• The Mets were absolutely embarrassed by the Reds in their series opener in Cincinnati, falling by the lopsided score of 12-0 (Box)

• It was the most lopsided shutout loss the Mets have had since falling to the Nationals 15-0 in August of 2018

• RHP Tobias Myers returned to the Major Leagues and served as the opener last night in an outing that proved to be an unmitigated disaster. Myers lasted just 1.1 innings and was tagged with seven earned runs.

• RHP Jonathan Pintaro and LHP David Peterson amicably soaked up the last 6.2 innings for the Mets in mop up duty

• Bo Bichette stayed hot, contributing three hits including a pair of doubles

Roster Moves 📰

• RHP Jonathan Pintaro recalled from Triple-A Syracuse

• RHP Tobias Myers recalled from Triple-A Syracuse

• RHP Daniel Duarte optioned to Triple-A

• RHP Christian Scott (Right hip impingement) placed on 15-day injured list

• IF Jorge Polanco (Wrist) Transferred to 60-day injured list

• IF Zack Short claimed off waivers from Detroit Tigers

Injury Updates 🩺

• RHP Kodai Senga (ulnar nerve irritation) will be activated today and start tonight’s game against Cincinnati

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Play of the Game 😢

Things were already looking bleak for the Mets after Tobias Myers got shelled in his opening assignment. Jonathan Pintaro relieved him in the 2nd and, with the Mets already trailing 5-0, faced Eugenio Suárez with the bases loaded. The count ran full, and then Suárez delivered an early knockout blow, crushing a grand slam to center field.

Down on the Farm 🌾

All Mets minor league affiliates were off on Monday

Today’s Game 🗓

Match-up: Mets (32-40) @ Reds (34-37)

Where: Great American Ballpark - Flushing, NY

Starters: RHP Kodai Senga (0-4, 9.00 ERA) vs. RHP Brady Singer (2-6, 5.61 ERA)

When: 7:10 PM EDT

Where to Watch: SNY

The dumpster fire that is the Mets rotation, again! ✍️

The story of the 2025 Mets’ demise was the utter ineptitude of their starting staff, and as we near Father’s Day here in ‘26, history is unfortunately starting to repeat itself.

Back in spring training, the Mets appeared to have an abundance of solid starting pitching options.

In fact, one of the biggest storylines down in Port St. Lucie was what the Mets were going to do with six starters for five spots. Freddy Peralta, David Peterson, Clay Holmes, Nolan McLean, Kodai Senga, and Sean Manaea were all healthy and ready to come north with the club, and with too many off days to start the year, it would not make sense to have utilized a six-man rotation.

The situation resolved itself when the club chose to send Manaea to the bullpen as a long man, but the Mets’ perceived rotation depth did not end there.

The Mets had youngsters Christian Scott and Jonah Tong in Triple-A, and reliever Tobias Myers that could be stretched out.

Unfortunately, things look a lot different a few months later.

Peralta, the Mets’ prized offseason addition, has had his moments and for the most part has pitched well, but he’s consistently struggled to get deep in games.

McLean has dazzled at times but has not been nearly as dominant as a sophomore. At least, not yet.

Holmes was easily the Mets’ best starter before breaking his leg in a game against the Yankees. And now, Scott is hurt and out for the time being.

Senga pitched well in spring training but was awful once the lights came on and then landed himself on the IL with a bunch of strange injuries. He’s coming back tonight, but who knows what the Mets are going to get out of him, if anything.

Peterson struggled tremendously from the get-go and has been reduced to a bulk reliever.

Manaea has admittedly been a bright spot - recently, anyway - and just the other day was finally given an opportunity to make his first start of the season.

But the biggest issue the Mets have had is the same one they had last season. They’re having to get creative too often rather than just running quality pitchers out each and every night in a five-day rotation.

And, quite frankly, their creativeness is not exactly that of brilliance.

The Mets use openers several times a week, and even when they don’t, their pitchers very rarely get deep enough into games. This bullpen has been excellent by and large, but it’s been overused and taxed, which will lead to inevitable diminishment.

Monday night’s game was a pretty good example of everything that is wrong with this staff, and everything that is and was wrong with how this staff was perceived, projected, and deployed from the start of the season.

Myers returned to the Show to serve as the opener for the series opener in Cincinnati. The plan pretty clearly was to try to get two innings from him before going to Peterson as the bulk reliever. Unfortunately, Myers was blasted from pitch one, surrendering seven earned runs while getting only four outs. With the Mets down a touchdown, the plan had to change on the fly.

Maybe if the Mets hadn’t jerked him around from the beginning, they would be getting more value out of him?

Instead of Peterson, it was rookie Jonathan Pintaro to first come out of the ‘pen and go as far as he could. The righty amicably ate up 3.2 innings, but at that point Peterson still had to come in the game in mop-up duty, and he got shelled himself.

The Mets would undoubtedly have loved to keep Peterson’s length available to potentially back up Senga tonight who, let’s be honest, is a complete unknown, but there simply was no other option.

The club will now likely have to make more pitching moves to add fresh arms, with Pintaro and Myers both potential demotion candidates.

Too often the Mets have had the energy and life sucked out of their dugout early, and that was for sure what happened Monday night. Being down 9-0 in the 2nd inning is a complete motivation annihilator, and the rest of the game was pedestrian from that point.

So what can be done?

Well, at some point I think both Tong and fellow young righty Jack Wenninger have to be given a chance to come up and make regular starts and see what they can do here, good, bad, or otherwise. If the season is a lost cause, give kids that could be a serious part of your future a chance to gain experience.

Don’t jerk them around, don’t have them on the Syracuse shuttle. Bring them up, give them a defined role, and let them earn their keep - or not - over a long period of time. Put the five best options in the rotation, let them pitch, just get rid of the rest, see if they can grow, evolve and perform, and stop trying to throw stuff at the wall and hope it stick which is what they’ve been doing for the literally the last 365 days.

I mean, it’s time at this point. What the Mets have been doing with the fragmented arms they have and trying to turn them into something they aren’t is just a waste of time and effort.

And, if those five are Peralta, McLean, Tong, Manaea, and one of Scott, Wenninger, or Myers, fine. Put them into a steady and predictable rotation, try to develop that over time, see what works, what doesn’t, and then go fix it from there. Enough of this opener game, enough of the coddling, enough of the babying, enough jerking them around.

No external help is coming, and nor should they trade any assets at this point to try and right their ship. There’s no evidence this front office will make the right moves anyway, even if they did try and make external acquisitions.

Give your top minor league talent an opportunity.

Beyond that, however, the veterans in the room simply have to pitch better and more efficiently.

That’s easy to say and harder to do. But as we saw last season, if they can’t get it together in a hurry, the bullpen’s effectiveness will soon take a downward turn, and once that happens, things in Queens are going to go from bad to worse.

Around the League 🚩

• Gabriel Rincones Jr. hit his first Major League home run in the Phillies 7-0 drubbing of the Marlins

• Dustin May took a no hitter into the 7th inning and ultimately finished a one hit shutout of the Padres in the Cardinals 3-0 win

• Dylan Crews crushed a three run homer in the 5th inning to help lead the Nationals to a 7-3 home win over the Royals

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• The Mets pummeled the Braves to take their weekend series against them by a score of 8-1 on Sunday (box)

• Freddy Peralta started for the Mets and, despite only lasting five innings, was solid while allowing just a first inning run for his fifth win of the season

• AJ Ewing doubled in two runs on two separate occasions, and both Ewing and Marcus Semien hit back-to-back solo home runs in the fifth inning

• Bo Bichette kept his good times rolling with two more hits and two runs scored, and Juan Soto, Brett Baty and Carson Benge each contributed two hits a piece

• The Mets 1-5 in the order combined to go 10-for-22 with seven runs scored and five RBI on the afternoon

• The Mets bullpen was strong once again - they were spotless over the game’s final four innings

Injury Updates 🏥

• Francisco Lindor (calf strain) will be ramped up this week with hopes he can soon begin a rehab assignment

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Who’s Hot 🥵

• Bo Bichette is hitting .390/.372/.732 with three doubles, a triple, three home runs and 12 RBI with 16 hits and eight runs scored

• Juan Soto has recorded two hits in each of his last four games. Over his last 17 games, Soto is hitting .290/.380/.565 with two doubles, five home runs and 13 RBI with 18 hits and 10 runs scored

• Over his last 10 games, AJ Ewing is hitting .343/.385/.514 with three doubles, a home run and three RBI with 12 hits and five runs scored

• Over his last 16 games, Carson Benge is hitting .302/.362/.556 with two doubles, a triple, four home runs and eight RBI with 19 hits and 12 runs scored

Play of the Game ⭐️

The Mets had a lot of offense on Sunday, but the play of the game is the one that broke the tie for the Mets when AJ Ewing doubled to left in the first, resulting in two runs thanks to a bizarre throwing error that ricocheted off the netting, which allowed a second run to score.

The Mets didn’t look back from there on Sunday as they owned it and secured an impressive series win against the Braves, who are the best team in baseball on this date.

Just Mets Podcast 🎙️

In Sunday’s edition of the Just Mets Podcast, Rich flies solo to recap the Mets strong series win against the Braves in what was another mediocre week on their homestand, and also, yeah, the Knicks!

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Down on the Farm 🌾

• RHP Jonah Tong (no. 2 prospect, AAA): 5 IP, 4 ER, 8 H, 1 BB, 6 K

• OF José Ramos (AA): 3-for-5, 2 RBI

• SS Mitch Voit (no.6 prospect, High-A): 3-for-4, 2 RBI, R

• OF Simon Juan (Low-A): 1-for-4, HR, RBI, R

BOX SCORES

Single-A SLU | High-A BRK | Double-A BNG | Triple-A SYR

Today’s Game 🗓

Match-up: Mets (32-39) vs. Reds (33-37)

Where: Great American Ballpark - Cincinnati, OH

Starters: RHP Tobias Myers (0-1, 4.05 ERA) vs. RHP Chase Burns (7-1, 2.14 ERA)

When: 7:10 PM EDT

Where to Watch: SNY

Positive signs as the Mets tread water ✍️

Make no mistake - the Mets had a very, very good weekend against the Braves. They won their series against Atlanta, the best team in baseball, in fairly decisive fashion. They hit the ball well, they pitched well, especially their bullpen, which has emerged as one of the best units in the sport, oddly enough. And they were also very clean end-to-end in the field, which is an underdiscussed improvement for this club in 2026.

Unfortunately for the Mets though, winning their series only helped them to a .500 homestand thanks to a lethargic start to the week against the Cardinals. This week mirrored the week prior, which means the Mets are merely treading water while they wait for Francisco Lindor to return, which will hopefully be within two weeks but could be a little longer depending on the timing of his rehab assignment, how his at-bats go down there, how he is feeling on both sides of the ball, etc.

Even so, with this team, playing .500 ball right now - which is what they’ve done over the last couple of weeks - is probably all anyone could ask for given the current construction of the lineup, the state of the starting rotation, and the general strength of their schedule. Of course, the need to do better if they want to get back to .500 and even start talking about a playoff race, but there are good signs among those who are here despite work to do with others and some fat trimming that I have been waiting for with this roster even before the Mets hit the bottom of the tank in April.

Now, if we stretch things out further and go back to May 1, there are some more encouraging signs.

Since that date, which is a span of 40 games and not really a small sample considering it’s a quarter of the season, the Mets are 22-18 with a +24 run differential. Their pitching hasn’t been stellar, but it has been solid, allowing about four runs per game to the tune of a 3.59 team ERA, which is the seventh-best mark in the game. That has a lot to do with their bullpen, of course, which has a 2.81 ERA during those 40 games, which is the fourth-best mark in the game.

That isn’t bad, and if the Mets can start to hit a little more consistently and make long-awaited adjustments to their offensive approach, they can ride that pitching into the periphery of the playoff race if they can get back to .500 over the next month or so.

Yeah, the Mets need to figure out what to do with their rotation. It’s a big problem and has been a big problem for the last 365 days. They have not been able to get it right, whether it’s with the personnel, pitching program, or both, and that’s just the simple fact of the matter. They simply need more out of Freddy Peralta, specifically, who is the veteran leader on this team, a guy they gave up a lot to get, and a proven front runner of the rotations he has been a part of over the years.

Now, I really liked what I saw from Peralta on Sunday despite another five-inning outing.

He did predominantly use his fastball on Sunday, but he incorporated his off-speed and breaking pitches a little bit more, which helped to keep Atlanta’s potent offense off-balanced over the first five innings of this game. He got a lot of chase on his curveball and change-up specifically, but that also had a lot to do with getting ahead more and forcing Atlanta to expand the strike zone in counts that he was able to dictate.

So, Peralta should be pleased with how those adjustments played out against a very tough team.

No matter what happens with anyone else, if the Mets are going to turn a bad story into a good one in 2026, Peralta is going to have to be in front of that. Like I said, they need more out of him, they expect more out of him, and he expects more out of himself, I am sure. A lot is riding on Sunday being a positive step forward for him between a potential Mets turnaround and his own pending free agency. He needs to be the ace, be the leader, and be that presence for the rest of the Mets rotation, which needs guidance and some inspiration to follow themselves.

Speaking of which, the Mets are turning to Tobias Myers to start today, which is the right call but, as usual, I am simply perplexed by his situation and the way they have handled him.

I had assumed he was going to the minors to be stretched out as a starter. The Mets, after all, need another reliable starter here, or simply someone who can give them any kind of length in this broken rotation. Myers seemed like that guy - his demotion was certainly not merit-based considering how solid he was as a multi-role reliever/opener/jack-of-all-trades pitcher for this staff.

But, he made three appearances, one start, and combined to throw a total of six innings for Triple-A Syracuse. So, how many innings can he possibly give the Mets today?

This past weekend, David Stearns was kind of wishy-washy on what Myers’ role would be when he got back, which just boggles my mind. They need a starter, he was supposed to be stretched out as a starter, they need an opener seemingly every other day, and need their bullpen to bail out this rotation seemingly every day, so I don’t know.

But, they’re seven games under .500, so clearly they don’t know, either.

Around the League 🚩

• The first place White Sox put up a six-spot in the sixth inning and held off a late surge to beat the Dodgers 6-4

• Kyle Harrison allowed three hits over six innings as the Brewers shut the Phillies out 4-0

• The Rockies put up a six spot, a five spot, and a four spot to win a 23-9 slugfest over the A’s in West Sacramento

• Tampa Bay put up a five spot of their own as the A’s rolled past the Angels 8-3 for their 41st win of the season

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• The Mets dropped Game 2 of their series with the Braves, 3-1 (box)

• LHP Sean Manaea got his first start of the season, delivering six solid innings with two runs allowed on four hits, including a homer; he struck out six with no walks

• Atlanta RF Eli White drove in both runs allowed by Manaea, driving in Matt Olson with a double in the second inning and then a solo homer in the fourth

• 3B/SS Bo Bichette and LF Juan Soto continued their latest hot streaks, each posting two-hit days

• Bichette doubled in the bottom of the sixth and was driven in by 1B Mark Vientos for the Mets’ only run of the game

• Braves starter Martín Perez stayed perfect at Citi Field, keeping the offense quiet while striking out four of 10 Mets to go down swinging on Saturday

• RHP Austin Warren’s recent rough patch continued as he allowed an insurance homer to Michael Harris II; Warren has allowed five runs and two homers in his last three appearances

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Who’s Hot 🥵

• Bo Bichette is hitting .286/.276/.679 with eight hits, three homers, and eight RBI in his last seven games.

• Juan Soto is hitting .292/.414/.625 with seven hits, two homers, three RBI, and five walks against just one strikeout in his last seven games.

Who’s Cold 🥶

• Brett Baty is hitting just .184/.216/.204, with nine hits, no homers, four RBI, and just two walks against 15 strikeouts in his last 15 games.

• Mark Vientos is hitting just .189/.204.321 with 20 hits, 23 strikeouts, and zero walks in his last 30 games.

Play of the Game ⭐️

Yeah, sure, let’s give the kid some more shine.

In his first appearance in center field in over a month, Carson Benge tracked down a long fly ball off the bat of Ozzie Albies in the top of the sixth inning.

To quote Gary Cohen, “he’s pulchritudinous, indeed.”

Just Mets Podcast 🎙️

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Down on the Farm 🌾

• RF Cristian Pache (Triple-A): 4-for-4, 3 R, 1 2B, 1 BB, 1 SB

• 2B Jackson Cluff (Triple-A): 3-for-4, 1 2B, 1 R, 1 BB, 1 K, 1 SB

• CF Nick Morabito (No. 11 prospect, Triple-A): 2-for-4, 1 R, 1 RBI, 1 BB, 1 K

• RHP Jonathan Jimenez (Single-A): 6.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R (1 ER), 4 K, 0 BB

• 2B Jeremy Rodriguez (Single-A): 3-for-4, 2 R, 1 RBI, 1 BB, 1 SB

• RF Yohairo Cuevas (Single-A): 3-for-4, 1 2B, 3 R, 1 BB, 1 K, 2 SB

BOX SCORES

Single-A SLU | High-A BRK | Double-A BNG | Triple-A SYR

Today’s Game 🗓

Match-up: Mets (31-39) vs. Braves (46-24)

Where: Citi Field - Flushing, NY

Starters: RHP Freddy Peralta (4-5, 4.04) vs. RHP Bryce Elder (5-3, 2.66 ERA)

When: 1:40 PM EDT

Where to Watch: SNY

Sean Manaea’s still got stuff left ✍️

I am sure there aren’t a lot of people squarely focused on baseball in New York right now. After all, the Knicks are World Champions, and world champions for the first time in most of our lifetimes. It has been 53 years since they won a title - congratulations to them and you should head over to Knicks Film School to be fully immersed in the Knickerbockers championship.

