Maybe a starting pitching option for the Mets is in the other dugout?
Also - the Mets got blasted by the lowly Pirates on Friday night
What’s up with the Mets? ⚾
The Mets got ripped by the Pirates 9-1 on Friday night in Pittsburgh (box)
David Peterson started for the Mets and he was ineffective for a second straight start, allowing five runs in only 4.2 IP
Blade Tidwell relieved Peterson and didn’t fare much better, as he allowed four runs in 3.1 IP
The Mets offense was silenced by Mitch Keller and the Pirates bullpen - they went 0-for-9 with RISP while scattering only six hits on the night
The offense came from Juan Soto, who belted a line drive solo homer in the fourth inning
Roster Moves 📰
RHP Griffin Canning placed on the 60-Day Injured List with a ruptured left Achilles
RHP Blade Tidwell recalled from Triple-A Syracuse
LHP Colin Poche (#83) selected to the MLB roster
INF Mark Vientos reinstated from 10-Day Injured List
RHP Austin Warren optioned to Triple-A Syracuse
INF Jared Young optioned to Triple-A Syracuse
Injury Updates 🏥
RHP Griffin Canning (ruptured achilles) underwent surgery on Friday morning - he is expected to miss the rest of the season
Play of the Game 🌟
It definitely wasn’t a Met who provided the play of the game last night.
It was a former Met, however.
Alexander Canario slugged an RBI double in the second inning which proved to be all the Pirates would need against the sleepwalking Mets. Of course, the Bucs would go on to score seven more runs but this was really the hit that began the firestorm on the Mets.
Stats of the Day 📊
Over his last 27 games, Juan Soto is hitting .337/.491/.787 with four doubles, 12 home runs and 21 RBI with 30 hits, 27 runs scored and 26 walks
Over his last 30 games, Brandon Nimmo is hitting .313/.378/.539 with five doubles, seven home runs and 15 RBI with 36 hits and 18 runs scored
Down on the Farm 🌾
RHP Nolan McLean (no. 5 prospect, Triple-A): 6 IP, 2 ER, 3 BB, 4 K
RHP Jonah Tong (no. 4 prospect, Double-A): 6 IP, 1 ER, 3 H, 3 BB, 8 K
RHP RJ Gordon (High-A): 6 IP, 1 ER, 6 H, 6 K
INF Trey Snider (Single-A): 4-for-5, R
RHP Wellington Aracena (Single-A): 5.2 IP, 2 H, 2 BB, 8 K
BOX SCORES
Single-A STL | High-A BRK | Double-A BNG | Triple-A SYR
Today’s Game 🗓️
Match-up: Mets (48-35) vs. Pirates (34-50)
Where: PNC Park - Pittsburgh, PA
Starters: RHP Paul Blackburn (0-2, 6.62 ERA) vs. LHP Bailey Falter (6-3, 3.59 ERA)
When: 4:05 PM EDT
Where to Watch: SNY
Maybe a starting pitching option was staring the Mets in the face on Friday? ✍️
That game had a familiar tune to it, didn’t it?
An ineffective start, the team in an early hole, and a nine-inning sleepwalk from the offense.
I thought we may have gotten past that after the Mets split their series against the Braves this week? Well, maybe not.
It was just another day that underscored the need for David Stearns to pull a rabbit out of his hat and find starting pitching ahead of the trade deadline.
Now look - I don’t want to get on David Peterson’s back here. He had been brilliant leading up to his start against the Phillies last Sunday. There have been obvious command issues and poor strike quality in these two starts, and I fully expect him to figure this out and return to being the staple he had been for more than a year in this rotation. He has matured so much, grown as a pitcher and a professional, and as he always says, he is now healthy and able to live up to the promise he showed all the way back in 2020 when he first joined this rotation.
The truth is, it was unfair to expect Peterson to give the Mets 30 Cy Young-quality starts this season. Even the year’s Cy Young winner - whether it ends up being Peterson or not - will have a few clunkers in there. It happens.
The problem for the Mets, of course, is this is bad timing for Peterson to have a bad run of starts considering the rotation is an absolute mess and only getting messier by the day, it would seem. They just can’t give the Mets effective starts on a routine basis right now.
