The mess of 2017 is now behind us. For some, we’re already into next season. For others, that phrase is reserved until at least spring training. Either way, that graph proves that Mets fans have been waiting for next year since before the trading deadline. Is there anything worth anticipating in 2018 besides a .500 record before the first pitch on Opening Day? Yes, and here’s what we’re waiting for. — Scott D. Simon (@scottdsimon)

Travis d’Arnaud Finally Putting It All Together

This is probably the third or fourth season in a row that I’ll be predicting a breakout from Travis d’Arnaud. He’s already an above average catcher — yes, a .263 tAV and solid framing gets you there as a catcher these days — and he’s once again flashing signs of more, hitting more home runs in September than in any other month in 2017.

Caveats about the diluted talent of September rosters aside, I think there’s a chance d’Arnaud can make these improvements stick. Catchers often have a slow, sinuous development path, and d’Arnaud’s has been slowed even further by his frequent injuries. Perhaps after a relatively healthy 2017, d’Arnaud taps into the offensive potential that made him the centerpiece of two trades for former Cy Young pitchers and becomes one of the better catchers in baseball. — Lukas Vlahos (@lvlahos343)

Terry Collins Departing For Greener Pastures

While he has generally gotten good reviews as a clubhouse manager and his in-game management is not significantly worse than that of most MLB managers, the end of the Terry Collins Era (the longest of any manager in team history) will help the team exorcise some of the demons of 2017 and begin 2018 with a clean slate. Whether they go the tried-and-true route with Bob Geren or commence a youth movement with Alex Cora (the latter, if you please), the Mets need a fresh voice. Will the new guy (or girl – we can dream!) be an improvement? Possibly not – a cursory look across the league suggests Collins was roughly middle of the pack – but the potential is there, especially if they go with an outside-the-box option like Cora or hitting coach Kevin Long. Collins, to the outside observer, had trouble reigning in strong personalities like Syndergaard, and his lineups frequently favored veterans at the expense of overall productivity. But at the end of the day, it’s simply time for a fresh approach, untainted by the bitter memories of a dismal season. — Maggie Wiggin (@maggie162)

Jay Bruce Returning To The Mets

Like any team going through a transition year, the Mets dumped their expiring veteran contracts. I can’t say I was thrilled with shipping Jay Bruce off to Cleveland, but I understood the rationale (kind of). In a season plagued by injuries (I’ve probably written this phrase 500 times since April), one of the few bright spots was the consistent offensive production of Jay Bruce. When you combine a healthy Michael Conforto and Yoenis Cespedes with Bruce, you have the foundation of a pretty formidable Major League lineup. If the Amazins are going to challenge the Nationals for NL East supremacy in 2018, they’re not going to do it by relying on Juan Lagares, Brandon Nimmo, Gavin Cecchini, or any of the other fringe players that could be forced into starting roles. Sandy Alderson has to be aggressive in free agency and bring in a proven big bat. What better choice than a guy who’s already withstood the bright lights of New York City and performed admirably? Hey Sandy, let’s open the checkbook and reopen the New York chapter of Jay Bruce’s career. — Justin Birnbuam (@birny53)

Jay Bruce Not Returning To The Mets

No disrespect to Justin, but Brandon Nimmo just posted a .300 tAV over 200-odd plate appearances. Small sample size sure, but it’s better than the .298 mark that Jay Bruce posted during his 2017 Mets tenure. That speaks to the difference between Bruce’s .321 OBP and the elite .390 OBP that Nimmo produced. Is that sustainable? Who knows. Is it worth giving the 24-year-old former first-round pick first crack at an outfield spot over a 30-year-old Bruce? My sources say yes, even without considering what’s likely to be a nine-figure difference in salary.

Re-signing Bruce would mean that one of Michael Conforto and Yoenis Cespedes have to play center field on a regular basis. They’ve both expressed a preference for — and demonstrated far better defensive performance — in the corners. Bringing Bruce back buries Juan Lagares, the team’s only true center fielder. Lagares led the team in FRAA despite appearing in fewer than 100 games. A platoon with Nimmo in center, with Lagares getting extra playing time as a defensive replacement and spot starter against lefties, sounds like the most efficient distribution of resources. I’d much rather see the Mets spend $15 million on a quality starting pitcher or non-Jose Reyes second baseman than on Jay Bruce. — Scott D. Simon (@scottdsimon)

David Wright Getting Healthy

Of all the injury comebacks that the Mets are hoping for in 2018, David Wright’s stands alone as both the least likely and the most welcome. Seeing the captain back in uniform would fill fans’ hearts with joy and Sandy Alderson’s depth chart with a spot he doesn’t have to spend additional money on. The 2017 season ended with the Mets’ clubhouse in shambles, and having Wright’s presence among what will likely be a young roster will work wonders for Terry Collins’ successor. Aside from the emotional and financial benefits to be gained from Wright’s improbable resurrection, we shouldn’t forget that there’s still a very real chance that he could make a meaningful baseball-related contribution if he can find his way back onto the field. — Adam Kaufman (@adamkaufman315)

Michael Conforto Playing Every Day

Back in 2013, Curtis Granderson fractured his right forearm after being hit by a pitch during Spring Training. He came back in May, but got hit by another pitch and fractured a finger in his left hand. People wondered if he was too big of an injury risk for the Mets to offer a four-year, $60 million contract. Granderson hasn’t been on the disabled list since.

When I looked at predicting injuries earlier this year, time spent on the DL with a more serious injury wasn’t a big risk factor for hitters. Mets fans should feel confident that Michael Conforto will be able to come back from his shoulder injury, too. And next year, he won’t have to fight for playing time like he did the last few seasons now that the Mets have traded away outfielders. — Noah Grand (@noahgrand)

Photo Credit: Jasen Vinlove -USA Today Sports

That could mean just four more games in the Terry Collins era. Seven years and one pennant later, Collins has guided the Mets to a 549-581 record, a mediocre .486 winning percentage that a third wild card berth might make competitive. The news of the day was a New York Post report that the team’s next manager will have ties to the organization. Some of the names floated don’t inspire much confidence — retreads like Robin Ventura (.463 managerial winning percentage), Bob Geren (.470) and Chip Hale (.457) — though former BP’er Keith Law’s perennial favorite candidate, Alex Cora, is also on the list.

A Mets rumor article wouldn’t be complete without accompanying snark:

I love that they use a term normally reserved for criminal suspects when referring to potential Mets managers. https://t.co/oMNKVAxp2h pic.twitter.com/PBXtTIobBk

— Craig Calcaterra (@craigcalcaterra) September 26, 2017

But wait! There’s more! Mere hours after the Post article informed readers that Sandy Alderson will advise Collins by Monday that he’ll manage the Mets no more, NorthJersey.com posted Collins’s own comments. While the Post speculated that the 68-year-old Collins would retire from baseball rather than suffer the indignity of having his contract expire, Collins insisted in the later piece that he’ll be in baseball next season — preferably with the Mets. It’s no secret that Fred Wilpon loves him some Terry Collins. He’s probably not above forcing the general manager’s hand. Optimistically, though, for those of us who are tired of watching Collins manufacture creative ways to bench Michael Conforto, if Wilpon were going to insist that Collins stay, the owner wouldn’t have allowed the manager’s contract to inch so close to expiration. He gone.

