The Mets won, made a trade, Kodai Senga came back, but now he's gone again!
New York has potentially lost its ace again. Ryne Stanek was acquired from the Mariners. Oh, and the Mets clubbed the Braves to take sole possession of the first Wild Card spot in the NL...
What’s Up with the Mets? ⚾️
The Mets beat the Braves 8-4 at Citi Field on Friday (box)
RHP Kodai Senga was dominant in his return, striking out nine and allowing two earned runs on two hits with one walk in 5.1 innings before leaving the game with a calf strain
RHP Eric Orze, who was recalled earlier in the day, pitched in relief and gave up one earned run - a home run - on one hit with one walk and one strikeout in 1.2 innings of work
RHP Adam Ottavino entered the game and pitched a scoreless eighth, striking out one while allowing two hits, before LHP Jake Diekman struck out three to eventually close out the game after allowing a solo home run in the top of the ninth
The Mets rode their offense to another big win, with the lineup scoring seven runs and three homers in a massive third inning to wipe out an early 2-0 deficit
DH J.D. Martinez, who had been mired in a slump, broke out with a grand slam in the third and finished 3-for-4 with one run scored and four RBIs
3B Mark Vientos hit a two-run blast to blow the game open, going 2-for-3 with one run scored, three RBIs and a walk, before C Francisco Alvarez finished off the damage in the third with a solo homer of his own
RF Jeff McNeil continued his stunning offensive resurgence with a double and a run scored
The Mets have now won five games in a row and own a .718 winning percentage in the Grimace era (27-11)
Mets manager Carlos Mendoza announced that the Mets will likely return to a five-man starting rotation if Senga is out for any length of time
Amazin’ Turnaround! 🍎
The Mets were 10 games behind the Atlanta Braves on May 30.
They were still 10 games behind on June 3.
Now, in the wake of Friday’s important win, the Mets are a half game ahead of the Braves and own sole possession of the top Wild Card spot in the National League.
New York has also moved into second place in the National League East after winning 33 of its last 48 games.
Talk about an Amazin’ turnaround!
Playoff Race 🏁
The Mets are now in sole possession of the top Wild Card in the National League after beating the Braves on Friday. They are a half game ahead of Atlanta. The Mets are also half a game ahead of the Padres, who occupy the final Wild Card spot, and a full game ahead of the Diamondbacks who are in the hunt and making up ground.
There are 59 games remaining.
Per FanGraphs, the Mets have a 60.3% chance of making the postseason.
New York has the 9th easiest schedule in MLB the rest of the way.
Tiebreakers:
vs. ATL: 5-3
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)
Welcome, Ryne Stanek 🤝
The Mets acquired right-handed reliever Ryne Stanek from the Seattle Mariners on Friday for minor league outfielder Rhylan Thomas (11th round selection, 2022 draft).
Minor league outfielder Rhylan Thomas was the returning piece in the deal. Thomas hit .265/.318/.387 with five home runs and 31 RBIs this year between Double-A and Triple-A.
With bolstering the bullpen the biggest priority for the Mets at the trade deadline, Stanek certainly adds another proven body to the pen.
The veteran went 6-3 with a 4.38 ERA, 1.33 WHIP and 44 strikeouts over 46 appearances for the Mariners this year. He owns a career ERA of 3.54 and has an impressive K/9 mark of 10.5. He does, however, struggle with walks at times. That aside, he had seven saves in 11 opportunities, highlighting his clutch ability in high-leverage situations.
Furthermore, Stanek can routinely throw in the upper 90s and can top out at 101 mph, making him one of the hardest throwers in the game.
Perhaps more importantly, given where the Mets are seemingly headed, Stanek boasts an incredible body of work in the postseason. He is 3-0 with a 2.70 ERA in 23 career playoff games with six walks and 21 strikeouts.
This was an important move for the Mets to make given how overworked and undermanned the bullpen is, and it shouldn’t be the only reliever-related move the front office makes before the trade deadline on Tuesday.