As for the Mets…

From the moment Sean Manaea got bumped to the bullpen earlier this season, I had a feeling it would be a good thing for him. Obviously, he hated it, but he took it in stride, and I commended him for doing so. His sentiments at the time were simple: he was going to just “let his pitching do the work.”

On Saturday, Manaea allowed two runs on four hits in his six innings, his longest outing of the season. Though he was haunted all day by Braves youngster Eli White, Manaea also struck out all of Atlanta’s heaviest hitters, sitting down Matt Olson, Austin Riley, and Jorge Mateo once apiece and Michael Harris II twice. It wasn’t a clean outing, but it still offered some encouraging signs that a proper return to the rotation may not be out of the question for this chess-loving lefty after all.

Here’s where Manaea stands so far in 2026:

• 15 G, 49.0 IP, 26 ER, 18 XBH, 6 HR, 51 K-17 BB, 4.78 ERA, 1.35 WHIP

Granted, not a particularly exciting pitching line. However, it’s his last seven games that have really started turning heads in his direction again, for the right reasons.

• 7 G, 26.2 IP, 20 H, 9 ER, 3 HR, 27 K-7 BB, 3.09 ERA, 1.01 WHIP

Not too shabby.

Though there were looming questions about his reduced velocity this spring, I held firm (and continue to) that lower velo wouldn’t be Manaea’s biggest problem against MLB competition — it would be where he places it. I’m a Location First guy ‘til I die, sue me.

So far, that theory is holding: his two most-used pitches this season are his fastball and his sweeper, and they’re working pretty well: both pitches are responsible for 38 of his 45 strikeouts on the season, with a nearly even split between them (20 for the four-seamer, 18 for the sweeper). Yesterday was exactly the same story: three K’s for the sweeper, two for the heater, 28% whiff rate between them. They also yielded five of Manaea’s six called strikes on the day, four of them credited to the four-seam alone. Location!

These are good charts. I like these charts. Look at all that movement on the fastball…we’ll get back to that.

When I first activated my Manaea Truther membership in March, I asserted that, despite his ‘stuff’ results being a bit lacking in spring training, working with lower average velo wouldn’t be a death sentence for his career. The main frame of reference for that claim was a 2018 season in which his average fastball velocity (vFA) was just 90.6 mph over 160 innings; Manaea finished that season with a 3.59 ERA.

While a quick look beneath the surface may initially make the argument look a bit weak — he also posted a 4.26 FIP, 4.64 xERA, and 16.5 K% that season — if you keep digging, you’ll see what I’m seeing. No, his strikeout numbers weren’t gaudy, and his expected results suggest he was the beneficiary of a good deal of good luck. Still, he was also allowing just a 1.08 WHIP and a 4.4% walk rate while stranding 75% of runners (second-highest of his career)… all of that tracks toward a successful season.

Comparing Manaea’s 2018 and 2026 results, I’m seeing quite a few statistical similarities and some key differences that actually swing in the modern Manaea’s favor. For example, they both elicited a 29% chase rate, among the highest marks of his career; they found barrels at the same frequency (8.8%); they allowed comparable hard contact (39.7% in 2018, 37.3% in 2026); and their xERAs are within less than half a run of one another (4.63 in 2018, 4.21 in 2026).

However, where 2026 Manaea is allowing twice as many walks as his past self, he’s striking out far more hitters, with a 23.4% K-rate this season against a minuscule 16% in 2018. Pair that with a relatively low overall exit velo allowed (87.8 mph), a tremendous 20% soft contact generation rate, and a career-low zone-swing rate (62.6%) alongside a career-high called-strike rate (18.3%), and this southpaw looks much more compelling as a character study.

And most interestingly, though also maybe least surprisingly, each of these iterations of Manaea has utilized a completely different group of pitches to get their results.

Operating with two totally different pitch mixes but still finding success in two comparable placement profiles doesn’t feel coincidental to me. Rather, it seems Manaea is rediscovering the angles and spots he hits best, with an updated, more mature bag of tricks.

He used to fill the zone with a repertoire that worked largely north-south; since famously lowering his arm angle, he’s naturally shifted to a more lateral attack angle. With a fastball that has so much arm-side run and a perfect tunneling partner in his sweeper, Manaea can more effectively spread the zone in multiple directions while also incorporating constant speed and shape changes. That’s a recipe for success if he can refine it.

My point with these charts is not to marvel at how many called and swinging strikes Manaea got working the corners and edges of the zone, of course…that’s the case for any pitcher who successfully works the corners and edges of the zone. The suggestion is more that, no matter what his repertoire is or what his mechanics are dictating he needs to do, Manaea has previously found a way to operate without blowing anyone’s doors off with mind-bending stuff.

There remains plenty of room to improve before Manaea slots back into a full-time rotation role: it cannot go unaddressed that he’s given up three homers in his last three outings, one per appearance. That’s far from an ideal trend and certainly something to keep an eye on.

But the overall pluses in recent weeks have certainly helped to quiet down the naysayers that were all but hunting this guy’s head mere months ago.

As he forecasted, his pitching is doing the work. And now the opportunity it killed him to lose is achingly within reach.

Around the League 🚩

• In a 7-1 rout, Shohei Ohtani led off the game with a homer, and Dodgers ace Yoshinobu Yamamoto took a perfect game into the eighth inning before losing it to a Mookie Betts error; the White Sox’s Tristan Peters then ended the no-hitter with a solo homer in the ninth

• Tigers ace Tarik Skubal returned to the mound just 38 days after elbow surgery; he allowed three runs (two earned) on five hits with four strikeouts in 4.2 innings

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• The Mets overcame a lengthy rain delay to beat the Braves 7-5 in what was a statement win at Citi Field on Friday night (box)

• RHP Nolan McLean just didn’t have it on the mound, including throwing 42 pitches alone in the second, allowing two earned runs on three hits and four walks with six strikeouts over four tough innings

• RHP Huascar Brazobán struckout four over 1.2 scoreless innings without giving up a hit, before RHP Devin Williams delivered a clutch four-out save with two strikeouts

• SS Bo Bichette and LF Juan Soto hit back-to-back homers in the first inning, with Bichette going on to have a breakout game, finishing 2-for-3 with two homers, two runs scored, and six RBIs. Bichette’s grand slam in the bottom of the second broke the game wide open

• Soto finished 2-for-3 with a run, one RBI, and one walk

• C Luis Torrens had another positive night at the plate, going 2-for-3 with a run scored

Injury Updates 🩺

• SS Francisco Lindor (strained left calf) took at-bats against pitchers from High-A Brooklyn and played two innings in the field during a simulated game on Friday. However, Lindor did not run the bases and he will play in more sim games next week before being cleared to head out on a minor league rehab assignment. A return at some point in June is still expected

• RHP Kodai Senga (right ulnar nerve irritation) took part in a bullpen session and will make another rehab start before the Mets consider recalling him

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Play of the Game ⭐️

This is an easy one.

After the Braves fought back in the top of the second to make it a 2-2 game, the Mets came to the plate in the bottom of the inning, needing to come up with a response.

And they did exactly that.

After loading the bases thanks to a MJ Melendez double, a Luis Torrens single, and a Carson Benge HBP, Bo Bichette came to the plate with the chance to do something special, having already homered in the game.

He rose to the occasion and seized the moment.

Bichette blasted a fastball over the plate the other way for a big-time grand slam, blowing the game wide open and giving the Mets a lead they would never give up the rest of the way.

It was part of a statement game by Bichette, who finished with six RBIs on the night, while the extra runs would prove crucial after Atlanta threatened to get back in the game in the later innings.

Just Mets Podcast 🎙️

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David Stearns Speaks 🗣️

Mets President of Baseball Operations David Stearns spoke to the media before Friday’s game at Citi Field. Here’s a selection of highlights from his availability…

• Stearns stressed that the expectation is that Francisco Lindor will play in June, while also admitting that the team needs to be smart in bringing the shortstop back.

• Stearns stated that the Mets have played better baseball since April, while also acknowledging that consistency is needed in order to dig themselves out of the hole they dug.

• Mark Vientos has struggled on both sides of the ball so far this season, with Stearns reiterating his belief that the infielder has the “skillset to be a quality first base defender,” while also conceding that Vientos’ offense “hasn’t been his best.”

• Tobias Myers is close to returning to the Mets but it likely won’t be as a fully stretched-out starting pitcher, with Stearns noting that Myers’ role will be “whatever we actually need at that point.”

• The Braves entered Friday with the best record in all of baseball, and Stearns said that they are where they deserve to be having played the best baseball.

• Stearns also doubled down on his decision to part ways with former pitching coach Jeremy Hefner, now with the Braves, insisting that the organization is “happy with our coaching staff right now.” Stearns added that he’s not surprised Hefner is enjoying success with the Braves.

Down on the Farm 🌾

• 3B Nick Lorusso (Double-A): 3-for-5, 1 R, 5 RBIs, 1 2B, 1 HR

• LHP Daviel Hurtado (High-A): 5 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 2 K

• 3B Colin Houck (High-A): 2-for-5, 2 R, 4 RBIs, 1 HR, 2 SB

• C Daiverson Gutierrez (No. 24 prospect, High-A): 2-for-4, 1 R, 2 RBIs, 1 BB, 1 2B

• DH Jackson Hauge (Single-A): 1-for-2, 2 RBIs, 1 BB, 1 2B

BOX SCORES

Single-A SLU | High-A BRK | Double-A BNG | Triple-A SYR

Today’s Game 🗓

Match-up: Mets (31-38) vs. Braves (45-24)

Where: Citi Field - Flushing, NY

Starters: LHP Sean Manaea (1-1, 5.02) vs. LHP Martin Pérez (4-3, 3.02 ERA)

When: 4:10 PM EDT

Where to Watch: SNY

Can hope spring eternal, even in summer? ✍️

It may be just one game and, yes, we’ve been here before, but Friday night’s big win over the Braves, holders of the best record in baseball, sure felt good.

It was a win over both a rival and an incredibly good team that offered some promise and a little bit of hope.

Again, we’ve been teased by the 2026 Mets before only to be left severely disappointed, and what I’m about to write may be moot if the Braves go and win the next two games of this series over the weekend.

Still, I can only react to what’s happened and, even with a very pessimistic mind when it comes to this team, I couldn’t help but be stirred by what I saw on Friday night.

The offense came up with some clutch hits early to help survive another rough, uninspiring outing from Nolan McLean, while the bullpen, outside of a rare off-night from Brooks Raley, was money yet again.

But I was mostly left buoyed by Bo Bichette’s breakout game. The infielder had his best game as a Met, showing those watching what he is indeed capable of when he’s fully locked in and playing at the peak of his powers. He started the damage early by hitting a first-inning home run, before reminding us all of his prowess with runners in scoring position by blasting a game-changing grand slam in the bottom of the second.

Bichette drove in six runs on the night and his ability to just take over games is why the Mets signed him in the first place. We haven’t seen nights like Friday nearly often enough from Bichette, but maybe the arrival of tougher opposition will bring out the very best in him on a consistent basis.

So, you have to wonder, if Bichette can now put it all together, and if Francisco Lindor can indeed return later this month, would that be enough to save the Mets?

Okay, that’s a loaded question and there’s no easy or straightforward answer, especially given that we can’t predict the future.

But, with that said, there is some reason for hope even if that slice of hope is razor-thin at this point.

For instance, since the end of April, the Mets are 21-17 while the Braves went 23-14. That equates to just a 2 1/2 game difference in the standings. On its own, it means very little right now. However, if the Mets can now get the real version of Bichette every single game and if Lindor can return and be the player we know he is right from the jump, then maybe the Mets can make things interesting this summer.

Of course, I’m not saying they will play themselves back into contention for the NL East, because I see no reason why Atlanta won’t keep playing at a high level. Therefore, I think the best the Mets can hope for is probably a Wild Card. But, given how bleak things looked just a couple of months ago, wouldn’t we all sign up for that now?

The point I’m trying to make is that there is a pathway to the Mets being at least somewhat relevant for the rest of the season, and I think a lot of that hinges on Bichette and Lindor. With Juan Soto doing what he does best, the top of the lineup could be supercharged with a healthy and productive Lindor and a consistently good-to-great Bichette. If all three of those players are firing and healthy at the same time, then that really does change the overall look of that lineup.

With Lindor leading off, Soto’s superstar hitting ability, and Bichette’s track record of making things happen with runners on, the Mets offense could really take off and do damage to even some of the best pitchers in the game. And maybe a tougher schedule will inspire Soto, Lindor, and Bichette to really put this team on their collective backs and go on a real run.

Sure, it is all ifs and buts at this point. Bichette has shown flashes before only to then immediately go into a slump. And there is no guarantee that Lindor can stay healthy the rest of the way given the problems he’s already encountered this season. Not to mention that there are a slew of other fatal flaws for this team to figure out first. The starting rotation is still very much in flux and, if Freddy Peralta and Nolan McLean continue to struggle, then this team is going nowhere. And, as great as the bullpen has been, that’s probably not sustainable if they are asked to take on a heavier workload because of a struggling rotation.

There’s also the question marks hovering over Luis Robert Jr.’s long-term health and availability this year, Mark Vientos’ ongoing struggles, and the rest of the lineup being so hit and miss. There are so many things to correct in-season, and we haven’t seen this team really be able to adjust and adapt so far.

Therefore, in answer to my own question, I guess it is way too early to know if Bichette and Lindor alone can really save this team and the season. Given the hole they’ve dug themselves, it is going to require Soto, Lindor, and Bichette all playing out of their minds the rest of the way, and everyone else stepping up too. We will also need to see a lot more from Peralta, McLean, and the rest of the rotation.

There is a hell of a lot of work to do and a lot of ground to make up. And maybe the rest of the weekend will serve as yet another sobering reality check.

But, at least for one night anyway, we did witness some tangible signs of hope thanks to Bichette, who could be the key to at least giving us a reason to mentally invest in the rest of this season.

Around the League 🚩

• Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani (knee) avoided the IL and is expected to DH on Saturday against the White Sox (MLB.com)

• Red Sox president Sam Kennedy admitted that the team may need to be sellers unless a turnaround happens soon (MLB.com)

• Brewers RHP Jacob Misiorowski made history on Friday, striking out 15 in a 95-pitch “Maddux” and throwing 104.5 mph in a 6-0 shutout win over the Phillies

• INF Gunnar Henderson hit his 100th career home run in the Orioles’ 7-3 win over San Diego, becoming the fourth-youngest player in franchise history to accomplish the feat

• Marlins RHP Sandy Alcantara recorded his 1000th career strikeout after striking out seven over eight innings in an 8-3 win over Pittsburgh

• Astros DH Yordan Álvarez had a monster game, hitting two home runs and collecting six RBIs in the first inning alone in Houston’s 10-8 win over the Royals

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• The Mets avoided a sweep by the Cardinals in the series finale with a 5-4 victory (box)

• The team hit three home runs against St. Louis one each by Bo Bichette, Jared Young, and Juan Soto

• Both Soto and Young went a combined 4-for-8 with two home runs, 3 R, and 3 RBIs

• RHP Christian Scott struggled and couldn’t complete five innings. He pitched 4.2 innings, gave up four earned runs, struck out six, walked one, and gave up three home runs

• The bullpen combination of RHP A.J. Minter, LHP Brooks Raley, RHP Luke Weaver, and RHP Devin Williams was superb. They gave up just one hit and walked one between them to keep the team in the game

Roster Moves 📰

• RHP Daniel Duarte recalled from Triple-A Syracuse

• RHP Jonathan Pintaro optioned to Triple-A

Injury Updates 🩺

• RHP Kodai Senga (ulnar nerve irritation) pitched six innings with Double-A. He gave up one run, struck out five, and walked one

• Luis Robert Jr. (lower back injury) does not known when he will return, but expects to play again in 2026

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Play of the Game ✨

The ball was flying out of Citi Field on Thursday against the Cardinals. The Mets jumped out to an early lead thanks to home runs by Bo Bichette and Jared Young in the first to make it 3-1 Mets.

Unfortunately, the Cardinals punched back with two home runs of their own to take a 4-3 lead. The Mets tied it up in the fifth on a Young single, and the game remained tied until Juan Soto stepped to the plate in the seventh. He blasted a solo shot, which ended up as the game winner.

All told, six home runs were hit in the game, but Soto’s was the difference-maker in a game the team desperately needed.

Just Mets Podcast 🎙️

ICYMI: Andrew and Rich reflected on the Mets going .500 over their final West Coast trip of the regular season, celebrated the young psychopaths, and tried to forecast a way forward for this year’s club.

SUBSCRIBE: YouTube | Apple Podcasts | Spotify

Down on the Farm 🌾

• RHP Tobias Myers (Triple-A): 2.2 IP, 0 ER, BB, 2 K

• RHP Jack Wenninger (No. 4 prospect, Triple-A): 5.0 IP, 6 H, 3 ER, 2 BB, 5 K, 1 HR

• C Ronald Hernandez (High-A): 2-for-2, R, 2 BB

BOX SCORES

Single-A STL | High-A BRK | Double-A BNG | Triple-A SYR

Today’s Game 🗓

Match-up: Mets (30-38) vs. Braves (45-23)

Where: Citi Field - Flushing, NY

Starters: RHP Nolan McLean (3-4, 3.98 ERA) vs. RHP Spencer Strider (4-1, 4.00 ERA)

When: 7:15 PM EDT

Where to Watch: Apple TV

Just like old times! Mets face a gauntlet in the Braves this weekend ✍️

Opportunity knocked for the Mets in their series against the Cardinals. But as has been the case for most of this season, they failed to seize the day.

The Mets had a chance to gain ground in the Wild Card standings in this last series against the Cardinals, but they dropped two of three and are now 5.5 games out of a playoff spot.

Needless to say, they failed their test in a home series against St. Louis, and now they face another in the Braves, an even bigger gauntlet against the best team in the sport.