The good news is, as the Mets will have us believe anyway, is these clunkers are giving the high-leverage relievers more rest now. Since Carlos Mendoza finds himself behind by so many runs all the time these days, he is using his middle-inning/low-leverage relievers more and his shorter relievers less.
I guess there are silver linings to be found, if you choose to see the glass as half full.
As for the offense, we all know the odds of coming back in a game where they trail by four or more runs are very slim. Such deficits make every at-bat high leverage, which causes players to either chase or be way too selective. This happens with every team, which is why it’s so rare for teams to mount dramatic comebacks in games. It doesn’t excuse a poor performance, but that’s usually what attributes to blackouts in these kinds of games. They were down big early, and with what’s really half a lineup out there, it makes it too hard to really put much together in that situation.
Over the last week or so, we have been talking about the starting pitching a lot. I mean, no kidding, right? It’s an absolute mess riddled with injuries, and it all started when Kodai Senga went down with his hamstring injury two weeks ago. Between the injuries and inevitable regression, here we are with a completely different dynamic in these games, although the Mets did get two great starts on Wednesday and Thursday.
In the end, though, I feel like David Stearns will need to act with a significant move soon and well before the trade deadline. They can get away with five starters for the time being, but they barely have that right now. They could also look to give Nolan McLean a shot in the rotation when they need a sixth starter, as he has done nothing but excel at Triple-A short of needing to cut down on his walks at that level.
We know where this is going - the Mets have to prioritize their pitching staff in the trade market this summer.
Now, I am not necessarily warm to this idea, but perhaps an option for them was staring them right in the face on Friday night.
Yes, it was Mitch Keller, who always seems to show up against the Mets.
He’s a solid, steady pitcher. You know what you’re getting every week from him. He isn’t an ace - rather, he’s a mid-rotation starter who is going to throw 160 innings or more for the fourth straight year and be at around 4 with his ERA. His strikeout rate is down from last year, and he’s going to be more of a pitch-to-contact guy, but he keeps the ball on the ground, and most importantly for this pitching staff, he doesn’t walk a lot of batters.
Keller, 29, is under contract through the 2028 season. He’s earning $15.4 million this season and will earn $16.9 million in 2026, $18.4 million in 2027, and $20.4 million in 2028. That’s the part I don’t love, but those salaries could still prove to be a bargain over that period of time.
In theory, the Mets can absorb all of that, which would reduce the prospect currency going back to the Pirates. That’s not to say they wouldn’t have to surrender talent in return, but this seems like a match on paper for the Mets.
The problem is, the Pirates are one of only a few non-contenders in the marketplace, and pretty much every contender is looking for pitching right now. So, that could result in a team needing to overpay for Keller in prospects even if that team is willing to take on all of the money.
But, Keller has to be on the table for the Mets. Anyone with a pulse right now has to be on the table for the Mets too, but Keller seems to be a match for what the Mets could be looking for out there.
Around the League 🚩
The Phillies slugged five home runs in their 13-0 shutout of the Braves - they are now 1/2 game ahead of the Mets for first place in the NL East
The Orioles destroyed the Rays 22-8, and overcame a six-run deficit early in the process
José Berrios threw seven shutout innings as the Blue Jays pounded out 16 hits in their 9-0 rout of the middling Red Sox
Will Warren gave the Yankees 5.2 shutout innings and Jazz Chisholm Jr. homered in their 3-1 win over the A’s
I don't think we're quite at the point where we need to trade prospects for a front line starter. Let's see where we are when Senga and Manaea (and maybe Megill, too) are back.
But if it comes to that, Keller is a good fit. I still think — and it pains me endlessly to say this — a trade with Kansas City makes sense, too: they'd love to have Luisangel Acuña to pair with Bobby Witt Jr., and Alvie would be just the guy they'd want to pick up the mantle from Salvador Perez.
You can just imagine the results of that mentoring, by the way.
All that being said, it's going to take a lot to get Stearns to move any future production to fill present needs. He won't pull the trigger unless there really is no in-house solution, even a temporary one.
When Lindor’s not hitting our offense looks like it’s asleep. Was hoping Vientos would come back from his rehab on fire but instead he’s watching fastballs down the middle. The pitching has become non-competitive most nights which is discouraging. Hopefully we can turn things around soon!