Mets ready to take on red hot Cubs in Queens

Plus, how's an old friend doing in San Diego these days?

What’s up with the Mets? ⚾

• The Mets were off on Thursday - they open a three-game series with the Cubs at soggy Citi Field on Friday night

• The Mets overhauled their hitting development, and they are starting to see results with the Brooklyn Cyclones (The Athletic)

• 1B Pete Alonso lost his home in Hurricane Helene last season but has been able to put his tumultuous offseason behind him (Sportico)

• OF Juan Soto’s slow start to the season should not be cause for concern since he has turned it around recently (MLB.com)

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Down on the Farm 🌾

• OF Carson Benge (No. 3 prospect, High-A): 2-for-3, 2 BB

• 1B Ryan Clifford (No. 4 prospect, Double-A): 2-for-5, HR, R, 3 RBIs

• OF A.J. Ewing (No. 27 prospect, High-A): 3-for-5, 2 R, K

BOX SCORES

Single-A STL | High-A BRK (SSPD) | Double-A BNG | Triple-A SYR

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Today’s Game 🗓️

Match-up: Mets (24-14) vs Cubs (22-16)

Where: Citi Field - Flushing, NY

Starters: RHP Clay Holmes (4-1, 2.95 ERA) vs. RHP Jameson Taillon (2-1, 3.86 ERA)

When: 7:10 PM EDT

Where to Watch: SNY, MLBN (out-of-market only)

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Checking in on José Iglesias in San Diego… ✍️

Jose Iglesias recently gave an interview where he said he was shocked he did not get a contract offer from the Mets this past offseason, given his success with the 2024 squad. Iglesias and the 2024 Mets will forever be intertwined with the “OMG” phenomenon that overtook the fanbase, and he will always be a beloved member in Mets lore, but it was time to move on.

OMG aside, Iglesias is now 35 years old and has struggled mightily so far this season. He is hitting just .225/.281/.270 with zero home runs and ten RBIs. His OPS is just .551, and he is sporting a paltry 62wRC+. All of that is good for a -0.4 fWAR. His walk rate is down, and his strikeout rate is up. His groundball rate is way up, and his hard hit percentage is way down. These are all troubling signs for the player and how productive he can be this season.

The Mets, on the other hand, even without Nick Madrigal, have a bit of a crowded infield. Luisangel Acuña has forced his way into the lineup and is a tough bat to sit down. He is batting .295/.357/.364 with zero home runs and five RBIs, but he also has nine stolen bases. He has proven versatile in the infield and has filled in at second base when Jeff McNeil was out and has also proven he can play third, which is a positive development with Mark Vientos still struggling.

The Mets will soon have to make a decision on Ronny Mauricio as well, who has almost completed his rehab assignment. The Mets most likely will keep him in the minor leagues, but he could be another option as the season progresses.

Brett Baty is also back with the team after Jesse Winker went down with injury, so the Mets have a lot of players that need playing time. Iglesias would just complicate the situation further without really adding much to the lineup.

Iglesias was a fun story, but Stearns made the correct call moving on, especially since there are others struggling on the Mets right now. He should get a nice welcome when the Mets play the Padres in the future, but his departure has helped the 2025 team move itself forward.

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Around the League 🚩

• The new Pontiff is a White Sox fan and went to games often during their 2005 Championship run (Chicago Sun Times)

• Comedian John Oliver has offered to rename a minor league team after doing a segment on his show Last Week Tonight (MiLB.com)

• Red Sox slugger Rafael Devers said he is not interested in another position change and won’t play first base with Triston Casas out for the season (ESPN)

• The Pirates fired manager Derek Shelton and named bench coach Don Kelly as the interim manager (ESPN)