Will they be up to the challenge against Atlanta, a team that has haunted them mostly year after year for the better part of 30 years?

For the moment, it certainly appears as though the Braves are running away with the division. As opposed to the last two seasons, everything has broken right for Atlanta so far in 2026 despite dealing with some serious roster adversity during spring training. Their potent offense is in the top five in the league in home runs, runs, RBIs, average, slugging, wRC+, and fWAR. Combined with the Mets’ shaky starting pitching, this could be a tough match-up for the Mets.

The Mets are a bit lucky that the Braves will be without Ronald Acuña Jr. who recently returned to the IL with a hamstring injury. That takes a powerful bat out of the Braves lineup, but this Atlanta team will still prove challenging for the Mets, who are simply a superior club.

Old friend Dominic Smith is having the best season of his career so far this year. He is batting .291/.329/.453 with six home runs and 28 RBIs in 148 at-bats. Michael Harris II is having an All-Star year, batting .306/.339/.513 with 13 home runs and 40 RBIs. And then there is Matt Olson, who is batting .272/.344/.558 with 19 home runs and 50 RBIs so far this season.

The lineup is still plenty deep even missing Acuña.

It does not get any easier after the Braves leave town. Up next is the Reds, Phillies, Cubs, and then the Phillies again before facing the Blue Jays to close out June. The Reds, Phillies, and Cubs are all teams ahead of them in the standings, so if they were to go on a run now is the time to do it. They already failed their first test. They can ill afford to get more failing grades, or this season may in fact be truly over, and they’ll have some decisions to make come July and the trade deadline.

But quite frankly, it doesn’t really matter who the Mets are facing at this point if they can’t get out of their own way. Their rotation issues will victimize them whether they play a first-place team or a team like themselves, which is simply a second-division club. The same goes for their offense.

And, until they can mitigate those issues, either by making wholesale changes to their roster, getting their injured stars back, or simply playing better, nothing is going to change.

Around the League 🚩

• Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani exited their game against the Pirates early with left knee inflammation (ESPN)

• Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal is set to rejoin the Tigers this weekend against the Guardians after undergoing elbow surgery five weeks ago

• The Phillies acquired OF Derek Hill from the White Sox in exchange for prospects and international bonus pool money

• RHP Seth Lugo is feeling ok one day after being struck in the head by a line drive off the bat of former teammate Brandon Nimmo (MLB.com)

• Boston Red Sox team president Sam Kennedy said that they do not plan on firing chief baseball officer Craig Breslow despite the disappointing play this season (ESPN)

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• The Mets got beat up in their own backyard for the second straight night, losing 9-2 to the Cardinals at Citi Field on Wednesday night (box)

• RHP Austin Warren started the game as the opener and allowed two earned runs on two hits and two walks with just one strikeout over one inning

• LHP David Peterson didn’t do any better as the bulk reliever, being shelled for six earned runs on seven hits with two walks and a pair of homers over 3.2 innings

• LHP Cionel Pérez and RHP Jonathan Pintaro combined to allow just one run over the final 4.1 innings, with Pintaro allowing a solo home run in the ninth in what was an otherwise solid three innings outing

• C Francisco Alvarez, in just his second game back from the IL, provided the only offense for the Mets with a two-run blast in the bottom of the fourth

• The Mets recorded just three hits all night and also went 0-for-6 with RISP, leaving five runners stranded on base

Roster Moves 📰

• RHP Jonathan Pintaro recalled from Triple-A Syracuse

• RHP Joey Gerber optioned to Triple-A

Injury Updates 🩺

• RHP Kodai Senga (ulnar nerve irritation) will resume his rehab assignment for Double-A Binghamton on Thursday

• OF Luis Robert Jr. (lumbar spine disc herniation) was seen throwing the ball in the outfield at Citi Field on Wednesday

• SS Ronny Mauricio (right thumb fracture) has resumed baseball activities and is now throwing, running, and hitting

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Play of the Game 😢

The Mets looked doomed from the start of Wednesday’s game, but this moment without a doubt sealed their fate.

Already struggling, David Peterson faced the Cardinals’ Jordan Walker with two runners on and two outs. There was an opportunity for Peterson to get out of the jam he created and keep his team alive.

Instead, he gave up a back-breaking, soul-crushing three-run homer to Walker as St. Louis made it a 7-0 game. And with the offense struggling to get anything going, Walker’s fatal stab to the heart proved to be too much to overcome.

Just Mets Podcast 🎙️

ICYMI: Andrew and Rich reflected on the Mets going .500 over their final West Coast trip of the regular season, celebrated the young psychopaths, and tried to forecast a way forward for this year’s club.

SUBSCRIBE: YouTube | Apple Podcasts | Spotify

Down on the Farm 🌾

• RHP Xzavion Curry (Triple-A): 5 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 5 K

• DH Andy Ibáñez (Triple-A): 1-for-4, 2 R, 2 RBI, 1 BB

• 2B Colin Houck (High-A): 2-for-4, 1 R, 1 RBI, 1 2B

• LF JT Benson (High-A): 2-for-3, 2 R, 2 RBI, 1 BB, 1 3B, 1 HR

BOX SCORES

Single-A STL | High-A BRK | Double-A BNG | Triple-A SYR

Today’s Game 🗓

Match-up: Mets (29-38) vs. Cardinals (37-28)

Where: Citi Field - Flushing, NY

Starters: RHP Christian Scott (2-0, 2.50 ERA) vs. RHP Hunter Dobbins (1-0, 2.77 ERA)

When: 1:10 PM EDT

Where to Watch: SNY

All hope is now probably lost with this hapless Mets team ✍️

There was a cruel kind of symmetry at play in New York City on Wednesday night.

As the New York Knicks pulled off a historic comeback never seen before to move to within just one game of winning the NBA championship, the Mets got their butts handed to them for the second consecutive night.

As the Knicks set an entire city alight thanks to yet another memorable, heroic effort, the Mets reminded everyone of who they truly are in 2026.

And as the Knicks gave their fans another healthy dose of hope, excitement, and belief, the Mets sent their fans heading home for a stiff drink and a dark room in order to try and forget what they had just witnessed.

In other words, as the Knicks electrify an entire city and move an almighty step closer to bringing New York a major title, the Mets are hurtling in the opposite direction at light speed.

As of right now, there is no hope or excitement when it comes to this Mets team. And any hopes of seeing a World Series parade go through Queens feel a million miles away.

Sure, the likes of Nolan McLean, Carson Benge, and A.J. Ewing offer at least a slice of promise that the future could look bright for this franchise. But, then again, if the same people are running the baseball operations and the same people are in the dugout, is that really reason enough to believe that things will get better?

And, granted, the Knicks were a dysfunctional mess for decades before finally hiring the right people over the last few years, which has led to the magic we’re witnessing right now. Furthermore, it was only a couple of years ago that the Mets authored a miracle run of their own.

With all of that said, though, it doesn’t matter what’s come before or that the Knicks are living proof that New York teams can actually build a winning product in the modern day. My point is that the Mets and the Knicks may as well belong in different stratospheres right now.

There is no tangible reason to believe in the Mets right now. While the Knicks show heart, grit, and a steely will to win every time they step on the court, we don’t see any of that with this Mets team. And, before anyone argues otherwise in the comments section, I do strongly believe that all of those qualities still matter in baseball, and we’re seeing what happens with the Mets when they aren’t there.

After finishing the road trip on a fairly positive note, this team returned home to only crap the bed. I mean, to be outscored 16-2 over two games by the Cardinals just isn’t good enough. It’s not even nearly good enough. Sure, St. Louis has played above expectations so far this year and currently holds the first Wild Card in the NL. But that’s no excuse for what we’ve seen from this Mets team over the last two nights.

And that’s exactly why I just think there’s no hope left now in 2026, if there was any before this point.

The rotation is an absolute mess and I have no faith that it will get corrected during the season.

The offense is what it is at this point and I don’t think that will change anytime soon, either. I mean, if the lineup has been unable to adjust and adapt up until this point, what makes you think that they will suddenly find religion now? And I don’t believe the return of certain players from injury will lead to a sudden cure-all. It may help, but it isn’t going to correct all the fatal flaws.

More importantly, I just don’t believe this organization as it is currently constituted is geared towards putting a consistent winning product on the field. We’ve seen damming evidence of that over the last few years.

Watching the Knicks throughout this magical postseason run has made me incredibly envious of what winning at a high level in New York feels and looks like. Even though I’m a Knicks fan myself, I feel jealous of all the joy sports fans are feeling in this city right now.

Where’s our joy?

Where’s our hope?

Thank God for the New York Knicks right now, because I’m not sure we can rely on the 2026 Mets to deliver anything but crushing disappointment.

Around the League 🚩

• 1B Bryce Eldridge became the youngest player in MLB history to hit a walk-off grand slam, helping the Giants to wipe out an eight-run deficit in a wild 11-10 win over the Nationals

• The White Sox took sole possession of first place in the AL Central after beating the Braves, 2-1

• RHP Shohei Ohtani homered, but also allowed a season-high four runs as the Dodgers lost to the Pirates, 9-8

• RHP Drew Rasmussen recorded a career-high 13 strikeouts to help the Rays overcome the Red Sox by a score of 7-5

• 2B Jazz Chisholm Jr. drove in three runs to help the Yankees beat the Guardians, 8-4

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• The Mets got shut out at home by the Cardinals, 7-0 (box)

• RHP Freddy Peralta didn’t have his best stuff, surrendering six runs off six hits in his six innings of work; this was the third time in Peralta’s last four starts that he’s allowed at least four runs

• It was another largely uncompetitive showing from the offense, as just four Mets hitters combined for five hits; there were nine strikeouts throughout the lineup against a single walk

• CF A.J. Ewing had two of those five hits, including the Mets’ only extra-base hit of the night

• C Francisco Álvarez made his shockingly quick return to the big league team just four weeks after surgery on his torn meniscus, going 1-for-3 in the loss

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Injury Updates 🩺

• RHP Kodai Senga (lumbar spine inflammation, right ulnar nerve irritation) was scratched from his rehab start yesterday the Mets will monitor how it feels over the next few days

• INF/DH Jorge Polanco (left Achilles bursitis) had an MRI that “looked fine,” and he is going to resume pregame work, sans defensive activities; he’ll likely DH only when his rehab assignment picks back up

• SS Francisco Lindor (strained left calf) will continue baseball activities this week and be reevaluated at the end of the homestand

• RHP Joey Gerber (right finger blister) left Tuesday’s game before the ninth inning after a re-emergence of a blister on the same finger that initially landed him on the IL

Roster Moves 📰

• C Hayden Senger optioned to Syracuse

• C Francisco Álvarez activated from the injured list

• C Jack Scanlon signed to a minor league contract

Play of the Game 😢

Though the Mets hadn’t been doing much all game to inspire faith that they could climb their way back into it, this is when things really started to feel out of reach.

With one out and one on in the top of the fifth, Peralta hung a curveball on the outer edge of the zone to Cardinals 1B Alec Burleson, which he promptly flicked over the left field wall to put St. Louis up 6-0.

Just Mets Podcast 🎙️

ICYMI: Andrew and Rich reflected on the Mets going .500 over their final West Coast trip of the regular season, celebrated the young psychopaths, and tried to forecast a way forward for this year’s club.

SUBSCRIBE: YouTube | Apple Podcasts | Spotify

Down on the Farm 🌾

• 3B Jacob Reimer (No. 4 prospect, Double-A): 1-for-3, 1 R, 1 BB, 1 K, 1 SB

• RHP José Chirinos (High-A): 6.0 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 3 BB, 10 K, 1 HR

• RHP Cam Tilly (No. 27 prospect, Single-A): 6.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 4 K

• RHP Elwis Mijares (Single-A): 2.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 3 K

• SS Elian Peña (No. 7 prospect, Single-A): 0-for-3, 3 R, 1 BB, 1 K, 1 SB

• CF Trey Snyder (Single-A): 1-for-4, 1 3B, 1 R, 2 RBI, 1 BB, 1 K

BOX SCORES

Single-A STL (No Hitter) | High-A BRK | Double-A BNG | Triple-A SYR (F/6)

Today’s Game 🗓

Match-up: Mets (29-37) vs Cardinals (36-28)

Where: Citi Field - Flushing, NY

Starters: RHP Austin Warren (1-2, 2.01 ERA) vs. RHP Andre Pallante (6-4, 3.96 ERA)

When: 7:10 PM EDT

Where to Watch: SNY

Is there reason to worry about Freddy Peralta? ✍️

I’m entering tonight’s writing session with a bit of apprehension, as I don’t want to risk any sort of jinx action…but is Freddy Peralta okay?

Peralta was acquired from the Brewers this winter with the hopes that he’d be the guy the Mets needed to fill the top-of-rotation role and help prop up Nolan McLean and Clay Holmes. At the start of the season, it looked like he fit that bill: maybe he wasn’t exactly the ace that was promised, and he probably wouldn’t put up the same 2.70 ERA season in 2026 that he did the season prior, but he was solid.

Yet, running the numbers as we approach mid-June, it’s hard to ignore that Peralta’s shown some diminishing returns with each month that’s gone by.

Take a look at how his performance at the start of the year compares to his more recent outings:

• Peralta’s First 7 Starts: 38.1 IP, 3.52 ERA, 17 R (15 ER), 8 XBH, 4 HR, 42 K-16 BB, 1.20 WHIP

• Peralta’s Last 7 Starts: 39.2 IP, 4.54 ERA, 20 R (20 ER), 18 XBH, 6 HR, 37 K-16 BB, 1.44 WHIP

When you zoom out, Peralta’s last seven starts really don’t offer much to get excited about. And though to this point there hadn’t been any glaringly obvious causes for concern beyond a dipping stat line, after looking at last night’s data, I’m growing increasingly suspicious that something might be developing under the hood.

Peralta’s average velocity yesterday was down from his season average across the board, but most significantly on his fastball. His vFA on Tuesday was a full tick slower than it’s been on that pitch all year, including in his last few less-than-stellar starts. Yes, he hit 96 mph with it, and it came in the sixth inning, but the overall decrease in velocity feels more significant when you start looking a little deeper.

Peralta was also missing the zone up-and-arm side more than he has all season. Look at his pitch chart from last night:

None of his maps from his last 10 games look anything remotely like this. The only one that’s close is from his May 29th start against the Marlins, but that chart skews much more heavily down in the zone and is loaded with changeup usage, a pitch that naturally moves that direction to begin with.

For Peralta to miss this frequently, with this many pitch types, and in this particular placement pattern, troubles me.

Again, I don’t want to be overdramatic—in a vacuum, it’s one game with some really off stuff. But I just can’t help but wonder if something might be up with Freddy physically, mostly because he seemed unable to consistently work heavily to his glove side, which stood out given his typical maps.

Now, he may just be dealing with a little fatigue. Looking at his last few starts, Peralta did touch upwards of 97+ mph in some recent starts, so he has been throwing harder, and just as the loss of velo is noteworthy, so is the fact that it remains, for now, an isolated incident.

Carlos Mendoza said that there was nothing to worry about with the velocity, that Justin Willard checked on him, and that Peralta wouldn’t have put his health at risk by continuing to run himself out there. Peralta doubled down, saying that sometimes it happens, just one of those days. I wouldn’t expect them to say anything else unless something was obviously wrong, and I could absolutely be making much ado about nothing.

We’ll see what his next few starts hold. As he reminded us (and himself) in his post-game comments, he should have nearly 20 more starts left to make this season. His season’s story is only partially written.

But when I see considerably decreased velocity alongside an anomalous movement/miss profile relative to season-long performance, especially on the heels of a sustained dip in performance, I’m naturally going to have some questions.

Around the League 🚩

• White Sox rookie Braden Montgomery became the fifth player ever to hit a walk-off in their MLB debut as the White Sox edged the Braves 6-5 - Ronald Acuña, Jr. left the game with a tight left hamstring after trying to run out a close play at first base

• Blue Jays rookie catcher Brandon Valenzuela also delivered a walk-off hit against the Phillies to wrap up a 3-2 win for Toronto

• In the Dodgers 12-3 rout of the Pirates, 1B Freedie Freeman notched his 2,500th hit, becoming the only active player to have reached that milestone

• Gerrit Cole only lasted four innings against the Guardians, but Jazz Chisholm and Spencer Jones provided homer insurance to secure the Yankees’ narrow 3-2 win

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• The Mets were off on Monday and will kick off a six game homestand when they welcome the Cardinals to Citi Field tonight

• Catcher Francisco Alvarez is expected to rejoin the Mets on this homestand and potentially as early as tonight. He’s been on the IL since 5/12 with a torn meniscus

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Just Mets Podcast 🎙️

In the latest edition of the Just Mets Podcast, Andrew and Rich recap the Mets’ 3-3 trip out west, discuss the rise of the Mets’ rookie outfielders, and more as the Mets look to stabilize their season into mid-June.

SUBSCRIBE: YouTube | Apple Podcasts | Spotify

Down on the Farm 🌾

All Mets minor league affiliates were off on Monday

Today’s Game 🗓

Match-up: Mets (29-36) vs Cardinals (35-28)

Where: Citi Field - Flushing, NY

Starters: RHP Freddy Peralta (4-4, 3.63 ERA) vs. RHP Dustin May (3-6, 4.59 ERA)

When: 7:10 PM EDT

Where to Watch: SNY

The pros and cons of the Ryan Clifford debate ✍️

Carson Benge’s rapid ascension leading up to his career day on Sunday, combined with the stability and fun A.J. Ewing has brought to center field since his promotion, has shifted my attention to the next potential rookie that could soon call Citi Field home—first baseman Ryan Clifford.

The idea of a Clifford promotion from Triple-A Syracuse is not black and white, but as I sit here on a Mets off day, it feels like the perfect opportunity to delve into the pros and cons.

