Mets

Mets Trade Closer Jeurys Familia To Athletics For Two Prospects

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New York Mets, Jeurys Familia

The Mets have finalized a deal with the Oakland Athletics Saturday afternoon trading 28 year old closer Jeurys Familia for two prospects and $1 million in International bonus pool money.

The two prospects the Mets are getting in return are 3b Will Toffey and Rhp Bobby Wahl,

The deal also includes the Athletics picking up the remaining $3 million left on Familia’s contract for the remainder of the season.

Wahl, 26 was pitching to a 2.27 era in triple a Nashville this season. He was a 5th round draft pick by Oakland in 2013 from Ole Miss and has previous big league experience appearing in seven games out of Oakland’s bullpen last season.

Toffey, 23 was a fourth round draft pick out of Vanderbilt in 2017, he was hitting.244 with five homers and 32 rbi this season in high a Stockton. Prior to the trade he was ranked 17th on the Athletics top 30 prospects list by MLB.com.

Familia ends his mets career 3rd on the franchise’s all time saves list behind John Franco and Armando Benitez.

Mets Manager Mickey Callaway has said that he likely won’t name a definite replacement closer, but rather go with a committee based upon matchups.

Robert Gsellman got the save opportunity Friday night but isn’t going to be the only guy the mets will throw out there in the 9th.

“I thought that Robert Settled in last night and did a pretty good job in the ninth. I think we have multiple options,” Callaway said. “I think we’d have to get creative with who is coming up in the lineup. All those things we would have to take into consideration.”

With the Mets out of any realistic playoff scenario expect them to trade more assets as the deadline approaches on July 31.

Why The Mets Should Keep Jacob deGrom

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Jacob deGrom has been the only reason for the average fan to continue watching the New York Mets this season. Ever since the Mets started falling in the division, trade talks have surrounded the Mets ace. Fans are split on whether they should deal deGrom to build for their future, but the best thing the Mets can do is keep him.

How Can They Keep Him?

deGrom still has two and a half more years until he hits free agency at age 33. He has stated during the All-Star break that he wishes to play the rest of his career as a Met and those are wishes that need to come true. The Mets should look to sign him through his age 34 or 35 season so they get all of his best years and do not risk losing a key member to their rotation for nothing.

The Mets are battling the Marlins for last place in the NL East, but these teams are in two totally different places. They are a piece or two away from being a World Series contender. The top four of deGrom, Noah Syndergaard, Steven Matz, Zack Wheeler along with a decent fifth starter is a rotation to build upon. The best part about the top four is the earliest one hits free agency in 2020. They have plenty of years of team control/arbitration years and the Mets need to take advantage of it before they hit free agency and make more than the Mets can pay.

Make Smarter Free Agent Signings

Trading deGrom says the organization has no faith in winning next season and maybe the season after. Instead of going after B and C-level free agents like they did last offseason, they need to go after the top guys on the market. Injuries aside, a healthy Jay Bruce and Yoenis Cespedes to go along with Michael Conforto and Brandon Nimmo is nice, but the team needs more to be a contender. A big bat the likes of Manny Machado or Bryce Harper make this a very dangerous lineup the Mets can build on. Throw in the wild cards of a potential Asdrubal Cabrera return and Amed Rosario growth can give the Mets a solid lineup.

Most importantly if the Mets want to win, they must improve the bullpen before anything else. Whether or not Jeurys Familia re-signs, the Mets bullpen needs a total revamp. The remaining pieces of Robert Gsellman, Seth Lugo and hopefully a better Anthony Swarzak are a good start but they need more in today’s version of baseball. Just like with their offense, the Mets need to attempt to sign people the likes of Craig Kimbrel or Andrew Miller. They can not over pay mid-level free agents and hope they play to the level of their contract.

Jacob deGrom is elite and even though he may not be this dominant again he will keep himself in the Cy Young conversation for the next couple of years. If the Mets can take advantage of the good starting pitching they have, the potential for the New York Mets to win a World Series is extremely high.

New York Mets Injury Report: July 15

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The final New York Mets Injury Report of the first half of the year. The season has certainly been disappointing to say the least and as usual injuries has decimated the Mets roster. There is some hope after the All-Star break, some key Mets may be back and Noah Syndergaard will start the first game out of the break.

