Your Sunday morning dose of New York Mets and MLB news, notes, and links.
Meet the Mets
The Mets’ offense finally broke out in a 12-6 victory over the Giants that snapped their four-game losing skid. Kodai Senga was not sharp, giving up four runs in four innings of work while struggling with his command. But luckily the bats were able to overcome it. Pete Alonso’s 250th career home run got the Mets out to an early 3-0 lead, which Senga coughed up, but the Mets went back in front in the bottom of the fourth on a game-tying RBI single by Brandon Nimmo and a squeeze bunt by Francisco Lindor. The Mets then piled on insurance runs against the Giants’ bullpen, coasting to what ended up being a comfortable victory.
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Pete Alonso’s 250th career home run puts him two shy of Darryl Strawberry’s franchise record.
The Mets’ revamped bullpen also shined in yesterday’s victory and it allowed Carlos Mendoza to be aggressive in pulling a struggling Kodai Senga from the game early.
Rico Garcia pitched the ninth inning yesterday and gave up a meaningless two-run homer to Giants shortstop Willy Adames, but nonetheless, he was still designated for assignment after the game in order for the Mets to bring in a fresh arm. As of this morning, the identity of the new bullpen addition has not yet been announced, but the Mets do now have an open 40-man roster spot with the departure of Garcia.
The season-ending procedure that Max Kranick underwent ended up being flexor tendon repair surgery instead of Tommy John, which means he may be able to return to a major league mound at some point next year.
The Mets granted release for three Triple-A pitchers yesterday: RHP Junior Fernandez, RHP Julian Merryweather, and LHP Colin Poche.
Around the National League East
The weather spoiled the first MLB Speedway Classic yesterday, as there was a rain delay of over two hours to start the game, then the game was suspended after it started raining again with one out in the bottom of the first. The game between the Braves and Reds will resume at 1:00pm ET today.
The Phillies lost to the Tigers 7-5 in the premiere pitching matchup between Zack Wheeler and Tarik Skubal. Both Skubal and Wheeler fanned ten batters apiece, but Skubal earned the win while Wheeler took the loss. Both bullpens were shaky in the late innings, but the Tigers held on and former National Kyle Finnegan earned his first save as a Tiger.
The Marlins blanked the Yankees 2-0, as they near the .500 mark after a dreadful start to the season. Agustín Ramírez, who Miami received in the Jazz Chisolm trade, homered twice for the Marlins in victory. Eury Pérez pitched six scoreless innings for Miami.
In a bit of ironic symmetry, Jazz Chisolm Jr. committed a base running blunder in yesterday’s game; he was doubled off first base on an infield pop-up. However, Chisolm explained that he was deked by Marlins second baseman Xavier Edwards, who he thought was going to purposefully drop the ball, but ended up catching it instead and doubling Chisolm off first base.
The Nationals were thumped by the Brewers 8-2, as Jake Irvin was knocked around for five earned runs in four innings.
Around Major League Baseball
The Cubs all wore No. 23 on the back of their jerseys yesterday in honor of late Hall of Famer and Cubs legend Ryne Sandberg, who passed away on Monday following a battle with cancer.
Red Sox righty Tanner Houck will have season-ending Tommy John surgery, the team announced yesterday.
Both benches briefly cleared after the seventh inning of Saturday’s 7-3 Red Sox win over the Astros at Fenway Park after Houston reliever Héctor Neris had a heated exchange with Red Sox third base coach Kyle Hudson.
Yesterday at Amazin’ Avenue
Lukas Vlahos evaluated the Gregory Soto trade.
This Date in Mets History
Legendary Mets broadcaster Bob Murphy passed away on this date in 2004.