For starters, it is no secret the Mets lineup is simply starved for power, and that’s something Clifford, at least in theory, could fix in droves.

Only four players in Triple-A have hit more homers than he has this season, and his left-handed power would be a dramatic boon for the Mets offense. But defense also has to be a consideration here.

Clifford is not necessarily a natural first baseman—he’s played a lot of corner outfield in the minor leagues as well—but it’s a safe assumption he’s a better bet at the position than anyone the big club has tried there thus far.

Mark Vientos, Brett Baty, Jared Young, and Jorge Polanco have all made starts at first base for the Mets this season, and not one of them is an actual first baseman. In fact, on both sides of the ball, the position has been nothing short of a black hole for New York all season, to put it lightly.

Polanco’s signing has been a catastrophic failure, as he’s missed all but 14 games this season due to a series of maladies, and when he was on the field, he did not hit a lick.

His absence has led to Vientos playing nearly every day, and while his right-handed thump in the middle of the Mets lineup is certainly needed, it is becoming harder and harder to remember his breakout 2024 campaign.

The veteran is currently slashing .214/.248/.618, he’s hitless in June, and his defense has predictably shown itself to be a liability several times in the last week alone. His struggles have led to more starts at position number three for Young, and while he’s swung a nice bat, we all know he is an outfielder.

So the idea of Clifford coming up and helping to solve two problems at once would be a real feeding two birds with one stone scenario for the Mets.

So what’s the downside, you ask?

Well, for me personally, I’d like to see a player dominate a level before being brought to the Major Leagues.

Nothing about Clifford’s .222/.300/.466 slash line in 61 games with Syracuse screams dominance. He’s also struck out an astonishing 90 times in 221 at-bats. He’s profiling as an offensive player who when he connects, the ball goes a long way. But who also has far too much swing and miss in his game.

That’s not exactly something you anticipate getting drastically better against elite Major League pitching.

There’s also a lineup construction issue here. It is no secret the Mets offense is currently far too left-handed. With Juan Soto, Benge, and Ewing in the lineup every day, along with some combination of Young, Baty, and MJ Melendez most days, this team lacks any real significant balance.

Bo Bichette has struggled to replace Pete Alonso as the team’s primary right-handed option, Francisco Alvarez has missed the better part of a month, and switch-hitter Francisco Lindor is also currently on the shelf.

For so many reasons, the Mets have desperately needed Vientos to be the player he was two years ago to bring the stability and balance the team needs to the middle of the order. But at what point do you stop trying to fit a square peg into a round hole?

Clifford is regarded as the future at the first base position for this organization.

At some point, you simply have to stop overthinking this and give him a chance to sink or swim. If the team wants to wait until Alvarez and Lindor are both back before considering that, I could see the reasoning. But it’s also hard to ignore the spark young players bring to a team and a fanbase. If Clifford were to come up and produce, it would be yet another shot in the arm towards the resurgence we’re all hoping to see from this club.

And if he doesn’t? It’s not like they were getting anything from the position elsewhere.

Around the League 🚩

• Josh Naylor crushed a 5th inning grand slam in the Mariners 6-3 win in Baltimore

• Yandy Diaz homered and drove in two in the Rays 3-1 win over the Red Sox

• The Angels activated veteran Trey Mancini who will play in the big leagues for the first time in nearly three years

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• The Mets defeated the Padres by a score of 7-3 on Sunday in San Diego (box)

• The Mets went with an opener in Huascar Brazobán in front of Sean Manaea’s solid bulk relief outing on Sunday - Brazoban pitched a scoreless first, Manaea allowed two runs over four innings, and the rest of the bullpen combined to allow just a single run over the game’s final four innings

• Carson Benge posted the biggest day of his young career, tallying five hits and 10 total bases with a triple, a homer, two RBI and three runs scored, becoming the first rookie since Pete Alonso on August 15, 2019 to record five hits in a single game

• Both Marcus Semien and Bo Bichette notched two hit days - Semien homered in the second for his eighth of the year

• MJ Melendez also homered, and Brett Baty doubled and walked

• The Mets finished their fourth and final road trip to the west coast with a 3-3 record, have won seven of their last ten games, and are 19-15 since May 1

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Play of the Game ✨

With a runner on first and nobody out in the second, MJ Melendez made a tremendous diving catch in left field going away to save an extra-base hit off the bat of Miguel Andújar, potentially changing the entire complexion of the ball game early.

At best, the Padres would’ve had second and third and nobody out, setting San Diego up to tie the game against Sean Manaea, and potentially an even bigger inning than that.

Who’s Hot 🔥

• Over his last 21 games, Carson Benge is hitting .318/.381/.904 with four doubles, a triple, four home runs, 13 RBI with 28 hits and 17 runs scored

• Over his last nine games, Marcus Semien is hitting .303/.361/.697 with a double, four home runs, six RBI with ten hits and seven runs scored

• Over his last 19 games, Bo Bichette is hitting .293/.341/.480 with three doubles, a triple, three home runs, 14 RBI with 22 hits and 11 runs scored

Just Mets Podcast 🎙️

In the latest edition of the Just Mets Podcast, Andrew and Rich recap the Mets’ 3-3 trip out west, discuss the rise of the Mets’ rookie outfielders, and more as the Mets look to stabilize their season into mid-June.

SUBSCRIBE: YouTube | Apple Podcasts | Spotify

Down on the Farm 🌾

• OF Matt Rudick (AAA): 2-for-3, HR, 3 RBI

• OF Vincento Perozo (AA): 2-for-4, HR, RBI, R

• C Diversion Gutierrez (High-A): 2-for-3, BB, 2B, 3 RBI

• C Chase Meggers (Low-A): 2-for-4, 3 RBI, R

BOX SCORES

Single-A STL | High-A BRK | Double-A BNG | Triple-A SYR

Today’s Game 🗓

The Mets are off today. They open a three-game series with the Cardinals on Tuesday night at Citi Field.

One good thing that offers hope for the Mets ✍️

So, the Mets finished their fourth and final West Coast trip with a 3-3 record. An up-and-down week for sure, but a solid finish to the trip after winning three of their final four games after starting out with two sleepy losses.

There were some good things, there were some bad things, there were some good injury updates, some not-so-good injury updates. But meet the Mets, I suppose, who have looked better over the last ten days but remain seven games under .500, five games out of the final wild card, and forget the National League East at this point.

But let’s talk about a good thing, specifically with Carson Benge.

That is about as great of a day for any player, rookie or otherwise, can have in baseball. But it’s representative of an ascent for a rookie the Mets really haven’t seen since Pete Alonso in 2019. Now, that rookie season will probably go unmatched for a long time, as Alonso set the rookie home run record that year with 54, won the rookie of the year award, and that helped ascend him to the most prolific home run hitter the club has ever had.

And that ascent is really necessary, as the Mets haven’t really graduated a rookie position player like Benge since Alonso seven years ago.

The Mets were really excited by Benge heading into the off-season, so much so that David Stearns said way back in November that Benge would have a chance to make the team out of camp. I actually didn’t believe him at the time - I thought that was GM speak, like so many do during that time of year, about their players, their rosters, their depth, and really an attempt to create leverage with agents through the media.

But, when the Mets went the curious route they did during the winter, a path became pretty wide for Benge to make the team, and Stearns repeated his message about Benge’s roster prospects numerous times throughout the winter months and at the beginning of Spring Training.

And, well, there he was starting for the weirdly configured Mets on Opening Day and flashing the promise Stearns had touted in the six months leading up to that date with a homer, stolen base, and two runs scored against Paul Skenes and the Pirates.

Now, it hasn’t been easy for Benge since that date, and there were times I seriously thought he should go back to the minors, especially as the Mets were floundering through April. He looked overmatched, overwhelmed, and often times flat out clueless at the plate.

That’s a long way of saying he didn’t look ready.

But, the Mets stuck with him, stayed patient, trusted his skillset, and allowed him to adjust and grow at the big league level. Over the last three weeks or so, it looks like that patience has paid off, as Benge has emerged as a legit All-Star candidate for the Mets and probably injected himself into the periphery of the rookie of the year race in the National League.

He’s flashing five-tool potential right now. He’s showing a combination of power, speed, elite defense, and contactability. He’s a dead-red hitter right now, which isn’t uncommon for a young, inexperienced hitter. But his bat speed is up to the task, and he is in the top percentiles in expected batting average. He will eventually have to make better adjustments against off-speed, especially as the league adjusts back to him, but his own ability to adjust midstream as a rookie offers a reason to believe he will figure that out when it happens.

But honestly, the most impressive part of Benge’s game that I’ve seen is his overall baseball IQ and the poise he’s demonstrated, especially as he struggled through the early part of the season. He’s an outstanding baserunner, he doesn’t make a lot of mistakes out there, and again, he’s an elite defender. All of those attributes on a contender make him an asset going forward, something you really never know about until you see it evolve in real time. We have seen countless highly touted prospects come and go around here over the years, but as I said before, this is the first one I’ve seen since Alonso that is catching my direct attention.

Benge is offering hope in what is a dire situation for the Mets this season.

Speaking of contenders, or contending…

I am a long way from buying into these Mets. Yeah, they’re just five games out of a wild card spot even with a lot of teams in front of them, and yeah, there are about 100 or so games left to figure all of this out. There are great signs from Bo Bichette and Marcus Semien, Juan Soto can carry this offense, and Francisco Lindor could be back sooner rather than later, which would be a huge win considering what that calf injury looked like when he went down on April 22. And sure, the bullpen is strong enough.

But, there are a lot of issues the Mets have to solve, not the least of which is getting through this June gauntlet well over .500, and figuring out how to get production out of at least two infield positions in the process while assuming Semien and Bichette can continue to carry their weight. And, we haven’t even talked about the starting rotation, which is its own problem that lacks both consistency and depth.

I mean, right now, Christian Scott, who hasn’t really pitched a lot over the last two years, is their best and most reliable starter. He has been great, no question about it. But, it’s unrealistic to ask him to carry the rotation the way he has over the last month or so, as great as he’s been.

The first step for this club will be to get back to .500. We have been saying that over and over again since that 12-game losing streak earlier in the year. And, given who is on the active roster right now, 19-15 since May 1 probably seems like an overachievement given the general underperformance from their highly paid middle infielders.

And unfortunately for the Mets, a 19-15 pace after being so deep in the tank probably won’t be enough for them.

But again, their star shortstop is getting closer. He should help, assuming those mental and physical lapses he had throughout April are a thing of the past. His return will bump one of Brett Baty or Mark Vientos in all probability (I am thinking Vientos, because he is among the worst values in the sport and is hardly playing anymore), and boost the overall production of the infield offensively and defensively. I’d expect the Mets to re-install Bichette at third and then Baty would be in some kind of mix at first base again, since there’s really no other place for the Mets to put Bichette anyway.

From there, we will see. The 19-15 record has likely punted the Mets’ decision on being a buyer or seller ahead of the trade deadline down the calendar a bit, as has the good news on the injury front to both Lindor and Francisco Álvarez.

The playoff format helps that as well, but when they’re back, the club is going to have to quickly re-position themselves in the standings in order for them to be a buyer this summer.

Around the League 🚩

• The Braves rallied for three runs in the seventh to finish off a sweep of the Pirates with a 3-2 win

• Jacob deGrom fired six scoreless innings as the Rangers blew away the Guardians 10-0

• The Phillies overcame another rocky start from Aaron Nola to win a 9-5 slugfest over the White Sox and improve to 35-30 on the year

• Homers from Cody Bellinger and Jazz Chisholm Jr. in the eighth inning powered the Yankees to a 6-1 win over the Red Sox

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• The Mets lost a heartbreaker to the Padres on Saturday, 3-2 (box)

• It was another fairly quiet night for the offense, as they mustered just two runs on six hits and three walks off old friend Griffin Canning

• RHP Nolan McLean gritted out a gutsy performance, finishing his night with three walks of his own but just one run allowed over his six innings

• 2B Marcus Semien continued his recent hot streak with a two-hit night, driving in both of the Mets’ runs

• Semien briefly gave the Mets the lead with a solo homer in the top of the seventh, but RHP Austin Warren promptly gave up a go-ahead two-run shot to Padres backstop Freddy Fermin in the bottom of the frame; it was Fermin’s first homer of the season

• CF A.J. Ewing worked two of the Mets’ three walks last night, including a masterclass of a plate appearance with two outs in the ninth to bring the go-ahead run to the plate in 1B Mark Vientos

• Vientos struck out on three pitches to end the game, his third of the night; he finished 0-for-4, and has struck out six times in his last 10 plate appearances

• The Mets are 1-27 this season when scoring two or fewer runs

Injury Updates 🏥

• C Francisco Álvarez (torn right knee meniscus) caught seven innings in back-to-back games this week and could return as soon as the next homestand

• RHP Kodai Senga (lumbar spine inflammation) has allowed seven runs over 12 rehab innings; he is expected to start for Binghamton on June 9, but there are no immediate plans to activate him until his performance improves

• INF Jorge Polanco (left Achilles bursitis) had his rehab assignment shut down due to ankle soreness; he is returning to New York for further assessment

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Play of the Game 🙄

Yeah…Austin Warren had a rough night.

After securing the first two outs of the inning, Warren misplayed a chopper from San Diego’s Sung-Mun Song. He then immediately hung a sinker to Fermin, who didn’t miss an inch of it.

Just Mets Podcast 🎙️

ICYMI: Rich went solo for the latest midweek episode to wax poetic on the current state (and immediate future) of Mark Vientos.

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Down on the Farm 🌾

• LF Ryan Clifford (No. 3 prospect, Triple-A): 1-for-4, 1 HR, 1 R, 2 RBI, 2 K

• 2B Ji Hwan Bae (Triple-A): 1-for-3, 1 HR, 1 R, 1 RBI, 1 BB, 1 K, 1 SB

• CF Cristian Pache (Triple-A): 2-for-4, 1 2B, 1 RBI, 1 K

• LHP Jonathan Santucci (No. 8 prospect, Double-A): 6.2 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 2 BB, 5 K

• 3B Nick Lorusso (Double-A): 3-for-4, 1 HR, 1 R, 2 RBI, 1 K

• LHP Daviel Hurtado (High-A): 5.1 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 5 K

BOX SCORES

Single-A STL | High-A BRK | Double-A BNG | Triple-A SYR

Today’s Game 🗓

Match-up: Mets (28-36) at Padres (33-30)

Where: Petco Park - San Diego, CA

Starters: Huascar Brazobán (3-1, 2.25 ERA) vs. RHP Randy Vásquez (5-3, 3.31 ERA)

When: 4:10 PM EDT

Where to Watch: SNY

Nolan McLean is going to be just fine! ✍️

It wasn’t his smoothest outing, but Nolan McLean was exactly as effective as he needed to be to keep the Mets in last night’s contest.

Over his six innings of work, McLean battled to the tune of 101 pitches. Though he allowed some traffic early and ran up his pitch count in the process, he settled down over his last few frames to keep the Padres’ bats quiet. Compared to his two big blow-up starts last month, this latest outing was a relative walk in the park.

After allowing just one run but five walks against the Marlins, it looked like McLean was getting back into form, if not still struggling a bit with missing bats or spotting things exactly where he wanted them. On Saturday, he demonstrated his ability to battle through the imperfections and stay effective — a very positive sign of rapid progression from a guy who’s still reasonably new to full-time pitching.

His location early in the evening may not have been as tight as one may have liked, but McLean fared better in the strike department against the Pads than he has in a few starts. Despite some big misses, he demonstrated enough command of the zone and his repertoire to find his spots when he needed to, and that’s exactly what you want to see from a young guy who’s getting his first real dose of professional adversity.

Here are McLean’s called strikes alongside his whiffs from Saturday:

This is a very illuminating illustration.

The fact that McLean was not just throwing his whole mix for strikes, but also landing whiffs and called strikes on all pitch types throughout the zone, suggests that he’s finding more feel for some of his more severe stuff. As the league continues to learn how to hit his pitches, the aggressive movement he’s made his name on to date will naturally matter less and less. Learning how to place each shape where he wants it will be the true key to his success in the bigs, and though it’s still early in his development, those roots appear to be taking shape.

Looking at McLean’s individual matchups from Saturday is an equally encouraging exercise. (I’ll chill out with the alliteration now.) Though he failed to find the zone entirely in some instances, and though his pitch count was high through the first few frames, the story being told by the per-plate-appearance charts is one of a pitcher who’s remembering how to attack hitters without fear. He was locating his fastball all night, and as he got more comfortable with it, he committed to it more, throwing it just 19% of the time in his first two times through the order and then a whopping 32% on the third trip while his sweeper took a backseat.

1. Spam hitters with your harder-breaking stuff early to spread the zone

2. Keep them honest with consistent sinker usage

3. Attack the corners and edges of the zone with increasingly frequent, straight-ahead heat on your final trip through the order

That’s good sequencing.

Though I recently said that all the mounting losses make it harder to celebrate the individual wins, I don’t feel that way this morning. As irritating as the repeated offensive anemia is, and as big a bummer as Warren’s seventh inning was, it’s easy to see and acknowledge the improvements McLean has shown since delivering two of the worst starts of his career just weeks ago. That tenacity is going to have a significant impact on the remainder of McLean’s season and career.

Given how impressive his raw talent is, it’s easy to forget that McLean is just 24 years old, with a mere 21 big league starts to his name. It shouldn’t be a surprise that he’s run into a few bumps in the road — what matters is that he gets past them. Saturday’s performance suggests he’s already pulling himself out of his short-lived doldrums.

McLean’s postgame comments offered some additional insight into his mentality amid his struggles:

“I try to take pride in forgetting about what happened. Even tonight, try to flush it as quick as possible, because it’s pretty irrelevant now. It’s on to the next start.”

That’s the right answer. Now let’s see what that next start has to offer.