Aside from helming the 2015 NL champs and 2016 Wild Card Game loser, Collins may deserve some credit for presiding over R.A. Dickey’s 2012 Cy Young season. I’ll leave it to others to eulogize the soon-to-be-former manager, because last night’s game brought back fond memories of the knuckleballer who dominated opposing lineups for his three-year Mets career. Through six innings, Dickey demonstrated pinpoint control of the unpredictable pitch, retiring 13 straight at one point. Brandon Nimmo had two of the Mets’ five hits against Dickey, including a second-inning double that his teammates wasted. Nimmo’s second safety in the seventh immediately preceded Kevin Plawecki’s third dinger of the season. When Amed Rosario followed two batters later with a triple, Dickey’s night was over. The few Mets fans in attendance gave him a nice ovation as he departed.

Technically, Rafael Montero delivered a quality start in his season’s final appearance. Three runs in six innings, no matter what else a pitcher does, conforms to the stat’s definition. Why was Montero’s start less than quality? Let us count the ways. First, he gave up all three runs in the first two innings, putting his team into an early hole. Next, he allowed 10 baserunners in those six innings, a ratio that inspires little confidence. Finally, Montero threw his typical 100 pitches but only struck out three Braves. If Montero is anything more than Triple-A depth in 2018, whoever manages the Mets will see a bunch more games like last night’s.

Still, a quality start is “quality” because it keeps a team in the game. The Mets were able to scratch across the tying run in the eighth thanks to an error by anonymous Braves third baseman Johan Camargo. After Jeurys Familia preserved the tie in the top of the ninth, the Mets walked off thanks to a Kevin Plawecki single, a Dom Smith walk and a Travis Taijeron line drive to left that would have been caught by nearly anyone other than anonymous Braves left fielder Jace Peterson. In this battle of who could care less, the Mets scored four and the Braves only three.

Photo Credit: Noah K. Murray, USA Today Sports

The Marlins return for the first time in almost two weeks, forced to play three “home” games in Milwaukee over the weekend while storm-ravaged Miami continued to pick up the pieces from Hurricane Irma.

New York is 7-9 against the Marlins this season with a run differential of +1.

When and Where

Game 1: Monday @ 7:10 p.m. EST (TV: SNY; RADIO: 710 WOR, ESPN Deportes)

Game 2: Tuesday @ 7:10 p.m. EST (TV: SNY; RADIO: 710 WOR, ESPN Deportes)

Game 3: Wednesday @ 1:10 p.m. EST (TV: SNY; RADIO: 710 WOR, ESPN Deportes)

Baseball Weather

Monday: 40% chance of scattered thunderstorms with a low of 77F; Winds between 5-10 mph

Tuesday: 80% chance of thunderstorms with a low of 77F; Winds light and variable

Wednesday: Mostly sunny with a high of 88F; Winds between 5-10 mph

Probable Pitching Matchups

Monday: RHP Matt Harvey (5-5, 6.14 ERA, 5.52 DRA, .300 TAv, 0.1 WARP) vs. RHP Dan Straily (9-9, 4.24 ERA, 4.61 DRA, .273 TAv, 1.8 WARP)

Harvey took a step backwards on Wednesday at Wrigley Field, allowing five runs on seven hits and four walks over 3.1 innings. The former All-Star is now 1-2 with a 12.19 ERA in three starts since returning from the disabled list.

Straily was also hit hard his last time out, charged with eight runs on 13 hits in six innings at Citizens Bank Park.

Tuesday: RHP Seth Lugo (6-5, 5.21 ERA, 5.55 DRA, .289 TAv, 0.0 WARP) vs. TBD

Lugo was also knocked around by the Cubs, lasting just three innings and allowing eight runs (seven earned) in the loss. He will once again be limited to around 70-75 pitches.

Wednesday: RHP Rafael Montero (5-10, 5.08 ERA, 4.79 DRA, .294 TAv, 0.9 WARP) vs. RHP Jose Urena (13-6, 3.62 ERA, 4.52 DRA, .260 TAv, 1.7 WARP)

Montero lost for the first time in almost a month behind 4.2 innings of three-run ball in Atlanta on Friday night. The 26-year-old has a 3.51 ERA dating back to August 14, a span of eight appearances (seven starts) in which he has struck out 38 batters over 41 innings.

Urena did not factor in the decision in Friday night’s loss in Milwaukee, needing 101 pitches to get through 4.2 innings. A bright spot for the Marlins this season, the Dominican native is 2-3 with a 3.50 ERA lifetime against the Mets.

Who’s Hot?

Mets 1B Dom Smith (1.433 OPS with 2 HR and 6 RBIs since Wednesday)

Mets INF Asdrubal Cabrera (.556 AVG (10-for-18) during his six-game hitting streak)

Mets OF Nori Aoki (On base 6 times in last 10 plate appearances, including two doubles and a triple)

Mets 2B/SS Gavin Cecchini (4-for-8 with 2 RBIs in Braves series)

Marlins 2B Dee Gordon (4-for-8 with 2 runs scored since Saturday)

Marlins 1B Justin Bour (5-for-11 with 3 RBIs at Miller Park)

Marlins 3B Derek Dietrich (3-for-8 with a homer and 3 RBIs this weekend)

Who’s Not?

Mets OF Brandon Nimmo (1-for-11 with 5 strikeouts in Atlanta)

Mets CF Juan Lagares (.143 AVG (5-for-35 over his last 10 games)

Marlins OF Christian Yelich (2-for-20 over the past week)

Marlins RF Giancarlo Stanton (3-for-18 with no extra-base hits in his last 5 games)

When We Last Met

The Mets dropped two of three at home a month ago, winning the middle game behind six strong innings from Montero and homers by Smith, Wilmer Flores, and Kevin Plawecki.

It’s Literally a 10-Day DL

Marlins: SS Miguel Rojas left Sunday’s game early after straining his left shoulder diving for a ball.

Mets: RHP Noah Syndergaard (torn right lat) will pitch in a simulated game this week and could be activated for next weekend’s home series against Washington.

Notable Quotables

“It’s been a difficult trip, I think, for a number of reasons. Number one, obviously, I think we haven’t played well so that’s the start of it and it gets extended so it’s a little up in the air and a lot’s going on. We had guys that had to stay back for a day and then they flew in, or two days, and kind of lived through the hurricane for different reasons. You had guys with things going on, so there’s a lot going on with families and things that are back in Miami or Florida in general.” – Marlins skipper Don Mattingly on the recent road trip

“I tried to get the sinkers away from the lefties. There’s a lot of lefties in the lineup and I used my changeup and I thought it worked well.” – Mets starter Robert Gsellman discussing his win on Sunday, in which he allowed just an unearned run over seven sharp innings

“I thought I’d give him a start today, big hit for him. I thought he made some good plays at third. He’s another guy that’s had to reinvent himself a little bit. He signed as a shortstop. They moved him around the infield a little bit and he’s not a big power hitter but he’s a pretty good offensive (player). He puts the bat on the baseball.” – Mets manager Terry Collins on rookie third baseman Phil Evans, who drove in and scored his first big league runs on Sunday

Photo credit: Benny Sieu – USA Today Sports

Terry Collins’ beleaguered pitching staff made history this week by allowing 39 runs on Chicago’s North Side, the most in a three-game set in Mets history.

The rebuilding Braves have won six of eight and would surpass their 2016 win total with a sweep.

Atlanta will visit Citi Field for four games in the season’s final week, including a doubleheader on September 25.

