The Mets have a conundrum with Luis Robert Jr.
Also - the Mets bombed the Braves at Citi Field on Monday thanks in part to big nights from Francisco Lindor and Tyrone Taylor
What’s Up with the Mets? ⚾️
The Mets won the opener of their series with the Braves, pummeling Atlanta 14-3 on Monday at Citi Field (box)
Francisco Lindor enjoyed a monster night at the plate, crushing a pair of home runs, a triple, and driving in six runs
A.J. Ewing had three hits and scored two runs out of the leadoff spot
Tyrone Taylor and Marcus Semien each had three hits including a homer
LHP Zac Thornton started for the Mets and was excellent again, going 6.1 IP and allowing three runs on six hits and a walk
Every Met in the line-up had at least one hit
Play of the Game ✨
Tyrone Taylor did it yet again!
After supplying the heroics on Sunday, Taylor connected on a three run blast in the seventh inning to essentially put this one out of reach for the Mets, and the rout was on.
The Just Mets Podcast 🎙️
On the latest edition of the Just Mets Podcast, Andrew was joined by Alex Cintron to discuss Carlos Beltran’s induction into the Baseball Hall of Fame.
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Down on the Farm 🌾
All Mets minor league affiliates were off on Monday
Today’s Game 🗓
Match-up: Mets (45-62) vs. Braves (62-44)
Where: Citi Field - Flushing, NY
Starters: RHP Christian Scott (3-2, 3.13 ERA) vs. LHP Chris Sale (11-6, 2.19 ERA)
When: 7:10 PM EDT
Where to Watch: SNY
Maybe the Mets should keep Luis Robert Jr. for 2027? ✍️
Like so many evaluators and scouts before them, the Mets front office fell in love with the offensive potential and upside of the uber-talented Luis Robert Jr. this winter.
The soon-to-be 29-year-old is a physical specimen who can do pretty much everything on a baseball field. He has plus speed, he’s a dynamic defender at a premium position in center field, and his power is simply intoxicating.
From the moment he stepped on the field for batting practice in Port St. Lucie in February, it was overwhelmingly clear that the ball just came off of his bat differently than other hitters.
The rub, however, is that in seven Major League seasons, he’s only been able to play in more than 110 games once. Robert is consistently hampered by injuries. This season he went down in April and missed nearly three months with a herniated disc in his back.
Since returning, a week ago, Robert has looked rusty at the plate, aside from a pair of absolute tape-measure home run blasts.
So therein lies the dilemma. Robert clearly has immense offensive potential that scouts still believe can be fully tapped into. His contract holds a $20 million option for 2027, which would be a bargain if he could just stay on the field and be productive.
But this has gotten complicated. The emergence of Carson Benge and A.J. Ewing, along with the presence of a guy named Juan Soto, sure makes it feel like the Mets outfield is set moving forward.
Robert’s return two weeks prior to the trade deadline does not feel like an accident. The Mets were obviously anxious to get him back and showcase him for potential suitors. And they would be stupid not to listen to offers. And while I would be more than willing to move Robert if an overwhelming return was offered, what can they really expect for a guy who has missed the majority of the season and is only hitting .210?
I may be in the minority on this, but I am in the camp of potentially hanging on to Robert if a suitable trade package is not offered, and the reason is a potential defensive alignment that has not been discussed much to date.
Yes, Ewing has been phenomenal as a rookie in center field. And yes, he certainly looks like he could be the long-term answer for the Mets both there and in the leadoff spot in their lineup.
But you know what? He was also drafted as a second baseman. And played more than 50 minor league games there. The Mets have used him on the dirt once as part of an in-game defensive realignment.
Despite homering in back-to-back games, it’s abundantly clear Marcus Semien’s days as a productive regular are over. And the Mets don’t have another real internal option to take over position number four for the future.
So would it really be that far-fetched to at least consider getting Ewing reps at second base to see if he could do it at this level? And if he can, would hanging on to Robert suddenly look more feasible? That’s a difficult proposition too considering the Mets have Semien’s contract on the books for two more years after 2026, but they simply have to find ways to improve the team, even if it means eating some crow on people like Semien.
This conversation is going to come to a head one way or the other in the next week. But I’m serious that if I were involved with the Mets front office, I’m not just going to give Robert away for crumbs. If no suitable offer is made from a rival club, I would hold him and start using Ewing at second base regularly. The rest of 2026 is turning into a tryout camp; we might as well turn over every rock to see what might work.
Around the League 🚩
The Marlins scored three 9th inning runs capped by a Griffin Conine walk-off single to stun Jhoan Duran and the Phillies 8-7
Coby Mayo homered and drove in three in the Orioles 8-5 win in Detroit
Joc Pederson homered twice to propel Texas to a 7-3 home win over the Mariners