What’s Up with the Mets? ⚾️
The Mets got shut out by the Pirates, 9-0 (box)
RHP Robert Stock got roughed up in his three innings of work, allowing eight runs on nine hits and five walks; he also tallied four strikeouts
RHP Xzavion Curry threw three scoreless innings of relief of Stock, with four walks and four strikeouts
Luis Torrens came in for position-player mop up duty in the seventh inning, surrendering a homer to Brandon Lowe but not much more over two innings
The Mets had nothing to offer offensively, scattering three singles from SS Francisco Lindor, CF Luis Robert Jr., and C Francisco Álvarez across the contest, but none ever even reaching scoring position; Robert Jr. was caught stealing in the team’s only attempt of the day
Roster Moves 📰
INF Gabriel Arias activated
INF Eric Wagaman optioned to Syracuse
Injury Updates 🏥
LF Carson Benge (left wrist) is day-to-day with a bone bruise in his hand; all imaging came back negative
The Just Mets Podcast 🎙️
ICYMI: On the latest edition of the Just Mets Podcast, Rich MacLeod recaps the Mets impressive sweep over the Guardians and discusses the state of the team post-trade deadline.
SUBSCRIBE: YouTube | Apple Podcasts | Spotify
Down on the Farm 🌾
SS Ronny Mauricio (Triple-A): 4-for-4, HR, 2 2B, 4 R, 5 RBI, BB
3B Jefferson Rojas (No. 1 prospect, Double-A): 3-for-4, 3B, R, 3 RBI, SS
SS Mitch Voit (No. 6 prospect, Double-A): 2-for-3, 2B, 2 R, BB, K
RF/LF Aidan Smith (No. 14 prospect, High-A): 3-for-7, HR, R, 3 RBI, 2 K
SS Sammy Stafura (No. 11 prospect, High-A): 3-for-4, 2 2B, 3 R
BOX SCORES
Single-A SLU (Gm1 / Gm2) | High-A BRK (Gm1 / Gm2) | Double-A BNG | Triple-A SYR
Today’s Game 🗓
Match-up: Mets (51-67) at Pirates (58-61)
Where: PNC Park - Pittsburgh, PA
Starters: LHP Sean Manaea (3-5, 4.33 ERA) vs. RHP Jared Jones (2-3, 4.02 ERA)
When: 1:35 PM EDT
Where to Watch: SNY
Even when the major leaguers don’t shine, the new minor leaguers do ✍️
Eh. They were due for a dud. Can't win ‘em all, right? 😂
The Mets didn’t get no-hit yesterday, but they may as well have. Three hits, no runners past first base, one walk against nine strikeouts, near-30% team whiff rate on a 51% team swing rate…you get the picture, just not good.
And yet, this loss doesn’t feel anywhere near as bad as all the ones that have preceded it this season.
Maybe it’s the fact that they just won four in a row fresh off a fire sale….or maybe it’s the fact that about a week after the deadline, just about all of the Mets’ new “big name” additions to the farm system look like they’re working overtime to cool down David Stearns’ exec chair.
In keeping with Andrew Steele’s future-focused spirit from yesterday’s entry, let’s check in on some brand-new Future Mets who (potentially) stand to play a role in 2027-28:
Jefferson Rojas (No. 1) - The Mets’ new top prospect got off to a bit of a quiet start for his new team, but a three-hit day on Saturday should certainly help get him going. A well-rounded prospect with a solid glove and a beloved bat in multiple circles, Rojas probably won’t ever develop into a true power threat, but it doesn’t feel ridiculous to forecast him as a future 20/20-caliber big leaguer. All of the tools are present (50+ grades across the board, 50 FV on FanGraphs), and with Bo Bichette owning opt-outs this winter and in 2027, the Mets would certainly welcome that type of production slotting right into his place the moment it’s vacant.
Sammy Stafura (No. 11) - According to Mets prospect guru Joe DeMayo, this guy is the real deal. The Hudson Valley native has gotten off to a hot start with his new team, collecting five hits in his first three games, three of them doubles. Though Stafura’s definitely got some swing-and-miss in his game that needs to be tamed, a steady double-digit walk rate throughout his minor league career offsets a bit of that damage. Stafura’s also fast, which helps him both on the basepaths and in the field. He’s got a 55-grade glove and a 65-grade run tool, while reportedly generating an average EV of 90 mph — if he can stem some of that strikeout frequency without the slug suffering, this kid could be something serious. Him being a lifelong fan of the franchise is just the cherry on top.
Aidan Smith (No. 14) - Smith has arguably gotten off to the hottest start since joining the Mets. He got straight to work after getting traded, jumping into Brooklyn’s lineup the next day. In five games since, he’s had three multi-hit performances, with three homers, six RBI, and a stolen base. While Smith’s last couple of minor league seasons haven’t gone exactly to plan, this first week in Brooklyn has demonstrated precisely how good a bat he has to offer when everything is clicking. As with Stafura, a 30% K rate just isn’t going to work, but Smith offers tools that open up multiple ways to score runs: though his overall numbers took a big step back in 2025, he still managed a 114 wRC+ on the season despite a .237 average by producing 122 total runs (14 homers) and stealing 41 bases. He’s also a very good defender — a common theme among this prospect haul.
