213 Miles From Shea

The Mets look to snap a five game losing streak tonight in Milwaukee. Last Monday the Mets had a chance in the ninth inning complete the comeback. Out of an abundance of caution (plus knowing that Soto and Alonso could still come to bat), the Mets didn’t send Tyrone Taylor on a shallow single hit in the bottom of the ninth. Friday night we got to see the alternate reality of that night. Starling Marte, who hit a solo homer earlier in the game, hit a two-out double to keep the Mets in the game. Jeff McNeil followed with a shallow, line-drive single. The Brewers made a perfect throw and got Marte out at the plate, ending the game. Heart breaking stuff.

During this five game losing streak the Mets have multiple games where they felt so close to breaking out and winning. They’ve had games where they completely fell flat. Hopefully the Mets can turn things around tonight.

Frankie Montas will get the bulk of the work this afternoon. Over seven starts and 33 2/3 innings this season, Montas has a 6.68 ERA, 5.07 FIP, 1.545 WHIP and a 59 ERA+. His last two starts have been brutal. Montas has allowed 12 runs from 15 hits over 8 1/3 innings. Before that though he allowed only three runs from 12 hits and 10 2/3 innings against the Royals and the Angels. Which Montas will the Mets get today? The Brewers have the following career numbers against Montas:

• Jake Bauers 1-14, 2B, 8 K
• William Contreras 2-6
• Sal Frelick 1-3, BB
• Danny Jansen 0-2
• Joey Ortiz 1-2, 2B, K
• Blake Perkins 2-3, BB, K
• Brice Turang 1-4, 2B, BB, K
• Andrew Vaughn 0-6, 2 K
• Christian Yelich 2-7, 2B, BB, K

Tobias Myers returns to the majors this evening. Logan Henderson was originally scheduled to start but landed on the IL after an MRI for elbow inflammation. Over eight games and five starts, Myers has totaled 23 innings this season with a 4.30 ERA, 4.02 FIP, 1.609 WHIP and a 95 ERA+. He’s been better in AAA Nashville with a 3.77 ERA over 59 2/3 innings. Myers was most recently in the majors at the end of July where he pitched three scoreless innings over two relief outings. Since then he has made one start in the minors allowing six runs from five hits over 1 1/3 innings. If he gets into a groove he can go up to 90 or so pitches. The Mets have the following career stats against Myers:

• Pete Alonso 0-4, K
• Francisco Alvarez 0-2, K
• Francisco Lindor 2-3, 2B
• Starling Marte 1-4, 2B, K
• Brandon Nimmo 0-3, 2 K
• Juan Soto 0-3
• Tyrone Taylor 0-2, K
• Luis Torrens 0-2
• Mark Vientos 0-3, 2 K

Three Things To Watch For:

1. Facing your old team. The Brewers traded for Montas at the 2024 deadline. As a Red last season he had a 5.01 ERA over 93 1/3 innings. He fared better as a Brewer posting a 4.55 ERA, 4.35 FIP, 1.256 WHIP and a 90 ERA+ over 57 1/3 innings. Some players go a bit harder when they face their old club, will we see that from Montas?
2. Juan Soto. Soto saved the Mets from rock bottom on Wednesday, hitting a solo home run in the ninth inning to break up the no-hitter. He tried to jumpstart the Mets Friday hitting a solo homerun in the top of the first inning. It was the sixth time this season that Soto has homered in back-to-back days. What he has not done yet is homer in back-to-back-to-back days.
3. Pete Alonso. Pete Alonso is still chasing the franchise record for home runs. Currently one behind Darryl Strawberry’s leading 252 homers, one good day for Pete could get him the record and the spark the Mets offense needs. In his last two games he has gone 0-for-8 at the plate with two strikeouts and no walks.

Let’s Go Mets!

The Mets were quite close to rock bottom on Wednesday afternoon. Knocking on the door rock bottom. Possibly looking for an apartment in the Panic City neighborhood of rock bottom. Gavin Williams had no hit the Mets into the ninth inning. The last time they were in this situation, Francisco Lindor hit a homerun to break up the no-hitter and the Mets stormed back for a comeback win against the Blue Jays.