When and Where

Game 1: Friday @ 7:35 p.m. EST (TV: SNY; RADIO: 710 WOR, ESPN Deportes)

Game 2: Saturday @ 7:10 p.m. EST (TV: WPIX; RADIO: 710 WOR, ESPN Deportes)

Game 3: Sunday @ 1:35 p.m. EST (TV: SNY; RADIO: 710 WOR, ESPN Deportes)

Baseball Weather

Friday: Partly cloudy with a low near 65F; Winds light and variable

Saturday: A few clouds with a low of 66F; Winds light and variable

Sunday: Mostly sunny with a high around 85F; Winds between 5-10 mph

Probable Pitching Matchups

Friday: RHP Rafael Montero (5-9, 5.05 ERA, 4.86 DRA, .293 TAv, 0.7 WARP) vs. LHP Sean Newcomb (2-8, 4.38 ERA, 6.16 DRA, .288 TAv, -0.5 WARP)

Montero has won each of his last three starts, holding opponents to a .194 average over 18.2 innings. His recent success has involved a bit of luck, however, as the inconsistent 26-year-old has walked 14 batters during that stretch.

Drafted 15th overall by the Angels in 2014, Newcomb made his big league debut against the Mets on June 10 — charged with the loss despite allowing just an unearned run in 6.1 impressive innings.

Saturday: RHP Jacob deGrom (14-9, 3.63 ERA, 2.77 DRA, .242 TAv, 5.9 WARP) vs. RHP R.A. Dickey (9-9, 4.28 ERA, 5.25 DRA, .281 TAv, 0.6 WARP)

The only steady presence in an injury-plagued rotation, deGrom rebounded from a drubbing at the hands of Philadelphia to hurl six innings of two-run ball against the Reds on Sunday, striking out 10 in the process.

Dickey faces his former club for the third time this season, earning the win in both starts behind a mediocre 4.09 ERA (5 ER in 11 IP, including 3 HR). The former Cy Young Award winner has been rocked the past two times out, allowing 12 runs (11 earned) in 9.1 innings.

Sunday: RHP Robert Gsellman (6-7, 5.58 ERA, 6.22 DRA, .317 TAv, -0.7 WARP) vs. RHP Julio Teheran (11-11, 4.57 ERA, 4.33 DRA, .276 TAv, 2.4 WARP)

Gsellman took the loss in Chicago on Tuesday, charged with four runs in four innings pitched.

Teheran has won four straight behind a 2.08 ERA (6 ER in 26 IP), striking out 20 during the streak. The two-time All-Star is 1-1 with a 3.33 ERA in four starts against the Mets this season.

Who’s Hot?

Mets INF Asdrubal Cabrera (.560 AVG (14-for-25), 1.371 OPS over his last eight games)

Mets SS Amed Rosario (6-for-11 in Cubs series)

Mets INF Jose Reyes (.375 AVG since Sunday with 4 RBIs and 4 runs scored)

Braves OF Lane Adams (2 singles, 2 walks, a triple and a home run in his last 8 plate appearances)

Braves 2B Ozzie Albies (.340 AVG (17-for-50) with 2 homers and 9 RBIs during 12-game hitting streak)

Braves C Kurt Suzuki (8-for-17 over his last four starts)

Who’s Not?

Mets OF Nori Aoki (2-for-17 this week)

Mets CF Juan Lagares (4-for-24 (.167) in his last seven games)

Braves SS Dansby Swanson (.125 AVG (2-for-16) since last Friday)

When We Last Met

The Mets won three of four at SunTrust Park in early June, losing the series opener on Rio Ruiz’s walk-off single against Josh Edgin. New York’s starting pitching was key, including dominating performances by Gsellman, Steven Matz and Seth Lugo.

It’s Literally a 10-Day DL

Braves: 1B Matt Adams (right hamstring tightness) appeared as a pinch-hitter in the series finale at Nationals Park, his first game action since Sunday.

Mets: RHP Noah Syndergaard (torn right lat) was expected to throw a bullpen session on Thursday. INF/OF T.J. Rivera underwent Tommy John Surgery on Thursday to repair a partial tear of the UCL in his right elbow. SS Amed Rosario left Thursday’s game early due to a tight hip flexor. He is day-to-day. C Travis d’Arnaud was also pulled mid-game after twisting his right knee, but should be available for Friday’s series opener.

Notable Quotables

“Our bullpen, for the most part, has done a pretty good job. Actually we’ve pitched pretty good lately. We just did not pitch very well here… Hopefully our bullpen can pull together and get us going a little bit.” — Mets manager Terry Collins following the Cubs series

“I was struggling with both breaking balls, both of them I elevated too much over the plate. My fastball was all right. I’ve just got to be better at making an adjustment to go to pitches that are working, figure that out sooner… It’s been a rough season for me. It’s been a rough season for a lot of guys but I feel like lately I’ve been throwing the ball well, not so much tonight, but I’m going to try to go back to what I was doing the last few weeks and finish the season strong.” — Lugo, who was rocked for eight runs (seven earned) over three innings in Thursday’s loss

Photo credit: Brett Davis – USA Today Sports

Chicago holds a tenuous grip on first place after being swept by Milwaukee over the weekend.

Leading St. Louis by two games and the Brewers by 2.5 in the NL Central, the unsteady Cubs will try to regain their footing in a division that remains very much up for grabs.

When and Where

Game 1: Tuesday @ 8:05 p.m. EST (TV: SNY; RADIO: 710 WOR, ESPN Deportes)

Game 2: Wednesday @ 8:05 p.m. EST (TV: SNY; RADIO: 710 WOR, ESPN Deportes)

Game 3: Thursday @ 8:05 p.m. EST (TV: SNY; RADIO: 710 WOR, ESPN Deportes)

Baseball Weather

Tuesday: Partly cloudy with a slight chance of a rain shower and a low of 62F; Winds between 5-10 mph

Wednesday: Fair with a low of 59F; Winds between 5-10 mph

Thursday: Clear with a low near 60F; Winds between 5-10 mph

Probable Pitching Matchups

Tuesday: RHP Robert Gsellman (6-6, 5.44 ERA, 6.30 DRA, .317 TAv, -0.8 WARP) vs. LHP Jose Quintana (9-11, 4.32 ERA, 4.36 DRA, .256 TAv, 2.2 WARP)

Gsellman has pitched better since his spat with GM Sandy Alderson, earning his first win since June 10 with a rain-shortened six-inning complete game against the Phillies last Wednesday. The 24-year-old has a 2.76 ERA (5 ER in 16.1 IP) over his last three starts.

Meanwhile, the man known as Q has been somewhat inconsistent since switching Windy City alliances in mid-July, but has strung together two quality starts including six scoreless frames in Pittsburgh the last time out.

Wednesday: RHP Matt Harvey (5-4, 5.82 ERA, 5.14 DRA, .296 TAv, 0.4 WARP) vs. LHP Jon Lester (10-7, 4.35 ERA, 3.59 DRA, .263 TAv, 3.6 WARP)

Harvey showed signs of improvement in his second start since returning from the disabled list, limiting Cincinnati to two runs in five innings on Thursday and earning the win. “Overall just starting to feel a little more comfortable out there with mechanics and attacking hitters,” the former ace said following that start. “Obviously still not where I want to be but definitely moving in the right direction.”

Lester had his best performance since July last week in Pittsburgh, hurling six innings of one-run ball en route to his second straight win. The four-time All-Star is 4-1 with a 3.97 ERA in six career starts against the Mets.