Émilien Pitre (No. 17) - I know it’s en vogue to say right now, but I was thrilled to see Pitre’s name among the return for Freddy Peralta. Though I suggested then-Rays’ No. 17 Brayden Taylor as a possible return target for Peralta, Pitre was my Plan B; I ended up choosing Taylor for the positional versatility, but both players are .900 OPS infielders with great tools. (Taylor did eventually end up in the NL East at the deadline, funny enough — he’s a Marlin now.) He boasts a 17.7% BB-10.6% K ratio across 91 MiLB games this year…that’s absurd. He’s also posting a .338 BABIP, averaging .310 outright, and he’s stolen 32 bases, producing 103 total runs. With a plus-grade glove on top of everything else, I wouldn’t be remotely surprised to see a Ewing-esque promotion timeline for him over the course of the next year.
Cole Mathis (No. 18) - Acquired in the David Peterson trade with Chicago, Mathis’s start with the organization has been a bit quieter, though still plenty prodcutive. He’s slashing .253/.337/.494 over his first 29 at-bats as a Met, and though he hasn’t delivered much in the way of pop, he’s shown advanced restraint at the plate, walking six times against seven strikeouts in his first nine games. That level of plate discipline will help him significantly provided it sticks level to level; so far, it has.
Gary Gill Hill (No. 19) - After allowing at least two runs in all of his previous ten starts, Mr. Gill Hill kicked his Mets tenure off on a strong note, allowing just three hits over five scoreless innings, walking two while striking out four. Hill, another New York native (Westchester), likely has the highest ceiling of the pitching talent picked up at the deadline. He doesn’t have a true standout putaway pitch just yet, but everything in his four-pitch mix has graded out above-average to date (including a fastball that touches 97), and he’s historically been adept at limiting baserunners. The ability to locate high-heat consistently is massive for the foundation of a repertoire; if the Mets can help him develop a true plus-offering that works off a steady high-velo offering, don’t be shocked by a cup of coffee early next season.
And the fun doesn’t stop there! The unranked slugging corner infielder Billy Amick already has four homers and 10 RBI in six games for Binghamton while hitting a clean .333; the similarly unranked RHP Luke Gabrysh just tossed 9 K’s over four innings. Outfielder John Spikerman (No. 28) has three singles, a walk, and two stolen bases in his first ten at-bats — not bad. Gabe Davis (No. 20) gave up three runs on five hits in his three-inning Mets debut — not awesome, go get ‘em next time. Bruin Agbayani (No. 29) hasn’t played since May as he recovers from a shoulder injury…but hey, Benny Agbayani’s son is a Met!
Obviously, there are no guarantees to be made around any of these players; some of them could be gone again as soon as this winter if the trade price is right. But after watching guys like Ryan Clifford hit .099 for the month of June and Jack Wenninger hover around a 1.50 WHIP all season, there’s a unique combination of pride and relief accompanying this particular haul of prospects performing well on immediate impact.
The Mets’ farm has looked more exciting in the last week than it has all season long. Yet another reason to keep paying attention.
Around the League 🚩
Former Met and future Hall of Famer Max Scherzer passed the legendary Walter Johnson for tenth on the all-time strikeout list with his 3,516th K (MLB.com)
Edwin Díaz blew a save for a second-straight night, but Shohei Ohtani delivered a game-winning RBI single to give the Dodgers a 2-1 win in Arizona, ending their losing streak at seven games
Old friend Clay Holmes made his first start back in the bigs since fracturing his leg, allowing four runs on six hits over four innings with two walks, a strikeout, and a homer allowed to…
Jac Caglianone, who went a perfect 4-for-4 from the plate, hitting two doubles and two homers with four RBI in the Royals’ 6-3 win over the Cubs
Sandy Alcántara threw seven scoreless innings in a 7-0 Marlins blowout, setting the franchise record for career innings (his third franchise record set this season)
Thanks for the rundown. There's reason for optimism. There's also a reason for fear, since unless some big acquisitions over the winter come through, our bullpen next year figures to be crap. Btw, "LF Carson Benge (left wrist) is day-to-day with a bone bruise in his hand; all imaging came back negative" is contradictory. A bone bruise is basically focal bone marrow edema. It's diagnosed by MRI, not anything else. So, some of the imaging is indeed positive, but of course far less serious than it could have been.
I could tell from looking at the lineup....and the starting pitcher, that this was one of those throwaway games. Luckily the Mets aren't in the midst of a race as in the past when Mendoza would present an inferior lineup for an important game.