Around the League 🚩

• Tigers ace Tarik Skubal is expected to make a rehab start today; he should rejoin the team after that

• Aaron Judge will be shut down for 4-6 weeks after seeing a specialist and undergoing multiple rounds of imaging

• Jacob Misiorowski threw 45 pitches over 101 mph in the Brewers’ 7-1 win over the Rockies in Denver, including a 103.7 mph monster that ranks as the fastest pitch thrown by a starter since tracking was implemented in 2008

• Presumptive AL MVP frontrunner Yordan Álvarez hit a grand slam to help propel the Astros to a 13-2 demolition of the A’s at home; it was his league-leading 22nd homer and brought his RBI total to 48—also tops in the AL

• Bobby Witt Jr.’s 400th career RBI sealed a dramatic win for the Royals on the road in Minneapolis, 3-2

• Guardians righty Tanner Bibee threw eight scoreless innings, ending a streak of 13 winless starts

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• The Mets opened up the final leg of their final West Coast road trip with a 5-0 win over the Padres at Petco Park on Friday night (box)

• RHP Christian Scott was excellent on the mound yet again, tossing 5.2 scoreless innings with three hits allowed, two walks and three strikeouts

• RHP Huascar Brazobán, RHP Luke Weaver, and A.J. Minter combined to throw 3.1 scoreless innings out of the bullpen, helping to secure just the team’s third shutout all year

• C Luis Torrens was the driving force offensively, going 2-for-3 with a double and his first home run of the year, while finishing with two runs scored and two RBIs

• 1B Jared Young hit his third homer of the year to get the Mets on the board in the first inning, finishing the night 2-for-4

• SS Bo Bichette continued to show what he’s capable of with an RBI triple in the third, while 3B Brett Baty went 2-for-4 with one run and one RBI as four Mets recorded multi-hit games

• The Mets are now 28-35 on the year after winning two straight and improving to 2-2 on the road trip

Injury Updates 🏥

• INF Jorge Polanco (left Achilles bursitis) didn’t return against the Padres after all, instead remaining with Triple-A Syracuse in order to get “more volume.” The plan is for the infielder to get four at-bats and at least seven innings of defense before rejoining the team. Polanco went 0-for-2 with two walks on Friday night

• C Francisco Álvarez (torn right knee meniscus) went 0-for-3 with a strikeout for Triple-A Syracuse on Friday night, and could return from the IL in time for the Mets next homestand on Tuesday

• INF Ronny Mauricio (fractured thumb) has started running but has yet to resume hitting activities

• OF Tyrone Taylor (right hip flexor strain) resumed running on Thursday

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Play of the Game ✨

There were plenty of highlights for the Mets on Friday night, with the pitching and hitting combining for a dominant outing in a rare joint effort.

However, I’ll go with Luis Torrens’ home run in the fifth inning.

Not only was it the veteran catcher’s first homer of the year, but it came at a pretty key point in the game.

With the Mets protecting a two-run lead, Torrens came to the plate with one runner on and one out, and proceeded to blast what proved to be the dagger to the heart of the Padres.

It was all part of a big night offensively for Torrens, who continues to prove his value to this team.

Just Mets Podcast 🎙️

On the latest midweek edition of the show, Rich recaps the Mets losing 2/3 to the Mariners and goes on an epic rant about how Mark Vientos turned into the worst player in baseball.

SUBSCRIBE: YouTube | Apple Podcasts | Spotify

Who’s Hot? 🔥

• RHP Christian Scott has now allowed just one earned run over his last three starts, striking out 16 over 16.1 innings

• LHP A.J. Minter has now not allowed an earned run over his last five outings, striking out six hitters in the process

• Over his last 11 games, C Luis Torrens is hitting .310/.375/.517/.892 with three doubles, five runs scored, and four RBIs

• Over his last six games, INF Jared Young is hitting .304/.360/.739/.1.099 with four runs and four RBIs

Down on the Farm 🌾

• RHP Jack Wenninger (No. 5 prospect, Triple-A): 5.1 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 3 K, 1 HR

• 3B Jacob Reimer (No. 4 prospect, Double-A): 1-for-3, 1 R, 2 RBIs, 1 BB, 1 HR, 1 SB

• C Chris Suero (No. 14 prospect, Double-A): 2-for-5, 2 R, 3 RBIs, 1 3B, 1 HR

• 3B Colin Houck (High-A): 1-for-3, 1 R, 2 RBIs, 1 BB, 1 HR

• OF Yohairo Cuevas (Single-A): 2-for-4, 1 R, 1 RBI, 2 2B

BOX SCORES

Single-A STL | High-A BRK | Double-A BNG | Triple-A SYR

Today’s Game 🗓

Match-up: Mets (28-35) at Padres (32-30)

Where: Petco Park - San Diego, CA

Starters: RHP Nolan McLean (3-4, 4.21 ERA) vs. RHP Griffin Canning (0-4, 7.16 ERA)

When: 10:10 PM EDT

Where to Watch: SNY

Notes on Christian Scott’s rising star and Luis Torrens’ value ✍️

Everything came together for the Mets on Friday night in San Diego.

The pitching was stellar all the way down, and the offense came up with timely hits, thanks mainly to the bottom of the order. It was just a really nice win, even if Juan Soto did show a real lack of hustle on an inning-ending groundout to first base in the third. Say what you want, but it wasn’t a good look, especially as it cost the Mets a run.

Anyway, Soto’s baserunning gaffe aside, it is a shame we haven’t seen it all come together like that more often this season.

In any case, rather than recap last night’s win, I want to instead focus on a couple of standout talking points, starting with the Mets’ hottest starter right now…

The Future Looks Bright

Christian Scott continues to be a real bright spot in what has been a lost season for the Mets so far. Since being promoted back to the big leagues on April 23, he’s been really, really good and hasn’t really made too many mistakes. He’s looked assured, and the confidence continues to grow.

It is easy to forget that there was a lot of hype around Scott once upon a time, and he was considered one of the franchise’s best young pitching prospects before he underwent Tommy John surgery. Of course, time stands still for no man, especially in baseball, and the likes of Nolan McLean, Jonah Tong, and Jack Wenninger all emerged in Scott’s absence.

However, while all the focus swiftly switched to other prospects, Scott remained focused and determined in the background, working his way back and waiting for an opportunity to remind Mets fans of just how good he could be.

We’re seeing the fruits of Scott’s labor right now.

He was excellent again on Friday, shutting out the Padres for 5.2 innings and throwing a season-high 98 pitches. He was efficient in his work, relying on weak contact and solid defense behind him to completely frustrate San Diego’s lineup. His command was there throughout, and the way he attacks the zone with ease is really impressive.

Having now lowered his ERA to 2.50 on the year, Scott has emerged as the Mets’ best and most reliable starter over the last month or so. With the rest of the rotation in flux, Scott has been a steady presence for this ballclub. With every other starter having to navigate ups and downs, Scott has gone about his work and delivered consistent results without any real drama.

And the good news is that there’s probably only more to come with Scott.

Firstly, he’s yet to be fully unleashed by the Mets as he continues to build himself back up. It is possible, and maybe smart, that the Mets spend the rest of the 2026 season building Scott back. Even so, we’re seeing signs that Scott has the ability, the potential, and the intangibles needed to become a big piece of this rotation for the foreseeable future. Maybe he could even develop as a legit No. 2 starter behind McLean one day. Now that would be a dangerous 1-2 punch at the top of the rotation.

We’ve obviously got a long way to go before we reach that point, but the fact remains that Scott is proving with every start that the Mets could have something really special on their hands.

And that’s worth getting excited about in what has been a car crash of a season so far.

Not All Heroes Wear Capes

Of the four professional major sports leagues in America, baseball is arguably the one most set up for no-name veterans to suddenly emerge as crucial pieces on a big league roster.

We see feel-good stories emerge all the time in this sport, and it is part of what makes baseball so great.

And we’re seeing that play out with Luis Torrens and the Mets right now. Although not a complete unknown, he did bounce around the majors before arriving in Queens. Since then, though, Torrens has established himself as a real valuable figure both in the clubhouse and out on the diamond.

He’s delivered consistent results behind the plate, and has contributed offense when it has been needed. Although it took him until June to hit his first homer of the year, Torrens has shown an ability to come through with a big hit. He also has nine doubles on the year already, making it entirely likely that he could set a new career-high in that category before the season is done.

More importantly, Torrens has proven time and time again that he can be relied upon. Emerging as the team’s everyday catcher with Francisco Alvarez on the IL, Torrens has combined defensive wizardry behind the plate with the odd game-changing performance at the plate, like the one we witnessed on Friday night. His ability to just do his job has ensured that Alvarez’s loss hasn’t been too detrimental.

Furthermore, it has long been crystal clear that having a workhorse like Torrens on the roster is beyond valuable. With Alvarez yet to stay healthy or fully put it together, Torrens has been able to step in and carry the load whenever he’s been asked to. And you can’t really put a price on that, if you ask me.

Yes, the likes of Juan Soto will attract all the headlines, obviously, but it is important every now and then to acknowledge and recognize the role Torrens plays for this team. Role players like that carry their own value, and Torrens has been nothing short of a revelation since arriving in Queens.

In baseball, you need more than just the big stars to be a team and be successful. You need guys like Torrens to act as the glue and be available to help win games in any way possible.

Torrens certainly does exactly that for the Mets. Not all heroes wear capes.

Around the League 🚩

• The Yankees officially placed star OF Aaron Judge on the IL with a stress fracture of the right rib (MLB.com)

• Called back up by the Yankees in light of Judge’s injury, OF Spencer Jones recorded three hits and one RBI in a 5-3 loss to the Red Sox

• C Adley Rutschman had himself a night, going 4-for-4 with five RBIs and just missing out on the cycle as the Orioles destroyed the Blue Jays, 13-3

• RHP Roki Sasaki set a career-high with 10 strikeouts over seven scoreless innings, and 1B Freddie Freeman hit a walk-off homer as the Dodgers beat the Angels, 1-0

• INF Luis García Jr. hit two of the Nationals’ five home runs in a mammoth 14-1 win over the Diamondbacks

• Rays RHP Drew Rasmussen struckout nine and tossed seven scoreless innings in a 6-0 shutout win over the Marlins

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• The Mets were off on Thursday - they open a three-game series with the Padres in San Diego on Friday

• SS Francisco Lindor starred in a new promo for Steven Spielberg’s latest movie “Disclosure Day” (MLB.com)

• The Mets’ youngsters in the outfield are living up to their “psychopath” nickname (MLB.com)

• RHP Christian Scott has looked strong since joining the rotation and has filled in admirably since Clay Holmes went on the IL (NY Post)

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Injury Updates 🏥

• INF Jorge Polanco (left Achilles bursitis) is expected to return this weekend against the Padres

• C Francisco Álvarez (torn right knee meniscus) went 0-for-4 with three strikeouts in his second rehab start with Triple-A Syracuse

Just Mets Podcast 🎙️

On the latest midweek edition of the show, Rich recaps the Mets losing 2/3 to the Mariners and goes on an epic rant about how Mark Vientos turned into the worst player in baseball.

SUBSCRIBE: YouTube | Apple Podcasts | Spotify

Down on the Farm 🌾

• RF Eli Serrano III (No. 12 prospect, Double-A): 1-for-2, R, HR, RBI, BB

• C Ronald Hernandez (High-A): 2-for-4, 2 R, HR, 2 RBI, K

• SS Mitch Voit (No. 6 prospect, High-A): 1-for-2, 2 R, 2 SB, BB

BOX SCORES

Single-A STL | High-A BRK | Double-A BNG | Triple-A SYR

Today’s Game 🗓

Match-up: Mets (27-35) at Padres (32-39)

Where: Petco Park – San Diego, CA

Starters: RHP Christian Scott (1-0, 2.97 ERA) vs. RHP Michael King (4-4, 3.18 ERA)

When: 9:40 PM EDT

Where to Watch: WPIX

Evaluating possible All-Star candidates on the Mets roster ✍️

The Mets had a much-needed off-day on Thursday as a go-between for their final trip to the West Coast. There were some injury updates in the last 24 hours with Francisco Álvarez and Jorge Polanco - both appear to be nearing their return, and the Mets can unquestionably use their top of the depth chart players on this roster right now. What they get out of them remains to be seen, and how long they can stay on the field always remains to be seen with these two players specifically.

In the meantime, All-Star balloting is officially underway for fans to vote in their favorites for the Midsummer Classic. For Mets fans, the enthusiasm might not be there given how poorly the team has played so far, but they do have some players who at least should be in the conversation, if not on the National League roster entirely.

First, obviously, is OF Juan Soto, who continues to be just fabulous despite the disappointing season from the club to-date.

He was snubbed last season in his first year with the Mets, which was utterly ridiculous despite his slow start last season. Hopefully, that gets rectified this summer. He did miss some time with that calf injury at the beginning of the season, but Soto is hitting .293/.380/.943 with 13 home runs and 29 RBI despite missing about three weeks in April. Since his return on April 22, he is fourth in the league among outfielders in fWAR, second in wRC+, second in slugging, and first in home runs.

Since every team needs a representative, and since it’s a no-brainer on paper anyway, Soto will probably end up with a roster spot. Does he start? Well, I don’t know about that just yet, but he has been the standout performer on an otherwise floundering offense here and continues to be one of the best hitters in baseball.

Now, a dark horse possibility is Carson Benge.

The rookie struggled adjusting to the big leagues in April, but since May 1, he has really come into his own and is in the top ten in many offensive categories. He is sixth in the league among outfielders in fWAR, eighth in wRC+, eighth in OBP, fifth in average, eighth in RBI, and fifth in average.

Unfortunately for Benge, the National League outfield race is a crowded field as it is almost every year. He not only has to compete with his teammate Soto but others such as Oneil Cruz, Pete Crow-Armstrong, Ronald Acuña Jr., Andy Pages, James Wood, Michael Harris II, and JJ Bleday. Unless he gets voted in by the fans, there is little chance Benge makes the team given the names he is up against. That doesn’t diminish Benge’s ascent as one of the top rookies in the league, but he might be a victim of the proverbial numbers game when it comes to rostering for the event.

RHP Devin Williams is another one who has turned his season around, although his rough April might do his All-Star bid in. He allowed at least one run in four consecutive appearances in mid-April, but since April 26 against Colorado, he has been nearly spotless, allowing runs in only one of 14 appearances since. He is sixth in the league in saves since that time and has a 2.77 ERA over that same time period, thanks to that one bad appearance against the Marlins in Miami in mid-May.

RHP Luke Weaver’s stats outshine Williams’s a bit, is actually third in the league in fWAR among relievers and has a 1.06 ERA since the end of April. But like Williams, he had a rough April (you can probably say that about most any Met). He has been lights out for the better part of two months, having not allowed runs since April 30 and has a 0.89 ERA over his last 18 appearances, dating back to April 18. He has been everything and more the Mets could’ve asked for when they signed him over the winter and, along with Brooks Raley, has been the club’s best reliever in 2026.

Even so, they’ll probably have to outshine Padres closer Mason Miller to have a chance, among others who are on actual contenders.

With the rest of the Mets underperforming or injured, nobody else is really deserving to make the National League All-Star team, but Juan Soto should be in Philadelphia this July representing the Mets.

Around the League 🚩

• Yankees All-Star slugger Aaron Judge was diagnosed with a stress fracture on his rib and will miss significant time but is expected to return before the end of the season (ESPN)

• Arizona Diamondbacks 1B Ildemaro Vargas and Los Angeles Dodgers 3B Max Muncy both exited the game after a scary collision at first base (ESPN)

• With the Trade Deadline approaching, what players could be on the move before the deadline passes? (ESPN)

• Why do the minor league teams of some organizations seem more injury prone than others? (The Athletic)

• Braves LHP Chris Sale struggled in Atlanta’s 7-2 loss the Blue Jays
  

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• The Mets salvaged the final game of their three-game series with the Mariners with a 7-1 win in Seattle (box)

• Freddy Peralta started for the Mets, gave up a run in the first but shutdown the Mariners over the next five innings, allowing six hits on the day with six strikeouts

• Brooks Raley, Luke Weaver and Joey Gerber provided three scoreless innings of relief

• In the fourth inning, Bo Bichette plated two runs with a single, Jared Young doubled in a run, and Carson Benge stole home, to give the Mets a four-spot in the frame and help the Mets pull away from the Mariners

• Bo Bichette had a four-hit game, his first of the season and first since last September 1

• The Mets are 5-2 in their last seven games, are 17-14 since May 1 and have scored 4.7 runs per game over those 31 games

Roster Moves 📰

• RHP Jonah Tong optioned to Triple-A Syracuse

• RHP Joey Gerber recalled from Triple-A Syracuse

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Play of the Game ✨

I love it when players steal home!

In the fourth inning with runners at the corners and two outs, the Mets executed a double steal - Juan Soto drew a throw from the Mariners to second base, paying no mind to the speedy Carson Benge at third, and that allowed Benge to score standing up to give the Mets a 4-1 lead. It was Benge’s 10th stolen base on the year, and Soto’s sixth.

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Down on the Farm 🌾

• OF Nick Morabito (no. 11 prospect, AAA): 1-for-4, 3B, R

• INF JT Schwartz (AA): 3-for-4, HR, 7 RBI, 3 R

• RHP Jose Chirinos (High-A): 5 IP, 1 R, 3 H, 3 BB, 4 K

• RHP Cam Tilly (Low-A): 5 IP, 4 H, 5 K

• LHP Connor Ware (Low-A): 4 IP, 1 R, 1 H, 2 BB, 4 K

BOX SCORES

Single-A SLU G1 | G2 | High-A BRK | Double-A BNG | Triple-A SYR

Today’s Game 🗓

The Mets are off Thursday. They open a three-game series with the Padres in San Diego on Friday.

