All jokes aside, the Mets began the week with a three-game series against the Padres. Jacob deGrom pitched eight strong innings on Monday, allowing only two earned runs and striking out eleven. But the Mets couldn’t muster anything against the Padres’ relievers. deGrom exited the game with a 1.71 ERA and a 5-5 record, yet another bullet point in the list that proves the Mets are clearly wasting a rare talent, even if wins are a flawed statistic. (They won the next two games against the Padres.)

There’s no way to sugarcoat this: Yoenis Cespedes, who spent two months recovering from hip and squad issues, re-injured himself in his first game back. He announced on Wednesday that he’ll undergo season-ending heel surgery, which may take 8-10 months of rehab. In other injury news, Todd Frazier will soon begin a minor league rehab assignment for his rib cage muscle. And Jason Vargas, who was recovering from a calf strain, started on Friday against the Pirates.

Meh Series in Pittsburgh

Pitted against the mediocre Pirates, the Mets won two and lost two. Thursday’s game was basically won by Asdrubal Cabrera, who went three for five with a home run before being shipped to Philadelphia. Steven Matz also deserves some of the credit. He limited the Pirates to four runs over six innings, which would be subpar in a normal game. All bets are off, though, when the Mets score twelve times.

Friday was dispiriting, as walk-off losses tend to be. This was one especially tough because the Mets had an early lead. Michael Conforto’s first inning homer, which sailed into the right field seats, was quickly followed by David Freese’s two-run blast. The Cardinals legend ended up having a monstrously good game. He left the field with three hits, five RBIs and a game-winning home run in the ninth. Meanwhile, Saturday’s loss was extremely on brand for deGrom’s 2018 season. The Mets offense squandered his strong start and handed him another undeserved loss.

Sunday’s game was more entertaining than it had a right to be. Zack Wheeler manhandled the Pirates through six scoreless innings, and then he drove in the Mets’ only run with an RBI double. That’s what I call earning the win.

Mets Call Up Top Infield Prospect

Last week, the Mets promoted top infield prospect Jeff McNeil from Triple-A Las Vegas. McNeil, who was selected in the 12th round of the 2013 draft out of Long Beach State, was crushing the minor leagues with a .342/.411/.617 slashline, 19 home runs and six stolen bases.

He debuted on Tuesday, where he mashed the first pitch into center field for a single. But Thursday was his best game so far, as the 26 year-old went 1-2 and reached base four times in the Mets 12-6 win. Going forward, he’s expected to bounce around the infield in a utility role. He just might take over the uncontested role of “Mets’ hope for the future.”

His first major league hit:

Trade Update

Four days before the trade deadline, the Mets sent Asdrubal Cabrera to the Phillies for minor league righty Franklyn Kilome, who had a 4.24 ERA, 1.44 WHIP and 83 strikeouts in 103 innings at Double-A Reading. Kilome was on Baseball Prospectus’s Top 100 list prior to this season, as he dominated High-A last year, but he dropped off the list due to his current struggles.

From our own Jarrett Seidler in the Transaction Analysis: “He’s a physical freak, with an explosive mid-90s fastball and a curveball that flashes 70-grade coming free and easy out of a 6-foot-6 frame. At times, he’s shown promising beginnings of a changeup and slider. If you catch him on a night where enough stuff is working, you’d think this is one of the highest-upside arms in the minors. And it might be.”

Photo credit: Brad Penner – USA Today Sports

Take Monday night as an example, where the Mets erred right off the bat. Starling Marte hit a routine grounder between second and third, Mets third baseman Luis Guillorme charged forward and then bobbled the ball. Guillorme made two more costly mistakes that night: an airmail throw and a botched bare-hander. The loss was sealed thanks to uninspiring relief performances by Tyler Bashlor and Robert Gsellman.

Wednesday’s game was even more painful. The Mets held a late 4-0 lead behind Zack Wheeler’s seven shutout innings, but their relievers weren’t up to the job. Gsellman allowed two hits and a run and Jeurys Familia’s ninth inning meltdown sounded the death knell. 5-3, Pirates.

Mets GM Sandy Alderson announced on Tuesday that he was taking a leave of absence for medical reasons. Choking back tears, he hinted that he may not return to the organization. His emotional farewell preceded a similarly emotional 4-3 win. After Michael Conforto hit a game-tying seventh inning homer, Wilmer Flores won the game with an RBI single in the tenth. “King of the walkoff!” bellowed the Mets announcers. The players danced around the diamond, laughing and hugging as they celebrated their win for Sandy.

A Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Series
Losing one game to the Marlins is understandable, but losing two is an indignity. Mets starters were outclassed by Sandy Alcantara and Pablo Lopez — the Marlins’ #20 prospect per MLB Pipeline — and their offense paled against the likes of J.T. Realmuto and Lewis Brinson. They left Florida with the lowest record in the National League and a team-worst 5-21 record in June.
The Mets only salvaged the weekend with Sunday’s 5-2 win. Steven Matz pitched 5.1 strong innings and Asdrubal Cabrera hit a gargantuan solo home run in the second inning.

Injury Update
Mets ace Noah Syndergaard has languished on the disabled list since May 25 with a strained index finger. Earlier this week, he began throwing off a mound and is scheduled to pitch a simulated game in Port Lucie against Jason Vargas, who’s recovering from a calf strain. Assuming the start goes well, they will probably make at least one more rehab start before rejoining the Mets.

David Wright took batting practice with the club on Saturday, looking to return from lingering shoulder and back injuries that wrecked his last two seasons.

