Mets need their stars to step up and deliver true greatness, right now
Now is the time for this Mets core to own the moment and become heroes. Plus, New York battles to an ugly but crucial win in Toronto...
New York Jets fans: subscribe to our football newsletter and podcast, Just Jets đ
Whatâs Up with the Mets? âŸïž
The Mets didnât make it easy for themselves but were able to edge past the Blue Jays 3-2 in the series opener in Toronto on Monday night (box)
RHP Tylor Megill, who was a late replacement for RHP Paul Blackburn, delivered his best outing of the year, tossing six scoreless innings with just one hit allowed and two walks, while striking out nine
It looked to be a tough night for the bullpen, who tried to hand the game to Toronto. LHP Danny Young and RHP José Buttó combined to allow the tying and go-ahead runs in the bottom of the seventh
RHP Ryne Stanek stepped up in relief in the eighth, striking out all three batters he faced, before RHP Edwin DĂaz got through the ninth to earn the save and the win for New York
DH J.D. Martinez gave the Mets the lead in the top of the fourth with a two-out RBI single to score 1B Pete Alonso
Both Tyrone Taylor and Eddy Alvarez - in the game as pinch-runners - scored on wild pitches in the eighth to make it a 3-2 game
SS Francisco Lindor was announced as the Mets nominee for the 2024 Roberto Clemente Award
RHP Noah Syndergaard revealed on The Terry Collins Show that he would âlove to come home to NYâ and play for the Mets again one day (TTCS Podcast)
RIP, Ed Kranepool đ„
It was announced on Monday that Ed Kranepool sadly passed away at the age of 79 after suffering from cardiac arrest in Boca Raton, Florida.
The Hall of Famer spent his entire career with the Mets, and was an integral part of the 1969 World Series team, hitting a crucial home run in Game 3.
Kranepool was a one-time All Star and was an ever-present at first base for the Mets between 1962-1979. He finished his storied career with a .261/.316/.377/.693 slash line, to go along with 1,418 hits, 118 home runs, 536 runs scored, and 614 RBIs.
Kranepool remains the franchise leader all-time in games played with 1,853. He also ranks third in at-bats (5,436), second in plate appearances (5,997), ninth in runs scored (536), third in hits (1,418), third in total bases (2,047), fourth in doubles (225), fifth in RBIs (614), second in singles (1,050), seventh in runs created (638), eighth in extra-bases hits (368), third in times on base (1,886), second in sacrifice flies (58), and third in intentional bases on balls (89).
Steve and Alex Cohen released the following statement in the wake of Ed Kranepoolâs passing:
âWe are incredibly heartbroken to learn of Ed Kranepoolâs passing. He was an original Met, who debuted at age 17 in 1962. After starring at James Monroe High School in the Bronx, he would go on to play for his hometown team for the next 18 years, the longest tenured player in franchise history, appearing in 1,853 games with the Mets. Ed hit a home run in Game 3 of the 1969 World Series to help the Miracle Mets capture the title. He was inducted into the Mets Hall of Fame in 1990. Ed continued to work tirelessly in the community on behalf of the organization after his playing career ended. We cherished the time we spent with Ed during Old Timersâ Day and in the years since. Hearing Mets stories and history from Ed was an absolute joy. We extend our thoughts and prayers to his family and friends.â
Our thoughts and prayers go out to Edâs family and friends at this very sad time.
RIP, Ed Kranepool.
Playoff Race đ
With the Braves losing to the Reds on Monday, the Mets moved a game ahead for sole possession of the final Wild Card spot in the National League after taking the series opener in Toronto.
Both the Padres and the Diamondbacks were off on Monday.
The Mets are a game back of the Diamondbacks for the second Wild Card berth, and 1.5 games behind the Padres for the top Wild Card spot.
There are 18 games remaining.
Per FanGraphs, the Mets have a 59.6% chance of making the postseason.
New York has the seventh hardest remaining schedule in MLB the rest of the way.