Thursday: RHP Seth Lugo (6-4, 4.64 ERA, 5.38 DRA, .283 TAv, 0.2 WARP) vs. LHP Mike Montgomery (5-8, 3.64 ERA, 4.62 DRA, .235 TAv, 1.0 WARP)

Lugo blanked the Reds for six innings Friday in one of his most effective starts all season. He will be limited to 75-80 pitches, per manager Terry Collins.

Montgomery has held opponents to a .233 AVG in 20 innings since returning to the rotation on August 23. He faced the Mets at Citi Field in June, allowing three runs (two earned) on six hits over five frames.

Who’s Hot?

Mets 1B Dominic Smith (.353 AVG (6-for-17) during five-game hitting streak)

Mets INF Jose Reyes (1.000 OPS in September with 3 HRs and 9 RBIs)

Mets OF Brandon Nimmo (6-for-15 with two home runs in Reds series)

Mets INF Asdrubal Cabrera (.600 AVG and 1.558 OPS over the past week)

Mets OF Nori Aoki (At least one hit in all eight games with New York)

Cubs INF/OF Ben Zobrist (.364 AVG (8-for-22) since September 3)

Cubs C Rene Rivera (10-for-32 (.313) with 7 RBIs since joining Chicago)

Who’s Not?

Cubs OF Jon Jay (5-for-26 (.192) this month)

Cubs 3B Kris Bryant (2 hits in his last 19 plate appearances with no RBIs)

Cubs 1B Anthony Rizzo (.433 OPS with no extra-base hits in his last 7 games)

When We Last Met

The Mets took two of three at Citi Field in mid-June, winning the opener 6-1 behind Jacob deGrom’s complete game. Curtis Granderson and Lucas Duda both homered late in the finale to overcome a poor start by Harvey and secure a series victory which moved New York within four games of .500.

It’s Literally a 10-Day DL

Cubs: RHP Jake Arrieta (right hamstring strain) played catch on Sunday and is expected to return soon. C Willson Contreras (right hamstring strain) returned on Sunday after missing a month, appearing as a pinch-hitter late in the game.

Mets: RHP Noah Syndergaard (torn right lat) saw his simulated game on Sunday cancelled due to soreness. He is now scheduled to throw a bullpen session Tuesday in Chicago.

There’s Always Next Year!

The Mets announced their 2018 schedule on Tuesday, which kicks off on March 29 at Citi Field against St. Louis. Highlights include a three-game home set against the crosstown rival Yankees from June 8-10 and several interleague series with the other AL East clubs. New York will close the regular season at home against Miami.

Notable Quotables

“I’m just trying to get to the point where I’ve been when I’m healthy, 100%.” – Jeurys Familia after taking the loss on Sunday afternoon (0.2 IP, 2 H, 2 R/ER, 3 BB)

“Just didn’t have the same command, really, more than anything else. Velocity was OK until the last few hitters and then you could tell he was getting fatigued but again, we’re in a stage of trying to find out some things and we found out that he’s not ready to go back-to-back.” – Collins on Familia’s shaky outing

“He really competes. He did it the first day he was in the big leagues. He started the game and got off to a rough start and you looked up and he got you six good innings, so he’s as good a competitor as I’ve been around and any time he goes out there I know if he gets in trouble he knows how to battle through it.” – Collins on deGrom, who allowed two runs over six innings, striking out 10

“They got us zero runs and one run in two of three games. In one game we had no chance but definitely had chances in the others. We pitched really well and again, you have to pitch better than good pitching to win and they did it… I thought we pitched well. We’re just unable to string together any kind of hits and our power’s been negated a bit… You look around baseball and it happens to every team at some point. It’s contagious to hit as well as it’s contagious to not hit and you just got to keep working your way through it. It’s going to come back to us. We’re going to start hitting again.” – Cubs manager Joe Maddon after getting swept by the Brewers

Photo credit: Dennis Wierzbicki – USA Today Sports

Less than 48 hours after watching two more well-liked teammates in Curtis Granderson and Rene Rivera set sail for playoff contenders, mental lapses and sloppy defensive play cost the Mets on Sunday afternoon.

Tensions boiled over a bit when rookie shortstop Amed Rosario failed to rush a throw on a Dee Gordon grounder, allowing the noted speedster to reach first on what should have been an out. Jacob deGrom instantly threw up his arms in disapproval, a rare outburst from the usually composed ace.

Torey Lovullo’s club arrives holding the NL’s second Wild Card spot despite just being swept in Minnesota, losing Sunday’s finale to former Mets favorite Bartolo Colon.

When and Where

Game 1: Monday @ 7:10 p.m. EST (TV: SNY; RADIO: 710 WOR, ESPN Deportes)

Game 2: Tuesday @ 7:10 p.m. EST (TV: SNY; RADIO: 710 WOR, ESPN Deportes)

Game 3: Wednesday @ 7:10 p.m. EST (TV: SNY; RADIO: 710 WOR, ESPN Deportes)

Game 4: Thursday @ 12:10 p.m. EST (TV: SNY; RADIO: 710 WOR, ESPN Deportes)

Baseball Weather

Monday: Party cloudy with a possible stray shower or thunderstorm and a low of 74F; Winds between 5-10 mph

Tuesday: Scattered thunderstorms with a low around 75F; Winds between 10-20 mph; Chance of rain 50%

Wednesday: Partly cloudy with a low of 66F; Winds between 5-10 mph

Thursday: Sunny with a high of 82F; Winds between 5-10 mph

Probable Pitching Matchups

Monday: RHP Taijuan Walker (6-7, 3.83 ERA, 4.19 DRA, .261 TAv, 1.8 WARP) vs. RHP Robert Gsellman (5-5, 5.98 ERA, 6.40 DRA, .325 TAv, -0.7 WARP)

Walker has struggled recently, lasting just five innings in each of his last two starts and allowing 10 runs (seven earned) on 14 hits and 5 walks over that span. The former first-rounder has not picked up a win since June 21 and Arizona has lost his last seven outings.

Gsellman drew the ire of Sandy Alderson in the days leading up to his start against the Yankees last week after commenting “I don’t really care” in response to the GM’s suggestion that Gsellman needed to pitch better at Triple-A. The long-maned rookie worked 5.1 innings in a Mets loss, charged with three runs (two earned) on four hits and three walks.

Tuesday: LHP Patrick Corbin (10-11, 4.25 ERA, 5.31 DRA, .289 TAv, 0.5 WARP) vs. LHP Steven Matz (2-7, 6.08 ERA, 6.04 DRA, .303 TAv, -0.3 WARP)

Corbin has won two straight, defeating the Cubs and Astros behind 15.1 scoreless frames. The upstate New York native struck out 15 against the playoff-caliber clubs, holding them to a .164 batting average.

The host’s southpaw in Tuesday’s matchup has not fared nearly as well. Matz was rocked by that other New York team on Thursday, allowing seven runs (six earned) in just 3.1 innings en route to losing his sixth straight decision.

Wednesday: RHP Zack Godley (5-6, 3.13 ERA, 2.91 DRA, .222 TAv, 3.4 WARP) vs. RHP Chris Flexen (2-2, 6.55 ERA, 9.11 DRA, .349 TAv, -0.9 WARP)

Godley took the loss at Target Field on Friday, charged with four runs in 5.1 innings including two homers despite striking out 10.

Flexen’s performances have been somewhat underwhelming thus far, yet he’s managed to keep his team in the game in each of his past three starts. The 23-year-old did not factor in the decision against Miami on Friday, pitching 5.1 innings of three-run ball.