Quick Hits

• Happy Bobby Bonilla Day! Since July 1, 2000, the Mets have given Bonilla annual payments of $1.2 million. They wanted to release him back in 1999, but they still owed him $5.9 million. So they struck a deal. Instead of paying him straightaway, the Mets would give Bonilla $29.8 million over the next thirty-five years. Here’s a more in-depth explainer from Darren Rovell.
• Vultures are circling the Mets, picking apart its carcass for salvageable trade chips. This New York Daily News article constructs four possible trades involving Noah Syndergaard. Some also speculate about trading deGrom, who recently said that he’s “tired of losing.”
• Check out this SNY piece about the Mets’ search for a general manager. “This is a leave of absence in name only,” writes Andy Martino. “Starting in August or September, the Mets will begin due diligence in a wide-ranging GM search. An interview process is likely in October.” “Expect a very active trading season. The three interims have been charged with thinking creatively and being aggressive. It seems like a longshot that the team would trade Jacob deGrom, but they’d listen to anything. Free-agents-to-be like Jeurys Familia could go soon, as could players who we haven’t mentioned. The front office could cook up ideas that will surprise us. It won’t be boring.”
• At least Triple-A Las Vegas had a good week. Josh Provost pitched quite well and the Vegas offense scored fifteen runs on Saturday.

Photo credit: Brad Penner – USA Today Sports

The rest of the week wasn’t as great. Although the Mets mustered eight runs on Tuesday night, Jason Vargas pitched atrociously enough to sink the game. “It’s frustrating,” he said afterwards. “You get rolling in a good direction, and then you have something like this happen.” Rinse and repeat on Wednesday. The Mets scored eight runs, but Seth Lugo and Robert Gsellman couldn’t get the job done. Lugo was especially hurt by Todd Frazier’s throwing error and Devin Mesoraco’s passed ball in the second inning, while Gsellman hung a changeup to Rockies’ third baseman Ryan McMahon.

To round out the week, the Mets dropped three home games to the Dodgers. Jacob deGrom faced Clayton Kershaw on Saturday night and the Mets’ world-beater allowed three runs over six innings, and Kershaw was shaky in his return from the disabled list. Neither starter lived up expectations. Their mediocrity was overshadowed, though, by Gsellman’s horrific performance. The normally-reliable reliever gave up five runs in two innings, including a late-game grand slam by Matt Kemp. He now has a 4.20 ERA and 1.27 WHIP.

The fewer words written about Sunday’s game, the better. Let’s just say that Jerry Blevins allowed back-to-back home runs to open the game, the Dodgers hit five more homers in total and Brandon Nimmo exited with a sore right pinkie. This was the Mets’ sixth straight loss, bringing them to 13 games below .500. The only positive is that Nimmo’s X-rays were negative.

An Ignominious Farewell

The Mets signed Hansel Robles in 2008 as an international free agent. Seven years later, he debuted against the New York Yankees, when the hard-throwing righty gave up a hit to A-Rod, loading the bases, and then retired Brian McCann and Carlos Beltrán. He ended up having a strong rookie season for the Mets, and his sophomore year was similarly promising, as he recorded 9.8 strikeouts per nine with a 3.56 FIP.

Robles, though, has become a shadow of his former self. Both his walk rate and home run rate have increased, and he’s allowed 11 runs in less than 20 innings this year. The Mets dumped their longtime pitcher on Friday for roster space, replacing him immediately with up-and-coming reliever Drew Smith, who pitched a scoreless relief inning on Saturday. Robles will swap blue and orange for red and white — the colors of the Los Angeles Angels.

According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Robles’s 1.4 homers allowed per nine innings is the second worst in Mets history. He was only outdone by Pedro Astacio.

Optimism Abounds

I actually have some good Mets-related news! Earlier this year, the Mets selected outfielder Jarred Kelenic sixth overall in the amateur draft. The Wisconsin native was their highest pick in fourteen years, and many considered him the best prep bat available. “We felt very comfortable selecting a player this high in the Draft who has tremendous makeup, passion for the game, intensity for the game,” said Mets amateur scouting director Mark Tutula.

Kelenic made his professional debut on Saturday for the Gulf Coast League Mets. Batting third as the designated hitter, he went 3-4 with a triple and two runs scored. It’s true, of course, that Kelenic may take several years to reach the big leagues. But how exciting is it to have a highly touted outfield prospect?

Quick Hits

• This Forbes article about Mets players “purportedly playing defense” is pretty clever. As a central New Jerseyan, I particularly liked the lede comparing them to Grounds for Sculpture statues. Author Tom Van Riper references legit stats like defensive efficiency, total zone rating, and wins above replacement to emphasize how bad Mets defenders are.
• Last year, the Mets traded Lucas Duda to the Rays in exchange for righty pitcher Drew Smith. The 24 year-old now has a 3.00 ERA and 1.20 WHIP with 28 strikeouts in 30 innings at Triple-A Las Vegas and the Mets rewarded him with a call-up
• Jason Vargas was placed on the 10-day DL with a strained right calf. He was scheduled to pitch on Sunday, so the Mets called up Chris Flexen to take his spot. You may remember Flexen from last season: he made 14 appearances, recording a 53 ERA+ and only 36 strikeouts in 48 innings. Flexen hasn’t been much better this year for the Las Vegas 51s.
• Citing Amed Rosario’s offensive struggles, the Mets will now bench him in favor of Jose Reyes. The 35 year-old accused domestic abuser is batting .180/.270/.247 with seven errors in 52 games this season. But hey — he’s hit well in recent weeks! So the Mets will continue ignoring his shameful history, praising his performances and labeling him a “mentor.”

Photo credit: Andy Marlin – USA Today Sports

It’s the end of an era. Matt Harvey, the former super-ace and Gotham fireballer, was released by the Mets on Friday after refusing a minor league assignment. His tantalizing four-pitch mix and overpowering fastball once inspired comparisons to the best pitchers in history. In 2013, Sports Illustrated described him as “a near exact duplication of Clemens in his prime,” and his “Dark Knight” nickname was only a slight exaggeration. Yet Harvey has struggled to live up to the hype over the last few years. He underwent two major surgeries, elbow reconstruction and thoracic outlet decompression, and emerged with a dramatically inferior fastball.

The final straw came on Thursday afternoon. After Jason Vargas coughed up 11 hits, two walks and six runs, Harvey entered the game in relief. He missed the opportunity to show up Vargas, his replacement in the rotation, and instead allowed five runs in two innings. He was released the next day.

