What’s Up with the Mets? 🎆

• The Mets defeated the Rangers 4-1 to take the series from Texas (box)

• The Mets are 26-13 at home this season which is the most wins at home by a National League team

• RHP Carlos Carrasco bounced back nicely from his last two poor outings, allowing just one run in 5.2 innings pitched while striking out eight

• The offense was almost a repeat from Saturday’s game as OF Starling Marte and 3B Eduardo Escobar both went deep to help power the Mets to victory

• For the second consecutive game, Marte blasted a first inning home run

• It was the third straight game with a home run for Escobar

• 2B Jeff McNeil had a RBI double in the fourth which was his 100th career double

• Manager Buck Showalter passed Tommy Lasorda for 22nd of all time in managerial wins with his 1,600th career win

• RHP Edwin Díaz earned his 18th save of the year

Injury Updates 🏥

• RHP Jacob deGrom completed his first rehab appearance striking out five in 1.2 innings

Who’s Hot 🔥

• Eduardo Escobar hit a home run for the third straight game and hit .364 with three home runs and six RBI in the series vs the Rangers

• Starling Marte went 1-for-2 with a home run and is now hitting .385/.488/.731 in his last seven games

• Edwin Díaz picked up the save and has given up just one earned run in his last 14 appearances

Today’s Game 🗓

Match-up: Mets (49-30) vs. Reds (27-51)

Where: Great American Ballpark — Cincinnati, OH

Starters: RHP Taijuan Walker (6-2, 2.72) vs RHP Hunter Greene (3-9, 5.72 ERA)

When: 6:40 PM EST

Where to Watch: SNY

Jacob deGrom returns to the mound for the first time in nearly a year 📝

Mets ace Jacob deGrom has not appeared on the mound in nearly a year, last pitching on a major league mound for the club on July 7, 2021 before his season ended prematurely due to injury.

There was that brief, beautiful day in spring training this year that teased Mets fans everywhere when both deGrom and Max Scherzer pitched in the same game, showing fans what glory could be in store for this season. deGrom started and Scherzer finished as the two combined to strike out twelve hitters in a 7-3 win. It was a tantalizing victory that seemed like just the start of what was to come for the two aces.

Unfortunately the dream was delayed when first deGrom, and then Scherzer both ended up with injuries. The first blow was when deGrom was diagnosed with a stress reaction during spring and would be out 4-6 weeks — which has now stretched to over two months. Then, of course, Scherzer suffered an oblique injury on May 18th and is only just now about to make his return tomorrow night.

That news was obviously music to Mets fans ears but the real crescendo was seeing deGrom back where he belongs, on the mound showing no mercy to opposing hitters. As we saw with the Palm Beach Cardinals in the past, he does not take it easy on 18-year-olds in Single-A. True to form the Jupiter Hammerheads were his latest victim, as deGrom struck out five of the six batters he faced while dialing his fastball up to 100 MPH as if he’d never missed any time at all.

While he is still a ways away from rejoining the big league club — the team has already said he’ll need 2-3 more minor league starts first — appearing on the mound again is a huge step in making that elusive dream from spring training a reality for the Mets.

Down on the Farm 🌾

• Mark Vientos (3B/OF, No. 4 prospect, Triple-A): 2-for-5, 2B, RBI

• Johneshwy Fargas (OF, Triple-A): 2-for-4, 2B, 3 RBI

• Brett Baty (3B, No. 3 prospect Double-A): 2-for-4, 2 runs scored

Box Scores: Triple-A | Double-A | Single-A | Low-A

Around the League 🚩

• The Braves were walked off by the Reds after tying the game in the top of the ninth

• The Padres rallied in the ninth to defeat the Dodgers after they had dropped the first three games of the series

• Nationals OF Juan Soto exited the game early with a left calf injury

• The Astros set a franchise record when they struck out 20 Angels in their 4-2 win over LA