Juan Soto couldn’t get the Mets to have a comeback victory on Wednesday, but at least his ninth inning solo home run prevented the Mets from getting no-hit. Now the Mets head to Milwaukee and face the hottest team in baseball. The last time the Mets were in Milwaukee, Pete Alonso’s pumpkin powered the Mets with a go-ahead homerun in a deciding ninth inning in the last game of a three game series. The Mets could sure use that playoff pumpkin magic tonight.

Kodai Senga looks to take a step in the right direction tonight in Milwaukee. Senga has tossed 89 2/3 innings over 17 starts this season with a 2.31 ERA, 3.89 FIP, 1.249 WHIP and a 170 ERA+. He has been struggling lately allowing 11 runs in his last three starts (12 innings) from 13 hits and 11 walks. Four of the eight home runs he’s allowed this season have come in his last three starts. The Brewers have the following career numbers against Senga:

• William Contreras 1-3, K
• Blake Perkins 0-2, K
• Christian Yelich 2-3, 2B

The Mets bats will try to breakout of their slump tonight against one of the better pitchers in the game. Brandon Woodruff returned from missing more than a year and a half of baseball without skipping a beat. Over five starts (28 1/3 innings), Woodruff has a 2.22 ERA, 3.32 FIP, 0.635 WHIP and a 184 ERA+. The only blemish in his game has been the long ball. He’s allowed five over his last five starts. The Mets have the following career numbers against Woodruff:

• Pete Alonso 4-9, 2B, 2 K
• Francisco Lindor 0-2, 2 BB
• Starling Marte 3-10, HR, 2 K
• Jeff McNeil 2-8, K
• Brandon Nimmo 3-6, 2B, BB
• Juan Soto 1-11, BB, 4 K

Three Things To Watch For:

1. Dingers (and Pete Alonso). The Mets bats need something to pump up their confidence. Woodruff’s sparkling low WHIP but high HR/9 suggests that the long ball is the way to get to him tonight. The Mets, when they aren’t slumping, have so many bats that are capable of 20+ HR, even if they aren’t swinging like that right now. Then there’s Pete Alonso, who hit the biggest homerun of his career at this ballpark in the post season last October. He’s only one homerun away from Darryl Strawberry’s franchise leading 252 homers.
2. Brandon Nimmo. Heading into the last game of the series on Wednesday, Nimmo was mired in a three game stretch where he went 1-for-13 with seven strikeouts. The first game against the Guardians was particularly frustrating for Nimmo going 0-for-5 with four strikeouts. He took some positive steps though on Wednesday working three walks. While the Mets couldn’t bring him home, it was a relief to see the old Brandon Nimmo shine through. To put his three walks in perspective, Brandon Nimmo worked three walks over the 14 games leading into Wednesday’s game (.211/.281/.316).
3. Ryan Helsley. The Mets have already called on their new reliever three times since trading for him. Over his last seven games he has pitched seven innings striking out 11 batters and allowing only two unearned runs. Those two unearned runs were quite unfortunate as they both happened in the 10th inning Monday night, but they were due to some severe defensive blunders. In his Mets debut he allowed two hits, but struck out the side. Four of his last seven innings have been completely clean. He’s well rested for today’s game!

Let’s Go Mets!

The Mets look to avoid being swept by the Guardians this afternoon. Vibes were good at the start of the game with the Mets scoring in the first and second inning. The Mets bats just went silent after that. At one point the Mets were barely hitting the ball out of the infield. The pitching staff kept the Mets in the game, but offense just felt lifeless.

With an off day tomorrow, it’s imperative for the Mets to change the vibes today. Let’s get some hits early, often and throughout the game today Mets!

David Peterson has been the rock in the Mets rotation. Over 21 starts he has tossed 127 innings (a career high) with a 2.83 ERA, 3.33 FIP, 1.236 WHIP and a 138 ERA+. He has pitched at least six innings in his last five starts totaling 31 2/3 innings with a 1.42 ERA (3.18 FIP). After the work load the Mets bullpen has had over the last week, they could use another one of those deep starts by Peterson this afternoon. No one on the Guardians has faced David Peterson in a major league game.