Earlier this week, the Mets lost three at home to the Braves. Atlanta’s top pitching prospect, Mike Soroka, pitched six strong innings in his major league debut, while Thor had a tough first inning against Albies and Acuna. The next game added insult to injury. Embattled young lefty Sean Newcomb shut down the Mets over seven frames, and the Braves edged into first place in the NL East.

The Braves have spent years amassing top draft picks, scouring the international market (sometimes illicitly), and waiting patiently for their young stars to blossom. Now they’re reaping the benefits. The Braves’ youthful squad is already better than the Mets, and soon they’ll be in a different echelon. With this in mind, we should be extremely concerned about Jacob deGrom’s injury on Wednesday night. He hyperextended his elbow swinging at a 1-2 slider, and the pain eventually moved to his right biceps. He will miss Monday’s start out of an abundance of caution. “We thought long and hard about this,” Mickey Callaway said. “The more and more we talked about this, we need to take care of the season and Jacob deGrom and the New York Mets.”

The Mets ended the week by dropping three to the Rockies. They have a six-game losing streak, and their Amazin’ 11-1 start has been thoroughly negated.

Quick Hits

• The Mets signed former Phillies infielder Cody Asche to a minor league deal. After playing in the Phillies organization from 2011 to 2016, Asche spent 2017 with the White Sox. His career slashline is 234/.293/.379 with an 82 wRC+, and most defensive softwares give him negative ratings. Asche will probably play third base and left field in Triple-A Las Vegas.
• “[Steven Matz] can be an elite left-handed pitcher if he has the right mentality,” Mickey Callaway said before Saturday’s game. He was vindicated by Matz’s finest performance of the season. The young lefty surrendered one run over six innings against the Rockies.
• Brandon Nimmo did a Q&A with the New York Post on Saturday. “When I get on base I’m excited, I’m glad and that smile just pops through,” he said. “I think that’s what people resonate with it when they see me smile and just having fun, to be able to kind of go back to their days when they were in Little League or whatever. I try and keep that same approach out here.” He also discussed his emotional call-up and his love of Harry Potter.
• Newsday writes that Amed Rosario is hitting well at the bottom of the lineup: “Entering Saturday night’s game against the Rockies at Citi Field, Rosario owned a .292/.313/.400 slash line in 19 games batting ninth. Compare that with his .087/.125/.087 line in seven games batting seventh, and he’s been a much more productive member of a suddenly anemic offense.”
• P.J. Conlon will start in deGrom’s place on Monday. Conlon was the 13th overall pick in the 2015 draft, and he’ll be the first Irish-born major leaguer in more than 70 years.

Injury Update

• Reliever Anthony Swarzak, who has been on the disabled list since April 2 with a strained left oblique, threw without pain on Saturday. He will now fly to Port St. Lucie to “play catch more and more and get closer to games.” The 32 year old was signed to a $14 million deal last December and was intended to be a key bullpen arm.
• Mets catcher Kevin Plawecki, who broke his left hand, is expected to return soon. He’s struggled to regain his grip strength since his April 11 injury. “There’s still pain in the hand,” said Sandy Alderson last week, adding that Plawecki will return “very rapidly” once the pain diminishes.
• Cespedes left Sunday’s game with a tight right hip. Mets beat writer Anthony DiComo made a good point on Twitter: “Cespedes previously dealt with hip soreness in 2016 and 2017. On each occasion, he missed a single game. It’s leg troubles, not hip troubles, that have been his undoing in recent years.”

Defensive Play of the Week

 Photo credit: Andy Marlin – USA Today Sports

Despite Tuesday’s encouraging 6-5 victory, the Mets flailed through the rest of the series. Michael Wacha dominated them on Wednesday, as Kolten Wong, Jed Gyorko and Marcell Ozuna helped the Cards score nine times. Thursday’s contest was both more competitive and more discouraging as the Mets spoiled a excellent start by Noah Syndergaard, losing the 4-3 contest on a 10th inning walk-off single.

They won two out of three against the rebuilding Padres, finishing the week with a 17-9 record. deGrom continued his dominance with a seven-plus innings, eight strikeout performance on Friday, while Cespedes got hot over the weekend. One of his home runs even soared into a garbage can in the bullpen; it was insane — basically like playing a backyard game of KanJam, but with the target pushed back four hundred feet. Lawn game aficionados know what I mean.

There aren’t any huge takeaways from the Mets’ lukewarm 3-2 record this week. They weren’t swept by the Padres, which would elicit a grim reassessment of the young season, nor were they exceptionally good. But one trend seems worth pointing out: In 74 innings pitched, deGrom and Syndergaard have combined for a 2.43 ERA, 94 strikeouts, and 20 earned runs. The two righthanders, one with flowing locks and the other freshly shorn, have driven the Mets to stunning heights. Yet their excellence has largely obscured the awfulness of Steven Matz, Jason Vargas, Zack Wheeler and Matt Harvey, who’ve allowed 23 more earned runs in 63 innings. This is an enormous disparity, and it has worrying implications for the rest of the season. Can our twin Atlases endure the weight of the world for 133 more games?

Injury Update

After a long slump, Cespedes was finally getting into a groove on Sunday afternoon. He had two hits in two at bats, scored twice, and was presumably still riding high from the KanJam homer. Then he injured his thumb trying to steal third. He isn’t expected to be out for long, but it’s still disappointing that such an inconsequential (dare I say unnecessary) play cost the Mets their best hitter.

The Catcher Situation

Last week, the Mets were seeking internal catcher replacements after D’Arnaud and Plawecki’s injuries. They settled on Jose Lobaton and Tomas Nido, a pair of defense-first organizational prospects. “From a defensive standpoint they are doing a nice job,” said Sandy Alderson on Saturday. He added, “We would like to see a little more offense out of both of them…We continue to monitor the market.” It’s good that the Mets are realizing what they have in Lobaton and Nido — two catchers who won’t sniff d’Arnaud’s offensive output — and are seeking to address the situation.

