What’s up with the Mets? ⚾️
The Mets clinched their series against the Rangers with a 7-2 win in Texas on Wednesday night (box)
RHP Nolan McLean was excellent in his final start of the year, delivering seven gritty innings with two earned runs allowed on three hits, one walk, and five strikeouts
RHP Devin Williams marked his return off the IL with a perfect inning in the eighth, before LHP Cionel Pérez closed it out in the ninth with a scoreless inning
DH Juan Soto gave the Mets an early lead in the top of the third inning with a two-run home run - his 27th of the year. Soto finished with two runs scored, two RBIs, and three walks
2B Marcus Semien got revenge against his old team with a solo go-ahead blast in the eighth to make it a 3-2 game, before 1B Brett Baty, in the game as a pinch-hitter, crushed a grand slam to effectively seal the win
The Mets are reportedly adding former Twins president of baseball ops Derek Falvey to the front office, although he won’t be the GM (The Athletic)
RHP Kodai Senga’s role is very much up in the air and how he will be used in the future will be decided over the coming weeks and months (SNY)
Roster Moves 📰
LHP Philip Abner claimed off waivers from San Francisco, optioned to the FCL
RHP Xzavion Curry designated for assignment
Play of the Game ⭐️
You could argue that Marcus Semien homering against his former team was critical given that it represented the go-ahead run.
That is true.
However, it was still only a one-run ballgame, and the Rangers, needing to win with the playoffs in mind, could have rallied in the bottom of the ninth.
Well, Brett Baty ensured that wouldn’t have really mattered anyway.
The Texas boy put on a show in his home state by launching a no-doubt 455-foot grand slam in the top of the ninth inning to effectively put the game away.
Baty’s pinch-hitting heroics sealed the series win for the Mets, while also showing that he could be worth keeping around in 2027.
The Just Mets Podcast 🎙️
ICYMI | On an emergency edition of The Just Mets Podcast, Andrew and Rich react to the breaking news that Andy Green has been named as the club’s manager through the 2029 season.
SUBSCRIBE: YouTube | Apple Podcasts | Spotify
Who’s Hot? 🥵
Over his last 30 games, INF Brett Baty is hitting .348/.439/.609 with a 1.048 OPS
Over his last 12 games, OF Carson Benge is hitting .306/.370/.531 with a .901 OPS
Over his last six games, OF Juan Soto is slashing .348/.464/.652 with two home runs, seven RBIs, five walks, and a 1.116 OPS
Over his last five games, C Francisco Álvarez is hitting .400/.400/.650 with four runs scored, five RBIs, and a 1.050 OPS
Down on the Farm 🌾
All Mets minor league affiliates have concluded their seasons
Today’s Game 🗓
Match-up: Mets (73-85) at Rangers (78-80)
Where: Globe Life Field — Arlington, TX
Starters: LHP Zac Thornton (5-5, 3.40 ERA) vs. RHP Kumar Rocker (5-11, 4.47 ERA)
When: 2:35 PM EDT
Where to Watch: SNY
The Mets are moving on to 2027 with real speed and intention ✍️
The New York Mets are not messing about.
According to multiple reports, the Mets are hiring former Twins president of baseball operations Derek Falvey in a front office role. However, per Anthony DiComo of MLB.com, Falvey won’t be named the GM.
Still, owner Steve Cohen spoke last week about wanting to add fresh voices to the front office, and the Mets are wasting little time in accomplishing that goal.
It comes just a day after the organization gave Andy Green the manager’s job on a full-time basis.
I think that’s the main takeaway I want to focus on today. The Mets are proving their intention to bounce back in 2027 with clear and concise actions by making multiple key hires before the dust has even settled on this season.
Look, who knows how the Falvey hire will work out, and if the Mets will go out and hire an actual GM. And I’m sure some people will look at the Twins connection and wince, but it is important to remember that under Falvey’s reign, Minnesota did make the postseason four times. He also went out and made a splash by signing Carlos Correa and swinging a trade for Joe Ryan, who has blossomed into an ace for the Twins.