The Mets bats will try to find a spark against Gavin Williams this afternoon. Over 116 1/3 innings he has a 3.33 ERA, 4.43 FIP, 1.350 WHIP and a 125 ERA+. His WHIP is being dragged down by the 62 walks he’s allowed this season which leads the league. It’s a significant increase from last year, going from 3.8 BB/9 to 4.8 BB/9. That being said, Williams has been on a roll lately allowing only three runs over his last 19 innings (1.42 ERA, 2.27 FIP) and allowing only five walks while striking out 22. For the second straight day, only two Mets have faced the Guardians starter pitcher before:

• Cedric Mullins 0-2, 2 BB, K
• Juan Soto 1-5, HR, K

Three Things To Watch For:

1. Pete Alonso. The Mets are heading on the road after today’s game. It would be wonderful for Pete Alonso to tie (and break) the record for the most franchise home runs at home in front of Mets fans. He’s one homer away from Strawberry’s franchise leading 252 career homers. After a fairly deep slump, Alonso has been hitting the ball much better this week going 8-for-19 at the plate with a double and three home runs (.421/.435/.947).
2. Walk this way. The New York Mets are sixth in the majors in working walks, earning 394 so far this season. Juan Soto is responsible for 22% of the total walks the team has earned. He has a league leading 87 walks this season, adding two more walks Tuesday night. This speaks a lot to the Mets approach overall this season that one player has 22% of the total amount of walks. Although Gavin Williams has been more accurately lately, the Mets should work counts today and see if they can get some free passes. Soto will! Will anyone else join him?
3. Brandon Nimmo. Nimmo was a huge part of the Mets 12-6 win over the Giants last weekend going 3-for-4 at the plate with three RBI’s. Since then he has gone 1-for-13. He is hitless in nine trips to the plate over his last two games while racking up an uncharacteristically high six strikeouts. Nimmo has been one of the most consistent hitters for the Mets over the years, even as he has changed what type of hitter he is. He has recorded an OPS+ over 100 in nine consecutive seasons.

Let’s Go Mets!

Monday night was a rough ride for the Mets. Sean Manaea was cruising through five innings and that bats were silent. Then the wheels fell off for Manaea and he allowed five runs in the top of the sixth. Pete Alonso started the Mets comeback in the next frame hitting a three-run home run, his 251st in his career as he chases Strawberry’s franchise leading 252. The Mets would tie the game in the bottom of the 8th and were close to taking the lead in the bottom of the 9th. Defensive miscues crushed them in the 10th ultimately costing them the game.

A win tonight would go a long way to fixing the vibes.

Clay Holmes has tossed 117 1/3 innings this season over 22 starts with a 3.45 ERA, 4.29 FIP, 1.321 WHIP and a 113 ERA+. The Padres racked up eight hits and two walks in his last outing, pushing him out of the game before completing the fourth inning – his shortest outing of the season. Since June 19th, Holmes has alternated having a solid start with a frustrating start. If the pattern continues, tonight should be solid. The Guardians have the following career numbers against him:

• Gabriel Arias 0-0, BB
• David Fry 1-2, HR, K
• Austin Hedges 0-2, 2 K
• Nolan Jones 1-3
• Steven Kwan 0-5, 2 BB
• Kyle Manzardo 0-1, K
• Bo Naylor 1-4, 3 K
• José Ramírez 2-4, 2B, K
• Brayan Rocchio 0-2
• Carlos Santana 0-7, K
• Daniel Schneemann 0-0, BB

Logan Allen has pitched 108 2/3 innings over 21 games (20 starts) this season with a 4.06 ERA, 4.48 FIP, 1.362 WHIP and a 102 ERA+. Logan is coming off of a solid start against the Rockies where he allowed only two runs over seven innings. In his two starts before that he allowed seven runs from 15 hits over 11 2/3 innings. Only two Mets have faced Logan Allen in a major league game before:

• Cedric Mullins 1-2, 3 BB, K
• Juan Soto 2-3, 2 BB

Three Things To Watch For:

1. Pete Alonso. Alonso is in striking distance now of the Mets franchise home run record! Alonso hit his 251st career homerun Monday night in a critical moment for the Mets, right after they allowed the Guardians to score five runs in the sixth inning. His home run put life back into the ballpark. Alonso’s next homer will tie Darryl Strawberry’s franchise leading 252 career home runs. If he hits two home runs he’ll be the sole franchise record holder. Alonso has 24 career games with multiple homers, his most recent happening on July 5th.
2. Another starter allowing homers. Monday night’s starter for the Guardians, Slade Cecconi, came into the game with a 1.5 HR/9. The Mets made solid contact against him through the first five innings with fly balls that just died by the time they got to the warning track. Alonso was able to flip the script in the 6th inning. Tonight’s starter has a 1.2 HR/9 and a career 1.4 HR/9. He has allowed five home runs over his last five starts.
3. Can Holmes do the impossible? The Mets desperately need a starting pitcher to go six innings. Holmes has not finished the sixth inning since June 7th. For the last six weeks or so the only Mets pitcher who has pitched at least six innings is David Peterson. Holmes had a stretch between May 2nd and June 7th where he pitched at least six innings in six of seven starts.