Quick Hits

• An interesting article from Bloomberg News: “Mets Shares Are for Sale Six Years After Madoff Fraud
• Robert Gsellman and Seth Lugo have earned plaudits for their strong bullpen performances. This New York Post article argues that Paul Sewald’s importance has been overlooked. He has a 2.13 ERA and 14 strikeouts in 11.2 innings, and he credits his changeup for improved results against left-handed batters.
• Jeurys Familia was out for Sunday’s game against the Padres due to the passing of his father-in-law, which explains why he pitched eighth inning of Saturday night’s blowout.
• Jay Bruce is preparing for game time at first base, where he played eleven games last season. He’s an outfielder by trade, but Nimmo, Conforto, Cespedes and Gonzalez have winnowed down the available at-bats.
• Video games may have contributed to Gsellman’s poor 2017 season. He told the New York Times that he spent much of his time hunched over his Xbox One, elbows on his knees, playing Fifa and Call of Duty. “I was sitting like that all the time,” he said. He thinks that his poor posture led to an inconsistent release point, throwing his whole kinetic chain off-balance.
• Next year, Ed Burns will release a documentary about Mets legend Tom Seaver. The film corresponds with the 50th anniversary of the 1969 Miracle Mets, when Tom Terrific tallied a league-leading twenty five wins.
• The Mets’ defense ranks second to last in defensive runs saved, with -12. The next worst team, the Nationals, have -4 DFS.

Photo credit: Jake Roth – USA Today Sports

On Monday, the Mets suffered a brutal loss to the Nationals. They were clicking on all cylinders, with a dominant 12-strikeout performance by deGrom and six runs scored. Then the eighth inning rolled around. Bryce Harper hit a two-run single, Matt Reynolds followed suit, and Ryan Madson closed out the 8-6 Nats win.

BP Mets writer Lukas Vlahos called Tuesday’s game “death by a thousand paper cuts.” The Amazins faced off against Gio Gonzalez, who’s 11-1 with a 1.81 ERA at Citifield. Despite allowing eight hits and two walks, he only surrendered two runs through 5.1 innings.

Watching the Mets squander scoring opportunities is painful enough without elaborate play-by-plays. I hope you’ll forgive me, though, when I emphasize that Jose Reyes’s sixth inning strikeout was bad. The count was 2-2; there were runners on first and third. Solis threw a fastball down and in. Now, baseball is a game of milliseconds, but Reyes’s tragic cut seemed several seconds too late. At this point, deGrom may make a better-hitting shortstop.

The Nats are famously dominant at Citi Field, and it felt like the curse would continue through most of Wednesday’s game. Ryan Zimmerman’s three-run homer and Moises Sierra’s sac fly established a comfortable 4-2 lead. But instead of closing out the ninth, the Nats bullpen exploded spectacularly. The Mets scored nine (9) times, buoyed by Frazier’s game-tying single and a monstrous Cespedes grand slam. One second the ball was floating near his shoulder; the next, it was on a beeline to Schenectady.

A Precipitous Fall

Matt Harvey pitched so terribly in Thursday’s 12-4 loss that he was yanked from the rotation. The struggling right-hander has allowed 26 hits, four home runs and four walks in 26 innings this season. Jason Vargas will take his place after making a rehab start in Triple-A. In the meantime, Harvey will pitch out of the bullpen. “On a scale of 1 to 10, obviously I’m at a 10 with being pissed off, but my performance hasn’t been there, and I just have to do whatever I have to do to get back in the starting rotation,” he said. “I need to get my s— together.”

Quick Hits

• The New York Daily News claims that the Mets aren’t looking for a replacement catcher. “They have not yet reached out to three American League teams with obvious matches for a catcher, according to multiple sources, and they have been telling teams that they are going to ‘stay internal for the time being.’” For now, the only internal options are Jose Lobaton — who’s hitting .083 — and Tomas Nido, who started the season in Double-A Binghamton.
• The Mets optioned Gerson Bautista to Double-A on Saturday afternoon. He was acquired from the Red Sox last season in exchange for Addison Reed, and he’ll benefit from some minor league seasoning. The fireballer is considered somewhat of a lottery ticket due to his inconsistent stuff.
• After Friday’s 12-inning win against the Braves, the Mets were in dire need of fresh arms. They called up right-hander Corey Oswalt the next day. Oddly enough, the 2017 Minor League Pitcher of the Year been called up twice already without making his major league debut.
• Brandon Nimmo was hit by a pitch on Wednesday. He ran to first faster than some players run to home plate, clapping and yelling enthusiastically to the Mets dugout. He’s such a joy to watch. Day in and day out, he never seems to lose his enthusiasm. James Wagner tweeted that “Brandon Nimmo might be the most pleasant person around. He just took early batting practice at Sun Trust Park. Then sought out every member of the coaching staff that shagged his fly balls and gave each a fist bump.”
• Notable tweet from Anthony DiComo: “Brandon Nimmo showed off his wheels on the basepaths yesterday, reaching a season-high 29.8 ft/sec, per Statcast. That’s elite speed. To give you some perspective, Amed Rosario ranked fifth in baseball last year with an average max-effort sprint speed of 29.5 ft/sec.”
• This New York Post article explores Justin Dunn’s resurgent season for High-A St. Lucie. “The 22-year-old right-hander, the Mets’ first-round pick out of Boston College in 2016, has begun to reclaim his status as one of the organization’s top prospects to begin this season. With High-A St. Lucie, Dunn has allowed two earned runs in 14.1 innings, striking out 19 in that span. The control issues haven’t completely left him — he has walked six in the early going — but a season after the 19th-overall pick put up a 5.00 ERA in 95.1 innings with St. Lucie, this small sample size qualifies as encouraging.”

Injury Update

The Mets have been quite lucky, apart from the backstop position. Travis d’Arnaud was once the second ranked prospect in the Eastern League behind Bryce Harper. His combination of strong defense and power potential were salivating. As the years go by, an endless litany of injuries have dimmed his potential and the young catcher only played four games this season before feeling elbow tightness during pre-game workups. He went in for an MRI, found that his ulnar collateral ligament was torn, and underwent Tommy John surgery on April 17.