Thursday: LHP Robbie Ray (9-5, 3.11 ERA, 3.95 DRA, .240 TAv, 2.2 WARP) vs. RHP Rafael Montero (2-8, 5.47 ERA, 5.50 DRA, .303 TAv, 0.0 WARP)

Ray has not pitched in a major league game since July 28, when he was pulled in the second inning after being struck in the head by a 108 mph line drive in St. Louis. The first-time All-Star suffered a concussion but appears ready to return after striking out 11 batters over 4.2 innings in a rehab assignment on Thursday night.

Thought to have possibly worn out his welcome for the last time just a few short weeks ago, Montero has strung together two quality outings and shown flashes of the promising potential that the Mets have been trying to harness for the past four seasons. Still only 26 years old, the slim Dominican held Miami to one run over six innings for his first win since June 25.

Who’s Hot?

Diamondbacks 1B Paul Goldschmidt (1.093 OPS with 7 HR and 17 RBIs this month)

Diamondbacks OF David Peralta (4-for-13 with a home run this weekend)

Diamondbacks 2B Brandon Drury (3 doubles and a homer in his last two games)

Mets SS Amed Rosario (4-for-12 in Miami series)

Mets IF Asdrubal Cabrera (.313 AVG (5-for-16) since Wednesday)

Who’s Not?

Diamondbacks IF/OF Daniel Descalso (.179 AVG (5-for-28) since August 11)

Diamondbacks C Chris Iannetta (3 hits in his last 21 at-bats)

Diamondbacks OF Gregor Blanco (.248 OPS with 12 strikeouts in 34 plate appearances this month)

Mets 1B Dominic Smith (.510 OPS in ten games played)

When We Last Met

Arizona swept three games at Chase Field in mid-May, capped off by Chris Herrmann’s walkoff homer against Montero to lead off the 11th inning in the series finale.

It’s Literally a 10-Day DL

Diamondbacks: SS Nick Ahmed (fractured right hand) began a rehab assignment with the AZL D-backs on Saturday. He was 0-for-2 with a walk and scored a run.

Mets: RHP Matt Harvey (stress injury in right shoulder) will start for Double-A Binghamton on Monday in his second rehab outing after appearing in two games with the Brooklyn Cyclones last week. RHP Jeurys Familia (blood clot in right arm) continues his rehab assignment with High-A St. Lucie and will need to reach a point where he can comfortably throw 30 pitches in an inning, per manager Terry Collins.

Notable Quotables

“We should have made some plays that cost us a couple runs and we made it a game at the end and that’s one of the things, I think, that shows you these guys are not just throwing in the towel. They’re playing all nine.” – Collins after Sunday’s loss

“Dee Gordon’s faster than a lot of guys in baseball… He learned a lesson. I’m sure it won’t happen again. You don’t double-pump when he’s running down to first base for sure.” – Collins on Sunday when asked about Rosario’s blunder

“When Rosario didn’t make that play I put my hands up. I probably shouldn’t have done that… That’s my bad. I can’t show emotion out there like that, especially when it has to do with your other players when they’re out there trying to play defense behind you so that one’s on me.” – deGrom discussing his reaction to the play

Photo credit: Mark J. Rebilas – USA Today Sports

When the schedule was released over the winter, many looked at this week as a potential showcase for the rebuilding Yankees (61-55) and their young stars and another important series for the Mets as they make a run towards their third straight postseason.

Instead we’re looking at the polar opposite in a four-game set that will be split between the two boroughs, with the Yankees holding the league’s top Wild Card spot and sitting 5.5 games behind first-place Boston in the AL East. The Mets, meanwhile, have all but conceded their season by trading away a number of key veterans and promoting highly-touted prospects Amed Rosario and Dominic Smith to play on a regular basis.

After taking three of four in Philadelphia and winning their first series in just over three weeks, all eyes will be on the Mets’ infield neophytes as they get their first taste of the annual Big Apple showdown.

Fresh off a crushing extra-innings defeat to the Red Sox on Sunday night, the Yankees will look to gain some ground in their division before visiting Fenway Park for a crucial series this upcoming weekend.

The Yankees have a 62-46 record against the Mets in regular season play.

When and Where

Game 1: Monday @ 7:05 p.m. EST at Yankee Stadium (TV: SNY, ESPN, YES; RADIO: 710 WOR, ESPN Deportes)

Game 2: Tuesday @ 7:05 p.m. EST at Yankee Stadium (TV: SNY, WPIX; RADIO: 710 WOR, ESPN Deportes)

Game 3: Wednesday @ 7:10 p.m. EST at Citi Field (TV: SNY, ESPN, YES; RADIO: 710 WOR, ESPN Deportes)

Game 4: Thursday @ 7:10 p.m. EST at Citi Field (TV: WPIX, YES, MLBN (out of market only); RADIO: 710 WOR, ESPN Deportes)

Baseball Weather

Monday: Cloudy with a slight chance of a rain shower and a low around 70F; Winds between 5-10 mph
Tuesday: Partly cloudy with a low around 70F; Winds between 5-10 mph
Wednesday: Party cloudy with a low of 68F; Winds between 5-10 mph
Thursday: Cloudy with a low of 72F; Winds between 10-15 mph; Periods of rain after midnight

Probable Pitching Matchups

Monday: RHP Rafael Montero (1-8, 6.06 ERA, 5.90 DRA, .313 TAv, -0.3 WARP) vs. RHP Luis Cessa (0-3, 4.83 ERA, 5.59 DRA, .272 TAv, -0.1 WARP)

In the least appealing matchup of the quartet, Montero will look to rebound after dropping his fourth straight decision behind three innings of four-run ball on Wednesday against Texas. The 26-year-old lost his big league debut against the Yankees back in May 2014 at Citi Field, allowing three runs on five hits over six innings, which included solo homers by Yangervis Solarte and Mark Teixeira.

Cessa returns to the rotation after CC Sabathia and Masahiro Tanaka were both placed on the DL over the weekend. The Mets traded Cessa to Detroit on deadline day in 2015, along with All-Star hurler Michael Fulmer, for slugger Yoenis Cespedes. Cessa did not last more than five innings in each of his previous four starts this season.

Tuesday: RHP Jacob deGrom (13-5, 3.21 ERA, 2.85 DRA, .234 TAv, 4.6 WARP) vs. RHP Sonny Gray (6-7, 3.39 ERA, 3.06 DRA, .230 TAv, 3.0 WARP)

If you had to pick one game to watch this week, Tuesday night’s tilt would be the obvious choice, as each team sends a marquee right-hander to the hill. deGrom snapped a brief two-game skid on Thursday, shutting out the lowly Phillies over 6.2 innings while striking out nine. He left early after being struck in the right arm by a line drive, suffering a significant bruise. X-rays were negative.

The shaggy-haired ace lost his only appearance at Yankee Stadium, surrendering three long balls over five frames. He is 1-2 with a 3.32 ERA in three career starts against the Bombers.

Gray has lost both starts since being acquired from Oakland two weeks ago, despite pitching fairly well in each. The former first-round pick was the victim of shoddy defense in his debut outing with New York, and has also shown some wildness by walking 7 in 12 innings. The Vanderbilt alum has never faced the Mets.

