The following is the final Mets Connections piece of the season as the Astros are the Mets’ last opponent they will face for the first time this year. While the most recent edition of this series featured a youthful Reds team that provided little content, the Houston players did not lack in connections to the Mets. This final edition features those same Astros players as they return to Houston for the first time since Hurricane Harvey in what is sure to be an emotional three-game set.
Cameron Maybin: This connection helps to bring Mets Connections full circle. The very first post in this series connected Ender Inciarte to Yoenis Cespedes through Gabe Speier, whom they had been involved with in separate trades. Well, in the last Mets Connections piece of the season, Speier is what connects Maybin to Cespedes as well. Speier was part of the return for Maybin when he was traded by Atlanta to Detroit in November 2015. Speier was also shipped alongside Cespedes when he was traded from Boston to Detroit in December 2014.
Jake Marisnick: The Astros’ outfielder was originally drafted by the Blue Jays before being dealt in the trade that sent Jose Reyes, among others, from Miami to Toronto. He was later part of a trade that sent him to Houston.
Former Mets
Two current Astros have previously appeared in the majors for the Mets. Carlos Beltran spent a significant amount of time in Queens (seven years) in what is possibly a Hall of Fame career. Tyler Clippard’s time in New York, while also successful, seems diminished when placed alongside of Beltran’s immense contributions to the franchise.
Draft Connections
2008, 18th round: Collin McHugh was the Mets 18th round selection in 2008. He was traded to Colorado for Eric Young, Jr. five years later. It hurts, as he could help the New York rotation, but you can be comforted (or maybe discouraged) by the fact that like nearly every other pitcher developed by the Mets, he has faced injury woes this season. It’s not only the pitchers they keep.
2011, 1st round: George Springer (11, Astros), Brandon Nimmo (13, Mets), and Joe Musgrove (46, Blue Jays)
2014, 1st round: Michael Conforto (10, Mets) and Derek Fisher (37, Astros)
Campus Connections
The Matt Reynolds and Dallas Keuchel connection goes deeper than the fact they will be in opposing dugouts this series. Reynolds, three years Keuchel’s junior, has followed the bearded pitcher around throughout their careers. The two were both born in Tulsa, Oklahoma, were students at Bishop Kelley High School, and were drafted out of the University of Arkansas.
Photo credit: Thomas Shea – USA Today Sports