Of course, it wasn’t all great and Falvey had his fair share of missteps with the Twins, but no baseball executive is going to have a perfect game with any team. The important thing is that Falvey has experience running a front office, while he has worked with David Stearns before in Cleveland. I don’t think Cohen was ever going to hire anyone with the potential to cause friction with Stearns. He clearly believes in Stearns, and I think the Falvey hire is designed to support and not hinder the current president of baseball operations. We can argue until the cows come home that Stearns isn’t the right man for the job, but he was always going to stick around so at least by bringing in another voice in Falvey, Cohen isn’t just sticking with the same front office going into 2027.
Regardless, I think the Mets should be applauded for how they are already approaching what is going to be a critical offseason.
Persuading Green to change his mind and become the manager on a full-time basis was a masterstroke, and we saw further signs of his influence last night in another big win over a Rangers team that is desperately fighting for a playoff spot. Getting the manager in place this early is a huge box ticked.
Bolstering the front office with an experienced voice before the season is over is also big. With the pieces coming together off the field, the Mets are now in a position to go and attack the offseason with real purpose and direction.
Getting Falvey on board now allows the front office to come together and really map out the coming weeks and months, giving them a head start when it comes to making certain roster decisions. Stearns and Falvey can also commence on working out what improvements they want to make to this roster so, when free agency begins after the World Series, they are ready to get rolling and dive straight in.
Furthermore, I think getting ahead of the game could be extra important this offseason. With a looming lockout on the horizon, it might be even more critical to get a lot of business done early. If teams are facing the prospect of a shortened or condensed spring training, then trying to make major roster additions after the lockout may not be ideal. Rather, if the Mets can make most of their major additions in the early stages of the offseason, then at least they are then ready to hit the field once the lockout is over.
Overall, I really like how the Mets have handled a lengthy and crucial to-do list already. They’ve acted swiftly in getting both the manager and a needed front office voice in place, and that offers hope that they will continue to attack the rest of their checklist with equal vigor.
There is still an awful lot to do, obviously, but with the leadership of the team now mainly addressed, it frees the decision-makers up to go and make the required moves to fix the flaws on this roster and add to what looks to be a really promising core of young, talented players.
The only right thing to do is to close the book on what was a hugely disappointing year and move forward with real intention, real speed, and real gumption. At least so far, the Mets are doing exactly that.
Around the League 🚩
Yankees star OF Aaron Judge revealed that he intends to play in the Wild Card Series despite being initially ruled out with a right calf strain (ESPN)
3B Manny Machado hit his 29th homer of the year to lift the Padres to a 5-1 win over the Dodgers and move them a step closer to securing a playoff berth
1B Pete Alonso blasted his 41st home run of the year as the Orioles beat the Blue Jays 4-2 in both games of a doubleheader
DH Ben Rice hit two homers and RHP Gerrit Cole struck out eight over 5.2 innings of two-run ball in the Yankees’ 9-2 win over the Rays
LHP Chris Sale recorded 10 strikeouts to seal his ninth career 200-k season to help the Braves beat the Reds 3-2
The Cubs lost 3-2 to the Marlins and failed to clinch, while the Diamondbacks beat the Rockies 5-3 to keep their playoff hopes alive
The Astros blew a 4-0 lead in a 6-5 loss to the Mariners with the AL West still wide open
Mr. Steele:
Excellent summary on an unusually meaningful day at a time of otherwise meaningless baseball. Good work.
I have no idea who Mr. Flavney is aside from The Athletic’s description. That he has worked with Stearns before is notable, but it’s also clear Cohen sees a need to support vs contrast his chosen leader. Time will tell there. The logic about firming up the front office early also makes sense. I’m curious to see what happens with Green’s staff. Stearns scrubbed the group when he fired Mendoza, and I wonder whether Green had much of a voice in the successors or whether he was just a caretaker to the status quo.
Again, time will tell. Consequential couple of months ahead. Again, appreciate your excellent summary.
Steve
What Baty does every year 👉🏽 "Baty’s pinch-hitting heroics sealed the series win for the Mets, while also showing that he could be worth keeping around in 2027." I would have added, "just enough".