Thoughts on Freddy Peralta and his value, and how the Mets can generate more offense ✍️

It wasn’t the greatest series for the Mets in Seattle this week. But it hasn’t exactly been a place the Mets had won at in recent years either. Until Wednesday, the Mets had lost seven straight games in Seattle dating all the way back to July 18, 2017.

As a matter of fact, the Mets have never really done well against the Mariners, going 10-19 overall against them entering play on Wednesday since interleague play began in 1997.

But Wednesday sang a different tune for the Mets against the Mariners in a generally efficient 7-1 win in their American League House of Horrors. Sure, they only went 3-for-15 with runners in scoring position, but they got a well-pitched game from Freddy Peralta, they scored a lot of runs against a good pitcher in George Kirby, and they also manufactured a run with the aforementioned double steal of home, something they need to do a lot more of in my view since they have such a Jekyll and Hyde offense.

The big knock on Peralta has been his inability to go deep into games. He has only thrown six innings or more in a game in five of his 13 starts on the year in 2026 and, for an ace and for a guy the Mets are leaning so heavily on in their musical chairs rotation, they do need more innings from him. And quite frankly, anyone who might be interested in acquiring Peralta ahead of the trade deadline needs to see him throw more innings more often as well.

But the innings he is providing are certainly high quality. He’s only allowed more than three runs in a start twice and, since his Opening Day start against the Pirates on March 26, he has a 3.09 ERA and averaging 5.6 IP per start. That ERA is probably a little lower than it should be considering he’s sporting a 3.89 FIP during that span of 12 starts, but having good defensive help and one of the Mets’ best attributes, believe it or not, has been their defense in an otherwise disappointing season so far.

For Peralta though, it’s about efficiency. He doesn’t walk a lot of batters by any means, but he falls behind in the count a lot, and often times has trouble putting hitters away, which tends to drive up his pitch count. This just may very well be what he is - he only averaged a shade over 5.1 IP per start in 2025, and for his career, he’s averaged around 5.1 IP per start. That could impact his value as a free agent, and potentially his trade value, especially since he hasn’t found a way to really break through that barrier significantly in his walk year. And, because his FIP is approaching a run higher than his ERA, one might conclude he would have to be on a team with a strong infield defense behind him.

Now, none of that is meant to diminish Peralta. Every pitcher has their weakness, including the greats. This feels like something Peralta can improve upon without changing his repertoire as much as his sequencing and pitching to more contact earlier in counts. That could impact his strikeout numbers for sure, but I’d rather have a pitcher who simply gets outs over six or more innings routinely than a pitcher who strikes out a lot of batters, but inefficiently over five or six innings. It was still a great get by the Mets - it would just be nice if the Mets had a better team behind him so we could enjoy the fruits of this trade more.

As for that offense, it was sleepy in Seattle over the first two games of this series, which is generally par for the course in 2026 outside of a few short stretches here and there. They have been better at home but they’re not exactly murderers row at Citi Field in 2026. But they’re scoring 4.5 runs per game at Citi Field compared to 3.6 on the road. That 4.5 number is actually fine - the magic number is always 4 and the Mets have 23 wins when scoring four or more runs in a game. The problem is, they’ve scored three runs or less in 34 games and two runs or less in 26 games.

That’s why I liked how Mets manager Carlos Mendoza went about the fourth inning on Wednesday. This offense stinks outside of Carson Benge, Juan Soto, and perhaps AJ Ewing, but one thing this team does have is speed, and he used that speed to manufacture that all-important fourth run with a double steal of Soto and Benge with runners at the corners and two outs. The Mariners went after the trail runner in Soto, and Benge was basically able to walk home with his speed to score.

I don’t know when the Mets are going to get Francisco Lindor back, I don’t know what they’re going to get out of Jorge Polanco when he gets back, and how long he will even be able to stay on the field. Francisco Álvarez will be back soon, but he’s also another mystery. And their June schedule is nothing short of a gauntlet. Yes, these are important pieces, but I honestly don’t expect the offense to transform when they return. So, if the Mets have any kind of prayer of salvaging their season over the next six weeks before they put up the “for sale” sign, they’re going to have to use what they have and be more creative in scoring runs, as they were on Wednesday. They can’t keep going up to the plate with the same meandering approach, day after day, getting the same (non) results, and expect this offense to eventually hit.

Why would it change otherwise? They have to use the talent and the skill they do have if they’re going to have any sort of shot.

Around the League 🚩

• Shohei Ohtani reached base five times and fired six scoreless innings to lower his ERA to 0.74 for the year as the Dodgers shut out the Diamondbacks 7-0

• Ozzie Albies and Mauricio Dubon each drove in three runs as the Braves rolled over the Blue Jays 7-3

• Cristopher Sánchez’s scoreless streak ended at 50.2 IP, but he still earned his seventh win of the year as the Phillies topped the Padres 3-2

• Logan Webb allowed just one hit over seven innings in the Giants 1-0 shutout of the Brewers

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• The Mets dropped their series in Seattle, falling to the Mariners 8-3 on Tuesday (box)

• RF Carson Benge continued his ‘psychopathic’ stretch at the plate with a two-homer night, providing all three of the Mets’ runs

• Mets hitters turned in a particularly undisciplined performance, striking out 11 times while walking just twice

• The Mets’ pitching faltered fantastically, surrendering eight runs on nine hits; three of them were homers

• LHP A.J. Minter was the lone bright spot on the mound as he delivered a scoreless eighth inning

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Injury Updates 🩺

• INF Jorge Polanco (left Achilles bursitis) advanced to Triple-A Syracuse and could be back with the big league team as soon as Friday, June 5

• C Francisco Álvarez (torn right knee meniscus) was expected to miss 6-8 weeks but started a rehab assignment on June 2; will return to MLB when he’s successfully caught seven-plus innings on consecutive nights

Play of the Game 😭

Tuesday was not Jonah Tong’s night.

After two (mostly) painless bulk appearances to start his 2026 MLB season, Tong started Tuesday’s appearance strong enough: he struck out J.P. Crawford and Julio Rodriguez to start his night, then escaped back-to-back errors from Marcus Semien and Mark Vientos in the third with a single unearned run.

But after a few scattered walks and hits led to another Seattle run in the fourth inning, Tong’s cracks were really starting to show — and Jhonny Pereda took full advantage.

After allowing consecutive singles to Cole Young and Dominic Canzone, Pereda smoked a leaking two-out cutter from Tong and planted it in the left field seats, putting the M’s up on the Mets by five runs.

It all but immediately put the game out of reach.

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Down on the Farm 🌾

• C Francisco Álvarez (Triple-A): 2-for-3, 1 2B, 1 RBI

• 2B Ji Hwan Bae (Triple-A): 0-for-2, 1 R, 2 BB, 2 SB

• C Chris Suero (No. 14 prospect, Double-A: 2-for-4, 2 K, 1 SB

• 1B Corey Collins (High-A): 1-for-3, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 1 BB

BOX SCORES

Single-A SLU (PPD) | High-A BRK | Double-A BNG | Triple-A SYR

Today’s Game 🗓

Match-up: Mets (26-35) at Mariners (33-29)

Where: T-Mobile Park – Seattle, WA

Starters: RHP Freddy Peralta (3-4, 3.55 ERA) vs. RHP George Kirby (5-4, 3.77 ERA)

When: 3:40 PM EDT

Where to Watch: SNY

Carson Benge looks great, but the Mets remain frustrating ✍️

How many more times can I write the same story?

Tuesday night’s loss to Seattle featured many of the bad habits that have defined many (if not all) of the Mets’ losses so far this season. Carson Benge put on a show, yet the rest of the offense put on a chase-rate clinic. Jonah Tong showed more flashes of his tantalizing potential, but simultaneously reminded us that prospect development is often a long and winding road.

And that’s what makes this season that much more frustrating: it’s becoming increasingly difficult to celebrate the small individual wins when they’re accompanied by an all-too-familiar loss.

Benge was far and away the biggest story of the day. That’s familiar territory for him recently — in his last 30 games, he’s slashing .304 /.375/.470 with four homers and 18 RBI. Benge continued building upon his breakout campaign, delivering the hardest-hit ball of his career in the process. In a recent interview, he said these games are starting to feel more like they did for him in high school and college. That’s a terrifying notion for opposing pitchers: he hit .340 with a 1.064 OPS in his two years at Oklahoma State.

After getting off to a not-so-powerful start to the spring, Benge’s pop is starting to push through to the surface of his game. Of his four homers in his last 30 contests, he’s hit three of them in his last seven games; he’s slugging .704 in that span. That’s quite a turn from the contact-first, oppo-heavy slap hitter profile he put on display for all of spring and through his first few weeks.

The problem, of course, is that beyond Juan Soto and a healthy Francisco Lindor, there just isn’t much consistent offensive firepower with which to build around Benge right now. (Keyword: ‘consistent.’)

Seattle’s Logan Gilbert obviously deserves some credit for the Mets’ offensive ineptitude. The Mariners’ staff simply does not walk people (league-best 2.56 BB/9), and Gilbert’s stuff was clearly more than good enough to get the job done…but the Mets did almost nothing to help themselves. Their team chase rate was characteristically high — 34% — ultimately resulting in an ugly 11 strikeouts against just two walks; that chase rate was accompanied by an equally poor 31% team whiff rate.

Though a lack of on-base traffic has been costing the Mets all season, a lack of free bases wasn’t what sunk their ship last night: it was their inability to rein in their swing discipline, an all-too-familiar issue with this lineup.

Now, onto the pitching.

A.J. Minter was the only Met arm to have a good night; all of Tong, Huascar Brazobán, and Cionel Pérez gave up homers. Braz gave up a two-run homer to Patrick Wisdom in the bottom of the second inning, but the Mets (Benge) responded immediately with a two-run homer in the top of the third.

Unfortunately, Tong was not the beneficiary of the same sort of run support before ultimately putting the team in a five-run hole.

Tong was getting swings-and-misses, and he elicited a near-40% chase rate, but the Mariners swung at nearly half of what he offered them, frequently attacking him when he came into the zone and eventually turning it into runs. Though it didn’t result in excessive walks in this outing, Tong’s stuff found the zone less than half the time on Tuesday, and though he was able to find the corners and edges regularly, those balls got batted around quite a bit.

It’s worth remembering that Tong is still only 22 years old. Young pitchers need time, development is seldom linear, bad outings are inevitable — you’ve heard it all before, because it’s all true. Tong remains a work in progress who has demonstrated why team officials remain so high on him. The primary issue with him remains one of consistency. (A theme is building…)

If he can figure out how to totally master his pitch mix and command the mound, Tong could certainly cement himself as a fixture in the Mets’ long-term rotational plans. But it’s worth questioning whether his development should continue at the big league level, at least through the All-Star break.

Granted, he’s only made three appearances so far, and the Mets admittedly don’t have a ton of appealing alternatives beyond yet more rookie promotions, but the rapid increase in on-base traffic and run scoring over his last two outings isn’t an encouraging trend. Of course, he’s only going to get better against big league competition by facing big league competition, but if his pitch shapes and attack angles aren’t fully realized, why not work on them in an environment where there’s less pressure on you to be ‘Right’ whenever you take the hill?

It seems a bit counterproductive to continue running out a work in progress when you have the option to take it back to the shop and define the details. Yes, the Mets need pitching length, and it’s completely fair to question where the club would turn for rotation help were Tong to go back down. But if he’s not contributing to the Win column as it is, the team probably wouldn’t lose much by taking a chance on another rookie anyway.

Forgive my bluntness this morning…I’ve very quickly grown weary of seeing the same recurrent issues pop up with this team. For every three-game win streak, they lose another four; if something’s going right, at least one other thing is probably going wrong. That’s an impossible rhythm to rally around, both literally on the field for the players and spiritually for fans. The same questions that have stunk up this team’s air from day one continue to linger after yet another loss so familiar it almost feels templated.

Until this team proves capable of finding some semblance of consistency on all fronts, there’s only so far it can go — regardless of who’s performing well or which rookie gets promoted next.

Around the League 🚩

• Aaron Nola turned in a vintage performance, tallying eight strikeouts over five innings to help the Phillies hold off the Padres, 3-2

• José Ramirez hit three doubles as the Guardians took down Cam Schlittler and the Yankees, 9-4

• Pete Alonso homered over the Green Monster, and the Orioles opened their series against the Red Sox with a win, 4-2

• Breakout Brewers lefty Kyle Harrison racked up a dozen strikeouts in a breezy 8-3 win over his former Giants

• Highly-touted Athletics rookie southpaw Gage Jump earned his first MLB win with a stellar seven-inning performance, allowing a single run on just three hits while striking out five Cubs in a 2-1 win

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• The Mets fell to the Mariners 3-2 in ten innings in their series opener in Seattle (box)

• RHP Austin Warren opened for the Mets and threw a scoreless first inning before hitting the leadoff hitter in the 2nd inning and exiting in favor of Sean Manaea

• As the bulk pitcher Monday night, Manaea was excellent, going five innings and allowing just one run on a solo homer by Colt Emerson

• Jared Young and Marcus Semien both clobbered solo home runs

• The Mets did not score in the top of the 10th, and then A.J. Minter served up the game winning hit to Cole Young in the bottom half of the frame

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Play of the Game ⭐️

This might be a little bit of a surprise, but the biggest play in this game was not the walk-off hit. Instead, it happened just before that.

After back-to-back disengagements by A.J. Minter, Randy Arozarena was able to get a running start to third base. Minter struck out Patrick Wisdom on a 3-2 pitch, but Arozarena easily stole 3rd base, putting Minter and the Mets behind the eight-ball.

A few pitches later, Cole Young was able to float an opposite-field single to end the game.

Just Mets Podcast 🎙️

On the latest episode of The Just Mets Podcast, Rich and Andrew finally get to recap a happy week as the Mets put together four straight wins!

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Down on the Farm 🌾

All Mets minor league affiliates were off on Monday

Today’s Game 🗓

Match-up: Mets (26-34) at Mariners (32-29)

Where: T-Mobile Park – Seattle, WA

Starters: RHP TBD vs. RHP Logan Gilbert (3-4, 3.69 ERA)

When: 9:40 PM EDT

Where to Watch: SNY

Midnight thoughts following the Mets series opening loss in Seattle ✍️

The Mets inexplicably played their 12th extra-inning game of the season on Monday night, meaning exactly 1/5 of their first 60 contests have required bonus baseball. As manager Carlos Mendoza admitted afterwards, all of these extra-inning games are “not ideal”, but there’s no sense lamenting about that now. Monday night was a tough loss for a club that was enjoying a winning streak as they were trying to dig out of said hole, and unquestionably a missed opportunity to keep their train going after failing for the umpteenth time to plate a ghost runner in extra innings.

But again, it’s neither here nor there.

Instead, let’s look at a few standout bullet-point thoughts coming out of the series opener on the West Coast.

Sean Manaea

To me, Manaea’s performance was the most noteworthy development on Monday night.

Entering the game in the 2nd inning as the bulk hurler, Manaea turned in easily his best performance of the season. In five innings, he allowed just a single run on a solo home run to young Colt Emerson. His velocity was up - he averaged nearly 92 mph on his fastball and sinker - he walked only one, and he pushed his pitch count up over 60 for the third straight outing.

One of the major concerns dating back to February regarding Manaea had been his velocity, and that issue extended into the early part of May. He wasn’t really getting over 88-89 mph very often, which limited his role to a long reliever since he couldn’t see a lineup more than once, maybe twice depending on the day. But now that his velocity has crept back up, and his performance has improved behind it, he has to be close to getting himself back into the starting rotation. Especially since using an opener in two of their five rotation spots is just not sustainable.

Jared Young

The Mets just got Jared Young back from the injured list a few days ago, and already he looks like somebody that will be hard to remove from the lineup, at least this lineup which doesn’t have that many compelling pieces. Young’s now homered twice in the last three days, and whether it’s at first base, left field, or DH, the Mets simply need his bat in there every day right now.

The nice part about Young is just that - he can be in that super-utility role the Mets envisioned for Brett Baty, who was expected to take over that role for Jeff McNeil. Young has only appeared in 16 games thanks to missing time due to meniscus surgery, so it’s a small sample for the Mets to consider. But, so far so good - Young has been one of the few good stories the Mets have had so far in 2026.

Curious Scheduling

The Mets had an eventful Sunday in Flushing where they finished off a sweep of the Marlins. Afterwards, they had to fly about as far as you can while remaining in the continental US. Coming cross-country all the way to the Pacific Northwest and crossing three time zones, it was more than a little curious that an off day wasn’t in order on Monday. Typically, that is the case for cross-country travel, and the Mets will have a day off when they return home from San Diego next week. New York’s offense looked seriously jet-lagged on Monday, and while the Mariners obviously have a sensational pitching staff, it’s not surprising the Mets looked tired.

The good news for the Mets is that this is their last swing to the West Coast. The bad news is that they’ve already had four, and while it’s not an excuse, there’s no way the stressful travel hasn’t impacted this club. Yes, they make a lot of money, but they’re still human beings— there’s no amount of money in the world that can mitigate physical stress on the body.

What happens next is the most important

We all know the Mets dug themselves a seismic hole to try to dig out of with a dreadful April. In mid-May, they appeared to be on a hot streak that could erase a lot of that misery, before slipping and falling backwards yet again. Heading into Seattle, the Mets had won their final four games of their recently completed homestand. This was never going to be an easy West Coast trip—we knew that even when the schedule first came out last summer—but after losing the opener, the Mets cannot afford to give back all of their weekend progress. New York simply has to respond tonight and in the subsequent days to follow.

Around the League 🚩

• Sandy Alcantara gave the Marlins seven strong innings and earned his 4th win of the season in Miami’s 7-3 win in D.C.