Let’s Go Mets!

The Mets look to shake off a bad weekend against the Giants as they welcome the Cleveland Guardians to Citi Field today. The Guardians are one game over .500 and in second in the American League Central, but the vibes have started to fall apart over the last couple of weeks. Two relievers, Luis Ortiz and Emmanuel Clase, are both on administrative leave due to MLB sports betting investigations. There was a chance that the Guardians were going to really tear down at the deadline, and trade players like Steven Kwan. Instead the Guardians only traded Shane Bieber and Paul Sewald.

The Mets just need to string some wins together. A strong start tonight from Sean Manaea can go a long way to help flip the vibes in Queens.

Sean Manaea has pitched 17 1/3 innings so far this season with a 2.08 ERA, 2.93 FIP, 0.865 WHIP and a 191 ERA+. He’s now pitched five innings in back-to-back starts allowing a total of two runs off five hits between those starts. He’s also reached the mid-80’s in pitch count. The next big step for Manaea is to pitch at least six innings in a game, something that only David Peterson has done recently for the Mets. The Guardians have the following career numbers against Manaea:

• Gabriel Arias 0-2, 2 K
• David Fry 0-1, BB
• Austin Hedges 0-0, BB
• Nolan Jones 2-5, K
• Steven Kwan 0-2, BB, K
• José Ramírez 3-15, 2 BB, 5 K
• Carlos Santana 5-15, 2B, 4 BB, 4 K

Slade Cecconi makes his 14th start of the season tonight for the Guardians. This will be the most starts he has had in a season and as long as he pitches one inning tonight, he’ll set a career high for major league innings pitched in a season. Over 76 1/3 innings he has a 3.77 ERA, 4.61 FIP, 1.218 WHIP and a 110 ERA+. Cecconi has been in a groove in July making four quality starts in four of five starts this month and pitching 34 1/3 innings. The Mets have the following career stats against him:

• Pete Alonso 1-2, 2B
• Francisco Lindor 1-2
• Starling Marte 0-2, K
• Jeff McNeil 1-2
• Cedric Mullins 2-4, 2B, HR, K
• Brandon Nimmo 0-2, K
• Juan Soto 0-1
• Mark Vientos 1-2, HR, K

Three Things To Watch For:

1. Home runs. Cecconi has allowed 13 home runs so far this season, which is good for 1.5 HR/9. This is an improvement from last year where he allowed 16 homers over 77 innings (1.9 HR/9). The Mets have plenty of hitters who can take pitchers deep. This feels like a way to both get Cecconi out of the game early and build some momentum for Mets hitters today. As a reminder, Pete Alonso is sitting at 250 career home runs, only two home runs behind Darryl Strawberry’s franchise leading 252 homers.
2. Sean Manaea. The statcast metrics for Sean Manaea look pretty positive so far. The pitchers are getting hit hard about 41% of the time, it’s happening to Manaea only 31.7% of the time. The league wide xBA is .252, Manaea’s is only .216. During the stretch run in 2024 Manaea became the Mets ace and they need that now more than ever.
3. Tyler Rogers. While Helsley is the flashier trade, Rogers has absolutely dominated this season. He’s in the 100th percentile for walk% and barrel% this season (opponents are barrel-ing him only 2.0% of the time). He’s in the 99th percentile for xERA, average Exit Velocity and ground ball%. Just outstanding stuff this season.

Let’s Go Mets!

The Mets look to win the rubber game of the series this afternoon against the Giants! The Mets bats finally woke up on Saturday scoring 12 runs off 13 hits. Demons were exorcised as the Mets went 8-for-17 with runners in scoring position and put up crooked numbers on the box score in four innings.

Today the Mets will look to get another demon haunting the team to leave. The Mets have massively struggled with starting pitchers getting through the sixth inning (except for David Peterson). Can Montas break the cycle today and give the bullpen a bit of a break?