Small Scare For Cabby

Asdrubal Cabrera (hand) left Sunday afternoon’s game against the Washington Nationals after injuring the hand on an errant pickoff throw by Anthony Swarzak. Cabrera stay in for an inning after the injury, but was removed for precautionary purposes. The Mets ran X-Rays on the hand after the game and they came back negative. He is considered day-to-day and is expected to be ready to play after the All-Star break.

Todd Frazier (left ribcage strain) was placed on the 10-day DL about a week ago. He suffered the injury on July 8 while swinging during a game. There is no timetable for his return and it will be no surprise if he needs multiple stints on the DL. Ty Kelly was called up to replace his spot on the Mets roster. This is Frazier’s second injury of the season after going his entire career without ever needing a DL stint.

Jason Vargas (calf) threw six, one-hit innings for the Brooklyn Cyclones last week but will make another rehab start for Brooklyn. Corey Oswalt will continue to pitch in the Mets rotation until Vargas it healthy. Oswalt has made back to back strong starts and has looked way better than Vargas has this season. If Mickey Callaway shows actually confidence in Oswalt, he could be the Mets fifth starter.

Outfielders On The Shelf

Jay Bruce (hip) has been shut down for the last week because of his ongoing hip discomfort. Bruce tried to intensify his workouts last week but his hip did not cooperate with him. His injuries may have a lot to do with his disappointing season of only three home runs. He is not expected to return until late July or early August.

Yoenis Cespedes (hip, quad) played in a simulated spring training game on Monday and homered twice in seven plate appearances. Cespedes has taken reps at first base, but it probably will not translate to him seeing any time there when he returns. He is scheduled to comeback on Friday against the Yankees and will DH in the series before returning to the outfield.

T.J. Rivera (elbow) was removed from his rehab game on Thursday following discomfort in his elbow. There was no damaged done to the elbow and will be fine to continue playing. He could return as early as Friday against the Yankees. This would cause the Mets to make a few roster moves to make room for Rivera and Cespedes.

What The New York Mets Should Expect From Jeff McNeil

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When you’re evaluating New York Mets prospects, Jeff McNeil’s name doesn’t exactly shoot to the top of your head. But maybe it should? A 13th round draft pick in 2013 out of Long Beach State. McNeil’s stock has risen faster than any other Mets prospect this season, and at age 26, it’s hard to label him as a prospect. But one thing is for sure. McNeil knows how to hit.

This season alone McNeil has been crushing minor league pitching, splitting time between double-a and triple-a, McNeil is collectively hitting .349 with 19 homers and 66 RBI’s halfway through the season.

This breakout has caused Mets officials to take notice. Especially the noticeable increase in power production.

When the Mets drafted McNeil he was a 165-pound contact hitter not really known for a particular standout tool. However getting him healthy and putting on additional muscle mass has allowed him to tap into his power potential.

McNeil missed the majority of the last three-seasons from sports hernias and is finally 100% and producing in a full season of work.

The question Mets management has to look at is whether or not McNeil could actually be the second basemen of the future for this team. With the Mets still employing Jose Reyes and an Asdrubal Cabrera trade seems imminent, why not give McNeil a shot after the all star break?

Videos confirm that it looks like he can be an impact bat at the second base position and the Mets are in a perfect place to give McNeil the opportunity to show what he can do in the major leagues.

With the season being essentially over, McNeil may actually offer a small glimmer of hope to fans if he continues his strong bout of hitting.

New York Mets Series Preview: Washington Nationals (7/12-7/15)

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The New York Mets welcome in the Washington Nationals for a four game series to close out the first half of the season. Both of these teams have been disappointing, many had the Nationals winning the World Series this season. The Nationals currently sit in third place, 5.5 games behind the first place Braves and Phillies. The Mets have taken four of the six games they have played against the Nationals this season.