• Lane Thomas had three hits including a grand slam in the Royals 9-2 win over the Reds

• The Brewers pounded out 18 hits in a 16-2 drubbing of the Giants

• Jacob deGrom earned his 100th career win in the Rangers 2-1 win in St. Louis

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What’s Up with the Mets? ⚾️

• The Mets won their fourth straight game on Sunday, blowing out the Marlins by a 10-1 score (box)

• LF Juan Soto went 2-for-4 with a grand slam in the victory

• Soto is now batting .382/.469/.873 with nine home runs, 18 RBI, 16 runs scored, four stolen bases and a 1.369 OPS over his last 15 games played

• RHP Nolan McLean still looked rocky but gutted through five innings, allowing just a run on two hits and five walks with a pair of strikeouts

• RF Carson Benge blasted a leadoff home run (4) in the game, his first career home run against a left-handed pitcher

• 2B Marcus Semien had a big day at the plate going 2-for-2 with a home run (5), two RBI, two walks and two runs scored

• LHP David Peterson pitched the rest of the way for New York and was credited with a save thanks to a four-run effort in relief, allowing no runs and just two base runners

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Play of the Game ⭐️

You probably thought I was going to put Juan Soto’s grand slam here and just call it a day but there was a moment in this game that acted as a far bigger pendulum swing, in my opinion.

With the Mets leading 3-1 in the 4th inning, Luis Torrens had a big opportunity with the bases loaded and two outs. Moments like this – where the Mets have a chance to take a tight, butt-clenching game and turn it into a laugher – have so often eluded them this year. Who knows how many more games the Mets could’ve eeked out this year with a couple extra well-timed hits in situations much like this.

Unlike so many of those past moments, however, Torrens was able to deliver with an opposite field single to drive in two and extend the Mets lead to 5-1. This gave Nolan McLean and the team as a whole room to breathe, and they never looked back.

Just Mets Podcast 🎙️

On the latest episode of The Just Mets Podcast, Rich and Andrew finally get to recap a happy week as the Mets put together four straight wins!

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Down on the Farm 🌾

• 1B Ryan Clifford (No. 3 prospect, Triple-A): 2-for-4, HR (13), BB, 2 R

• CF Nick Morabito (No. 11 prospect, Triple-A): 2-for-4, HR (5), 3 RBI, BB

• LHP Jonathan Santucci (No. 8 prospect, Double-A): 5 IP, 3 H, 0 R, BB, 5 K

BOX SCORES

Single-A STL | High-A BRK | Double-A BNG | Triple-A SYR

Today’s Game 🗓

Match-up: Mets (26-33) at Mariners (31-29)

Where: T-Mobile Park – Seattle, WA

Starters: RHP Austin Warren (1-1, 1.40 ERA) vs. RHP Emerson Hancock (4-2, 2.78 ERA)

When: 9:40 PM EDT

Where to Watch: SNY

I’m not ready to fall for the latest glimmer of Mets hopium ✍️

The Mets looked like a significantly more competent baseball team over the weekend. They drubbed the Marlins over their three-game set, scoring a total of 25 runs in the process – a far cry from the two runs they scored against Miami the weekend prior – on their way to a sweep of the series and their fourth consecutive win.

Hits with runners in scoring position, grand slams, timely defensive plays, walk-off hits. Dare I say it… I actually had fun!

All that being said, I am nowhere close to allowing myself to fall for this latest glimmer of Mets hope. At least not yet.

I said it on Sunday night’s weekly recap podcast, but I’m viewing this weekend (and the four-game winning streak) with the same takeaway that I had for The Mandalorian and Grogu, which I also saw over the weekend: I was entertained, I enjoyed watching it, but it in no way makes any sort of impact on the larger story at play here.

I’m glad that the Mets played better. I’m certainly glad that they finally gave the Marlins a taste of their own damn medicine for once. But a four-game win streak against the lesser teams in the National League isn’t enough for me to think that this team has begun to turn any sort of corner.

I’ve already fallen for that trap multiple times this season, no more recently than when the team won six of seven in far more convincing fashion with a sweep vs. the Tigers, a Subway Series victory capped with the team’s first 9th inning comeback in two years, and a 10-run extra inning outburst vs. Washington. If this sounds familiar to you, that’s because this was literally only two weeks ago.

I think a lot of people were joining me in my newfound hope and optimism that the team had begun to turn a corner thanks in large part to their recent injection of youth with A.J. Ewing getting called up and Carson Benge ascending. And, as the Mets so often do, they rewarded that hope by quickly losing seven of their next eight games including a five-game losing skid.

Once that happened, I made a pretty firm decision that I wasn’t going to allow this team to suck me back in until they’ve shown me something more substantial. In seasons such as these, I think every fan needs to make their own mark in the sand of what that moment will be. For me, I think it’s getting back to a .500 record.

If the Mets can somehow, some way even their record after falling 11 games under .500 at multiple different times during these first two months, that would be enough for me to think that some sort of season could still be had here. But even after a four-game winning streak, and a month of May that actually saw the team compile a 16-12 record, they still have a ton of work to do.

For now I’m just going to enjoy the wins as they come, and set any sort of expectations to the side.

Oh, and watching that Juan Soto guy is pretty fun, too.

Around the League 🚩

• Mariners DH Victor Robles delivered a walk-off infield hit vs the Dbacks to give Seattle their sixth consecutive victory

• The Yankees used a 13-run inning – tied for their most runs in an inning in 106 years – to carry them to a massive victory over the A’s

• Dodgers RHP Yoshinobu Yamamoto struck out 10 batters and allowed no runs in the club’s 9-1 drubbing over the Phillies

• The Reds defeated the Braves by a 6-4 score, but star SS Elly De La Cruz exited the game with hamstring tightness and is set to undergo an MRI

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• The Mets won their third straight game on Saturday with a 6-1 win over the Marlins at Citi Field (box)

• Christian Scott started for the Mets and he was excellent over five innings, allowing one run on five hits with eight strikeouts to earn the first win of his Major League career - he now owns a 2.97 ERA for the year

• The Mets notched ten hits on the day including five extra-base hits, one of which was Hayden Senger’s first big league homer

• Carson Benge doubled twice, Marcus Semien doubled once, and Jared Young contributed a solo homer

• The Mets got four scoreless innings of relief from their bullpen behind Scott

• After optioning RHP Tobias Myers before Saturday’s game, Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said the plan is to stretch Myers out as a starter over the next two weeks, and assess whether or not he will be inserted into their starting rotation

Roster Moves 📰

• Optioned RHP Tobias Myers to Triple-A Syracuse

• Selected LHP Cionel Perez’s contract from Triple-A Syracuse

• Designated LHP Anderson Severino for assignment

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Play of the Game ⭐️

There were actually a lot of nice things that happened for the Mets on Saturday, not the least of which was their induction of both Lee Mazzilli and Bobby Valentine into their Hall of Fame.

I am going to tip my cap this morning to Hayden Senger for his first big league home run. He is such a great story, a grocery store worker turned big leaguer and someone who has worked so incredibly hard over the last two years to get to where he is. Every time I see him play or even hear his name, I immediately think of his journey and his trials as a player.

Good for him!

Just Mets Podcast 🎙️

ICYMI: On the latest midweek edition of the podcast, Andrew reacts to the Mets losing two out of three to the Reds and attempts to find five positives about the 2026 season so far…

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Mets Hall of Fame Induction 🎖️

Before Saturday’s game against the Marlins, the Mets inducted both Lee Mazzilli and Bobby Valentine into their Hall of Fame.

Here is the club’s tribute video to them, titled “Two of our own:”

Down on the Farm 🌾

• INF Ryan Clifford (no. 3 prospect, AAA): 2-for-4, 2B, BB, R

• INF Mitch Voit (no. 6 prospect, High-A): 2-for-4, HR, RBI, 2 R

• OF/INF Randy Guzmán (Low-A): 3-for-5, HR, 2 RBI, R

BOX SCORES

Single-A SLU | High-A BRK | Double-A BNG | Triple-A SYR

Today’s Game 🗓

Match-up: Mets (25-33) vs. Marlins (26-33)

Where: Citi Field - Flushing, NY

Starters: RHP Nolan McLean (2-4, 4.40 ERA) vs. RHP Janson Junk (3-5, 4.80 ERA)

When: 1:40 PM EDT

Where to Watch: SNY

A nice day full of nostalgia and promise for the Mets on Saturday ✍️

Saturday was actually one of the best days of the year for the Mets, when you really think about it.

Sure, they got a walk-off on Friday from MJ Melendez on Friday night, but that was after a game in which they jumped out to a big lead, blew it, didn’t look good in the process, but pulled a rabbit out of their hat in the end to beat a team that isn’t very good. And sure, it was that same not-so-good team they beat on Saturday, but it just felt like a very routine win in which they didn’t really make any mistakes, both physical or mental. They got some timely hitting, played quality defense, and got fun moments when Hayden Senger hit his first big league homer and Christian Scott earned his first big league win.

All of which was after the Mets held a very nice (and entertaining) ceremony to induct both Bobby Valentine and Lee Mazzilli into their Hall of Fame.

It just seemed like a routine game, something the Mets haven’t really had a lot of this year, if at all. I certainly can’t think of too many instances in which the Mets played a game, played well, and just commanded from start to finish.

It’s nice to write this morning about a truly positive day for this club. I don’t know how many more of these we will have this season, but I drew the lucky straw today, I suppose.

One of the quietly emerging positives for the Mets this season is Scott. He has been really good since he was promoted back to the big leagues on April 23 after missing almost two years while on the shelf as he recovered from Tommy John Surgery. If you recall, when he was brought to the big leagues two years ago, he was one of the organization’s most talked-about pitching prospects. At the time, Nolan McLean had basically just gotten here as a two-way player. There wasn’t much buzz around Jonah Tong yet, so there was Scott as the next best pitching prospect for the Mets, making his big league debut for a club who (surprise, surprise!) was desperately looking for starting pitching options due to both injury and underperformance.

But then, as it happens to so many pitchers, he went down with a torn UCL in his elbow, had Tommy John surgery, and that was the last we really saw of him until he made a start for the Mets against Washington on April 23, albeit a brief one because he was generally ineffective over 1.1 IP that day.

In the six starts he’s made for the club since, including a really strong effort on Saturday, Scott owns a 2.79 ERA. The Mets have yet to unleash Scott this season, as he’s only thrown 29 innings over those six starts and 30.1 IP in seven starts overall, but he has 38 strikeouts against 11 walks this season. It’s understandable the Mets are still building Scott up after missing so much time, but they’ll eventually need to stretch him out some more as he’s averaging under five innings per start.

Even so, if you exclude Clay Holmes from the mix, Scott has been the club’s best starting pitcher since April 23, sporting a 2.97 ERA. That’s impressive. Actually, it’s very impressive and a great surprise considering we really didn’t know what to expect from Scott at all this season. It’s a testament to his work ethic and the patience he had throughout the difficult recovery process (which is still ongoing) to not only get back to the big leagues and earn a spot in the rotation, but also stick and emerge as a significant piece to this roster and a long-term piece for wherever this organization is going at the moment.

Yesterday in particular, Scott got nine swings-and-misses between his fastball and sweeper. He actually increased his usage of that sweeper against Miami on Saturday, presumably because of the chase factor on that pitch and the Marlins’ clear willingness to go fishing on him, and it worked really nicely for him in his sequencing. He hasn’t gotten a lot of swings and misses in a generally small sample so far this season, but remember, he’s still working his way back, trying to find the feel and pitch shaping for all of this again, and generally trying to feel good out there every five days, and none of that is easy in year one back from TJS.

All of the signs are there for Scott to be a solid, top-of-the-rotation starter as he builds himself back, if you ask me. It’s going to take time for all of that to happen, and it may not even transpire in 2026, especially since they need to continue to build him back to where he needs to be physically for that to happen. He’s going to have the classic ups and downs every starting pitcher who goes through Tommy John Surgery has, plus he’s really still being developed into a big league starting pitcher at the same time.

But, how can you not be excited about what he’s flashing out there on the mound? If they can keep him on this track, straighten out McLean (which, there’s every reason to believe he will be fine) and Jonah Tong continues to show not only the stuff, but the poise he’s had since he returned, they might have something to at least build on in the center of the field going forward.

How they do the rest of it is anyone’s guess, since no other move has worked at all for this front office.

Around the League 🚩

• Pete Crow-Armstrong tallied four hits in the Cubs 6-1 over the Cardinals

• Fernando Tatís Jr. hit his first home run of the 2026 season, but the Nationals put up a six spot in the seventh inning and rolled past the Padres 9-4

• Ronald Acuña Jr. hit two home runs as the Braves became the first team to 40 wins with a 5-2 win over the Reds

• Alec Bohm and Edmundo Sosa homered as the Phillies edged the Dodgers 4-3 in LA

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• The Mets walked-off the Marlins in the 10th inning of a wild 9-7 in the opening game of the series at Citi Field on Friday night (box)

• DH MJ Melendez entered the game as a pinch-hitter and emerged as the hero, blasting a walk-off two-run homer in the bottom of the 10th. Melendez finished with three RBIs and a run scored

• RHP Freddy Peralta failed to go deep in a game yet again, allowing four runs - two earned - on seven hits with one walk and five strikeouts across 4.2 innings

• RHP Austin Warren came through clutch in the 10th inning, producing a huge 1-2-3 inning with a strikeout

• On the flip side, Manager Carlos Mendoza sent out RHP Tobias Myers for the eighth, with Myers giving up a two-run homer to blow what had been a four-run lead at one point

• On the offensive side, CF A.J. Ewing and 3B Brett Baty both came up with two-run singles in the bottom of the 1st, while 1B Mark Vientos hit a solo home run in the third inning

• LHP David Peterson will be moved to the bullpen, with LHP Sean Manaea set to slot in as his replacement (MLB.com)

• RHP Tobias Myers will be optioned in order for a fresh pitcher to be called up (The Athletic)

• The Mets will induct Lee Mazzilli and Bobby Valentine into the franchise’s Hall of Fame today. Fans are urged to be in their seats by 3:30 PM EDT

Injury Updates 🏥

• INF Jorge Polanco (left Achilles bursitis) blasted a three-run homer in his second rehab game with Double-A Binghamton on Friday night, finishing 1-for-1 with three RBIs and two walks. Polanco will play for Binghamton again on Saturday, and could re-join the Mets on the next road trip if all goes well

• C Francisco Álvarez (torn meniscus) continues to make incredible progress in his recovery, including taking full batting practice on Friday, and could start a minor league rehab assignment as early as next week

• SS Francisco Lindor (left calf strain) has resumed baseball activities and is progressing well, but there’s still no timeline for a return

• CF Luis Robert Jr. (herniated disc) still hasn’t resumed baseball activities, and has undergone a series of injections in order to get through rehab activities

• RHP Kodai Senga (Lumbar spine inflammation) will throw a bullpen session on Sunday, followed by another rehab outing

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Play of the Game ⭐️

This one is easy.

After failing to put the Marlins away and then blowing a lead late, you couldn’t blame Mets fans for having that sinking feeling as the game entered extra innings.

Well, enter MJ Melendez.

The outfielder was 5-for-45 at the plate in May and mired in a real funk, yet he found a way to come through in the clutch in the biggest way possible.

With the runner on second and one out, Melendez delivered his first career walk-off with a two-run bomb that sealed a second straight win for the Mets.

It was a special moment for Melendez, as well as a rare moment of joy for those Mets fans inside Citi Field.

Just Mets Podcast 🎙️

On the latest midweek edition of the podcast, Andrew reacts to the Mets losing two out of three to the Reds and attempts to find five positives about the 2026 season so far…

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David Stearns Speaks 🗣️

Mets President of Baseball Operations David Stearns spoke to the media before Friday’s game at Citi Field. Here’s a quick rundown of what he had to say…

• Stearns acknowledged that the Mets have dug themselves a hole, but stressed that it isn’t an “insurmountable hole.” He did also admit that the team will have to play a lot better baseball in order to achieve what they want to achieve this year.

• We’ve already seen plenty of youth movement this year, but Stearns said that any more callups will only happen if the organization believes those prospects are ready to contribute.

• Stearns admitted that injuries have had a sizable impact, but made clear that it is on the team to overcome those injuries.

• On the subject of injuries, Stearns also conceded that “one of the most frustrating parts of the season” has been the fact that the envisioned top of the order has hardly had any time together.

• Stearns still believes the Mets have the talent to be a “very good offensive team,” while again backing the coaching staff and certain players to be able to turn things around.

Down on the Farm 🌾

• 1B Christian Arroyo (Triple-A): 2-for-5, 1 R, 3 RBIs, 1 HR

• C Kevin Perada (Triple-A): 2-for-4, 1 R, 1 RBI, 1 2B

• LF JT Benson (High-A): 2-for-3, 1 R, 2 RBIs, 1 BB

• SS Elian Peña (No. 7 prospect, Single-A): 2-for-4, 3 R, 1 RBI, 2 BB, 1 HR

• 2B Jamari Baylor (Single-A): 3-for-6, 2 R, 2 RBI, 2 2B

• LHP Nicolas Carreno (Single-A): 5.2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 7 K

BOX SCORES

Single-A SLU | High-A BRK | Double-A BNG | Triple-A SYR

Today’s Game 🗓

Match-up: Mets (24-33) vs. Marlins (26-32)

Where: Citi Field - Flushing, NY

Starters: RHP Christian Scott (0-0, 3.20 ERA) vs. RHP Tyler Phillips (0-0, 1.07 ERA)

When: 4:10 PM EDT

Where to Watch: SNY

Yeah, they won but this isn’t fun ✍️

It says a lot about the current state of the New York Mets that it is hard to get excited about a walk-off win, doesn’t it?

MJ Melendez’s heroics sealed a second straight win, but it all felt rather arbitrary. I don’t know about you, but last night just didn’t resonate with me at all. Maybe that’s because the Mets did everything within their power to lose and it took one swing to escape with a win.