Two days later, backup catcher Kevin Plawecki suffered a hairline fracture in his left hand. He could be back in three weeks.

Photo credit: Dale Zanine – USA Today Sports

On Sept. 28, Marc Carig’s bombshell Newsday piece revealed that the Mets front office tried to fire manager Terry Collins “at various points during his tenure.” Drawing from over a dozen anonymous team insiders, the article alleged that owner Fred Wilpon prevented the front office from exploring different managerial options because he was “getting too chummy” with Collins.

Many were upset by the timing of the story, which seemed like an unnecessary attack on a manager whose contract was already expiring. “That’s a real cowardly thing to do,” said injured third baseman David Wright. “His door has always been open and he’s always listened.”

General manager Sandy Alderson also labeled the article “unfair” on the 68-year old manager, although he didn’t dispute its contents. He then stated that he was “totally happy” about his relationship with the Wilpons and threatened to fire informants if he discovered their identities.

“I’m the leader of this group,” Alderson said. “I feel responsible for every aspect of its operation, particularly in those areas where we may fall short.”

The cherry on top came during Sunday’s contest, the final game of the season, when Ken Rosenthal tweeted, “Terry Collins will announce after game he is resigning as #Mets manager, staying with club in front office role, source tells The Athletic.”

By the Way, the Mets Played This Week

In the first game of Monday’s doubleheader, Braves rookie Lucas Sims threw 6.2 innings of two-run ball. “He’s got a really good breaking ball, been locating his fastball,” said manager Brian Snitker. Shortstop Ozzie Albies, another promising rookie, homered against Chris Flexen in the fourth inning of the Mets’ 9-2 loss.

Two of the Mets’ bright spots this season, Travis d’Arnaud and Brandon Nimmo, carried the team to a 3-2 victory in the nightcap. Our favorite Wyoming-bred outfielder rapped three hits, including a first-inning double, while d’Arnaud hit his 16th home run. The ever-enigmatic Seth Lugo did his part over six strong innings. Throwing only 81 pitches, he struck out seven, allowed two hits, and walked none. Lugo later praised d’Arnaud for staying “on the same page,” which “makes his job a lot easier.”

Rookie infielder Travis Taijeron was the hero of Tuesday’s win against the Braves. The game had previously been dominated by R.A. Dickey, who blanked his former teammates over the first six frames. The Mets also faced an uphill battle after Ender Inciarte’s first inning score. Slowly, but surely, they rallied behind Kevin Plawecki’s offensive exploits. The back-up catcher hit a two-run homer in the seventh, bringing the Mets within two runs of the lead, and then opened the ninth inning with a single. He was driven in by Taijeron, sealing the 4-3 win.

On Wednesday night, the Mets beat the Braves 7-1 behind a strong start by Robert Gsellman. The rookie right-hander had a disappointing season, pitching to a 5.12 ERA and 1.50 WHIP in only 119.2 innings, but his six strong innings offered a glimpse of his potential. “I believe I need to get a lot stronger, in a lot better shape, run a little more, come back and open some eyes next spring,” Gsellman said post-game. On the other hand, rookie counterpart Sean Newcomb had a tough time with the Mets offense, allowing three runs (all driven in by d’Arnaud) over five innings. Dom Smith also continued his hot streak with a pinch-hit two-run homer in the seventh.

The final three games of the season featured one win sandwiched between two losses. The victory came on Saturday versus the Phillies, where trade acquisition Jacob Rhames pitched two scoreless frames out of the bullpen and Asdrubal Cabrera rapped four hits. His three-run homer in the eleventh made the difference.

You may remember Ben Lively’s awe-inspiring start against the Mets last month, where he pitched seven strong innings, homered, and drove in four runs. The rookie right-hander wasn’t quite as impressive on Friday, but his six innings of two-run ball sufficed in the 6-2 Phillies victory. He was also aided by Matt Harvey’s poor four-inning performance. “The positive is that this nightmare of a season is over for me,” said Harvey, whose career record is now 34-35.

The final game of the season was adequately disappointing. Dom Smith, who’s struggled with a .201/.263/.402 slash line, made two careless defensive gaffes in a row. Meanwhile, the Mets were only able to muster two hits against the likes of Nick Pivetta and Victor Arano. The only bright side was Noah Syndergaard’s two-inning start. Throwing up to 101 mph, the recovering ace walked one and struck out two. “Man I missed playing this game….then the season ends,” tweeted Thor with an angry emoji.

Injury Update

Left-handed pitcher Tommy Milone was ruled out for the weekend with elbow soreness, so his ETA is 2018. Jacob deGrom was also scratched from his last start of the season with a stomach ailment.

Looking Forward

With Terry Collins resigning on Sunday, the search is on for the manager of the 2018 Mets. This New York Post article compiled a list of three potential candidates, all of which have ties to the organization.

Robin Ventura, the former third baseman and White Sox manager, is the most recognizable name in the running. After spending 1998-2001 with the Mets, Ventura is already familiar with the demands of the New York market. He apparently “is viewed positively by the Wilpon family” as well.

Another possibility is Alex Cora, a 41 year-old bench coach for the Astros. Cora played infield for the Mets in 2009 and 2010, and he is well regarded for his knowledge of analytics. If the Mets are looking for an antidote to Terry Collins, then Cora’s age and sabermetric background appear to be an excellent match.

Finally, the New York Post regards Mets hitting coach Kevin Long as an intriguing “outside the box” candidate. Citing his extreme popularity with players, “thorough understanding of analytics,” and old-school sensibilities, anonymous sources acknowledge that Long would be a strong communicator in the clubhouse. On the downside, Long has zero experience managing above Single-A and his contract expires after this season.