Probable Pitching Matchups

(7/12, 7:10 PM) Max Scherzer (11-5, 2.31 ERA) vs. Steven Matz (4-6, 3.31 ERA)

(7/13, 7:10 PM) Tanner Roark (3-11, 4.76 ERA) vs. Noah Syndergaard (4-1, 3.06 ERA)

(7/14, 7:10 PM) TBD vs. Zack Wheeler (2-6, 4.42 ERA)

(7/15, 7:10 PM) Jeremy Hellickson (3-1, 3.47 ERA) vs. Corey Oswalt (0-2, 6.75 ERA)

deGrom Still Receiving No Support

The Mets continue to couple the bad combination of horrible offense and dominant starting pitching. Last night they once again failed to give Jacob deGrom a win after he threw eight shutout innings. Brandon Nimmo continued his breakout year by hitting a pinch-hit three run walk off homer in the tenth inning to give the Mets a win. The Mets are about 95/5 when it comes to whether they will be buyers or sellers at the trade deadline. If the Mets want to have a chance, they need to win a series. They have not done so in the last 15 series they have played.

Noah Syndergaard will finally make his return to the mound after about a month and a half on the sidelines. The Mets hope to have four starting pitchers they can rely on and they are going to need it if they are going to beat their rivals. These next couple starts for Syndergaard could end up being showcases for buyers at the trade deadline. The Mets have certainly made it know they will shop him for the right price, if it will make their team better in the future.

Rough Season For The Nats

The Nationals have surprised many by hovering around the .500 mark this season. Even with all of the home runs, Bryce Harper has struggled with the bat. He is only hitting .213 and has a mediocre 0.1 WAR. To put that in perspective Todd Frazier, Devin Mesoraco and Jose Bautista all have higher WARs than Harper. He is on pace to set a career high in walks, but he is also on pace to set a career high in strikeouts.

Max Scherzer is having another Cy Young quality season for the Nationals. He leads the NL in strikeouts and innings pitched, it would be the third straight season he leads the NL in strikeouts. 19-year old Juan Soto has come up to the big leagues and amazed everyone so far. Soto is hitting .304 with a 540 slugging and is already ahead of where Harper was when the Nationals brought him up at the age of 19.

Matchups to Lookout For

Asdrubal Cabrera vs. Max Scherzer: 14-61 (.230) 4 Doubles, Home Run, 3 Walks, 18 Strikeouts

Jose Bautista vs. Jeremy Hellickson: 12-35 (.343) Double, Triple, 3 Home Runs, 6 Walks, 6 Strikeouts

Anthony Rendon vs. Zack Wheeler: 7-20 (.350) 3 Walks, 4 Strikeouts

Bryce Harper vs. Zack Wheeler: 4-20 (.250) Home Run, 2 Walks, 9 Strikeouts

Interesting Stats

Matt Adams during night games in 2018: 34-107 (.318) 5 Doubles, 8 Home Runs, 10 Walks, 24 Strikeouts

Noah Syndergaard vs. #3 Hitter in the order in 2018: 5-27 (.185) 2 Doubles, 4 Walks, 9 Strikeouts

New York Mets Series Preview: Philadelphia Phillies (7/9-7/11)

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The New York Mets hope to turn things around against the Philadelphia Phillies as they play four games in three days. The Mets have been dreadful at Citi Field where they have lost 17 out of their last 20 games at home. Their bats have disappeared over the last 18 innings as the combination of Blake Snell, Nathan Eovaldi and the Tampa Bay Rays bullpen shut them down over the weekend. The Phillies continue to surprise everyone and find themselves in a first place tie with the Atlanta Braves. Surprisingly the Mets have taken three out of the four games they have played against the Phillies in 2018.

Probable Pitching Matchups

(7/9, 4:10 PM) Zach Eflin (7-2, 2.97 ERA) vs. Zack Wheeler (2-6, 4.36 ERA)

(7/9, 7:10 PM) Aaron Nola (11-2, 2.41 ERA) vs. Corey Oswalt (0-1, 7.94 ERA)

(7/10, 7:10 PM) TBD vs. TBD (Great Matchup)

(7/11, 7:10 PM) TBD vs. Jacob deGrom (5-4, 1.79 ERA)

The Mets offense continues to flounder which has forced their batting average to drop to .229. The only team worse is the Baltimore Orioles, who swept a two game series from them earlier this year. Brandon Nimmo and Asdrubal Cabrera are having terrific years, but no one has the ability to drive them in once they get on base. The combination of mediocre hitters and frequent injures have led to this lackluster Mets offense.

deGrom deAll-Star

On a positive note, Jacob deGrom was named the Mets lone All-Star. deGrom has been the only bright spot on a very disappointing team. He leads all of baseball in ERA and has a chance to start the midsummer classic. Max Scherzer was also named an All-Star and the partisan crowd in Washington may hold back deGrom from getting the start. The same deal happened to Matt Harvey and Clayton Kershaw in 2013. Harvey started the game at Citi Field, but Kershaw was having the better year at the time.

