The Mets should be thinking big ahead of the trade deadline
After the Mets convincing sweep of the Yankees in the Bronx, they should be thinking about big ideas as they smell blood in the National League
What’s Up with the Mets? ⚾️
The Mets pummeled the Yankees 12-3 on Wednesday night to sweep the season series from their crosstown rivals (Box)
Francisco Lindor had a monster night, collecting three hits, crushing two home runs, driving in five runs, and scoring twice
Tyrone Taylor went 3-5 with a home run and 2 RBI
Pete Alonso and Mark Vientos each also contributed a long ball
LHP Sean Manaea started for the Mets and went 4.2 innings while allowing two runs on three hits, walking four, striking out four, hitting two batters, and serving up homers to both Gleyber Torres and Juan Soto
All nine Mets starters reached base at least once in the contest
Southpaws Danny Young and Alex Young combined to give the Mets three scoreless innings of relief
Injury Updates 🏥
RHP Sean Reid-Foley (shoulder impingement) could begin a rehab assignment in Brooklyn on Sunday
OF Harrison Bader (ankle sprain) is day-to-day, although he left Yankee Stadium in a walking boot on Wednesday
Playoff Race 🏁
The Mets are in sole possession of the second Wild Card spot and are just a game and a half behind Atlanta for the top spot. They’re a half game ahead of St. Louis and San Diego and carry a 1.5 game lead on both Pittsburgh and Arizona. There are 61 games remaining.
Per FanGraphs, the Mets have a 49.9% chance of making the postseason.
New York has the 12th easiest schedule in MLB the rest of the way.
Tiebreakers:
vs. ATL: 3-3
vs. ARI: 2-2
vs. STL: 3-2
vs. SD: 3-0
vs. CIN: 2-1
vs. SF: 2-4 (finished)
vs. PIT: 5-2 (finished)
vs. CHC: 4-3 (finished)
Who’s Hot 🔥
In the six games since the all-star break, Francisco Lindor is slashing .346/.452/.846 with four homers, eight RBI, a double, and two steals
Down on the Farm 🌾
Jeremiah Jackson (Double-A): 2-for-5, HR, 3 RBI, R
Kevin Parada (No. 9 Prospect, Double-A): 2-for-4, 2B, BB, 2 R
Tyler Stuart (No. 17 Prospect, Double-A): 6 IP, 1 ER, 4 H, 1 BB, 5 K
BOX SCORES
Single-A STL | High-A BRK | Double-A BNG | Triple-A SYR
Mets sign Carson Benge 🖊️
The Mets signed their first round selection from the 2024 draft, P/ OF Carson Benge.
Benge was the 19th overall selection in the draft as a sophomore out of Oklahoma State University. He hit .335/.444/.665 with 18 home runs and 64 RBI in 61 games this past season. He also posted a 3.16 ERA with 11 walks and 44 strikeouts on the mound in 2024.
“Today is another exciting day as we continue to build our farm system,” said Vice President, Amateur Scouting Kris Gross in a statement. “I want to congratulate Carson and his family on all the hard work they have put in to get to this point. Carson is an incredibly athletic player who can impact the game in multiple facets. I look forward to watching him develop as he begins his journey to the major leagues. Additionally, I want to thank David Stearns, the Amateur Scouting Staff, and the entire Baseball Operations Department for their time and dedication. The draft is a process that starts months before any pick is ever made and the entire team put in long hours and diligent work to make today a success.”
Benge will join the organization in their Florida Complex League shortly.
Today’s Game 🗓
Match-up: Mets (53-48) vs Braves (54-46)
Where: Citi Field — Flushing, NY
Starters: RHP Luis Severino (7-3, 3.58 ERA) vs. LHP Chris Sale (13-3, 2.70 ERA)
When: 7:10 PM EDT
Where to Watch: SNY
Orange and Blue, baby! ✍️
No matter the state of either team in any given season, when the Mets and Yankees link up for the Subway Series, it is without fail always must see TV.