Quick Hits

• Mets head trainer Ray Ramirez will probably return for 2018, indicating that he will not be the scapegoat for this season’s catastrophic wave of injuries. (NY Post)
• Keith Hernandez will join the Fox postseason studio show, replacing Pete Rose. Despite all of his whining, there’s good chance the former World Series champion just wants to talk about some good baseball for once.
• Next year, the Mets will select sixth overall in the draft. This will be their highest pick since 2004, when they selected Phil Humber third overall out of Rice University.
• Marc Carig tweeted a depressing fact: “Of the 25 players that began this marathon with the Mets on Opening Day, only 11 will cross the finish line here in Philadelphia.”

Photo credit: Noah K. Murray – USA Today Sports

Matt Harvey is moving farther and farther away from his former self. The struggling right-hander had a rough Monday night against the Marlins, allowing seven runs, twelve hits, and two walks over four innings. “You’re going to write what you’re going to write anyway,” he told reporters post-game. “And obviously, it’s deserved. So whatever you want to write, there’s nothing to say.”

Tuesday’s game was shaping up to be a feel-good victory. Seth Lugo limited the Marlins through five frames, while both Jose Reyes and Travis d’Arnaud contributed solo home runs. The Mets also had a 4-1 lead entering the ninth inning. In what the New York Daily News then described as a “horrific homecoming,” A.J. Ramos proceeded to give up three runs in the ninth, making way for J.T. Realmuto’s game-winning homer in the tenth against Paul Sewald.

In March, prospective Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch labeled attacks on the federal judiciary “disheartening” and “demoralizing.” One might use the same adjectives to describe Wednesday’s loss to the Marlins. Not only did Marlins righty Jose Urena pitch eight innings of two-run ball, but Justin Bour, A.J. Ellis, Miguel Rojas, and Giancarlo Stanton all hit home runs. The sole bright spot was Brandon Nimmo’s seventh inning homer, his fourth of the season.

Travis d’Arnaud had his best game of the season on Friday. He blasted two home runs, including a go-ahead three-run blast in the fifth inning. “It’s definitely nice,” d’Arnaud said. Thankfully, the Mets’ seven runs were enough to keep Robert Gsellman afloat. He allowed six runs over five frames, which was sufficient to surpass Edwin Jackson’s miserable performance.

Mets flamethrower Noah Syndergaard, who has been sidelined since April 30 with a torn lat muscle, returned on Saturday against the Nationals. He pitched one scoreless inning, throwing only five pitches, and then turned the ball over to Matt Harvey. “We just want to get him back on the mound, if only for a moment, before the season ends so he’s back out there and gets re-familiarized with the circumstances and the fact he’s in a big league game,” said Mets GM Sandy Alderson before Friday’s 7-6 win.

Collins Retirement Rumors Gaining Steam

Sixty-eight-year-old Mets manager Terry Collins is considering retirement after this season, according to Kristie Ackert of the Daily News. She reports that “there have been no talks to extend his tenure” once his contract expires at the season’s end, and “team sources” privately expect him to retire.

Last October, Collins told ESPN’s Adam Rubin, “I’ve always said a lot of it will be dictated by how I’m feeling. This was a tough year.”

The Mets are reportedly considering candidates more attuned with sabermetrics and data-driven management. Ackert also speculates that two former Mets coaches, Bob Geren and Chip Hale, are considered “high on the Mets’ list” due to their familiarity with the team.

Syndergaard Comments on Climate Change

Thor, the god of thunder and lightning, jokingly connected America’s withdrawal from the Paris Climate Accord on June 1 to the bombardment of hurricanes in recent weeks.

On Sept. 19, he tweeted, “U.S pulls out of Paris Climate Accord. Then hit by 4 hurricanes in 6 weeks. Global warming karma? #imatexasrepublican #wakeup.”

Quick-ish Hits

• Jacob deGrom reached the 200-inning mark against the Nationals on Sunday. He also recorded 11 strikeouts, which marks his career high 11th double-digit strikeout game of the season.
• On Monday, the Mets will be the first MLB team to offer an augmented reality experience. Each fan to enter Citi Field will receive a “baseball-card sized AR card featuring images of the Mets’ iconic Home Run Apple.” This allows them to watch a virtual highlight reel of the Mets’ 2017 home runs. (New York Post)
• Instructional League players “helped unload the truck that was filled with the items collected for the hurricane relief drive,” according to the Mets Twitter account.
• During a rally for Alabama senatorial candidate Luther Strange, Donald Trump criticized NFL players for taking a knee during the national anthem. In response, dozens of NFL players (and Oakland catcher Bruce Maxwell) staged a protest during the anthem. Mets manager Terry Collins didn’t condemn the protests, but he didn’t express his support either. “I’ve got tell you, I’m not a big political guy, not by any of stretch of the imagination,” he said before Sunday’s game against the Nationals. “I respect our country immensely… We do have rights here, which other places don’t. I respect that, also. But I’m proud of my guys that they go line up every night, stand and face the flag.
• This New York Post piece explores Brandon Nimmo’s patient offensive approach, which he attributes to his father’s advice. “My dad was always big on swinging at strikes and letting the other ones go,” said Nimmo. “He was always, ‘Take what they give you, because they have got to throw it over the plate for you to do damage.’ That was always instilled in me since I was kid.”

Injury Update

On Sept. 20, Juan Lagares missed the game against the Marlins with minor thumb soreness. He returned to the lineup on Saturday.

After being sidelined since April 30 with a torn lat muscle, Noah Syndergaard threw five pitches against the Nationals on Saturday. “I felt really good out there,” Syndergaard said. “I felt like I was out there throwing pretty effortlessly and staying in control.”

Gif of the Week

Former teammates A.J. Ramos and Giancarlo Stanton share a laugh on Tuesday night. “Hopefully I’ll face him a couple of times,” said Ramos before the series. “I told him I might have to do something after I strike him out, and he said if he hits a home run he might have to do something too.”

Photo credit: Brad Penner – USA Today Sports

Another week goes by, and the New York Mets have played yet another series of unimportant games. They first traveled to Chicago for a three-game series, where they were outscored 39-14 by the lethal Cubs offense. “We certainly got them ready for the Cardinals,” mused Terry Collins. Next up was the Atlanta Braves, whom the Mets mathematically eliminated from playoff contention by winning two of three.