Wednesday: LHP Jaime Garcia (5-8, 4.50 ERA, 4.97 DRA, .261 TAv, 0.9 WARP) vs. RHP Seth Lugo (5-3, 4.85 ERA, 6.39 DRA, .291 TAv, -0.6 WARP)

Another recent acquisition, Garcia has a 6.97 ERA (8 ER in 10.1 IP) in two outings with the Yankees. The veteran southpaw has struck out 10 batters over that span, however. Garcia is 0-2 with a 4.15 ERA in two career starts vs. the Mets.

Lugo has struggled of late, allowing 13 runs on 20 hits and 6 walks in 16 innings across his last three outings, despite fanning 18. Opponents have a .910 OPS against the sophomore starter during that span.

Thursday: RHP Luis Severino (9-5, 3.32 ERA, 2.98 DRA, .224 TAv, 4.2 WARP) vs. LHP Steven Matz (2-6, 5.54 ERA, 6.15 DRA, .292 TAv, -0.4 WARP)

Severino follows up the worst outing of his young career, charged with 10 runs (8 earned) over 4.1 innings against Boston on Saturday – highlighted by two homers off the bat of rookie Andrew Benintendi. Prior to that blip on the radar, the Yankees had won six straight outings by the 23-year-old, a dominating stretch over which Severino struck out 48 in 39.2 innings and held opponents to a .186 AVG, resulting in a minuscule 1.36 ERA.

Matz pitched better his last time out, allowing two runs over 5.2 innings in Philadelphia. It wasn’t enough to snap his losing streak, though, now at a career high-tying five straight.

Who’s Hot?

Mets IF Wilmer Flores (1.067 OPS in 15 plate appearances at Citizens Bank Park)

Mets OF Curtis Granderson (5-for-15 with 2 HRs and 5 RBIs since Thursday)

Mets LF Yoenis Cespedes (.357 AVG and 1.214 OPS over his last three games)

Mets OF Michael Conforto (3 home runs in Philadelphia)

Yankees C Gary Sanchez (7-for-19 (.368) with 2 home runs during five-game hitting streak)

Yankees 3B/1B Chase Headley (.310 AVG (9-for-29) since August 4)

Who’s Not?

Mets OF Brandon Nimmo (1-for-12 in August)

Mets C Travis d’Arnaud (3 hits in his last 25 at-bats (.120 AVG))

Yankees RF Aaron Judge (.596 OPS with 20 strikeouts in 38 at-bats this month, and at least one strikeout in 30 straight games)

Yankees OF Brett Gardner (8-for-48 (.167) in August with 1 extra-base hit)

Yankees 3B Todd Frazier (1 hit in 12 plate appearances vs. Boston)

When We Last Met

The crosstown rivals split four a year ago, with the Mets losing the first and taking the second game in each ballpark. The victory in Queens came on the strength of seven shutout frames by deGrom, while Bartolo Colon earned the win at Yankee Stadium with 6.2 innings of one-run ball – a game in which Jeurys Familia notched his league-leading 38th save on August 4.

The Yankees were 54-54 at the end of the series and sat in fourth place, 7.5 games off the pace in the AL East. The Mets were 56-52, good for third place and an eight-game deficit in the NL East at the time.

It’s Literally a 10-Day DL

Mets: RHP Matt Harvey (stress injury in right shoulder) made his first rehab appearance on Saturday for Class-A Brooklyn at Hudson Valley, allowing a run on one hit and one walk in just one inning. Harvey threw 18 pitches, 7 for strikes, and topped out at 93 mph on the radar gun.

Yankees: 1B Greg Bird (right ankle surgery) and 2B Starlin Castro (right hamstring strain) are both expected to begin rehab assignments later this week.

Notable Quotables

“Two years ago, we thought he could hit 30 home runs. We saw the power. What you’re seeing this year is he’s so consistent, the swing is so consistent that it’s starting to show. You’re going to look at a guy who’s got a chance to hit 30 homers and wasn’t even in the lineup in April, and that speaks volumes.” – Mets manager Terry Collins discussing Michael Conforto’s big weekend in Philadelphia

“There’s really no substitute for getting all your at-bats, being out there every day. That does a lot for a player to just feel comfortable in the box every day.” – Conforto following Sunday’s 6-2 victory

“I think you can throw out the records in that series… It’s an exciting time. It’s exciting for the city and we’re anxious to get going.” – Collins on facing the Yankees

“They’ve had their injury problems as well, especially to that rotation where they’ve lost a number of guys that have been out for a while. The back end of their bullpen has had injuries and other issues so sometimes you can draw it up on paper but you’ve got to keep your guys healthy.” – Yankees manager Joe Girardi on the Mets struggles after being expected to contend this season

Photo credit: Wendell Cruz – USA Today Sports

After dropping the first five on their recent road trip, the Phillies (42-69) salvaged the final three games before returning to Citizens Bank Park.

The Mets shipped free agent-to-be Jay Bruce to Cleveland on Wednesday night for minor league right-hander Ryder Ryan, with the Indians taking on the remaining $3.7 million of Bruce’s salary in the deal.

The slugger’s replacement on the 25-man roster for tonight’s series opener will most likely be center fielder Juan Lagares, who has made seven rehab appearances for Double-A Binghamton this month as he recovers from thumb surgery that landed him on the shelf back in June.

While fans are clamoring to see first baseman Dominic Smith at the big league level, they may have to wait a little longer.

When and Where

Game 1: Thursday @ 7:05 p.m. EST (TV: SNY; RADIO: 710 WOR, ESPN Deportes)

Game 2: Friday @ 7:05 p.m. EST (TV: SNY; RADIO: 710 WOR, ESPN Deportes)

Game 3: Saturday @ 7:05 p.m. EST (TV: WPIX; RADIO: 710 WOR, ESPN Deportes)

Game 4: Sunday @ 1:35 p.m. EST (TV: SNY; RADIO: 710 WOR, ESPN Deportes)

Baseball Weather

Thursday: Partly cloudy with a low of 66F; Winds between 5-10 mph

Friday: Scattered thunderstorms with a low of 69F; Winds between 5-10 mph; Chance of rain 80%

Saturday: Possibility of a stray shower or thunderstorm early and a low of 68F; Winds between 5-10 mph

Sunday: Intervals of clouds and sunshine and a high near 85F; Winds between 5-10 mph

Probable Pitching Matchups

Thursday: RHP Jacob deGrom (12-5, 3.36 ERA, 3.02 DRA, .238 TAv, 4.1 WARP) vs. RHP Vince Velasquez (2-6, 4.82 ERA, 5.22 DRA, .290 TAv, 0.3 WARP)

A shining star amongst a constellation of negativity this season, deGrom has lost his last two outings after winning eight in a row dating back to early June. The 29-year-old needed 99 pitches to get through five innings against a powerhouse Dodgers lineup on Friday, charged with three runs on five hits and three walks in his shortest outing in almost two months.

After a promising 2016 in which he struck out 152 in 131 innings, Velasquez has regressed a bit. Winless since May 1, he missed seven weeks with a strained flexor in his right elbow but has pitched fairly well since returning (3.00 ERA over 4 starts) despite walking a career-high six in Colorado on Friday.

Friday: RHP Seth Lugo (5-3, 4.55 ERA, 6.52 DRA, .288 TAv, -0.7 WARP) vs. RHP Nick Pivetta (4-7, 5.89 ERA, 5.39 DRA, .287 TAv, 0.2 WARP)

Lugo’s underwhelming sophomore campaign continued versus LA on Saturday, allowing three runs (including two homers) in 5.2 innings. He did not factor in the decision.