Frankie Montas has made six starts over 29 2/3 innings with a 5.46 ERA, 4.89 FIP, 1.449 WHIP and a 71 ERA+. Montas cruised through the first four innings in his last start holding the Padres to one run. After Mark Vientos gave him the lead, the wheels fell off and he allowed two runs to score. He recorded one out, leaving two runners on for the Mets bullpen, and both of those runners scored too. Montas has shown flashes of brilliance this season and has pitched 5 2/3 innings twice. The Giants have the following career numbers against Montas:

• Willy Adames 3-10, 2B, HR, BB, 2 K
• Matt Chapman 2-8, 2B, BB, K
• Rafael Devers 6-14, 2 2B, BB
• Wilmer Flores 2-4
• Grant McCray 0-2, K
• Heliot Ramos 2-6, K
• Casey Schmitt 0-2, K
• Dominic Smith 2-5, 2B, HR

The Mets bats will get a look at Carson Whisenhunt today. The southpaw was the Giants #3 prospect according to MLB Pipeline heading into the 2025 season. He made his major league debut against the Pirates last weekend allowing four runs from five hits including a home run and two walks while striking three batters over five innings. He has a 4.42 ERA and a 1.331 WHIP over 97 2/3 innings with Sacramento (minor league, not the Athletics) this season. In his first major league start he used a low-90’s sinker slightly more than half of the time mixing in a low-80’s changeup (35% usage) and low-80’s slider (10%).

Three Things To Watch For:

1. Francisco Lindor. The Mets offense needs Francisco Lindor. On Saturday Lindor went 3-for-4 with a double, four RBI, a run scored and a walk. We’ve been waiting for Lindor to breakout of his slump and hopefully Saturday’s game was it. We’ll be watching today to see if he picks up where he left off.
2. Pete Alonso. Alonso has now homered in back-to-back days and now has 250 career home runs, just two behind Darryl Strawberry’s franchise leading 252. Alonso opened Saturday’s game with a homerun showing that the Mets were not going to squander opportunities with runners in scoring position. He’s been the critical bat this series, racking up 5 RBI already.
3. The Bullpen is tired. Between extra innings Friday night and Senga’s early exit Saturday, every pitcher in the Mets bullpen, prior to today’s roster move, has pitched at some point this weekend with recently DFA’d Rico Garcia pitching on back-to-back days for the Mets. Luckily, Stanek, Helsley and Díaz all had Saturday off. Let’s hope Montas can give the Mets at least five innings today!

Let’s Go Mets!

The Mets got close last night but couldn’t finish the comeback.

The Giants took a three run lead early which the Mets were able to claw back late. The Mets were able to rally with two outs in the bottom of the tenth to load the bases, but couldn’t get any runs across and ultimately lost 4-3. Now the Mets look to snap their four game losing streak this afternoon at Citi Field.

Kodai Senga has made 16 starts this season totaling 85 2/3 innings with a 2.00 ERA, 3.72 FIP, 1.214 WHIP and a 193 ERA+. It’s been a bit of a struggle for Senga since the All Star break allowing seven runs over eight innings from eight hits and eight walks. The uptick in walks has also come with an uptick in homers. He’s allowed three in his last two starts including two against the Giants last weekend. The Giants have the following career numbers against Senga:

• Willy Adames 1-5, BB, K
• Patrick Bailey 0-2, K
• Matt Chapman 3-4, 2B, 2 HR, BB, K
• Rafael Devers 0-6, 2 BB
• Wilmer FLores 0-3
• Andrew Knizner 0-2
• Jung Hoo Lee 0-2, BB
• Heliot Ramos 0-2, BB
• Dominic Smith 2-5, 2B, BB, 2 K

Kai-Wei Teng makes his 2025 debut this afternoon for the Giants. Teng pitched 11 innings over four games in the majors last season with a 9.82 ERA, 6.71 FIP, 2.091 WHIP and a 41 ERA+. He’s pitched in 25 games making four starts with Sacramento (the AAA team, not the Athletics) this season totaling 54 innings with a 3.67 ERA and a 1.111 WHIP. The Giants have been stretching him out since the end of June and he’s up to 80+ pitches now. Over his last 21 1/3 innings (five games) he has a 0.42 ERA allowing only one earned run while striking out 39 batters.