Or, rather, maybe it is because this team is just incredibly hard to root for right now. I feel as if all the fun and joy has been taken out of supporting this team.

And, if you ask me, that lies directly with the front office.

Linda did a great job on Friday at looking into whether or not it is time for Carlos Mendoza to lose his job, and that viewpoint has more credence today after Mendoza managed last night’s game horribly. He didn’t do himself any favors, that’s for sure.

But I’m not going to get into Mendoza’s job security, or into the finer details of last night’s win. Instead, I want to focus on the front office and, more specifically, David Stearns, because I think they are more to blame for the current feeling of apathy that is settling in around the Mets.

After all, Stearns is responsible for putting the product we’re currently seeing on the field, and it stinks. Again, over the course of a long season, even the worse teams in all of baseball will run into a winning streak here or there. The last two games don’t change anything. This is still a really fundamentally bad baseball team.

It is also a horrible team to watch on a daily basis. The starting pitching is a mess and was never fully addressed, despite the fact that the rotation sunk the Mets last year. And people wonder why six relievers were used on Friday night, potentially throwing the rest of the weekend into chaos. Sure, Freddy Peralta was a great get even if he’s only been so-so so far, and it isn’t on Stearns that the righty can’t go deep into games, but it is on Stearns that he didn’t do more to address a very obvious flaw.

It is also Stearns’ fault that the offense is a stinking hot mess. I mean, take Pete Alonso and Brandon Nimmo out of the lineup and replace them with Marcus Semien and Jorge Polanco (which has literally been negative value for this team), and this is what happens. Semien has clearly lost all ability to do anything at the plate, while Polanco can’t even get on the field. There are just too many pieces that don’t fit in that lineup, and that is squarely on Stearns.

Sure, injuries haven’t helped, nor has the fact that the likes of Bo Bichette have yet to really get firing. With that said, this team wasn’t exactly winning at a high clip with the likes of Francisco Lindor, Polanco, and Luis Robert Jr. all healthy. And maybe signing Bichette to play an alien position, when he’s hardly even a good defender to begin with, has contributed to the infielder’s sluggish start at the plate.

Furthermore, most days feel like a chore watching the Mets. We see the same mental mistakes and embarrassing brain farts over and over and over again, and there is never any urgency to correct those errors or adjust on the fly. It is as if the players have given up already. Either that, or they are simply just incapable of turning things around.

I would lean towards the latter being correct because the roster is just flawed. It is a mishmash of ugly parts that just don’t fit together properly, and that’s resulting in the mess we’re witnessing on the baseball diamond on a nightly basis. That isn’t a manager problem, it is a front office problem. And it is a whopping big one at that.

We’re not just dealing with a small sample size here, either. Since June 12, 2025, the Mets are 63-88, which is the fifth-worst mark in all of baseball. And that level of ineptitude is down to the fact that, outside of his first year, Stearns hasn’t been able to construct a roster capable of being just good, let alone competing.

And forget about making the postseason. Stearns’ failure to do the job he was hired to do has made this team unwatchable, and it has made moments like Friday’s walk-off win feel insignificant.

Firing the manager won’t change any of that. And if the Mets want to just stay relevant, let alone do anything else, and keep fans engaged at the same time, then holding the man responsible for building this hot mess accountable is the only way to do that.

If Stearns is allowed to continue to make the same mistakes over and over, then I fear it will be a long time before we have fun as Mets fans again. And owner Steve Cohen may lose a lot of goodwill unless he’s prepared to make the change that is actually needed, and not just a superficial one that makes it look like the team is doing something.

Around the League 🚩

• The White Sox are reportedly calling up top prospect INF Jacob Gonzalez, with INF Munetaka Murakami set to miss some time with a hamstring injury (ESPN)

• OF Bryan Reynolds crushed a walk-off two-run homer to lift the Pirates to a 6-5 win over the Twins

• LHP Justin Wrobleski struckout nine over seven stellar innings and the Dodgers got four home runs in a 4-2 win over the Phillies

• LHP MacKenzie Gore tossed 6.1 scoreless innings as the Rangers beat the Royals, 9-1

• The Blue Jays wiped out a five-run deficit to come from behind to beat the Orioles, 6-5

• LHP Carlos Rodón tossed six innings of one-run ball and three different Yankees homered in a 8-2 win over the A’s

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• The Mets were off on Thursday - they open a three-game series with the Marlins tonight at Citi Field

• OF Carson Benge has struggled at times this season but so far he has been able to overcome them and remain productive (Newsday)

• Mets’ hitting director Jeff Albert still believes in this lineup and thinks they can turn it around (NJ.com)

• RHP Huascar Brazobán, LHP Brooks Raley, and RHP Luke Weaver all didn’t allow a run to score, while combining for four strikeouts

• 2B Marcus Semien partnered with actor Hank Azaria to host a poker event for charity (SNY)

• Knicks superstar Jalen Brunson responded to OF Juan Soto doing his signature celebration (SNY)

Injury Updates 🏥

• RHP Kodai Senga (lumbar spine inflammation) made his first rehab appearance in Triple-A. He gave up three runs and struck out five in 3.2 innings of work

• RHP Clay Holmes (fractured fibula) will not need surgery for his injury, but it could still be months before he can return to action

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Just Mets Podcast 🎙️

On the latest midweek edition of the podcast, Andrew reacts to the Mets losing 2/3 to the Reds and attempts to find five positives about the 2026 season so far…

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Down on the Farm 🌾

• 3B Andy Ibáñez (Triple-A): 4-for-5, 2 R, RBI

• 1B Ryan Clifford (No. 3 prospect, Triple-A): 1-for-4, 2 R, RBI, HR, BB

• 3B Jacob Reimer (No. 4 prospect, Double-A) 2-for-4, R, RBI, 3 SB, BB, K

• 1B JT Schwartz (Double-A): 2-for-5, R, RBI, HR, 2 K

BOX SCORES

Single-A SLU | High-A BRK | Double-A BNG | Triple-A SYR

Today’s Game 🗓

Match-up: Mets (23-33) vs. Marlins (26-31)

Where: Citi Field — Flushing, NY

Starters: RHP Freddy Peralta (3-4, 3.52 ERA) vs. RHP Max Meyer (5-0, 2.52 ERA)

When: 7:10 PM EDT

Where to Watch: WPIX

Is it time, and/or would the Mets be right to fire Carlos Mendoza? ✍️

It is no secret that the Mets are a bad baseball team, and the current standings reflect that. Injuries and underperformance have put this team in last place in the division with a lot of ground to make up if they want to turn this thing around.

But the reality is, despite their win on Wednesday night against the Reds which was filled to the top with problems and issues, there’s really no true signal of a turnaround. They did look a whole lot better in the first half of May, but the second half of May has looked more like the second half of April between the mental mistakes, the bad at-bats and the mediocre-at-best pitching on a daily basis.

Earlier in the season, SNY”s Steve Gelbs reported that the team really did not want to fire Carlos Mendoza even after the Red Sox let manager Alex Cora go. The Phillies also fired manager Rob Thompson, and once again, the spotlight is on the Mets and whether or not they should move on from Mendoza, not so much for the losses specifically but in the way they’re losing and the lackadaisical play.

For instance, in the series against the Reds, David Peterson failed to back up third base on a ball in play with runners on, and at this level, that simply cannot ever happen and that caused SNY analyst Ron Darling to harshly questioning the coaching staff on-air.

Now, is opinion on the matter probably isn’t relevant to the front office, nor our ours, but this isn’t some grand revelation Mr. Darling unearthed, either. It has been a problem all year, and all under Carlos Mendoza' and the rest of the coaching staff’s watch.

Perhaps the reason Mendoza is still here - for now anyway - is that he was handed this coaching staff by the front office. They’re not hand selected by him, so it would be difficult to indict Mendoza for the poor hitting, or the bad defense, or for individual parts of the game the team doesn’t do well.

But, it’s hard to make an argument for Mendoza for their clear lack of preparedness and focus on the field, ie the mental mistakes and the lackadaisicalness.

After the disappointment of last season and again this season, the argument to fire Mendoza remains valid. In a twist of fate, the team is inducting Bobby Valentine into the team’s Hall of Fame this weekend. We are also approaching the anniversary of when his entire coaching staff was fired on June 5, 1999 after that highly-touted team arrived at Yankee Stadium under .500. GM Steve Phillips spent $165.9 million to upgrade the team that offseason, and when the team got off to a 27-28 start, heads had to roll. Pitching coach Bob Apodaca, hitting coach Tom Robson, and bullpen coach Randy Niemann were all let go after a 6-3 loss to the Yankees.

Of course, 27-28 is a lot different than 23-33. That 1999 team was also probably more talented for it’s time than this one, as expensive as this one is for it’s time.

The 1999 team then went on a roll that got them all the way to two games short of a World Series appearance. It was also a different time when the front office had less of an influence on the on-field operation of the team, which again, might explain why Mendoza and his staff are still here today.

There is an endless debate about whether making a coaching change does in fact help the team in-season. From an outsiders perspective, people always believe it inevitably lights a fire under a club and re-steers them in the right direction. It can be argued it worked in Philadelphia this season, and in 2022 when they fired Joe Girardi and replaced him with Thompson. But that is not always the case, and it probably happens less than most people want to realize.

This SB Nation article from 2012 looked at coaching changes in all four men’s leagues and found only slight improvement when a change was made. The same could be said for the two teams that fired their coaches this season. The Red Sox’s woes continue, whereas the Phillies improved. The Mets and Yankees have fired managers in-season in the past as well, which did not lead to the improvement they or the public sought.

And, that’s probably because those managers weren’t the biggest problem those clubs had.

At the end of the day, it all comes down to accountability, which Darling was alluding to. While stability is a noble goal for an organization that has had a lot of turnover, the more the play doesn’t improve, the more someone needs to be held accountable, and whether fairly or unfairly, that has to be the coaching staff. If they stay in their positions, the message you are sending isn’t one of stability but of tolerability. You are telling fans that this level of play is acceptable, which is not going to go over well, especially with this fanbase.

And a team that is 72-90 over their last 162 games - and trending further downward from there - with the same manager and GM is sorely lacking any sort of true accountability. They blamed people for sure - just look at the entire coaching staff they turned over and players they sent packing during the winter. But blaming people who weren’t necessarily their biggest problem or problem at all is not acting at all accountable.

Maybe the turnaround starts with this new series against the Marlins, but if it doesn’t, changes to the fabric of the team need to be made, and they can’t can the players, can they?

Around the League 🚩

• One day after the MLBPA put forth their first proposal, MLB countered with their proposal which introduces a salary cap to the sport (ESPN)

• Pirates rookie SS Konnor Griffin was out of the lineup with forearm tightness and is considered day-to-day (ESPN)

• The city of Sacramento officially unveiled its bid for an expansion team with a ballpark and funding details (Forbes)

• Umpire CB Bucknor is still dealing with health issues related to getting struck in the mask by a foul ball early in the season and has yet to return to calling games (The Athletic)

• There is a very deep field for this year’s NL Cy Young race (MLB.com)

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• The Mets snapped a five-game losing streak after beating the Reds 4-2 in the series finale in Cincinnati, avoiding a series sweep (box)

• In what was a bullpen game, relief pitching got the job done with RHP Jonah Tong serving as the bulk reliever, giving up three hits and four walks but limiting the damage by allowing just one unearned run over 3.2 innings

• RHP Huascar Brazobán, LHP Brooks Raley, and RHP Luke Weaver all didn’t allow a run to score, while combining for four strikeouts

• RHP Devin Williams loaded the bases in the ninth, walking three, but managed to keep his cool to come through and secure his eighth save of the season

• LF Juan Soto hit a solo blast in the bottom of the first inning - his eighth homer in his last 12 games

• DH Eric Wagaman hit a solo homer in his Mets debut, making it a 2-0 game in the second inning

• RF Carson Benge came up with a pair of clutch two-out hits, driving in two runs and emerging as the real difference maker

• The Mets went 2-for-6 with runners in scoring position, leaving six runners stranded on base

Injury Updates 🏥

• INF Jorge Polanco (left Achilles bursitis) featured in his first rehab assignment for Double-A Binghamton on Wednesday, going 1-for-2 with a single and a run scored

• SS Francisco Lindor (calf) was taking groundballs at Citi Field prior to Wednesday’s game

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Play of the Game ⭐️

I could have gone with Devin Williams eventually shutting it down for today’s POTG, but let’s face it, Williams got lucky.

Instead, I think the more consequential play happened in the bottom of the seventh inning. With the Reds having cut the lead to just one, Carson Benge came to the plate with two outs and a runner on second.

And, just as he did in the fifth inning, Benge came through with the clutch goods to drive in a run and make it a two-run game. That extra insurance run gave the bullpen some extra wriggle room and would prove crucial.

Overall, Benge played a crucial role in this win and again highlighted his growing importance to this team.

Just Mets Podcast 🎙️

ICYMI: Rich and Andrew met on the latest weekly recap pod to commiserate about this relentlessly miserable Mets team and to celebrate the NBA Finals-bound New York Knicks!

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Who’s Hot? 🔥

• LF Juan Soto now has eight homers over his last 12 games - the 12th different Met to accomplish that feat, and the first in over a decade

Down on the Farm 🌾

• DH Andy Ibáñez (Triple-A): 1-for-4, 1 R, 3 RBI, 1 HR

• SS Mitch Voit (High-A): 2-for-5, 2 R, 1 RBI, 1 HR, 1 SB

• RF John Bay (High-A): 2-for-3, 2 R, 1 RBI, 2 BB, 3B, 1 SB

• SS Elian Peña (Single-A): 3-for-4, 1 R, 1 SB

BOX SCORES

Single-A SLU | High-A BRK | Double-A BNG | Triple-A SYR

Today’s Game 🗓

The Mets are off on Thursday. They open a three-game series with the Marlins on Friday night at Citi Field.

It remains hard to trust this team right now ✍️

The Mets actually won a game of baseball on Wednesday night.

And, given that they had lost five straight before that, that alone should be worth celebrating.

However, and I’m sorry to play the role of party pooper here, but it is hard to get too excited over just one win.

After all, this is baseball. Even the very worst teams - and the Mets belong in that category - will run into a win every now and then over the course of a 162-game season.

It is hard to get juiced up over one win over the Reds in what was ultimately a series loss because, frankly, it is almost impossible to feel anything good about this entire organization right now.

In other words, welcome to the summer of apathy already.

It makes no sense to get wrapped up in just one win anyway, but it makes less than zero sense in this team’s case because they’ve already proven this year that they aren’t good enough to build on it.

They’ve shown kernels of hope before, only to fall flat on their faces the very next day. As Justin Mears put it so well the other day, it is always one step forward and four steps backwards with the Mets in 2026. That’s why last night will probably prove to be nothing more than a brief mirage in a deep, depressing oasis of misery.

The pitching isn’t built to offer sustained goodness, let alone excellence. The offense is an absolute hot mess that can only put up a handful of runs, if that, on any given night despite the fact that Juan Soto is on an absolute tear right now. And the entire team just seems incapable of playing with a pulse, adjusting on the fly, and showing any kind of ability to turn this thing around on a consistent basis.

This team is just awful and hard to watch, and one win over Cincinnati in late May won’t change my mind or pull me back in. I’m nowhere close to being Al Pacino in Godfather III at this stage.

I mean, look beyond the box score last night, and you will soon discover that the Mets were lucky to win that game. The bullpen did just enough to get the win, despite Devin Williams’ best attempts to throw it all away in the ninth. A.J. Ewing had to make a big play in the field. And, offensively, the lineup struggled outside of homers from Soto and, wait for it, Eric Wagaman, while Carson Benge came through with two clutch hits, both of which came with two outs. Furthermore, the Reds played a big role in their own demise by leaving 17, yes, 17, runners stranded on base.

In other words, the Mets ran into a lot of luck last night.

And, yes, while it is true you need a healthy dose of luck in order to be successful in any sport, luck alone won’t carry any team to the promised land.

There are still so many fatal flaws that probably won’t be able to be corrected in-season, and even one win these days has to be the result of a lot of good fortune.

The point remains that this is a poorly constructed, fundamentally bad baseball team, and one that is probably dead and buried already.

Even when healthy and with the likes of Francisco Lindor back in the lineup, I am not remotely convinced that this team has what it takes to go on another miracle run like they did in 2024. There are no good vibes in Queens this time around.

Plus, while getting bodies back will help, the likes of Lindor, Jorge Polanco, and Luis Robert Jr. won’t make all that much difference. They didn’t before getting hurt. And Soto is playing out of his skin right now, yet the team still stinks. So I don’t want to hear injuries as an excuse for why this team is so bad.

They just stink. Period.

So, at full health or not, I have no faith in this team to do anything, and winning one game out of three against the Reds isn’t, or shouldn’t, be enough to earn anyone’s trust or benefit of the doubt.

We need to see an awful lot more before we even think about buying back our stock in the 2026 New York Mets.

Around the League 🚩

• The MLBPA made its first proposal in what is expected to be lengthy negotiations with MLB owners as a labor war beckons (The Athletic)

• Kansas City Chiefs TE Travis Kelce has purchased a minority stake in the Cleveland Guardians, his hometown club (MLB.com)

• RHP Shohei Ohtani became the first Dodgers pitcher since Don Drysdale in 1959 to pitch six no-hit innings and homer in the same game

• LHP Cristopher Sánchez broke a 115-year-old Phillies record by extending his scoreless streak to 44 2/3 consecutive innings

• In just his second game back from Tommy John Surgery, RHP Gerrit Cole tossed 6.2 scoreless innings, striking out 10 with no walks

• OF Ian Happ had five RBIs to help the Cubs beat the Pirates, 10-4 and snap a 10-game losing streak

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