Injury Updates 🏥
RHP Kodai Senga (left calf strain) will undergo an MRI on Saturday. The Mets are confident it is not an Achilles-related injury
RHP Dedniel Núñez (right pronator strain) was placed on the 15-day IL. The injury is considered minor and Nùñez is expected back soon
OF Harrison Bader (ankle injury) sat out of Friday’s game but will not need to go on the IL and is hoping to be back soon
Roster Moves 📰
RHP Ryne Stanek acquired from the Seattle Mariners for OF Rhylan Thomas
RHP Cole Sulser traded to the Tampa Bay Rays for cash considerations
RHP Kodai Senga reinstated from the IL
RHP Adrian Houser designated for assignment
RHP Dedniel Núñez placed on the 15-day IL, retroactive to July 24, with a right pronator strain
RHP Eric Orze recalled from Triple-A Syracuse
RHP Shintaro Fujinami reinstated from the IL and designated for assignment
LHP Josh Walker designated for assignment
Rumor Mill 📰
The Mets are open to adding a left-handed bat and have spoken to the Giants about OF Michael Conforto (New York Post)
Who’s Hot 🔥
In his last six games, Jeff McNeil is hitting .333/.346/.708/1.055 with eight hits, six runs scored, three doubles, two home runs and six RBIs
Since being recalled on May 15, Mark Vientos has posted an .884 OPS, the 10th best mark in the National League among qualified hitters. Furthermore, His .924 OPS this season is third best among all MLB third basemen. His 160 wRC+ leads all MLB third basemen, his .575 SLG ranks second, and his 14 home runs rank sixth (all min. 200 PA)
Over his last 12 games, Jose Iglesias is hitting .460/.524/.730 with 17 hits, 2 doubles, a triple, two home runs, five RBI and 10 runs scored
Down on the Farm 🌾
RHP Dom Hamel (No. 13 prospect, Triple-A): 6.0 IP, 7 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 9 K
OF Luke Ritter (Triple-A): 2-for-4, 1 RBI, 1 BB, 1 3B
3B Jeremiah Jackson (Double-A): 2-for-3, 2 RBI, 1 BB
RHP Kade Morris (No. 26 prospect, High-A): 6.1 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 0 BB, 6 K
C Christopher Suero (High-A): 2-for-5, 1 R, 3 RBI, 1 2B, 1 HR
SS Boston Baro (No. 24 prospect, Single-A): 1-for-3, 1 R, 1 RBI, 2 BB
DH Ronald Hernandez (No. 20 prospect, Single-A): 2-for-4, 2 R, 1 RBI, 1 BB, 1 3B
BOX SCORES
Single-A STL | High-A BRK | Double-A BNG | Triple-A SYR
Today’s Game 🗓
Match-up: Mets (55-48) vs. Braves (54-48)
Where: Citi Field - Flushing, NY
Starters: RHP Tylor Megill (2-4, 5.08 ERA) vs. RHP Spencer Schwellenbach (3-5, 4.62 ERA)
When: 4:10 PM EDT
Where to Watch: SNY
Recapping a truly wild Friday night and why the Mets should seek starting rotation help… ✍️
Wow. What a night.
It sure did feel like a never-ending, emotional rollercoaster ride at Citi Field on Friday night.
It was almost as if one months worth of action was tightly packed inside just a few hours.
Kodai Senga made his triumphant return, wasting little time in reminding us all what we’ve been missing with a stellar outing on the mound. The righty and his mythical Ghost Fork mowed through the Atlanta lineup, striking out nine with a two-run shot from Adam Duvall the only damage allowed by Senga.
Then disaster struck.
In an eye blink, Senga went down hurt, clutching his left calf in agony and was unable to get up. Just like that, a jubilant Citi Field was shrouded in silence and despair.
In his 2024 debut, in his first game back after returning from shoulder and tricep injuries, Senga was helped off the field in one of the more heartbreaking images of the year so far.
Oh, and if that wasn’t enough for the already weak-hearted Mets fan, their team exploded for seven runs and three homers in the third inning to clobber a rival in the same week they embarrassed the cross-town Yankees.
As a result, the Mets completed the most remarkable of turnarounds by seizing sole possession of the first Wild Card spot in the National League. And second place in the division.
And, I almost forgot, the front office also swung a trade with the Mets acquiring veteran reliever Ryne Stanek from the Seattle Mariners.
Yes. It was quite the night at Citi Field.
Of course, Friday night was the typical Mets experience. Witness the heroic return of your ace. Watch in horror as said ace then departs less than six innings into his comeback start. See your team hammer an intense divisional rival to overtake them in the standings and throw down the gauntlet for the rest of the year. You then leave the ballpark boosted by the addition of a much-needed proven Major League reliever for the bullpen, but also crushed and dejected by the looming possibility that you could be without your ace for a substantial amount of time. Again.
That is the New York Mets experience in a nutshell.
Friday night was a fairytale wrapped in tragedy and lathered in equal amounts uncertainty and excitement.
With the dust now settling as I write this, all attention will now turn to what the Mets decide to do next.
In sole possession of the final Wild Card spot - and second place in the NL East - and having blown out the Yankees and outclassed the Braves in the same week, these Mets have proved they are legit.
They are every inch the real deal.
