Three starting pitchers who fit the Mets needs at the trade deadline
Also, the Mets were shutout by the Braves on Saturday, knocking them back to the third wild card spot in the National League
What’s Up with the Mets? ⚾️
The Mets were shutout by the Braves 4-0 at Citi Field on Saturday (box)
Tylor Megill started for the Mets and gave them a so-so outing - he allowed four runs in six innings but took the loss
The bullpen highlighted the Mets otherwise disappointing afternoon - Danny Young and Alex Young combined to give the Mets three shutout innings in relief
The Mets offense struck out 14 times on Saturday, headed by JD Martinez’s four strikeouts in his 0-for-4 afternoon
Spencer Schwellenbach shut the Mets offense down, allowing just two hits with 11 strikeouts over seven innings
The Mets were shutout for the eighth time this season on Saturday
In case you missed it… 💨
Kodai Senga will miss the remainder of the regular season (Story)
OF Jesse Winker acquired from the Nationals (Story)
Playoff Race 🏁
With their loss to the Braves and the Padres win over the Orioles on Saturday, the Mets dropped to the third wild card spot, 1/2 game behind both Atlanta and San Diego. They are just 1/2 game ahead of the Diamondbacks, two games ahead of the Cardinals.
There are 58 games remaining.
Per FanGraphs, the Mets have a 49.2% chance of making the postseason.
New York has the 10th easiest schedule in MLB the rest of the way.
Tiebreakers:
vs. ATL: 5-4
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)
Roster Moves 📰
RHP Eric Orze optioned to Triple-A Syracuse
RHP Tylor Megill recalled from Triple-A Syracuse
RHP Ryne Stanek activated
RHP Kodai Senga placed on the 15-day IL with a left calf strain
Rumor Mill 📰
The Mets and Yankees have looked at Marlins LHP Tanner Scott (SNY)
The Mets have called the White Sox about RHP Eric Fedde, but face competition from the Brewers, Cardinals and Astros (New York Post)
It is unclear if the Cubs will move RHP Jameson Taillon (SNY)
The Mets are among teams who have shown interest in Angels reliever RHP Luis García (New York Post)
Down on the Farm 🌾
INF Luisangel Acuña (Triple-A SYR): 2-for-5, RBI
OF Jackie Bradley Jr. (Triple-A SYR): 1-for-4, HR
RHP Brandon Sproat (Double-A BNG): 5 IP, 3 R, 4 H, 1 BB, 6 K
LHP Felipe De La Cruz (High-A BRK): 4.1 IP, 1 R, 4 H, 1 BB, 5 K
INF AJ Ewing (Low-A STL): 3-for-3, BB, 2 RBI
BOX SCORES
Single-A STL | High-A BRK | Double-A BNG | Triple-A SYR
Today’s Game 🗓
Match-up: Mets (55-49) vs. Braves (55-48)
Where: Citi Field - Flushing, NY
Starters: LHP David Peterson (5-0, 3.14 ERA) vs. RHP Reynaldo López (7-4, 2.12 ERA)
When: 1:40 PM EDT
Where to Watch: WPIX
The Mets need to accelerate their plan for the here and now… ✍️
In case you didn’t realize it, every win, every loss matters crucially in the standings right now.
There are six teams within 3.5 games of all three wild card spots in the National League. 24 hours ago, the Mets were in the top wild card spot. Now, they’re 1/2 game ahead for the last wild card spot.
We know how critical these games are. So do the Mets and their front office. Today is a must-win for the Mets against the Braves.
Period.
Its why they’ve been quickly moving to upgrade their roster, procuring Phil Maton and Ryne Stanek to fill their needs in the bullpen, and now Jesse Winker to address their near replacement level production in right field in Starling Marte’s absence.
These are all good, low prospect cost moves for the Mets, and I would say they’ve performed as expected in the trade market. They have upgraded competently, they haven’t blown through any significant prospect currency, and while there is definitely more work to do and there’s buzz they’re looking to continue to add, they’re on the right track.
Having said that, as I wrote yesterday when Kodai Senga was shelved for the remainder of the regular season, the Mets must upgrade their starting rotation and in my view, do so with a consequential upgrade.
The Mets have been the best team in baseball for the better part of the last two months. Their offense is elite, their defense has been great too. Their pitching, on the the other hand, has not been so good. They’ve done a good job plugging their holes in the bullpen - now it’s time for them to devote meaningful resources to their rotation.
Look - I am all for what the Mets are trying to do, building an organizational pipeline to the big leagues. They’ve done a great job improving the farm system’s reputation over the last year between procurements in trade and their player development process.
But while I might be a homer, I see both physical and cultural attributes to this team which offers them an opportunity to be something very special by the end of the 2024 season.
That means their plan might need to change.
Well, maybe not change, but accelerate.