Phillies are Contenders Again

The Phillies have been the biggest surprise out of the National League this season. They have started July on fire, winning five of their first six games. The Phillies offense includes five guys with double digit home run totals and eight with double digit double totals. Outside of Carlos Santana, their regular lineup is all home grown players. This is the same trend many contenders like the Astros, Cubs and Yankees have established.

Aaron Nola is the lone Phillies All-Star for the Phillies this season. He has finally rounded in to the ace the Phillies felt he would be with he was taken seventh overall in the 2014 MLB Draft. He has 11 wins, a 2.41 ERA and 116 strikeouts in 116 innings. Zach Eflin has not had the same hype Nola has, but he has pitched like an ace as well. He has finally put it all together to put up a 2.97 ERA after two rough seasons to start his career.

Matchups to Lookout For

Odubel Herrera vs. Jacob deGrom: 6-27 (.222) Walk, 8 Strikeouts

Cesar Hernandez vs. Jacob deGrom: 3-16 (.188) 4 Walks, 4 Strikeouts

Asdrubal Cabrera vs. Aaron Nola: 4-11 (.273) Strikeout

Michael Conforto vs. Aaron Nola: 3-10 (.300) Home Run, Walk, 2 Strikeouts

Interesting Stats

Aaron Nola during night games in 2018: 6-1, 1.94 ERA, 55.2 IP, 55 Strikeouts

Hitters against Jacob deGrom w/RISP in 2018: 10-78 (.128) 35 Strikeouts

New York Mets Injury Report: July 8, 2018

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New York Mets, Noah Syndergaard

The snake bitten New York Mets have struggled with injuries once again this year. Even more than ever, they need their key players to return. One of their stars seem content with sitting on the sidelines while their team struggles, instead trying to figure out how to get on the field. It becomes scary when these take more than one page and then you see another team who only has four players injured.

Mejia is Back

Jenrry Mejia (suspension) has conditionally been reinstated from his permanent suspension for the 2019 season. This is not a true injury, but it has kept him off the field since 2015 after he was handed a lifetime suspension. Mejia tested positive for performance enhancing drugs for the third time in his career which warranted the suspension. Mejia has a 3.68 career ERA and could certainly help the Mets in 2019 if he can still compete at a high level.

Jerry Blevins (bereavement list) has been away from the last couple of days due to the passing of his grandmother. Paul Sewald has taken his spot in the bullpen for the time being. We wish the best to Jerry and the rest of the Blevins family.

Jason Vargas (calf) threw a simulated game on Saturday. He already threw one on July 4th and should be heading on a minor league rehab assignment shortly. If everything works out well, he should be expected to return around the All-Star break. Mets fans and the organization hopes he takes his time coming back since his ERA is a sparkling 8.60.

Bruce Slowly Coming Back

Jay Bruce (hip) will resume taking batting during the week. He has been out for the last two weeks due to a strained right hip and has had a disappointing season due to multiple injuries. The Mets are not sure on whether Bruce will need a rehab assignment, but the more time he spends out of the lineup will increase the chances of him being sent on one. There is no clear timetable for his return.

Noah Syndergaard (finger) made a rehab start for the Brooklyn Cyclones on Sunday after throwing a 50 pitch simulated game earlier last week. Syndergaard threw five innings allowing two hits, one run and struck out seven. He topped out at 99 mph during his start and was sitting at 98. Syndergaard will take the injury day-by-day, but his next start could come in a Mets uniform. If the Mets want any chance of getting back in the race they will need him.

Where Is Cespy?

