. And even I have to just stop and watch. Brandon Nimmo has a 9-RBI day the other day, Pete Alonso's got an OPS over 1, Lindor's hitting .300, and now Alvarez and McNeil are back and hitting. Everything seems to have clicked. 

The Alonso thing is why the Mets are so thankful to have locked up the guy going forward. You do not want one of the best power hitters in the league going anywhere else. Alonso had hit 226 home runs as a Met, and since the contract he's hit seven more. But that's not all. Right now he's having a wholly excellent start, hitting .349 with 28 RBIs, a 1.088 OPS and 11 doubles. He's excelling at so many more things than usual, which has to be a relief for the Mets. They're used to somebody signing the contract and losing dimensions, like Jason Bay or Vince Coleman or Yoenis Cespedes. Alonso seems like so much more than a power hitter right now, and it's the best season for it. It's funny, last season Alonso hit only 34 home runs, a low for him in a full season. There's a chance he outdoes that mark this season, and at this rate he certainly could.

The rotation is the reason why this team has won 20 games. Kodai Senga, Griffin Canning, Tylor Megill, David Peterson and Clay Holmes have all been pitching beautifully so far. Canning is 4-1 with a 2.61 ERA, his best numbers in years [proving they just needed to get him out of Anaheim]. Senga is fully healthy and at peak levels, 3-1 with a 1.26 ERA so far. Even Peterson, sort of the 5th man, is a really strong piece, with a 3.06 ERA and 30 Ks. The thought was that without Sean Manaea, Paul Blackburn and Frankie Montas, the rotation would buckle a bit, but that hasn't happened yet. The bullpen also looks pretty good, though the prospect of potentially losing A.J. Minter isn't great. 

This Mets team, so far, is what Steve Cohen wanted to build. A competitive, overpowering and fun team, led by Pete Alonso, Francisco Lindor and Juan Soto, who are leading the division and in great shape already. The real test will be sustaining this over the next 5 months, but who knows? Maybe they've finally figured it out.

Coming Tonight: The Twins traded their best power hitter for this guy. Since the trade, the power hitter dropped from his peak and retired. The guy they traded him for has been a lot better.