By no means do I think the Mets should trade off premium prospect capital for two-month rentals. That would just be dumb. But they should be willing to be creative so to make a meaningful addition to this starting rotation, that which is badly in need of such fortification.
Perhaps that can be done by procuring a rental. Perhaps that can be done by getting an arm that comes with some additional contractural control beyond 2024, 2025 or 2026. The Mets need pitching now, and with all of the free agents in their rotation after this season, they’ll need pitching later.
I don’t know. All I know is, the Mets should not pass up an opportunity to win now. As Aaron Boone would say, it’s all right in front of them, there for the taking.
If they want it.
And I believe those players in the dugout want it.
There are some immediate options that come to mind, that which may or may not cost them so much in prospect capital. Below, I talk about such options, that which the Mets have reportedly been linked to in recent days.
There are more, but lets start with these three…
Erick Fedde
If you had told me Fedde would be a highly sought after starting pitcher at the trade deadline two months ago or even two years ago, I might’ve laughed.
But the White Sox took a flier on Fedde after he seemed to resurrect his professional career in 2023 with a 20-win season in Korea, and that has paid off for them in an otherwise 1962 Mets-like season for them.
Fedde, 31, is 7-4 with a 3.11 ERA in 121 IP for the White Sox, allowing just 34 walks and 105 hits to go along with 108 strikeouts in 21 starts so far this season. He got hit pretty hard in his start against the Mariners on Saturday, but that should not take away from an otherwise brilliant season for Fedde.
The key to Fedde’s success in 2024 has been his cutter, but like it’s been for so many pitchers around baseball in recent years, Fedde has added a sweeper to his arsenal which has probably added to the effectiveness of his entire assortment of pitches.
The one red flag with Fedde would be his swing-and-miss-ability. He has a generally low chase and whiff rate and his walk total would suggest he is in the zone more often than not.
Fedde has compiled a 28-37 record with a 4.92 ERA in 123 appearances and 109 starts over seven big league seasons with the Nationals and White Sox. He signed a two-year, $15 million deal with Chicago before the 2024 season.
Jameson Taillon
There haven’t been any direct links between the Mets and Taillon yet. It’s not even clear if the Cubs are truly interested in moving him before Tuesday’s trade deadline. But Taillon makes a ton of sense for the Mets and their need in the rotation.
First off, his two generally good seasons in New York with the Yankees demonstrate his ability to handle the big lights in this city. Outside of the 2019 season, he has a proven track record for health and steadiness too.
He’s a reminder to me of what Marcus Stroman was when the Mets acquired him, minus the big personality. He’s a steady, mid-rotation starter who has probably pitched above that level with the Cubs this season.
The 32-year-old right hander is 7-5 with a 2.96 ERA in 17 starts with Chicago this season, allowing just 21 walks with 78 strikeouts in 100.1 IP. Much like Fedde, Taillon is a pitch-to-contact guy with an elite cutter as part of a big arsenal of pitches.
Taillon signed a four-year, $68 million deal in 2023 which expires after the 2026 season. So, he makes a lot of sense both in the now and in the immediate future for the Mets.
Jack Flaherty
After two pedestrian-like seasons in 2022 and 2023, Flaherty appears to have returned to the form that made him a Cy Young candidate early in his career.
The 28-year-old Flaherty has turned in a 2.95 ERA in 18 starts for the Tigers so far in 2024, walking just 19 while striking out 133 over 106.2 IP this season. He is probably the most skilled starting pitcher available in the market ahead of the trade deadline with a great fastball/slider/change combination that gives him both an elite chase and swing-and-miss rate.
His walk rate would be a welcome addition to a pitching staff which continues to lead the National League in walks. He is a big arm who would bring both control and efficiency to the Mets pitching staff.
Flaherty signed a one-year, $14 million deal with Detroit before the 2024 season. He can be a free agent this winter.
Around the League 🚩
The Nationals blew out the Cardinals 14-3 thanks in part to 3 RBI games from Harold Ramirez, Juan Yepez, and Keibert Ruiz
The Diamondbacks kept rolling and pushed the Pirates back in the wild card race with a 9-5 win in the desert. Ketel Marte and Corbin Carroll both homered for the D-Backs
The Padres kept rolling as well, blasting the Orioles 9-4 in Baltimore. Manny Machado’s three-run home run highlighted the offense
Love the analysis on the pitchers
I would have been satisfied with a split vs. the Braves but after you win the first two games, you get a bit greedier. You don't expect a sweep. So, one loss is okay. Today still favors the Braves. SD breathing down the Mets necks and the Orioles struggling doesn't help.
Megill's overall line is so-so, but they tried to stretch him to the 7th in large part because of the current bullpen situation. If he went six and gave up three runs vs. the Braves, it would have been fine.
The Mets scored nothing, so it didn't really matter. If he pitched like he did yesterday, he could provide a useful piece. But, surely, they should get another starter especially with concerns of Severino's innings and how they currently have a bunch of starters who often go around five innings.