Wednesday was a dark night for the Dark Knight, as the former ace allowed eleven baserunners and five runs over only 3.1 innings. He repeatedly emphasized his frustration post-game. “It’s hard going out there and not doing what I can to help this team win. All in all, it’s just extremely frustrating. That’s all you can really say about tonight,” he told reporters.

The Mets sought redemption on Thursday night by scoring four times in the first three frames, capitalizing on rookie Jen-Ho Tseng’s jitters. The Cubs’ fearsome offense retaliated by pummeling Seth Lugo. By pummeling, I mean “reaching base 10 times in three innings and scoring eight runs.”

Despite their bleak win-loss record, the Mets’ young stars shone brilliantly this past week. Dom Smith mashed three homers and reached base at an .435 clip, Amed Rosario hit .389, and Brandon Nimmo played sparkling defense in left field. Even Robert Gsellman pitched well against the Braves on Sunday. If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that looking on the bright side is essential.

Darryl Drama

It’s been an eventful week for Darryl Strawberry, and that’s an understatement even mightier than “the Mets have had a lot of injuries this season.”

The former star right fielder blasted the Mets on two different radio shows. He made his first appearance on WABC Radio’s “Bernie and Sid,” where he expressed his preference for the Yankees over the Mets. “The players on the ‘86 championship team, we don’t even deal with the Mets. It’s not Fred Wilpon, it’s the new thing,” he said, referring to current club ownership. “I’d never go back. I’d rather stay with the Yankees than ever go to the Mets.”

Strawberry landed an even harsher blow on Thursday. Speaking with Mike Francesa on WFAN Radio, he said that “it’s not the players, it’s not the fans, it’s not Sandy and the new regime. It’s the ownership. It’s the ownership.” He then emphasized that he had completely severed his relationship with the Mets organization.

Despite basking in a frenzy of media coverage, Strawberry was most certainly not finished. On Wednesday, he showed up on the Fox Business channel to admonish athletes for being outwardly political. “I would tell them, really leave the politics alone as far as your job,” Strawbery said. He then undermined his own advice by calling President Trump “a great man.”

Tebow in Review

Now that the minor league season has come to a close, many are evaluating the Mets’ signing of Tim Tebow. Is he a legitimate baseball player? Can he help the major league team in the future? Was he worth it?

Yes, probably not, and yes. The former Heisman-winning quarterback worked his way up to the Double-A Port St. Lucie Mets by hitting .226/.309/.347 with eight home runs. By no means is Tebow a top prospect, even within organizational parameters, but he wasn’t an absolute disaster.

Tebow may never become a major league contributor, but he has done his part to benefit the Mets organization. A recent ESPN article labels him “the greatest value in minor league baseball” since Michael Jordan. In exchange for Tebow’s $10,000 salary, the Mets’ Class-A Columbia Fireflies experienced a 21% increase in attendance, while the St. Lucie Mets had a 37% increase of 35,803 fans. Baseball America also estimates that he was worth about $1.6 million in ticket sales, merchandise, parking, and other revenue.

Mets Fan Gains Notoriety for Thumbs-Down

On Monday night, the Yankees played the Rays at Citi Field because the Trop was out of commission. In attendance was 54 year-old Gary Dunaier, a self-described Yankees hater and die-hard Mets fan. Mr. Dunaier became an internet legend after his thumbs-down response to Todd Frazier’s three run homer, which was later reclaimed by the Yankees as a rally symbol. “When I read — and reread — the accounts of how the Yankees have taken my expression of disapproval and turned it around to something positive for them, I get a big kick out of it,” Dunaier told The Associated Press

He later explained the thumbs-down as an act of desperation. “I was surrounded by a sea of Yankees fans,” Dunaier said. “I knew if I booed, it wouldn’t get heard. It would get drowned out by all the cheers. So I realized the players when they head back to the dugout would be heading in my direction. I just came up with the spur-of-the-moment idea to just stand there with the thumbs down.”

Quick Hits

• The Mets are planning a fundraiser for the victims of Hurricanes Harvey and Irma. The relief drive will take place at Citi Field, collecting items such as canned food, water bottles, toiletries, diapers, and cleaning supplies. These items should be dropped off at the Jackie Robinson Rotunda on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. From there, the donations will be delivered to a community outreach organization in Fort Pierce, FL and the Houston Food Bank in Texas.
• Major League baseball released team schedules for the upcoming 2018 season. Notably, the Mets open the season with a six-game homestand on March 29th. Their interleague series, notwithstanding the Yankees, include the Blue Jays, Orioles, and Rays. They also close the season by playing 20 out of their last 23 games against NL East opponents (hopefully, this will be meaningful baseball).
• On Wednesday, Sandy Alderson told the New York Post that the Mets will stick with their strength coach despite a slew of player injuries. “Mike [Barwis] is not going anywhere,” Alderson said. He also dispelled the misconception that Barwis was responsible for Noah Syndergaard’s ill-fated offseason training.
• Courtesy of Mets reliever Jerry Blevins, the entire team was outfitted in male rompers before their series in Atlanta. Light teal, pink, white, black, and a blue shade verging on purple… See for yourself.

….rompers…. pic.twitter.com/TNVBRPmoPF

— Kevin McGowan Jr (@kevinmcgowanjr) September 15, 2017

Injury Update

Early this week, Noah Syndergaard will face batters in a simulated game. The Mets organization seems to be concerned that he will return too quickly. “We’re just trying to do it the right way, without rushing,” said Terry Collins. “There’s no reason to rush, so we’re just going to make sure we take baby steps.” He explained that facing hitters requires extra effort, and Syndergaard may overexert himself by trying to prove his readiness.

Both Amed Rosario and Travis d’Arnaud exited Thursday’s 14-6 loss to the Cubs. In the first inning, Rosario slid into second base awkwardly. He remained in the game until the fifth. Later, he reflected that the tight left hip flexor was “maybe a little annoying,” but nothing severe.

d’Arnaud injured his knee in the second inning while fielding Taylor Davis’s grounder, and he, too, remained in the game for four more frames. Thankfully, both Mets returned to the lineup on Friday for a 7-3 victory against the Braves.