Yoenis Cespedes (hip, quad) resumed baseball activities on Thursday. Cespedes has been a lost man for the last few weeks. No one knows how far or close he is from returning because he does not talk to anybody. He is beginning to show the characteristics that has made him a tradable player over the years. Cespedes has no problem sitting on the sidelines if the team if the team is underperforming. He only wants to push himself if the team is winning. His chronic leg injuries are becoming a big issue and has help him back from winning the MVP he has been focused on winning.

David Wright (back, shoulder) took batting practice on back to back days at the end of June and was more active than he has been. There is a very low chance he returns in 2018, but hopefully he gets through the season without any setbacks. Wright is pushing 36 years old and cannot play everyday anymore, but he could likely produce the same way Todd Frazier is. A .220 average with a .390 slugging is definitely numbers Wright could put up if he is healthy and that is not asking for much.

T.J. Rivera Coming Back?

T.J. Rivera (elbow) began a rehab assignment with the St. Lucie Mets on Thursday. Rivera is finally returning to the field after 10 months of recovery from Tommy John Surgery. He will need a couple weeks to get back in baseball shape but he could return before the month ends. He is a .304 hitter in just over 300 ABs and the Mets could certainly use his bat in the lineup.

A.J. Ramos (shoulder), Juan Lagares (toe), Travis d’Arnaud (elbow) and Rafael Montero (elbow) will continue to be sidelined for the entire 2018 season.

Our 2018 Major League Baseball All-Star Game Selections

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With Major League Baseball’s All-Star voting coming to an end last night, here are my selections for this year’s mid-summer classic. Before getting to the list, I just want to say my selections are not a prediction and I tried to keep my New York Mets interest to the side. This means they could be dramatically different than the numbers from the fan voting. One of the biggest problems with the fan vote is many players who are having great years are over shadowed by players having down years but are very popular. Each player on this list could easily be taken out for a player having a year just as strong.

American League Starters (# appearance if selected)

Catcher: Wilson Ramos, Tampa Bay Rays (2nd)

First Base: Jose Abreu, Chicago White Sox (2nd)

Second Base: Jose Altuve, Houston Astros (6th)

Third Base: Jose Ramirez, Cleveland Indians (2nd)

Shortstop: Manny Machado, Baltimore Orioles (4th)

Left Field: Mookie Betts, Boston Red Sox (3rd)

Center Field: Mike Trout, Los Angeles Angels (7th)

Right Field: Aaron Judge, New York Yankees (2nd)

Designated Hitter: J.D. Martinez (2nd)

Starting Pitcher: Luis Severino, New York Yankees (2nd)

American League Reserves

Catcher: Yan Gomes, Cleveland Indians (1st)

First Base: Justin Smoak, Toronto Blue Jays (2nd)

Second Base: Jed Lowrie, Oakland Athletics (1st), Gleyber Torres, New York Yankees (1st)

Third Base: Alex Bregman, Houston Astros (1st), Miguel Andujar, New York Yankees (1st), Mike Moustakas, Kansas City Royals (3rd)

Shortstop: Andrelton Simmons, Los Angeles Angels (1st), Francisco Lindor, Cleveland Indians (3rd)

Outfield: Mitch Haniger, Seattle Mariners (1st), Eddie Rosario, Minnesota Twins (1st), Nick Castellanos, Detroit Tigers (1st)

Designated Hitters: Nelson Cruz, Seattle Mariners (6th), Shin-Soo Choo, Texas Rangers (1st)

American League Pitchers

Starting Pitchers: Justin Verlander,Houston Astros (7th), Gerrit Cole, Houston Astros (2nd), Charlie Morton, Houston Astros (1st), James Paxton, Seattle Mariners (2nd), Trevor Bauer, Cleveland Indians (1st), Corey Kluber, Cleveland Indians (3rd), Chris Sale, Boston Red Sox (7th), Blake Snell, Tampa Bay Rays (1st)

Relief Pitchers: Blake Treinen, Oakland Athlets (1st), Collin McHugh, Houston Astros (1st), Edwin Diaz, Seattle Mariners (1st), Aroldis Chapman, New York Yankees (5th)

National League Starters

Catcher: J.T. Realmuto, Miami Marlins (1st)

First Base: Freddie Freeman, Atlanta Braves (3rd)

Second Base: Scooter Gennett, Cincinnati Reds (1st)