Three Things To Watch For:

1. Pete Alonso. Alonso showed signs of breaking out of his slump Friday night! He went 1-for-3 including a massive solo home run, a sacrifice fly and a walk. Pete Alonso now sits at 249 career home runs. He’s one really good day at the plate away from Strawberry’s 252 franchise leading home runs.
2. Keeping the basepaths clear. Friday night had the potential to be much more lopsided for the Giants. The Giants went 3-for-14 with RISP leaving 11 batters on base (the Mets left a staggering nine batters on). More runners on mean more pitches thrown. With only David Peterson giving the Mets consistent length as a starter right now, the Mets bullpen needs quick innings. Between the 7th and 9th inning last night the Mets bullpen allowed six base runners (only one scored).
3. Stealing Bases. Juan Soto stole his 16th base of the season last night. This was the Mets 88th team stolen base, putting them 9th in the majors and just six behind the Phillies. The Phillies lead the league in team average spring sprint speed (28.1 ft/s). The Mets are 27th in the league at 27 ft/s. Stealing is obviously more than just speed and Antoan Richardson deserves so much praise for what he has created for the Mets on the basepaths this season. Even when the Mets are struggling to get extra-base hits, there is now a feeling when the Mets get on they may get themselves into scoring position.

Let’s Go Mets!

What a trade deadline! For the second the time in three series, the Giants and the Mets will face off against each other, but the teams look a little different. The Mets have traded for three players over the last two days. Cedric Mullins will now pratol centerfield. Ryan Helsley will now set up Edwin Díaz. The iron man in the Giants bullpen, leading the league in games pitched in four of the last six years, Tyler Rogers, will now be wearing orange and blue. In addition to trading Tyler Rogers to the Mets, the Giants have also traded away Mike Yastrzemski and Camilo Doval.

After being swept by the Padres the Mets need to get back into the win column tonight. It’s a rematch of 2025 All-Star lefties tonight in Queens! David Peterson will square off again against Robbie Ray!

David Peterson has pitched 121 innings this season which ties 2024 for the most innings he’s ever pitched at the major league level. He has a 2.83 ERA, 3.34 FIP, 1.248 WHIP and a 135 ERA+. Peterson has been on fire recently allowing only three earned runs, five runs total over his last four starts and 25 2/3 innings pitched (1.05 ERA, 3.25 FIP). This includes his last start against the Giants (and Robbie Ray) where he allowed only one run over six innings, scattering eight hits and three walks. The Giants have the following career numbers against Peterson:

• Willy Adames 3-10, 2B, 9 BB, 2 K
• Patrick Bailey 1-2, K
• Matt Chapman 1-3, K
• Rafael Devers 5-13, 2B, 3 K
• Wilmer Flores 3-8, HR, BB, 2 K
• Andrew Knizner 0-2, K
• Jung Hoo Lee 2-3
• Luis Matos 1-4, BB
• Heliot Ramos 2-4, 2B, K
• Casey Schmitt 0-4, BB
• Dominic Smith 2-5, 2 K

Robbie Ray has pitched 129 innings over 22 starts with a 2.93 ERA, 3.76 FIP, 1.140 WHIP and a 132 ERA+. Ray is coming off of a solid start against the Mets where he allowed two runs over 5 2/3 innings from five hits and three walks. Once the Mets got him out of the game, they just erupted at the plate and would go on to win 9-5. Ray’s last start was just his second start in his last eight where he did not allow any home runs. The Mets have the following career stats against Ray:

• Pete Alonso 2-9, 3 K
• Francisco Alvarez 1-2, 3B
• Brett Baty 1-3
• Francisco Lindor 1-5, HR, BB, 2 K
• Starling Marte 9-25, 3 2B, 3B, HR, 3 BB, 9 K
• Jeff McNeil 0-6, K
• Cedric Mullins 4-12, 2 HR, 2 K
• Brandon Nimmo 2-8, 3B, HR, 2 K
• Juan Soto 1-8, BB
• Tyrone Taylor 0-2, 2 K
• Luis Torrens 2-11, 2B, 4 K
• Mark Vientos 1-3, 2B, K

Three Things To Watch For:

1. Cedric Mullins. The Mets have struggled against left-handed pitching this season slashing .226/.303/.356 vs southpaws compared to .246/.325/.428 against righties. This season Mullins is slashing .229/.305/.433 (105 OPS+) against all pitchers but against lefties he is hitting .298/.390/.476. Further Mullins has been on a hot streak of late hitting .321/.333/.547 over his last 16 games with six doubles and two homers. Mullins might not be an impact bat in the way we traditionally think of an impact bat at the trade deadline, but he’s upgrade in a position the Mets have been struggling to get consistent production out of this season.
2. Playing Time. With Mullins now in the mix, Jeff McNeil is going to slot back into the infield. The Mets are now going to need to find consistent at bats for Brett Baty, Mark Vientos, Ronny Mauricio, Luisangel Acuña, Jeff McNeil and Starling Marte. Over the next week we’ll get a sense of who gets the start based on a righty starter vs a lefty starter. We’ll also get a sense of who gets a start when the Mets send out a groundball heavy pitcher. The Mets bench looks stronger now but everyone is going to need to see game time in order to stay productive.
3. Slumping Mets. Sometimes bringing in new faces can help other players break out of slumps. Pete Alonso has hit .083/.162/.150 over his last 17 games. Francisco Lindor has hit .136/.150/.220 over his last 13 games. Juan Soto has slashed .116/.240/.279 over his last 12 games. The younger Mets hitting in the back up of the lineup has been carrying the team over their seven game winning streak followed by the three game losing streak, hopefully Alonso, Lindor and Soto can start to break out of their slumps tonight!

Let’s Go Mets!

The Mets try to escape San Diego with a win this afternoon. The last two games have just been no good, terrible times. Monday night the Mets had a bullpen collapse and allowed the Padres to take the lead after the Mets took the lead on a massive Mark Vientos grand slam. The Mets would later come back in the game and blow the game in the ninth inning. Tuesday the Mets and Padres were close for most of the game until the bullpen had another meltdown, leading to a 7-1 Padres win. Soto left Tuesday’s game with a foot contusion and avoided a broken toe.

Let’s just get out of California with one more win!

Clay Holmes has tossed 113 2/3 innings over 21 starts with a 3.40 ERA, 4.15 FIP, 1.276 WHIP and a 112 ERA+. Holmes is coming off of a strong start against the Giants where he allowed one run from six hits and a walk over five innings. Holmes has been in a rut this month alternating between solid starts and allowing five runs. Can he break the pattern this afternoon? The Padres have the following career numbers against him:

• Luis Arráez 2-3, 3B, BB
• Xander Bogaerts 1-6, 2B, 2 BB, 4 K
• Jake Cronenworth 0-1
• Elias Díaz 0-0, BB
• Jose Iglesias 1-2, K
• Manny Machado 1-2
• Martin Maldonado 0-1, K
• Jackson Merrill 0-1
• Gavin Sheets 0-1
• Fernando Tatis Jr. 1-3

The Mets bats will get a look at Yu Darvish this afternoon. Over four starts and 16 2/3 innings, Darvish has a 9.18 ERA, 5.32 FIP, 1.800 WHIP and a 47 ERA+. Darvish had an elbow injury that kept him off of the field since the start of July and things haven’t been great for him since returning. His best outing so far was on July 19th were he allowed three runs over five innings. Last time out he got tagged for eight runs over 3 1/3 innings including two homers. The Mets have the following career stats against him:

• Pete Alonso 3-17, HR, BB, 6 K
• Francisco Alvarez 1-2, K
• Francisco Lindor 6-22, 2B, HR, 3 BB, 7 K
• Starling Marte 9-23, 2B, HR, BB, 4 K
• Jeff McNeil 3-20, 2B, HR, BB, 4 K
• Brandon Nimmo 2-15, 3B, BB, 3 K
• Juan Soto 3-4, HR, BB, K
• Tyrone Taylor 0-3, K
• Luis Torrens 0-3, BB

Three Things To Watch For:

1. Hugs. I’m currently writing this article at 11:27 EST. With the amount of rumors around the Mets swirling, it feels like the roster is going to go through some changes by the time this team plays again on Friday night. Will the Mets trade someone off of the major league roster? Will someone have to get optioned to the minors to make room for a new trade acquisition? Will the Mets bring back some familiar faces who are currently on other teams? We’ll be watching for hugs in our dugout and around the league.
2. Pete Alonso. Alonso is mired in a slump right now. Over his last 12 games he has gone 4-for-42 at the plate with one home run and five walks (.095/.188/.167). Alonso currently sits at 248 career home runs, just four behind Darryl Strawberry’s franchise leading 252. Francisco Lindor was stuck in a terrible slump about two weeks ago. He recorded a multi-hit game the Wednesday for a Thursday travel game and then went on a tear for a few days. Let’s hope Pete can start the same trajectory today.
3. Jeff McNeil. McNeil has quietly been putting together a solid 2025 campaign. He’s already at 1.7 bWAR, surpassing 2024’s 1.6 bWAR in 50 fewer games. He’s also already at 33 walks on the season and is on pace to smash past his career best of 40 walks which he set in 2022 (the season he hit .326 and led the league). He’s also only one home run away from his third consecutive season with double digit homers. McNeil’s 133 OPS+ is fourth best OPS+ he’s ever put up and it comes after two consecutive seasons of a sub-100 OPS+.