As such, expectations should be altered and the baseball world should be looking at the Mets as a real contender this year.
They’ve earned that tag up to this point.
That applies to the front office, who should also be adjusting their thinking and now preparing for a more aggressive trade deadline. They should also be thinking about entering the market for a starting pitcher.
In the wake of Senga’s injury - and as we all wait anxiously for the results of the MRI - manager Carlos Mendoza announced that the team will likely return to a five-man starting rotation if Senga is indeed put on the shelf.
We should be prepared for the likelihood that Senga will miss another stretch of significant time. And, given how complicated his rehab was first time around, there is a strong possibility that he could be on the shelf for much of the second half of the year. There are also question marks over Christian Scott, who could still require surgery if the rest and recover route for his UCL sprain doesn’t quite work out. Outside of the injuries, José Quintana has been up and down all year - mostly down - and Sean Manaea is hardly a home run option, especially considering his recent struggles (10 earned runs in his last three starts).
Furthermore, Luis Severino will need his innings managed given that he’s already at 120 plus, more innings than he’s thrown since the 2018 season. Tylor Megill will get a chance to stake his claim for a place in a five-man rotation on Saturday, but he’s hardly a safe bet given his wild inconsistencies. You could make an argument for José Butto, but he’s been a really good option coming out of the bullpen.
Therefore, I think the need for another proven starter is clearly evident. If Senga is lost for any amount of time - and that seems likely at this point - the Mets are going to need another capable body in a five-man rotation.
Who that could be remains to be seen. The market for starters is at an all-time high, as it is for bullpen help, and there could be an almighty battle for some middle-of-the-road arms given the uncertainty over some of the top arms as we hurtle towards the trade deadline.
Some options include White Sox starter Eric Fedde, who is 7-3 with a 2.98 ERA this year. RHP Jack Flaherty, who has had a nice rebound year with the Tigers (2.95 ERA, 133 strikeouts) could be another cost-effective option. Andrew Heaney (4-10, 3.77 ERA) and Michael Lorenzen (5-5, 3.53) could be further options if the Rangers decide to sell in some capacity. Additionally, Blake Snell would be a flashy purchase, but he has struggled this year with a 5.83 ERA. Plus, he has two player options and won’t likely opt out. However, as for the other names mentioned, they can all be free agents at the end of the year. As a result, they aren’t likely to demand too much prospect capital in return.
So that’s something for the front office to think about.
I still don’t think it is wise for the front office to give up too much prospect capital (and they arguably won’t have to if they go for the options listed above) but, with the Mets still winning at an elite clip, expectations have to be adjusted on the fly and this is clearly a team that is cooking with some special sauce right now.
I say add more high-quality ingredients into the mix in order to help this team sustain this run and see what magic could happen down the road as we get closer to the postseason.
One thing is clear and that’s the fact the front office will be more aggressive at the trade deadline now. Mike Puma of the New York Post reported that the Mets have spoken to the Giants about a potential reunion with Michael Conforto as they look to add a lefty bat. Conforto, although clearly not the player he once was, would be a clear offensive upgrade on DJ Stewart and would improve the offensive depth considerably.
Adding a middle-of-the-rotation starter that can (ideally) eat innings and provide some length should also be at the top of the wish list now, too.
All in all, as long as the Mets keep winning and maintain this remarkable, magical, quite unbelievable run, then they deserve all the help they can get.
And, if we’re delivered the worst-case news on Senga, then the organization needs to rebound instantly by going out and acquiring a starter that can make meaningful contributions down the stretch and in October.
This team deserves that kind of gift.
The Mets did win, by the way. And they took over the top wild card spot in the National League.
Around the League 🚩
The Phillies acquired OF Austin Hays from the Orioles, with OF Cristian Pache and RHP Seranthony Domínguez heading to Baltimore
The Orioles were busy on Friday, also acquiring right-handed pitcher Zach Eflin and cash considerations from the Rays in exchange for three prospects
The Mariners, a day after beefing up their lineup with the addition of Randy Arozarena, bolstered their bullpen by acquiring RHP Yimi Garcia from the Blue Jays. Toronto got OF Jonatan Clase and minor league catcher Jacob Sharp in return
Ben Lively struck out six and allowed just one run on three hits across six innings to help lead the Guardians past the Phillies
Mets lucked out a bit by having Megill face what's his name today. But, yes, if Senga (who I assume was two outs away from a great outing) is out & Scott already was inconsistent, a starter would be nice. The Mets bullpen without Nunez is going to break at some point with all these 5 or so inning games. The Braves not taking advantage last night shows their struggles. If their offense was clicking, that game could easily have been a nailbiter.