Third Base: Nolan Arenado, Colorado Rockies (4th)

Shortstop: Trevor Story, Colorado Rockies (1st)

Left Field: Matt Kemp, Los Angeles Dodgers (3rd)

Center Field: Charlie Blackmon, Colorado Rockies (3rd)

Right Field: Nick Markakis, Atlanta Braves, (1st)

Designated Hitter: Max Muncy, Los Angeles Dodgers (1st)

Starting Pitcher: Jacob deGrom, New York Mets (2nd)

National League Reserves

Catcher: Yadier Molina, St. Louis Cardinals (9th)

First Base: Joey Votto, Cincinnati Reds (6th)

Second Base: Ozzie Albies, Atlanta Braves (1st), Javier Baez, Chicago Cubs (1st)

Third Base: Matt Carpenter, St. Louis Cardinals (4th), Eugenio Suarez, Cincinnati Reds (1st)

Shortstop: Brandon Crawford, San Francisco Giants (2nd)

Outfielders: Brandon Nimmo, New York Mets (1st), Albert Almora, Chicago Cubs (1st),

Gregory Polanco, Pittsburgh Pirates (1st)

National League Pitchers

Starting Pitchers: Mike Foltynewicz, Atlanta Braves (1st), Aaron Nola, Philadelphia Phillies (1st), Max Scherzer, Washington Nationals (6th), Jon Lester, Chicago Cubs (5th), Miles Mikolas, St. Louis Cardinals (1st)

Relief Pitchers: Sean Doolittle, Washington Nationals (2nd), Jeremy Jefferes, Milwaukee Brewers (1st), Josh Hader, Milwaukee Brewers (1st), Jordan Hicks, St. Louis Cardinals (1st), Archie Bradley, Arizona Diamondbacks (1st), Kenley Jansen, Los Angeles Dodgers (3rd), Brad Hand, San Diego Padres (2nd)

There are plenty of well deserving players to make this years All-Star Game. For the first time it could end up as a Subway Series matchup on the mound. The ASG will take place July 17th at Nationals Park in Washington. If anyone has a player they would have like to see on the list, give us your feed back on our Twitter @EmpireSportsNYM

New York Mets Series Preview: Toronto Blue Jays (7/3-7/4)

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New York Yankees, New York Mets, Zack Wheeler

The New York Mets will head up to Canada to face the Toronto Blue Jays for their final matchup of the season. The Mets come off a series where they lost two out of three to the Miami Marlins. Toronto sits at 39-45 and is in fourth place in the AL East. Both teams are at least 15 games out of first place. They split the first two games they played at Citi Field this season.

Probable Pitching Matchups:

(7/3, 7:07 PM) Zack Wheeler (2-4, 4.47 ERA) vs. Marco Estrada (4-7, 4.53 ERA)

(7/4, 7:07 PM) Corey Oswalt (0-1, 9.82 ERA) vs. Marcus Stroman (1-5, 6.02 ERA)

Wheeler is in a Groove

Zack Wheeler will take the mound for the first game of the series and he has slowly turned his season around. In June, Wheeler decided to throw with a higher velocity on his fastball and the results improved. He went from a 6.43 ERA in May, to a 3.26 ERA in June. As bad as the last couple months have been for the Mets, they at least have three consistent starters they can rely on.

Corey Oswalt started in Jason Vargas place in the rotation against the Marlins and did a very good impression of him. He allowed six runs in 2.2 innings pitched in his first start with the Mets. He started his Mets career with 4.2 innings of two run ball out of the bullpen and the Mets will be looking for that type of pitcher in the final game of the series. Oswalt still has an opportunity to land a job in the Mets rotation and all he has to be is average to keep it.

New Blue Jays Making an Impact

The Blue Jays are not the feared AL East team they once were but their offense can still pack a punch. Yangervis Solarte has stepped up in the place of the injured Josh Donaldson this season. He leads the Blue Jays with 15 home runs and 45 RBIs in his first season in Toronto. Teoscar Hernandez also leads the team with a .520 slugging percentage. He was acquired from the Houston Astros for Francisco Liriano last year and the trade looks like a steal now.