Gif of the Week

Brandon Nimmo, Juan Lagares, and Nori Aoki share a triumphant bow in the outfield.

Photo credit: Brett Davis – USA Today Sports

The Mets began their week with a home series against the Phillies. For the third start in a row, Rafael Montero pitched well enough to give them a fighting chance. His career-high scoreless innings streak was snapped at 12 innings, but he allowed four runs over 5.1 frames. The Mets also exploded on offense to score 11 runs against beleaguered Phillies pitching. Mark Leiter gave up nine hits and eight runs over 3.1 innings, including homers to Jose Reyes and Asdrubal Cabrera, and the Mets tacked on runs against relievers Kevin Siegrist and Jesen Therrien.

On the other hand, Tuesday’s contest was a miserably one-sided affair. The Phillies feasted on Jacob deGrom, who turned in the worst performance of his career with nine runs allowed over 3.2 innings. “No excuses,” deGrom said after the game. “I was just terrible tonight.” You obviously can’t predict baseball, because Phillies righty Ben  Lively pitched seven strong innings, then helped himself secure the win by going 2-4 with a homer. Notably, Phillies shortstop JP Crawford made his major league debut– his first hit was a single.

On Wednesday, the Mets were fantastic in six rain-shortened innings. Robert Gsellman pitched six strong frames, allowing two earned runs. “The weather and the conditions maybe started to get a little rough,” Terry Collins said. “But I really thought the command of [Gsellman’s] pitches tonight was the best I’ve seen him this year.” Travis d’Arnaud backed him up with a two-run homer in the first, Jose Reyes stayed hot with a single, and Gsellman contributed an RBI single as well. 6-3, Mets.

Matt Harvey avoided comparisons with last Saturday’s miserable start in Houston by pitching five decent frames against the Reds. “The swings and misses will come, the velocity will come, but I just wanted to get five innings,” Harvey said post-game. Terry Collins agreed that it was “a huge step forward for him.” Brandon Nimmo also enjoyed a good night, as he had his first career two-homer game. One of the home runs came immediately after Juan Lagares’s fifth inning blast.

As we slog through another interminably long and unforgiving season of Mets baseball, it’s hard to resist thinking about what could’ve been. If the heralded starting rotation and the lineup managed to stay healthy, where would the Mets be right now? Surely not languishing at the bottom of the standings, fighting the Phillies and Giants for the best draft pick. Friday’s game offered a glimpse of this fantasy. Thor may be sidelined with a lat strain, but young righty Seth Lugo pitched six shutout innings in his staid. David Wright may be undergoing surgery, his playing future clouded with doubt, but veteran infielder Jose Reyes lined a homer into the stands to give the Mets a 4-0 lead. Even A.J. Ramos joined the fun by closing out his 27th save of the year.

Kevin Plawecki’s second inning homer led the Mets to 6-1 victory on Saturday. Rafael Montero was quite lucky; the righthander walked five and allowed four hits, but he stranded eight baserunners between the second and fifth innings. “We had a lot of opportunities against Montero, and we didn’t do anything with them,” said Reds manager Bryan Price.

The Reds ran away with a comeback win the next day. The score was tied 5-5 in the eighth inning, and outfielder Scott Schebler was ruled out at the plate on Tucker Barnhart’s go-ahead double. However, the Reds successfully challenged the play and went on to score five more runs.

Another One Bites the Dust

Days after infielder Wilmer Flores fouled a ball off his face, the Mets announced that he will be out for the season with a broken nose. Team doctors shut him down due to concerns about the nose healing correctly. Flores also said that he was having trouble breathing through the nose, and was understandably worried about the possible repercussions of being hit again.

Before the injury, Flores was enjoying a resurgent season. In 110 games, he hit .271/.307/.488 with eighteen home runs. Eleven of these homers came against righties, although he has a reputation as a left-handed specialist. Flores further impressed Terry Collins with his defensive flexibility, as he ably moved from second to short to first. “I really liked him around the bag, he has good hands, he has a strong arm,” said the Mets manager. He added that Flores played “exceptionally well” at first base, which “comes down to comfort level.”

Dodging a Bullet

Pitching Matt Harvey on short rest was a terrible idea. The right-hander was shut down in June with a stress fracture in his scapula, and he has gone undergone two major surgeries – Tommy John and thoracic outlet repair – in the past three seasons. Further, Harvey has never pitched on three days of rest in 96 career starts.

Which is why Mets fans reacted in horror on Tuesday when reporter Steve Gelbs tweeted that “Matt Harvey will start on Wednesday on short rest. TC says he wanted to get back on the mound as soon as possible.” Mets GM Sandy Alderson retrospectively said, “It was Matt’s idea, and the manager and pitching coach endorsed it. So I was OK with it.” With four Mets players getting season-ending surgery in the past week, this team can’t afford another catastrophic injury. Thankfully, Terry Collins changed his mind and started Harvey on a normal schedule.

Quick Hits

• Amed Rosario was diagnosed with a right finger contusion last Sunday and took a few days to rest up before a pinch-hitting appearance Saturday and a return to the lineup Sunday.
• Mark W. Sanchez sums up the Mets’ minor league system in this New York Post piece. He explains that “more problems this year stemmed from injury than ineffectiveness,” as top pitching prospects Thomas Szapucki and Jordan Humphreys underwent Tommy John surgery midseason. He also awards Amed Rosario with “Player of the Year,” Corey Oswalt as “Revelation of the Year,” and Peter Alonso as “Comeback Player.”
• Mets rookie Phil Evans had a pinch-hit double in the fifth inning of Saturday’s game for his first major-league hit. The second baseman from Carlsbad, California, was hitting .279/.341/.418 with 11 home runs in Triple-A Las Vegas.

Defensive Play of the Week

Nimmo lays out for a catch against the Reds.

Photo credit: Andy Marlin – USA Today Sports