Pivetta’s first visit to the pitcher’s nightmare that is Coors Field did not end well. The 6’5″ rookie was pulled after just 2.2 innings, allowing eight runs (six earned) on seven hits in the loss.

Saturday: LHP Steven Matz (2-5, 5.77 ERA, 5.88 DRA, .300 TAv, -0.2 WARP) vs. RHP Aaron Nola (8-7, 3.12 ERA, 2.93 DRA, .229 TAv, 3.3 WARP)

Matz has struggled mightily in five starts since the All-Star break, with opponents hitting .433 alongside a whopping 1.164 OPS. The scuffling southpaw hasn’t won a game since June 28 and looks to turn the tide against a team that he has never faced.

Drafted seventh overall in 2014 and a cornerstone of Philadelphia’s future, Nola has been outstanding since mid-June – a span of nine starts in which the 24-year-old is 5-2 with a 1.76 ERA, including 70 strikeouts in 61.1 innings. His most recent outing was Sunday in Colorado, where he limited the Rockies to two runs on six hits across seven frames in a no-decision.

Sunday: RHP Chris Flexen (1-1, 8.49 ERA, 8.31 DRA, .391 TAv, -0.4 WARP) vs. RHP Zach Eflin (1-3, 5.67 ERA, 6.34 DRA, .296 TAv, -0.5 WARP)

Plugging a hole in the club’s injury-depleted rotation, Flexen made his third big league start on Tuesday night against Texas, pitching just well enough to earn his first win (5.2 IP, 4 H, 3 R/ER, 3 BB, 4 SO, 2 HR, 1 HBP).

Eflin was impressive in Atlanta on Tuesday, earning the victory behind seven innings of two-run ball in his return to the rotation. The second-year hurler was demoted back in May after a pair of miserable outings.

Who’s Hot?

Phillies CF Odubel Herrera (5-for-8 with a double, two triples, a home run, 3 RBIs and 3 runs scored since Tuesday)

Phillies IF Freddy Galvis (.833 OPS in his last four games)

Phillies C Cameron Rupp (4-for-10 with 2 doubles and 2 RBIs)

Who’s Not?

Phillies 1B Tommy Joseph (3-for-29 with 1 XBH this month)

Mets SS Amed Rosario (2-for-16 with 7 strikeouts and no extra-base hits or walks)

Mets IF Asdrubal Cabrera (.063 OBP on homestand)

Mets LF Yoenis Cespedes (2-for-16 over his last five games)

Mets IF Neil Walker (.174 OPS in August)

Mets 3B/SS Jose Reyes (9-for-56 since July 20 (.161 AVG))

When We Last Met

The Mets took two out of three in Flushing on June 30-July 1, both one-run victories. deGrom struck out 12 over seven innings in the series opener, allowing just one run en route to his eighth win.

It’s Literally a 10-Day DL

Phillies: No significant injury-related news

Mets: RHP Matt Harvey (stress injury to right shoulder) threw batting practice on Tuesday and felt no ill effects the following day. A rehab assignment should not be far off, although the team has not yet committed to a date.

Notable Quotables

“You can’t ride one guy to get back in it. You need your lineup to produce and do what they are supposed to do, do what they are capable of doing. Right now, we got some guys that aren’t hitting.” – Mets manager Terry Collins on his team’s recent offensive woes

Photo credit: Brett Davis – USA Today Sports

And, in a way, it was a completely reasonable thing to write at the time. The Mets were coming off back-to-back playoff appearances for the first time since the turn of the century. Just a few months prior, they signed Yoenis Cespedes to a four-year, $110 million contract. The starting rotation, when healthy, could have been one of the best baseball had seen in years. Expectations were high and, compared to previous iterations of the team, so was the payroll.

In typical Mets fashion, that optimism has been rewarded with a mess of a season, from the chronic injuries to players failing to show up to games to trade requests. Underperformance, especially from the once-vaunted pitching staff, has been ubiquitous, leaving the formerly “contending” Mets competing with the Padres for the fourth-worst record in the NL.

With the Mets being a New York City team, you’d think such a flop would be constant backpage fodder and the source of endless material for the city’s radio stations. You’d also think such losing from a team many expected to be a serious playoff threat would lead to a famed closed-door team meeting or two, and possibly pissed-off postgame press conferences from the manager or team leaders.

Well, you’d be fairly wrong. Outside of the canned comments from Sandy Alderson and Terry Collins about how much injuries have affected the on-field product — or even jokes from Alderson about Matt Harvey’s nightlife — there has been nothing resembling dissent or discord.

In one way, that could be considered a good thing. An assured sign of a strong, tight-knit clubhouse is that everything gets handled in-house. Teammates that have each other’s back won’t go right to the press to leak details about incidents brought on by the frustration that usually accompanies such poor play.

On the other hand, though, it reeks of apathy. Even a cursory examination of the current Mets — an issue exacerbated by the departure of Jay Bruce, one of the few players to seem genuinely pissed off during the weekly Sunday blowout loss — would lead the common fan to notice as astounding lack of emotion. It might just be my own negativity, but such detachment doesn’t often result when a team fails to reach its level.

That indifference has spread throughout the organization, and seemingly into the media as well. The losing in 2017, be it because of how quickly it began in the season or because the Mets have never been particularly close to turning it around, has almost started to feel like a stated fact. The only harsh back pages relating to the Mets have regarded non-baseball matters, be it Harvey’s relationship struggles or #DildoGate.

In recent seasons, the Mets getting crushed at home by teams led by the likes of Martin Perez or Nick Pivetta would elicit brutal columns and articles taking the team to task for such bad efforts. Those performances would certainly be capped by a red-faced Collins addressing the media with an almost burning rage, partially directed at his own players and partially at the media members for stoking his fire with drops of gasoline.

This is from 2011, this is from 2016. Not much difference between the two except for that the 2011 team was going nowhere and the 2016 team was headed to the playoffs, albeit for a short amount of time. The biggest post-loss reaction from Terry this season has arguably been after the famed Sunday Massacre when the Nationals beat the Mets 23-5 and Noah Syndergaard got hurt.

In 2017, however, whether it’s due to Terry knowing he won’t be back in 2018 or a simple resignation to his team’s fate, there has been no such public displays regardless of how bad the on-field product has been.

Same goes for the financial state of the Mets, which has been one of the biggest issues the team has faced this decade. When teams like the Rays and Indians are eating the entirety of the contracts owed to the players dealt to them by the Mets in order to give up less substantial prospect packages, there’s probably something the ownership group isn’t relaying to fans and the media.

If the Mets were as “all-in” on improving the team as much as possible in the short-run as Puma (and others) reported this spring and in the past few springs, wouldn’t they be willing to absorb some money on the Duda, Bruce and Reed deals to garner higher-caliber and more pro-ready returns? One would think so, but the proof doesn’t seem to be in the pudding.

Free cash certainly is not an issue for the Wilpon family, as Sterling Equities — the Wilpon-owned parent company of the Mets — recently bought an esports franchise for a fee that ESPN has reported as being at least $20 million. The real question is if some of that cash on hand is destined to be re-invested in the Mets, who have a boatload of money coming off the books this offseason (an amount that will be healthily boosted by the insurance money to be collected on David Wright’s contract).

For years, ownership has done yeoman’s work in trying to convince everyone that the team’s payroll and other budgetary concerns will not affect the front office’s pursuit of maximizing organizational talent.