Marcus Stroman has failed to pitch at the same level he did his first couple of years in the big leagues. His ERA is almost double what it was last year even though his strikeout rate has increased. In his last two starts since coming back from the DL, he has gone back to pitching they was he was known for. The Blue Jays would love to see Stroman put together another great start against the Mets.

Matchups to Lookout For

Todd Frazier vs. Marco Estrada: 7-22 (.318) Double, 2 Home Runs, Walk, Strikeout

Jose Reyes vs. Marco Estrada: 5-14 (.357) Double, Triple, 2 Strikeouts

Yangervis Solarte vs. Zack Wheeler: 1-3 (.333) Walk

Randal Grichuk vs. Zack Wheeler: 0-3 (.000) Strikeout

Interesting Stats

Asdrubal Cabrera in Late & Close Situations in 2018: 23-63 (.365) 5 Doubles, Triple, 5 Home Runs, 1 Walk, 13 Strikeouts

Justin Smoak w/RISP: 18-57 (.316) 8 Doubles, 3 Home Runs, 13 Walks, 17 Strikeouts

New York Mets Series Preview: Miami Marlins (6/29-6/31)

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The New York Mets hit the road after another dreadful homestand to take on fellow National League bottom feeder, Miami Marlins. These are two worst teams in the NL and come into this weekend’s series with 32 wins each. Both teams come from different directions, the Mets were build to make a postseason run and the Marlins are in total rebuild mode. The Mets have the upper hand in this season’s series, taking four of the six games.

Probable Pitching Matcups:

(6/29, 7:10 PM) Corey Oswalt (0-0, 3.86 ERA) vs. Sandy Alcantra (First Start of the Season)

(6/30, 4:10 PM) Jacob deGrom (5-3, 1.69 ERA) vs. TBD

(6/31, 1:10 PM) Steven Matz (3-5, 3.69 ERA) vs. Dan Straily (3-3, 4.82 ERA)

deGrom is Pushed Back

Jacob deGrom was originally slated to take the mound Friday night, but a family issue arose which pushed his start back to Saturday. Corey Oswalt will make the start in his place, Gerson Bautista was optioned to Triple-A to make room for Oswalt. In his only start this season, he gave the Mets 4.2 innings and allowed two runs while striking out four batters. With Seth Lugo back in the Mets bullpen, Oswalt has an opportunity to stay in the rotation if he shows that he is major league ready.

Wilmer Flores has been one of the Mets hottest hitters since he returned from the disabled list. He is hitting .286 with three home runs and a .571 slugging percentage in his return to the lineup. As Dom Smith has failed to find any consistency at the plate, it created an opportunity for Flores to take his job. Peter Alonso is also scratching at the door to enter the big leagues with could take Smith out of Mets first base picture.

Trust the Process in Miami?

It was obvious that the Marlins were going to tank with Derek Jeter at the helm. The have not been .500 at any point this season and have held last place in the NL East firmly. J.T. Realmuto has been their lone bright spot and will likely be their lone all-star this season. Realmuto has batted .308 with 10 home runs and 36 RBIs after missing time early in the season due to an injury.

Derek Dietrich has been one of only the surprises for the Marlins this season. He is top-20 in the NL with 82 hits and has been hit with 10 pitches this season. Brian Anderson has shown he can be part of the Marlin’s future plans. He has a .293 average and is fourth in the NL with 92 hits. Anderson has the ability to play third base and the corner outfield positions and is a dark horse to be an all-star as well.

Matchups to Lookout For

Derek Dietrich vs. Jacob deGrom: 4-21 (.191) Walk, 11 Strikeouts

Justin Bour vs. Jacob deGrom: 8-19 (.421) Double, 2 Home Runs, 2 Walks, 6 Strikeouts

Asdrubal Cabrera vs. Dan Straily: 3-11 (.273) 2 Doubles, Walk, 2 Strikeouts

Jose Reyes vs. Dan Straily: 2-11 (.182) 4 Walks, 2 Strikeouts

Interesting Stats

Wilmer Flores in Late & Close Situations in 2018: 11-27 (.407) Double, 3 Home Runs, 3 Walks, 2 Strikeouts

Starlin Castro Leading Off an Inning in 2018: 25-74 (.338) 4 Doubles, 2 Home Runs, 4 Walks, 12 Strikeouts