Tiebreakers:
vs. ATL: 5-5
vs. ARI: 4-3 (finished)
vs. SD: 5-2 (finished)
vs. CHC: 4-3 (finished)
vs. STL: 4-2 (finished)
Roster Moves đ°
INF Eddy Alvarez, acquired in a minor league trade from the Red Sox on Sunday, selected to the major league roster
INF Pablo Reyes designated for assignment
Injury Updates đ„
RHP Paul Blackburn was scratched from his start in Toronto on Monday with back discomfort. He will remain on the injured list until at least the weekend, and will go for further evaluation and imaging if the symptoms donât improve by Wednesday
Whoâs Hot đ„
RHP Ryne Stanek has a 1.17 ERA over his last seven outings, having allowed just one earned run with just two walks and three hits and 11 strikeouts in 7.2 IP during that span
RHP Edwin DĂaz has been unbeatable over his last seven appearances, not allowing a run while giving up just two hits with one walk and 14 strikeouts in seven innings of work
Down on the Farm đŸ
RHP Jonah Tong (No. 10 prospect) was named the Eastern League Player of the Week for Double-A Binghamton after throwing six scoreless and no-hit innings with nine strikeouts and no walks in his debut
All four Mets minor league affiliates were off on Monday
Todayâs Game đ
Match-up: Mets (79-65) vs. Blue Jays (68-77)
Where: Rogers Centre - Toronto, Canada
Starters: LHP David Peterson (9-1, 2.75 ERA) vs. RHP Chris Bassitt (9-13, 4.30 ERA)
When: 7:07 PM EDT
Where to Watch: SNY
The Mets need their stars to own the moment âïž
Thereâs no such things as style points in professional sports.
It is a good job, really, considering how ugly the Metsâ win over the Blue Jays was in the series opener on Monday.
In a game devoid of any offense or any real excitement, New York needed two wild pitches and a lot of assistance from their hosts in order to get the train back on the tracks and return to winning ways.
After an absolute gem from Tylor Megill - arguably one of his best outings all-time in a Mets uniform - the bullpen threatened to implode with Danny Young and JosĂ© ButtĂł handing the tying and go-ahead runs right to Toronto. You can certainly question Carlos Mendozaâs decision to pull Megill after just six innings when he was clearly locked in and dealing. But, despite the wild adventures of the seventh inning, Ryne Stanek struckout all three hitters in a dominant eighth before Edwin DĂaz worked through a tricky ninth to get the job done.
It wasnât pretty by any stretch of the imagination, but a win is a win is a win.
However, there is no escaping the fact that unless the Mets start getting big-time contributions from their stars, they may not get so lucky the closer we get to October.
The top of the lineup struggled again with the first four hitters going a combined 0-for-13 with two walks and six strikeouts. Thatâs after the top five hitters in the lineup went a combined 0-for-16 against the Reds on Sunday.
Not good.
Francisco Lindor has now gone three consecutive games without a hit. Pete Alonso continues to struggle in clutch situations. Brandon Nimmo is hitting just .184 since the All-Star break. And Francisco Alvarez, despite recording a hit on Monday, still remains engulfed in an all-time slump.
At the risk of sounding like Captain Obvious, the Mets need a whole lot more from their big hitters if they are to punch their postseason ticket.
And, should they get to October, they will then need their stars to embrace the moment and deliver when it matters most.
Lindor, for as elite a season as he is having, will need to step up and carry this team over the next couple of weeks and again in October. If he canât get his bat going again, his MVP-caliber season will quickly be lost to history.
Alonso, if he truly wants to be remembered as one of the best hitters in Mets history, will need to mash at a high level and actually come through in clutch situations.
Nimmoâs legacy will always be tainted if he canât help lead this team to the postseason, and his time in Queens will largely be looked at as a failure if he canât put this team on his shoulders in the biggest moments.
As for Ălvarez, he is very much the future of this team but, given his sustained struggles since the All-Star break, he too will be painted with the same brush as the rest of the old core if he canât produce some October magic.
Now is the time for Lindor to cap off the best year of his career. Now is the time for Alonso to hit a monster home run that will live on in lore forever. Now is the time for Nimmo to finally have a signature moment in a Mets uniform. Now is the time for Alvarez to prove that he can really be the future face of this franchise.
Now is the time for the stars of this team to step up and achieve true greatness when it truly matters.
Because, if not now, then when?
Around the League đ©
The Braves dropped their makeup game to the Reds, recording just two hits in a 1-0 shutout loss in Atlanta
Kody Clemens hit a walk-off RBI single to score Bryce Harper and help the Phillies edge past the Rays, 2-1
Former Mets draft pick Kumar Rocker will make his MLB debut for the Rangers on Thursday against the Mariners
Actor James Earl Jones, who appeared in iconic baseball movies âField of Dreamsâ and âSandlot,â passed away on Monday at the age of 93
Phenom rookie Paul Skenes made more history on Monday night, passing Cy Blanton for the most strikeouts by a rookie in franchise history. Skenes now has 151 strikeouts through 20 games
The line up seems like suckers for pitches out of the strike zone. Never the les we are back in control of the post season. Megill has a live arm and last night he had control of his pitces, mainly because he threw a lot more strikes. Just keep winning!!
Bats need to wake up. Starting pitching has been amazing. We can catch SD!