But, with the Mets possessing baseball’s 13th-highest payroll (per Spotrac, before the recent trades are all factored in), behind such big-market powers like the Baltimore Orioles and Seattle Mariners, that “promise” feels like just that, a bunch of words with no legitimate substance behind it. Remind you of anything?

Photo credit: Charles LeClaire – USA Today Sports

While these two sub-.500 clubs play out this four-game series, their front office employees should be very busy behind the scenes.

Despite their recent success, the Mets are still expected to be aggressive sellers leading up to the non-waiver trade deadline, which is suddenly just a week away. The team is even showcasing veterans in unfamiliar roles in an effort to increase their market value, starting Asdrubal Cabrera at third base over the weekend – a position he appeared at just once before, as a rookie in 2007.

The Padres are also rumored to be shopping some key pieces, including highly-coveted lefty reliever Brad Hand.

When and Where

Game 1: Monday @ 10:10 p.m. EST (TV: SNY; RADIO: 710 WOR, ESPN Deportes)

Game 2: Tuesday @ 10:10 p.m. EST (TV: SNY; RADIO: 710 WOR, ESPN Deportes)

Game 3: Wednesday @ 10:10 p.m. EST (TV: SNY; RADIO: 710 WOR, ESPN Deportes)

Game 4: Thursday @ 9:10 p.m. EST (TV: SNY; RADIO: 710 WOR, ESPN Deportes)

Baseball Weather

Monday: Fair with a low near 70F; Winds between 5-10 mph

Tuesday: Partly cloudy with a low around 70F; Winds between 5-10 mph

Wednesday: Clear with a low around 70F; Winds between 5-10 mph

Thursday: Clear with a low around 70F; Winds between 5-10 mph

Probable Pitching Matchups

Monday: RHP Jacob deGrom (11-3, 3.37 ERA, 2.87 DRA, .234 TAv, 3.8 WARP) vs. LHP Clayton Richard (5-10, 5.35 ERA, 6.43 DRA, .306 TAv, -1.1 WARP)

The Mets ace looks to continue a stellar stretch that has seen him record seven straight victories with a 1.51 ERA. Opponents are batting a paltry .180 against deGrom over the winning streak, during which he has struck out 50 in 53.2 innings.

Richard is coming off one of the worst starts of his nine-year career on Wednesday in Colorado. The veteran southpaw lasted just 3.2 innings, allowing a franchise record-tying 11 runs on 14 hits.

Tuesday: RHP Seth Lugo (4-2, 4.05 ERA, 6.41 DRA, .270 TAv, -0.4 WARP) vs. RHP Jhoulys Chacin (9-7, 4.26 ERA, 4.49 DRA, .259 TAv, 1.4 WARP)

Lugo has pitched well since the All-Star break, helping the Mets win both of his starts behind a 2.70 ERA (4 ER in 13.1 IP).

Chacin, meanwhile, has impressed for all of June and July, compiling a 5-3 record with a 2.72 ERA in nine starts. The 29-year-old is especially tough at home, allowing just 14 earned runs in 65 innings (1.94 ERA), and is attempting to win his fourth straight decision overall.

Wednesday: LHP Steven Matz (2-3, 4.67 ERA, 6.00 DRA, .273 TAv, -0.2 WARP) vs. RHP Trevor Cahill (4-3, 3.69 ERA, 2.78 DRA, .250 TAv, 1.9 WARP)

Matz wasn’t particularly effective on Friday against the A’s, charged with three runs on nine hits in five innings. He didn’t walk anyone and kept the ball in the yard, his frustration evident after being lifted for a pinch-hitter in a game the Mets went on to win 7-5.

Cahill, who played a major role out of the bullpen for the World Series champion Cubs, has adapted just fine this season in his return to a starting role. So much, in fact, that he has become a prime trade candidate for a contender looking to supplement their rotation. The California native struggled on Friday in San Francisco, allowing six runs (five earned) over 3.2 innings in a game the Padres eventually won 12-9.

Thursday: RHP Zack Wheeler (3-7, 5.21 ERA, 6.58 DRA, .291 TAv, -1.0 WARP) vs. RHP Luis Perdomo (4-5, 4.71 ERA, 5.25 DRA, .284 TAv, 0.3 WARP)

Wheeler has been roughed up in his last two outings, allowing nine runs in 10.1 innings with a 1.004 OPS against. He has not earned a win since May 20, and the Mets are 3-6 in nine starts during that stretch.

In his second year in the league, Perdomo has been inconsistent on a start-by-start basis. He did not record a decision in Saturday’s loss at AT&T Park, allowing four runs (just one earned) on eight hits in six innings.

Who’s Hot?

Mets OF Michael Conforto (.350 AVG, 1.235 OPS, 5 HR, 11 RBIs after the break)

Mets C Travis d’Arnaud (6-for-11 since Wednesday)

Mets IF Wilmer Flores (4-for-9 with a double and two home runs over his last three games)

Padres 1B Wil Myers (has homered in each of his last three games, and in four of six)

Padres 2B/3B/LF Cory Spangenberg (.406 AVG (13-for-32), 1.191 OPS, 3 HR, 10 RBIs in eight games)

Padres IF/OF Jose Pirela (6-for-15 in Giants series)

Padres 2B Carlos Asuaje (12-for-31 with 5 RBIs over the past week)

Who’s Not?

Mets OF Curtis Granderson (.074 AVG (2-for-27) in July)

Mets LF Yoenis Cespedes (No home runs and 3 RBIs since June 23, a span of 20 games and 82 plate appearances)

Padres OF Jabari Blash (2-for-13 in San Francisco)

When We Last Met

The Padres visited Citi Field in late May, winning two of three; each by one run. The Mets lone victory came in the series opener, thanks to a seven-run first inning in which Chacin was chased after recording only two outs.

It’s Literally a 10-Day DL

Mets: 2B Neil Walker (left hamstring tear) was 1-for-4 on Sunday for Triple-A Las Vegas in his second rehab game. He could be activated for Monday’s series opener. Highly-touted shortstop Amed Rosario missed his sixth straight game for the 51s on Sunday after being hospitalized in Memphis the night before for an apparent stomach ailment, which was later diagnosed as gastroenteritis. Earlier in the week the Mets stated that the 21-year-old was out due to a bruised right index finger, suffered after being hit by a pitch. Rosario is expected to be back in the lineup for Vegas on Monday. OF Brandon Nimmo (partially collapsed lung) is also close to returning.

Padres: 2B Yangervis Solarte (left oblique strain) will start swinging from the right side of the plate on Monday. RHP Craig Stammen (left hamstring tightness) is still day-to-day and is not expected to be ready for Monday’s game. OF Travis Jankowski (right foot fracture) began a rehab assignment with Triple-A El Paso on Saturday. The former Stony Brook standout has been on the disabled list since April 24, and is not expected back any time soon.

Notable Quotables

“I certainly think the guys think they’re playing better. When you have some well-pitched games that means a lot. We’ve just got to get the big guy (Cespedes) going. We get him going it’s a whole different lineup.” – Mets manager Terry Collins after Sunday’s loss

“Next week’s gonna be hard. I will do the best I can to try and keep their mind on the game and away from worrying about (who) the trading talks are about.” – Collins on his approach leading up to the deadline

“Even the fact being brought up that this could be the last home game for a lot of us here is something that’s a bit odd, but nothing happens until it happens so we don’t know for sure. We’ll just see how it goes.” – Mets RF Jay Bruce following the team’s final home game until August 4

Photo credit: Jake Roth – USA Today Sports