Every game between the two takes on a playoff atmosphere, sellouts are a foregone conclusion, and the head-to-head matchups become the talk of the town.
And here in 2024, I’m here to tell you Yankees’ fans aren’t able to do much talking.
In the four games with the Yankees during the last month, the Mets absolutely bludgeoned their crosstown rivals by a cumulative score of 36-14. The Mets launched 13 home runs in the four games, and notably beat up Gerrit Cole twice. This is the first time the Mets have swept the season series from the Bombers since 2013, and the accomplishment is just the latest feather in the cap of a Mets team that certainly looked like it would be wearing no hat at all just two months ago.
In the here and now, a two-game sweep in the Bronx couldn’t have come at a better time.
The Mets are heading back to Citi Field to open a critical four-game weekend series with the Braves, and they’ll begin play tomorrow just a game and a half behind their arch rivals for the top wild card spot in the National League.
Taking three out of four from Atlanta would all of the sudden leapfrog the club ahead of the Braves and catapult them all the way to the fourth seed in the NL—a spot position that comes with home playoff games in the first round.
In further good news, ace Kodai Senga will return on Friday after missing the entire season to this point.
Big picture wise, the Mets fought themselves back into contention with a phenomenal six week stretch ahead of the all-star break, but it’s no secret they came out a little slow after their time off. Splitting a four-game set in Miami against the lowly Marlins was certainly not the game plan. But I’m firmly of the belief that the Mets have positioned themselves where their ceiling is significantly higher than previously suspected.
Dominating the Yankees like they did, especially heading into a Braves series that as I mentioned above could end with the Mets ahead of their rivals from the south in the standings is enormous. Furthermore, Wednesday night also brought news that Brewers’ outfielder Christian Yelich could be headed for season ending surgery—something that would make Milwaukee dramatically less prolific and scary.
I’m looking at the National League right now from the macro prospective and thinking,while we know the Mets have their flaws, who exactly is better than the Mets right now?
The Dodgers and Phillies?
And let’s not forget New York did win a road series in LA earlier this season.
While even a week ago I would have probably told you the Mets should add at the deadline but marginally, and should not consider dealing any of their top young talent, I might be shifting that thought process.
For example, I fully expect the Mets to talk to Miami about Tanner Scott. Why not float larger trade ideas with the Marlins that include Jazz Chisholm Jr.?
If New York is calling Washington about Kyle Finnegan, is there a deal to be made that also includes Lane Thomas?
We all know the Mets need bullpen help—desperately, but what if they decide to go more all in and add a bat that could solidify both the starting line-up and improve the bench?
And if they’re really going all in, especially with the recent Christian Scott injury, should the Mets consider adding a starter?
It wouldn’t hurt to find out what exactly the price would be for Garrett Crochet or Tarik Skubal. Even if the odds are long a deal would come together in that stratosphere of the market.
The bottom line is that as surprising as it may sound, the Mets just may be better than we even realized and their chances in the National League are substantially better than they even were a couple days ago. I think the team needs to try to capitalize it.
And it’s that much sweeter that kicking the Yankees’ teeth in is what’s making me more confident.
Around the League 🚩
Spencer Steer had three hits and drove in three runs in the Reds 9-4 win over the Braves
Lefty Martin Perez fired six scoreless frames in the Pirates 5-0 blanking of the Cardinals
Max Kepler came through with a walk-off hit to led the Twins to a 5-4 victory over Philly
The Rockies put up a ridiculous 20 runs in a 20-7 thrashing of the Red Sox
Brewers star outfielder Christian Yelich is facing the prospect of season ending back surgery—a development that could shift the hierarchy of the National League as a whole
I’m not sure about the need for a bat IF McNeil can hit again. I think we need a starter if we’re going to a 6 man rotation. It cannot be Megill. Of course a reliever or 2 is needed also.
At the end of May when the Mets were in the pits and the season seemed unsalvageable, my only saving grace for the team was to beat the Yankees and do it convincingly. The season is looking better and better as the summer wears on and the sprinkles on the cone is the convincing trouncing of the Yankees in the season series. #LFGM