Let’s Go Mets!

The Mets look to rebound after the Padres snapped the Mets seven game winning streak Monday night.

Monday’s game was a back and forth affair with a home run robbery, a grand slam by Mark Vientos, a Mets comeback and eventual Padres walk-off in the ninth inning. Both teams had meltdowns at different points of the game leading to crooked numbers on the scoreboard. In the background of all the excitement on the field though was a particularly noticeable ump show. The home plate umpire made four questionable calls early in the game to Brandon Nimmo and Juan Soto that led to Soto and the umpire exchanging words before Mendoza got involved (and eventually ejected). This continued throughout the game with another questionable call to Soto in seventh inning. It felt like a playoff atmosphere Monday night, what will tonight bring?

Sean Manaea makes his third start of the season tonight for the Mets. Over his three outings he has pitched 12 1/3 innings with a 2.19 ERA, 3.49 FIP, 0.973 WHIP and a 179 ERA+. In his last start he pitched five innings allowing only one earned run, his longest outing yet in the majors in 2025. The Mets have steadily increased his pitch total from 65 in his first outing in relief, to 69 to 82 last week. Manaea had a strong outing against the Padres last season where he held them to one run from four hits and a walk over five innings. The Padres have the following career numbers against him:

• Luis Arráez 4-9, HR, K
• Xander Bogaerts 7-15, 2 2B, HR, 3 BB, 4 K
• Jake Cronenworth 2-10, 2B, BB, 2 K
• Elias Díaz 2-11, HR
• Jose Iglesias 5-14, 2B, 2 K
• Bryce Johnson 0-2
• Manny Machado 7-19, 3 2B, BB, 4 K
• Martin Maldonado 7-21, 2 2B, 3B, HR, 6 K
• Jackson Merrill 1-2, HR
• Gavin Sheets 1-3
• Fernando Tatis Jr. 2-14, BB, 6 K

Rookie Ryan Bergert gets the start tonight for the Padres to give Yu Darvish and extra day of rest. Over 10 games in the majors Bergert has pitched 31 2/3 innings with a 2.84 ERA, 4.26 FIP, 1.137 WHIP and a 149 ERA+. In his last two major league starts he has allowed five runs from eight hits over 7 2/3 innings. Bergert started his major league career with four pristine innings of relief only allowing a hit and nothing else. In two of his six starts he’s held his opponents scoreless.

Three Things To Watch For:

1. Everyone’s Emotions. Monday night felt like a playoff game. The park was packed, there were plenty of Mets fans in attendance and the crowd was into everything from the first pitch. There were amazing defensive plays, incredible defensive blunders, bad calls, a hit batsman, a comebacker that knocked Cease in the head, a manager got ejected and a walk-off hit. Things were intense – but it was just a regular season game at the end of July. The Mets are at their best when they play at their own pace and do their own thing. Let’s take a deep breath before tonight’s game.
2. Hitting with runners in scoring position. The Mets were so effective over the weekend preventing the Giants from doing anything with runners in scoring position (0-for-23). Monday night the Padres went 7-for-15 with runners in scoring position. The Mets on the other hand went 1-for-7 with RISP Monday Night, although that one hit was pretty grand.
3. Strikeouts. Related to going 1-for-7 with RISP Monday night, the Mets struck out 15 times with Nimmo, Lindor and Soto each striking out three times (although some of that was umpire assisted). The Padres have the best bullpen by ERA in majors (3.03) and have struck out 386 batters (10th in the majors). For context, the Mets bullpen has 416 strikeouts (6th) and has a 3.72 ERA (tied for 7th). The Mets may be able to push Ryan Bergert out early tonight since he doesn’t often go deep into games, but can the Mets respond to the Padres bullpen?

Let’s Go Mets!